The Boise State wide receiver, who spent the past two seasons at Indiana, leads the Broncos in receptions (25), receiving yards (441), and touchdown receptions (four). He also averages a team-best 17.6 yards per catch, which ranks No. 3 in the Mountain West. 

The fifth-year senior has emerged as Boise State’s No. 1 wideout – more so than highly touted transfer Chris Marshall, who was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and joined the Broncos as the top-rated junior college transfer in the country. Marshall has played in just three games and has caught three passes for 13 yards. 

Camper is well on his way to having the best statistical season of his career, but he knows better than to allow himself to get complacent after taking the long road to Boise State’s blue turf.

“I just put my head down and work every day,” Camper said. “I know I can’t take anything for granted because it can be taken away at any time.”

The next passes Camper catches could be big ones. Boise State is off this week, but the Broncos travel to UNLV on Oct. 25 (10:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network) for what could be a preview of the Mountain West Championship.

Humble Beginnings

As a senior in high school, Camper wasn’t sure he wanted to play college football. He wasn’t getting recruited by high-level schools, and he considered pursuing other opportunities. 

After a change of heart, he spent two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas before transferring to Indiana, where he posted a career-best 46 catches for 569 yards in 2022. He struggled with injuries in 2023 and missed spring ball at Boise State this year while recovering.

Boise State wide receivers coach Matt Miller sat down this summer and watched tape of Camper’s 2022 season. He said the receiver showed the versatility and explosiveness that has served him well this season. He also said Camper’s humble beginnings had a lot to do with his success.

“He knows the value of hard work,” Miller said. “You can be the best receiver in the world, but you can’t reach your full potential until you know what it means to sacrifice and work.”

‘Good Vibes’

This year hasn’t just been special for Camper on the field. He was also reunited with his childhood best friend, Boise State wide receiver Latrell Caples, who is also a fifth-year senior.

Camper and Caples have known one another since they were 8 years old. They ran track together, and they took the football field together at Lancaster High School in Texas. After years apart, they’re not only teammates once again, but they’re living together in Boise.

“Being back with him is fun,” Camper said. “He sets the standard in practice, and he always has good vibes off the field.”

Camper said Caples played a big role in bringing him to Boise. Caples, the Broncos’ leading receiver in 2022, said the chance to suit up with Camper again helped him overcome the Achilles Tendon injury that kept him on the sideline last season. Caples is third on the team this season with 12 catches for 156 yards in five games. 

“He’s a dog and a playmaker on the field and a good dude off the field,” Caples said. “He’s worked so hard for this, and he deserves every rep he gets.”

The post Boise State Football: Cameron Camper Leading The Way For The Broncos’ Passing Attack appeared first on HERO Sports.

The Bulls were considered an afterthought in the MAC race during the preseason, but now they are tied for first place with Western Michigan and Ohio at 2-0 in conference play. 

To demonstrate how crazy the early portion of the schedule has played out, Ohio was predicted to finish fifth in the MAC Coaches Preseason Poll while Western Michigan was seventh and Buffalo was 10th.

Now, it’s still very possible that defending MAC champion and preseason favorite Miami (Ohio) will be a major contender along with Toledo and Northern Illinois, which are all 1-1. Nobody should count out Bowling Green (1-1), which lost one-score games to Penn State and Texas A&M but is coming off a 17-7 home loss to Northern Illinois. 

Miami was the preseason pick, while Toledo was picked second and Northern Illinois was tied for third with Bowling Green. 

Yet Buffalo being listed among the contenders, even after two conference games, is one of the most improbable stories in college football.

Consider that the Bulls (4-2) have already exceeded their win total from last year when they went 3-9.

It was a daunting task facing first-year Buffalo head coach Pete Lembo, who was hired on Jan. 21. Lembo went 112-65 in his previous three head coaching stints at Lehigh, Elon, and Ball State, and now he has brought his winning ways to Buffalo. 

On paper, it doesn’t make sense to see Buffalo on top, especially since the Bulls have lost two games by a combined 82 points.

Sure, one was 38-0 against No. 19 Missouri, but on Sept. 28, the Bulls lost 47-3 at UConn. While UConn (4-2) is enjoying a strong year, the Huskies struggled mightily to defeat Temple 29-20 the week after beating Buffalo. Temple is just 1-5 this year. 

Buffalo had a week off after the UConn loss and then won this past weekend 30-15 at home against Toledo.

The Bulls’ other MAC win was 23-20 in overtime at Northern Illinois. That is the same Northern Illinois team that won at Notre Dame in its previous contest before meeting Buffalo. 

As for how impressive the Toledo win was, even after playing Buffalo, the Rockets are the MAC’s leading scoring team, averaging 32.3 points per game, so the Bulls held them to less than half their average. 

Northern Illinois leads the MAC in scoring defense (17.2 points per game). The only team other than Buffalo that has scored more points against NIU is NC State, which beat the Huskies 24-17.

Buffalo is ninth in the MAC in scoring (20 points per game) and is 11th in total offense, averaging just 270 yards per game. The saving grace has been the defense. The Bulls are fourth in the MAC in scoring defense (22.7 points per game), even though they are seventh in yards allowed (374.7 per game). 

The offense has surely had its moments, and last week against Toledo was arguably its best performance of the season, especially considering the opposition. It was the third time that Buffalo scored 30 or more points, but the other two occasions were against FCS Lafayette and a UMass team that is 1-6. 

Against Toledo, the Bulls rushed for a season-high 230 yards. Al-Jay Henderson, who entered the game with 135 yards rushing on 39 attempts, rushed for 142 yards on 18 carries. 

Quarterback CJ Ogbonna has done a good job running the offense and limiting mistakes. He has thrown five touchdown passes and just one interception and has gone four straight games without throwing a pick. He has also scored three touchdowns on the ground.

If the Bulls don’t make many mistakes, then their defense should usually keep them in games, especially with two tackling machines at linebacker, Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock, who had 15 and 11 tackles respectively against Toledo. Dolac leads the MAC in tackles per game (14.5) while Murdock is second (11).

Who would have thought that this week’s home game with Western Michigan would be a mid-season showdown between 2-0 MAC teams? Not all 2-0 records are alike. Western Michigan’s two MAC wins are over Ball State and Akron, which are a combined 1-5 in the MAC this season. 

That doesn’t mean that it will be easy this week for Buffalo. The last time the Bulls had a huge win (over NIU), they were trounced the next week by UConn. 

Still, the Bulls have put themselves in a good position entering the second half of the season. They have clearly been the surprise team in the MAC. How they handle this prosperity will determine whether they can contend for a conference title in what promises to be a wild race. 

The post Buffalo Bulls Among The Biggest Group of Five Football Surprises This Season appeared first on HERO Sports.

As you might know, the Midshipmen were one of the toughest offenses to prepare for under Niumatalolo because of their triple-option scheme. Navy found plenty of success with this strategy during his 15-plus years as head coach. 

Now at SJSU, Niutmatalolo’s offense is much more pass-heavy. Despite the change of pace, there hasn’t been a lull in his offense’s production. A primary reason is because of offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann, who Niumatalolo hired shortly after he was named the Spartans’ head coach in January. Stutzmann served as the passing game coordinator at Texas State in 2023 and held various offensive positions at a handful of programs over the past few decades. 

We’ve already been introduced to the potential of this spread offense under Stutzmann and Niutamalolo. Behind wide receiver Nick Nash’s incredible start to the season and some quality quarterback play, San Jose State is averaging 33.5 points and 416 yards per game. 

Sitting at 4-2, the Spartans have been one of the more surprising teams in the Mountain West. College football betting odds had the Spartans’ preseason win total at 4.5 games, a number they should easily go over. Their ability to put points on the board is a big reason why.  

Yet, even with the success, there has been somewhat of a quarterback dilemma in San Jose. Washington State transfer Emmett Brown won the job in the spring and has started every game this season. Brown played pretty much the entirety of each of the first four games, where he averaged 322.5 passing yards per game and passed for 13 touchdowns. He tossed four interceptions. 

Two weeks ago against Nevada, however, the Spartans and Brown were struggling and trailed 28-21 in the third quarter. Backup QB Walker Eget was called into the game and led the Spartans on a game-tying possession and a go-ahead scoring drive.

Following that performance, there was some chatter about who would be the starter going into last Saturday’s contest against Colorado State. Brown started, but Eget came in on the fourth possession of the game and led SJSU on a promising drive that ultimately stalled because of penalties. Eget played all but one play in the second half and tossed a late interception that stymied SJSU’s comeback attempt.

During last week’s weekly press conference, Niutamalolo applauded the mental focus of Eget to get tossed into the Nevada game with what seemed like no notice and not skip a beat. He also noted Stutzmann’s ability to have his QBs prepared for the moment and that Eget typically spends time in practice getting reps with the starters.

However, it was noticeable last week that Eget’s timing was off with his wideouts. There were a couple of throws he missed in the second half that could have turned into much-needed chunk plays.

During Brown’s only play in the second half, the snap went over his head and he was forced to throw the ball away. The Spartans punted two plays later.

Stutzmann has been known to utilize two quarterbacks. In 2019, while he was the passing game coordinator for Hawaii, a young Chevan Cordeiro took some snaps from Cole McDonald in a season where McDonald passed for 4,135 yards and 33 TDs. 

This situation is a little different, and there might be more of a 50/50 split going forward until one of these guys does enough to be the primary option. Of course, utilizing two different QBs can have its advantages, but it can also cause some issues like we saw last week. 

I don’t know who will be starting this week against Wyoming, but I’d argue Eget didn’t do enough to earn the nod. I don’t believe Brown did anything to cost him the job, either. But I will say Brown won the starting job in the spring for a reason and had the Spartans’ offense rolling just a few weeks ago. 

The post Column: Does San Jose State Football Have A Quarterback Dilemma? appeared first on HERO Sports.

They’ll have the chance to do that this week against a Navy team that’s ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25. College football betting odds have Navy as a 16.5-point favorite.

The 49ers are on a two-game win streak after beating Rice two weeks ago and are coming off a dominant 55-24 win over East Carolina where they scored four first-half touchdowns. Most of the production was on the ground as Charlotte rushed for 311 yards and six touchdowns. Junior running back Hahsaun Wilson led the way with 164 yards and three scores. He averaged 10.9 yards per carry.

Charlotte already has as many wins as it had the last two seasons, where it went 3-9 both years, and is 2-0 in AAC play. 

Now in head coach Biff Poggi’s second season, the 49ers look like they have improved. How much improvement they’ve made, though, will be telling in the upcoming month. 

The non-conference slate wasn’t the easiest as Charlotte played James Madison, North Carolina, and Indiana. Things don’t get much easier going forward. Following this week’s contest at Navy, the 49ers will visit Memphis and then host Tulane. Those are three teams that are ranked in the top 10 in the HERO Sports G5 Top 25. They’ll then have a bye week before hosting USF.

It’s a great thing for the 49ers that they’re coming off a bye and are playing their best football so far going into this stretch. 

The bye week was much needed as they prepare for quarterback Blake Horvath and the Navy rushing attack. Charlotte will need to be better against the run if it wants a chance to win this game. It is allowing 182 rushing yards per contest. 

Charlotte will also have a quarterback situation to figure out here in the near future. Starter Max Brown was injured in Week 2 against North Carolina and is expected to be returning soon after recovering from thumb surgery. Brown is expected to remain the starter when he returns, but freshman Deshawn Purdie has been playing well in his absence. Trexler Ivey has also spent some time under center, but Purdie has played much better.

Ivey started against Rice before he was replaced by Purdie in the second half, where Charlotte scored all 21 of its points. 

Purdie has passed for 717 yards and four touchdowns through four games this season. He’s only thrown one interception. The 49ers are 3-0 in the games where he has taken a majority of the snaps.

It’s hard to turn away from a quarterback who has the hot hand, but Brown is the more experienced signal caller. I don’t necessarily think that means he will give the 49ers the best chance to pick up an upset in one of these games, however.

I think Charlotte can beat FAU and UAB in its last two weeks of the season, meaning a win in these next four games could lead to a bowl game. It’ll be fun to see how it all plays out.

Charlotte at Navy Football Prediction

I predict Navy will win by three touchdowns and cover the 16.5-point spread. The Midshipmen are 4-1 against the spread this season and 3-0 as a favorite. As mentioned above, Charlotte’s rush defense has been suspect, and the inexperienced Purdie will have a tall task ahead of him.

The post Charlotte 49ers Football Riding Its First Win Streak Since 2021 appeared first on HERO Sports.

Now, JMU will enter another critical Sun Belt East matchup when it visits Georgia Southern. The Eagles are 4-2 and 2-0 in league play while the Dukes are 5-1 and 1-1. Whoever wins this contest will sit atop the division.

How To Watch JMU-Georgia Southern

The game kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday and will air on ESPN+.

JMU-Georgia Southern Betting Odds

JMU is a 10-point college football betting odds favorite.

JMU-Georgia Southern Coaches & Overall Records

JMU: Bob Chesney (5-1)

GSU: Clay Helton (62-40 overall, 16-16 at GSU)

Last meeting: Oct. 13, 2023; JMU won 41-13.

This is only the third meeting between these programs this century. Before winning last year’s matchup, JMU had lost eight straight to the Eagles.

JMU Preview

It’s surprising JMU isn’t 6-0 heading into this game.

Following the Dukes’ upset defeat to ULM two weeks ago, they bounced back with a dominant win over Coastal Carolina. They controlled the contest from start to finish and led 29-7 at the half. The 39-7 final score could have been a much wider margin. 

While we’ve seen plenty from JMU’s offense this season, its defense made a statement against Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers entered the game averaging 38.4 points per game but found no offensive traction last week. There was only one possession where CCU ran a play on JMU’s side of the field. 

Following that performance, JMU allows just 16.3 points per game, which ranks first in the Sun Belt and is tied for the 15th best mark in the FBS. The Dukes allow 316.2 total yards per game and have surrendered just 11 touchdowns on the season. 

JMU’s defense has been much more physical than opposing offenses for most of the year. The Dukes have disrupted their opponents’ rushing attack — allowing just 107 YPG and four TDs on the ground — and have made opposing QBs beat them through the air. Last week, CCU starting quarterback Ethan Vasko was 5 for 18 with two interceptions, including a pick-six from Lloyd Summerall III. JMU’s defense is firing on all cylinders. 

The offense is just as dangerous with QB Alonza Barrett III leading the way. Barrett has 1,781 total yards, 20 total touchdowns, and just one interception this season. Five different pass catchers have double-digit receptions for the Dukes. JMU is averaging 39 points per game.

Georgia Southern Preview

Things looked bleak for Georgia Southern last week as it entered the fourth quarter trailing Marshall 23-3. 

The tide quickly changed, though, when GSU forced a safety early in the fourth quarter and then went on to force three turnovers and score three TDs in the final seven minutes of the game. It will likely be one of the more improbable comebacks we’ll see this season. 

GSU’s defense made big plays down the stretch last week, but overall it has struggled this season. The Eagles’ 474 yards allowed per game ranks last in the Sun Belt, and they’re also allowing 30.5 points per contest. A bright spot on this side of the ball  has been linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, who leads the league with 55 total tackles. He also has 4.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. 

Following a Week 1 outburst where the Eagles scored 45 points against Boise State, I expected their offense to be potent like it was last season. That hasn’t entirely been the case, but it hasn’t struggled by any means. GSU is averaging 30 points and 368.7 yards per game. 

The ground game has been a weak spot for this offense, and if the Eagles want to pick up an upset win over JMU, they’ll need to find some success on the ground and avoid being one dimensional. Quarterback JC French is averaging 219 passing YPG and has seven TD passes to two interceptions. 

Outside of a 39-point loss to Ole Miss, the Eagles have played well this season and have a pair of quality wins over Nevada and Marshall.

JMU-Georgia Southern Prediction

I predict JMU will win and cover the 10-point spread. 

The comeback from the Eagles last week was great, and I’m sure it’ll give them a ton of momentum going into this week. However, with the way JMU played last week, I can’t picture the Dukes taking their foot off the pedal. 

I think Barnett will be successful against GSU’s defense and the Dukes’ defense will continue to be disruptive.

The post Sun Belt Game of The Week: JMU at Georgia Southern Prediction & Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

North Texas is coming off a 41-37 win at Florida Atlantic that included a wild comeback. 

Memphis was the preseason pick by the media to win the AAC, but the Tigers dug themselves in an early hole with a 56-44 loss to Navy, so the margin of error is small.

The loser of the Memphis-UNT game would still be in the AAC race, although a Memphis loss could be more damaging since the Tigers have already one league loss. 

North Texas-Memphis How To Watch

North Texas (5-1, 2-0 AAC) at Memphis (5-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

TV: ESPNU

North Texas-Memphis Betting Line

Memphis is a 12.5-point favorite with a -400 moneyline. The Over/Under for the game is 66.5 total points.

North Texas-Memphis Coaches

North Texas: Eric Morris (10-8 at North Texas, 34-26 overall)

Memphis: Ryan Silverfield (36-19)

Last meeting: Oct. 28, 2023 – Memphis won 45-42 at North Texas

Seth Henigan fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Scates with 10 seconds left to give Memphis the comeback win. 

North Texas trailed 38-21 early in the fourth quarter before scoring three touchdowns to take a 42-38 lead. Henigan completed 22 of 28 passes for 330 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Chandler Rogers threw for 411 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions for North Texas. 

Why The North Texas-Memphis Game Is Important

A second AAC loss by Memphis would be disastrous for the Tigers, while North Texas is in the beginning of a three-game stretch that will determine whether the Mean Green will contend for a league title. After Memphis, North Texas visits Tulane and then hosts Army. Those two teams are a combined 7-0 in the AAC.

North Texas-Memphis Preview

For North Texas

The Mean Green have won three in a row since losing 66-21 at Texas Tech. North Texas needed an impressive comeback during last week’s 41-37 win at FAU. The Mean Green went down 37-27 when FAU kicked a field goal with 4:21 left. DT Sheffield would then catch two touchdown passes from Chandler Morris, the second with 58 seconds remaining.

Morris completed 27 of 45 passes for 336 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Sheffield caught 11 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Mean Green have been a second-half team, outscoring opponents 135-63 after intermission this season. 

Morris has completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,979 yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Four UNT players have rushed for between 100 and 220 yards. Sheffield has 34 receptions for 443 yards and seven touchdowns. Safety Jayden Hill, who spent the previous four seasons at Division II Ohio Dominican, leads the team with 43 tackles. 

The Mean Green are third in the AAC in scoring (40.8 points per game) but 11th in scoring defense, allowing 33 PPG.

For Memphis

The Tigers have won two in a row since the aforementioned loss to Navy. Memphis is coming off last week’s 21-3 win over South Florida in Orlando. Memphis held USF to just 24 rushing yards on 19 attempts and forced three turnovers. USF was 1 for 13 on third downs. Henigan completed 28 of 40 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The Tigers had possession for 41 minutes, 38 seconds. 

Henigan is now tied with Brady White for the most wins at Memphis by a starting quarterback with 28. 

The Tigers have now scored at least 20 points in 33 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the nation. 

Henigan has been efficient, but he hasn’t enjoyed the breakout season that many expected. He has completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,547 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. 

South Carolina transfer Mario Anderson Jr. has rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns. Seven different players have caught at least one touchdown pass in the Tigers’ balanced passing attack.

Roc Taylor has 26 receptions for 375 yards and a touchdown. 

Linebacker Chandler Morris leads the Tigers in both tackles (42) and sacks (four).

Memphis is second in the AAC in scoring defense, allowing 15.8 points per game, and is fifth in scoring offense (31.2 points per game). 

North Texas-Memphis Prediction

I like Memphis giving the points. North Texas has a prolific offense, but the Mean Green can also give up points in bundles. A key stat is penalties. North Texas is the second-worst team in the AAC, averaging 77 penalty yards per game. Memphis is the fourth-best team, averaging 44 per contest. 

Another key stat is that North Texas has thrown 20 touchdown passes, but Memphis has allowed just two scoring passes. North Texas hasn’t faced a defense like this, and while the Mean Green should still be able to score, I don’t think it will be at the same pace as the first six games.

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The post AAC Game of The Week: North Texas at Memphis Prediction & Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

The Rebels own two wins over Power Four teams this year. This week, they have a chance to show Oregon State why they should have been included in the first round of Pac-12 expansion. 

The Rebels hit the road Saturday to face Oregon State at 10 p.m. ET on The CW.

UNLV scored at least 50 points for the third time this season in last week’s 50-34 win over Utah State. The Rebels are scoring 45.3 points a game, which ranks No. 2 in the Mountain West. Only Boise State (46.8) is producing more points. 

Led by co-preseason defensive player of the year, linebacker Jackson Woodard, the Rebels are giving up 22.2 points a game, which also ranks No. 2 in the conference behind Hawaii (20.5). UNLV quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has posted 11 touchdowns (nine passing and two rushing) in three games since taking over for Matthew Sluka. 

Oregon State is led by running back Anthony Hankerson, who has posted 639 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground this season. 

UNLV at Oregon State Betting Line

UNLV is a seven-point college football betting odds favorite, and the Over/Under is 59.5 points. The Rebels are 6-14 against the spread in their past 20 games as a favorite on the road. Oregon State is 9-11 ATS in its past 20 games as an underdog at home. 

UNLV at Oregon State Prediction

I predict UNLV wins 34-24.

The Rebels’ offense has been rolling since Williams took over, and wide receiver Ricky White has been unstoppable in recent weeks. He has produced three straight 100-yard receiving performances, including a season-high 138 yards against Utah State. Pair that with the best defense in the Mountain West, and UNLV is a nightmare matchup. I think the Rebels will pick up a big win heading into an even bigger matchup against No. 15 Boise State next week. 

Fresno State at Nevada Pick

How to watch: 10:30 ET. CBS Sports Network

Betting line: Fresno State is a three-point favorite and the Over/Under is 49.5 points. 

Prediction: I predict Nevada wins 17-14. Nevada scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and knocked off Oregon State last week despite racking up just 69 passing yards. The Wolf Pack leaned on a dominant rushing attack, led by Savion Red’s 137 yards and four touchdowns. I believe Red and athletic quarterback Brendon Lewis, who rushed for 151 yards against the Beavers, will lead Nevada to another win. 

Hawaii at Washington State Pick

How to watch: 3:30 p.m. ET, The CW

Betting line: Washington State is an 18.5-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 55.5 points. 

Prediction: I predict Washington State wins 30-24. The Cougars gave up 220 passing yards last week against Fresno State. This week, they’ll face another high-powered passing attack, led by quarterback Brayden Schager, who leads the Mountain West with 265.3 passing yards a game. Washing State quarterback John Mateer may lead his team to a win, but I don’t see the Cougars covering that massive spread. 

New Mexico at Utah State Pick

How to watch: 4 p.m. ET, TruTV/Max

Betting line: New Mexico is a 1.5-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 78.5 points. 

Prediction: I predict New Mexico wins 27-21. New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier racked up 229 yards of offense and three touchdowns last week to lead the Lobos to their second straight 50-point performance. The offense should stay hot this week against a Utah State defense that is giving up a conference-worst 42.8 points a game. 

Wyoming at San Jose State Pick

How to watch: 4 p.m. ET, Mountain West Network/NBC Sports Bay Area

Betting line: San Jose State is an 11.5-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 51.5 points. 

Prediction: I predict San Jose State wins 24-10. San Jose State came up short against Colorado State last week, but I believe Wyoming won’t be able to contain the Spartans’ passing attack, which is led by wide receiver Nick Nash. He leads the Mountain West with 61 catches for 806 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Colorado State at Air Force Pick

How to watch: 8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

Betting line: Colorado State is a seven-point favorite, and the Over/Under is 44.5 points. 

Prediction: I predict Colorado State wins 38-17. The Rams just knocked off a good team from San Jose State, and I believe Air Force’s offense will not be able to hang with Colorado State’s offense. 

The post CFB Betting Lines: Picks & Predictions For Mountain West Teams In Week 8 appeared first on HERO Sports.

This week we’ll go back to the MAC and the “Battle of the Bricks” for my selection.

Ohio (Spread +3.5, Moneyline +145) at Miami (Ohio)

After entering the half with a 24-0 lead, Ohio nearly crumbled down the stretch against Central Michigan last week. The Bobcats survived with a 27-25 victory. 

The first half looked similar to the Bobcats head coach Tim Albin-led teams that we’re used to seeing, however. The Bobcats played stout defense, and five of their six offensive drives went for 50-plus yards. They scored on four of them and fumbled in the red zone on the other. 

Nobody really expected big things from Ohio this season, but the Bobcats are quietly 4-2 and 2-0 in league play. A win here will be huge for conference championship aspirations. 

Miami’s offense finally made some strides last week, but the Bobcats’ defense has been pretty consistent this season. They’re allowing just 331 yards per game, which ranks second in the conference. They’re also only giving up 23.3 points per game. The RedHawks are averaging just 17.7 PPG. 

Ohio running back Anthony Tyus leads the conference with 99.2 rushing yards per game and will go up against a solid RedHawks linebacking core. However, they’ll also have to handle Bobcats quarterback Parker Navarro, who leads the league in total offense with 258.8 total yards per outing, including 79 rushing YPG.

The RedHawks are led by QB Brett Gabbert, whose 231 passing YPG leads the conference, but the Bobcats have only allowed six TD passes on the season.

The underdog has won four of these last five meetings, and I like the underdog to keep things close again in this rivalry. The Over/Under is just at 44.5, meaning this is expected to be a relatively low-scoring meeting and a closer game.

FAU (+6.5, +200) at UTSA

I don’t know if there’s been a more inconsistent team this season than the Owls. They finally put together back-to-back performances to feel good about despite falling to North Texas last week. Still, it was refreshing to see some life from this program.

UTSA’s offense has struggled to find the end zone this season while FAU’s defense has been respectable. Prior to last week’s 41-37 loss, FAU hadn’t given up more than 20 points all season. 

FAU is 2-1 against the spread this year as an underdog, and UTSA is 1-5 ATS, including 0-2 as a favorite.

Nevada (+3, +125) vs. Fresno State

The Wolf Pack have landed on the honorable mentions list twice already this season, and there’s good reason why. They’re 5-1 against the spread and 3-1 ATS at home. 

Even though it lost to San Jose State two weeks ago, Nevada is playing great and coming off a win over Oregon State where it only threw 13 passes. The Bulldogs have been better against the pass than the run this season.

Nevada is feisty and has already been in five one-possession games this year. UNR has covered four of these last five meetings, and I like head coach Jeff Choate’s squad to continue surprising.

The post CFB Betting: The Group Of Five Underdog Of The Week Is Ohio +3.5 at Miami (Ohio) appeared first on HERO Sports.

Moorhead had head coaching experience. He also had coached at Akron before as an offensive coordinator. He was a successful OC elsewhere as well, including at Oregon before taking over at Akron.

The Zips hoped they could be one of the better programs in the MAC. Instead, they’ve gone 2-10 each of the past two years. And there’s little sign of things turning around this season. Akron is 1-6 overall, with its only win being a 31-20 victory against FCS Colgate.

If the Zips decide to move on from Moorhead, either during this year or after the season is over, here are some names they could consider to hire as their next head coach.

FAU Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye

Frye has a good resume and connections to Akron.

Frye was a successful quarterback at Akron, where he was a four-year starter and broke numerous records. He was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft in 2005 by the Cleveland Browns and spent half a decade in the league.

He began his coaching career at the high school level and eventually worked as a consultant/director of player development at Florida from 2015-17. He was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the collegiate level for the first time at Central Michigan from 2019-20. He then coached quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 before being an offensive analyst and analytics coordinator at Penn State in 2022. He’s been at FAU, where he’s an OC and QBs coach, since 2023.

Frye could be motivated to make Akron a solid program.

Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy

Maybe getting Getsy to leave the NFL would be tough. But considering things aren’t going smoothly with the Raiders at the moment, maybe now is a good time for him to think about returning to his alma mater.

Getsy played at Akron when Moorhead was a coach there. Getsy also set some Zips program records and even led the MAC with 3,455 passing yards in 2005, a season in which he led Akron to a conference championship and its first bowl game appearance. He also was first in the MAC with 2,665 passing yards the following year.

Getsy was a graduate assistant at Akron from 2007-08 and at Pitt in 2010. He coached with the Green Bay Packers from 2014-17 before being an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Mississippi State when Moorhead was the head coach there. He returned to the Packers for a few years, then was the offensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears from 2022-23 and is in his first season with the Raiders.

If Getsy ends up leaving Las Vegas and wants to coach at the collegiate level again, Akron would be a good fit.

Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines

Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.

Going into Week 8, Indiana is in the top 15 in the FBS in terms of scoring defense (14.83 points allowed per game) and total defense (255.7 yards per game allowed).

Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator there.

In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third down defense, and fumble recoveries.

In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.

Before JMU, Haines worked with linebackers under Cignetti at Elon and was a linebackers coach at UC Davis before that in 2016.

Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock

Denbrock would make a ton of sense for Akron if he were interested.

Denbrock has coached in the area for years. He’s worked with offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers over the years at Notre Dame, but he’s also coached at a variety of other schools as well. He was LSU’s OC and tight ends coach before this from 2022-23, and was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21.

Denbrock hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level, but he has been an associate head coach, including at Notre Dame from 2015-16 and at Indiana State in 2009.

Denbrock’s name has come up plenty of times when it comes to college football hot seats and potential head coaching hires this season. If he’s open to taking a G5 head coaching job, Akron would be a good fit.

Washington State Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle

Arbuckle is only in his second season as Washington State’s OC and quarterbacks coach. But he’s made an impact quickly.

This year, WSU is top 20 in the country with 462 yards per game and 39 points per game. A season ago, the Cougars were in the top 40 in the country in terms of scoring offense with 31.7 points per game and total offense with 421.7 yards per game. Cameron Ward, WSU’s QB in 2023, was in the top 10 in the FBS with 3,735 passing yards and top 20 with 25 touchdowns.

Arbuckle has coached in the area. Before WSU, he was a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky. In 2022, the Hilltoppers were in the top 15 in the nation with yards per game (497.3) and points per game (36.4) as quarterback Austin Reed led the country with 4,746 yards and was third with 40 touchdowns.

Arbuckle hasn’t been coaching at the collegiate level long, but he was at one point on 247Sports’ 30-Under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming college football coaches. Considering he’s shown great expertise on the offensive side of the ball, maybe Akron should consider him.

The post Joe Moorhead Hot Seat: 5 Candidates For Akron Football’s Head Coach Replacement appeared first on HERO Sports.

Following a win over Hawaii, Boise State remained at No. 1 in the HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 media poll going into Week 8. 

Here’s a look at the full poll, which features several members of nationally-focused media outlets as well as at least one team beat reporter for every G5 conference.

HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 For Week 8

1. Boise State (17 first-place votes)

2. UNLV

3. (tie) Memphis and Tulane

5. Army

6. Navy

7. Liberty

8. JMU

9. Sam Houston

10. Texas State

11. Louisiana

12. Western Kentucky

13. North Texas

14. ULM

15. NIU

16. Toledo

17. Georgia Southern

18. San Jose State

19. Coastal Carolina

20. Buffalo

21. Fresno State

22. Ohio

23. (tie) Colorado State and Marshall

25. UConn

RV: Jacksonville State, South Alabama, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Nevada, USF, East Carolina, San Diego State, Miami (Ohio), Arkansas State, Georgia State, Charlotte

HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 Media Poll Voters

Josh Boutwell, Troy Messenger

Michael Calabrese, Action Network

Ron Counts, HERO Sports

Luke Creasy, HD Media

The G5 Hive

Bryson Gordon, The News & Advance

Joe Londergan, Fan Nation/Sports Illustrated

Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News

Colton McWilliams, San Marcos Record

Robert Munoz, HERO Sports

Jeff Nations, Bowling Green Daily News

Marc Narducci, HERO Sports

Colton Pool, HERO Sports

Kyle Rowland, Toledo Blade

Ty Scheiner, Mike Farrell Sports

Chris Vannini, The Athletic

Brett Vito, Denton Record-Chronicle

The post HERO Sports 2024 Group of Five Top 25 Media Poll For Week 8 appeared first on HERO Sports.