The school soccer season appears to be flying by already, proper?
Right here we’re, in Week 4, and we have already bought some large video games on faucet.
It is primarily because of convention realignment, however nonetheless.
As well as, USC will make their Huge Ten debut this Saturday as they face Michigan within the huge home.
Utah @ Oklahoma State (4 p.m. ET, Saturday, FOX and FOX Sports activities app)
You’ll not discover a larger fan of the Utah program who didn’t attend than me. I lined Utah for six seasons on Pac-12 radio with a co-host who performed for the Utes.
I really like the whole lot head coach Kyle Whittingham’s program has turn out to be. Robust, bodily, gritty and a ache within the ass for each workforce they play. With that being mentioned, we now have to debate the elephant within the room.
Utah has not gained a giant highway or neutral-site sport because the Utes beat Seventeenth-ranked Arizona State in 2019. That Solar Satan workforce completed lower than .500 in convention play for the remainder of that season.
Quarterback Cam Rising’s house and highway win-loss file drives the purpose house even additional.
He is 13-0 when beginning a sport at house; he is 7-6 when beginning a sport on the highway or at a impartial web site. There are two Rose Bowl losses within the six total, with Rising not with the ability to end these video games. There are two highway losses to ranked groups, together with Oregon and UCLA in 2022. There’s the Florida loss that may be pinned on a poor defensive efficiency and a late Rising interception as Utah seemed to take the lead.
The ultimate highway loss was at Oregon State in 2021.
It is troublesome to give you concrete the reason why Utah has struggled on the highway in comparison with at house. The Utes do the issues one would assume are essential on the highway. They’re glorious within the trenches and play good protection. Cam Rising throws a tad extra interceptions, nevertheless it’s not something eye-popping.
The explanation I imagine Utah struggles on the highway is its lack of ability to generate explosive passing performs, which is one thing you want in opposition to a high quality opponent in a highway setting. Cam has solely 9 landing passes in his six highway losses. Taking part in the dink and dunk sport on offense takes too lengthy and leaves you susceptible to creating errors on offense.
Utah could catch a break with Oklahoma State’s protection, although. The Pokes have allowed the third-most performs of 10 yards or extra by way of three weeks of the season. They’re one hundred and twenty fifth in performs allowed over 20 yards. My level is that this Pokes protection could be had, however Utah has not proven the flexibility over time to be constant in throwing down the sphere.
I’ve nervous in regards to the Utes’ run protection as they’ve had extra defensive linemen and linebackers go to the NFL. It simply hasn’t been nearly as good, and on paper, Oklahoma State ought to have the ability to run the ball. Nevertheless, it has been a poor dashing squad to this point this season. Ollie Gordon is averaging solely 3.5 yards per try in comparison with 6.1 final season. It’s a problem for the Pokes, and it’s troublesome to know whether or not they can simply return to dashing the ball properly this weekend.
That being mentioned, I’ve to take the factors with Oklahoma State on this sport with Utah’s observe file of taking part in away from house with Cam Rising because the quarterback. It’s not a small pattern dimension both.
Give me Oklahoma State +1.5
PICK: Oklahoma State (+1.5) to lose by fewer than 1.5 factors (or win outright)
Lincoln Riley talks USC-Michigan, Miller Moss’ growth
USC @ Michigan (3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, CBS)
How does the saying go? Idiot me as soon as, disgrace on you. Idiot me twice, disgrace on me.
Effectively, I need to really feel no disgrace as a result of I’m going again to Michigan this weekend after the Wolverines didn’t cowl in opposition to Texas or Arkansas State of their final two video games.
Michigan is the fitting aspect, even when it’s ugly. The Wolverines benched Davis Warren in favor of Alex Orji as a result of Warren couldn’t cease throwing the ball to the opposite workforce. Whereas Orji will not be the passer that Warren was alleged to be, this doesn’t imply the offense will not have the ability to operate with Orji taking on.
Michigan could flip its offense into an RPO, QB-run and play-action move squad. USC’s run protection has not been challenged this season, and Michigan has the majority upfront to probably make this sport ugly by working the ball.
The Trojans offense has been crushing it with Miller Moss by way of two video games, and so they’re off a bye.
SC can have one thing for Michigan, and if the Trojans begin quick, it might be over for the Wolverines as a result of they don’t have the flexibility to come back again from a big deficit. Nevertheless, I’m unsure USC is able to face a Michigan protection that’s this bodily.
That physicality bothered USC final season, and with out circus performs, I don’t know if SC can transfer the ball that properly in opposition to UM.
Lastly — and this is likely one of the hardest elements about handicapping a sport — you need to contemplate the feelings of faculty soccer gamers.
Everyone seems to be “out” on Michigan after getting blown out by Texas and narrowly beating Arkansas State. That is the time to purchase in on Michigan. The Wolverines nonetheless have proficient gamers and a training workers that also is aware of the best way to coach. I like Michigan to cowl.
PICK: Michigan (+5.5) to lose by fewer than 5.5 factors (or win outright)
Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports activities. He performed eight seasons within the NFL for 5 completely different groups. He began at proper deal with for the College of Oregon for 3 seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 choice his senior 12 months. Observe him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.
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