College Football Week 5 Buy/Sell

A third of the College Football Season is already in the books. Here are the teams I am buying and selling heading into Week 5.

Buy-

Miami Ohio- the Red Hawks sit at 1-3 but were underdogs in all 3 road losses, HC Chuck Martin’s teams are known for starting out slow and then rounding into form during conference play, look for QB Brett Gabbert to return to his 2019 form against weaker MAC defenses as the team contends for its 2nd MAC title in 3 years

Iowa State- yes 2021 has been a disappointment so far for the Cyclones sitting at 2-2 through 4 games, things are not as bad as they seem though, in both losses the team outgained their opponent by a wide margin, costly turnovers and big plays allowed on special teams have been the difference, there is just too much talent and experience not to get it turned around, with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas remaining this team will factor into the Big 12 Championship race

Sell-

Virginia- was an ACC team that I was buying to start the season and thought could contend for the ACC Coastal Division title, that didn’t change after an impressive 2-0 start, QB Brennan Armstrong has put up big numbers throwing for over 400 yards in 3 out of 4 games, however the defense has been shredded in 2 straight losses to North Carolina and Wake Forest giving up over 1,000 total yards, with a handful of tough opponents left on the schedule including non- conference games vs Notre Dame and BYU a second consecutive 500 season is a likely outcome

Arkansas State- after a 4-7 season in 2020 the Red Wolves were a Sun Belt team I was buying to start the year with the hiring of HC Butch Jones who had great success at 2 non power 5 stops, Jones has the team sitting at 1-3 in his first season, outside of the 52-3 drubbing at Washington they have looked respectable, James Blackman has emerged as the starting QB over Layne Hatcher, Blackman is capable of putting up big numbers but has been plagued by turnovers going back to his days at FSU and isn’t someone I trust in the big moments, the remaining schedule is a brutal with Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, and Appalachian State awaiting, getting back to a bowl may have to wait until 2022

Middle Tennessee- after back to back losing seasons the Blue Raiders were a team I was buying to start the season with the pickup of NC State transfer QB Bailey Hockman along with a plethora of returning starters back on defense, Hockman has left the program after only 3 games, making his first career start QB Chase Cunningham performed admirably throwing for 379 yards and 5 touchdowns in a shootout loss at Charlotte last week, however the defense has once again been an issue ranking 96th in rush yards allowed and 88th in pass yards allowed, sitting at 1-3 and with Marshall and Liberty next on the schedule a third straight sub 500 season could spell the end of Rick Stockstill’s 16 year run as HC

Hold-

Cal- the Golden Bears were a Pac 12 team I was buying to start the year, just like last year the team has struggled to close the deal in tight games losing by 2 at TCU and by 7 in OT at Washington, QB Chase Garbers has completed 66% of his passes and thrown for 1093 yards but must cut down the interceptions, it isn’t time to panic yet but the pressure is on Justin Wilcox and the staff to get things turned around, there are still a number of winnable games left on the schedule, this team is better than their 1-3 record