Three previews for the Week 11 college football games and our picks based on spreads for 11 games on the slate.
(21) North Carolina State vs (13) Wake Forest
A lot will be on the line in the 115th meeting between North Carolina State (7-2) and Wake Forest (8-1). The quest to become the ACC Atlantic division champion will be the focus of both teams, as the winner of this game inches closer to the ACC Title game.
NC State has won two games in a row after a devastating loss to Miami a few weeks ago. Redshirt Sophomore quarterback Devin Leary has been stellar in 2021. Leary is completing 66 percent of his passes for 2475 yards totaling 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
Leary’s favorite targets are Emeka Emezie (44/550/2) and slot receiver Thayer Thomas (38/403/6). The Wolfpack boasts a solid 1-2 combo in the running game. Junior Zonovan Knight leads the team in rushing with 617 yards at 5.2 yards per carry clip. He’s joined by Ricky Person, who’s accounted for 688 total yards and six touchdowns.
Wake Forest is led by quarterback Sam Hartman who is enjoying a career year. Hartman is completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 35 total touchdowns to five interceptions. He’s got a talented wide receiver duo in Jaquarii Roberson (50/848/8) and A.T. Perry (42/845/10).
The Demon Deacons are led on the ground by Christian Beal-Smith and Justice Ellison. North Carolina State’s defense has been solid this year. They come into this week’s game boasting the 6th best scoring defense. This will be a difficult test facing the high octane Wake Forest offense. Expect an entertaining game as the lead for the ACC Atlantic is on the line.
Devy Players to Watch
- Zonovan Knight- RB- NC State: Zonovan Knight was a big sleeper name in the Devy community this offseason. He hasn’t taken that giant junior leap as expected. He still leads the team in rushing but remains in a committee with Ricky Person. Knight is a talented player that will intrigue NFL teams, but he doesn’t have high-end production in his college football career.
- Sam Hartman – QB- Wake Forest: Can Sam Hartman keep it rolling? If he does, NFL draft buzz could start to circulate, given the year Hartman is having. He’s not considered a top-tier Devy quarterback, but there’s no denying his production this year, and he deserves some recognition.
Wake Forest -1
- Brandon @hayeb3: Wake Forest -1
- Brian @vandygrad92: Wake Forest -1
- Joe @TheHQNerd: Wake Forest -1
(4) Oklahoma vs (18) Baylor
In a game that has significant college football playoff implications, Oklahoma opened as a seven-point favorite (down to 5.5 by Tuesday). Oklahoma had a bye last week, as they ready themselves for a tough stretch run.
Oklahoma Freshman quarterback Caleb Williams took over for highly regarded (but struggling) Sophomore Spencer Rattler midway through the Texas game on October 5th. In the four games (including Texas) that Williams has played in, he has completed 72 out of 99 pass attempts for 1087 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also added three rushing touchdowns.
In addition to Williams, Oklahoma has two running backs that have amassed at least 300 rushing yards. They are:
- Kennedy Brooks (131 rushes for 802 yards and nine TD’s)
- Eric Gray (64 rushes for 303 yards and one touchdown)
The receiving corps is exceedingly balanced with five wide receivers having at least 20 catches on the season. These five receivers are:
- Jadon Haselwood (33 catches for 316 yards and 6 touchdowns)
- Mario Williams (29 catches for 319 yards and three TD’s
- Marvin Mins (26 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns)
- Mike Woods (25 catches for 294 yards and two touchdowns)
- Jeremiah Hall(22 catches for 203 yards and four touchdowns)
Baylor QB Gerry Bohanon leads the team in passing, having completed 145 of 223 (65 percent) pass attempts for 1972 yards and 15 touchdowns. Bohanon has also added 53 rushes for 176 yards and 7 touchdowns. Just like Oklahoma’s two back committees, Abram Smith (144 carries for 1055 yards and 11 TD’s) and Trestan Ebner (101 rushes for 601 yards and one touchdown) lead the way for Baylor.
The two primary receiving threats for Baylor are:
- Tyquan Thornton (42 catches for 722 yards and seven touchdowns)
- R.J. Sneed( 35 catches for 500 yards and two TD’s)
Devy Players to Watch
- Caleb Williams- QB – Oklahoma: in preseason rankings, Rattler was the QB2, and Williams was the QB15. Rattler is part of the Class of 2022, while Williams is in the 2024 class. Look for Williams to remain the starter (barring injury), and emerge as a top-five Devy QB in the fall of 2022.
- Eric Gray- RB – Oklahoma: after spending two years at Tennessee in which he rushed 258 times for 1311 yards and eight touchdowns, Gray transferred to Oklahoma for 2021 in hopes of improving his draft stock. Unfortunately for Gray, incumbent Kennedy Brooks took over as the primary back. In the hyperlink below, Gray has seen his draft stock plummet from his preseason RB8 standing to #208 in his class. Eric Gray Draft Profile 2022.
Baylor +5.5
- Brandon @hayeb3: Oklahoma -5.5
- Brian @vandygrad92: Oklahoma -5.5
- Joe @TheHQNerd: Oklahoma -5.5
(9) Michigan vs (23) Penn State
In year’s past, game recently has gone to whoever the home team is but Penn State seems to be the lesser of the two teams. The game has lost some luster because Penn State has lost three of the last four games. While they are not in the playoff or big ten hunt like the Wolverines, the Nittany Lions could play spoiler.
Michigan is led by a two-headed rushing attack in Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum. They are 5th in rushing yards in the NCAA, but after an injury to Corum last week, the Wolverines will be looking for a 2nd straight heavy workload for Haskins. Michigan has been struggling with passing the ball all year, but did find the rhythm in a close loss to Michigan State.
Penn State is not great at running the ball, but when Sean Clifford is healthy they have a strong passing game. Michigan has a stout defense but in their loss, they were gashed by Michigan State with the run. Although Michigan’s top-7 in college football against the pass, their corners can be taken advantage of by the talented Penn State receivers. The Penn State defense has played better as of late against the run and that will play a big role in this matchup.
Players to Watch
- Hassan Haskins- RB- Michigan: With Blake Corum questionable with an ankle injury, Haskins looks to get the bulk of the carries. For the season, Haskins has four games with 20 or more carries. In all of those games he is over 100 yards rushing. He will not get drafted on Day 1 or 2, but could be a real steal if he goes to the right team because of his toughness, nose of the endzone, and underrated shiftiness.
- Jahan Dotson – WR – Penn State: Dotson is having the best season of his career with over 900 yards and 9 TDs on the season, even with less than stellar QB play. In the past two games he has 22 catches for over 350 yards and 3 TDs, Dotson has definitely helped his stock and looks to be a lock for a 2nd round pick in the upcoming draft.
Penn State +1
- Brandon @hayeb3: Michigan -1
- Brian @vandygrad92: Michigan -1
- Joe @TheHQNerd: Penn State +1
Other College Football Game Picks Based on the Spread
Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. He at one time was in 77 fantasy leagues and loves the game of football. Brandon started writing for The Leauge Winners in 2021.