Coach James Franklin talked up Kent, of course. He called them the fastest-tempo offense he's played since arriving in State College. He warned that Barrett could hurt his defense in big ways.

"He's dynamic. You see guys come through blitzing and he stands in the pocket, they hit him, they bounce off. He keeps his eyes down the field, delivers the strike, and he'll beat you with his legs. He’s a problem.’"

Bodani's pick: Penn State 52, Kent State 13

(click web address below for full analysis)


https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/co...ixing-and-fun-store-vs-kent-state/1254852002/

What’s Going To Happen
This is a better, more fun Kent State team – again, there’s an actual offense to worry about. But Penn State will keep the momentum going from the blowout win over Pitt with the offense getting out to a hot start. It’ll take its foot off the gas – the Golden Flashes will score late – but don’t expect a whole lot of drama.

Fearless Prediction & Line
Penn State 44, Kent State 13
Line: Penn State -35, o/u: 64

(click web address below for full analysis)

https://collegefootballnews.com/2018/09/penn-state-vs-kent-state-fearless-prediction-game-preview

Tim Owen • BlueWhiteIllustrated.com
@Tim_OwenBWI

For Kent State, it was the first time in 10 years that it surpassed 50 points in a single game. With a 54-14 win over Howard on Saturday, the Golden Flashes improved immensely on their margin of victory against the Bison. A year ago, they hung on to win by only a touchdown; this season it was by 40.

Perhaps more notably, though, this was the first win for new head coach Sean Lewis, a former Wisconsin quarterback and tight end who last served as offensive coordinator for Syracuse in 2017. In the locker room following the game, Lewis presented three game balls, one each to the school’s president, athletic director and associate AD. He meant it as a a sign of gratitude for putting him in the position in the first place.

Said Lewis, “I turned around and gave the game balls to them to thank them for believing in our vision and being able to take a chance and roll the dice on a young ball guy like myself."

Entering the season at the age of 31 years old, Lewis was the youngest head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He now has Kent State starting out with a 1-1 record heading into Saturday’s matchup against Penn State in Beaver Stadium, but they were one touchdown away from a 2-0 start. At Illinois for the season opener, Kent State held a 17-3 halftime lead before the Illini prevailed, 31-24. Lewis went into week two’s practice hopeful they’d be able to build off the good start and learn from the final two quarters, in which Illinois outscored them 28-7.

Now with a win under their belt, the Flashes are aiming to maintain that momentum throughout the upcoming week.

“Ultimately at the end of the day, if we’re preparing the right way and we’re treating practice like a game, we’re big believers that our practice repetitions become our game reality,” Lewis said on the MAC Coaches conference call Monday morning. “It doesn’t matter if [Kent State is practicing on] our grass practice field on a Tuesday in between the white lines and there’s no one watching them, or if there happens to be 110,000 people watching in Happy Valley. Obviously it's going to be a little bit louder, but from our vantage point we need to do what we need to do and build a game plan that highlights our players' strengths. We’re looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge that lays ahead of us in Happy Valley.”

Through two games, Lewis has largely been pleased with his defense’s effort. Especially in the first half it’s been effective, allowing only one field goal against Illinois and holding Howard scoreless during the game’s first two quarters. Against Howard, specifically, Lewis called it a “phenomenal day” for the defense, holding the opposing team to a total of just 65 rushing yards and stopping 15 of 17 third-down conversion attempts.

He also praised the effort of his special teams unit, which had a 22-yard punt return and blocked a punt which set up a score.

Kent State’s offense “was very opportunistic but needs to be cleaner,” Lewis said in balancing his evaluation. “Disappointed in how many times we turned the football over. We need to put a premium on our ball security.”

In addition to one interception thrown by starting QB Woody Barrett, the Golden Flash offense also put the ball on the ground four times, losing three of them. Against Penn State Saturday, based on Lewis’s scouting of Nittany Lion personnel, those miscues will be more difficult to overcome.

Lewis evaluates Penn State’s ‘galaxy’ of stars
After spending the last two seasons working under Dino Barbers at Syracuse, Lewis gained firsthand knowledge about some of the best high school football prospects from the mid-Atlantic and East Coast. Often their recruiting territory overlapped with Penn State’s and in those two seasons Lewis saw more of the region’s top prospects choosing to sign under head coach James Franklin.

“He’s got a galaxy over there with the number of stars he’s been able to accumulate in recruiting,” Lewis said. “They’re long, they're athletic, they’re nasty, they hunt the ball, they're opportunistic and they play the game the right away, which is a credit to Coach Franklin and his staff.”

Here’s more of what Lewis had to say about the Nittany Lions’ personnel (click web address below for full article):

https://bwi.rivals.com/news/following-1st-win-kent-state-hc-sean-lewis-previews-penn-state

When Tua Tagovailoa of the University of Alabama expressed his faith in an interview following the Crimson Tide's BCS championship game against the University of Georgia, the quarterback placed himself in a growing number of Christian athletes, who are vocal about their commitment to Jesus Christ.

When asked what his victory means to him, Tagovailoa said, "In this moment, it means the world but at the same time, all glory goes to God. I can't describe what He has done for me and my family. I thank God for that. First and foremost, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom all things are possible.That's what happened tonight."

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Like Tagovailoa, Kent State's quarterback Woody Barrett gave all the glory to God in a tweet following the Flashes' opening home win against the Howard Bison.

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Flash fans are familiar with Will Matthews' strong faith in God having led the team in prayer last season, but until I read Barrett's recent tweet, I was unaware of his spirituality.

It's always nice to see athletes like Tim Tebow, Tua Tagovailoa, Woody Barrett, and Will Matthews using their platforms to promote their faith.

As committed Christians, they know from where their strength comes and recognize the source of their talents and gifts. And as team players, they know they didn’t get this far alone, and want to give credit.

They also understand they have been trained and developed by coaches, and have been blessed with somebody who helped shape their raw talent.

Barrett can thank his high school and JUCO coaches for developing his abilities but it may very well be Sean Lewis who helps maximize his talent through his experience as a quarterback coach.

But no matter how far Barrett's talents take him, he keeps his eyes set on the ultimate goal of eternal life.

And because of this, I keep him in the same high esteem as Tebow, Tagovailoa, and Matthews.

Congrats to Coach Lewis on picking up his first career victory in his home debut!

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From Cappers Picks:

Last time these two teams played the Golden Flashes came out ahead 38-31.

Howard Bison
The Howard Bison come into this game looking for their first win after losing their opening game to the Ohio Bobcats but don’t let the record fool you, they are a good offensive team.

They put up 645 yards in the first game including 484 yards through the air. The defense just let them down and it led to a loss.

They are led at quarterback by Sophomore Caylin Newton, who is Cam Newton’s younger brother and shows a lot of the same traits as the Carolina Panthers quarterback.

He is a real gunslinger who can really hurt opponents with the way he can bring the offense up and down the field.

In this game it’s going to start with the defense and they need to be better. The offense should do it’s part but if the defense struggles again that could mean the second week in a row that the offense is good and the defense lets them down.

Kent State Golden Flashes
On the other side of this matchup is the Kent State Golden Flashes who haven’t had a good team for years but they showed some reason for optimism in their first game against Illinois.

They came in as 18 point underdogs but the offense actually performed pretty well putting up 24 points and although they still lost, they only lost by seven points.

The Golden Flashes are still a team that relies on the run putting up 270 yards on the ground but this year they are putting a bit more focus on passing the ball.

Woody Barrett threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions which is concerning and he needs to do a better job of taking care of the ball.

NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
There are no trends released yet.

Free Week 2 NCAA Football Pick
I really like the Bison offense and the way they are able to move the ball. They played well against an Ohio team that is much better than Kent State.

The Bison offense will be too much and that will be the difference as they send Kent State to 0-2. I am not sure who will be favored in this game but I think the Bison ML is the play.

Week 2 Free Score Prediction: Bison 31 – Kent State 24

https://www.capperspicks.com/free-p...e-golden-flashes-9-8-2018-betting-prediction/

I'm still waiting on predictions from Hustle Belt and College Football News. I will post them when they are released. As far as the prediction above, it's really hard to disagree with this analysis. Offensively, Howard was impressive against the Ohio Bobcats. Hustle Belt predicted the Flashes would score 21 against Illinois and they scored 24. Although I was wrong in doubting Kent State would score that many points, I was correct in predicting the two interceptions. Obviously, this game could go either way. Despite committing four turnovers, the Bison still only lost by six points to Ohio. This game could be decided by special teams. If Derek Adams is available to punt, I will go with the Flashes, but if he is unable to go against Howard, I will have to go with the Bison only because of what they were able to do against Ohio. Let's just hope the Flashes are leading at the half because I'm afraid the Bison will score a lot of points in the second half against Kent's exhausted defense.

The Flashes need a great crowd this Saturday as they take on an exciting Howard Bison team. Woody Barrett of Kent State and Caylin Newton of Howard are both worth the price of admission.

Barrett passed for 270 yards, 2 TDs and rushed for 117 yards, 1 TD against Illinois and Newton, Cam Newton's younger brother, was 26 of 52 for 439 yards, and three touchdowns against Ohio.

If entertainment is the new mantra in Kent State football, then this game should fit the bill.

"Here we are now, entertain us"

Go Flashes!!!

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From Hustle Belt:

One of the more heartwarming moments in the conference, and for all of the college football world, was the return of Kent State wide receiver Antwan Dixon. Dixon had not stepped on a football field in three years due to a battle with aplastic anemia. A freshman in 2015, Dixon led the Golden Flashes in receiving yards before undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Three years later, his grand entrance was one to remember, as he scored the first touchdown of the Kent State football season on a 24-yard pass from Woody Barrett.

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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2018/9/2...ine-top-mac-plays-of-week-1-toledo-kent-state

By Elton Alexander, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher had a novel idea recently. "Let's rally around who we are,'' he said.

The mid-major Division I football and basketball conference has the simple mission of being Davids in a world of sports Goliaths. Big victories, particularly in non-conference games should be, "an idea of collective celebration," the commissioner said.

So, he decided to have a black MAC flag with cross bones under the conference logo made for universities to signify a big victory by a MAC team over an FBS opponent. "Fly the flag,'' he said.

"Non-conference games and bowl games were the focus,'' Steinbrecher said. "It's kind of fun, and sometimes I think people forget, with college sports, we should be having fun.

"It would be great if this develops into something." (click web address below for full article)

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https://www.cleveland.com/sports/co...und_the_flag_mac_aims.html#incart_river_index

Having watched Howard and Ball State's opening games, the Illinois team with its 5 suspended players could very well be the worst team on Kent State's schedule. Ball State lost to Illinois 24-21 last year, but most likely would have defeated the team the Flashes lost to yesterday. Unfortunately, Kent State missed a great opportunity to get a P-5 win against a very bad Big Ten team. Certainly, Ohio overlooked Howard in its "tune-up" game, but make no mistake, Caylin Newton and the Bison are a very good football team that had a chance to win the game at the end but just came up a little short against the MAC's projected champion.

Considering ESPN gives the Flashes only a 6.4% chance of winning against Illinois, perhaps our attention should be on the home opener against the Howard Bison. In that game, ESPN gives the Flashes an 85.9% chance of winning, which surprises me given that the Bison have a much bigger offensive line than the Flashes, now that 6-6, 313 lb. Adam Gregoire has been lost for the season. To complement the Howard 0-line are All-Conference Preseason First Team wide receivers Kyle Anthony and Jequez Ezzard, All-Conference Preseason Second Team quarterback Caylin Newton, and All-Conference Preseason Third Team tight end Tyrone Ramsey.

Since ESPN favors the Flashes to win this game but favors Kent State's opponents in all other games, the Flashes better be ready for a war against the Bison or they may find themselves going winless in 2018.

Howard

60 Anthony Young Jr. OL 6-3 290 FR Pittsburgh, PA
62 Branden Johnson OL 6-1 295 SO Baltimore, MD
69 Robert Teahan OL 6-2 270 FR Winchester, VA
70 Tyler Shadrach OL 6-5 310 SR Teaneck, NJ
72 Jaylaan Williams OL 6-3 350 FR Miami, FL
73 James Holmon OL 6-6 350 SR Augusta, GA
75 Alfred Gansallo OL 6-3 320 FR Sugar Land, TX (All-Conference Preseason First Team)
77 Timothy Young OL 6-5 344 FR Hampton, VA
78 Phillip Flemming OL 6-5 265 JR Hopkins, SC

Kent State

62 Mike Morris OL 6-1 282 FR Dayton, OH
64 Bryce Gibbs OL 6-3 284 JR Wellington, OH
65 Luke Dye OL 6-1 267 FR Massillon, OH
68 Mike Marinelli OL 6-3 275 JR Allison Park, PA
69 Sam Allan OL 6-2 276 FR Portage, MI
71 Eddie Brecht OL 6-7 310 FR Lapeer, MI
72 Jamil Viaud OL 6-4 273 JR Franklin Square, CA
73 Zach Whaley OL 6-4 282 FR Prior Lake, MN
74 Nate Warnock OL 6-4 300 JR LaPorte, IN
75 Adam Gregoire OL 6-6 313 JR Canton, OH (out for the 2018 season due to knee injury)
76 Chase Van Hoef OL 6-3 285 JR Grand Haven, MI
77 Daniel Johnson OL 6-5 265 FR London, ON
78 Zach Corrigall OL 6-3 280 SO Akron, OH


https://hubison.com/roster.aspx?roster=221&path=football

https://kentstatesports.com/roster.aspx?roster=406&path=football

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401012804

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401020677

https://hubison.com/news/2018/8/10/-hubisonfootball-receives-more-preseason-accolades.aspx

Caylin Newton, the younger brother of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, is adamant that the Bison are not a “tune-up” for Ohio’s Mid-American Conference season. “The coach said we’re a tune-up game. I take that personal. We’re not anybody’s tune-up,” said Newton, referring to Bobcats coach Frank Solich’s remarks in an interview last week.

Bison coach Mike London made sure to post the interview quotes in the office and team room (click web address below for full article).

http://theundefeated.com/videos/qb-...-not-a-tune-up-game-for-ohio-university-2018/

I thought Frank Solich was smarter than that. His comment almost caused his team to lose to Howard as the Bison came into the game wanting to prove him wrong. Howard gave Ohio all they could handle losing 38-32 at Peden Stadium. Perhaps Solich was just thinking out loud but his carelessness could have been costly. Ohio's next game is at Virginia on 9/15.

Ohio Football Holds Off Howard In Season Opener (click web address below for game recap)

http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/fball/2018-19/releases/20180901romm8d

"Hopefully after [Week 1], we can stop talking about my age and the story being about me."

That was 32-year-old Kent State head coach Sean Lewis before he nearly led the Golden Flashes to a win over Illinois on Saturday. Competing with a Big Ten team in his first game as the FBS' youngest head coach ensured his wish won't be granted anytime soon.

Sean Lewis was introduced as Kent State head coach in December. Lewis, then 31 years old, spent the last two season as Syracuse co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks and was only eight years removed from a job with a slightly smaller national profile than FBS head coach. He was offensive coordinator and in-school suspension supervisor for his alma mater, Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Ill., from 2007-09.

"No, I pinch myself each morning when I walk in," he told HERO Sports last week when asked if he ever dreamed of being a 32-year-old FBS head coach. "Ten years ago I was on the south side of Chicago at Oak Lawn Richards High School leading in-school suspension."

Lewis, a former Wisconsin player, was tight ends coach at Nebraska-Omaha in 2010, grad assistant at Akron in 2011, and, from 2012-13, receivers coach and tight ends coach at Eastern Illinois, where he linked up with Dino Babers, whom he followed to Bowling Green (2014-15) and Syracuse, where he led a fast-paced offense that averaged nearly 90 plays per game in 2017.

Kent State's offense isn't as fast, but they were still productive in Saturday's game, scoring 24 points on a Memorial Stadium field where Lewis played in both high school and college.

"We got our ass kicked, They beat the hell out of us,” he said Richards’ 41-0 loss to Providence Catholic High School in the 2001 Class 6A state championship. “I was a sophomore and we had a senior quarterback I was splitting time with. I warmed up on the sideline for two quarters and didn’t get in the game.”

Four years later, Lewis was on a Badgers team that beat Illinois in Champaign, 41-27. And on Saturday, he almost guided Kent State -- a program who's barely shown a pulse since the 11-win 2012 -- to their first win over a Power Five team since 2007. And in doing so, the 32-year-old Golden Flashes' head coach sabotaged his own wish.

While we will talk about Woody Barrett, Antwan Dixon, Mike Carrigan and all the Kent State players who played well in the 31-24 loss, we will not stop talking about Sean Lewis and his age.

https://herosports.com/college-football/kent-state-sean-lewis-age-youngest-head-coach-ahah

From ILLINIINQUIRER:

RYAN EASTERLING PREDICTION
Illinois 34, Kent State 13: I can see Illinois coming out pretty juiced up for this one. Possibly even a little TOO juiced up. I think it maybe takes them a series or two to get going, especially with a new QB under center. But after a while, I think they find their rhythm and start to run away with this one. Illinois shouldn't let Kent State hang around in this one and needs to set the tone on defense early on by getting pressure on the Kent State quarterbacks (Flashes have yet to formally announce a starter as of Wednesday afternoon). If they do those things, I can see Illinois putting this one out of reach by the third quarter and coming away with a 34-13 win in which a lot of 2nd-string guys play throughout the fourth quarter.

ISAAC TROTTER PREDICTION
Illinois 38, Kent State 10: Kent State’s defense is terrible, allowing over 35 points per game last year, but Rod Smith’s new-look offense is going to be a pleasant surprise. AJ Bush, Mike Dudek, Ricky Smalling and the rest of the Illini offense will be clicking as Illinois wins the season opener for the eighth year in a row.

https://247sports.com/college/illin...taff-score-predictions-121056542/#121056542_9

From Hustle Belt:

Prediction
16 seems like a lot of points to me, when I am not sure the two teams will score that much combined. Of course, I am not sure the two offenses wont be off to the races. My gut tells me this will be a close game with both teams in the 20s. Look for Illinois to win 28-21, with some flashes of good football that should get both fan bases excited. I do believe both teams will be improved. Probably not bowl eligible improved, but this season wont be the absolute misery of years gone by.

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2018/8/3...illinois-fighting-illini-prediction-how-watch

So which predictions are most likely to happen?

I find it difficult to believe the Flashes will score 21 points against Illinois. Last year a high-powered Western Kentucky offense only scored 7 points against the Illini and the Hilltoppers had quarterback Mike White, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys (see game summary below).

With a weak offensive line, I just don't see how either Barrett or Crum can be effective from the quarterback position against Illinois. Look for the Illiini defense to pick off at least two passes and pretty much stuff the Flashes' ground game.

Illinois defense, Epstein smother Western Kentucky, 20-7

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois had had a slim six-point lead in the second quarter on Western Kentucky, but the Illini defense had the Hilltoppers backed up to their own 2-yard line and on their heels.

The Hilltoppers decided to throw out of the end zone and, as soon as quarterback Mike White had the ball he had a wave of blue jerseys in his face.

He threw for the sideline, White later explained, but never got his feet set.

Parked at the 10-yard line, Illini linebacker Julian Jones never looked away from White.

"I had my eyes on him the entire play, so as soon as the ball was in the air I knew the ball was coming right to me," Jones said.

Jones grabbed the ball and ran untouched into the end zone, and the Illini had a 13-0 lead, well on their way to a 20-7 win.

"Bad football play," White summed up.

The Illini (2-0) came into the game as underdogs on their home field to a Conference USA team, no doubt in large part due to Western Kentucky's high-powered offense. The Hilltoppers (1-1), with White at quarterback, averaged 45.5 points a game last season, best in the country.

Illinois' young defense, including three freshmen starters, held the Hilltoppers to 244 total yards. Western Kentucky didn't score until the fourth quarter.

The Illini offense was limited, but freshman running back Mike Epstein rushed for 111 yards.

White averaged 311.6 yards a game last season, but Saturday heavy Illini pressure limited him to 28 of 43 passing for 238 yards and an interception. He also ran for a score.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound redshirt senior was under pressure much of the night. He was sacked twice and hurried four times.

"They put their players on one-on-one islands and they won those battles," White said. "That comes with the territory being a quarterback, not everything is going to be perfect every play."

Illinois followed up the pick-six with a crushing 84-yard drive to open the second half. Quarterback Chayce Crouch capped it with a nine-yard run, finishing with a leap into the end zone for a 20-0 lead.

"We didn't start off offensively the way we wanted to start off," first-year coach Mike Sanford said. "Whatever the favorite, whoever was, doesn't mean anything to us. What means something to us is we fully believed we were going to come out of Champaign with a victory and we did not."

Crouch finished 14 of 25 for 107 yards and an interception for Illinois.

Epstein, getting his first start, carried the ball 21 times.

"He started and again, you want to see young guys take that kind of step their second time out. Just the tip of the iceberg a little bit too," Illinois coach Lovie Smith said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Western Kentucky: With White at quarterback last season, the Hilltoppers averaged 523.1 total yards (fifth in the country) and 336.8 passing yards (fifth in the country) a game. Saturday, Illinois' young defense kept him under control. White averaged just 8.5 per completion.

Illinois: The Illini defense is young, with three true freshmen starting Saturday. But true to form for a Lovie Smith team, against the Hilltoppers it set the tone -- and won the game. The second quarter touchdown by Jones gave Illinois a two-touchdown lead, which the defense made stand up.

Given limitations of Illinois' offense, particularly Crouch's inability to consistently throw the ball down field, the team's defense is likely to be called on to keep the Illini in games all season, and particularly as they head into the Big Ten, starting Sept. 29 against Nebraska.

QUOTABLE

"Our guys stepped up to the plate. Defensively we knew, (Western Kentucky has) a very good quarterback, good skill guys. It would be a big challenge for our young defensive line and our young secondary, but they really stepped to the table," Smith said.

EPSTEIN'S SOLID START

Illinois' most reliable offensive weapon was Epstein. He quietly topped 100 yards for the first time in his college career after carrying 11 times for 54 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener.

When the Illini badly need to move the ball, they turned to Epstein.

Western Kentucky's first score made it a 20-7 game, and Illinois took over on its own 14 with 11:30 to play in the game. The first two carries went to Epstein and he churned out 10 yards for a first down that kept the clock moving and started a drive that chewed up 7:04. It ended without points but left the Hilltoppers with less than five minutes to play and deep in their own territory.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400935241

Orange and Blue News caught up with Allen Moff from the Record-Courier news paper to get the lowdown on the Golden Flashes ahead of Saturday's game (click web address below).

https://illinois.rivals.com/news/behind-enemy-lines-kent-state-6

"The Illinois Fighting Illini have questions at quarterback and you have to question if Smith is built for the college game after so many years in the NFL. There's reasons to doubt Illinois, even if there's some under the radar talent that could carry this team and surprise some folks. Kent State is a very green team that has yet to prove much of anything recently and has provided no value betting wise, failing to cover numbers left and right. If Illinois is going to make any noise in the Big Ten this season, this is a game it should have no problem winning. So, while I'm not loving a double-digit spread, I'll take it. I have more confidence in the Fighting Illini winning in a blowout than I do of Kent State hanging around."

RANDY'S PICK
Illinois Fighting Illini -16

Click web address below for full article.

I really can't disagree with this prediction except the point spread will probably be more than 16 points.

Everyone is excited to see Coach Lewis' Flash Fast uptempo offense but blocking and tackling still wins games.

If you study teams over the years, they don't win consistently because of double reverses, fake punts, and flea-flickers.

Football teams win because of good old fashion "blocking and tackling." That means that they protect the ball, limit turnovers and dropped passes, make easy tackles, protect their quarterback and know their plays inside and out.

While it may be exciting for Flash fans to talk about Kent State's new uptempo offense, the reality is teams win by the same football principles that have been around for decades.

Given that Illinois' projected offensive line is 6-5 340 lb., 6-4 300 lb., 6-2 255 lb., 6-4 325 lb. and 6-6-290 lb., which is considerably bigger than Kent State's offensive line, I expect to see the Illiini sustaining drives and controlling the time of possession. On the other hand, the Flashes will have a lot of three and outs and consequently a tired second half defense.

Expect the final point differential to be 21 or more points.

https://sportschatplace.com/cfb-pic.../18-college-football-pick-odds-and-prediction

https://247sports.com/college/illin...s-football-depth-chart-120875326/#120875326_5

MAC Away Opponents

Buffalo - After winning seven games in his first two years combined, Lance Leipold pushed the Bulls to 6-6. However three of those losses came while talented QB Tyree Jackson was injured. The Bulls should compete for a MAC East title with a healthy Jackson and the return of prolific wideout Anthony Johnson.



Bowling Green - After winning three straight MAC East titles, Bowling Green is 6-18 in two seasons under Mike Jinks. Although the Falcons' passing game has plummeted since former coach Dino Babers left for Syracuse, talented quarterback Jarret Doege could have a very productive year if he can stay healthy.



Ball State - Mike Neu is 6-18 in two years as head coach and is coming off a winless season in MAC play, but the Cardinals were young at the skill positions and on defense. Ball State is fifth in the nation in most production returning (click link below).

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...8-ncaa-football-returning-starters-experience

Miami - The RedHawks had a disappointing 5-7 campaign, but they should compete in the MAC East race with their offensive core returning, led by QB Gus Ragland. Miami will also have the services of incoming Michigan transfer Alex Malzone at quarterback.

MAC Home Opponents

Eastern Michigan - In 2016, the Eagles went bowling for the first time since 1987, but in 2017 they were the unluckiest team in college football thanks to a six-game losing streak in which each loss was by a touchdown or less. Expect Eastern Michigan to be competitive again this year.

Toledo - The Rockets had an embarrassing bowl performance but still won the MAC for the first time since 2004. The key for Toledo this year is to replace prolific QB Logan Woodside, but there's still a fair amount of production returning, even with RB Terry Swanson also gone.

Akron - The Zips have gone to two bowls in three years, and they'll have a veteran defense to lean on as they try to get increased production from QB Kato Nelson.

Ohio - The Bobcats still haven't won the MAC since 1968, but it's been a decade since Frank Solich had a losing record. Most of the offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game will return including quarterback Nathan Rourke, leading rusher A.J. Ouellette, and receiver Papi White.

Non-conference Games

Illinois - The Fighting Illini go into 2018 with a new offensive system, one second-year QB, and three true freshmen (click web address below). One of these four will need to reach their potential and take a firm grasp on the QB position for Illinois to improve on its 2–10 (0–9 Big Ten) record.

https://www.thechampaignroom.com/20...ith-cam-thomas-mj-rivers-coran-taylor-big-ten

Howard - With 18 freshmen playing on the 2017 team that included Caylin Newton, the Bison will be out to prove the upset of UNLV was no fluke.

Penn State - Although the Nittany Lions lose star tailback Saquon Barkley and numerous other NFL prospects, the offensive line should be solid for Trace McSorley, one of the nation's top returning quarterbacks.

Ole Miss - Matt Luke was promoted from interim coach to head coach but will have to deal with another bowl ban and scholarship restrictions. Even with Shea Patterson transferring to Michigan, the Rebels should be strong in the passing game led by QB Jordan Ta'amu and WR A.J. Brown.

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CHAMPAIGN – A.J. Bush began winning the starting quarterback job in the Illinois football camp sometime during the summer, well before the first snaps in preseason drills and long before the announcement Monday made it official.

A well-traveled quarterback from Alpharetta, Ga., who helped lead Norcross High School to a state championship as a senior, Bush spent time in the football complex studying the offense and doing his homework. It’s the kind of things not seen by most fans, even the handful of folks who watched the Illini on those intramural fields south of Memorial Stadium earlier this month.

When Illinois hosts Kent State Saturday (11 a.m., BTN) in the season opener, Bush is already a leader who has earned the trust of his team and coaching staff.

“He’s prepared himself like he needs to prepare,’’ said Illini offensive coordinator Rod Smith. “There are never guarantees, but preparedness gives you the best shot. I hope it all translates on Saturdays.’’

https://illinois.rivals.com/news/illini-name-aj-bush-starting-quarterback