Lindsay's Locks for Week Zero action in college football
Our long national nightmare is over. College football is BACK...kinda.
Okay, so Week Zero isn't a full slate of games, but we haven't had college football since January, so we'll take it. You even get an SEC team in action, as Vanderbilt plays!
This season, Auburn Daily has partnered with Prize Picks to bring some fun and variety to the picks for the 2022 season. Prize Picks is a free app that allows you to choose any 2,3,4 or 5 players from ANY sport in your wagers, predict their over or under for the next game, and win big prizes if they do well! They have flex options, where you can still get paid on winning only 3 of 5 or 2 of 3, and you can have multiple sports in the same parley! Best of all, use promo code AUBURN to receive double on your first deposit, up to $100! That's promo code AUBURN for double your first deposit.
Pick #1: FSU RB Treshaun Ward - OVER 60.5 YDS
Quick, without looking tell me where Duquesne is.
Thought so. It's a Catholic school in Pittsburgh, PA, and a member of the Northeast Conference. They finished 7-3 last year and even knocked off FBS opponent Ohio University...But they were also blown out by TCU 45-3, have never beaten an Power 5 opponent, and had an average (at best) defense last year before losing some statistical leaders to graduation. Don't expect Florida State head coach Mike Norvell to take it easy on them, not when he's potentially coaching for his job in 2022 (and definitely learned his lesson after the Jacksonville State debacle last year). The Noles may have brought in Oregon transfer Trey Benson for depth, but as he's just getting healthy from an offseason knee injury, look for Ward to start the 2022 season strong and build on last year's 786 scrimmage yards & 6 TDs with a solid performance against the Dukes.
Pick #2: Vanderbilt QB Mike Wright - OVER 192.5 YDS
The Commodores travel to Hawaii to take on a Rainbow Warriors squad that is reeling, to put it mildly. On their third head coach since 2019, first-year coach (and former Hawaii QB) Timmy Chang is trying to inject life into a program in freefall, with 22 players (including two out of three captains, a half-dozen starters, and the then-head coach's son) having entered the transfer portal since November. The defense was already 2021's worst against the pass, with 446 passing yards per game allowed and 32 points per game both worst in not only the conference, but the country. With Chang's pass-heavy approach and the lack of a defense in Honolulu, look for Wright to air it out early and often.
Pick #3: Nebraska QB Casey Thompson - UNDER 230.5 YDS
These two teams met last year (in the States) and Nebraska thumped Northwestern, 56-7, racking up 7 rushing TDs and 427 yards on the ground (including 8+ yards per carry). Look for new Nebraska offensive coordinator Mark Whipple to continue to utilize the option running game against a Northwestern defensive line that not only struggled in 2021, but then lost four of their top five players after the season. Combine that track record with the always windy conditions in Ireland and it's a recipe for Casey Thompson's biggest arm workout of the day being the Guinness he hoists with his teammates after a victory.
Bet: Mike Wright OVER 192.5 passing yards, Treshaun Ward OVER 60.5 rushing yards, Casey Thompson UNDER 230.5 passing yards
Odds options:
Flex Play: 3 of 3 correct= 2.25x, 2 of 3 correct = 1.25x
Power Play: 3 of 3 correct = 5x Go big or go home, folks.
Here's the full slate of games:
| Matchup | Time (CT) | TV |
|---|---|---|
Austin Peay at WKU | 11:00 AM | CBSSN |
Nebraska vs. Northwestern (in Dublin, Ireland) | 11:30 AM | FOX |
Idaho State at UNLV | 2:30 PM | CBSSN |
UConn at Utah State | 3:00 PM | FS1 |
Wyoming at Illinois | 3:00 PM | BTN |
Duquesne at Florida State | 4:00 PM | ACCN |
Charlotte at Florida Atlantic | 6:00 PM | CBSSN |
Florida A&M at North Carolina | 7:15 PM | ACCN |
North Texas at UTEP | 8:00 PM | Stadium |
Nevada at New Mexico State | 9:00 PM | ESPN2 |
Vanderbilt at Hawaii | 9:30 PM | CBSSN |
Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!
Follow Auburn Daily on Twitter
