Week 8 features a few big games, and some games that will be worth watching. We will know more about how a lot of teams and conferences stack up after Saturday. I also can enjoy this week more since Texas does not play.

Maryland at Iowa

Analysis:

Last week against Indiana, Iowa played in a way that is very different than usual for the Hawkeyes. Quarterback Nate Stanley threw for 320 yards and six touchdowns. Besides Stanley, tight ends Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson each had over 100 yards receiving and three touchdowns between the two. Both of these tight ends have been very good security blankets for Stanley. Defensively, they stifled Indiana’s run game and allowed just 67 yards and 2 yards per carry. This will be good for Iowa as one of the keys to the game for them will be to slow down Maryland running back Ty Johnson. Maryland is 4-2 on the season after a 34-7 victory against Rutgers on Saturday. Maryland held Rutgers to less than one yard per pass attempt on Saturday, but Rutgers did run the ball pretty well. Offensively, Ty Johnson had 132 yards on the ground in just nine attempts. Maryland as a whole ran for seven yards per attempt in their victory. Johnson will need a good game again, as Iowa has a stout run defense. Maryland will also need to find a way to neutralize tight ends TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant in the passing game. Linebackers Tre Watson and Eyinde Eley will likely have the task of covering them. Watson had an interception last game, which is reassuring. This game could definitely turn ugly, and will come down to who better executes their game plan better.

Prediction:

Iowa wins 27-21 in a pretty ugly game. Nate Stanley eventually becomes too much for Maryland’s defense to handle.

Oklahoma at TCU

Analysis:

TCU looks to be in for a down year as they sit at 3-3 this season. Last week, they had a poor offensive performance as they lost 17-14 to Texas Tech. I have to bring their play calling into question. Shawn Robinson has struggled throwing the ball, and he threw the ball 45 against Texas Tech, while they handed the ball off to a running back 22 times. With Robinson’s struggles throwing the ball downfield, it was not a good call to have him throw it 45 times. Their one security blanket in the passing game, was receiver KaVontae Turpin, who had 120 receiving yards. Defensively, TCU needs to contain Kyler Murray and Oklahoma’s top receivers. Defensive end Ben Banogu had two sacks against Texas Tech, and will be relied upon to put pressure on Murray. Oklahoma is coming off of a bye after a loss in the Red River Shootout against Texas. They also fired defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was fired. Oklahoma’s key to the game will be playing stout defense, which they have been lacking with the exception of linebackers Kenneth Murray and Curtis Bolton. Kyler Murray will look to bounce back after a performance against Texas that was a step down from his previous form (he still had nearly 400 total yards). I believe Oklahoma will be angry this game and will want to take out their frustrations on TCU.

Prediction:

Oklahoma wins 38-20. TCU is never really in the game.

Michigan at Michigan State

Analysis:

This game features two teams coming off big wins last week. Michigan State upset (then) 8th ranked Penn State 21-17 last week. Michigan State was able to slow down Penn State’s offense and grind out the win. Offensively, they were led by receiver Felton Davis who had 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Defensively they held Trace McSorley in check, allowing six yards per pass attempt. Miles Sanders had a couple big runs, but was limited besides that. Michigan State will need to get something going on offense, which is a tough ask against Michigan’s defense. Running back La’Darius Jefferson will be relied upon to establish the run game. Their offensive line needs a good day as well if they want to win this game. Michigan State has won four out of the last five games in this rivalry, so Michigan State has the blueprint for winning. Michigan is coming off of a big win against Wisconsin where they completely dominated in a 38-13 win. Shea Patterson was reliable at quarterback and was a threat running the ball. Karan Higdon had 105 yards on the ground. Defensively, their pass defense tortured Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook. If their pass defense can do the same this week, it will be an easy victory. Michigan needs to shut down Felton Davis, as the receiver has been the only reliable source of offense for Michigan State. If the Wolverines can do that and establish their run game, they should win this game.

Prediction:

Michigan slogs out a 27-16 win.

Virginia at Duke

Analysis:

This game features two teams that are secretly pretty good (the fact that this is a sort of important football matchup is crazy to me). Virginia is coming off an upset of Miami where their defense had a great performance. Their defense was able to put their offense in good field position and their kicker, Brian Delaney made three field goals. Offensively, they struggled in the passing game, and were led by running back Jordan Ellis. Quarterback Bryce Perkins also added 61 rushing yards (it would look better if he was not sacked three times). If Virginia can create turnovers and have some offense, they can definitely win this game. Duke quietly sits at 5-1 after a 28-14 win over Georgia Tech last week. Offensively, they were led by three passing touchdowns from Daniel Jones, while Deon Jackson ran for five yards per carry. Defensively, they were able to slow down Georgia Tech’s triple option led by 15 total tackles from Joe Giles-Harris. What may be concerning is that defenses tend to perform poorly the week after they play triple option teams due to fatigue.

Prediction:

Duke wins 24-20 as Daniel Jones does not let Virginia’s defense rattle him.

North Carolina State at Clemson

Analysis:

This game features two undefeated teams. North Carolina State is 5-0 coming off of a bye. The Wolfpack are led by an efficient quarterback in Ryan Finley. Finley is a smart player who rarely makes mistakes in the passing game. Finley has connected with star receiver Kelvin Harmon, who had 128 receiving yards in their last game. Jakobi Meyers had 99 receiving yards in their last game as well. Their offensive line needs to hold up as well if they want a chance in this game. Finley will need time to throw and be able to stay calm in the pocket. Defensively, they need to stop Travis Etienne and Clemson’s run game. They should try to force Trevor Lawrence to beat them and while he is talented, it can be a tough ask for a true freshman quarterback. Clemson also had a bye last week and their most recent game was a dominant 63-3 win over Wake Forest. Clemson had three different 100 yards rushers. To ensure victory, their defensive line needs to wreak havoc on a pretty good North Carolina State offensive line. They need to force Ryan Finley to make quick decisions and rattle their offense. North Carolina State has played Clemson close the last two years, so victory is definitely attainable for the Wolfpack.

Prediction:

Clemson wins 31-17 in a game where they slowly grind out the win.

Alabama at Tennessee

Analysis:

Tennessee won their game last week against Auburn, snapping their 11 game losing streak against SEC opponents. Tennessee is 3-3, but all three of their losses are against good teams. Unfortunately for Tennessee, Alabama is a very good team. Tennessee needs a good day from their defense in order to keep it close. They will rely upon defensive backs Baylen Buchanan and Bryce Thompson to try and do well in Alabama’s receivers and make things harder on Tua Tagovailoa. They had two interceptions and two sacks against Auburn, but they will need more if they want this game to be close. Their defense has a very small margin of error in this game. Alabama had their lowest point total last week, putting up a measly 39 points (of course it is far from measly) against Missouri. Tua Tagovailoa went down with an injury, so he may be limited in this game. Their running backs, Damien Harris and Najee Harris, might have a bigger role because of this. Alabama has won 11 straight games against Tennessee , and I expect that streak to extend to 12 on Saturday batting a miracle.

Prediction:

Alabama wins 42-13 and it is never close.

Colorado at Washington

Analysis:

This game has two teams coming off of disappointing losses. This game will also play a role in both divisions of the Pac 12, and the losers of these games will likely be eliminated from their respective division title races. Colorado lost 31-20 against USC last week, where their late surge was not enough to get the job done. Worse for Colorado, Laviska Shenault’s status is uncertain for this game due to a toe injury against USC. If Colorado wants a chance in this game, Shenault will need to be on the field. Quarterback Steven Montez struggled against USC, and will need a better day against Washington’s elite defensive backfield. KD Nixon and Shenault if he plays, will need to help Montez out. The other key to the game for Colorado will be to slow down Myles Gaskin and Washington’s run game. Washington is coming off of an overtime loss to Oregon, that they were a missed field goal away from winning in regulation. Washington was banged up at running back with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed missing time. Thankfully, they are both expected to play on Saturday. One good thing to not from the game is that Ben Burr-Kirven, and Tevis Bartlett had 19 and 12 tackles respectively. In order to ensure victory, their secondary needs to slow down Colorado’s receiving corps.

Prediction:

Washington wins 31-21, where their talent just overwhelms Colorado.

Memphis at Missouri

Analysis:

This game takes the title this week for game that randomly interests me. Memphis sits at 4-3, and has an explosive offense. In their last game, Memphis was one point away from pulling off the upset against UCF. Memphis has been led by running back Darrell Henderson who had 199 rushing yards against UCF. Henderson is a staple in their offense as he has been a reliable source of yardage all season. Arizona State transfer Brady White has been good at quarterback, but just not quite to the caliber Memphis has been used to (Despite his failure in the NFL and looking like a Disney villain, Paxton Lynch was a good college quarterback as was Riley Ferguson). If Henderson can get going, Memphis will have a much easier time moving the ball. Memphis also got two sacks a piece out of defensive linemen Joseph Dorceus and John Tate. This kind of performance will help Memphis tremendously this week as they play a very good quarterback in Drew Lock. Missouri is coming off three straight losses and will want to end that this week. Drew Lock has not quite been up to form recently, but Memphis’s defense can leave a lot to be desired so Lock will have a chance to change that. They will need a good game from their defensive line to try and slow down Darrell Henderson. Lock will also need to improve upon his recent performances in order to ensure victory.

Prediction:

Missouri wins a shootout 41-35.

Mississippi State at LSU

Analysis:

LSU comes into this game off of one of their biggest wins in recent memory. LSU dismantled Georgia’s offense on their way to a 36-16 win over the then second ranked team in the country. LSU also had one of their better offensive performances. Joe Burrow did what was asked of him at quarterback, and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire burst onto the scene with 145 rushing yards. Justin Jefferson proved himself as one of the top receivers in the SEC with 108 receiving yards. They swarmed Georgia defensively with four sacks and three turnovers. LSU needs a good game out of their offensive line against Mississippi State’s elite defensive front. They also need to stop the run game from Mississippi State and force Nick Fitzgerald into beating them with his arm, and with Grant Delpit (who is still good even though he got stiff armed by a kicker) and Greedy Williams at corner, he very likely will not. Mississippi State comes into this game getting a win over Auburn. Nick Fitzgerald made up for his struggles passing the ball by running for 195 yards and two touchdowns, setting an SEC record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback. Running back Kylin Hill ran for 126 yards of his own. Defensive lineman Montez Sweat has three sacks and proved to be a force against Auburn. What does concern me is that they score just 12 points per game against SEC opponents. They also have not played a defense as good as LSU’s (I guess maybe Florida but I doubt it). They will need to get some offense going, and also try to stop LSU’s rushing attack. With Sweat and Jeffrey Simmons on the defensive line, it is definitely a doable task.

Prediction:

LSU wins 24-14 in a very run heavy game.

Oregon at Washington State

Analysis:

College GameDay goes to Pullman, Washington for the first time as we see a matchup of ranked teams in a suddenly pretty solid Pac 12 North. Washington State and Oregon both quietly sit at 5-1. Oregon had a marquee win on Saturday against Washington. Justin Herbert did well for playing against Washington’s elite secondary. CJ Verdell also ran for 111 yards in the victory. Dillon Mitchell is establishing himself as an elite receiver by putting up 119 receiving yards. Oregon needs to be able to cause some disruption to Washington State’s air raid offense. Getting a good pass rush and having good coverage will be the biggest ways to do that. Oregon also needs to get their offense going quickly, and rack up points as Washington State will definitely score some points( not an insult to Oregon, Washington State just has a very high powered offense). If they can slow down the passing game in any way, it will be huge. Washington State is coming off of a bye, which will be a big help. Their offense relies heavily on the pass, and when quarterback Gardner Minshew has an accurate day, the offense is very hard to slow down. Washington State has three different receivers who have had over 100 yards receiving in a game in Davontavean Martin, Easop Winston Jr., and Dezmon Patmon. What concerns me about Washington State is that they have allowed over 200 rushing yards in their last two games including 276 to Oregon State. The combination of this and Oregon seeming to favor the run more, makes me worry that Oregon will run all over Washington State’s defense. This game looks very much like a shootout, so any defensive stops can be huge.

Prediction:

Washington State wins 38-35 behind a crazy home crowd and a big game from Gardner Minshew.

My Midseason Awards

Since this week lacks marquee games, I thought I would sprinkle in my midseason awards to get a better scope of the season so far.

Best Quarterback: Kyler Murray

So far this season, Murray has 1,764 passing yards on a 71% completion percentage. He is a dual threat quarterback as he has run for 377 yards and five touchdowns. It is crazy to see that Oklahoma lost a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback and their offense has not lost a step. Murray will have opposing defenses in fear at all times (I was scared anytime he touched the ball against Texas).

Best Running Back: Jonathan Taylor

Wisconsin is halfway through the regular season and Taylor already has 950 yards rushing. Taylor also does this rushing for 6.6 yards per carry. No defense he’s really seemed to stop him this year. I see no other choice for top running back.

Best Receiver: Laviska Shenault

Colorado is one of the biggest surprises this year at 5-1, and Shenault is their biggest weapon on offense. Shenault has 780 receiving yards, averaging 130 yards per game. On top of this Shenault has rushed for 87 yards and five touchdowns, and has been used as a wildcat quarterback taking the direct snap and running.

Best Defensive Player: Ed Oliver

At defensive tackle, Ed Oliver already has 46 total tackles, which is quite a bit for an interior defensive lineman. Oliver also has 11.5 tackles for loss so far this season. While his stats may not look as good, Oliver is getting double and triple teamed almost every play and causes the most disruption on defense out of anyone in the country.

Best Freshman: Rondale Moore

In his first game for Purdue, Moore set the school record for all purpose yards in a game. Moore has 697 yards on the season to go along with six touchdowns. Moore will definitely be a mainstay in Purdue’s offense for the next few years.

Coach of the Year: Nick Rolovich

Hawaii is 6-2 on the season and sits first in the Western division of the Mountain West. A lot of that is due to their offensive scheme and passing attack that owes a lot of credit to their head coach, Nick Rolovich . In his third season as Hawaii’s head coach, Rolovich is beginning to turn things around for the Rainbow Warriors, and it is always fun to see Hawaii be good.

Best Game: Texas vs Oklahoma

I may be biased but this game was very exciting, and I went through a vast array of emotions watching it.

Surprise Team: Kentucky

Kentucky is 5-1 and 3-1 in SEC play so far. They have won their games with defense and with Benny Snell being a beast at running back. Kentucky has won three games against very solid opponents, and with the way the rest of their schedule pans out, can definitely get to 10 wins.

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