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.

After a 10-0 mark last week and finally nailing an upset pick, we’ll see if that continues into this weekend. Let’s predict some scores.

Predictions Record:
2024 Record: 47-15
2023 Record: 96-42

Week 8 Top 5 Games

Week 8 Viewing Guide

No. 1 South Dakota State at No. 2 North Dakota State

I tipped my hand earlier this week in my FCS Bracketology story when I projected NDSU to be the No. 2 playoff seed and SDSU No. 3. I’ve had a gut feeling about this game since August, thinking NDSU is going to get the Dakota Marker back after a long drought. The Bison bring back so many seniors, the front seven is playing well, quarterback play is elite, receivers and running backs have stepped up, and it’s in the Fargodome. An SDSU 5-game winning streak was unthinkable a decade ago. The streak has to end at some point. And if not this year? Then when?

But that doesn’t mean my prediction has to be locked in.

I started second-guessing earlier this week when the NDSU injury report came out.

Cam Miller, playing at a Walter Payton Award level, is nursing an ankle injury. He didn’t look like himself last weekend at Southern Illinois. And if he can’t make plays with his legs, whether it’s running downfield on designs or broken plays, or he can’t extend plays and maneuver inside and outside the pocket, that could be a legit difference-maker on Saturday. Plus, All-American DE Dylan Hendricks will miss this game and potentially the rest of the season with a knee injury. And starting middle linebacker Nick Kubitz is questionable as he recovers from a head injury. MLB has been a point of contention for NDSU’s defense the last couple of years, but Kubitz has really played well as of late.

Those are three major players either not playing or playing at less than 100 percent.

Meanwhile, if SDSU showed any chinks in the armor during non-conference, the Jackrabbits have appeared to iron most of it out. They look like the two-time defending champs and have rolled in conference play. The defense is perhaps the best in the FCS. The o-line is playing strong for a loaded running back room, while the passing game with Mark Gronowski and his receivers/tight ends is still coming along as they are starting to connect more consistently.

And it’s not like SDSU is fully healthy either. The Jacks have had some starting offensive linemen in and out. The d-line has suffered some injuries. And their two standout safeties have missed time. Cale Reeder is out for the year with a shoulder injury. All-American safety/returner Tucker Large hasn’t played since mid-September. Large was shown wearing a protective boot on the sidelines during the game last week, although he is now listed on this week’s depth chart as an “or” starter with Matthew Durrance.

So much is on the line in this one — rankings, seed positions, program trajectory, recruiting, Gronowski chasing Easton Stick’s FCS record for QB wins, Miller trying to beat SDSU for the first time, etc.

The Fargodome home-field advantage isn’t what it used to be compared to the peak in the early to mid-2010s. And that’s somewhat understandable as the Bison and their fans have accomplished all there is to accomplish in the FCS while watching several like-minded football programs move up to the FBS. While the Dome may not reach 2012 Georgia Southern again, Saturday could come pretty close. The Fargo faithful are thirsting for a win over a team they very much dislike. Keep an eye on how SDSU’s new offensive tackles handle the noise. The crowd could give an extra boost to an NDSU team already playing with an edge and willing itself, despite injuries, to end the five-game losing streak to its rival.

SDSU may get the last laugh this season (rings instead of rocks, amirite?). But in a competitive rivalry series like this, and with it being in Fargo, NDSU looks poised to get back in the win column on Saturday.

RELATED: FCS Bracketology 1.0

Prediction: NDSU 28-27

No. 16 Rhode Island at No. 24 New Hampshire

A pivotal game for both teams as it may be the winner’s only ranked win on their playoff resume.

UNH is 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS, losing to Harvard. The Wildcats edged a struggling Elon team 17-10 last week. They go to No. 5 Villanova in what will be a tough place to get a win. There are no currently-ranked opponents after that.

Rhody is an interesting team because this is the only ranked team on its schedule, although Delaware would be a rankable team if eligible to be voted on.

It’s a blessing and a curse for the CAA to have so many programs. The conference will have a lot of teams with records good enough to make the playoffs. But if those teams have 0 or 1 ranked win, how well does that set them up in the playoffs? It’s an interesting scheduling conundrum and “strategy” for the CAA.

The Rams are 5-1 overall and 5-0 vs. the FCS. A 3-point win over Holy Cross, a 7-point win over LIU, and a 2-point win over Hampton make a voter wonder where exactly this team is at.

UNH is 2-0 at home this year. The Wildcats are getting good quarterback play from Seth Morgan, a former starter at VMI. He has thrown for 1,340 yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Josiah Silver is continuing his incredible career at defensive end, totaling 33 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks so far this fall. Watch him take advantage of a Rhody pass-blocking grade that is ranked No. 69 on PFF.

I’ll take UNH at home, a program that would be nice to see back in the postseason after being a playoff staple for so long.

Prediction: UNH 31-24

No. 7 Mercer at Samford

We sang the praises of Central Arkansas. But then it fell into a trap game.

We then sang the praises of Abilene Christian. But then it fell into a trap game.

Does that mean teams like Mercer and SEMO are on the clock?

Mercer is off to a dynamite start, sitting at 6-0 with two ranked wins. The defense has dominated, ranking No. 1 in FCS scoring defense (7.7 PPG), No. 1 in rushing defense (38.8 yards per game), No. 1 in rushing yards allowed per attempt (1.48), No. 2 in total defense (219.3 YPG), No. 8 in TFLs (46), and No. 1 in interceptions (13).

Samford is a dangerous team, though. The Bulldogs are 2-3, but they nearly beat a rankable ETSU squad before losing 31-28 in the final minutes. Quincy Crittendon has thrown for 1,138 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions.

On the other side, Mercer QB D.J. Smith is expected to return from an ankle injury. The JuCo transfer, who is a junior this year, has thrown for 981 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions while rushing for 167 yards and three touchdowns.

Defense travels. And the Bears will lean on that unit to go to Samford and get a road win.

Prediction: Mercer 27-14

McNeese at No. 14 UIW

UIW made a statement last week, beating 2023 Southland champs Nicholls 55-10 to improve to 4-2. Zach Calzada had himself a day, throwing for 270 yards and five touchdowns. The UIW defense held the run-heavy Nicholls offense to just 123 yards and 40 carries.

McNeese comes in after an important bye week. The Cowboys knocked off No. 25 Weber State at the end of September, improving to 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. The following week, though, they lost 43-22 at HCU. Clifton McDowell suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand in that loss. He sat in the second quarter, then returned in the second half, but you could tell the finger was bothering him.

McDowell has played well this fall after transferring in from Montana, leading the team with 370 rushing yards and six touchdowns while throwing for 1,054 yards, six TDs, and three interceptions.

The McNeese defense has also suffered several injuries. We’ll see if the bye week can get the Cowboys healthier. Winning at a hot UIW team will be an uphill battle, though, healthy or not.

RELATED: Resumes For The Top 10 Ranked FCS Teams

Prediction: UIW 41-20

Weber State at Sacramento State

This looks like a de facto playoff elimination game.

Both teams already have four losses and likely need to win out to reach the postseason. A 7-5 record in a 12-game season will be like a 6-5 record in previous years — can sometimes get you into the bracket, but it is rare.

Sac State was preseason No. 8. The Hornets are now 2-4 overall and 2-2 vs. the FCS, losing to consecutive unranked teams — Northern Arizona and EWU. They still need to play ranked Montana State and UC Davis.

Weber State was preseason No. 22. The Wildcats are now 3-4 overall and 3-3 vs. the FCS. They lost to unranked Lamar and McNeese, won at No. 8 Montana, and then gave Northern Colorado its first win since 2022. Weber still needs to play at ranked Idaho.

Both squads are tough to figure out. And both teams will probably end up missing the playoffs anyway. But the loser’s playoff hopes are almost certainly squandered. I’ll side with the home team here. Sac State has too much experience to drop a second straight home game. And Carson Conklin is playing well (1,100 yards, 13 TDs, 4 INT) to get the Hornets back on track.

Prediction: Sac State 28-24

More FCS Predictions

Eastern Kentucky at No. 17 Abilene Christian

EKU suffered its first FCS loss last week at Southern Utah. Abilene Christian looks to rebound from a loss to North Alabama that dropped it out of the Top 10. ACU gets it done behind the arm of Maverick McIvor (2,231 yards, 17 TDs, 3 INT).

Prediction: ACU 35-28

No. 25 Florida A&M at Jackson State

This very well could decide the SWAC East champ. Jackson State is 2-0 in the standings (4-2 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS) and FAMU is 1-0 in conference play (3-2 overall, 3-0 vs. the FCS). It’s going to be an incredible crowd. But I trust FAMU’s defense a bit more to get a hard-earned road win.

Prediction: FAMU 27-24

Delaware at No. 18 Richmond

Delaware is off to a 6-0 start. The Blue Hens are not eligible to be voted on in the polls as it transitions to the FBS. While it won’t count as a ranked win, it would still be a resume-boosting win for playoff-hopeful Richmond, who has won four straight after a 0-2 start. I’ll lean Delaware here.

Prediction: Delaware 28-21

Northern Iowa at No. 9 North Dakota

This is a crucial game for UND. The Fighting Hawks are coming off a bye week after a humbling 41-17 loss at NDSU. At 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS with a ranked win over then-No. 4 Montana, UND has a good shot at hitting eight wins by beating UNI, YSU, Indiana State, and Illinois State. The other two remaining games are hosting Top 5 SDSU and USD. Splitting those would be massive. Losing both would be fine if the Hawks don’t mess around and lose the other games they are favored to win. And that starts this week hosting a UNI team that is at its lowest point in recent memory, sitting at 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the MVFC, losing 41-3 vs. SDSU and 42-17 at USD.

Prediction: North Dakota 28-17

Wofford at No. 19 Chattanooga

Chattanooga is 3-3 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS, has won three straight, and has one-score losses to FBS Georgia State and Top 10 Mercer. The Mocs are a dangerous team with one ranked win over ETSU on their resume. Wofford is still hanging around in the playoff picture at 3-3 and a ranked win over Richmond. Chattanooga is rolling, though, and I don’t think the Terriers will have the offensive firepower to hang for four quarters.

Prediction: Chattanooga 28-20

The post Week 8 FCS Predictions appeared first on HERO Sports.

At any rate, let’s get right to it as we cross the halfway mark threshold of the season.

THE PRESTIGIOUS TOP 8

NOTE: These are the schools that would receive a first-round playoff bye and host a second-round game. Also, in parenthesis after the ranked team () is what I had them ranked last week.

NO. 1 – MONTANA STATE (1^ST)

LAST WEEK NO. 1 TEAM: Montana State  

WHY?: Montana State’s schedule strength, according to Massey, is weaker than all four of the Dakota schools – this much is a fact. But the Bobcats have knocked off an FBS team (New Mexico) and have easily handled all six FCS teams it has beaten. There have been few challenges, a testament to how strong this program is – and the recent blowout win over a dangerous Idaho backs it up. Let’s face it, there’s a decent chance MSU finishes undefeated going into the postseason. 

NO. 2 – NORTH DAKOTA STATE (2^ND)

LAST WEEK NO. 2 TEAM: North Dakota State

WHY?: Understatement department: This weekend’s annual slugfest against South Dakota State is going to go a long way in telling us who this NDSU team is. Will it be the team that survived ETSU down in Tennessee earlier this year, or will it be the team that truly out-hit P4 Colorado before succumbing to future NFL millionaire talent Travis Hunter? The Bison have pummeled what is a tough Illinois State team, too. The Dakota Marker battle this weekend will be on national television (ESPN2) and will be in Fargo – and it’s been a while since NDSU has won this rivalry game. 

NO. 3 – SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (3^rd)

LAST WEEK NO. 3 TEAM: South Dakota State

WHY?: How much do we know about this SDSU team? Obviously, quarterback play isn’t an issue with two-time national champion signal-caller Mark Gronowski at the helm en route to a 6-1 start, but where is that quality win? Right now, it looks like the 21-point win over Incarnate Word. But this weekend, that could all change as SDSU faces a team it has owned of late – rival NDSU. Be prepared for a big move on this ballot if the Jackrabbits handle this decisively on the road, which they’re capable of.

NO. 4 – SOUTH DAKOTA (4^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 4 TEAM: South Dakota

WHY?: The Coyotes are a fascinating team, steamrolling the past four FCS teams it has played – allowing only 33 points in the four wins (and if they’d not been canceled against Portland State, it’d be even more impressive). We will learn a lot about this dangerous USD team between now and Thanksgiving when it faces NDSU, SDSU, and North Dakota.

NO. 5 – VILLANOVA (5^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 5 TEAM: Villanova

WHY?: There’s no way I can elevate Villanova past this spot, and if there are stronger performances by other teams coming up? I have no problem moving teams ahead. The Wildcats are solid and look like the class of a massive CAA, but the best win so far is against a 4-2 Stony Brook team – and the 7-point win over Youngstown State looks less and less impressive due to the Penguins’ struggles. Nova needs to take it up a notch and win out, while also capturing the CAA, or there’s a chance other teams could surpass them in the battle for a seeding – even with Villanova continuing to win.

NO. 6 –UC DAVIS (6^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 6 TEAM: UC Davis

WHY?: Right now, the signature win is against Idaho, and the win over Southern Utah was against a team that has an FBS win (UTEP). But the near loss to Portland State is also on this resume. Like Villanova, the Aggies will need to impress as things progress to hold on to this lofty spot on my ballot.

NO. 7 – TARLETON STATE (8^TH)

LAST WEEK NO. 7 TEAM: Idaho

WHY?: RB Kayvon Britten has been fantastic this year. His last game’s efforts put him over 1,000 yards in a season for the third straight year. He’s been the biggest reason that this recent team addition to the FCS level has been so effective, as his running has been pivotal in tight wins over McNeese, Southeastern Louisiana, and Southern Utah.

NO. 8 – MERCER (10^TH)

LAST WEEK NO. 8 TEAM: Tarleton State

WHY?: Some people may not be as impressed as I was with Mercer’s big win over Princeton this past week. I felt that was key for the Bears. That coupled with a 10-3 win over Chattanooga earlier this year – which looks better and better on paper each week – gives Mercer some serious street cred. This is clearly the best Mercer team in the second stint of football, which began just a bit over a decade ago after about 70 years without the game.

FROM NO. 9 TO NO. 16

NOTE: This is the tier that would be seeded (if they participate in the playoffs) but would still have to play in the first round.

9 North Dakota
10 SEMO
11 Idaho
12 Abilene Christian
13 Cent. Arkansas
14 Incarnate Word
15 Montana
16 Chattanooga

WHY?: Idaho is clearly the best 4-3 team in the FCS, is dangerous, and possesses the No. 1 toughest schedule in the country according to Massey. SEMO is two minutes away from a 7-0 record (and a win over FBS New Mexico State), and the Redhawks should be watched closely. North Dakota is one of the Dakota quartet – and this year? Nothing else needs to be said. Lastly? The rest of this season, Chattanooga may snake its way up through this list like the Tennessee River snakes through town.

FROM NO. 17 TO NO. 25

NOTE: This is the tier that would not be seeded, but would be battling for a spot in the playoffs (if they aren’t conference champions)

17 Dartmouth
18 Rhode Island
19 Duquesne
20 UT Martin
21 Harvard 
22 Illinois State
23 Stony Brook
24 Southeastern Louisiana
25 Drake

WHY?: Sometimes? I wish voting on this poll was easier in the 15ish to 25ish range – but it never is simple. There are so many dynamics to consider, but the truth is, the teams listed below in my “also considered” area? They could easily be in this 17^th to 25^th range – the area which contains the kind of teams (if they choose to compete in it) that will play in the FCS postseason. I did drop some idle teams who made my ballot last week, based on how some of their earlier opponents performed this past weekend.

OUTSIDE THE TOP 25 AND READY TO MOVE IN

Teams like Richmond, William & Mary, McNeese, Western Carolina, and ETSU will be teams I pay close attention to this week.

The post FCS Top 25: Brian McLaughlin’s Poll Vote After Week 7 appeared first on HERO Sports.