OC Dooley:“1 UNIT” INJURY INTANGIBLE (Utah +6’ at home versus Stanford in a 6:00 eastern kickoff televised on the Pac-12 Network): The last time the Utah Utes hit the field was in a primetime affair last Thursday when they took road favorite UCLA right down to the wire in what ended up to be a 34-27 final verdict. I have found out that Utah starting quarterback Travis Wilson due to ILLNESS was bed-ridden the entire day leading up to the contest. To make a long story short with extended rest Wilson will be much healthier coming into another home contest against #5 ranked Stanford who has the nation’s second-longest winning streak (13-0) right behind Ohio State. For those who stayed up late last Saturday evening you saw Stanford basically outlast Washington in a 31-28 nationally televised thriller in front of the home fans. While Stanford ended up extending their winning streak they were actually OUTGAINED in a contest (489-to-279 yards) they were lucky to survive as the Cardinal ran for a “season low” 191 yards on the ground. Another week of rushing woes would be a detriment to the Cardinal since a stout Utah Utes defensive front has limited the opposition to an average of just 131 yards per game on the ground so far. That same Utah defense actually leads the entire Pac-12 conference in the critical area of SACKS (18) as they give opposing quarterback fits each week. For the entire season to date Stanford is forcing on average just 7 turnovers per game which is second-worst in the conference just ahead of Utah so one can argue that they are laying too many points this evening. Certainly Utah and their fans are fired up for this contest as the last time they faced Stanford on the same field (1996) was a full seventeen years ago
Does anyone have the rest of Ness's card?
Larry Ness' 10* Club-80 Play (82% s/2011)
My 10* Club-80 Play is on Miss St at 7:30 ET.
Mississippi State hosts Bowling Green Saturday, when the Falcons invade Davis Wade Stadium for a non-conference matchup. Bowling Green coasted to a 28-7 decision over UMass last Saturday, improving to 5-1 (3-0 in MAC play). Dave Clawson's Falcons have played well enough to indicate they intend on making a strong run at the MAC East title (Ohio U being their main obstacle) for a shot at the MAC championship game. As for the Bulldogs, they fell to 2-3 after their 59-26 home loss to LSU last weekend.
Bowling Green relied on the play of its defense in going 8-5 in 2012 but in 2013 has developed a balanced offense which is totaling 480.8 YPG and 32.0 PPG, led by QB Matt Johnson and RB Travis Greene. Johnson earned the starting job after igniting the offense off the bench in the season opener. He’s wasted little time validated his coach's decision, as he’s completing 65.1% for an average of 232.5 YPG with nine TDs and only three INTs. BGSU was expected to have trouble establishing its ground attack this season after RB Anthon Samuel (998 YR in 2012 with 11 TDs) elected to transfer to FIU. However, the Falcons have not missed a beat thanks to the sophomore Greene, who has 711 yards (5.9 YPC) to lead a team which is running for 211.5 YPG on 4.8 YPC.
The Falcons are still a quality defensive team as well, leading the MAC in NINE different team statistical categories. BGSU is allowing 16.5 PPG (15th in the nation) and is 2nd nationally in red zone defense at 47.1%. However playing on the road vs a SEC team is a HUGE step up in class for the Falcons. Bowling Green’s lone loss this year came at Indiana, where the Hoosiers won 42-10, as BG allowed 601 yards. A check of the history books reveal that BG has played five BCS schools on the road since 2010, losing all five by an average margin of 45.2-to-11.0 PPG!
This marks the first meeting between the two schools but under current head coach Dan Mullen (now in his 5th year at Starkville and already the fourth-winningest coach in school history with a 31-25 record), the Bulldogs own a 10-game winning streak at home vs non-conference opponents! BGSU has a tough test here in Starkville. MSU held its own against LSU through three quarters last week, before allowing 31 consecutive points in the 59-26 loss. Sophomore QB Dak Prescott ran for 103 yards plus MSU got senior QB Tyler Russell back and he was an efficient 7-of-11 for 146 yards. He completed two TD passes to become the program's all-time leader with 39 for his career.
The combo of Prescott and Russell should make the Bulldogs even more dangerous and despite their losing record, the Bulldogs have put up decent numbers, averaging 32.4 PPG on 464.6 YPG. MSU's defense played well through its first four games, allowing a modest 14.8 PPG, before running into LSU. But this just in. Bowling Green is no LSU! This is a very important game for the Bulldogs, who are well aware of how difficult digging themselves out of a 2-4 hole will be against SEC schools. Kentucky’s up next but then it’s at South Carolina and A&M plus home to Alabama. If MSU hopes to reach the six-win mark (for bowl-eligibility), it had better beat BG and Kentucky these next two Saturdays.
Miss St is already 2-0 ATS at home in 2013 and going back to mid-2011, the Bulldogs are an impressive 9-2 or 82% ATS here in Starkville! It’s the SEC vs the MAC and I’m laying the points
Larry Ness' 10* Club-80 Play (82% s/2011)
My 10* Club-80 Play is on Miss St at 7:30 ET.
Mississippi State hosts Bowling Green Saturday, when the Falcons invade Davis Wade Stadium for a non-conference matchup. Bowling Green coasted to a 28-7 decision over UMass last Saturday, improving to 5-1 (3-0 in MAC play). Dave Clawson's Falcons have played well enough to indicate they intend on making a strong run at the MAC East title (Ohio U being their main obstacle) for a shot at the MAC championship game. As for the Bulldogs, they fell to 2-3 after their 59-26 home loss to LSU last weekend.
Bowling Green relied on the play of its defense in going 8-5 in 2012 but in 2013 has developed a balanced offense which is totaling 480.8 YPG and 32.0 PPG, led by QB Matt Johnson and RB Travis Greene. Johnson earned the starting job after igniting the offense off the bench in the season opener. He’s wasted little time validated his coach's decision, as he’s completing 65.1% for an average of 232.5 YPG with nine TDs and only three INTs. BGSU was expected to have trouble establishing its ground attack this season after RB Anthon Samuel (998 YR in 2012 with 11 TDs) elected to transfer to FIU. However, the Falcons have not missed a beat thanks to the sophomore Greene, who has 711 yards (5.9 YPC) to lead a team which is running for 211.5 YPG on 4.8 YPC.
The Falcons are still a quality defensive team as well, leading the MAC in NINE different team statistical categories. BGSU is allowing 16.5 PPG (15th in the nation) and is 2nd nationally in red zone defense at 47.1%. However playing on the road vs a SEC team is a HUGE step up in class for the Falcons. Bowling Green’s lone loss this year came at Indiana, where the Hoosiers won 42-10, as BG allowed 601 yards. A check of the history books reveal that BG has played five BCS schools on the road since 2010, losing all five by an average margin of 45.2-to-11.0 PPG!
This marks the first meeting between the two schools but under current head coach Dan Mullen (now in his 5th year at Starkville and already the fourth-winningest coach in school history with a 31-25 record), the Bulldogs own a 10-game winning streak at home vs non-conference opponents! BGSU has a tough test here in Starkville. MSU held its own against LSU through three quarters last week, before allowing 31 consecutive points in the 59-26 loss. Sophomore QB Dak Prescott ran for 103 yards plus MSU got senior QB Tyler Russell back and he was an efficient 7-of-11 for 146 yards. He completed two TD passes to become the program's all-time leader with 39 for his career.
The combo of Prescott and Russell should make the Bulldogs even more dangerous and despite their losing record, the Bulldogs have put up decent numbers, averaging 32.4 PPG on 464.6 YPG. MSU's defense played well through its first four games, allowing a modest 14.8 PPG, before running into LSU. But this just in. Bowling Green is no LSU! This is a very important game for the Bulldogs, who are well aware of how difficult digging themselves out of a 2-4 hole will be against SEC schools. Kentucky’s up next but then it’s at South Carolina and A&M plus home to Alabama. If MSU hopes to reach the six-win mark (for bowl-eligibility), it had better beat BG and Kentucky these next two Saturdays.
Miss St is already 2-0 ATS at home in 2013 and going back to mid-2011, the Bulldogs are an impressive 9-2 or 82% ATS here in Starkville! It’s the SEC vs the MAC and I’m laying the points
