Free College Football Picks Week 1 Part 4-8/29/2024
Western Kentucky vs. Alabama College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Western Kentucky at Alabama 7PM ET—Western Kentucky finished at 8-5 last year. Head Coach Tyson Helton returns for his sixth season with eight starters back on offense and five to the defense. The team put up 28.7 points per game last season with 3.9 yards per run. The passing game produced 292.7 yards per game but lacked efficiency. On defense the Hilltoppers surrendered 29.3 points per game but 4.9 yards per un. Opponents completed 58.1% of their passes with 6.2 yards per pass attempt. The team replaced quarterback Austin Reed with T.J. Finley who completed 67.4% of his passes at Texas St last year for 8.3 yards per pass attempt and five rushing touchdowns. Alabama finished at 12-2 in Nick Saban’s final season. Kalen DeBoer is now the head coach and will have seven starters return offense and six to the defense. The Crimson Tide averaged 31.5 points per game last year with 4 yards per run. They completed 62.8% of their passes for 9.4 yards per pass attempt. The Crimson Tide held opponents to 19.7 points per game with only 3.7 yards per run. They were great on third down and held foes to 197.5 passing yards per game. Jalen Milroe returns at quarterback after completing 65.8% of his passes with 10 yards per pass attempt. Milroe rushed for 531 yards with 12 touchdowns.
The Pick:
The Alabama front seven is the key to suppressing the Hilltoppers’ scoring. Finley struggled in his time at Auburn and must worry about his effectiveness against the Crimson Tide defense. He may not get much help from a run game that averaged under four yards a carry. Play Western Kentucky and Alabama under 59.5.
UCLA vs. Hawaii College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
UCLA at Hawaii 7:30PM ET—UCLA finished at 8-5 in 2023. Chip Kelly resigned and DeShaun Foster is in his first year with the school. The Bruins will have seven starters on offense with five on defense. They put up just 23.8 points per game last year with 4.5 yards per pass attempt. The team threw for 230.8 yards per game with 7 yards per pass attempt. UCLA limited its opponents to 19.3 points per game with 2.7 yards per run. Teams completed only 61.1% of their passes against them with 6.5 yards per pass attempt. The offensive line is experienced, and Foster is expected to keep the running game high volume carries. UCLA losses their defensive coordinator to USC and must replace their best player in Latu. Quarterback Ethan Garbers returns for his senior season. Garbers completed 67.1% of his passes in 2023 with 7.8 yards per pass attempt. Hawaii comes off the 35-14 home win to FCS Delaware St. The Warriors finished with 331 yards and rushed for 4.7 yards a carry. They allowed 260 yards to the Hornets with 156 passing yards for only 5.4 yards per pass attempt. Brayden Schager went 17 of 34 for 203 yards and two touchdowns.
The Pick:
After a sluggish first half the Warriors got it together. They do have a game under their belt. UCLA will miss Matu and their defensive coordinator. There are questions surrounding Fosters lack of experience as a head coach. This is an experienced Warriors team with fifteen starters back. Play Hawaii +14.
Fresno St vs. Michigan College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Fresno St at Michigan 7:30PM ET—Fresno St finished at 9-4 last year. Tim Skipper enters his first year as head coach with the program returning eight starters on offense with five to the defense. The Bulldogs put up 30.2 points per game in 2023 with 3.7 yards per run and 286.3 yards passing per game. On defense they limited opponents to 22.8 points per game with 4.4 yards per run. They held foes to 55.1% completions and 202.3 yards passing per game. Fresno St returns Mikey Keene at quarterback along with their running backs and four starters to the line. Keene last season hit 67.1% of his passes with 7.1 yards per pass attempt. Michigan finished at 15-0 last year, winning the national championship. Sherrone Moore is in his first full season as head coach. Only two starters return on offense with five on defense. The Wolverines put up 35.8 points per game last year with a running game that rushed for 4.5 yards a carry. Completion rate was 72.2% with 8.9 yards per pass attempt. Michigan had the top scoring defense in the nation in 2023 by allowing 10.4 points per game. They held opponents to three yards per rush with 157 yards passing. Exiting is quarterback J.J. McCarthy who went 27-1 as a starter. Junior quarterback Alex Orji expected to start at quarterback. He has thrown only one pass in his past two seasons as a backup but posted 21 rushing attempts with three touchdowns.
The Pick:
Not only did Harbaugh exit but he took his defensive coordinator with him. This is an experienced Fresno St team. Michigan has Texas at home the following week. Keene’s accuracy behind an experienced offensive line the key to cover here. Play Fresno St +21.5.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M College Football Pick Prediction 8/31/2024
Notre Dame at Texas A&M 7:30PM ET—Notre Dame went 10-3 in 2023. Marcus Freeman is in his third year with the school that returns five starters on offense with nine to the defense. They put up 37.8 points per game with 5.2 yards per run. They threw for 239 yards per game. The Fighting Irish was ninth in scoring defense by allowing 17 points per game with 3.7 yards per run. They limited opponents to 53.4% completions with 5.7 yards per pass attempt. Riley Leonard will start at quarterback transferring from Duke. His numbers dipped last year at Duke with a 57.6% completion rate with 6.7 yards per pass attempt. He did run for four touchdowns and 6.1 yards per pass attempt. Texas A&M went 7-6 on the campaign in 2023. Mike Elko is in his first year at the school that brings back nine starters of offense and defense. They posted 32.9 points per game last year with 3.9 yards per run. The passing game generated 270.6 yards per game for 8.1 yards per attempt. On defense the Aggies allowed 23.1 points a game. They held opponents to 3.3 yards per run but 7.7 yards per pass attempt. Connor Weigman suffered a broken foot last season. He played in four games with 68.9% completion rate with 8.2 yards per pass attempt plus rushed for two touchdowns averaging 5.3 yards per run.
The Pick:
A head coach and offensive coordinator upgrade for the Aggies. 18 returning starters is encouraging for this home favorite. Leonard’s drop off in performance last season is a concern. Play Texas A&M -3.