Guest boatboatboat Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 commentAfter the self-proclaimed "Best Kickoff Weekend Ever" lived up to its lofty expectations, Week 2 looks like a bit of a snoozer.Every AP Top 25 team is favored by at least a touchdown, and all but one (TCU) is favored by double digits. However, there are still games with playoff implications, and with the help of ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), we will break down the top games of Week 2.As a reminder, these games are ordered by a metric called pregame matchup quality, which ranks games (on a 0-100 scale) based on how good the teams are and how close the game is expected to be, and then FPI will project those matchups. FPI's game projections account for team strength, game site, distance traveled and rest. Last week's FPI favorites in this column went 6-2 with the only losses by Oklahoma and LSU. 1. Western Kentucky at AlabamaSaturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2FPI projection: Alabama, 95 percent chance to winPickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/98.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/333.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueAfter it defeated USC 52-6, it's not surprising that Alabama enters this game as a heavy favorite. If Western Kentucky were to shock the world, quarterback Mike White will have something to do with it. In the Hilltoppers' Week 1 win against Rice, White threw for 517 yards, three touchdowns and posted the highest Week 1 Total QBR (98.3) by a player in the last 10 seasons. However, White may be in for a rude awakening against Alabama. Eight of the last 12 QBs to face the Tide have posted an unadjusted QBR lower than 20, including USC's Max Browne (8.0 Total QBR) in Week 1. 2. Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech, Bristol Motor SpeedwaySaturday, 8 p.m. ET on ABCFPI projection: Tennessee, 87 percent chance to win (16)PickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2633.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/259.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueKnown as the Battle in Bristol, this game will be played at Bristol Motor Speedway with 150,000 fans expected to attend. If the magnitude of the venue is not reason enough to watch, there are on-field storylines worth monitoring as Tennessee looks to bounce back from its uninspiring overtime win against Appalachian State. The Vols' biggest issues are related to their offensive line and QB play. Virginia Tech had one of the most impressive defensive performances (11th in efficiency) in Week 1, and defensive coordinator Bud Foster is likely to get after Dobbs and Tennessee's porous offensive line on Saturday. Ultimately, FPI sees that battle as a wash, but favors Tennessee because of its edge when Virginia Tech has the football. 3. Tulsa at Ohio StateSaturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABCFPI projection: Ohio State, 93 percent chance to winPickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/202.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/194.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueOhio State entered this season as the least experienced team in the FBS, but the Buckeyes showed no signs of youth in their 77-10 win against Bowling Green. J.T. Barrett (responsible for seven TDs) looked like the player who won the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year award in 2014, while Curtis Samuel came out of the backfield for 177 receiving yards to help make up for Ohio State's top three receivers from a year ago leaving for the NFL. For Tulsa to pull the upset, quarterback Dane Evans, who led The American in 20-yard completions last season, must exploit Ohio State's young secondary. 4. Central Michigan at Oklahoma StateSaturday, 12 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1FPI projection: Oklahoma State, 92 percent chance to winPickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2117.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/197.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueOklahoma State defeated the Chippewas 24-13 on the road last season, but with this game in Stillwater, FPI gives the Cowboys about a 21-point advantage. The Cowboys are one team FPI is higher on than the polls; they rank ninth in FPI and are expected to have one of the top offenses in the nation. One thing to watch in this game is Oklahoma State's special teams. The Cowboys added 14 points to their net scoring margin in Week 1 on special teams, best of any team in the nation. 5. Louisville at SyracuseFriday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2FPI projection: Louisville, 84 percent chance to winPickCenter http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/97.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/183.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueLouisville's Lamar Jackson was responsible for an FBS-high eight touchdowns in the Cardinals' 70-14 victory over Charlotte in Week 1. Facing the Orange in the Carrier Dome will be a much tougher test, but FPI expects Louisville to have a significant edge when it has the ball. Under new head coach Dino Babers, expect Syracuse to push the pace to negate Bobby Petrino's pressure defense. In Week 1 against Colgate, the Orange ran 81 plays and Babers vowed the team would never be that slow again. Ultimately, FPI favors the Cardinals by about two touchdowns. 6. Arkansas at TCUSaturday, 7 p.m. ET on ESPNFPI projection: TCU, 69 percent chance to winPickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/8.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2628.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=trueSurprisingly, both of these teams struggled in their openers against lesser competition. In allowing 461 yards and five touchdowns to South Dakota State, TCU posted the second-worst defensive efficiency rating of any Power 5 team in Week 1. Arkansas' offensive line was ineffective in the run game (2.7 yards per rush) and pass protection (four sacks allowed allowed) in the Razorbacks' 21-20 win over Louisiana Tech. TCU's defense and Arkansas' run game are the bread-and-butter of each team's success over the last few seasons, so whichever team can fix those problems may have the edge in this game. In the closest projected game this week involving an AP Top 25 team, FPI favors the Horned Frogs at home by about a touchdown. 7. Penn State at PittsburghSaturday, 12 p.m. ET on ESPNFPI projection: Pittsburgh, 62 percent chance to winPickCenterhttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/213.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=truehttp://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/221.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mofome Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 Good stuff here, thanks bbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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