Alabama dominated Middle Tennessee State in their recent game, but I find it hard to be impressed. MTSU suffered significant losses in their team before the season began. My skepticism about Alabama continues to grow. Although they have an incredibly talented roster, including the best recruiting class in the nation, they lack experience. Additionally, I have concerns about their coordinator hires and believe their quarterback, Jalen Milroe, doesn’t compare to Bryce Young.
On the other hand, Texas possesses one of the strongest overall teams in the country. They have retained ten offensive starters from last year and made strategic moves in the portal to replace their lost defensive production. Despite Quinn Ewers needing improvement, he has a supportive group around him, with five returning offensive linemen and a deep corps of receivers. Last season, Texas only lost to Alabama by one point, despite being considered significant underdogs. The entire Longhorns team is seeking revenge, and I anticipate their improvement while expecting Alabama to regress, especially early in the season. My pick is Texas +7.
Moving on to the North Carolina State vs. Notre Dame matchup, the Wolfpack find themselves in an advantageous situation. They have had more time for preparation and rest compared to Notre Dame, who played on Thursday last week. North Carolina State also has the benefit of having two full games of film on the Fighting Irish. Furthermore, the Wolfpack withheld their playbook during their game against Connecticut, utilizing a rushing-heavy strategy. This strategic move means they will have some surprises in store for Notre Dame, catching them off guard. A critical factor in this game is Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, who has caused trouble for Notre Dame’s quarterback, Sam Hartman, in the past. Hartman has struggled against Gibson’s defense, facing a 6-6 TD-to-INT ratio and getting sacked frequently. In contrast, Hartman has had much better performances against other teams. With these situational advantages in mind, I believe North Carolina State has a strong chance of covering the spread of +7.5.
In the Temple vs. Rutgers game, I’m betting on Temple (+8.5) to come out on top. Despite Rutgers having a dual-threat quarterback and a solid offensive line, they struggle with their passing game. Their aerial attack ranks among the bottom 10 in FBS due to their quarterback’s poor completion rate. Rutgers is not a team built to win by a significant margin. While their defense is reliable, opponents don’t have to score much to keep the game close. On the other hand, Temple’s quarterback, E.J. Warner, showed great improvement last season and performed well against Rutgers in their previous matchup. Although Temple lost that game by a narrow margin, they outgained Rutgers in total yards. With Warner leading the team, I expect Temple to stay within the spread and potentially pull off a win.
Last week’s record: 2-1 (Alabama – Win, North Carolina – Win, Colorado State – Loss). Total record for the 2023 season: 2-1.
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