Week 8 Service Academy Football Predictions

A couple of big wins this week for Air Force over UNLV and Army over Colgate. Navy had every chance to get a win over SMU but fell short.

By Steve Wright

Week Results: 2-1.

Closest Pick: Army 38, Colgate 17. The Actual was Army 42, Colgate 17. I liked Army to come out offensively and make a statement against their FCS foes, which they did.

Worst Pick: Navy 35, SMU 21. The Actual was SMU 40, Navy 34. The only miss was with the Mids who had a back-and-forth battle with SMU before going down.

Season Results: 10-5 (67%). Last week I was at 67%. Eventually, I will move away from this 67% zone.

Houston @ Navy – The 2-4 Mids rallied in a big way to almost run down SMU in the fourth quarter last time out. Navy was an onside kick recovery away from a hail mary to win the game after a 20-point final stanza with the Mustangs chasing shadows. They will be facing a 3-3 Houston side that roared back themselves in their last game, coming from 26-7 down (and dead in the water) at the start of the fourth quarter to stun Memphis 33-32. A 100-yard kick return for a touchdown helped, but the inspired play of quarterback Clayton Tune and his three touchdowns in the quarter led the comeback.

Navy gave up way too many big plays against SMU, about the only way you can lose when you rush for 370-plus yards and hold the ball for over 40 minutes. I like Navy to turn it around here. Navy 31, Houston 28.

Boise State @ Air Force – Air Force turned over Boise State in Idaho 24-17 last season for their first win on the Smurf Turf since 2015. They warmed up nicely for this one by dismantling UNLV 42-7 on the road last time out, but this is expected to be a much sterner test. The Falcons are once against rushing better than anyone in the country, they average almost 360 yards per game on the ground, which will be important against a Boise offense that knows how to move the ball. Air Force 31, Boise State 24.

UL Monroe @ Army – A couple of two-win teams meet here as the 2-5 Black Knights host the 2-5 Warhawks. Army crushed Colgate without a heap of players – including their top five rushers – but players like Tyhier Tyler and Jakobi Buchanan should be back. If they are, then I expect Army to run right through the Warhawks’ weak interior run defense for at least 250 yards. Army 38, UL Monroe 21.

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