Primetime College Football: Knights vs Herd
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the University of Central Florida Knights take on Marshall University Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Head coach Doc Holliday has his Thundering Herd enter tonight’s matchup 1-4 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA. Holliday is in his first year at Marshall but is not off to the start he had hope for and is coming off a 41-16 loss to in conference foe Southern Mississippi. Marshall’s lone win this year came at home where the Herd are 121-20 all-time.
Marshall is lead by senior quarterback Brain Anderson, 880 yards 8 touchdowns 5 INTs, but leads a team that ranks 77th in nation in passing. Even more alarming is that Marshall is often behind by more than two touchdowns so they tend to go to the air more. When Anderson is able to complete a pass its usually to sophomore Antavious Wilson, 272 yards 5 touchdowns. The running game for Marshall though is even worse than there passing game where they rank 105th in the nation and only average 101 yards per game.
The Herd defense is giving up 35 points per game and can virtually be on run at any time as they have given up on an average of 173.8 yards per game.
Head coach George O’Leary’s has his Knights 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Conference USA where they sit in first place. The Knights have a legit shot at winning the conference title this year with the team they have as they are balance on lots of fronts, especially coming off last year where they finished 6-2.
This still while being lead by freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey, 531 yards 1 touchdown 2 INTs, who also serves as a dual threat. Godfrey, 283 yards 2 touchdowns, also leads the Knights in rushing where he is averaging 5.4 yards per carry. However the rushing attack isn’t done by Godfrey alone, as they have junior Ronnie Weaver, 255 yards 5 touchdowns, in the backfield as well.
Coach O’Leary has relied heavily on rushing the ball this season and his team has responded by turning out 192.8 yards per game and out of the 14 touchdowns scored by this offense, 11 have come via the run.
The Knights defense is a strong one that is holding opponents to just 13 points per game and holding teams total offensive total to 265.2 yards per game.
PICK: University of Central Florida Knights
Primetime College Football: Herd vs Golden Eagles
TALENT
This game goes down on the CBS Sports network and it features the Marshall University Thundering Herd taking on Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg.
Head coach Larry Fedora brings his Golden Eagles into their first Conference USA game with a 3-1 overall record. The Golden Eagles have won 10 straight home games dating back to November of 2008. The Golden Eagles junior quarterback Austin Davis, 804 yards 2 touchdowns 3 INTs, has had a rough start to this season but has completed 67.5 percent of his throws. The Golden Eagles golden goose though on offense is sophomore running back Desmond Johnson, 222 yards 3 touchdowns, who is averaging 4.7 ypc.
The defense for Southern Mississippi has been holding opponents to just 19 ppg and 311 total yards per game both of which rank in the middle of the pack nationally.
Things are a little bit different for head coach Doc Holliday for his Thundering Herd enter their first conference game with a 1-3 record. The Herd rank 100th in the nation in scoring and are averaging just 332.5 ypg, which ranks 87th. Senior quarterback Brian Anderson, 850 yards 7 touchdowns 5 INTs, is usually looking for sophomore Antavious Wilson, 213 yards 5 touchdowns when he throws the ball.
The Herd currently rank 101st in the nation in total defense with 430.5 ypg.
Southern Mississippi won the last encounter 27-20 in November to increase its lead in the all-time series to 4-1.
PICK: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
Primetime College Football: Herd vs Buckeyes
TALENT
It’s that time of year again and I’m back for another year of Primetime College Football posts. For those that weren’t regular visitors of this site during this time last year, you might not be familiar with the whole objective of these posts. First, breakdowns only come of Primetime games during the season. Bowl season is a different story and every bowl game will get it’s own moment. Second, I don’t root for any particular college team just a fan of all 120 Division 1A and no I won’t call it Football Bowl Subdivision. Third, these are just observations I collect throughout the year and notes I’ve compiled through the years on players. I did somewhat OK last year going 66-27 and slightly above .500 during the bowl season.
Oh and if you have any pictures of TALENT decked out in school gear,doesn’t matter which school, feel free to send them my way. So let’s kickoff the 2010 NCAA Division 1-A Football Season.
The Big Ten Network kicks off the first game of this years Primetime College Football and it’s between Ohio State Buckeyes and Marshall University Thundering Herd. A lot of experts have the Buckeyes in contention to play for a BCS National Championship Game this year but it all starts here.
Marshall starts the year off with new coach Doc Holliday, who inherits a Thundering Herd squad that finished 7-6 a year ago, including 4-4 versus Conference USA competition. Marshall’s last victory was a 21-17 win over Ohio in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. Holliday a longtime assistant and regarded as one of colleges best recruiters returns 13 starters. Senior quarterback Brian Anderson is one of them after throwing for 2,646 yards and 14 touchdowns 13 INTS last year. Anderson main target is Antavious Wilson, who lead the team in catches with 60 catches for 724 yards and 3 touchdowns as a freshman.
On the defensive side of the ball for Marshall they will have to lean heavily on defensive end Vinny Curry, 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a sophomore, and senior linebacker Mario Harvey, 117 tackles and 7 sacks. The Thundering Herd will have to go about this season without one of their best play-makers in the secondary after DeQuan Bembry, 3 INTS, was kicked off the team after being charged with assault on a police officer.
Jim Tressel is currently 9-0 in season openers at Ohio State and will watch as junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Terrelle Pryor looks to guide the Buckeys to their 6th consecutive Big Ten title. Ending the season Pryor had one of his best games when he threw for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 72 yards in a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.
Two of Pryor’s favorite targets in DeVier Posey, 60 catches for 828 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Dane Sanzenbacher 36 catches for 570 yards and 6 touchdowns are back. The offense firepower doesn’t stop with Pryor and his favorite wide receivers as running back tandem of Brandon Saine, 739 yards, 5.1 ypc, 4 touchdowns, and Daniel Herron, 600 yds,7 touchdowns also are back. The offensive line also returns four starters.
The headlines might read all about Pryor and the offesne but it’s the Buckeyes defense that should dominate the 2010 college football. The defensive unit that was among the nation’s best last year, ranking 5th in total defense and scoring defense brings back most of its starters. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is the real star on the defensive side of the ball as he led the team with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last year. Top tacklers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle also have returned for their senior seasons.
The only previous meeting between Ohio State and Marshall occurred in 2004 with a narrow 24-21 win by the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes haven’t dropped a home opener since a 19-0 loss to Penn State in 1978.
PICK: The Ohio State University Buckeyes
