Whats’s going on Husker fans? Teams around the conference are gearing up for another season and some of them are kicking off with practices this week. ESPN’s Tim Griffin released the information on his blog so I thought I would pass it along here as well.

Oklahoma State: Players report Tuesday, first practice Wednesday.

Iowa State: Players report Tuesday, first practice Thursday.

Baylor: Players report Wednesday, first practice Thursday.

Kansas State: Players report Wednesday, first practice Thursday.

Missouri: Players report Wednesday, first practice Thursday.

Oklahoma: Players report Wednesday, first practice Thursday.

Colorado: Players report Thursday, first practice Friday.

Kansas: Players report Thursday, first practice Friday.

Nebraska: Players report Friday, first practice Saturday.

Texas Tech: Players report Friday, first practice Saturday.

Texas: Players report Saturday, first practice Sunday.

Texas A&M: Players report Sunday, first practice Aug. 10.

I’m getting very excited about the upcoming season and can’t wait for practices to get underway. Hopefully the Huskers will be injury free heading into their season opener but you never know how these early practices will go.


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Big 12 conference action begin this week with Oklahoma State (1-2) hosting undefeated Texas Tech (3-0). Oklahoma State enters conference play as one of the bigger disappointments in the conference.  With 15 returning starters, many thought online pharmacy the Cowboys could challenge for the Big 12 South title this season. Okie State struggled in their season opener losing to Georgia 35-14.  Even worse was last week’s performance where they were destroyed on national television by Troy 41-23.  For Texas Tech, they have dominated their opponents (SMU, UTEP and Rice) averaging 569 yards and 51 points a game.

Why Texas Tech will win?   

Texas Tech has completely dominated their first three opponents with their wide open spread offense.  Quarterback Graham Harrell may be getting the headlines with his performance but the play of the offensive line deserves a lot of credit.  In 178 pass attempts, the Red Raiders have given up just two sacks.  Impressive for a line that only returns one starter from last season. What does Texas Tech need to do to win? 

  • If it ain’t broke why fix it

Okie State gave up 388 yards passing to Troy last week so for Tech continue to do what they do best…..pass the ball.  If Tech’s line can continue to protect Harrell there is no reason why the Red Raiders can’t put up 35+ points in Stillwater this weekend. 

  • Put pressure on theOkie State offense

The Cowboys entered the season with some outstanding offensive talent.  They had a veteran center that had made 24 straight starts in David Washington.  They also had returning starters in quarterback Bobby Reid and senior tailback Dantrell Savage.  The middle of the offense was outstanding.  Well, Washington broke his leg at Troy. Reid has been benched and lost his job, perhaps on a permanent basis. And Savage has been hurt since August with a groin injury. What had been the strength of OSU was straight up the middle. Okie State now has a rookie quarterback, a fumble-prone tailback in Keith Toston, and they’re struggling to find a center.  If Texas Tech can get up early on Okie
State and make the Cowboys play catch-up it will be a long day in Stillwater for the Pokes. 

Why Oklahoma State will win the game? 

The home team has won in this series five straight seasons. Edge Oklahoma State.  Also, there is a sense of urgency with Okie State as they know they need to rebound after last week’s debacle at Troy.  Okie State can win this game if tailback Dantrell Savage is back this weekend (as expected) and if they can get consistent play from their quarterback.  Tech has allowed 337 yards a game so their defense is vulnerable.   

What doesOklahaoma State need to do to win? 

  • Big game from the big uglies

The Red Raiders had six sacks in last week’s victory over Rice and have 10 for the season. Okie State is without their best offensive lineman for the season so the rest of this unit must step up this weekend.  Not only must the Cowboy offensive line give their quarterback time but they must open up some holes for their ground game.  This leads to point two…. 

  • Establish the running game

It is key that Okie State establishes a running game for two reasons.  First, it puts pressure off the quarterback.  When an offense can establish a running game it opens up the passing game which has been a weak point for the Red Raiders defense.  Second, it allows you to control the clock.  It doesn’t take Tech long to score but if you can minimize their possessions it certainly gives Okie State a better chance of pulling off the upset. 

This weekend is the tale of two cities.  Texas Tech is hot out of the gate with a 3-0 start.  Okie State is walking with their tail between their legs after an embarrassing lost to Troy.  The home team has won this game the last five years but that trend stops this weekend.  Texas Tech has too much offense for a Cowboy defense that has been struggling.  The Cowboys offense has gone from ‘the best show on the universe’ to ‘lost in space’.  I like Texas Tech big in this one….45-20. 

Written by PMHusker


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NebraskaIn a rare ACC-Big 12 match-up, Florida State (1-1) travels 1,650 miles west to take on Colorado (1-1) in a night viagra england game set for ESPN. Both programs are at a pivotal point. Colorado is looking for their first big win in the Dan Hawkins era. Florida State is trying to re-establish their name in the college football world after finishing 7-6 last season and opening this season with a loss to Clemson.

Why CU will win?

This is a game CU players and fans have had circled for some time. Coach Hawkins understands that this is a statement game for the CU program. CU will win this game if Florida State continues to make the mental mistakes that have plagued this program for the past two years. I expect Hawkins to pull out the bells and whistles for this game and if he is able to pull a surprise or two by Coach Bowden the Buffs could win this game. Also, this game is in Boulder which is 5,156 feet higher than what the Seminoles are use to. For those who have not gone from sea level to a mile high to play an athletic event, it is quite the challenge.

What does CU need to do to win?

  • Run the ball effectively

Last week versus Arizona State, CU rushed for only 32 yards. Starting running back Hugh Charles returns for CU after missing last weeks game with a hamstring injury. Quarterback Cody Hawkins looks to be a promising signal caller but right now he does not have the arm strength or wide receivers to win this game without the support of a good ground attack. Florida State’s defense has been solid versus the run so far this season. FSU allowed just 132 yards versus Clemson’s running back duo of James Davies and C.J. Spiller. Last week versus UAB they allowed only 119 rushing yards but the Blazers were able to average 4.3 yards per carry.

  • Win the intangibles

One of the biggest obstacles for Florida State this season has been penalties and turnovers. Against UAB they had 12 penalties for 131 yards along with three turnovers. FSU was minus eight in turnovers last season. To defeat a program like FSU, CU has to win the turnover battle. CU is minus one in turnovers through two games.

Why FSU will win?

Speed. Colorado has not faced a team with the type of speed Florida State possesses. Coach Hawkins admitted earlier this week that the Seminoles are much faster than the Arizona State team that beat the Buffs by 19 points. From linebacker Geno Hayes to cornerback Myron Rolle, the Seminoles have plenty of speed on the defensive side of the ball. This speed will make it very difficult for Cody Hawkins to throw the ball consistently on Saturday. Last week versus Arizona State Hawkins was just 15-for-42 with 155 yards passing. Granted he had a number of passes dropped including two would-be touchdown passes. CU’s passing game was among the worse in the country last year. Early indications show that the passing game will be better this year but you may not see it on Saturday.

What does FSU need to do to win?

  • Get ahead early

If FSU can get ahead early it could be a long evening in Boulder for CU. CU doesn’t have the athletes quite yet to score quickly and often which was evident in the Arizona State game. CU did show the ability to come back in week one versus CSU (down 28-17 in the 3rd quarter) but FSU’s overall speed and talent is on a different level than CSU.

  • Consistent play from Weatherford

Most FSU fans were calling for backup Xavier Lee after Weatherford’s poor performance versus Clemson. Weatherford responded by throwing for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns versus UAB last week. Weatherford has been extremely inconsistent throughout his career. Matter of fact, the last time Weatherford had back-to-back 300 yard games is October of 2005. Weatherford isn’t the only person to blame. His wide receivers, DeCody Fagg and Greg Carr in particular, have been very inconsistent so far this season.

Prediction

FSU is not the same team we saw in the 90’s but they still have a lot of speed and talent. Both teams have issues right now but FSU has more overall talent to make up for all the problems. FSU has Alabama next on the schedule so they know they need to start playing better now. I like FSU 24 to 13 as I think they have too much speed for CU.

By PJMHusker


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NebraskaThe pride of Texas is on the line Saturday evening as 7th ranked Texas (1-0) host 17th ranked TCU (1-0). The former Southwest Conference rivals meet for the first time in nearly 12 years. In their last meeting on November 18, 1995 Texas won at home 27-19. Texas leads the all-time series 60-20-1 and have won 14 straight meetings in Austin versus TCU. But this is not your dad’s Horned Frogs.

TCU has found their niche as they sildenafil have won at least 10 games in four of their last five seasons. TCU is favored to win the Mountain West Conference this season after finishing 11-2 last season. Throw in the fact that the Horned Frogs have won five straight games against Big 12 opponents and this is not an easy non-conference game for Texas.

Why TCU will win?

Defense. TCU showed how stout their defense will be this year by starting the season with a 27-0 shutout of Baylor. Baylor is no Texas but they are certainly better than Arkansas State. (I’ll talk more about the mighty Indians in a bit.) TCU has only allowed a total of 44 points (8.8 per game) during their winning streak against the Big 12. Their current winning streak began two years ago when they shocked then-No. 5 Oklahoma 17-10 in the season opener. They also have wins over Iowa State and Texas Tech.

The Horned Frogs finished in the top three nationally last year in total defense, rushing and scoring. TCU returns 9 starters from last year but the teams best defensive player has yet to step on the field this season. Two-time All-MWC Selection and NFL prospect Tommy Blake has only practiced a handful of times since leaving campus and going home for a week for personal reasons in mid-August. Word is that Blake will be on the field this weekend which adds another dimension to the TCU defense.

What does TCU need to do to win?

  • Contain the Texas passing game

TCU’s defense has a reputation in being a run stopping defense (allowed just 51 yards on the ground last week). Texas knows this so they will challenge the Horned Frogs in the air. Last week against Arkansas State 6-foot-5 Limas Sweed had 5 catches for 98 yards and a score. Texas will be without starter Billy Pittman (suspended) and Jordan Shipley is not 100%. The tallest CB for TCU is 5-foot-11 so this will be a key area to watch in this game.

  • No turnovers

You can’t upset a top ten team on the road if you lose the turnover battle. The Frogs had just one turnover last week albeit on the 1-yard line. If TCU wins the turnover battle they can win this game.

  • Win the battle in the trenches

Three things favor TCU in this area. First, Texas replaced three starters on the offensive line from a year ago. The Texas offensive line did not play great in the season opener. Second, Tommy Blake is back and he will cause problems for the Texas line. Third, Texas will be without starting DE Brian Orakpo. He was on crutches with a brace on his right knee this week and will not play on Saturday. To pull off the upset TCU will need a strong performance from their offense line. Ball control will be key on Saturday for the Horned Frogs. TCU’s offensive line has one of the top centers in the country in Blake Schlueter. He is an early candidate for the Rimington Trophy which is awarded to the top center in NCAA Division I-A. Left guard Matt Lindner is equally impressive as he is a candidate for the Outland Trophy. Without Orakpo on the line for Texas, TCU may have the edge but Texas tackles Frank Okam and Derek Lokey will certainly make their presences known on Saturday.

Why Texas will win?

Texas has as much talent as any team in the country but have they lost their mojo? In their last four games they have lost to Kansas State and Texas A&M, followed up by a lackluster 26-24 bowl win over a 6-6 Iowa team. They follow that up with a 21-13 win over…..Arkansas State….yeah the Indians of Arkansas State. A team that is three games under .500 the past seven years in the Sun Belt Conference. Texas has a clear advantage in about every matchup versus TCU. The key is getting all of this talent on the same page. One concern Mack Brown has with this years team is lack of leadership. Texas is still trying to identify leaders on this team. Texas will win this game if they can put up 21 or more points on Saturday. TCU is not a high powered offense as they have a freshman quarterback and their top tailback is highly doubtful for the game. If Texas can establish any time of running game, I think Colt McCoy takes advantage of the size mismatch Texas wide receivers have on the TCU cornerbacks.

What does Texas need to do to win?

  • Make TCU throw the ball

TCU QB Andy Dalton had a decent game versus Baylor, completing 18 of 30 for 205 yards and a score. Dalton is just a freshman and he is not your typical TCU QB as he will not beat you with his legs ala Casey Printer. Dalton will have to limit his mistakes and come up with some timely completions if TCU is going to pull off the upset. Texas will certainly load up 8 or 9 men in the box and challenge Dalton to beat them in the air.

  • Improve ground game

Texas tried to establish the running game last week versus Arkansas State but it didn’t happen. Texas averaged just 3.1 yards per carry against a team picked to finish third in the Sun Belt. Texas also failed to punch it in after having first-and-goal from the 3. Texas even had senior defensive tackle Derek Lockey playing short-yardage fullback to help get some extra push. Texas needs to establish a running game versus TCU. If they can accomplish this it opens up the passing game for quarterback Colt McCoy.

  • Defense has to step up

Texas won the scoreboard last week but the box score told a different story. Arkansas State outgained Texas in total yards by collecting 397 yards (272 passing and 125 rushing) to Texas’ 340 total yards. After watching videotapes of the game, Texas coach Mack Brown has put his defensive starters on alert. Brown made it clear to his team that there could be potential changes on the defensive side of the ball. The biggest area of concern was the Texas secondary. Co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina said free safety Marcus Griffin is safe but the strong safety and cornerback positions could be up for grabs. Bottom line is that the Texas defense needs to play better than it did last week. TCU is not going to put up a ton of points on Saturday as their offense is not setup for high scoring affairs. If Texas can hold TCU to 17 points or less they will have a very good chance of winning on Saturday.

Prediction

TCU has the 11th best record since 2000 (66-21) so it is not a program Texas can take lightly. TCU will have to be stout on defense and hope that injured star running back Aaron Brown can play. Brown hurt his leg in the first quarter of the opener and his status will be a game-time decision. We will see a different Texas team on Saturday as they know they need to play better. There are questions this year in Austin as their offensive line and secondary are inexperienced but I like Texas in a close one 20 to 13.

Written by PMHusker


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