Here are some observations to look for in the three offerings in FBS football for this Friday night, 9/15/17. There are three games on the slate for this evening. They are as follows:
Game of the Night
Illinois (2-0) at USF (2-0)
What to Watch For, Illinois: The road tripping Illini have not exactly been a juggernaut for some time, and only have a handful of bowl trips in their history. Lovie Smith has not elevated the program like some thought that he would to date. The Illini passing game is a mess. Chayce Crouch starts at QB, and no number two is listed on the two deep. He's just 24/44 passing, and the Illini are averaging just 126 yards passing per game with one score and two INTs.
They will depend on their run game to win tonight, as they are averaging 132 yards pr game on the ground, but even then, the offense of the Illini is hardly impressive. Mike Epstein is clearly the lead back, having rushed for 165 yards on the season. No other back has run the ball for more than 46 yards on the year thus far. The Illini are exceptionally thin at the skill positions offensively across the board.
Defensively, Illinois allows 221 yards passing per game, but is stingy against the run, allowing just 88.5 yards per game on the ground. LB Del'Shawn Phillips is the star, as he is averaging 11 tackles per game. Bobby Roundtree and Isaiah Gray, both freshman, have combined for five TFLs. Roundtree has collected three sacks on the year to lead the team. The Illini have forced three fumbles to date, and have created five QB hurries.
Chase McLaughlan is 3/4 on FG tries. The punting game has been less than stellar, averaging just over 38 yards per punt.
What To Watch For, USF: Everything starts and ends with QB Quinton Flowers, but even he has been off to a slower than normal start this season as teams are keying in on him more and more in the run game. He is completing just over 55% of his passes for 199 yards per game, with four TDs to one INT. It will be a war of wills with the Bulls run game, as they average 234 yards per game rushing, however, none of the Bull rushers have been big on blowing up the big play this far, with Darius Tice leading the way at just 4.26 yards per carry. Marquez Vales-Scantling will be the primary target for Flowers, as he leads the team with 10 receptions through two games.
Defensively, look for the Bulls to throw eight in the box and force the Illini to throw the football. The Bulls have allowed 207.5 yards through the air, but just 100.5 yards per game rushing.
How Should It Go: USF should force the Illini to go to the air, where they are not proficient. If the Bulls can avoid their slow starts they have faced this season in games one and two, USF should be able to build an early lead, and the Illini are not built to rally. The Bulls should take advantage of a fairly thin Illinois skill set depth chart tonight in Tampa.
The Rest
U Mass (0-3) at Temple (1-1)
This will be a game that you probably should not put aside anything you have to do to watch. U Mass is fairly awful defensively, allowing 213 yards passing per game, and 210 yards per game on the ground. Offensively, it's all about the passing game for the Minutemen with QB Andrew Ford, and the best TE in college football that nobody knows in Adam Breneman. Breneman has averaged seven receptions per game this season, but has not seen the end zone once. Ford averages 275.7 yards passing per game. The run game is fairly terrible for U Mass, averaging just 91 yards per game.
Temple is in a rebuild mode, and are just three points away from being winless in 2017 after a 16-13 win over Villanova last week. The Owls were crushed in their opener at Notre Dame. QB Logan Marchi is moving the football, but has just two TD passes while averaging 259.5 yards per game. The Owls, who have always depended on power running, average just 82 yards rushing thus far in 2017. Temple has been vulnerable against the run, allowing 221 yards rushing per game, while allowing 283 yards per game through the air.
I still like Temple in this one, but if U Mass is going to be able to steal a game against anyone, this is their shot tonight.
Arizona (1-1) at UTEP (0-2)
The Wildcats were a mess on offense last week in a 19-13 loss to Houston, and if the Cats are going to depend on Brandon Dawkins to be their hero through the air, they will struggle. Dawkins is a run first QB trying to learn how to be a passer, and his errant throws were much for conversation last Saturday night. The Cats average just 154 yards passing per game, but allow 301 yards passing per contest, a huge differential. The Cats have been proficient on the ground, which is their strength, as they have averaged 329 yards rushing per contest this season. They allow171.5 yards rushing per game, however, and that could be a problem down the line.
UTEP is terrible. They were destroyed by Oklahoma in the opener, and were a mess against Rice last week in a 31-14 loss. While averaging just 10.5 points per game, they are allowing 49.5 points per game. Starting QB Ryan Metz is out for the Miners tonight, meaning Zack Greenlee gets the start most likely. The senior has more experience than anyone on the roster, but his production has been minimal since transferring from Fresno State. The Miners pass for just 148.5 yards pr game, while allowing 313.5 yards passing per contest. UTEP is the worst rushing team in the nation, averaging just 49.5 yards on the ground, while allowing 243 yards per game.
This should be a one sided affair with an Arizona team being able to do enough of the basic things necessary to walk away with a fairly easy win tonight, one of the few they can expect this season.
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