Free College Football Picks Week 1 Part 3-8/28/2024
Boise St vs. Georgia Southern College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Boise St at Georgia Southern 4PM ET—Boise St finished at 8-6 last season. Head coach Spencer Danielson will have six starters back on offense with 11 to the defense in his first full season. The team put up 31.4 points per game last year with 5.5 yards per run and inaccurate quarterback play. On defense the Broncos allowed 26.2 points with 4.4 yards per rush and 258.7 yards per pass attempt. They are experienced on the offensive line but must replace their receiving corps. Maddux Madsen will start at quarterback. The junior saw work in 9 games last season completing 61.4% of his passes with 9 yards per pass attempt. Georgia Southern went 6-7 in 2023 for head coach Clay Helton who is in his third season at the school. Returning are five starters on offense with eight on defense. The Eagles averaged 29.8 points per game last season behind a run game that averaged 3.9 yards a carry with 304.7 yards passing per games. On defense they did allow 33 points and 411 yards per game. They allowed 4.6 yards per carry with 252.9 yards passing allowed per game.
The Pick:
JC French will start at quarterback. In limited work last year, he completed 81.3% of his passes with 7.6 yards per attempt. He is a threat to run. Boise St pass defense the question mark based on the Eagles passing attack. Georgia Southern returns a lot to their defense and the Broncos quarterback play is in question. Play Georgia Southern +13.
Old Dominion vs. South Carolina College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Old Dominion at South Carolina 4:15PM ET—Old Dominion went 6-7 in 2023 for head coach Ricky Rahne in his fourth season. The Monarchs returned six starters on offense with four on defense. Their offense put up 25 points per game with 4.5 yards per run and struggles with quarterback accuracy. They surrendered 28.7 points per game with 3.5 yards a carry. Defending the pass was a weakness with the Monarchs allowing 66.1% completion rate with 7.4 yards per pass attempt. They lose several playmakers to the portal. Grant Wilson returns at quarterback for his senior season. He completed only 57.1% of his passes with 6.9 yards per run. South Carolina went 5-7 for Shane Beamer who is in his fourth season. The Gamecocks return seven on offense with eight to the defense. They put up 24 points per game last year with only 2.8 yards per run. They did throw for 67.1% completions for 261.2 yards passing per game. Their defense held opponents to 26.8 points per game with 4.1 yards per run. The team surrendered 245.9 yards passing per game with 7.4 yards per pass attempt. LaNorris Sellers will start at quarterback. He threw four passes last season with two going for touchdowns and totaling 86 yards. He shined in the spring and helped Raheim Sanders in the backfield. A career 5.6 yards per rush average who also contributes to the passing game.
The Pick:
Defensive line concerns the Gamecocks. The Monarchs pass defense will struggle here. South Carolina gave up a lot of passing yards and Old Dominion returns a senior quarterback. Play Old Dominion and South Carolina over 52.
North Texas vs. South Alabama College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
North Texas at South Alabama 5PM ET—North Texas finished at 5-7 last year for head coach Erick Morris who returns for his third season. The Mean Green return four starters on offense with six to the defense. The team put up 33.5 points per game with 5.1 yards per run. The passing game generated 303.2 yards per game. On defense they allowed 37.6% points game with 5.7 yards per run. They gave up big plays in the passing game with 8.4 yards per pass attempt. The team must replace their quarterback plus top receiver and running back. Junior quarterback Chandler Morris will start at quarterback. A TCU transfer completed 65.5% of his passes last year with 7.5 yards per pass attempt. A run threat that averaged 5.5 yards per run. South Alabama was 7-6 in 2023. Major Applewhite is in his first season with the school that will return four starters on offense with three on defense. The Jaguars put up 3.29 points per game last year and rushed for 4.6 yards per attempt. They got accurate quarterback play. The defense surrendered 21.3 points per game with only 3.3 yards per run. South Alabama held opposing quarterbacks to 57.4% completions. They lost two top running backs and must replace their starting quarterback. Gio Lopez to start at quarterback for the Jaguars. He did see limited action last season, hitting 67.2% of his throws with 7.8 yards per pass. He is a threat to run with 8.6 yards per run.
The Pick:
Inexperience for both teams on the offensive side of the football. Rather high number for a Week 1 game with teams suffering high turnovers offensively. Play North Texas and South Alabama under 64.5.
UNLV vs. Houston College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
UNLV at Houston 7PM ET—UNLV went 9-5 last year for head coach Barry Odom who is in his third year. The Rebels return five starters on offense with six to the defense. The team averaged 33.7 points per game and rushed for 4.3 yards a carry. The Rebels threw 247.8 yards a game. The defense allowed 29.7 points per game with 4.3 yards per run. On defense they gave up 255.5 passing yards per game. The Rebels lost their starting quarterback to the portal and their running back retires. Matthew Sluka will co start at quarterback. The senior is a transfer from Holy Cross who had very good numbers in his three seasons. Hajj Malik Williams, Campbell transfer and Cameron Friel could also see action. Houston finished at 4-8 a year ago. Willie Fritz is in his first year with the school. The Cougars return five starters on offense and to the defense. The team put up 23.7 points per game a year ago. They rushed for 4 yards a carry and had 64% completion rate. The defense allowed 31.5 points a game with 4.3 yards a carry. They need to improve in pass defense that surrendered 68.5% completions with 8 yards per pass attempt. Donovon Smith returns at starting quarterback. He completed 64.6% of his passes in 2023 with 7.1 yards per pass attempt and rushed for six touchdowns.
The Pick:
The Cougars quarterback situation is stable and with quality. UNLV has question marks at the quarterback position naming co-starters for this game. Willie Fritz restored this offensive line through the portal and should improve this defense. Play Houston -2.5.
Nevada vs. Troy College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Nevada at Troy 7PM ET—Nevada is 0-1 after their 29-24 home defeat to SMU. The Wolf Pack blew an 11 point fourth quarter lead. They put up 298 yards with 3.4 yards per run. Brendon Lewis went 14 of 26 for 132 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 77 yards. On defense the Mustangs allowed 408 yards to the Mustangs with 308 passing for 8.8 yards per pass attempt. Troy went 11-3 last year. Gerad Parker is in his first season with the school. They return only two starters back on offense and defense. The Trojans averaged 28.2 points per game last season and rushed for 4.1 yards per attempt. They threw for 270 yards per game. On defense the Trojans limited foes to 16.2 points per game. They held opponents to 3.2 yards per run with only 6.6 yards per pass attempt. Former coach Jon Sumrall is headed to Tulane and so are many of his players. A total rebuild here. Goose Crowder to start at quarterback. A West Virginia transfer who threw 13 passes last year in limited work.
The Pick:
Nevada’s offense has the benefit of a game under their belt. Their pass defense a question mark. With the mass departures had to believe that the Trojans can be that suffocating defensive team like we have seen in the past. Play Nevada and Troy over 45.
Sam Houston St vs. Rice College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Sam Houston St at Rice 7PM ET—Sam Houston finished at 3-9 last year for head coach K.C. Keeler who is in his 11th season with the program. The Bearkats return eight starters on offense with four to the defense. They averaged just 19.6 points per game in 2023 with only three yards per run. The downfield passing attack suffered through a 5.9 yards per pass attempt average. On defense they limited opponents to 26.6 points per game with 4.2 yards a carry. They allowed a 64.9% completion rate for 248.5 yards passing per game. There is a quarterback battle between Jase Bauer, Grant Gunnell and Hunter Watson who are all listed as co-starters. Bauer started at Central Michigan last year where he completed 56.8% of his passes with 6.6 yards per attempt. He rushed for 10 touchdowns. Rice went 6-7 in 2023 for head coach Mike Bloomgren who is in his seventh season at the school. The Owls return six starters on offense with eight to the defense. Rice produced 27.1 points per game a season ago with only 3.6 yards per rush. The passing game generated 252.3 yards per game with 7.4 yards per pass attempt. Temple transfer E.J. Warner is to start at quarterback. Last year he completed 57.5% of his passes with 6.9 yards per pass attempt and 3076 yards.
The Pick:
There has been lots of turnover for the offenses for both teams. Sam Houston St can’t separate their three quarterbacks. The Owls are experienced on defense. Play Sam Houston St and Rice under 49.5.