Iowa, Victorious in New Jersey Last Night

September 20, 2025

We learned a lot about the Scarlett Knights last night during their game against Iowa, and I’m going to be fair about this. It seems to me, Head Coach, Greg Schiano and his Scarlett Knights, are back to where they were when Rutgers first made their change from the Big East College Football Conference to the Big Ten, and that my friends, is proving that they belong. In my opinion, there’s still a little bit of that old energy or aura lingering. Just a little bit.

Okay, let’s put the mental and psychological stuff aside. Rutgers took their first loss of the season last night against the Iowa Hawkeyes, 38-28. Rutgers is now 3-1 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play, and Iowa improved their overall record to 3-1. By the way, this was the first inter-conference game for both teams.

Rutgers took injuries on both sides of the ball, which is never good this early in the season. I don’t know the extent of their injuries so I’m not even going to mention them specifically, but definitely saw one offensive lineman, one defensive end, and one linebacker limp off. We’ll get the injury report later this week I assume.

Both teams started this game with a lot of energy, and the score at halftime was 21-21, but this is now the second time Rutgers started off a game fast and explosive only to run out of gas and break down in the second half (their game against Ohio).

Well, we learned last night that Rutgers wide receiver, Ian Strong, is not only a great player and a game-changing player, but he is the center piece of that entire Rutgers team. Having said that, Rutgers has an excellent group of receivers (KJ Duff and DT Sheffield).

We learned that if you give quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis, time to sit in the pocket and throw the ball, he can burn you at any time. Kaliakmanis to Strong is probably one of the most dangerous connections in the country.

The entire game changed in the second half. Iowa went back to their ground and pound style of offense, and their defense, after making some adjustments, started to get pressure on the quarterback. As a matter of fact, Rutgers couldn’t get anything going offensively in the second half. Iowa’s defense started rushing five guys and they really turned up the pressure.

Iowa quarterback, Mark Gronowski, completed 12 of 18 passes for 186 yards, but he was able to escape the pocket and do damage on the ground. Gronowski rushed 55 yards and 3 touchdowns. He did it to Rutgers just like Parker Navarro did it to Rutgers.

Running back, Kamari Moulton, looked good last night. He ran hard, downhill, and violently. Statistically, he finished with 68 yards on 14 carries for 1 touchdown. That’s 4.9 yards per touch.

Let’s not forget about wide receiver, Dayton Howard, who made a huge play late in the fourth quarter that set up Iowa’s go-ahead touchdown.

Iowa 38 Rutgers 28

College Football Week 4 Big Ten; Be a Winner for Just $3.50!

September 17, 2025

Good afternoon! It’s Wednesday, and we’re two days away from the official start to Week 4 of the college football season. The Iowa Hawkeyes and the Rutgers Scarlett Knights play Friday night at 8 o’clock, and the rest of the games will be played throughout the day and night on Saturday.

The Big Ten Week 4 Preview has already been posted, and at the end of the preview, I gave you my predictions for who will win each game, but a lot of people are wondering about my predictions when it comes to the points.

This year, I’m doing it differently. The Week 4 Big Ten Predictions versus the point spread is separate. If you’re interested in my predictions for the games featured in the Big Ten Week 4 Preview, then you have to email me.

Noonooz@noozbuffet.com

The cost this week is $3.50, and my Week 4 picks versus the points will be available Friday morning, September 19th.

Last week, I was 12-1 picking winners straight up and 6-4-1 picking winners against the points.

I’m a winner, and now you can be too for just $3.50.

College Football Week 4; Big Ten Preview & Predictions

September 16, 2025

Friday, September 19^th

8:00 P.M.

Iowa (2-1) at Rutgers (3-0)

This is the moment the Scarlett Knights have been waiting for. Their plan was to blow through the first three games of the season (although Ohio made it interesting) and be 3-0 for the Week 4 Big Ten match up at home against the Hawkeyes. So far so good-everything has played out exactly the way they hoped it would. Rutgers capped off that three-game-run with a 60-10 win over Norfolk State last week. Quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis completed 18 of 26 passes for 309 yards and 1 touchdown. Sophomore running back, Antwan Raymond, carried the rock 16 times for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns. Norfolk State was forced to punt the ball 7 times, and they were 2 of 10 on third downs. It was an impressive and a dominant win over an opponent they were supposed to dominate.

Iowa is 2-1 overall right now after crushing Umass last week, 47-7. The Hawkeyes only loss so far was a 3-point game against a very good and nationally ranked Iowa State team. Iowa was tested, and they fell short, but they’re a better team now because of it. Last week, Umass wasn’t able to convert a single third down, and the Hawkeye defense held them to just 119 yards of total offense.

This week, the Rutgers offense will be challenged. Iowa has always been known for tough defense, and this season is no different. Iowa’s quarterback, Mark Gronowski, still hasn’t reached a level of play Iowa fans are comfortable with, and the Hawkeyes are banged up at running back. With questionable quarterback play and an injury riddled backfield, it appears as if the Hawkeyes are going to have to dig deep to get some points on the board this week. Rutgers, on the other hand, hasn’t had any problems scoring, but they haven’t met an Iowa caliber defense. This is going to be a close game.

Saturday, September 20th

12:00 Noon

Maryland (3-0) at Wisconsin (2-1)

Wins against Florida Atlantic, Northern Illinois, and Towson have the Terrapins quietly sitting at 3-0, but if they want to be taken seriously, they’re going to have to win this weekend in Camp Randall Stadium. Last week, Maryland’s offense scored 44 points, and their defense held Towson to just 51 rushing yards.

After starting this season with two consecutive wins, the Badgers lost on the road to nationally ranked Alabama, 38-14. Quarterback, Danny O’Neill, threw two interceptions while three running backs combined failed to rush for 100 yards.

Wisconsin is home this weekend, and Camp Randall has always been a difficult place for opposing teams to steal a win. The Badgers, hopefully, learned a thing or two about themselves during last week’s humbling loss to Bama. Mayland is hot, and they’re playing with confidence, but Maryland is another one of those undefeated/untested teams. I expect Wisconsin to get more production out of their offense this week and cut Maryland’s winning streak short at three games.

3:00 P.M.

Oregon State (0-3) at (6) Oregon (3-0)

The Oregon State Beavers are only one of two teams left in the PAC-12, but right now, they’re 0-3 in nonconference games. The goal this week is to stop the bleeding, but who knows if that’s even going to be possible on the road against sixth ranked Oregon. Hey, at least we know where the Beavers stand, and you can’t say they haven’t been tested. If anyone has been tested, it’s Oregon State. They opened their season against Cal, who by the way is still undefeated and getting better every week, then it was Fresno State, and last week, they played Texas Tech who was undefeated and nationally ranked. The Beavers are 0-3, but they have nothing to lose.

The Oregon Ducks are 3-0, but I think they actually fell two places in the AP Top 25 rankings after a 34-14 win against conference foe, Northwestern. Oregon has yet to be tested, and honestly, Northwestern was probably the toughest team they faced all season.

THIS IS A TRAP GAME for the Ducks. They’re 3-0, and believe me, with a road game next week against Penn State, it’s going to be way too easy for them to overlook and underestimate the winless Beavers. I think Oregon will pick up their fourth win, but this game could end up being closer than anyone predicted.

3:30 P.M.

(21) Michigan (2-1) at Nebraska (3-0)

Nebraska is 3-0, and if they can beat Michigan this week, we might see them in the Top 25 next week. Last week, the Cornhuskers beat Houston Christian 59-7, but who is Houston Christian?

Michigan rebounded with a 63-3 win over Central Michigan last week. The Wolverines opened up at home with a win against New Mexico, and then, they lost on the road to nationally ranked Oklahoma, 24-13. Michigan needs this win bad. Two loses by the fourth week of the season is hard to come back from.

Nebraska quarterback, Dylan Raiola, is only a sophomore, but he’s having a good season so far. In three games; he’s completing 76% of his passes, that’s 72 completions out of 94 attempts, and he has thrown for 830 yards and 8 touchdowns with zero interceptions! Not bad. Do you want to hear a crazy stat? Nebraska’s defense held each team they played to just 69 or fewer total passing yards. On paper, Nebraska looks unbelievable, but we’ll see how Michigan feels about all that this week.

Purdue (2-1) at (24) Notre Dame (0-2)

Man, I swear to God, college football loves and favors Notre Dame. How is Notre Dame ranked #24 nationally without any wins? Will this be the week? That’s the big question here. Will Notre Dame finally win a game in 2025? In their first game, the Fighting Irish lost to Miami, 27-24, and they lost to Texas A&M last week, 41-40. Texas A&M and Miami are both undefeated, and they’re both ranked nationally.

Purdue is 2-1, and I know they lost to USC last week, but they’re not that bad. Their defense looked good last week against the Trojans. If Purdue expects to beat Notre Dame this week, two things need to happen. They need another great effort from their defense, and their offense needs to cut down on mistakes. I don’t know if that will be enough, but it will definitely put them in position to win this game. Notre Dame is still dangerous, but Purdue has a shot.

7:30 P.M.

(9) Illinois (3-0) at (19) Indiana (3-0)

Well, this is the Big Ten game of the week. The Fighting Illini are 3-0 and ranked ninth nationally. Illinois beat Western Illinois, Duke, and Western Michigan University. Duke was the toughest of the three, and quarterback, Luke Altmyer, completed 22 of 31 for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns. There’s no doubt, wide receiver, Hank Beatty, is turning into Altmyer’s favorite target.

After beating Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State by 73 points, the Hoosiers are also 3-0. Running backs, Roman Hemby and Lee Beebe Jr., are both legit. Quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, started this season slow, but he’s on fire now. He has 9 touchdowns passes in his last two games. Indiana’s defense is stingy, allowing an average of 7.3 points per game.

I think we all know that Illinois has a pretty good football team, but I’m not so sure how we all feel about Indiana. Both teams are undefeated, both are ranked nationally, and both teams have compiled a crap load of stats during the first three weeks, but this is where the rubber meets the road. I don’t know why, but Illinois seems a little overconfident-almost arrogant. Indiana appears to be going about their business in more humble and professional manner. I think the Hoosiers might have what it takes to upset the Fighting Illini. We shall see.

11:00 P.M.

Michigan State (3-0) at (25) USC (3-0)

It’s the Michigan State Spartans and the USC Trojans who will be playing in the last game of the day. The kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 P.M.

Michigan State beat Youngstown State 41-21 last week for their third straight win. Quarterback, Aiden Chiles, completed 22 of 29 passes for 270 yards and 1 touchdown. He also rushed for 76 yards. The Spartans have three capable running backs, and the group is led by redshirt senior, Elijah Tau-Tolliver, who rushed for 37 yards and 1 touchdown against Youngstown.

USC handed Purdue their first loss of the season. It was a 33-17 win for the Trojans, but boy oh boy, Purdue played them tough.

Quarterback, Jayden Maiava, was 17 for 28 with 282 yards, and wide receiver, Ja’ Kobi Lane caught three of those passes for 115 yards. Running back, Waymond Jordan, carried the ball 18 times for 77 yards and 1 touchdown. I know USC’s offense gets a lot of attention, but they owe last week’s win over Purdue to their defense. As a unit, they picked off 3 passes and held Purdue to just 52 rushing yards.

It’s a Big Ten showdown this week and both teams would like nothing more than to extend their winning streak to four games. If USC’s defense shows up and plays the way they did against Purdue, the Spartans are going to have an extremely difficult time.

Week 4 Big Ten Picks Straight Up

Iowa, Wisconsin, Oregon, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Illinois, USC

Week 4 Big Ten Picks Versus the Point Spread

If you would like my expert picks for all seven games featured in this week’s preview, then please email me at noonooz@noozbuffet.com.

The pick sheet is $8.00, and it will be available Friday morning. Last week, I was 6-4-1 versus the point spread. I’m a winner, and you can win too!

College Football Week 4; Big Ten Conference Schedule

September 15, 2025

After you factor in who has a bye and who’s playing an interconference game, Week 4 of the 2025 college football season has seven games scheduled featuring teams from the Big Ten Conference.

Friday, September 19th

8:00 P.M.

Iowa (2-1) @ Rutgers (3-0)

Saturday, September 20th

12:00 P.M.

Maryland (3-0) @ Wisconsin (2-1)

3:00 P.M.

Oregon State (0-3) @ (6)Oregon (3-0)

3:30 P.M.

(21) Michigan (2-1) @ Nebraska (3-0)

Purdue (2-1) @ (24) Notre Dame (0-2)

7:30 P.M.

(9) Illinois (3-0) @ (19) Indiana (3-0)

11:00 P.M.

Michigan State (3-0) @ (25) USC (3-0)

Bye week: Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, Washington, UCLA, North Western

College Football Week 3 Results

September 15, 2025

Hello everyone, this is the fun part! It’s Monday morning, and Week 3 is in the books, so let’s see how we did.

College Football Week 3

Big Ten Conference Picks Versus the Point Spread

Indiana State at (22) Indiana (Indiana State -48.5) LOSS
UCLA at New Mexico (UCLA -14.5) LOSS
Central Michigan at Michigan (Michigan -27.5) WIN
Towson at Maryland DNP
Houston Christian at Nebraska. DNP
(4) Oregon at Northwestern (Northwestern +27.5) WIN
Wisconsin at (19) Alabama (Wisconsin +21) WIN
Youngstown State at Michigan State DNP
Villanova at (2) Penn State (Penn State -47.5) LOSS
USC at Purdue (Purdue +21) WIN
Norfolk State at Rutgers DNP
Ohio at (1) Ohio State (Ohio State -28) PUSH
Western Michigan at (9) Illinois (Illinois -27.5) WIN
UMASS at Iowa (Iowa -35.5) WIN
Minnesota at Cal (Minnesota -1.5) LOSS

Out of the fifteen games this weekend featuring teams from the Big Ten College Football Conference, I picked for eleven of them.

Week 3 Record Versus the Point Spread: 6-4-1

Wins 6

Losses 4

Push 1

Big Ten Conference Picks Straight Up

Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Alabama, Michigan State, Penn State, USC, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota

Week 3 Record for Straight Up Picks

12-1

For our first week picking games versus the point spread, that wasn’t bad at all!

It’s a Rivalry! Iowa at Iowa State

September 4, 2025

This is a big-time rivalry game that will be played at Jack Trice Stadium. The kickoff is scheduled for 12 o’clock noon on Saturday, September 6th.

Iowa began their 2025 campaign with an impressive 34-7 win over Albany, and I think Albany turned out to be way more physical than a lot of people expected. To Iowa’s credit, they played tough, and they were actually losing that game 7-3 in the second quarter, but in the end, they won by 27.

Iowa State shocked everyone (but not me) with a Week 0 upset over the Kansas State Wildcats, and they came back and blew out South Dakota, 55-7, in Week 1. Currently, the Cyclones are 2-0, and they’ve quietly repositioned themselves at number 16 nationally.

Conclusion & Predictions

I don’t know how much it’s going to help, but Iowa State is home for this game. Traditionally, Iowa is known for their Big Ten brand of football, which is tough defense and the ability to run the football. So far, they haven’t disappointed. They held Albany to seven points and 43 yards rushing, and offensively, Iowa has a double threat coming out of the backfield.

Xavier Williams had 122 yards on 11 carries and 1 touchdown, and teammate Terrell Washington Jr. carried the rock 15 times for 69 yards. That’s 4.6 yards per carry for Washington, and both backs are the reason why the Hawkeyes were able to hold on the ball for almost thirty-seven minutes.

Against South Dakota, it was another brilliant performance by Rocco Becht and the boys. Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Wide receiver, Brett Eskildsen, caught a beautiful pass for 61 yards right down the middle of the field to open the game. Eskildsen finished with 2 catches for 77 yards. Tight ends, Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle accounted for three touchdowns, and out of the backfield, it was a new face this week.

Freshman running back, Dylan Lee, carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards and 1 touchdown. Lee is a big back, 6’1″ and 215 pounds, and what Iowa State proved last week is that they have quality when it comes to depth at the running back position. Abu Sama and Carson “Um Bop” Hansen got some rest. Nice.

You know, Albany held Iowa to 44 yards passing. Mark Gronowski completed 8 of 15 passes for 44 yards and 1 touchdown.

Even with Washington and Williams running the ball, the Hawkeyes will need more production from their passing game. If not, Iowa is gonna see eight guys in the box all day.

I do believe Iowa State is one of the hottest teams in college football right now. They’re healthy, they’re home this week, and they were able to rest some of their starters against South Dakota.

Having said that, Iowa is going to test Iowa State in ways they haven’t been tested all season, but specifically, this is the toughness test for the Cyclones. After Week 2, we’ll know for certain how real this Iowa State team is. I think the Cyclones win this by 7.

My Prediction Straight Up: Iowa State

My Prediction Versus the Spread: Iowa State -3.5

Showdown; It’s the Longhorns and the Buckeyes

August 29, 2025

The last meeting between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes was during the semifinal round of the 2024 college football playoffs in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State beat Texas and went on to beat Notre Dame in the National Championship game.

Texas finished their season at 13-3, and Ohio State 14-2, but all that is old news. This is a new year, a new season, and neither team is exactly the same.

(1) Texas at (3) Ohio State 
Saturday, August 30^th at 12 noon

Ohio State Buckeyes

The 2025 Ohio State team features two 1^st Team All-Americans, sophomore wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, and junior free safety, Caleb Downs. Junior wide receiver, Carnell Tate, and senior linebacker, Sonny Styles earned 2^nd Team honors.

I suppose we should address the elephant in the room first. Quarterback, Julian Sayin, originally signed with Alabama, but he transferred to OSU in January of 2024. They say he’s a true sophomore with four years of eligibility, which at the end of the day, means he’s young, he lacks experience, and he’s unproven. Big question mark at the quarterback position.

I know Coach Day would love to coddle Sayin and allow him to gain experience slowly while at the same time building his confidence, but I don’t see how that’s going to be possible with two All-Americans at the wide receiver position.

How about All-Big Ten tight end, Max Klare? Klare came to Ohio State from Purdue, and he’s a tall guy at 6’5″ with good hands. The point that I’m making is that the Buckeyes have guys who can catch the ball, and at some point, the pressure is going to be on Sayin to deliver.

Perhaps, I’d feel a little differently if TreVeyon Henderson was in the backfield, but sophomore, James Peoples, is another young guy who’s still unproven. If Ohio State can’t run the ball, Sayin will get thrown to the wolves, but who knows, maybe he can handle it.

On the o-line, the Buckeyes look good from guard to guard. Right now, their tackles are questionable, but in general, I don’t see the offensive line as a weakness.

Defensively, second team All-American, Sonny Styles is a converted linebacker from the safety position, but he is the center of that defense. He’s big, 6’5″ and 245 pounds, and he’s athletic and fast. Junior, Arvell Reese, lines up next to Styles. Reese is another big guy, 6’4″ and 245 pounds, and they expect him to have a monster season this year. The backup senior, C.J. Hicks, I think is getting reps at defensive end. That’s a good move to improve the overall speed of the defense.

In the defensive backfield, Ohio State figures to be strong at the corners with Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Safety, Caleb Downs, well, they say he could be the number 1 defensive player in America!

Their defensive line is a question mark.

Texas Longhorns

The 2025 Texas Longhorns feature two All-Americans on offense, quarterback, Arch Manning (1^st team), and tight end, Jack Endries (2^nd team).

Arch Manning is a sophomore, but this will be his first year starting for the Longhorns. Manning’s teammates and coaches seem to think he’s going to step right in and do an amazing job. There’s even talks about Manning entering the NFL draft after next season, so even though he’s unproven just like Sayin is for Ohio State, the situation in Texas seems to be a little different than that in Columbus.

Senior right guard, DJ Campbell, is the only returning starter on the o-line, but there’s continuity between Manning and his entire line.

It looks like returning junior, Quintrevion Wisner, will start at running back. Last season, Wisner rushed for over 1,000 yards. You see, this is what I was talking about with Julian Sayin. Sayin doesn’t have a retuning thousand-yard rusher lining up behind him. Not only can Wisner run the rock, but he provides an extra layer of support that can take some of the pressure of Manning to have to push the ball downfield. It makes for a more relaxing situation.

At wide receiver, it’s going to be returning starter, Deandre Moore Jr., Ryan Wingo (in my Dale Gribble voice), and Stanford transfer, Emmett Mosley.

Defensively, Texas is going to be tough. All-American junior, Anthony Hill Jr., is arguably the best linebacker in the country. He has All-American teammate, Colin Simmons, lining up in front of him at defensive end, but the Longhorns have several guys on the defensive line who can get after the quarterback and stuff the run.

Texas has a pair of All-Americans in the defensive backfield, cornerback, Malik Muhammad, and safety, Michael Taaffee. On the other side at cornerback, it’s going to be the returning senior, Jaylon Guilbeau.

Conclusion and Predictions

I've been an Ohio State fan since the days of Eddie George and Orlando Pace, so I don't want personal feelings to get in the way here.

When I look at these two teams, I see two completely different teams than we saw at the end of last season. I think Texas lost 14 guys, and I think Ohio State lost 12. So, it's really about who was more effective at reloading and filling gaps.

All things considered, it kills me to say this, but on paper, I feel like Texas is the better team. I'm not taking anything away from Julian Sayin, but Arch Manning has the luxury of having a 1,000-yard rusher behind him. That alone, gives Texas the edge offensively.

Yes, the Buckeyes have absolute beasts at wide receiver, but what good are they if Sayin is running for his life from a relentless Longhorn pass rush?

Okay, the Buckeyes have a young quarterback, things can't be all that bad, right? Well, we shall see. Will James Peoples be able to run the ball against that Longhorn defensive front with Anthony Hill Jr. behind it?

Ohio State is home, and it's hard to beat Ohio State in Columbus, but if anyone can do it, it's Texas. It's the first game of the season for both teams, and both teams need to establish their own 2025 brand.
I don't know, this is a tough one, but I just can't go against the Buckeyes at home until they've given me a reason to.

My Pick Straight Up: Ohio State

My Pick Versus the Point Spread: Ohio State -1.5

Iowa State Versus Kansas State, the Recap

Augustus 23, 2025

Kansas State scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. Now, I don’t want to sit here and say I told you so, but I did. I told you Iowa State was going to win this game, and I told you to take Iowa State +3 versus the point spread.

If you watch my YouTube video, you’ll hear me say, “This isn’t going to be a gimmie game.” I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy game for Iowa State, but as someone who truly understands the game of football at the heart chakra level, I knew this was a game Iowa State could win.

When it was all said and done, the Cyclones won 24-21, and they played a fantastic game. They held the ball seven minutes longer than Kansas State, they were able to rush the football, and their defense made the big plays when it was necessary for them to do so.

I’ll tell you what I can’t understand.

Athlon Sports publishes an annual College Football Preview, and in their predicted playoff bracket scenario, they had the Kansas State Wildcats as the 4^th seed. They also picked the Wildcats to win the Big 12 Conference. I studied both teams for about three days so I could write my gameday preview, and I knew immediately. Iowa State was a much better team than the “experts” at Athlon would have you believe.

I didn’t understand how they, as “experts,” could pick Kansas State to be the 4^th seed team in this year’s playoffs and not even have Iowa State in the entire playoff picture.

Anyway.

Iowa State scored the first points of the game in the first quarter when Dominic Overby caught a touchdown pass from Rocco Becht, but K-State came right back. The Wildcats moved the ball down the field, and Avery Johnson ran the ball in from the fifteen.

The game was tied, 7-7, at halftime.

Late in the 3rd quarter, Rocco Becht connected with Brett Eskildsen for another touchdown pass, and Iowa State was ahead, 14-7.

The Wildcats scored first in the fourth quarter. A 38-yard-touchdown pass from quarterback, Avery Johnson, to wide receiver, Jayce Brown, tied the game at 14.

Then, after Kyle Konrardy kicked a field goal to put the Cyclones up again, 17-14, the Iowa State defense came up with a huge stop on fourth down.

Iowa State had great field position to start the drive, and Rocco Becht ran it in for another touchdown. Iowa State was winning, 24-14.

With 6:23 left in the game, wide receiver, Jerand Bradley, caught a 65-yard-touchdown from Johnson to bring the Wildcats within three points, but that’s where it ended.

Rocco Becht threw the ball 28 times, and he completed 14 passes for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. Carson “Umm Bop” Hansen had 71 yards on 16 carries, and Abu Sama had 43 yards on 14 carries.

Listen guys, I’m the real expert. It’s not Athlon Sports, and it’s not all these people on the internet and on YouTube. It’s me.

Nooz Buffet has been on the internet since 2018. I’m going into my eighth year as the owner and sole contributor of this website, and when it comes to astrology and football, I’m your man.

I don’t use AI, computers, or any machine to generate football picks or produce content. All of my work, whether it’s football or astrological, comes straight from the heart.

Follow me.

NCAA College Football 2025 Opens with Big XII Matchup

Augustus 17, 2025

I just want to make it perfectly clear that I don’t typically cover college football games involving teams from the Big 12 Conference, however, since the 2025 season begins with a major Big 12 matchup, I decided to come out of my Big Ten comfort zone. Just this one time though.

We are six days away from the start of the 2025 college football season. The very first game is scheduled for a 12 o’clock kickoff on the afternoon of Saturday, August 23^rd, and for whatever reason, this game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Kansas State Wildcats will be played at a neutral site in Dublin, Ireland.

When Iowa State met Kansas State during the 2024 season on November 30^th, which was almost nine months ago, the Cyclones were 9-2 and ranked 18^th nationally, and the Wildcats were 8-3 and ranked 24^th nationally. Iowa State won that game, 29-21, and they went on to beat Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl 42-41, to cap off their first ever eleven-win season.

Kansas State met Rutgers in the 2024 Rate Bowl. They won 44-41 and recorded their 5^th Bowl victory in seven postseason Bowl appearances. Both teams finished on a high note, but Iowa State was the better team last year. This year, Kansas State begins the season ranked 17^th nationally, and Iowa State sits at #23, but the Wildcats are the Big 12 favorites.

Kansas State Wildcats

Apparently, 2024 was a little bit of a rebuilding year for K-State, but 2025 is filled with high hopes and big expectations as their offense features the return of four high profile juniors, QB Avery Johnson, RB Dylan Edwards, TE Garrett Oakley, and WR Jayce Brown.

Joe Jackson gives the Wildcats depth at the running back position, so that position figures to be a strength, but there are questions elsewhere. Wide receivers, Jerand Bradley (senior) and Jaron Tibbs (junior), are both transfers, so they’ll be expected to step in and step up immediately. If they can, it will change the entire dynamic of the K-State offense.

Johnson will get three targets to toss the ball to, and opposing defensives will have a hard time trying to figure out how to cover three threats at the wide receiver position, an excellent Tight End, and a super-fast running back.

On the offensive line, the Wildcats appear to be okay. Center, Sam Hecht, and Guard, Taylor Poitier, anchor a unit that returns three seniors.

Defensively, Kansas State has arguably the best defensive line in the conference, and junior linebacker, Austin Romaine, is expected to earn All-Big 12 honors.

Iowa State Cyclones

Do you want to hear something interesting about Iowa State? Their best linebacker, Caleb Bacon, missed the entire season after suffering a leg injury in the first game, and their second-best linebacker, Will McLaughlin, missed a bunch of time as well.

They’re back, they’re healthy, and they join stud mic linebacker, Kooper Ebel, to form arguably the best unit in the conference.

Nose tackle, Dominique Orange (senior), is not only the best in the Big 12, but he’s one of the best defensive linemen in all of college football. Junior defensive ends, Ikenna Ezeogu and Vontroy Malone, are expected to have breakout seasons.

The defensive backfield features two guys that will probably play on Sunday, senior safety, Jeremiah Cooper, and All-Big 12 junior cornerback, Jontez Williams.

Defensively, the Cyclones will be better this year.

Offensively, at running back, Iowa State has a true one-two punch in Carson Hansen and Abu Sama. At quarterback, the Cyclones have a real star in junior, Rocco Becht. Becht has passed for 6,690 yards and 48 touchdowns in three seasons!

Wide receiver, Chase Sowell is red-shirt junior and transfer from East Carolina. He played and started nine games for the Pirates, and he finished the season with 34 receptions for 678 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Cyclones expect big things from Sowell, and Sowell is pushing for a breakout year.

In general, the Cyclones don’t seem to be very strong at the wide receiver position. They return fifth year senior, Daniel Jackson, who was injured and missed all of last season, and junior, Xavier Townsend, who started three games and then used his redshirt.

6’4″ Sowell is definitely the go-to-guy for Becht, and hopefully he can add a spark and revitalize the unit.

Iowa State has two very good tight ends. Benjamin Brahmer (junior) is 6’7″ 250 pounds, and Gabe Burkle (junior) is 6’6″ 260 pounds. They’re both big targets with good hands.

Iowa State had a lot of injuries last season on both sides of the ball, but we don’t have to worry about any of that now since their game against Kansas State is the first game of the season. With a healthy roster, I think they can do a lot better than their predicted fourth place finish in the Big 12.

Oh my gosh. Ya know what guys? I’m doing two things I don’t normally do. I’m writing a preview for a Big 12 game, and I’m betting on a college football game that’s being played during the first week of the season.

Conclusion

So, this game is being played in Dublin, Ireland. That means home-field-advantage is a nonfactor. Kansas State is not only favored to win this game, but they're being picked to win the Big 12 Conference and finish no lower than 13^th nationally.

I think the Iowa defense is going to step up, show out, and play a lot better than a lot of people expect them to play. Carson Hansen and Abu Sama will help Rocco Becht control the clock, but Becht will make the big plays when he needs to. The addition of Chase Sowell will keep the Kansas State defense honest.

My Pick to win: Iowa State Cyclones
My Pick Versus the Point Spread: Iowa State Cyclones +3

Why is This Issue Getting So Much Coverage?

April 27, 2025

In this day and age, in the year 2025, it’s almost comical to think the NFL is conspiring to keep Shedeur Sanders out of the NFL draft.

There has been an uncountable number of players over the years who’ve prepared themselves for the NFL draft only to be left home when it was all said and done.

I haven’t watched enough of Shadeur to give you an accurate analysis of his overall ability, but I do know he’s an athletic guy with a strong arm.

There’s a lot of athletic guys who have strong arms.

I wouldn’t put so much emphasis on stats here because, again, there’s a lot of guys who’ve crushed college football statistically and sucked in the NFL.

There must be something the NFL sees or something they know that the rest of the general population doesn’t know about, and if that’s the case, then that’s between Shadeur and the NFL.

From the outsider looking in, it’s probably best for Shadeur to start looking at himself as an individual and not as the son of a man who left a lasting legacy on the game.

This will prevent any type of letdown associated with entitlement.

He needs to look at this as a test. It’s a test of character, it’s a test of maturity, and it’s a test to see if his heart is truly in the game of football.

Shadeur Sanders will absolutely get an opportunity to prove himself in the NFL, and he needs to make the most of that opportunity.