All through the school soccer season, we’ll be taking a late-week have a look at potential play or fade probabilities for the upcoming motion. Whereas this train might need a bit extra readability in upcoming weeks as groups get into convention schedules and transfer on from varied non-league video games, usually towards lower-tier opposition, we have nonetheless seen sufficient within the first two weeks to establish potential risers and fallers in upcoming video games.
We’ll transfer down the record in alphabetical order as we establish some potential faculty soccer betting worth for Week 3.
Appalachian State -2.5 at Southern Miss
Verdict: Play
Solar Belt sources point out to not overreact an excessive amount of to final week’s closer-than-expected 20-13 win over Lindenwood. The Mountaineers ought to have been in a position to lengthen the margin a lot additional, outgaining the FCS Lions 503-216, however stored capturing themselves within the foot with 4 giveaways. On the plus facet for App State has been switch QB A.J. Swann, who flashed some upside in earlier work at Vanderbilt earlier than sitting behind Garrett Nussmeier at LSU final 12 months. Swann might flourish in Boone and appears to be working in sync with new head coach Dowell Loggains, who gained discover recently as an OC, most not too long ago at South Carolina. Swann, a real gunslinger, has handed for 662 yards and 5 TDs within the first two video games, which features a 34-11 rout of Charlotte within the opener at Financial institution of America Stadium.
California +1.5 vs. Minnesota
Verdict: Play
We’ll begin to discover out much more concerning the Golden Bears this Saturday. What has them abuzz in Strawberry Canyon is true freshman southpaw QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who appeared like a longshot to win the beginning job in fall camp with Ohio State switch Devin Brown broadly thought-about the favourite. However as a substitute, Sagapolutele impressed a lot in fall camp that he received the job and instantly appeared like an skilled upperclassman, passing for 3 TDs within the opening romp at Oregon State. His pose, accuracy, and decision-making already look legit, and thru two weeks he is handed for greater than 500 yards as Cal has appeared much more harmful than many ACC pundits have been predicting. The Golden Gophers may present extra of a measure the place the Bears actually stand, however regardless, we might control Cal in coming weeks if the freshman is for actual.
Coastal Carolina +7.5 vs. East Carolina
Verdict: Fade
Solar Belt sources warn of a possible important downgrade with the Chanticleers, who’ve appeared about as unimpressive as might be of their 1-1 begin. Coastal hasn’t come near overlaying both recreation, blown out by Virginia within the opener after which struggling mightily as a four-TD favourite final week vs. FCS Charleston Southern. That labored 13-0 win might need been much more of a purple flag, because the offense could not get out of its personal means with three giveaways, and nursing solely a 3-0 lead into the fourth quarter. The offense has been atrocious, particularly NC State switch QB M.J. Morris, whose two-game stat line options 4 picks and 0 TD passes. Morris was so erratic final week vs. the Bucs that he was pulled effectively into the second half for backup Tad Hudson after practically tossing his fourth choose of the sport. Hudson supplied a quick spark, main the one TD drive of the evening, however head coach Tim Beck appears to have a number of questions and few solutions for his offense earlier than convention play kicks into gear subsequent week.
Memphis -3.5 at Troy
Verdict: Play
Ryan Silverfield and the Tigers pulled off one of many sneaky good switch portal strikes of the offseason after they liberated QB Brendon Lewis from Nevada, the place he was enjoying beneath siege the previous two seasons after beforehand working beneath duress at Colorado within the pre-Deion Sanders days. Lewis, who took a lot of the snaps in 2021 for Karl Dorrell’s Buffaloes, performed at first of the next 2022 marketing campaign however would left earlier than midseason simply as Dorrell was dismissed, saving a 12 months of eligibility, and successfully giving him this sixth 12 months. A legit dual-threat who ran for practically 800 yards final 12 months with the Wolf Pack, Lewis, for the primary time, now has a legit supporting forged round him and will not be operating for his life as he usually was in Reno and Boulder.
He is additionally offering a little bit of a unique twist for the Memphis offense and the full-blown aerial present that includes Seth Henigan the previous few years. Reviews from the Bluff Metropolis are that Silverfield and his workers are fairly happy with Lewis and his early work, because the Tigers are a spiffy 2-0 each straight up and ATS, with Lewis finishing practically 80% of his passes and for good measure main the Tigers in dashing. With consideration targeted at South Florida and elsewhere within the American, Memphis may proceed to fly beneath the radar for some time.
Stanford +11.5 vs. Boston School
Verdict: Fade
We really feel like we’re kicking the Cardinal after they’re down, and we’re not the one ones. It is a miserable state of affairs on the Farm. However there seems to be to be no means out this autumn for Stanford, which endured a tumultuous offseason when head coach Troy Taylor was compelled out as a consequence of an off-the-field state of affairs, and NFL veteran Frank Reich was lured to Palo Alto on an interim foundation by new Stanford Soccer GM Andrew Luck, tabbing his final professional soccer coach to navigate what at all times appeared like a tough state of affairs. Reich, who’s contemplating this fall to be an audition for the everlasting job, ought to perhaps have thought twice, as he inherited a roster devoid of playmakers.
There are greater questions relating to the course of this system, now enlisted within the far-flung ACC, with entrance necessities way more stringent than most faculties, and, so far no less than, reluctant to get into the NIL cash seize regardless of the huge wealth of the Stanford alumni base. On the sphere, Reich has his crew enjoying laborious by way of two weeks, however the offense is severely restricted, with Oregon State switch Ben Gulbranson the very best Reich has at QB. The offense merely has little juice and did not even get on the scoreboard till it managed a area purpose within the fourth quarter in final week’s loss at BYU. With two losses and two unfold Ls already on the ledger, the slate will get no simpler with gnarly Boston School touring to California this weekend.
Temple +21.5 vs. Oklahoma
Verdict: Play
From the skin, head coach Okay.C. Keeler’s offseason transfer from Sam Houston to Temple appeared curious. Keeler, in spite of everything, had received large in Huntsville and been on the helm for the Bearkats in what had been a profitable transition to the FBS ranks, and even managed a bowl win final December vs. Georgia Southern. Why Temple? Nicely, Keeler is a local of the Delaware Valley, performed faculty soccer at Delaware, and had his first head teaching job at close by Rowan in Glassboro, NJ. Granted, lopsided wins over UMass and Howard may not imply a lot, however for the Owls, any excellent news is welcomed, and Keeler’s crew has appeared well-drilled and targeted. Holdover QB Evan Simon, who impressed at occasions within the deposed Stan Drayton regime, has been spot-on by way of two video games, tossing 9 TD passes and 0 picks. Issues get rather a lot harder with Oklahoma visiting the Linc on Saturday, however Keeler is used to large challenges, and appears like he has a QB that can hold slinging the ball for 60 minutes and perhaps hold the again door open. Whereas staying shut with the high-ranked Sooners is likely to be an enormous ask this weekend, we might control Temple shifting ahead.
UCLA -15.5 vs. New Mexico
Verdict: Fade
Longtime Bruins watchers are petrified of the course of this system beneath DeShaun Foster, an alum and star RB for UCLA a technology in the past and the primary name AD Martin Jarmond made after Chip Kelly’s abrupt resignation effectively after the 2023 season concluded. There’s concern among the many followers that this is likely to be one of many worst Westwood editions since World Warfare II — the identical issues the supporters had final fall earlier than midseason, when Foster was in a position to forge a modest turnaround and a three-game win streak. No less than UCLA had a salty protection final season that ranked within the prime ten nationally in rush protection.
By way of two weeks within the new marketing campaign, the Bruins have not been in a position to cease a light-weight breeze. They have been manhandled by Utah and pushed round by UNLV, conceding 217 dashing yards per recreation in a disturbing 0-2 begin. That is been extra of an underlying situation than the more-publicized struggles of QB Nico Iamaleava, whose NIL controversy within the spring at Tennessee made headlines earlier than an efficient “commerce” with the Bruins that noticed App State switch Joey Aguilar, who had impressed Foster in spring follow, transfer to the Volunteers virtually as quickly as Nico confirmed up for exercises at Spaulding Subject. Iamaleava hasn’t been horrible by way of two weeks, however he hasn’t been nice, and his stats pale compared to Aguilar, one thing duly famous in Knoxville. With the rugged Massive Ten slate on deck, the Bruins may not have a greater probability to attain their first win than Friday evening on the Rose Bowl vs. New Mexico. Nonetheless, ought to UCLA actually be laying greater than two TDs today?
Utah State +4.5 vs. Air Power
Verdict: Play
A number of Mountain West insiders authorised when the Aggies employed head coach Bronco Mendenhall this offseason. Mendenhall, after all, spent greater than a decade profitable large at BYU earlier than making a profession change throughout the nation to Virginia, the place he rapidly acquired the Cavs up to the mark and even into the Orange Bowl in 2019 earlier than taking what amounted to a two-year sabbatical. Mendenhall resurfaced at New Mexico final 12 months and rapidly elevated the Lobos into nuisance standing for opponents earlier than shifting again nearer his residence base in Logan. Although a defensive specialist all through a lot of his profession, Mendenhall’s latest groups at UVA and New Mexico have been additionally identified for his or her potent offenses, and the Aggies appear to be following go well with behind veteran QB Bryson Barnes, who had beforehand began for Utah and owns a win over USC and its reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams in a 2023 thriller on the LA Coliseum. Although the Aggies acquired a bit sloppy late within the opening win and canopy vs. UTEP, Barnes and the offense stored plugging away final week at Texas A&M and ended up comfortably inside the large unfold at School Station. Air Power comes calling to Logan this week, and Mendenhall has handled the choice earlier than, together with final 12 months when his Lobos ran away from the Falcons 52-37.
Wisconsin +21 at Alabama
Verdict: Fade
The Badgers cleared a really low bar by beginning an anticipated 2-0 at Camp Randall as large favorites vs. each Miami-Ohio and Center Tennessee. And Wisconsin even acquired a canopy vs. the Blue Raiders. But it surely wasn’t straightforward, as Luke Fickell had QB Danny O’Neil nonetheless winging the ball within the fourth quarter with a cushty lead, twice tossing TD passes to clear a four-TD unfold after Derek Mason’s outmanned crew had stayed inside 4 factors till halfway within the third. Fickell, who’s reportedly hellbent to re-establish a smashmouth model harking back to the Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema years at Madison, has as a substitute seen his crew put up decidedly modest dashing numbers vs. a pair of outmanned foes, barely exceeding 4 yards per carry — and even that was with a 61-yard run by Trech Kekahuna figured in final week vs. MTSU. So, the previous “Badger identification” has but to be recaptured, and Fickell is outwardly going to be using once more this week at Bama with O’Neil, the backup, beginning beneath heart. Maryland switch Billy Edwards Jr. appears unlikely to play after struggling an harm within the Miami recreation and lacking final week. Wisconsin additionally should face a Crimson Tide crew that received large 42-10 final September at Camp Randall.
