MCNICHOLS

PRO & COLLEGE

FOOTBALL PREVIEW
WITH A HARD
GAMBLING INFLUENCE

Featured Above (Top Left to Bottom Right): UCLA QB Brett Hundley; Eagles WR Riley Cooper, Coach Chip Kelly, QB Nick Foles; Steelers OG David DeCastro; Texans
Coach Bill OBrien; Utah State QB Chuckie Keeton; Louisville Coach Bobby Petrino; Georgia LB Ramik Wilson, Colts QB Andrew Luck
2014 2015
5 College Football Futures
July 26
th
, 2014

Rutgers UNDER 4 Wins (-105)
Rutgers is going to get their doors blown off in the Big 10. They were doormats in the old Big East and went
6-6 last season in a cupcake AAC. When they went up against a team with half a pulse last year they got
blasted (24 -10 loss at Louisville, 49-14 thrashing home vs. Houston, 52 -17 smashing home versus Cincinnati
and 41-17 beat down at UCF). Throw in an 11 point loss to a horrible UConn team also at the end of the
season. QB Garry Nova is an interception machine and likely will get pulled sometime this season for a
younger player with no prior college experience. The one easy game is home vs. Howard week 2 after a
cross country flight to play Washington State. Home games versus Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin will
have more visiting fans than Rutgers fans. They will likely be underdogs in every game except Howard,
Tulane and possibly Indiana at home middle of November.
Wins (2): Howard, Tulane
Losses (10): @ Washington State, Penn State, @ Navy, Michigan, @ Ohio State, @ Nebraska, Wisconsin,
Indiana, @ Michigan State, @ Maryland

Arizona State UNDER 7.5 Wins (-115)
The 10 regular season wins last year were a mirage. Trust Vegas on this one. They set this number at 7.5 for
a team coming off 10 regular seasons wins with a returning a record setting QB and coaching staff for a
reason. ASU isnt that good and their defense will be leaky as hell. ASU should start off with three easy wins
(Weber State, at New Mexico, at Colorado). Next three will be ball busters as UCLA and Brett Hundley will
chew up the inexperienced and poor pass defense, a more complete and talented USC team will look for
revenge in LA from last years embarrassment and Stanford will provide their recent annual physical beat
down. Throw in games at Washington, vs. Notre Dame and at Oregon State and Arizona and they shouldnt
sniff 8 wins this year. Im not a fan of QB Kelly either. No arm and the short slings and bubble passes only
take you so far. The PAC 12 is the best conference this season and ASU isnt going to make it with a weak
defense and a less than average running game.
Wins (5): Weber St, @ New Mexico, @ Colorado, Utah, Washington St
Losses (7): UCLA, @ USC, Stanford, @ Washington, Notre Dame, @ Oregon St, @ Arizona

Stanford OVER 8.5 Wins (-115)
Stanford is currently the best college football program in America. Despite losing all American caliber
players to the draft and graduation the past few seasons, they are still filled with future high draft picks.
The roster is filled with pros that play smart and with attitude. Their style of ball wears on opponents and
travels extremely well on the road. Hogan is a solid all around QB who does a fine job of running the offence
and getting the ball out when need. He will improve numbers from last season as they wont have as many
deep throws down field and he has a year under his belt. Ty Montgomery can score whenever he has the
ball and the oline will be the typical athletic and physical group despite being hit hard by graduation. Four
starters graduated but they have highly recruited players taking their spots and LT Andrus Peat should be a
top 15 pick in next years draft. The defense will get stronger as the season goes on as the new linebackers
get more experience. DC Derrick Mason is gone but the defense philosophy will remain the same. Stop the
run, win third down and take away throws in the middle of the field. The special teams unit is regarded as
the best in the country and the offense will get great field position with punters refusing to kick to
Montgomery. The schedule is very manageable despite getting Oregon and UCLA on the road. Even if they
lose to Oregon and UCLA and split the USC/ Notre Dame games they still reach 9 wins. They wont match
last years 11 regular season wins but they wont lose four games this season either. This is a roster of smart
tough minded players who bring it every week. Shaw is fantastic with in-game decisions and clock
management. You dont need to worry about him blowing a close game on the sidelines. They can and still
will punch Oregon and USC in the mouth. Count on at least 9 wins probably 10.
Wins (10): UC Davis, USC, Army, @ Washington, @ Notre Dame, Washington State, @ Arizona State, Oregon
State, Utah, @ Cal
Loses (2): @ Oregon, @ UCLA

Cincinnati OVER 7.5 Wins (Even)
Dream schedule this year for the Bearcats. Conference road games are SMU, Tulane, UConn and Temple and
they do not play UCF this season. Cinci won 9 regular season games last year and this year the conference
schedule doesnt include Louisville (lost in OT last season). Their top three rushers and five of six top
receivers are back this season. Gunner Kiel is starting QB this year after transferring from ND (former #1
recruit in nation). The offense should have no problem moving the ball versus the weak defenses in the
AAC. OT Eric Lefeld is a potential 1
st
round pick and the rest of the line consist of returning starters or
seniors. Last years defense finished 9
th
in total defense nationally. Five starters from last years defense
graduated but none of them were drafted. The defense is based off of scheme, not allowing big plays and
getting pressure on the QB, not talent.
They will play Ohio State close and have a good chance of pulling an upset at Miami. They should be a
favorite in all conference games. Even if they would lose home games to both ECU (Thursday night game)
and Houston last week of the season and the two big nonconference games ( Ohio State & Miami Fl) they
still are at eight wins. The Bearcats won 9 regular season games the last three seasons and should easily
repeat this year.
Wins (10): Toledo, Miami OH, Memphis, @ SMU, USF, @ Tulane, ECU, @ UConn, @ Temple, Houston
Losses (2): @ Ohio State, @ Miami FL

Ole Miss OVER 8.5 Wins (+150)
Mississippi is a hell of a football team in the toughest division in sports. They won 7 regular season games
last season with road games at Bama and Auburn. This year the schedule is half manageable with a lot of
talent back. The back seven of the defense will be one of the best in the nation and the dline was hurt with
injuries last year but was till top 15 unit in the country. Their D line is loaded with former top recruits who
should break out. Three studs LBs are back and two highly recruited freshmen also now in the mix. Nine
starters are back in total from last years D. The Nkemdiche brothers will continue to cause havoc all over
the field as long they are not fighting white spring break students in Haiti. The offence will be explosive with
Bo Wallace, Laquon Treadwll and a solid running back committee. Hugh Freeze added an impressive class of
JUCOs and freshman that will fill in any holes. With a healthy roster, Freeze can scheme effectively verse the
best defenses in the SEC.
The schedule is more navigable than last years. They wont have three straight road games at Texas, Bama
and Auburn this year with Texas AM the week after. Win the first four non-confrence games games (Boise
State, @ Vandy, Louisiana and Memphis) before getting Alabama at home. This team is too good not to win
the eight games outside of Alabama, LSU, Auburn and A&M. Split those two games and take care of
business in the other eight games and you have ten wins.
Wins (10): Boise State (in Atlanta), @ Vanderbilt, Louisiana, Memphis, @ Texas AM, Tennessee, Auburn,
Presbyterian, at Arkansas, Mississippi State
Losses (2): Alabama, @ LSU