RAS Sunday Night "Early Looks" Report - Week 2
EARLY LOOK: Northwestern +7.5 over TCU (Thursday)
The Wildcats reached their first bowl game in 3 years last season and return a whopping 17 starters. They feature a legitimate Big 10 offensive line that paved the way for over 212 rushing yards a game last season and all five starters are back from that unit. Senior RB Herron is a gifted runner and receiver out of the backfield. Junior QB Brett Basanez is back for his third year as a starter. He took a step back last year after a promising freshman year, but his numbers were hurt by multiple injuries at the receiver positions. He appears set for a good year. Defensively Northwestern allowed 16 points per game less last year than in 2002 and with 9 starters back should continue to move forward. Their entire defensive line returns in tact and features two projected NFL draft picks. *Check status of starting DE Loren Howard (top pass rusher) who left practice Sunday due to an apparent ankle injury.
It is difficult to measure TCU's 11-2 record last season as they played one of the easiest schedules (97th SOS rating) in the country. Their highest quality win probably coming by 3 points over Louisville in Forth Worth. TCU defensive coordinator David Bailiff left for a head coaching job and the vaunted TCU front seven only returns one starter. All three defensive line starters received all-conference honors last season and all three must be replaced. TCU looks strong on offense but they have a QB controversy heading into the season between senior Brandon Hassell and junior Tye Gunn. Both are expected to see extensive playing time which is almost never a good thing.
Northwestern is 13-6 ATS in September and 6-2 ATS in non-conference road games under Randy Walker. TCU is 1-2 ATS in season openers and 1-3 ATS at home vs non-conference foes under Gary Patterson. Northwestern will be looking to avenge a 48-24 loss two years ago when they were one of the worst teams in any major conference. Needless to say they have improved significantly since then. This is an upperclassmen dominated Wildcat team that has worked extremely hard to reach this point. Look for Northwestern to win the battle of the trenches and compete for an outright win here. Take the points.
EARLY LOOK: Washington State -1 over New Mexico (Friday)
The Cougars have won 10 games in three consecutive seasons and despite heavy losses (only 6 returning starters) they have many quality returnees who played significant roles last season. WSU is the only team ranked in the top 10 at the end of last season who starts this season unranked and they will feed off that for extra motivation. WSU features a physical offensive line that outplayed (4.8 yards per rush, 0 sacks allowed) the vaunted Texas defensive line in last years Holiday Bowl. They have three starters back from that unit and two other returnees with starting experience. Early indications suggest the offensive line will be even better this year. Last years running game primarily consisted of two physical bruising backs, but this year good looking JC transfer Jerome Harrison will add the threat of speed to the running attack. Sophomore QB Josh Swogger has been touted as a future pro since his arrival at WSU. He was forced into action a little before he was ready last year as a redshirt freshman due to injuries to starter Matt Kegal and although he did not put up great numbers, he exhibited great potential. He saw action in 9 games and that experience combined with being "the man" from day one in Spring should pay dividends. The Cougs must replace three good receivers but sophomore Chris Jordan caught 28 balls as a freshman last year, and standout TE Troy Bienemann provides a huge target. Highly recruited freshman WR Michael Bumpus is sure to get some touches.
Defensively, the Cougars only return two starters but they are good ones in all conference LB Will Derting and standout senior CB Karl Paymah. Senior safeties Hamza Abdullah and Jeremy Bohannon as well as sophomore LB Scott Davis each made 20 or more stops last year. While the defense probably will not be as good as last years standout unit, they will still be effective in head coach Doba's system. He has been coaching defense here since 1994 and it remains a priority.
New Mexico is coming off three straight winning seasons and back to back bowl bids but this will be the biggest rebuilding year in Rocky Long's tenure here. The Lobo's must replace a three year starting QB and two standout wide receivers on offense, and six of their top seven tacklers on defense. New Mexico has made great strides in recent years but they are still not exactly a hotbed of talent. It is going to be difficult for them to reload, particularly early in the season as they break in a new QB. Well regarded defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall left for BYU prior to last year and his departure may be felt more this year with all of the personnel losses on that side of the ball. New Mexico is badly undersized and inexperienced on the defensive line. Their biggest starter is 6-2, 269 pounds and the overall average weight is just 254. The three defensive line starters they must replace all received 1st or 2nd team all conference honors last year. They also must replace two all-conference LB's who tied for the team lead with 100 tackles each.
Both teams suffer heavy losses from last season but I like Washington State's chances of reloading quickly much better especially with a much more experienced and talented starting QB. Last year WSU was coming off two straight road games at Notre Dame and at Colorado and still beat the Lobos 23-13. They shut New Mexico out in the 2nd half and only allowed 23 rushing yards on 22 attempts. WSU finished with 433-to-257 total yard and 27-to-12 first down edges but settled for three very short FG's or else the game would have been more lopsided. UNM head coach Rocky Long always puts more emphasis on conference games. UNM is just 6-16 straight up vs Division 1 non-conference foes (wins over Utah State twice, NMSU twice, Baylor, and UTEP) and just 8-14 ATS under Long. They have also been slow starters under long going 7-17 ATS in first 5 games of season compared to 26-14 ATS after. WSU surprised a lot of people last year and could do so again. They outclass New Mexico here.
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EARLY LOOK: Northwestern +7.5 over TCU (Thursday)
The Wildcats reached their first bowl game in 3 years last season and return a whopping 17 starters. They feature a legitimate Big 10 offensive line that paved the way for over 212 rushing yards a game last season and all five starters are back from that unit. Senior RB Herron is a gifted runner and receiver out of the backfield. Junior QB Brett Basanez is back for his third year as a starter. He took a step back last year after a promising freshman year, but his numbers were hurt by multiple injuries at the receiver positions. He appears set for a good year. Defensively Northwestern allowed 16 points per game less last year than in 2002 and with 9 starters back should continue to move forward. Their entire defensive line returns in tact and features two projected NFL draft picks. *Check status of starting DE Loren Howard (top pass rusher) who left practice Sunday due to an apparent ankle injury.
It is difficult to measure TCU's 11-2 record last season as they played one of the easiest schedules (97th SOS rating) in the country. Their highest quality win probably coming by 3 points over Louisville in Forth Worth. TCU defensive coordinator David Bailiff left for a head coaching job and the vaunted TCU front seven only returns one starter. All three defensive line starters received all-conference honors last season and all three must be replaced. TCU looks strong on offense but they have a QB controversy heading into the season between senior Brandon Hassell and junior Tye Gunn. Both are expected to see extensive playing time which is almost never a good thing.
Northwestern is 13-6 ATS in September and 6-2 ATS in non-conference road games under Randy Walker. TCU is 1-2 ATS in season openers and 1-3 ATS at home vs non-conference foes under Gary Patterson. Northwestern will be looking to avenge a 48-24 loss two years ago when they were one of the worst teams in any major conference. Needless to say they have improved significantly since then. This is an upperclassmen dominated Wildcat team that has worked extremely hard to reach this point. Look for Northwestern to win the battle of the trenches and compete for an outright win here. Take the points.
EARLY LOOK: Washington State -1 over New Mexico (Friday)
The Cougars have won 10 games in three consecutive seasons and despite heavy losses (only 6 returning starters) they have many quality returnees who played significant roles last season. WSU is the only team ranked in the top 10 at the end of last season who starts this season unranked and they will feed off that for extra motivation. WSU features a physical offensive line that outplayed (4.8 yards per rush, 0 sacks allowed) the vaunted Texas defensive line in last years Holiday Bowl. They have three starters back from that unit and two other returnees with starting experience. Early indications suggest the offensive line will be even better this year. Last years running game primarily consisted of two physical bruising backs, but this year good looking JC transfer Jerome Harrison will add the threat of speed to the running attack. Sophomore QB Josh Swogger has been touted as a future pro since his arrival at WSU. He was forced into action a little before he was ready last year as a redshirt freshman due to injuries to starter Matt Kegal and although he did not put up great numbers, he exhibited great potential. He saw action in 9 games and that experience combined with being "the man" from day one in Spring should pay dividends. The Cougs must replace three good receivers but sophomore Chris Jordan caught 28 balls as a freshman last year, and standout TE Troy Bienemann provides a huge target. Highly recruited freshman WR Michael Bumpus is sure to get some touches.
Defensively, the Cougars only return two starters but they are good ones in all conference LB Will Derting and standout senior CB Karl Paymah. Senior safeties Hamza Abdullah and Jeremy Bohannon as well as sophomore LB Scott Davis each made 20 or more stops last year. While the defense probably will not be as good as last years standout unit, they will still be effective in head coach Doba's system. He has been coaching defense here since 1994 and it remains a priority.
New Mexico is coming off three straight winning seasons and back to back bowl bids but this will be the biggest rebuilding year in Rocky Long's tenure here. The Lobo's must replace a three year starting QB and two standout wide receivers on offense, and six of their top seven tacklers on defense. New Mexico has made great strides in recent years but they are still not exactly a hotbed of talent. It is going to be difficult for them to reload, particularly early in the season as they break in a new QB. Well regarded defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall left for BYU prior to last year and his departure may be felt more this year with all of the personnel losses on that side of the ball. New Mexico is badly undersized and inexperienced on the defensive line. Their biggest starter is 6-2, 269 pounds and the overall average weight is just 254. The three defensive line starters they must replace all received 1st or 2nd team all conference honors last year. They also must replace two all-conference LB's who tied for the team lead with 100 tackles each.
Both teams suffer heavy losses from last season but I like Washington State's chances of reloading quickly much better especially with a much more experienced and talented starting QB. Last year WSU was coming off two straight road games at Notre Dame and at Colorado and still beat the Lobos 23-13. They shut New Mexico out in the 2nd half and only allowed 23 rushing yards on 22 attempts. WSU finished with 433-to-257 total yard and 27-to-12 first down edges but settled for three very short FG's or else the game would have been more lopsided. UNM head coach Rocky Long always puts more emphasis on conference games. UNM is just 6-16 straight up vs Division 1 non-conference foes (wins over Utah State twice, NMSU twice, Baylor, and UTEP) and just 8-14 ATS under Long. They have also been slow starters under long going 7-17 ATS in first 5 games of season compared to 26-14 ATS after. WSU surprised a lot of people last year and could do so again. They outclass New Mexico here.
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