NFL/NCAA Conference Battle: BIG10 vs C-USA/AAC
Moving on from yesterday's post where the ACC dominated the combination of the Mid-Western Conference and the Independents, we move on to our second battle in the first round: Big 10 versus the combination of Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.
Let's take a look at our starting lineups:
Big 10:
C-USA/AAC:
Offense:
Looking at the Big 10, one thing stands higher than the rest on the offensive side of the ball. Tom Brady. Pair with Le'Veon Bell in the run game and a host of talented and veteran receivers, Brady wouldn't even have to cheat to win a Super Bowl with these guys. Looking at the offensive line, you have two promising second-year players at the tackle position and a group of seasoned veterans in the middle. This is a prolific offense and would be nearly unstoppable.
Let's not take anything away from the Conference USA and AAC team though. Bortles had his best year last year throwing 35 touchdowns (one less than Brady). Forte and Murray would make a great combinations in the back field. Forte is one of the best pass-catching running backs and Murray came off of his best rushing season with over 1,000 yards. Adding Sanders, Hitlon, and Marshall to the mix makes this one of the top two receiving cores in these match-ups (SEC). Unfortunately, it all goes downhill when we look at the offensive line. While Kelce is one the better Centers in the league, he cannot make up for other's lack of talent on the line.
Advantage: Big 10
Defense:
We will start with Conference USA and the AAC. The line is their strong point. Wolfe and Wilkerson are two top edge-rushers and could cause any offensive line trouble. The linebackers are a little older, but they are still the best available for their team. The secondary is a little weak outside of the first two corners. This defense greatly relies on facing a run-first offense. To their dismay, this is a passing league now. Still a good effort...
But not nearly good enough.
Do I even need to say it. Look at the Big 10 defensive line. Watt, Wake, Suh, and Short. These guys have all been either were, or were close to, being the best player at their position. No offensive line would be able to stop this. Suh would just kick two of the linemen down, Wake would hit a swim move to get the quarterback to throw and ill-advised pass. And JJ Watt would end up running it back for six.
Advantage: Big 10
Most Intriguing Match-up: Navarro Bowman vs Travis Kelce
Bowman just came back from an injury ridden season to reclaim being the best defensive player in San Francisco (because that's hard?). Kelce has been one of the hottest new tight ends to hit the gridiron in the last few seasons. Bowman brings a veteran mindset to the table. Kelce brings some raw talent and great catching ability. Remember, two years ago, he was one of the only Chiefs scoring touchdowns. But, Bowman's veteran mindset beats Kelce's raw athleticism.
Advantage: Big 10
X-Factors: JJ Watt vs Antonio Brown
Both players are the best at their position. There is no getting around that. Watt is a monster on the line. He has yet to meet and offensive tackle that can eliminate him one-on-one. Brown is quick and can make a play from anywhere on the field. He can run, catch, and he's actually thrown a touchdown (2014). Watt can do that too though. Last year, he played tight end and caught two touchdowns while returning three on defense. This may be the closest call of all of the X-factor match-ups...
In the end, Watt has shown time and again that nothing will slow him down. Not even a broken arm.
Advantage: Big 10
Weakest Group: Big 10 Running Backs vs CUSA/AAC Safeties
Don't get me wrong, Le'Veon is great. But there's not a lot of depth there. Langford was decent in the time that Forte was gone from Chicago, but rumor has it he may not even get the starting job come opening weekend. As for the combo side, I didn't chose the offensive line because there is still some veteran ability there with Ronald Leary and Kelvin Beachum. Allen and Cyprian are decent. They both start and are known for being a little disruptive. By a small margin, the safeties are barely better than the running backs.
Advantage: CUSA/AAC
Another blowout! The Big 10 moves on the round two by winning 4-1. Tomorrow, we will analyze the Big 12 and Pac-12.
