Hello. I’m Brian.
You most likely know me from such traditional reactions to my writing as, “Oh, that ******* man once more” or “What the **** is that man’s downside?”, to call a pair.
Thus begins my twelfth season at FBSchedules. Kevin violated little one labor legal guidelines and employed me once I was six. This characteristic has been right here just about since day one, although that little five-letter, two-number nightmare of our previous couple of years and different challenges have slowed my output a bit. We’re getting again after it now, although — that mentioned, with the occasions of the previous few years, I’m not fairly positive what format works finest right here. I’ll throw some stuff on the wall, and you may let me know what works and what doesn’t work. As at all times, when you’re bringing insults, make them inventive.
Transferring on…
I don’t know the place the phrase “Sunday Scaries” began. I want I might journey again in time and get rid of it. Let’s make it rather less horrible.
Sunday Tales
We’ll use this house to recap among the greatest storylines from the week prior. We’ll embrace 4, as a result of there are 4 downs and quarters in soccer, and that’s most likely as excessive as I can depend. Sufficient about me, although.
UMass!: Everybody has, by now, seen the video of Don Brown dancing round within the locker room following the Minutemen’s 41-30 victory in Las Cruces final weekend. Many have made jokes. Not I, although. I’d by no means do this.
Don Brown seems as if he simply realized it is virtually pumpkin spice szn. https://t.co/aRD9As31J0
— Brian (@sportsmatters) August 27, 2023
Errr, yeah, again to my level.
UMass has a season-high win whole since its return to soccer in 2012 of 4 (twice). The Minutemen have received precisely as soon as in three of the final 4 seasons; the lone exception got here within the *****-** yr, the place they didn’t win in any respect. New Mexico State — itself with its personal share of dangerous soccer — received seven video games and went to a bowl final yr. To march into their place, put 41 on the board, and depart with a victory is a kind of accomplishments we should always have a good time. Now, what they do from right here will bear watching, however that’s an enormous win.
Ohio passer issues: Ohio star quarterback Kurtis Rourke managed to throw simply 10 passes final week — finishing eight — in a 20-13 loss at San Diego State. CJ Harris acquired the vast majority of the run, going 18-for-42 for 203 yards and a rating in opposition to three rips. Rourke is listed because the starter this week on the two-deep in opposition to LIU, however any hopes Bobcat followers have of a MAC championship seemingly relaxation on Rourke’s means to place forth one other Offensive Participant of the 12 months award.
Getting Cocky: Jacksonville State had a fairly robust FBS debut, turning away UTEP, 17-14. The Gamecocks had been solely a 1.5-point underdog, however they managed to get the win in Burgess-Snow. JSU accomplished simply 50 p.c of its passes for 67 yards, however was buoyed by three rushers breaking the 55-yard mark. Malik Jackson and Ron Wiggins scored a landing apiece and quarterback Zion Webb was the third standout rusher for Wealthy Rodriguez’s membership. JSU hosts a good FCS membership in East Tennessee State this weekend earlier than heading to Coastal Carolina subsequent Saturday.
Vexing Vandy: Many eyes had been on Nashville as Vanderbilt opened its season as a 17-point favourite in opposition to visiting Hawaii. The Commodores acquired the win, nevertheless it was not with out its worries. Vandy led, 35-14, with 14:48 to play. The guests scored twice to slice the result in a really uncomfortable seven factors with 4:54 to play. Vandy held on from there, however Vandy followers must be a bit uncomfortable. After a five-win season final yr, followers had their eyes on the primary bowl look for the Commodores for the reason that Texas Bowl after the 2018 season. There’s nonetheless plenty of season left, however there are a selection of unanswered questions.
Dangerous Bets
One of many annoying — or nice, relying in your perspective — issues about playing’s creep into faculty soccer is that everybody is now a handicapping professional. Gone are the times of the dude with the swimsuit and the slicked-back hair screaming at you at 9:30am Saturday morning on USA Community. Now, any web site or podcast can provide you its completely assured picks that solely serve to save lots of you the embarrassment of paying $3.99 a minute when calling the aforementioned slicked-back hair man’s 900 line.
I’ll decide 4 video games every week, with many not within the enormous P5 home windows, as a result of I have a tendency to paint outdoors these traces a bit. I’ll simply decide straight traces as they’re listed on the day I decide them — no cash traces, no teasing, nothing else. I’ll hold monitor of my file because the season goes alongside, and you may trash me within the feedback every week for my lack of prediction prowess.
NOTE: Not one of the textual content inside is supposed to function playing recommendation. That is largely meant for parody and light-hearted evaluate. At no level ought to any of the picks on this article be construed as playing recommendation supplied by FBSchedules.com or me.
Week 1 (0-0 final week, 0-0 this season)
Louisville (-7.5) at Georgia Tech
Virginia vs. Tennessee (-28.5)
North Carolina vs. South Carolina (+2.5) (recreation in Charlotte)
Clemson (-13) at Duke
Too many FCS vs. FBS video games with no accessible traces this week. Alas.
And at last, listed below are the 4 “under-the-radar” video games I’ll be watching this week and find out how to watch them. I’ll additionally embrace traces if there are any — for informational functions solely, naturally, as outlined within the above disclaimer. I don’t but have a reputation for this part. All instances are Japanese.
Bowling Inexperienced at Liberty (midday, CBSSN): The Flames have plenty of attention-grabbing storylines this week. There’s an enormous, three-headed “OR” on the quarterback place between Johnathan Bennett, Kaidon Salter, and Southern Miss switch Trey Lowe. Jamey Chadwell strolls the sidelines for the primary time in Lynchburg because the LU boss. Quite a lot of freshmen are listed in outstanding spots on the two-deep.
LINE: Liberty -9.5.
Colorado at #17 TCU (midday, FOX): Come on — you’ll be watching Deion’s debut. Admit it. The Buffaloes are a largely unknown commodity at this level, and having to play a top-20 program with all of the offseason turmoil that occurred in Boulder ought to — on the very least — make for some entertaining tv. That’s, in fact, assuming you possibly can see it, due to all these silly tv disputes occurring in all places.
LINE: TCU -20.5.
Gardner-Webb at Appalachian State (3:30pm, ESPN+): Gardner-Webb received the Large South title final season and acquired a playoff win in an absolute thriller at Japanese Kentucky. Tre Lamb is already turning heads because the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ boss, and there will probably be plenty of red-and-black-clad devoted who make the manageable trek to Boone in hopes of seeing their membership declare an equally enormous win. App begins redshirt freshman Ryan Burger beneath heart, they usually hope to shortly cleanse the bitter style of a 6-6 (3-5 Solar Belt) marketing campaign in 2022.
LINE: NA as of press time.
South Carolina State (0-1) at Charlotte (6pm, ESPN+): Charlotte has most likely the second most entertaining teaching debut behind Deion, because the wildly entertaining Biff Poggi takes over for Will Healy in College Metropolis. Poggi has made headlines this offseason with every little thing from meals critiques to cigars to getting into fights with team media. The fan base has responded effectively to him, however there’s one factor he might do to endear himself much more to them: win. On the opposite sideline, legendary Bulldog coach Buddy Pough has introduced he’ll retire on the finish of the yr. The 70-year-old legend has eight MEAC titles and three HBCU nationwide titles to his credit score. The Bulldogs are 0-1 this season, having fallen, 37-7, to Jackson State final week.
LINE: NA as of press time.
It’s nice to be again. Please collect your objects to throw at me — ideally nothing injurious, although.
What labored with this format? What didn’t work? What are your profitable Powerball numbers? Let me know within the feedback part! Comfortable soccer weekend, everybody!
