This is the first Big East game for Rutgers and South Florida, who are each off to 2-0 starts. Neither team is ranked, but that may change after this Thursday night game. South Florida has looked good on the offensive side of the ball and Rutgers has played solid defense and they rank 4th in the nation in opponents’ points allowed.
In one of the Saturday night games this week, the home team’s defense is going to get a serious test in Week 2. The Oklahoma State Cowboys bring their high-powered attack to southern Arizona to square off against the Wildcats in the desert heat.
#19 OSU Cowboys at Arizona Wildcats
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, 10:30 pm EST
Venue: Arizona Stadium, Tucson AZ
Gambling Odds from Sportsbook.com:
Spread: Ok. St. -10.5, Arizona +10.5
MoneyLine: Ok. St. -385, Arizona +325
Over/Under: 70.5
Frankly, things look to be breaking pretty well in the Cowboys’ favor.
Arizona just narrowly edged out Toledo last week, winning 24-17 in OT. Yes, this is against the MAC’s Toledo Rockets in Arizona’s season opener. Clearly, it wasn’t a very convincing win. Quarterback Matt Scott had a big day, tossing for nearly 400 yards, but the Oklahoma State secondary won’t be as liable to yield big gainers as Toledo was.
The Cowboys’ offense seems to have become more of a scheme-specific success. In recent seasons, both QB Zac Robinson and Brandon Weeden have excelled in a high-powered spread attack.
Now, Ok. State hopes it can be redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh that carries the torch. If last week is any indication, things will be just fine in Stillwater – the Cowboys crushed FCS Savannah State 84-0, the most thorough drubbing of the college football slate in Week 1.
Running back Joseph Randle will be a key piece for the Cowboys in 2012; he and sophomore Desmond Roland both put up 100+ rushing yards and multiple TDs in just single-digit carries in a laugher. Without a prominent passer established, the Cowboys game-plan might have more emphasis on the run in ’12, which shouldn’t slow them down one bit. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
For Arizona to nab an upset at home, Scott must air the ball out to talented WR Dan Buckner, a Texas transfer. Let’s also not forget that the Wildcats are breaking in the polarizing Rich Rodriguez as head coach. Even though Rich-Rod crashed and burned at Michigan, the Wildcats are hoping he can have more success in a program with less scrutiny.
Still, it seems that from a defensive perspective, if Oklahoma State can be anything more balanced than an offensive slot machine, it will not only lay the hurt on Arizona this week, but have a successful 2012 campaign also.
The Cowboys have a few players on “D” – CB Brodrick Brown, LB Shaun Lewis and DL Nigel Nicholas come to mind – but Arizona should still be able to drop some points on the visitors.
Expect Oklahoma State to win what will be a high-scoring contest, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that the finished product will be close.
The marching bands will need a lot of air in their collective lungs, because there’s going to be some touchdowns scored in this game.
#19 Oklahoma State vs. Arizona Score Prediction: Ok. St. 49, Arizona 30
The conference slate gets started right off the hop for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Missouri Tigers. The ‘Dawgs will see what one of the SEC newcomers brings to the table nice and early in the season.
This game represents an excellent Week 2 match-up in college football. Over the past couple seasons under head coach Bo Pelini, Nebraska has been a very good football program that hasn’t quite been able to get over the hump.
The FCS team from Louisiana’s African-American institution will travel west to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to fight the heat; not only from the blistering sun this time of year but from an upstart ranked team looking to prove to everyone they belong in the Big 12.
It is sort of amusing to call the Hogs playing in Little Rock a “neutral site”, though it’s technically correct. Arkansas leaves the familiar confines of Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville to travel down the I40 to the state capital.
Oklahoma looked rather unimpressive in a 24-7 victory over UTEP last week; the Sooners get a chance to re-focus and crush an FCS opponent in Florida A&M in Week 2.
They like their team sports in Seattle, and Husky Stadium can be a spirited place to play, but UW is in for a treat when it travels to Death Valley to take on one of the nation’s premier college football teams.
Fresno State rookie head coach Tim DeRuyter gets the first serious test of his head coaching career in Week 2, in this afternoon game on the Left Coast.
Denard Robinson really struggled last week, as Michigan was blown out by Alabama and they fell 11 spots in the polls because of it. They have a good chance to regroup facing an Air Force team that was 0-2 facing ranked teams last season.
Both Michigan State and Central Michigan won their season openers and the Spartans got off to a good start beating a ranked team. Even though the Chippewas are 3-9 in each of their last 2 seasons the Spartans cannot over look them.
Florida won their season opener and as the game was an audition for the starting QB position Jeff Driskel will get the start under center.
Notre Dame had a solid start to the season easily winning by 50 points, but they may have a tough time from a Purdue team from the Big 10, who easily won their season opener. Both teams are getting QB’s back from suspensions for this big game.
Going back to last season Syracuse has lost 5 straight games and to avoid making it 6 in a row they will have to come up with a huge upset over USC.
When Central Florida and Ohio State meet this Saturday, it will be a unique matchup between two teams who are both ineligible for the postseason this year. The Knights are a team that many have their eye on as being a team to watch in 2012.
Auburn lost a tough one against Clemson in week one, while Mississippi State beat up on Jacksonville State 56-9. In week two, these teams jump right into the SEC action. It’s the toughest conference in the nation, and there won’t be any weeks off in the SEC.
