Coming off a 10-win campaign of a season ago, which included a bowl victory over USC, Wisconsin returns 11 starters this season. QB Brandon Harris isn’t a great QB, but I’d give the advantage to him over first time starter Bart Houston, since Harris has experience and more weapons.
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Houston completed 22 of 33 passes in Wisconsin’s 24-13 victory over IL and impressed Illini guard Teddy Karras, who said: “You nearly wish Joel Stave would have played the whole game”. The opportunity we have is to play our best game, and that’s what you work for, and that’s what you get to go out and do each and every Saturday. “I’m expecting more of a home-game feel, which will be nice”.
Apparently Fournette’s ankle sprain, more so than Buddy Holly’s demise, is LSU football’s version of the day the music died. I think it’ll continue to evolve.
The Crimson Tide lost starting quarterback Jake Coker and Heisman Trophy victor running back Derrick Henry on offense, along with linebacker Reggie Ragland and several other starters on defense.
More on the linemen: “I like where they’re at with the cards that have been handed to them, but we still gotta keep going”. A lot of guys are from the South, different parts of the country, and to be able to go up to the heart of Wisconsin, to see who we’re playing for and who we’re affecting, it was definitely important. “He practiced extremely well last week, and we would expect him to not miss a beat”. “As far as during the game, I’m not concerned about Lambeau leaping, I’m trying to get a win”. We like the group of down linemen with Olive [Sagapolu] and Alec [James] and Conor [Sheehy] and Chikwe [Obasih]; the personality of [Chris] Orr and [Jack] Cichy and T.J. Edwards. “Each guy gets four, and believe me, the in-state guys have been pulling at the out-of-state kids for tickets”. “The personality will come out of them, and that’s what we’re looking for”. The loss of center Dan Voltz is a major hit, especially when going up against a LSU defensive line that is led by Davon Godchaux and consistently shuts down opposing run games.
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Two, LSU’s high-level recruiting, SEC location, culture of competing for a national title, not just conference title, yearly and it’s steady stream of NFL draft picks gives them the advantage (and in some mock drafts, they have seven first rounders). “You gotta be careful I think in game planning and preparation that you’re not creating “ghosts” or things that could happen”. “And then being one of the best players on the team, you want to be out there working out with them”. I think those are natural tendencies of guys that are really competitive. Chryst also mentioned that it’s not just Houston but anyone else on the team, including Vince Biegel and Corey Clement.
