Thursday Night Throwdown: Colorado @ West Virginia & Southern Miss @ UAB

Two games on the schedule for tonight (3 if you count Alcorn St. @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff which will be on ESPNU at 6:30 PM tonight) to preview for you.  Here it goes.


1.  Colorado @ West Virginia 6:30 PM CDT ESPN

I've had a chance to watch Colorado twice this season, and neither time have they looked very good.  After losing opening weekend to Colorado State 23-17, the Buffs were just destroyed on national television @ Toledo 54-38.  The game wasn't even that close with Toledo taking a 30-3 lead early in the 3rd quarter.  They did right the ship somewhat two weeks ago with a 24-0 win over Wyoming.  Coach's son QB Cody Hawkins leads the offense with 755 pass yards on the year.  He has just a 5/4 TD/INT ratio however and only a 52% completion percentage.  Rodney Stewart gets most of the carries at running back, but sopomore Darrell Scott has a lot of upside as a prep All-American in high school.

The Mountaineers come into the game with a 2-1 record defeating Liberty and East Carolina and losing only to Auburn.  Although they should have beaten the Tigers were it not for some bad turnovers late in the game.  QB Jarrett Brown has had the unenviable task of attempting to replace All-Everything quarterback Pat White.  White is now in the NFL, and Brown hasn't exactly played spectacular .  He does sport a 69% completion percentage with a nearly 9 yard per attempt average, but 5 TDs to go with 5 INTs isn't going to cut it.  On the ground, Noel Devine is a super stud.  He is listed at 5'8'', 176lbs  but that must be on stilts holding rocks.  The kid is 5'5'' at best and can't be more than 150 soaking wet.  But kid can move and has been a YouTube sensation since his freshman year of high school. 

I expect a hard fought low scoring ground battle in this contest.  Vegas has WVU as 17 point favorites in the game, but thats probably not enough.  I say 23-3 West Virginia tonight.


2.  Southern Mississippi @ UAB 7:00 PM CBS College Sports

The Golden Eagles come into the ae with a 3-1 record with wins over Alcorn State, UCF, and Virginia with the only loss against Kansas.  Some considered the Eagles a dark horse BCS Buster.  UAB's record is a flipped 1-3 with a win over Rice, but losses to SMU, Troy, and Texas A&M.  And some of those losses were pretty ugly.  Eagle quarterback Austin Davis has nearly 1,000 yards passing on the young season already with an 8/1 TD/INT ratio.  On the ground, Damion Fletcher is a likely NFL draft pick this April and as 76 carries already this season.  DeAndre Brown leads the team in receptions after coming off of a horrible injury in last season's bowl game.  I couldn't find any Vegas odds on this game, but I would have to assume they favor the Golden Eagles by 12 or 13.  I like Southern Miss to dominate and get a pretty large victory tonight 35-10.

Thursday Night Throwdown: #4 Ole Miss @ South Carolina

IT'S THURSDAY!  FOOTBALL IS BACK!  After two agonizing days and nights without football, its finally time to lace 'em up again.  Let's take a look at tonight's marquee match up, Ole Miss @ USCe.

Two games into the season, we still aren't totally sure what to think about this Ole Miss team.  They came into the season with all the hype in the world, probably more than they have had in years if ever.  The unquestioned second best quarterback in the SEC in Jevan Snead.  You have a fantastic receiver duo in Dexter McCluster (who also excels at running the Wild Rebel formation), and Shay Hodge.  The only real offensive question was at running back but Brandon Bolden and High School Prep All-American from a few years back Enrique Davis have held that part of the game down pretty well.  Even the kicking game is perfect with 2/2 on FGs and 11/11 on extra points.

But they haven't played anyone.  Sure Memphis isn't a bad team and they got an impressive win, but that was a very close game until the 4th quarter.  Ole Miss was up just 10 heading into that quarter.  And with the second game because against an FCS school, you don't really have a measuring stick yet.  But you will tonight.

South Carolina has had a bit of an up and down season offensively as well.  The Gamecocks really struggled offensivily against NC State on opening night winning just 7-3, but just the next week nearly defeated Georgia losing 41-37 on a UGA goal line stand.  But the ship was righted again last week with a big win over Florida Atlantic, but that doesn't tell us much just yet.  And the UGA game doesn't say much either since their defense looks like swiss cheese at this point in the season.  I really like quarterback Stephen Garcia - a dual threat guy that seems made for Steve Spurrier's offense.  Garcia is 3rd on the team in rushing, and through the air has a 63% completion percentage but only a modest 3-2 TD/INT ratio.  He is however just a sophomore.  I don't have a good read on their running backs with Brian Maddox getting the bulk of the carriers but having only a 2.5 yards per carry average.  Maddox is also a weapon in the passing game with a pair of receiving TDs as well.  Maddox is really the short yardage guy though having a season long of just 9 yards and having 3 TDs.  Jarvis Giles gets a lot of carries as well and has a more respectable 5.7 YPC average.  They have a pair of double digit catch receivers in Tori Gurley and Weslye Saunders, but I have to admit, I didn't know anything about them coming into this season. 

This game is very hard to pick.  Ole Miss has the talent, but USCe is at home.  And its ESPN on a Thursday night, which is the breeding ground for upsets.  Vegas is giving the Rebels four points in this one as well.

My Pick:  I take the Rebels 24-17 barely covering the spread and having to win with a late 4th quarter drive.  Don't be surprised if USCe gets the win, but I just don't see it.  Especially since they have never beaten a top 5 opponent at home in their history.