We will be bringing previews of NCAAF games and our picks based on the spreads. Make sure to look for it every Friday.
Betting on NCAAF games has become a very popular and bigger trend in the Fantasy space. We will be previewing games each week of the NCAAF season and giving our picks for the spreads. Each member of the Devy Team will give a quick breakdown of the game, and Devy players to watch out for. The first week is a smaller slate so there will only be three games we are covering.
UCONN vs Fresno St
Brandon (@hayeb3)
The season is finally here! This game should provide plenty of points on one side, with the other being a mystery. Fresno State comes back with a potent offense that finished 32nd in the NCAAF in points per game with 32.8. The passing offense was 6th in the nation. They should continue to be high flying as Jake Haener returns after averaging over 330 yards a game and throwing 14 TDs in six games in 2020. The Bulldogs also return their top 5 pass-catchers from a year ago including RB Ronnie Rivers who averaged over 5 ypc and had 27 receptions.
UCONN on the other hand, did not play in 2020, so they will be a mystery coming into 2021. When they last were on the field in 2019, the Huskies were 2-10 and finished 117th in scoring with only 18.5 points per game. While this could get ugly fast, the Bulldogs love to pass the ball even when they are leading so they should continue to pile up the points.
There are currently no Devy players to watch for UCONN, but Fresno State does has a couple. QB Jake Haener transferred from Washington after his Freshman year. Last year he showed he has some tools that could translate to the next level. Haener has good mobility and has very good ball placement. If he can show off these skills for a whole season, he could move up draft boards. Haener’s top target, WR Jalen Cropper, is another player to watch out for after his strong 2020 performance with over 500 yards and five TDs in six games. He is not going to be a top-5 WR in the 2022 draft, but with another strong season could be in play in the 2nd to 4th rounds.
Picks
Spread: Fresno St: -27.5
Brandon: Fresno St: -27.5
Brian: Fresno St: -27.5
Joe: Fresno St: -27.5
Nebraska vs Illinois
Brian (@vandygrad92)
Both Nebraska (3-5 in 2020) and Illinois (2-6 in 2020) are looking to get that first Big Ten West win of the year. Despite winning in Lincoln 41-23 last year, VegasInsider is currently listing the Fighting Illini as 7-point underdogs.
Nebraska’s offense had no issues producing yards last year (391 yards per game), but was very turnover-prone and didn’t have a downfield passing game. Eight players return on offense, with Junior QB Adrian Martinez at the helm. Martinez led Nebraska with 521 rushing yards in 2020 and completed 71 percent of his passes. The Undroppables has Martinez ranked as their Devy QB75 heading into the season. The Cornhuskers finished second in the Big Ten in rushing in 2020, but hope to get more from the running back room, instead of relying on Martinez.
True Freshman, Gabe Ervin, is the highest-ranked RB at RB47. Ervin is a 3-star recruit and was the 43rd ranked RB nationally. After star receiver Wan’Dale Robinson left for Kentucky, the hope is that Sophomore Zavier Betts can help fill those shoes.
The 4-star recruit (WR20 nationally in the 2020 class per 247sports) only had 12 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown as a Freshman. He is currently ranked as the WR86 and will look to build on those stats this year.
The most highly regarded recruit of the 2021 recruiting cycle is TE Thomas Fidone. 247 ranked Fidone as the TE2 recruit in the nation, as well as Nebraska’s overall top recruit since 2008. Fidone will miss the game on Saturday due to knee surgery back in April. There is optimism for a return later in the season.
As a polar opposite to Nebraska, Illinois simply doesn’t have any true Devy prospects. The only player to be listed by The Undroppables is RB Chase Brown, and he is only the RB86. Although he had a good 2020 campaign with 104 rushes for 540 yards (5.2 yards per carry) and three TD’s, he was only the National RB79 in the class of 2018. After a mass exodus at WR (three out of the top four targeted WRs are no longer on the roster), new head coach Brett Bielema has an uphill battle to field a competitive team. Nebraska will turn the tables and cover the spread in this one.
Picks
Spread: Nebraska: -7
Brandon: Illinois: +7
Brian: Nebraska -7
Joe: Nebraska -7
Hawaii vs UCLA
Joe (@TheHQNerd)
College Football is back, and what better place to kick it all off than the Rose Bowl, where the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors visit the UCLA Bruins. Both teams are returning a solid core of veterans. UCLA brings back 20 starters, while Hawaii brings 18.
Chip Kelly’s offense runs through Senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but he wasn’t available for the team’s first set of practices due to undisclosed reasons. UCLA hopes to have a balanced attack in 2021 with a talented running back duo in Brittain Brown and Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet.
Hawaii returns seven starters on offense and will be led by quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. Cordeiro will be looking to involve versatile playmaker Calvin Turner, who earned second-team All-Mountain-West honors in 2020. The defenses may be a step ahead of the offenses in this one. UCLA is undoubtedly the more talented team, but Hawaii is scrappy and could make life difficult on the Bruins and hang around in this one. I’ll take Hawaii and the 18 points.
Player To Watch: Greg Dulcich TE UCLA. Greg Dulcich is a player to keep an eye on this year after coming on the scene out of nowhere in 2020. Dulcich recorded 26 receptions for 517 yards and five touchdowns. He has good size and ball skills. Dulcich has a chance to rise in a relatively weak tight end class in 2022. RB UCLA – Zach Charbonnet gets a fresh start after transferring from Michigan. The former 4-star recruit looks to take control of Chip Kelly’s backfield and try and regain some Devy value that has been lost over the past calendar year.
Picks
Spread: UCLA: -17.5
Brandon: Hawaii +17.5
Brian: Hawaii +17.5
Joe: Hawaii +17.5
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.