Squad Blitz is giving away $100 to the winner of their Main Slate contest this weekend! If you are not familiar with Squad Blitz, you pick teams instead of players. For example, you can choose Miami’s passing offense or Michigan’s rushing attack. You are given $1000 Squad Blitz Bucks to build your ideal lineup, and the winner of the contest will receive $100. I have created what I believe to be the ideal lineup. Make sure to click Walk-On Redshirts when you sign up today!
Passing
Miami FL ($200) – Carson Beck has opened the season looking much like his 2023 form. He is completing 80% of his passes and averaging just under 10 yards per completion. Against USF, he tossed two interceptions but still finished 23 of 28 for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Florida’s defense has been solid overall, holding Garrett Nussmeier to 220 passing yards, though Byrum Brown had more success with 263. I expect Beck to have a big weekend, piling on while the Gators are down. At $200, he feels like excellent value for a quarterback enjoying a strong bounce-back year.
Oklahoma ($180) – Landing John Mateer at only $180 feels like a steal. Mateer has already thrown for 944 yards and five touchdowns this season. The three interceptions are a slight concern, but he has consistently topped 250 yards per game. Auburn’s defense has shown cracks, giving up over 400 passing yards to Sawyer Robertson in Week 1. While Mateer may not be as polished a passer, he is more than capable of exploiting those same weaknesses. With Oklahoma’s running game still inconsistent, I expect the Sooners to lean on Mateer to carry them past Auburn.
Rushing
Army ($250) – This is the anchor of our team. Picking anyone other than a service academy here would be a mistake. Army is averaging more than 250 rushing yards per game in its first two contests. Yes, they lost to Tarleton State, but the outcome is less important than the volume of rushing attempts the Black Knights generate. They now face North Texas, a defense that limited Washington State to just 64 rushing yards but also gave up over 200 to Western Michigan. At $250, Army’s ground game is a value we can’t ignore.
Air Force ($190) – We were fortunate to grab another service academy at a price that allowed us to fit both into the lineup. Air Force is averaging 266 rushing yards per game across its first two matchups. While they attempted 23 passes against Utah State, all four of their touchdowns still came on the ground. Boise State has already allowed more than 100 rushing yards to both Eastern Washington and USF. The style of offense Air Force runs could challenge Boise, but just like Army, the Falcons are going to run the ball nearly every play. With more than 40 rushing attempts likely, Air Force’s ground game at $190 is too good to pass up.
Defense
Western Kentucky ($175) – I am not sold on Western Kentucky’s defense, but I do think it is better than Nevada’s offense. The Wolfpack have scored only 44 points through three games, including just 20 in their win over Sacramento State. They managed only 13 points against Middle Tennessee State last weekend. Nevada is splitting time between Chubba Purdy and AJ Bianco at quarterback, and neither has established himself as the true starter. Purdy already has four interceptions this season, which should give Western Kentucky opportunities for takeaways. Yes, the Hilltoppers gave up 45 points to Toledo, but the Rockets have a significantly stronger offense than Nevada. This is a value play worth taking.
Recap
Passing: Miami FL ($200), Oklahoma ($180)
Rushing: Army ($250), Air Force ($190)
Defense: Western Kentucky ($175)
Total: $995
We are anchoring this team with Army and Air Force, because if you are going to pick two teams, the smart play is to take the service academies. Year after year, they finish among the nation’s leaders in rushing yards. They may lag behind others in certain weeks, but their consistency is unmatched. Even in a loss, Air Force still found the end zone four times on the ground. Miami and Oklahoma both have sky-high potential in marquee matchups this weekend, and I expect their passing attacks to put up big numbers. Finally, Western Kentucky’s defense is all about Nevada’s lack of offense, making this a strategic value pick. Let me know what you think of this lineup, and don’t forget to get in on Squad Blitz for your shot at $100 this weekend!
