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The UnTouchable Report (Weeks 9-10)

Article By: NCAA Dynasty League

The UnTouchable Report

A rundown of the week's hottest games.





....................WEEK 9....................

#11 Florida State Seminoles #17 Miami Hurricanes

5-1 (3-0 ACC) chuskerpride

3-1 (1-0 ACC) OutRage

BACKGROUND The Seminoles have responded well since dropping the season opener to Marshall. They knocked off worthy opponents in USC and Clemson while laying waste to Central Florida, Wake Forest and Boston College. The Atlantic Division seems like theirs for the taking. The same can't be said for Miami, who plays in a clouded Coastal Division that also includes #2 Virginia Tech and #22 North Carolina. The Canes still have both of those games on the horizon but have their sights focused on the Noles for the time being.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR Miami has been surprising us with a solid defense this season, allowing just 10 points per game so far thanks to a pair of shutouts, including one at Ole Miss against tough coach UCWeiser. DB Brandon McGee, while only recording 2 tackles so far, has picked up 3 interceptions and a defensive touchdown this season. Combine him with LBs Denzel Perryman and Gionni Paul and the Miami defense is a force to be reckoned with. Their offense, however, is mediocre at best but it's getting the job done...barely. The Canes average just under 240 yards per game on offense due mostly to the elusiveness of RB Mike James, who's already scampered for 5 touchdowns through 4 games this season. The Seminoles are led on their offense by QB EJ Manuel, who's had a brilliant turnaround since that loss vs. Marshall. Manuel threw 4 picks in that game but has only thrown 3 in the five games since. He's completing 66% of his passes and has hit 9 different receivers (5 of those for TDs), most notably WR Rodney Smith, who's caught for 5 scores. RB Chris Thompson has also scored 5 times and is the sole reason the Noles lead the ACC in rush yards.

THE UNTOUCHABLE PREDICTION OutRage has done a fine job with Miami so far but it's just hard to bet against a streaking Florida State with all the weapons they have. Noles win in a close game.



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#4 TCU Horned Frogs #25 Oklahoma State Cowboys

5-1 (3-1 Big 12) BIGmike

5-1 (3-0 Big 12) SuperJakeB

BACKGROUND With games against Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Ohio State, Texas and Oklahoma, the last team the TCU Horned Frogs thought they would lose was against Texas Tech. And yet they were upset at home. And still yet, since there is no longer a Big 12 Championship, TCU is very much alive in the national championship race. That is, if they can get through the gauntlet of all the aforementioned teams, starting with the surprising 5-1 Cowboys. Few coaches enter the NDL and have such great success with their first high-caliber team. But SuperJake is showing off his super powers and can garner his biggest win yet if he can pull off the unthinkable here.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR The Horned Frogs rely heavily on the connection between QB Casey Pachall and WR Josh Boyce who have accounted for 8 touchdowns this season. Nearly 33% of Pachall's passes are headed in Boyce's direction and Pachall doesn't miss often: he's hitting 73% of his passes. TCU splits time between running backs Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker although it's hard to tell who's been more successful. Wesley has rushed for 529 yards but just 2 touchdowns while Tucker has rushed for 287 yards but 8 touchdowns. Look for a fresh Tucker to be the primary goalline back for the Frogs. On the flip side, the Cowboys are an extremely pass-heavy team, with more than 80% of their offensive production coming through the air. Look for QB Clint Chelf to channel his inner Brandon Wheedon and throw it well and often. Chelf and the Cowboys rank 2nd in the league in total pass yards per game (304) and 6th in the league in total offense. He's completing an astonishing 77% of his passes and chucked up 20 touchdowns while having 6 different receivers in double-digit receptions.

THE UNTOUCHABLE PREDICTION TCU showed holes in the pass defense against Tech and will struggle keeping up with a more proficient QB in Chelf. Oklahoma State gets the upset in a tight shootout.



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OTHERS TO WATCH FOR:

#14 South Carolina Gamecocks 4-2 (2-2 SEC) bigred

#5 Florida Gators 4-0 (3-0 SEC) Daw1git

-- Florida can increase it's lead on Mizzou and the Gamecocks in the SEC East with a big home win here.



#9 Michigan State Spartans 6-1 (3-0 B1G) Weasel

#12 Michigan Wolverines 3-1 (0-0 B1G) plasma1896

-- Michigan has yet to play a conference game but the winner of this one will sit atop the Legends Division all by themselves...at least temporarily.





***UPSET ALERT***

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide 5-0 (2-0 SEC) BFiVL

#20 Tennessee Volunteers 4-1 (0-1 SEC) Wasted Memory

-- WM and the Volunteers have been surprising everybody this season but can they do the unthinkable and knock off the #1 team in the land?







....................WEEK 10....................

#20 Tennessee Volunteers #14 South Carolina Gamecocks

4-1 (0-1 SEC) Wasted Memory

4-2 (2-2 SEC) bigred

BACKGROUND The SEC East is still crowded with talent but as the division games begin to rack up, so do the loss columns. Each of these teams already own a loss to another SEC East team but are still not out of the division race just yet. The biggest surprise this season has been Wasted Memory who, in his 6th year, has never had a winning season in the NDL. At 4-1, he certainly looks to be on track to get there now, especially after a big win over #25 Oklahoma State and a narrow loss to #5 Florida. The Gamecocks dropped even narrower losses to Missouri and LSU and still have Florida on the horizon but a loss here would all but spell a trip to the Gator Bowl.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR The Volunteers owe a large part of their success to a stout defense and a balanced offense that knows how to control the tempo of the game. DB Eric Gordon has already picked off opponents 7 times while DB Prentiss Waggner has added 4 more. The Vols ranks 9th in the league in total offense thanks to conference-leading passer Tyler Bray. Tennessee likes to mix up the passes and runs, taking their time moving the ball down the field. They rank 5th in time of possession because of it. The Gamecocks will want to force some turnovers if they want to take the Vols off their game. South Carolina's defense is agressive, recording 3 sacks per game and forcing opposing QBs to release the ball early from the pocket. Besides Marcus Lattimore, however, the Gamecocks are struggling on offense and it showed in their two losses. QB Connor Shaw has thrown 9 picks to just 3 touchdowns while completing barely 60% of his passes. When he does drop back, look for Shaw to find WR Ace Sanders. Sanders has twice as many more receptions than any other receiver on the team.

THE UNTOUCHABLE PREDICTION The Gamecocks aren't forcing enough turnovers while turning the ball over too much themselves to make this one a game. Tennessee continues rolling in their Cinderella season.



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#9 Michigan State Spartans #10 Wisconsin Badgers

6-1 (3-0 B1G) Weasel

5-1 (2-0 Big 12) dcane7

BACKGROUND I remember spotlighting this game last season and after all was said and done, the game lived up to the hype. I picked the Spartans to win but the Badgers were the ones that came out on top with the 34-28 victory. The Spartans would get the last laugh, however, winning the B1G Championship over the Badgers and avenging their loss. Now we find as big of a rubber match between two coaches with two teams as I can remember in recent memory. Both have losses to Top 10 teams this season but don't let that hamper the big game feeling this one already has tagged on it.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR Michigan State QB Andrew Maxwell is arguably the most prolific quarterback in the NDL this season. He leads the league in yards (1870) while not even grazing the Top 10 QBs in passing attempts and barely sneaking in at 9th in completions (97). That puts his yards per completion at over 19 and he's also completing 78% of his passes while throwing 18 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. Maxwell spreads the love across the field but look for him to hit WRs Bennie Fowler, Tony Lippett, and Keith Mumphery the most, but keep on eye on the dump off or screen pass to RB LeVeon Bell. Bell has 16 receptions for 211 yards this season. Wisconsin QB Danny O'Brien is also pretty dynamic in his own right, passing for nearly 250 yards per game. His favorite target, however, is his tight end whom he's connected with 34 times this season. The next closest receiver has just 15 receptions so look for Jacob Pederson to be targeted often. RB Montee Ball hasn't been the force many thought he would be but he still has the break-away speed to make some big plays in the open field. But it's a defense that's recording 4 sacks and only giving up 15 points per game that's keeping the Badgers in the win column.

THE UNTOUCHABLE PREDICTION The rubber match is not the end. These two teams WILL meet again in the B1G Championship game. But for reasons unknown, I'm going with the Spartans.



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OTHERS TO WATCH FOR:

#4 TCU Horned Frogs 5-1 (3-1 Big 12) BIGmike

West Virginia 5-2 (2-2 Big 12) Talented3

-- Two of the best coaches in the history of the NDL clash in a pivotal conference game with postseason implications.



#16 UTEP Miners 5-1 (1-1 C-USA) ChampDizzle

Houston Cougars 2-1 (1-0 C-USA) RanDawg

-- Conference USA has a plethora of talented coaches and ChampDizzle and the Miners are looking to dethrone perennial C-USA powerhouse Houston this season.



***UPSET ALERT***

Texas Tech Red Raiders 2-3 (1-2 Big 12) UnTouchable8

#15 Texas Longhorns 3-1 (1-1 Big 12) VeniVediV1ci

-- After the Red Raiders upset BIGmike and the Horned Frogs, I spoke to the coach and he said he's focusing all his efforts into making sure he leaves Austin with a W.

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