After an exciting Week 2, which included loads of upsets, standout performances and a ton of pleasure from begin to end, we shift our focus to Week 3, the place “Large Midday Kickoff” heads to Madison for a large non-conference showdown between Wisconsin and No. 4-ranked Alabama (midday ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app).
The Tide presently have the third-best odds to win the SEC title, listed at +460, whereas the Badgers are presently listed at +5000 for the Large Ten title.
Colin & JMac’s Large Ten bets: Wisconsin, Arkansas State cowl, Washington wins Apple Cup
In different Week 3 motion, No. 9 Oregon and standout QB Dillon Gabriel tackle in-state foe Oregon State on the highway (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app), whereas defending nationwide champion Michigan seems to be to get again on observe after slipping to No. 17 within the AP High 25 Ballot this week with a tilt towards Arkansas State.
FOX Sports activities school soccer writers Laken Litman, Michael Cohen and RJ Younger are right here to preview the most important storylines heading into Week 3.
No. 4 Alabama hits the highway to tackle Wisconsin on Saturday. What’s the key for Luke Fickell’s Badgers to decelerate an Alabama group that has scored 105 factors by its first two video games?
Litman: Camp Randall will likely be rocking Saturday, there’s little question about that. One factor that would make the place even louder? If Wisconsin will get off to a quick begin prefer it did final week, scoring touchdowns on two of its first three drives. The Badgers have to drive turnovers, particularly since Alabama is vulnerable. Quarterback Jalen Milroe hasn’t thrown an interception but, however the Crimson Tide have fumbled six occasions in two video games. The Badgers even have to remain on their toes. Final week, the Tide took a one-point recreation within the fourth quarter and turned it right into a lopsided 42-16 last rating. Fickell’s group should restrict explosive performs, get stress on Milroe and never assume the sport is over if it isn’t.
[Related: Alabama’s win over USF propelled Tide to memorable 2023 run; can history repeat itself?]
Cohen: The Badgers have to sort out higher — a lot better — in the event that they need to have any probability of dealing with Alabama this weekend. Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s unit was dinged for 12 missed tackles throughout an unconvincing 27-13 win over South Dakota, an FCS opponent, final week. That included three missed tackles by beginning linebacker Jake Chaney, who was ejected for concentrating on and will likely be suspended for the primary half towards the Crimson Tide, and two by star security Hunter Wohler — the group’s main tackler in 2023, after he made 120 stops and missed solely 9 all season. In whole, 9 totally different gamers have been charged with missed tackles towards the Coyotes, whose high three working backs tore by the road of scrimmage for 136 mixed yards and a landing on 22 carries. The shoddy tackling needs to be a priority for Tressel and Fickell, particularly contemplating how far more constant Wisconsin was in that division every week prior. Although the season-opening victory towards Western Michigan nonetheless left lots to be desired, the Badgers solely missed three tackles when going through a considerably higher-caliber opponent from the Mid-American Convention. Of these three misses, only one was assigned to a beginning defender; the others got here from scarcely used reserves. Wisconsin must shore issues up in a rush earlier than going through an Alabama dashing assault that has already compelled 18 missed tackles this season.
Younger: Run the ball, Wisconsin. Take the air out of the sport. Restrict possessions for what may be an explosive offense in Alabama and assist a protection that has not been capable of sort out in area. A low-scoring recreation is one Wisconsin can win, and a high-scoring recreation looks like one they may positively lose. Even when Alabama seemed sloppy, Kalen DeBoer’s offense proved able to scoring in 10 minutes what takes Wisconsin a complete recreation — 28 factors. Don’t play with dynamite like Alabama’s offense. It’s explosive.
[Related: RJ Young’s 2024 college football rankings]
Conversely, what’s the key for Alabama to depart Madison with a victory?
Younger: Play a clear soccer recreation. The Tide seemed sloppy, undisciplined and at occasions completely incapable of holding onto the ball. Committing 13 penalties and fumbling the ball thrice towards South Florida at house on the day the sphere at Bryant-Denny Stadium was named for Nick Saban did little to encourage confidence. With Wisconsin, DeBoer’s Tide has a chance to reset the notion of his program. Whereas the AP ranked the Tide as one of many 4 finest groups within the sport, I merely don’t see that. In my newest rating, they sit at No. 8 — behind 4 different SEC groups. A classic Milroe efficiency on the highway at Camp Randall feels well timed, particularly given Wisconsin’s lack of ability to sort out in area towards lesser groups, Western Michigan and South Dakota. If Milroe performs properly, Alabama will win.
Cohen: Primarily based on title worth and custom, Saturday’s matchup definitely qualifies as a marquee non-conference tilt. It pits a group with six nationwide titles since 2009 (the Tide) towards a program that has gained at the least 10 video games in a season 13 occasions since securing a well-known Rose Bowl victory underneath former head coach Barry Alvarez in 1993 (the Badgers). However from a expertise perspective, it’s onerous to argue that these rosters are even in the identical universe coming into this weekend. Even after dropping Saban to retirement, Alabama will nonetheless convey 67 former blue-chip prospects (four- and five-star recruits) to Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers, in the meantime, have simply 28 blue-chip prospects on their roster, based on 247Sports. All of which is to say that Alabama is in place to win Saturday’s recreation based mostly on expertise alone, and that explains the 16-point unfold in favor of the Crimson Tide. However among the many enhancements that DeBoer and his workers will need to see is a discount in foolish errors. By way of the primary two weeks of the season, Alabama leads the SEC in penalties with 20, together with eight charged to the offensive line alone: 5 holding, two false begins, one unlawful block. The offense is tied for 108th nationally with 4 turnovers misplaced, all of which have been fumbles, whereas the protection is already averaging 9.5 missed tackles per recreation this season towards lesser competitors after surrendering simply 7.9 per recreation for all of 2023. There’s lots for DeBoer & Co. to handle.
Litman: Final week, Alabama beat South Florida, 42-16, in what is likely to be essentially the most deceiving scoreline ever. The Tide struggled to drag away, because of 13 penalties, three second-half fumbles and Milroe getting sacked thrice. Bama entered the fourth quarter with a slender 14-13 lead earlier than stunning the Bulls and scoring 28 factors within the last 10 minutes. Credit score to the Tide for with the ability to rating factors in a flurry, however DeBoer’s group seemingly can’t afford the identical sort of miscues towards Wisconsin on the highway. Add in the truth that Alabama has been with out beginning left sort out Kadyn Proctor, who missed the primary two video games with a shoulder harm, to drive a shakeup alongside the offensive line. The unit was the perpetrator of a number of penalties vs. USF. DeBoer mentioned afterward that this wasn’t a “wakeup name,” however his group goes to should play higher towards the Badgers.
Alabama: Can Kalen DeBoer lead the Tide to a win in his first highway recreation as HC?
Which group has stunned you essentially the most by the primary two weeks of the 2024 school soccer season, and why?
Cohen: USC. The pace with which new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has seemingly reworked the Trojans into an aggressive, assignment-sound group is extraordinarily spectacular given how corrosive that unit was a season in the past. USC completed the 2023 marketing campaign ranked 119th in whole protection (432.8 yards per recreation), 121st in scoring protection (34.4 factors per recreation), 109th in opponent third-down conversions (43.7% conversion price) and one hundred and fifteenth in opponent crimson zone landing price (69.1%). The totality of that ineptitude compelled head coach Lincoln Riley to dismiss defensive coordinator Alex Grinch in early November and pluck Lynn from crosstown rival UCLA. With Lynn on the helm, the Trojans are displaying authentic indicators of enchancment in a number of areas that forecast long-term success. USC’s common missed tackles are down from 10.8 per recreation in 2023 to only seven per recreation to date this season, with one in all its two video games coming towards a extremely gifted SEC opponent in LSU. The protection has solely been flagged for one penalty by its first two video games, down from a mean of three.2 per recreation final 12 months. And Lynn’s group has given up simply 4 scrimmage performs of 20-plus yards in comparison with an astronomical mark of 5.5 such performs surrendered per week in 2023. To this point, this protection appears greater than able to offering some ballast for USC’s high-powered offense and reworking the Trojans right into a authentic School Soccer Playoff contender.
Litman: Oregon. Coming into this season, the Geese have been a favourite to win the nationwide championship and Gabriel, who transferred from Oklahoma, was a Heisman Trophy front-runner. Each of these issues may nonetheless occur, however not except Oregon improves. In back-to-back weekends, the Geese struggled to beat much less gifted groups from the state of Idaho. Final weekend, Oregon beat Boise State on a last-second subject objective. The offense hasn’t been capable of get sufficient going, whereas the protection — which is projected to be among the best models within the nation — has allowed too many factors to begin. Head coach Dan Lanning has loads of new gamers who’re attempting to gel, however that’s the case with a whole lot of groups. The issue is, the schedule solely will get harder from right here, and that Oct. 12 date towards Ohio State goes to return quick.
Younger: Oregon. Getting bullied by the state of Idaho? Giving up 192 dashing yards to a Group of 5 working again? An lack of ability to separate from much less gifted groups within the second half of back-to-back video games? What occurs if you get Ohio State in your front room as an alternative of Boise State? Nah, overlook that. What occurs when it’s a must to play exterior the 5A highschool classification? In my preseason rankings, I believed Oregon to be a top-four group. You are a top-10 group at this time, however hold sleepwalking, and also you’re gonna end up in some hassle.
Ryan Day’s Ohio State group has outscored its opponents 112-6 by two weeks and clearly appear like the perfect group within the Large Ten. Which group do you consider is the most important menace to the Buckeyes within the convention this season?
Litman: It’s actually onerous to reply that query proper now as a result of Michigan doesn’t appear like a menace after its crushing loss to Texas, Oregon (as talked about above) hasn’t confirmed it’s a authentic Large Ten or CFP contender but, and whereas USC has been spectacular within the first two weeks of the season, it’s nonetheless early. The Buckeyes have a winnable few weeks developing earlier than they hit an intriguing gauntlet of convention video games. On Oct. 12, they’ll head to Autzen Stadium for a showdown with Oregon. Then they get a bye earlier than internet hosting Nebraska and going to Penn State. That three-game stretch will inform us what we have to find out about Day’s group.
Younger: Ohio State is the most important menace to Ohio State. To display how a lot better the Buckeyes take care of two weeks, have a look at how they’ve measured towards a standard opponent: Whereas Wisconsin struggled to beat Western Michigan 28-14 (WMU held a 14-13 within the fourth quarter), Ohio State broke the Broncos, 56-0. They’re gifted sufficient to convey a struggle to the eventual SEC champion (Georgia, we predict), deep sufficient to beat most accidents and possess among the best teaching staffs within the nation. OSU’s largest obstacle will likely be its personal focus. With many anticipating Ohio State to compete within the nationwide title recreation — and win it — within the longest season within the historical past of the game, will the Buckeyes be capable of play with blinders on till the world as soon as once more stops on Nov. 30 to search out out if it could beat Michigan for the primary time since 2019? There’s a whole lot of soccer to play between every now and then.
Cohen: As we enter Week 3, the present reply to that query is no one — and solely time will inform if the likes of Oregon or Penn State can muster some sort of problem within the coming months. For the second, it appears fairly clear that the Buckeyes, whose handful of high-level switch portal acquisitions have reworked the roster from nice to elite, are a minimize above everybody else within the Large Ten at this early juncture. The newest AP Ballot during which third-ranked Ohio State is the one Large Ten group among the many high seven within the nation appears to validate that assertion, with the opposite six spots owned by the SEC: No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Texas, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 6 Missouri, No. 7 Tennessee. (It must be famous, nevertheless, that the Large Ten does have three extra groups ranked within the high 11 with Penn State at No. 8, Oregon at No. 9 and USC at No. 11). The most important disappointment so far is Oregon, a group many believed to be a authentic contender to win each the Large Ten Championship and the nationwide championship throughout its first season in a brand new league. However the Geese have underwhelmed in back-to-back slender victories over Idaho (24-14) and Boise State (37-34) that invited authentic questions in regards to the high quality of Oregon’s offensive line, which has already allowed 18 QB pressures. If the Geese can’t topple Ohio State, which ranks within the high 10 nationally for each whole offense and whole protection, then it is likely to be a runaway for the Buckeyes.
Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA Right this moment and The Indianapolis Star. She is the writer of “Robust Like a Girl,” printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Observe her at @LakenLitman.
RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Quantity One School Soccer Present.” Observe him at @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers school soccer and basketball for FOX Sports activities with an emphasis on the Large Ten. Observe him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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