AccuScore provides industry leading sports simulations, game forecasts, betting predictions, and fantasy tools for the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAAF and NCAAB.

Jonathan Lee

AccuScore Analyst

Twitter @thejonlee

College football is finally back.  While Thursday’s opening slate consists mostly of small conference schools and FCS teams, there are three actual BCS match-ups including one conference game to whet your appetites before a full schedule on Saturday.

North Carolina State at South Carolina
AccuScore Projection

South Carolina is a big favorite against what should be an overmatched North Carolina State squad.  The Gamecocks will follow this game with one at Vanderbilt before starting their SEC schedule with a big-time showdown with No.1 Georgia.  The first thing that needs to be settled before that however is the quarterback situation.  Steve Spurrier has named Tommy Beecher the starter, and he is projected for a nice game with 240 yards and nearly 2 touchdowns on average according to AccuScore simulations.  This is however Beecher’s first start, and most fans want to see Stephen Garcia on the field.  Running back Taylor Rank is not a highlight-reel type of back, but he is solid and is projected for nearly 100 yards and a score.

The Wolfpack will continue its growing pains under coach Tom O’Brien again this year.  They will also be breaking in a new signal-caller as Russell Wilson gets his first career start.  It is projected to not go nearly as well as Beecher’s as Wilson is throwing for just 100 yards and more interceptions than touchdowns in simulations.  North Carolina State has almost no chance to win this game if it turns the ball over multiple times.  Starting running back Jamelle Eugene is also expected to miss the opener so Andre Brown will likely get the bulk of carries.  AccuScore expects this game to be a route with South Carolina winning by over 11 points on average, and 45 percent of the time by at least 2 touchdowns.

Wake Forest at Baylor
AccuScore Projection

Jim Grobe has proven in recent years that he is one of the best coaches in the country.  He has taken Wake Forest, a small school in comparison to most of its big conference competition, to a consistent winning level.  The Demon Deacons should once again be in contention for an ACC championship.  Baylor hired Art Briles away from Houston to try and achieve the same kind of success down in Waco, Texas.  The rebuilding will take some time however, and Wake Forest is a huge favorite according to AccuScore simulations.

The Demon Deacons are winning over 80 percent of the time, 60 percent by double digits.  Quarterback Riley Skinner is back for his senior year, and he should have a good start with 200 yards and one touchdown.  ACC freshman of the year Josh Adams returns at running back, and he should be the real offensive star in this game averaging nearly six yards per carry and at least one score.  Briles has kept his starting quarterback a secret.  Any of the three candidates – incumbent Blake Syzmanski, Miami transfer Kirby Freeman, or freshman Robert Griffin – could start this game, and all three could possible see the field tonight.  Currently AccuScore has Freeman starting and doing fairly well, but throwing more interceptions than touchdowns.  In order to keep this game close, Baylor will have to limit turnovers and not provide Wake Forest with opportunities for easy scores.

Oregon State at Stanford
AccuScore Projection

Stanford has an air of optimism about the program with the high-energy Jim Harbaugh at the helm.  Recruiting has been going extremely well, but those players aren’t in the program quite yet.  Tavita Pritchard is back at quarterback after leading the Cardinal to that memorable upset of USC a year ago.  He struggled mightily after that game however, and had to fend off challenges this season from Michigan transfer Jason Forcier and freshman Andrew Luck.  Pritchard is projected for a poor game with fewer than 170 yards passing and more interceptions than touchdowns against the Beavers.  He will need to improve his play greatly from a year ago, or he will likely find himself on the bench.  Anthony Kimble and Toby Gerhart will likely share carries after battling injuries a year ago.

Opinions on Oregon State vary greatly this year.  It really depends on if you believe in this program that continually has consistently won no matter the personnel this century or that no team can survive losing its entire defensive front seven and relying on three freshmen at running back.  Quarterback Lyle Moevao is set to be the man at quarterback after battling Sean Canfield all of last season and through spring and fall camps.  He is not flashy, but is projected for a much more efficient game than his Stanford foil throwing for more scores than turnovers.  Redshirt freshman Ryan McCants, described as a smaller Steven Jackson (as if being 230 lbs. is small), will carry the load backed up by Jacquizz Rodgers and Jeremy Francis.  None of the three have a carry in Pac-10 play but all three are talented and ready to contribute.