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LGHL Ohio State’s preseason Heisman Trophy favorites
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Ohio State’s preseason Heisman Trophy favorites
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Where the Vegas odds rank this year’s crop of Buckeyes among Heisman hopefuls.
For the first time in forever, Ohio State comes into the 2023 season with a true quarterback battle. As a result, there are no Buckeyes within the top 10 of betting favorites for this year’s Heisman Trophy, which has become almost exclusively a quarterback award. Six of the last seven honorees have been QBs, with the lone outlier being Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2020.
Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of Ohio State players that have a chance to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, including whichever guy gets the nod to start at QB. Lets take a look where this year’s crop of Buckeyes stand among preseason Heisman hopefuls.
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
To nobody’s surprise, the Ohio State player with the best odds to win this year’s Heisman Trophy is none other than Marvin Harrison Jr., as the superstar wide receiver has the best odds in the country of any non-quarterback at +2000. The next two guys are both of the Buckeyes potential starting QBs, with Vegas seemingly believing that Kyle McCord (+2200) will win the job over Devin Brown (+3500). Rounding out the group are TreVeyon Henderson (+4000), who has the second-best odds of any running back behind only Michigan’s Blake Corum and the third-best non-QB odds nationally overall, as well as wide receiver Emeka Egbuka as a longshot.
I wasn’t joking when I said the Heisman Trophy has become a quarterback award, as each of the top 10 betting favorites heading into the season play the position. After taking home the honor last season, Caleb Williams returns once again as the top dog. He will be looking to follow up a 4,500-plus-yard passing output in 2022, wherein he threw 42 touchdowns to just five picks and also ran for another 382 yards and 10 TDs. He will have to do so without last year’s top target Jordan Addison, who was taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
As far as value goes here, my eye is drawn to Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. Formerly at Indiana, Penix was finally able to stay healthy in 2022, and did so to the tune of over 4,600 passing yards with 31 TDs to eight INTs in his first season with the Huskies. Kalen DeBoer’s group returns a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan from an offense that averaged 39.7 points per game and finished second in FBS in total offense at 515.8 yards per game. In a Pac-12 that isn’t exactly known for its defense, Penix is going to put up some big numbers in 2023 on a team that could content for a conference title.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Where the Vegas odds rank this year’s crop of Buckeyes among Heisman hopefuls.
For the first time in forever, Ohio State comes into the 2023 season with a true quarterback battle. As a result, there are no Buckeyes within the top 10 of betting favorites for this year’s Heisman Trophy, which has become almost exclusively a quarterback award. Six of the last seven honorees have been QBs, with the lone outlier being Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2020.
Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of Ohio State players that have a chance to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, including whichever guy gets the nod to start at QB. Lets take a look where this year’s crop of Buckeyes stand among preseason Heisman hopefuls.
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Ohio State players with Heisman Trophy odds
- Marvin Harrison Jr. (+2000)
- Kyle McCord (+2200)
- Devin Brown (+3500)
- TreVeyon Henderson (+4000)
- Emeka Egbuka (+10000)
To nobody’s surprise, the Ohio State player with the best odds to win this year’s Heisman Trophy is none other than Marvin Harrison Jr., as the superstar wide receiver has the best odds in the country of any non-quarterback at +2000. The next two guys are both of the Buckeyes potential starting QBs, with Vegas seemingly believing that Kyle McCord (+2200) will win the job over Devin Brown (+3500). Rounding out the group are TreVeyon Henderson (+4000), who has the second-best odds of any running back behind only Michigan’s Blake Corum and the third-best non-QB odds nationally overall, as well as wide receiver Emeka Egbuka as a longshot.
Overall Top 10: (all are QBs)
- Caleb Williams - USC (+450)
- Jayden Daniels - LSU (+1100)
- Quinn Ewers - Texas (+1300)
- Carson Beck - Georgia (+1400)
- Cade Klubnik - Clemson (+1400)
- Jordan Travis - Florida State (+1400)
- Drake Maye - North Carolina (+1600)
- Michael Penix Jr. - Washington (+1600)
- Sam Hartman - Notre Dame (+1600)
- Bo Nix - Oregon (+1600)
I wasn’t joking when I said the Heisman Trophy has become a quarterback award, as each of the top 10 betting favorites heading into the season play the position. After taking home the honor last season, Caleb Williams returns once again as the top dog. He will be looking to follow up a 4,500-plus-yard passing output in 2022, wherein he threw 42 touchdowns to just five picks and also ran for another 382 yards and 10 TDs. He will have to do so without last year’s top target Jordan Addison, who was taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
As far as value goes here, my eye is drawn to Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. Formerly at Indiana, Penix was finally able to stay healthy in 2022, and did so to the tune of over 4,600 passing yards with 31 TDs to eight INTs in his first season with the Huskies. Kalen DeBoer’s group returns a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan from an offense that averaged 39.7 points per game and finished second in FBS in total offense at 515.8 yards per game. In a Pac-12 that isn’t exactly known for its defense, Penix is going to put up some big numbers in 2023 on a team that could content for a conference title.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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LGHL Ohio State offers four-star Florida athlete, makes shortlist for four-star defensive lineman
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Ohio State offers four-star Florida athlete, makes shortlist for four-star defensive lineman
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes offer four-star Florida native Dallas Golden.
Ohio State's 2024 recruiting class is about as impressive as it gets. With five five-star commits and the highest player average in the nation, Ryan Day and his staff are dominating out on the trail. Fortunately, the Buckeyes are still in the mix for multiple guys who are among the best in the country at their respective positions and will decide in the near future.
That said, with a lot of the heavy lifting already done for 2024, this allows the coaches to focus more of their attention on 2025, which will hopefully keep them in a similar situation nationally.
In the 2025 cycle, the staff has already sent out offers to some of their highest targets, but they aren’t done yet. Yesterday, the Buckeye coaches proved that they are still evaluating players by offering their latest target, as shared on social media by Florida native Dallas Golden (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep).
A 6-foot-1, 165-pound athlete, Golden has played all over the field. Taking snaps as a cornerback and safety on defense, Dallas also plays receiver on offense, but has even taken reps at running back and quarterback as well. Seeing that sort of athleticism clearly has the Buckeyes interested, and with 25 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, and more, Ohio State joins the party a little late, but can definitely make up for lost time.
The No. 172 player nationally, Golden is the 10th-best athlete in the class and the 28th-best player in Florida per the 247Sports Composite grades. Knowing full well how Ohio State tends to fare in Florida, this recruitment will be one worth watching moving forward as the 2025 class will soon be in the spotlight.
Surely additional names and offers will pop up, but Golden being the latest to receive an offer means the next step in this is to get him on campus sooner rather than later if they want a real shot at building a relationship and becoming a major player for his services.
To the satisfaction of all Ohio State fans, the defensive line recruiting has been really solid in the 2024 cycle. Landing two five-stars to anchor the trenches thus far, Larry Johnson — while criticized for losing out on some others — deserves a ton of praise for his work in landing two of the better players in the country. Looking ahead though, the Buckeyes have to keep that momentum as the game is won up front, and having an elite defensive line is critical to a team’s success.
Though the 2024 class is still looking to land at least one to two more guys, the 2025 cycle isn’t stopping its progress as big-time players are already starting to narrow things down. Yesterday, Ohio State saw its name remain in the mix when four-star Trent Wilson (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) released his latest update by trimming his list of potential schools down to 12.
A 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive tackle, getting his list down to a dozen schools isn’t exactly “finalists” territory, but with nearly 30 offers, cutting it in half shows that Wilson is serious about the process. Making the cut for Wilson are Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Texas, Miami, USC, Maryland, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Penn State, and Ohio State.
For the Buckeyes specifically, Johnson has always recruited the DMV area well, and with another chance to do just that, the Buckeyes should be all over this one. The No. 71 player nationally, Wilson is the fifth-best player at his position and the second-best player from Maryland according to the 247Sports Composite grades. Certainly, this will be a name to watch moving forward.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes offer four-star Florida native Dallas Golden.
2025 athlete earns Ohio State offer
Ohio State's 2024 recruiting class is about as impressive as it gets. With five five-star commits and the highest player average in the nation, Ryan Day and his staff are dominating out on the trail. Fortunately, the Buckeyes are still in the mix for multiple guys who are among the best in the country at their respective positions and will decide in the near future.
That said, with a lot of the heavy lifting already done for 2024, this allows the coaches to focus more of their attention on 2025, which will hopefully keep them in a similar situation nationally.
In the 2025 cycle, the staff has already sent out offers to some of their highest targets, but they aren’t done yet. Yesterday, the Buckeye coaches proved that they are still evaluating players by offering their latest target, as shared on social media by Florida native Dallas Golden (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep).
A 6-foot-1, 165-pound athlete, Golden has played all over the field. Taking snaps as a cornerback and safety on defense, Dallas also plays receiver on offense, but has even taken reps at running back and quarterback as well. Seeing that sort of athleticism clearly has the Buckeyes interested, and with 25 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, and more, Ohio State joins the party a little late, but can definitely make up for lost time.
The No. 172 player nationally, Golden is the 10th-best athlete in the class and the 28th-best player in Florida per the 247Sports Composite grades. Knowing full well how Ohio State tends to fare in Florida, this recruitment will be one worth watching moving forward as the 2025 class will soon be in the spotlight.
Surely additional names and offers will pop up, but Golden being the latest to receive an offer means the next step in this is to get him on campus sooner rather than later if they want a real shot at building a relationship and becoming a major player for his services.
Buckeyes make the cut for 2025 defensive line target
To the satisfaction of all Ohio State fans, the defensive line recruiting has been really solid in the 2024 cycle. Landing two five-stars to anchor the trenches thus far, Larry Johnson — while criticized for losing out on some others — deserves a ton of praise for his work in landing two of the better players in the country. Looking ahead though, the Buckeyes have to keep that momentum as the game is won up front, and having an elite defensive line is critical to a team’s success.
Though the 2024 class is still looking to land at least one to two more guys, the 2025 cycle isn’t stopping its progress as big-time players are already starting to narrow things down. Yesterday, Ohio State saw its name remain in the mix when four-star Trent Wilson (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) released his latest update by trimming his list of potential schools down to 12.
A 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive tackle, getting his list down to a dozen schools isn’t exactly “finalists” territory, but with nearly 30 offers, cutting it in half shows that Wilson is serious about the process. Making the cut for Wilson are Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Texas, Miami, USC, Maryland, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Penn State, and Ohio State.
For the Buckeyes specifically, Johnson has always recruited the DMV area well, and with another chance to do just that, the Buckeyes should be all over this one. The No. 71 player nationally, Wilson is the fifth-best player at his position and the second-best player from Maryland according to the 247Sports Composite grades. Certainly, this will be a name to watch moving forward.
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LGHL Offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola may not have won the job, but he’s a future star
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Offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola may not have won the job, but he’s a future star
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Tshabola likely won't be Ohio State’s starting tackle job this season, but he is a superstar in waiting!
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our “Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
Tegra Tshabola is the future of the Ohio State offensive line. You heard it here first, and it needs to be said because somehow Tegra has been underrated by OSU fans and media alike.
For those who have forgotten, since 2019 Tshabola has been tied for the third highest-rated Ohio State offensive lineman behind Donovan Jackson and Paris Johnson Jr. and tied with Harry Miller. According to 247Sports, Tshabola was the 36th-ranked player nationally and the sixth-best offensive lineman in the 2022 class. Despite his elite status, he has seemingly never received the hype or the love that someone of his stature normally receives at Ohio State.
When asked about Tshabola over the summer, offensive line coach Justin Frye was quoted saying, “I thought he had a really good spring. He went from the inside (playing guard) to outside (playing tackle). So, Tegra’s a natural, man. He does some stuff and has some natural power that’s not even coachable.”
“It’s just the ability that God gave him and he got from his genes and his parents.” Frye continued, “So, he’s gonna have a really good career ahead of him and he’s put himself in a position to be a guy that can help us right now too. Because when he goes now, he goes. He’s special.”
With Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones off to the NFL after the 2022 season, Tshabola, entering his second spring in Columbus, was inserted into a position battle for one of the starting tackle jobs. Many people were surprised he was in the running for a tackle position after being listed as a guard, but Tegra at 6-foot-6, 322 pounds should have always been at tackle. By all reports, Tshabola played well during spring ball and fall camp.
Despite not winning the starting job, he will be a very important depth piece. Recently, we learned that the starting offensive line will likely consist of Josh Simmons, Donovan Jackson, Carson Hinzman, Matt Jones, and Josh Fryar. It’s fair to assume that until Simmons transferred and won the starting left tackle job, Tegra was in position to be atop the depth chart opposite Fryar. Therefore, I expect Tegra to be the first offensive tackle on the field in a situation where someone gets knicked up, needs a breather, or the starters are pulled.
Ultimately, I think this is good for Tshabola. It is not ideal to have a second-year offensive lineman starting at Ohio State, especially when you have an inexperienced quarterback. Tshabola will go into 2023 as one of the top backups at tackle and guard. In a year or two he will battle Luke Montgomery to be first in line to replace either Simmons or Fryar when they head to the NFL.
Tshabola and Luke are the future at tackle, and when their time comes I would not be surprised if both are first-round NFL Draft picks. Despite Ohio State fans overlooking him, Tshabola is going to be a star for the Buckeyes one day, and getting to spend all of 2023 battling with Fryar, Simmons, and Luke Montgomery is only going to make him better. Be on the lookout — for the first time in a long time the future of the offensive line is bright!
Connect with Jordan on Twitter: @JordanW330
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JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Tshabola likely won't be Ohio State’s starting tackle job this season, but he is a superstar in waiting!
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our “Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
Tegra Tshabola is the future of the Ohio State offensive line. You heard it here first, and it needs to be said because somehow Tegra has been underrated by OSU fans and media alike.
For those who have forgotten, since 2019 Tshabola has been tied for the third highest-rated Ohio State offensive lineman behind Donovan Jackson and Paris Johnson Jr. and tied with Harry Miller. According to 247Sports, Tshabola was the 36th-ranked player nationally and the sixth-best offensive lineman in the 2022 class. Despite his elite status, he has seemingly never received the hype or the love that someone of his stature normally receives at Ohio State.
When asked about Tshabola over the summer, offensive line coach Justin Frye was quoted saying, “I thought he had a really good spring. He went from the inside (playing guard) to outside (playing tackle). So, Tegra’s a natural, man. He does some stuff and has some natural power that’s not even coachable.”
“It’s just the ability that God gave him and he got from his genes and his parents.” Frye continued, “So, he’s gonna have a really good career ahead of him and he’s put himself in a position to be a guy that can help us right now too. Because when he goes now, he goes. He’s special.”
With Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones off to the NFL after the 2022 season, Tshabola, entering his second spring in Columbus, was inserted into a position battle for one of the starting tackle jobs. Many people were surprised he was in the running for a tackle position after being listed as a guard, but Tegra at 6-foot-6, 322 pounds should have always been at tackle. By all reports, Tshabola played well during spring ball and fall camp.
Despite not winning the starting job, he will be a very important depth piece. Recently, we learned that the starting offensive line will likely consist of Josh Simmons, Donovan Jackson, Carson Hinzman, Matt Jones, and Josh Fryar. It’s fair to assume that until Simmons transferred and won the starting left tackle job, Tegra was in position to be atop the depth chart opposite Fryar. Therefore, I expect Tegra to be the first offensive tackle on the field in a situation where someone gets knicked up, needs a breather, or the starters are pulled.
Ultimately, I think this is good for Tshabola. It is not ideal to have a second-year offensive lineman starting at Ohio State, especially when you have an inexperienced quarterback. Tshabola will go into 2023 as one of the top backups at tackle and guard. In a year or two he will battle Luke Montgomery to be first in line to replace either Simmons or Fryar when they head to the NFL.
Tshabola and Luke are the future at tackle, and when their time comes I would not be surprised if both are first-round NFL Draft picks. Despite Ohio State fans overlooking him, Tshabola is going to be a star for the Buckeyes one day, and getting to spend all of 2023 battling with Fryar, Simmons, and Luke Montgomery is only going to make him better. Be on the lookout — for the first time in a long time the future of the offensive line is bright!
Connect with Jordan on Twitter: @JordanW330
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LGHL MC&J: College football’s Week 0 kicks off in Ireland with Navy-Notre Dame
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MC&J: College football’s Week 0 kicks off in Ireland with Navy-Notre Dame
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State fans will get an early look at a late September opponent of the Buckeyes.
It feels so good to be back! I’ve lost count on how many years I’ve been doing spread picks here at Land-Grant Holy Land. One of the things I love is how every year is a little bit different. Some years the final record is above .500, while others are below .500. I certainly appreciate those who have been along for the ride over the years, and welcome anyone new to these articles.
This year we enter some uncharted territory, since when the calendar turned to 2023, sports betting became legal in Ohio. We got to dip our toes in the water in early January with a few bowl games, as well as the laugher that was the national title game. Being able to bet on college football certainly is exciting, just remember to bet within your means, and if you feel like you have a problem controlling your betting, there are avenues where you can get help.
To kick off the season, on Saturday we have Week 0, which is essentially an amuse bouche. There are seven games on the schedule, and I’ll be picking all of them. When we get to next week and there is a normal-sized schedule, there will be two separate picks articles — one with picks for the bigger national games of the week, while the other will consist of all the games involving Big Ten teams.
Look for these articles on Thursdays and Fridays through the season.
Navy v. No. 13 Notre Dame (-20.5) - 2:30 p.m. ET - NBC
The college football season again will start in Ireland. At least people in Dublin won’t be subjected to Northwestern and Nebraska, like they were last year. This marks the third time the Midshipmen and Fighting Irish have battled in Dublin. Notre Dame has beaten Navy in the two previous matchups across the pond, winning 54-27 in 1996, and 50-10 in 2012.
Notre Dame had quite an uneven season in Marcus Freeman’s first year as head coach. After dropping their first two games of the year, the Fighting Irish won three games in a row before inexplicably losing to a bad Stanford team. Then they regrouped to win five-straight before falling to USC in their regular season finale. At least Freeman’s squad closed out the season on a high note, beating South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.
Expectations are high for Notre Dame this year, since they were able to land Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman to add some stability to the position. Even though the Fighting Irish saw offensive coordinator Tommy Rees move to the same position at Alabama, it doesn’t sound like a lot of people were that broken up about having to replace him.
Unlike other seasons where Notre Dame has played Navy in the middle of the year, the defense of the Fighting Irish has had all offseason to prepare for the option offense the Midshipmen will run. Plus, we are likely to see some growing pains from Navy after firing head coach Ken Nuimatalolo after last season and replacing him with defensive coordinator Brian Newberry. I don’t have much confidence that Navy can keep this within three touchdowns.
Notre Dame 41, Navy 14
UTEP (-1.5) v. Jacksonville State - 5:30 p.m. ET - CBSSN
Would I be betting this game if it was a normal week? I find it hard to believe I would. Since there are so few games on the schedule this week, I’ll take a crack at it. At least we have a coach on one side that we are familiar with. Rich Rodriguez returns to FBS football, and he’ll lead a Jacksonville State team that will be playing in their first game as a member of the FBS.
UTEP does have a solid defense but I think Rodriguez’s offense led by quarterback Zion Webb will be a little too much to handle. Also, you’ll see a ton of emotion from the Gamecocks since they’ll be trying to win their FBS debut. This could end up being the most entertaining game on Saturday, and I’ll take Jacksonville State to win as a slight underdog.
Jacksonville State 31, UTEP 27
Ohio v. San Diego State (-2.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - FS1
I’m sure it shouldn’t be all that difficult for a lot of folks in Ohio watching this game to root against San Diego State since their head coach is Brady Hoke, who is in his second stint as head coach of the Aztecs. Last year’s San Diego State team went 7-6, closing out the season losing in the Hawai’i Bowl to Middle Tennessee State.
Last year Ohio caught fire in October, winning seven straight games to make it to the MAC Championship Game, where they ended up falling to Toledo 17-7. Things might have gone a little differently in Detroit had Kurtis Rourke not suffered a knee injury in November. Not only is Rourke — the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year — back, but also is Sam Wiglusz and a number of Rourke’s other favorite targets return.
Even though San Diego State is usually pretty stout on defense, I think Rourke and company will be a little too much for the Aztecs to handle on Saturday night.
Ohio 27, San Diego State 20
UMass v. New Mexico State (-7.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
The funniest thing about Week 0 is the primetime ESPN game is UMass taking on New Mexico State. The Minutemen are coming of a 1-11 season last year in their return to FBS football, and are coached by former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. Despite the ugly record, there is a reason to be a little bit excited about UMass football since they brought in former Clemson quarterback Taisun Phommachanh via the transfer portal. Last year UMass lost to New Mexico State 23-13 in Massachusetts.
Not only does New Mexico State employ former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill as their head coach, they also have former Ohio State assistant Tim Beck as their offensive coordinator! Honestly, the pair didn’t do too bad in their first season with the school last year, closing out the season with a win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl to finish with a 7-6 record. Quarterback Diego Pavia was solid for the Aggies last year, totaling 19 touchdowns and only throwing six interceptions.
Even with the addition of Phommachanh, I still don’t like the UMass offense, as they struggled to score points last year. I don’t think the same will be the case for New Mexico State, who gained confidence as the year progressed, and they should be even better with Pavia returning as starting quarterback. Kill and Beck get their second season in Las Cruces off to a strong start.
New Mexico State 34, UMass 17
Hawai’i v. Vanderbilt (-17) - 7:30 p.m. - SEC Network
Last year these teams played in Hawai’i to open up the season and Vanderbilt crushed the Rainbow Warriors 63-10. The Commodores were actually competitive at times in Clark Lea’s second season in Nashville, beating Kentucky and Florida late in the year. Freshman AJ Swann saw some time at quarterback as a freshman, throwing 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
It was a rough first season for Timmy Chang as head coach of his alma mater, with the Rainbow Warriors going 3-10. We did see some improvement from Hawai’i as the year went on, with Brayden Schager becoming more comfortable running Chang’s offense. The defense for Hawai’i should also be better, since they’ll be returning nine starters. 17 points just seems like a little too much for a Vanderbilt team that isn’t very good, and is playing in a stadium that might not even be finished with renovations. Plus, Hawai’i could be playing with some extra juice for the folks back home while they deal with the tragic wildfires.
Vanderbilt 31, Hawai’i 23
San Jose State v. No. 6 USC (-30.5) - 8:00 p.m. - Pac-12 Network
I get that Caleb Williams is a really good quarterback. I could see it taking a little bit for Williams to get going this year, especially after losing favorite target Jordan Allison to the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, I think this USC offense is capable of doing some dangerous things, it just might not click instantly with some of the changes they’ll have to adjust to.
Even though Williams will get the headlines in this game, don’t sleep on San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordiero, who threw for 3,250 yards, 23 touchdowns, and ran for nine more last season. Don’t forget that USC’s defensive coordinator is Alex Grinch, who just might be the worst defensive coordinator in the country. Laying more than four touchdowns with USC with a defensive that is coached by Grinch is a ride I don’t want to get on.
The Trojans win easily, but not THAT easily.
USC 48. San Jose State 24
Florida International v. Louisiana Tech (-10.5) - 9:00 p.m. ET - CBSSN
One name that you might have missed in the transfer portal is former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier (who makes me think of the show “Brockmire” when I hear his name) moving to Louisiana Tech. Honestly, it should be pretty interesting to see what Bachmeier can do in Sonny Cumbie’s offense. Bachmeier will be throwing to wide receiver Smoke Harris, who caught 65 passes in 2022.
10.5 points might seem like a lot of points to lay with a team that went 3-9 last season, but I think the Bulldogs are going to be a lot better this year. Not only will the air raid offense put up some points with Bachmeier at quarterback, the Louisiana Tech defense should be better this year, since they do return their leading tackler and a number of defensive backs that will make some plays.
Florida International will likely struggle to keep up in Ruston.
Louisiana Tech 38, Florida International 21
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State fans will get an early look at a late September opponent of the Buckeyes.
Last season ATS: 115-125-6 (61-73-3 National, 54-52-3 B1G)
It feels so good to be back! I’ve lost count on how many years I’ve been doing spread picks here at Land-Grant Holy Land. One of the things I love is how every year is a little bit different. Some years the final record is above .500, while others are below .500. I certainly appreciate those who have been along for the ride over the years, and welcome anyone new to these articles.
This year we enter some uncharted territory, since when the calendar turned to 2023, sports betting became legal in Ohio. We got to dip our toes in the water in early January with a few bowl games, as well as the laugher that was the national title game. Being able to bet on college football certainly is exciting, just remember to bet within your means, and if you feel like you have a problem controlling your betting, there are avenues where you can get help.
To kick off the season, on Saturday we have Week 0, which is essentially an amuse bouche. There are seven games on the schedule, and I’ll be picking all of them. When we get to next week and there is a normal-sized schedule, there will be two separate picks articles — one with picks for the bigger national games of the week, while the other will consist of all the games involving Big Ten teams.
Look for these articles on Thursdays and Fridays through the season.
Saturday’s games
Navy v. No. 13 Notre Dame (-20.5) - 2:30 p.m. ET - NBC
The college football season again will start in Ireland. At least people in Dublin won’t be subjected to Northwestern and Nebraska, like they were last year. This marks the third time the Midshipmen and Fighting Irish have battled in Dublin. Notre Dame has beaten Navy in the two previous matchups across the pond, winning 54-27 in 1996, and 50-10 in 2012.
Notre Dame had quite an uneven season in Marcus Freeman’s first year as head coach. After dropping their first two games of the year, the Fighting Irish won three games in a row before inexplicably losing to a bad Stanford team. Then they regrouped to win five-straight before falling to USC in their regular season finale. At least Freeman’s squad closed out the season on a high note, beating South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.
Expectations are high for Notre Dame this year, since they were able to land Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman to add some stability to the position. Even though the Fighting Irish saw offensive coordinator Tommy Rees move to the same position at Alabama, it doesn’t sound like a lot of people were that broken up about having to replace him.
Unlike other seasons where Notre Dame has played Navy in the middle of the year, the defense of the Fighting Irish has had all offseason to prepare for the option offense the Midshipmen will run. Plus, we are likely to see some growing pains from Navy after firing head coach Ken Nuimatalolo after last season and replacing him with defensive coordinator Brian Newberry. I don’t have much confidence that Navy can keep this within three touchdowns.
Notre Dame 41, Navy 14
UTEP (-1.5) v. Jacksonville State - 5:30 p.m. ET - CBSSN
Would I be betting this game if it was a normal week? I find it hard to believe I would. Since there are so few games on the schedule this week, I’ll take a crack at it. At least we have a coach on one side that we are familiar with. Rich Rodriguez returns to FBS football, and he’ll lead a Jacksonville State team that will be playing in their first game as a member of the FBS.
UTEP does have a solid defense but I think Rodriguez’s offense led by quarterback Zion Webb will be a little too much to handle. Also, you’ll see a ton of emotion from the Gamecocks since they’ll be trying to win their FBS debut. This could end up being the most entertaining game on Saturday, and I’ll take Jacksonville State to win as a slight underdog.
Jacksonville State 31, UTEP 27
Ohio v. San Diego State (-2.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - FS1
I’m sure it shouldn’t be all that difficult for a lot of folks in Ohio watching this game to root against San Diego State since their head coach is Brady Hoke, who is in his second stint as head coach of the Aztecs. Last year’s San Diego State team went 7-6, closing out the season losing in the Hawai’i Bowl to Middle Tennessee State.
Last year Ohio caught fire in October, winning seven straight games to make it to the MAC Championship Game, where they ended up falling to Toledo 17-7. Things might have gone a little differently in Detroit had Kurtis Rourke not suffered a knee injury in November. Not only is Rourke — the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year — back, but also is Sam Wiglusz and a number of Rourke’s other favorite targets return.
Even though San Diego State is usually pretty stout on defense, I think Rourke and company will be a little too much for the Aztecs to handle on Saturday night.
Ohio 27, San Diego State 20
UMass v. New Mexico State (-7.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
The funniest thing about Week 0 is the primetime ESPN game is UMass taking on New Mexico State. The Minutemen are coming of a 1-11 season last year in their return to FBS football, and are coached by former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. Despite the ugly record, there is a reason to be a little bit excited about UMass football since they brought in former Clemson quarterback Taisun Phommachanh via the transfer portal. Last year UMass lost to New Mexico State 23-13 in Massachusetts.
Not only does New Mexico State employ former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill as their head coach, they also have former Ohio State assistant Tim Beck as their offensive coordinator! Honestly, the pair didn’t do too bad in their first season with the school last year, closing out the season with a win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl to finish with a 7-6 record. Quarterback Diego Pavia was solid for the Aggies last year, totaling 19 touchdowns and only throwing six interceptions.
Even with the addition of Phommachanh, I still don’t like the UMass offense, as they struggled to score points last year. I don’t think the same will be the case for New Mexico State, who gained confidence as the year progressed, and they should be even better with Pavia returning as starting quarterback. Kill and Beck get their second season in Las Cruces off to a strong start.
New Mexico State 34, UMass 17
Hawai’i v. Vanderbilt (-17) - 7:30 p.m. - SEC Network
Last year these teams played in Hawai’i to open up the season and Vanderbilt crushed the Rainbow Warriors 63-10. The Commodores were actually competitive at times in Clark Lea’s second season in Nashville, beating Kentucky and Florida late in the year. Freshman AJ Swann saw some time at quarterback as a freshman, throwing 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
It was a rough first season for Timmy Chang as head coach of his alma mater, with the Rainbow Warriors going 3-10. We did see some improvement from Hawai’i as the year went on, with Brayden Schager becoming more comfortable running Chang’s offense. The defense for Hawai’i should also be better, since they’ll be returning nine starters. 17 points just seems like a little too much for a Vanderbilt team that isn’t very good, and is playing in a stadium that might not even be finished with renovations. Plus, Hawai’i could be playing with some extra juice for the folks back home while they deal with the tragic wildfires.
Vanderbilt 31, Hawai’i 23
San Jose State v. No. 6 USC (-30.5) - 8:00 p.m. - Pac-12 Network
I get that Caleb Williams is a really good quarterback. I could see it taking a little bit for Williams to get going this year, especially after losing favorite target Jordan Allison to the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, I think this USC offense is capable of doing some dangerous things, it just might not click instantly with some of the changes they’ll have to adjust to.
Even though Williams will get the headlines in this game, don’t sleep on San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordiero, who threw for 3,250 yards, 23 touchdowns, and ran for nine more last season. Don’t forget that USC’s defensive coordinator is Alex Grinch, who just might be the worst defensive coordinator in the country. Laying more than four touchdowns with USC with a defensive that is coached by Grinch is a ride I don’t want to get on.
The Trojans win easily, but not THAT easily.
USC 48. San Jose State 24
Florida International v. Louisiana Tech (-10.5) - 9:00 p.m. ET - CBSSN
One name that you might have missed in the transfer portal is former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier (who makes me think of the show “Brockmire” when I hear his name) moving to Louisiana Tech. Honestly, it should be pretty interesting to see what Bachmeier can do in Sonny Cumbie’s offense. Bachmeier will be throwing to wide receiver Smoke Harris, who caught 65 passes in 2022.
10.5 points might seem like a lot of points to lay with a team that went 3-9 last season, but I think the Bulldogs are going to be a lot better this year. Not only will the air raid offense put up some points with Bachmeier at quarterback, the Louisiana Tech defense should be better this year, since they do return their leading tackler and a number of defensive backs that will make some plays.
Florida International will likely struggle to keep up in Ruston.
Louisiana Tech 38, Florida International 21
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