jimmythegreek
The opening odds start here
Air Force +9 over FAU:
In week 1 of the 2018 College Football campaign. the Falcons (1-0) won their opener in mainly a scrimmage format with a 38-0 victory over FCS Stony Brook. Cole Fagan (18-67 3.7 1 TD) and Arion Worthman (11-66 6.0 1 TD) led a Falcons rushing attack that generated 333 yards on the ground with 4 Falcons players finding the end zone. Kyle Johnson returned an INT 32 yards to paydirt and despite Worthman attempting only 8 passes, the Air Force defense limited the Seawolves to just 75 total yards while forcing 3 turnovers. The game was interrupted by two 40 minute lightning delays, but that didn’t stop the AF defense which gave up the fewest yards to an opponent in nearly 62 years. Worthman went 2-of-8 passing for 29 yards, lost a fumble and was lifted in the third quarter for junior backup Isaiah Sanders. The Falcons led 24-0 at the time, so it was not a move made in desperation, but none of the other starters had been pulled at that point.
The Falcons travel east to beautiful Boca Raton to take on Florida Atlantic (0-1) out of Conference USA from FAU Stadium, a venue that holds just under 30,000 fans not holding much of a home field advantage. The Owls were obliterated in Norman by Oklahoma last week 63-14, allowing the then 7th ranked Sooners to rack up 809 yards of total offense. Kyle Murray threw for 274 yards on 10/12 passing with 3 TD’s. Marquise Brown caught 7 passes for 195 yards and 2 TD as Austin Kendall came in mop up duty completing 8/10 for 88 yards and a score. Rodney Anderson (5-100 20.0 2 TD) could not be stopped scoring on TD runs of 65 and 30 yards. Trey Sermon (10-86 8.6 2 TD) also ran for 2 scores, and the Sooners defense held FAU to just 312 total yards. Chris Robison (15/26 157) was mediocre at best while Devin Singletary (18-69 3.8 1 TD) and Kerrith Whyte Jr (3-15 5.0 1 TD) provided the only offense with rushing TD’s with the outcome well in hand for OU.
Air Force enters this game with plenty of momentum, but it also enters with a cautious optimism. It’s no secret that the degree of difficulty is extremely setting the bar high in stopping a triple option offense, and the Falcons have dominating balance when it comes to Worthman leading the charge as well as a variety of backs. This doesn’t bode well for a run defense that was chewed up and spit out by a rushing attack that gobbled up 428 yards in the opener. Lane Kiffin and company could be in for a long day as the Owls to prepare for an offense they rarely play and are hard pressed to use that preparation as a building block for the remainder of the year. Defensive end Hunter Snyder, who was limited in last week’s loss with an undisclosed injury, could get more of a chance to assist in stopping the fierce triple option attack, but CB Meiko Dotson is likely out for the season following hip surgery.
Singletary of course was held last week against a defense that did what it needed to when they were out there given the fact that Oklahoma scored at a break neck pace. One key player that could make a big impact is tight end Harrison Bryant, Conference USA’s preseason all-conference selection at the position last month. He had just two catches and three targets against the Sooners, so it’s going to take much more of a positive effort in order to exceed and eventually outscore the Air Force ground game. Robison could have his hands full against a defense that while not nearly tested as of yet, could turn out another standout performance led by Johnson who also is called upon the special teams front in opposing punting situations. Stony Brook managed just 4 first downs last week, and couldn’t get past a determined line led by Garret Kauppila who led the Falcons last week with 7 tackles.
Don’t expect to see more than 10 passes once again this week from Worthman, so Air Force won’t fix it if it ain’t broke. FAU can only make things tough for the Falcons if they can stop this triple option attack and force, no pun intended, the Falcons to go through the air. The Owls have much more of an efficient tempo and mix behind Robison, so if they can succeed on their drives methodically they can then own the time of possession and limit the Falcons capability of damage to be done in the ground game. Joseph Saucier didn’t find the end zone last week but ran for a team high 71 yards. Given the depth and one dimensional game plan of Air Force, FAU is going to have to play mistake free and could go down outright failing to even contain this dominating ground game. Didn’t expect this spread to be more than a TD and I’m grabbing the points in what should be a nip and tuck battle to the end.
I’ll have a second play coming up in week 2 for Saturday.
In week 1 of the 2018 College Football campaign. the Falcons (1-0) won their opener in mainly a scrimmage format with a 38-0 victory over FCS Stony Brook. Cole Fagan (18-67 3.7 1 TD) and Arion Worthman (11-66 6.0 1 TD) led a Falcons rushing attack that generated 333 yards on the ground with 4 Falcons players finding the end zone. Kyle Johnson returned an INT 32 yards to paydirt and despite Worthman attempting only 8 passes, the Air Force defense limited the Seawolves to just 75 total yards while forcing 3 turnovers. The game was interrupted by two 40 minute lightning delays, but that didn’t stop the AF defense which gave up the fewest yards to an opponent in nearly 62 years. Worthman went 2-of-8 passing for 29 yards, lost a fumble and was lifted in the third quarter for junior backup Isaiah Sanders. The Falcons led 24-0 at the time, so it was not a move made in desperation, but none of the other starters had been pulled at that point.
The Falcons travel east to beautiful Boca Raton to take on Florida Atlantic (0-1) out of Conference USA from FAU Stadium, a venue that holds just under 30,000 fans not holding much of a home field advantage. The Owls were obliterated in Norman by Oklahoma last week 63-14, allowing the then 7th ranked Sooners to rack up 809 yards of total offense. Kyle Murray threw for 274 yards on 10/12 passing with 3 TD’s. Marquise Brown caught 7 passes for 195 yards and 2 TD as Austin Kendall came in mop up duty completing 8/10 for 88 yards and a score. Rodney Anderson (5-100 20.0 2 TD) could not be stopped scoring on TD runs of 65 and 30 yards. Trey Sermon (10-86 8.6 2 TD) also ran for 2 scores, and the Sooners defense held FAU to just 312 total yards. Chris Robison (15/26 157) was mediocre at best while Devin Singletary (18-69 3.8 1 TD) and Kerrith Whyte Jr (3-15 5.0 1 TD) provided the only offense with rushing TD’s with the outcome well in hand for OU.
Air Force enters this game with plenty of momentum, but it also enters with a cautious optimism. It’s no secret that the degree of difficulty is extremely setting the bar high in stopping a triple option offense, and the Falcons have dominating balance when it comes to Worthman leading the charge as well as a variety of backs. This doesn’t bode well for a run defense that was chewed up and spit out by a rushing attack that gobbled up 428 yards in the opener. Lane Kiffin and company could be in for a long day as the Owls to prepare for an offense they rarely play and are hard pressed to use that preparation as a building block for the remainder of the year. Defensive end Hunter Snyder, who was limited in last week’s loss with an undisclosed injury, could get more of a chance to assist in stopping the fierce triple option attack, but CB Meiko Dotson is likely out for the season following hip surgery.
Singletary of course was held last week against a defense that did what it needed to when they were out there given the fact that Oklahoma scored at a break neck pace. One key player that could make a big impact is tight end Harrison Bryant, Conference USA’s preseason all-conference selection at the position last month. He had just two catches and three targets against the Sooners, so it’s going to take much more of a positive effort in order to exceed and eventually outscore the Air Force ground game. Robison could have his hands full against a defense that while not nearly tested as of yet, could turn out another standout performance led by Johnson who also is called upon the special teams front in opposing punting situations. Stony Brook managed just 4 first downs last week, and couldn’t get past a determined line led by Garret Kauppila who led the Falcons last week with 7 tackles.
Don’t expect to see more than 10 passes once again this week from Worthman, so Air Force won’t fix it if it ain’t broke. FAU can only make things tough for the Falcons if they can stop this triple option attack and force, no pun intended, the Falcons to go through the air. The Owls have much more of an efficient tempo and mix behind Robison, so if they can succeed on their drives methodically they can then own the time of possession and limit the Falcons capability of damage to be done in the ground game. Joseph Saucier didn’t find the end zone last week but ran for a team high 71 yards. Given the depth and one dimensional game plan of Air Force, FAU is going to have to play mistake free and could go down outright failing to even contain this dominating ground game. Didn’t expect this spread to be more than a TD and I’m grabbing the points in what should be a nip and tuck battle to the end.
I’ll have a second play coming up in week 2 for Saturday.
