Weekend Walk-through: Week Five, 2022

Here’s a quick walk-through of things we are watching this weekend in games we did not preview individually. Items will appear in the order they will appear on your televisions this weekend.

Battle of Undefeated Pac-12 Teams (Friday 10:30 PM EDT, ESPN)

Washington and UCLA will provide the appetizer Friday night with an exciting match-up in the Pac-12. The Huskies and Bruins are both 4 – 0 behind the strength of a high scoring offense and a solid defense. Washington has had the tougher road to date and will be playing on the road Friday night. While both teams average over 40 points per game they have taken different approaches to get there.

Washington’s offense is built around the big play passing ability of Michael Penix. The transfer quarterback from Indiana has thrived in the downfield passing attack. He has an excellent pair of receivers that help stretch the defense and open up the shorter areas of the field, creating space for the running game and throws underneath. Washington’s offensive line has given Penix the time to find favorable match-ups and the star quarterback is playing the best ball of his career.

On the other hand, UCLA has built their offense around their diverse running game. The Bruins feature Zach Charbonnet as their primary back, but have a dynamic running threat in quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and will mix in other backs and the occasional receiver to give the defense more looks. With the defense guessing and cheating to slow down the UCLA running game, Thompson-Robinson is able to find windows in the passing game to do more damage.

Both styles have been effective so far and will make for an exciting match-up leading into the weekend.

Watch-out for the Gophers (12 EDT, ESPN2)

The Big Ten West was one of the tougher divisions to handicap before the season, during September it was Minnesota that took the pole position in the division. The Gophers are 4 – 0 and have won all four games in dominant fashion. While New Mexico State, Western Illinois and Colorado could be written off as weaker opponents, the 34 – 7 win over Michigan State last week certainly raised some eyebrows. This week Minnesota will face a tough Purdue team that has proven to be a difficult out.

Purdue is 2 – 2, they had the lead late against Penn State and Syracuse, but could not hold on for the win. Minnesota has not been challenged yet, so this could be the first time this season the Gophers are in a close game in the fourth quarter. Minnesota has been able to run the ball with Mohamed Ibrahim, taking the pressure off of Tanner Morgan in the passing game. If Purdue can keep the game tight, we might see Morgan have to make plays late in the game.

Minnesota is out in front in the Big Ten West, but to finish the race in first they will need to win close games in conference play.

Minnesota Golden Gophers Gear

Bielema and Illinois Visit Wisconsin (12 EDT, BTN)

Bret Bielema has a very successful tenure at Wisconsin from 2006 to 2012 and will return to Camp Randall Stadium for the first time with a 3 – 1 Illinois team. The Fighting Illini lost 24 – 0 at home a year ago, but appear to be much improved and will aim for a different result on the road this season.

Illinois has an excellent defense that can keep them in any game. At the beginning of the season the offense was dependent on star running back, Chase Brown, making big plays. Wisconsin may have struggled against Ohio State last week, but their defense will make things difficult for a one dimensional offense. Fortunately for the Illini, as the season has progressed Tommy DeVito has settled in at quarterback and he has found reliable options in the passing game to compliment the strong running attack. With a more well rounded offense and an aggressive defense, Bielema will hope to have a triumphant return to Madison.

Illinois Fighting Illini Gear

Iowa’s Defense Aims to Shut Down Michigan’s Offense (12 EDT, FOX)

Michigan rolled through the out of conference portion of the schedule, but had a tougher go against Maryland in the Big Ten opener. Michigan’s offense was not nearly as effective as it had been the first three weeks, but a big performance by Blake Corum saved the day for the Wolverines. Iowa‘s defense is one of the best in the country and will look to lead the team to an upset win on Saturday.

The Hawkeyes do not have an explosive offense, at times this year the offense has been completely reliant of the defense to not only stop opponents but also create turnovers and score or set the offense up with a short field. Despite the pressure to be nearly perfect, Iowa has excelled on the defensive side of the ball. Iowa has the best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 5.8 points per game. They are top five in yards per play, yards per pass attempt and yards per carry, showing no real weaknesses for an offense to attack.

Iowa needs a big win to build some momentum for the rest of the season. They are at home against a Michigan team that is largely untested to date and whose quarterback is making the fourth start of his career. If Iowa’s defense can continue to play at a high level they could lead the Hawkeyes to an upset win at home.

Iowa Hawkeyes Gear

SEC Showdown Between Kentucky and Ole Miss (12 EDT, ESPN)

There are a couple of big games in the SEC this weekend, but the one featuring two unbeaten teams in Kentucky and Ole Miss. The Wildcats have a week two win in Gainesville on their resume, along with three nondescript out of conference wins. The Rebels have navigated their out of conference schedule with relative ease, but now prepare for a tough in conference slate, particularly on the back-end.

Despite their success so far this season, there are still plenty of questions being asked about how good these two teams actually are. Kentucky has a good win over Florida, but that win has lost some luster as Florida has struggled since. The Rebels toughest win is over Tulsa so there are no big names on their resume. This game could be a good indicator of who is truly a contender in the SEC and which team is just the beneficiary of a favorable draw early in the season.

Kentucky has clearly elevated the level of talent in the program and has some dynamic young receivers that are fun to watch. Lane Kiffin has used the transfer portal to add stars like Jaxson Dart and Zach Evans to the team. This will be an entertaining game that tells us a lot about both teams.

Florida State’s Prove It Game (3:30 EDT, ABC)

After several seasons of struggles, Florida State has hit the ground running in 2022. The Seminoles are 4 – 0 and have win over LSU, Louisville and Boston College. Saturday they will host a high scoring Wake Forest team that won the ACC Atlantic last year and is coming off an overtime loss to Clemson.

So far critics have been able to explain away some of Florida State’s big wins. LSU was playing the season opener with a new head coach and it remains to be seen how good they actually are. Louisville and Boston College are not considered top tier ACC teams and could be near the bottom of the conference standings by the end of the season. That said, after the success Wake Forest had a season ago and the way they just competed for four quarters with Clemson, there is little doubt that the Demon Deacons are a good football team and a tough opponent.

That makes this the biggest game of Florida State’s season to date. It also begins the toughest stretch of the season for the Seminoles with games against Wake Forest, NC State and Clemson the next three weeks. With those games looming the next few weeks, Florida State’s competitive stamina will be tested during this stretch. This is a big game that could set the tone for the rest of Florida State’s season, for better or for worse.

Cowboys and Bears at it Again in the Big 12 (3:30 EDT, FOX)

The Big 12 Championship came down to Oklahoma State and Baylor a year ago, the teams split two games with Baylor winning the decisive match-up in the conference title game. With Texas and Oklahoma already losing games in conference play this year, both teams know they have a chance to make another run to the conference championship.

The Cowboys’ offense has been great early on this season, though their toughest opponent was a dysfunctional Arizona State squad. Baylor lost a close game to BYU, but has been solid offensively and appears to be strong defensively again this year. Both of last year’s games were won by the team that got to 20 points, while this one may not be as much of a defensive showdown as last year’s meetings it would be surprising to see one of these teams run away with the game.

The Big 12 is changing in the near future, but Oklahoma State and Baylor are showing they are the main contenders in the conference right now.

Alabama and Akransas Showdown (3:30 EDT, CBS)

The marquis SEC match-up of the weekend is Alabama‘s trip to Arkansas. The Tide are 4 – 0, dominating Utah State, UL Monroe and Vanderbilt and squeaking out a 20 – 19 win at Texas. Arkansas is 3 – 1, but could be 4 – 0, but for their go-ahead field-goal attempt hitting the upright against Texas A&M. Sam Pittman has clearly improved the Razorback’s program and is looking to become a consistent challenger against Alabama.

Alabama is loaded as usual, with highly touted recruits at every position. There is some question about how good the offense is due to their sub-par performance against Texas, but they have lit up the scoreboard the other three weeks. This is the second time this year that Alabama will face a team that can provide some resistance, it will be important for Alabama’s offense to have a good outing.

Arkansas came up just a bit short in an emotional game against Texas A&M. The Razorbacks are a good football team, but they will have to rebound quickly and come out of the gate re-energized. Alabama is too good for Arkansas to have a sluggish start. If Arkansas can get off to a good start and keep their running attack in play, they will be able to compete on Saturday.

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