College Football Week 1: Crazy Spreads You Shouldn’t Pass Up
South Florida Bulls at San Jose State Spartans
When: Saturday, August 26, 5:30 PM Where: Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California TV: CBSSN Radio: 820 AM (USF) / KLIV 1590 AM (San Jose State) College Football Week 1 Odds: USF at -19½ Should any team be such a big favorite Week 1? After all, the opponent has all offseason to prepare for you. Of course that goes both ways. No team from outside a Power 5 Conference has made the College Football Playoff but don’t be shocked if USF does this year under new coach Charlie Strong. The Bulls are stacked and should win the AAC. They would need to go undefeated to have any shot at the playoff.Who’s Quinton Flowers?
South Florida has a dark-horse Heisman contender in quarterback Quinton Flowers. Last year, Flowers led USF to an 11-2 record and a final ranking of 19th in the AP poll – the first time the program finished a season ranked. He was the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and the Birmingham Bowl MVP. He threw for 261 yards and two scores while rushing 21 times for 105 yards and three touchdowns in the 46-39 overtime bowl win over South Carolina. Overall, Flowers threw for 2,812 yards and 24 touchdowns last year while rushing for 1,530 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was the first-ever 2,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher in not just South Florida history but first for any player from a school in the state of Florida. Only Heisman winner Lamar Jackson rushed for more yards by a QB in 2016.How Well Did San Jose Starte Do Last Season?
San Jose State was 4-8 last year and has a new head coach in Brent Brennan. The 44-year- old spent the last six years in Corvallis coaching the receivers at Oregon State. But he is a familiar face at SJSU, having been an assistant from 2005-2010 under Dick Tomey and Mike MacIntyre. Brennan coached tight ends, receivers, offensive tackles and special teams, and was the co-offensive coordinator in 2009. New offensive coordinator Andrew Sowder is only 28, but he’s been around some brilliant offensive minds and now gets his shot to crank up the attack. He worked under now Syracuse head coach Dino Babers after starting out at Baylor. The offensive line must be better. The 2016 Spartans gave up a nation-worst 50 sacks and 101 tackles for loss – no team had allowed 50 sacks or more since 2013. It’s the first-ever meeting between these schools.South Florida vs San Jose State College Football Week 1 Pick
I’m a big USF fan but I’d take all those points.