Week 5 of the college football calendar is upon us, and with it, the meeting between the Air Force Falcons and Navy Midshipmen. To help you organize your Saturday, Mark Schofield tells you what to look for in Air Force vs. Navy and other key matchups.
CFB Week 4 Film Reviews
CFB Big Block: LSU pulled away late to knock off Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. Running back Leonard Fournette had another big day on the ground, and fullback John David Moore played a key role in one of LSU’s biggest plays of the game.
CFB Big Throw: James Madison went on the road this week, traveling into the heart of Texas to take on SMU in Dallas. Quarterback Vad Lee had a huge game for the FCS squad, becoming the school’s single-game rushing leader. But it was his perfect throw with seconds remaining that propelled the Dukes to the victory.
CFB Efficient Drive: Last Friday, Stanford went on the road and scored a nice Pac-12 victory against Oregon State. The Cardinal’ impressive three-play touchdown drive combined design, situational play calling and perfect execution.
CFB Key Drive: The No. 2 team in the country was sputtering a bit on offense in their game against Central Michigan. While Michigan State had scored on its three first-half drives, the Spartans were not clicking offensively. Late in the third quarter, they returned to basics, with impressive results.
CFB Week 5 Film Previews
Air Force Running Game Part One: With the Commander-in-Chief Trophy up for grabs, Inside the Pylon dove deep into the matchup between Air Force and Navy. In Part 1, we outline the basic elements of Air Force’s flexbone rushing attack.
Air Force Running Game Part Two: While the flexbone triple option makes up the core element of the Falcons’ running game, they throw a number of wrinkles at a defense when moving the football on the ground. Let this piece be your guide at what Air Force has up its sleeve.
Navy Running Game: Like their counterparts, the Midshipmen rely on the flexbone, triple option as the base for their running attack. Here is what Navy does on the ground, complete with all their twists and barrel rolls.
Navy Passing Game: The Midshipmen are lucky to have a veteran signal-caller triggering their offense in Keenan Reynolds. They do not throw often but when they do, the senior has the potential to make big plays on each pass.
Clemson Attacking the Middle: The Tigers and quarterback Deshaun Watson have made big plays attacking the middle of the field in the passing game so far in 2015. Here are some concepts they might use in their big non-conference tilt against Notre Dame, including the elements of surprise and deception.
Playoff Implications
The non-conference matchup between the Tigers and the Fighting Irish is a big game this weekend, with the loser facing an uphill battle to claw their way into the playoffs. Third ranked TCU got a big scare last Saturday against Texas Tech, and you can be sure that another in-state rival would love to knock off the Horned Frogs this Saturday when the Texas Longhorns come to town. Finally, three more SEC games have big implications, with Florida squaring off against Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia locking horns, and Mississippi State taking on Texas A&M. Finally, West Virginia and Oklahoma face off in Norman, with the winner keeping its Big-12 championship hopes alive.
Heisman Implications
After his huge day against Syracuse, LSU running back Leonard Fournette remains the front-runner for this post-season award. Georgia’s Nick Chubb has a chance to make some noise in this conversation with a big day against the Crimson Tide. Finally, after TCU’s thrilling win against Texas Tech, TCU QB Trevone Boykin is back in the mix for the Heisman, where many predicted he would be when putting together such lists this summer.
Draft Implications
Pittsburgh may be off to a slow start this season, but wide receiver Tyler Boyd is one of the better prospects at that position this year. But he faces a big test when the Panthers match up with the Virginia Tech Hokies secondary.
But in terms of a matchup between a WR and a CB, look no further than the Florida-Ole Miss game. Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell is perhaps the top WR in the class. He’ll see a lot of attention in this game from Vernon Hargreaves III, perhaps the top CB in this draft class. Set your DVRs for this game.
Finally, two quarterbacks square off from opposite ends of the hype spectrum when Ohio State and Indiana clash. Cardale Jones, off his three-game stint last season en route to the National Championship, began the year as a projected first round pick by many prognosticators. But his struggles have many questioning his pro prospects. On the other side of the field stands Indiana QB Nate Sudfeld, a name that is flying under the radar right now. But the senior has completed 61% of his passes in 2015 for 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns, with only one interception. A big game against the Buckeyes might move him up a few draft boards.
Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkSchofield.
Mark Schofield has always loved football. He breaks down film, scouts prospects, and explains the passing game for Inside the Pylon.
All video and images courtesy NFL Game Pass.