Week 3 won't be as exciting as either of the previous two weeks, but it'd be impossible to expect three weeks in a row of incredible football games. Just recall for a moment those past two weeks. The Labor day matchup with Miami and Florida State was epic. The Notre Dame-Michigan game and the USC-Ohio State games last week were some of the most entertaining matchups you'll ever see, with each ending in a scoring drive led by a true freshman quarterback. All not to mention the upset of Oklahoma, the thriller up in East Lansing, and the play of Heisman candidates Tim Tebow and Colt Mccoy. That’s enough drama for 6 weeks of college football, and one hard act to follow. So pardon week three if it’s not quite as exciting as the previous two, but it will be a good week nonetheless.
Thursday Night Game
Georgia Tech at Miami
This game should be the highlight of week 3. Miami burst onto the scene with an impressive win in an awesome game at Florida State. Georgia Tech barely escaped defeat last week at the hands of the Clemson Tigers, an average team with a star at running back in CJ Spiller. They'll need to come back with a strong week to get past this Hurricanes team, which is the best Miami team that Randy Shannon has ever coached. The U (Miami) features lots of speed. I repeat, LOTS OF SPEED. Georgia Tech has Jonathan Dweyer and Anthony Allen in the backfield, the very mobile Josh Nesbitt (more of a runner than a thrower) under center, and pass rushing defensive end Derrick Morgan as the anchors of this team. Who wins? Good question.
Jacory Harris really showed the country what he could do on Labor Day when he threw for a whopping 386 yards against a very solid Florida State defense. Having weapons like Travis Benjamin and Leonard Hankerson to depend on sure do help. When they're in a three wide set, look for wideout Aldarius Johnson to be utilized against the weaker cornerbacks. This team will always look for the pass first so if Harris and his weapons can get started on offense, then Georgia Tech is in some major trouble.
Despite depth in the secondary (four returning starters along with one key backup), the Georgia Tech defense seemed to have trouble stopping the big pass play. Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, the big pass play is Travis Benjamin's specialty. Harris should be able to hit Benjamin for a few big plays during the game, if he gets the time to throw. Harris got to show his mobility in and outside of the pocket on Labor Day, and with Derrick Morgan coming off the edge and looking for the sack on every drop back of the quarterback, that mobility will be key to Harris's play making ability. The running game should be a non-factor because while Graig Cooper is good, the Georgia Tech defense is even better at stopping the run. Graig Cooper will have to be a factor in the passing game if he wishes to contribute significantly in this contest.
The Georgia Tech offense is run first, run second, run third, and then maybe think about throwing the ball. With their stable of running backs, I can’t blame them. Jonathan Dweyer had almost 1400 yards last season, and after underperforming last week I'm sure he's been working to have a big game Thursday. Anthony Allen, a transfer from Louisville, really looked scary last week after rushing for 127 yards on only 5 carries. Wow. 25 yards per carry is unbelievable. Look for him to be a bigger factor in this game, getting even more carries than he had last week. Josh Nesbitt isn't quite what I would call a dual threat, he's more of a running back playing quarterback, but he's dangerous with his legs (18 carries for 91 yards last week). If forced to throw however, the threat diminishes greatly. He only completed 3 passes last week on 14 attempts and threw 2 interceptions. If The U's defense can be physical enough to stop the running game on the first two downs, Georgia Tech will be forced to either go for the long run (not unheard of for the Yellow Jackets) or let Nesbitt throw it and pray for the best. The speed of The U's defense will make interceptions on throws very likely, especially considering the lack of accuracy from Nesbitt.
These are two different teams, two different styles, and two different philosophies. Who's gonna win this? My money is on the home team, Miami. Too much speed and too many deep threats equal too many problems for Georgia Tech. It should be fun to watch the continued emergence of Jacory Harris and the masterful running of Jonathan Dweyer and Anthony Allen.
Saturday Games
Cincinnati at Oregon State
I'm gonna officially put 17th ranked Cincinnati on upset alert. Why? Three Major reasons, and the first two have the last name Rodgers. Jacquizz is one of my favorite running backs in the nation this year. One of the few possible Heisman contenders at running back this season, he's a quick and tough runner who refuses to go down. He's also always an option in the passing game. He can carry this team on his back and into the end zone. His big brother is gonna be there to help him out. Senior wide receiver James Rodgers is very good as well. The best receiving threat on this team by far, he should make an impact on the game. Third is the fact that they're playing in Corvallis, Oregon. Remember last year when USC was supposed to go to the national title game and were considered one of the top teams in the country? That was before their trip to Corvallis and loss at the hands of this Oregon State team that tends to be very good at home.
To win, the Cincinnati defense needs to step up and prove themselves. I'm still not convinced by this group that features 9 new starters. Also, senior wideout Mardy Gilyard must also have a huge game to make sure that whatever momentum the Rodger brothers create on offense is killed by big plays given up defensively.
Texas Tech at Texas, Tennesse at Florida
None of these games are overly interesting. Sure, Texas Tech should put up some big passing numbers. Sure, Bryce Brown of Tennessee is very impressive for a freshman. Sure, Eric Berry of Tennessee is the best safety in college football and maybe one of the best defensive players as well. But neither of those teams will be able to beat the top teams that they face. Texas has college football's single most valuable player in Colt Mccoy (without Mccoy making plays, this offense would be stagnant). Florida has dual threat quarterback Tim Tebow along with a lot of fast players around him. Both teams have very good defenses. It'll be interesting to see how these games play out in the first quarter, before either powerhouse can create a rhythm. However, by the time the teams go in for halftime the games should be all but over.
Eastern Michigan at Michigan
This game by all means should be a blowout. But with college players you never know how a top 25 ranking will affect them. You can also never be sure how exactly a true freshman will play, especially when much of the offense depends on his production. If Tate Forcier can put out another good game, it'll show that he is consistent after a big win and should encourage Michigan fans (as well as the country at large) that the win against Notre Dame wasn't a fluke.
-D. Wash.
Posts
