Predictions for Week 4

Player on the Rise: Graham Harrell, Texas Tech

While Harrell has thrown for over 1000 yards against Nevada, SMU and Eastern Washington, Umass will be easier. The 11^th ranked Red Raiders get 4 easy non – conference games, so Harrell will have an easier chance of playing well. Wait til Texas Tech brings their game into the Big 12

Player to fall: Willie Tuitama, Arizona

Tuitama and Arizona won’t get revenge against UCLA, and even though UCLA lost to BYU by 59, 59-0, AU lost to New Mexico 36-28, and were down 36-21. UCLA is 1-1, and Arizona is 2-1. Tuitama has completed 69 of 104 passes for 792 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 picks. He will probably throw at least 1 pick vs. UCLA, but Tuitama might not lead the pack.

Player on the Rise: Knowshon Moreno, Georgia

Yeah, the experts may say Arizona State is a tough game, but Georgia and Knowshon Moreno can handle any opponent. They held off South Carolina and the defense forced 1 or 2 turnovers in the red zone, and the offense is well prepared. Moreno has scored 7 touchdowns and has 306 yards on 46 carries for an average of 6 yards per carry. Expect at least 2 touchdowns from him.

Player to fall: Ian Johnson, Boise State

Johnson has only rushed for 144 yards on 27 carries in 2 games this year, but expect not too good of a ground game for Johnson as Boise State takes on 9 Oregon. The Ducks are more known for the offense, but the defense isn’t bad. BSU won’t have a very good ground game, so don’t expect big stats from Johnson.

Player on the Rise: Michael Cratbee, Texas Tech

A hard game for Texas Tech? Just Umass. With a QB like Graham Harrell, Texas Tech will dominate. Cratbee has 395 yards on 24 catches and 5 touchdowns, and I think he will have 6 vs. Umass. 11 Texas Tech will dominate this year, and with a top QB prospect in Harrell and a WR prospect in Cratbee, TTU will make a BCS bowl.

Player to fall: Jarrett Dillard, Rice

Dillard has put up good stats, but Rice is no match for 7^th ranked Texas. Dillard has 22 catches for 260 yards and 5 scores, and an average of 11.8 yards per catch, but those stats could take a tumble. Texas has good players on both sides of the ball, and stopping Dillard should be a goal for Texas. If not, more yards, catches or even scores could come from Dillard and Rice.

4 Florida at Tennessee

Tebow, Harvin, Foster, Crompton. Those are the QB and RB for each team. Tim Tebow has led Florida, and Harvin will probably play. The Gator defense is awesome, and it needs to stop Tennessee from making big plays. For Tennessee, Crompton, Foster, and the WR’s will try to go through Florida. Tennessee could win by scoring a lot on the tough Florida defense, but the defense can improve. Expect a close game.

Final Score: Florida 38, Tennessee 31

Upset of the Week: Baylor Over 25 Uconn

Yeah, Uconn beat Virginia, Hofstra and Temple, but Baylor is coming off of a 45-17 thrashing of Washington State, and Robert Griffin ran for 217 yards at QB! Tyler Lorenzen, the Uconn QB, is good at rushing too [second on the team] but Griffin has 836 yards of total offense and 8 Td’s of total offense. Baylor will be too much for 25 Uconn to handle.

Virginia Tech at North Carolina

Hokie-Mania or Tar Heel – Mania. We will find out.

With Sean Glennon leading the passing and Darren Evans and backup QB Tyrod Taylor running the offense, Virginia Tech is ready to prove that they are a Top 25 team. They will finish strong in the ACC. Trust me. For North Carolina, T.J Yates will start for UNC and with WR Brandon Tate having 1 rushing TD and 5 carries for 125 yards and 25 yards per carry, and 231 yards on 8 receptions and 2 TD’s, and 28.9 yards per catch, if he has a good game, they have a better chance of winning. If not, they might not win. Greg Little will most likely start at RB.

Final Score: North Carolina 34, Virginia Tech 27

Notre Dame vs. Michigan State Preview

You know the Notre Dame team that beat Michigan, but do you know the team that beat Michigan State? Led by sophomore QB Jimmy Clausen, the Irish, Robert Hughes, and star WR Golden Tate, ND could beat 2 Michigan schools. For Michigan State, the starting QB is Brian Hoyer, and 1 of the best backs in the nation in Javon Ringer, and receivers Mark Dell and B.J Cunningham. I saw Michigan State play Cal and they looked good out there!

Final Score: Michigan State 38, Notre Dame 35, OT

Top Quarterbacks

2 Sam Bradford – Oklahoma

3 Max Hall – BYU

1 Graham Harrell – Texas Tech

4 Matt Stafford – Georgia

5 Tim Tebow – Florida

Hall, Bradford and Harrell have thrown for over 1040 yards, and Stafford and Tebow are playing harder opponents, so all 5 are having phenomenal seasons. Stafford faces Arizona State, and Tebow faces Tennessee, but Hall and Harrell face little opponents. Harrell and Texas Tech are 11, BYU is 14, Georgia is 2 and Florida is 4 in the BBD Polls, and Oklahoma is 3, so they are all in the top 14 and highly appreciated schools.

Top Running Backs

1 Joe McKnight - USC

2 Chris Wells – Ohio State

3 C.J Spiller – Clemson

4 Knowshon Moreno - Georgia

5 Jahvid Best - California

Other: Javon Ringer – Michigan State

All 5 of these backs have overcome a tough opponent and had an average of over 6.7 yards per carry, which makes them special. McKnight ran for an average of 9.2 yards per carry against Virginia and then 9 Ohio State, which makes him special. Best ran easily through Washington State, and Michigan State and Maryland weren’t bad, Spiller has a receiving TD and a average of 7.9 yards per carry and Moreno and Wells are really well known backs. All 5 are awesome.

Sleeper QB

Matt Grothe – South Florida

Grothe and 13 South Florida have lived up to the hype against UCF and then 11 Kansas, and Grothe has had a 156.6 passer rating and 780 yards 7 TD’s and 2 picks on 61 of 93 passes, including a 65.6 completion percentage. This is really the statistics of a sleeper, and that is what Grothe is made to be [a college and NFL football player] !

Top Wide Receivers

1 Michael Cratbee – Texas Tech

2 Jeremy Maclin - Missouri.

5 Dez Bryant – Oklahoma State

4 Percy Harvin – Florida

3 Darius - Hayward – Bay – Maryland

5 top receivers in the nation. Cratbee hasn’t had too good of a season but he is ready for stardom. Maclin has faced tough opponents and is ready to show off his skills. Bryant has a good average and is willing to take great skills into the Big 12. Harvin is ready to contribute after a knee injury slowed him down. Hayward bay has 219 yards on 9 receptions for an average of 24.3 yards per catch and 2 TD’s. Overall all 5 are great.

Saturday Selections

North Carolina State Over 19 East Carolina

2 Georgia over Arizona State

23 Florida State over 22 Wake Forest

Michigan State over Notre Dame

North Carolina over Virginia Tech

9 Oregon over Boise State

21 Utah over Air Force

Baylor over 25 Uconn

Boston College over Central Florida

Game of the Week: 6 LSU over 10 Auburn

Unranked Sleeper: Michigan State

The Spartans, led by top running back Javon Ringer, are free to have a great year. Brian Hoyer, Javon Ringer, Mark Dell and the rest of the Spartans have a goal to complete a successful year and the opponents have some work to do against Michigan State. I think only 12 Penn State and 8 Wisconsin and possibly 18 Ohio State will or can beat the Spartans.

A team with 1 win that is doing horrible: Texas A&M

The Aggies have looked terrible. They held off New Mexico 28 -22 on the road, but losing to Arkansas State 18 – 14 at home, what the? And with RB Mike Goodson and QB Stephen McGee, all they lost was TE Martuells Bennett? The Aggies should have a form like last year when they finished 7 – 6 counting the bowl loss to Penn State and when they beat then 13 Texas. Miami FL will beat them 52 – 7 on Saturday and they will lose to Iowa State and Baylor and almost lose to Army. A 2 –10 season is right for them. They are one of the worse teams in the country.

USC, Georgia and Oklahoma Preview

USC Preview

The Trojans know this is the year to win it all. With top RB prospect Joe McKnight, QB Mark Sanchez, LB’s Rey Maualaga and Brain Cushing, and receiver Ronald Johnson; this team has so much talent.

OFFENSE

The Trojans are stocked at this position, especially at RB. Sophomore RB Joe McKnight and redshirt freshman C.J Gable are ready to prove this is their year. I think with an average of 9.2 yards per carry and 161 yards on 18 carries, and a receiving touchdown, opposing defenses need to think twice against McKnight. Gable is also playing well

QUARTERBACKS

Mark Sanchez is the main man here [forget Mitch Mustian] he is and has led the way. He has thrown for 510 yards and 7 touchdowns and 2 picks on 43 completed passes. He also threw for 235 yards, 4 touchdowns and no picks. In his career, he has thrown for 1963 yards and 21 TD’s and 13 picks. A lo of those stats should have come from 07 against Notre Dame or 08.

RECEIVERS

The Trojans don’t have too many good receivers, but Ronald Johnson is speedy and Damian Williams played well against Ohio State and Patrick Turner is averaging 17 yards per catch with 1 touchdown. Williams has 140 yards on 10 receptions and 2 scores and Turner has 105 yards on 6 receptions and 1 TD, and they have an average of 31 yards per catch together.

Top Offensive Line Player: Jeff Byers

DEFENSE

LINEBACKERS

This is where you can’t beat SC. With Rey Maualaga and Brian Cushing, future NFL stars, the Trojans most likely have the best LB pair in the nation. Maualaga returned a pick 48 yards for a score against then 9 Ohio State and Cushing is 6-4 and weighs 250 pounds, and does everything well.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Fill Moala is ready to spread his talents and Todd McShay expects him to go first in the 2009 NFL Draft. He is explosive off the snap, and is 6-5 and weighs 295, uses his hands well and can force a double team. Everson Griffin may think or know this is their year, and I think so too.

SECONDARY

USC has the best secondary in the Pac-10 by far and Taylor Mays and Kevin Ellison are ready to show off their All-American talent and they could be in the NFL and even with the arrest of Sharrece Wright Cary Harris and Kevin Thomas are ready to prove that this is USC.

OFFENSE

The Trojans are great at this position and Joe McKnight, Damian Williams, Mark Sanchez and the rest of the USC offense are ready to prove that this is USC. Stanley Havili caught an unexpected touchdown and QB Mark Sanchez, WR Damian Williams and USC will show their talents as the year goes on.

DEFENSE

LB’s Rey Mualuga and LB Brian Cushing and Everson Griffin, Taylor Mays and the rest of the USC defense are ready to show of. Maualaga returned a pick for a TD and Cushing is doing well too. Even with the losses of Lawrence Jackson, Keith Rivers and Sedrick Ellis Fill Moala will fill in. Here are the top 5 USC defensive players.

1 Rey Maualuga

2 Fill Moala

3 Brian Cushing

4 Everson Griffin

5 Taylor Mays