Every week here at Blogging the Boys we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide. (For teams previously covered in other weeks, we move down the depth chart, giving you more insight on other draft candidates)
GAME OF THE WEEK
Ninth ranked Georgia and fifth ranked Ole Miss roll into Week 8 in a heavyweight clash. Kirby Smart will be dialing up for bully-ball efficiency and Lane Kiffin will be mashing the turbo button trying to out pace the Bulldogs. This is a pure tempo vs. torque game. The Rebels want pace, space, and chunk plays on the perimeter, Georgia answers with trench control, pressure-down poise, and a red-zone defensive vise that squeezes sevens into threes. The game will hinge on clean snaps in the noise, ball security, and who can limit the most missed tackles. Buckle up for a fourth-quarter nail-biter. Predictions here, Georgia 31, Ole Miss 28.
Game Overview
- Matchup: Ole Miss (5) vs. Georgia (9)
- October 18th, at Sanford Stadium
- Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m (EST)
- Ole Miss favored by 7 points
- The team with the best turnover differential in this game will take the win
Player Watch
Ole Miss:
Da’Shawn Womack, DE
Womack plays like a can-opener with an initial pop that jars the tackle and suddenly the quarterbacks pocket shrinks quickly. If he snaps to a faster counter when plan A stalls and keeps the pads trimmed, he graduates from rotational spark to playing every down like a menace.
Georgia:
Daylen Everette, CB
Everette plays with good energy and a surgeon’s touch. He stalls releases with good physicality then shadows routes without wasted motion. He’s more smother than fast, winning with patience, length, and clean transitions. If he keeps the grabs to a minimum and stacks a few more catch-point steals, you’re looking at a dependable CB2 in the NFL who lets teams lean into press and sleep easy over the top.
Zachariah Branch, WR
Branch is Georgia’s sudden-change of pace player. One touch and the field slides like a pinball table. Motion him, flip the quick, or uncork a slot post and you can see safeties hit the panic button. Add a dash more stubbornness at the catch point, and he’s a weekly explosives bundle who also dares special-teams coaches to punt or kick anywhere near him.
Texas Tech (7) Arizona State
Texas Tech hits Tempe for Week 8. It’s pass rush vs. protection and explosives vs. consistency. Watch third downs and which team is winning the battle, and the sneaky special-teams yards that can flip this game quickly. For a score prediction, this is an oddly high scoring game that’s see Texas Tech put 38 on the board, and Arizona State loses after scoring 31 points.
Game Overview
- Matchup: Texas Texh (7) vs. Arizona State
- October 18th, at Mountain America Stadium
- Kickoff time: 4:00 p.m (EST)
- Texas Tech favored by 7 points
- Edge speed versus YAC yards. This is a game of tackle or chase.
Player Watch
Texas Tech:
David Bailey, OLB
Bailey is Texas Tech’s hot motor defender and one tick after the snap everybody’s awake. He shoves pockets backward with that long-arm and chases like a greyhound, turning clean launch pockets into scramble drills. Add a quicker second plan when his first move stalls and keep the pads a notch lower, and he’s a weekly starter.
Arizona State:
Jordyn Tyson, WR
Tyson plays like a small-forward in football pads, he boxes out, shields the ball, and walks off with the down marker. At 6’2”, 200, he paces routes like a vet and keeps drives humming on crossers, glances, and back-shoulders, then shows up again when the paint gets crowded near the goal line. He’s not a speedster, he wins with angles and body control. Drop him into a timing offense and he’ll quietly stack catches until the scoreboard notices.
Sam Leavitt, QB
Leavitt plays quarterback very well on cue. He’ll drop the quick game and sample a keeper when the edge cheats. He’s not exactly playing with a bazooka arm, which will be something a lot of scouts will pick up on when he transitions to the NFL, but when his feet stay synced the slants turn into sprints and RPOs pop for chunks. Keep the footwork calm when the pocket wobbles, and he’s a drive-starter and drive-finisher all in one.
USC (20) vs. Notre Dame (13)
Game Overview
- Matchup: USC (20) vs. Notre Dame (13)
- October 18th, at Notre Dame Stadium
- Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
- Notre Dame favored by 9 points
Player Watch
USC:
Makai Lemon, WR
Lemon is a sneaky receiver, he can tap start-stops at an elite level, and when he times it all with the ball in his hands he’s striding for extra yards. He wins with tempo and craft more than raw horsepower, then adds hidden field position on returns. Feed him a steady playcall of slants, crossers, and the sneaky double-move, and you’ll see for yourself that he plays like a high-floor WR2 in the NFL who keeps the offense on beat and the chains moving.
Jayden Maiava, QB
Maiava is best when he pushes tempo. Playing more upbeat and you’ll watch as he hits receivers in stride, and calls his own number in the red zone when defenses overplay. Keep the platform clean and he carves defenses with anticipation throws, forces constant resets and gets the offense into rhythm. Right now, he’s the engine of the Trojans’ offense and one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country.
Notre Dame:
Christian Gray, CB
Gray is Notre Dame’s answer for canceling out WR1s. He can press some of the strongest receivers, mirror in phase, then force the incompletion at the catch point. He wins with patient feet and measured punches, letting his length do the talking on back-shoulders throws and digs. Keep the hands clean downfield and the body right, and he profiles as a steady CB2 in the NFL who lets the Irish lean into press and dare quarterbacks to test the sideline late.
Notable Games
Nebraska vs Minnesota
LSU vs Vanderbilt
Georgia Tech vs Duke
Arizona vs Houston
Baylor vs TCU
Tennessee vs Alabama
Missouri vs Auburn
Utah vs BYU
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