Prospect Matchup Deep Dive Week 4

Recap of Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud vs. Wisconsin’s Defense

Last week we looked at the Heisman favorite C.J. Stroud against the stout Jim Leonhard Wisconsin defense. We expected Stroud to have a solid performance and for the Buckeyes offense to handle Wisconsin, but they were dominant. They put up 45 points through 3 quarters, and Stroud was almost perfect except for his one interception before the half as he was pushing against the clock to get more points. Stroud was 17 of 27 for 281 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. All the while only having to distribute the ball to four receivers. The Wisconsin defense was a mess. They couldn’t get pressure with four, and when they blitzed, the defensive backs were victimized by the Ohio State receiving core. Wisconsin was forced to play a lot of heavy defensive back packages, which they were then crushed in the run-game by RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. Stroud was not forced to show us anything special in this one, which may be the norm for the next several weeks. If there is one thing to knock Stroud for or want to see, it would be the running ability. He has speed but rarely uses it, and the belief is that he hasn’t had to. It may not be something we see until the Michigan game or College Football Playoff when he may be forced to create opportunities with his legs. Regardless, the Heisman trophy and the first overall QB taken in the 2023 NFL Draft both look like Stroud’s to lose.

This Week's Matchup to Watch

Texas A&M RB Devon Achane vs. Mississippi State’s Rush Defense

The man busting onto the scene lately has been Texas A&M running back Devon Achane. The Aggies offense has mightily struggled through the air with inconsistent QB play but has found a way to squeeze out two big-time wins against Miami and Arkansas in consecutive weeks. Achane has 19 carries for 159 yards against Arkansas and had 130 rushing/receiving yards against Miami. He has been their only true source of consistency on the offensive end, and he will bear that load until A&M figures out the rest of their offensive unit, which doesn’t look like it will be fixed anytime soon. Achane also has been dynamic in special teams where he has also been able to showcase his explosive speed, which isn’t surprising as he is also a part of the A&M track team, where he runs a 10.14 in the 100-yard meter dash. Achane was mostly hidden last year, as he was behind now Los Angeles Chargers running back Isaiah Spiller. But he is making the most of his opportunities this year as he continues to turn heads with his game-breaking ability. The only knock on Achane is his size. At 5-foot-9 and 185 lbs. he doesn’t necessarily have a between-the-tackles build, but so far, he has shown he can bang on inside runs when needed. He also has great vision and makes impressive cutbacks in any type of zone run scheme. Achane is also a contributor in the passing game, and it’s just another way that A&M can get him the ball in space. Over the last two weeks, he has started to push himself into the NFL draft second-round conversation as one of the best several running backs in 2022. They now head on the road to Mississippi State, which is no pushover and has a few NFL defensive prospects.

Mississippi State doesn’t have top talent from a recruiting standpoint, but a few of their players will have their names called in the 2023 NFL Draft and are tasked with slowing Achane down. The total in this game is currently listed as 44 points which shows a defensive slugfest is coming our way. The Bulldogs had their first true test against LSU a couple of weeks ago and were gashed by the legs of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels in the 4th quarter, but outside of that, their 3-3-5 defense has proved to be formidable in the first part of the season but against lesser opponents. But with this defense, they tend to have a light box to defend against the run. The Bulldogs will need their lighter-bodied guys to not be bullied around. Defensive end Nathan Pickering is only 285 pounds, and nose tackle Cameron Young is their biggest man on the line at 315 lbs. The hope was for defensive tackle Jayden Crumedy to be healthy enough to play, but he will not be suiting up this week. A&M is without their top wide receiver Ainias Smith and throwing the ball has already been a struggle. A&M and Jimbo Fisher are going to run the ball a lot, and they should have an advantage in the trenches, but the Bulldogs will be filling the box knowing this, and they have enough playmakers, especially in linebacker Tyrus Wheat who will line up as a fourth defensive lineman to help against the run and open other backers to make plays. This is a massive game for both programs fighting for pecking order in the SEC West, and it should be a grind-it-out game between two very sound defenses. Look for Achane to have a heavy workload and do his best to bust loose for a few game-changing plays. That may be all Texas A&M needs to win their 3rd straight game after falling to Appalachian State.