Free College Football Picks – Hawaii Seeks To Maintain Perfect WAC Record

Experts handing out free college football picks know that theHawaii Warriors want to beat Boise State one week from now, but they must first take care of the Idaho Vandals if they want to win the Western Athletic Conference.

Idaho Vandals @ Hawaii Warriors
Saturday, October 30th – 11:35 PM ET
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Broadcast: Oceanic Pay-Per-View

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NCAAF Betting Odds:

Idaho +15, Hawaii -15
Total: 64.5

Through eight games, coach Greg McMackin’s Hawaii club is 6-2 overall, and 4-0 in the WAC. This team won’t go to a prestigious bowl game, but it is removing the shackles that have held it back over the past two seasons.

Heading into 2010, a lot of uncertainties swirled around McMackin, who struggled to sustain both the momentum and quality Jones established in Honolulu. McMackin was left in charge of the program after Jones bolted for more money at Southern Methodist in 2008.

McMackin got Hawaii to a bowl game with a 7-6 regular season record, but the Warriors got crushed by Notre Dame in the Hawaii Bowl, 49-21. The effects of that loss carried into 2009, as an unsteady UH team finished 6-7 and missed out on the postseason.

As a new year dawned on the islands, people rightly wondered if McMackin could make this job his own and take ownership of the Hawaii program, proving that he could turn the Warriors into a winner once again.

That’s exactly what’s happened. A defense that got eviscerated by USC on opening night has steadily improved over the past two months. Hawaii isn’t winning just because of the nation’s best yard-consuming passing attack (401 yards per game), but because a blue-collar defense is containing opposing offenses.

This was never more apparent than in a gut-check 27-21 win over Nevada and its pistol offense, which had been averaging over 300 rushing yards per game but managed only 134 against Hawaii.

The identity of this team isn’t found only in the finesse-based passing of quarterback Bryant Moniz, but in a flinty edge that has persisted throughout the month of October, during which UH hasn’t lost a game.

Free College Football Picks: What Idaho Has To Do To Win

Coach Robb Akey has improved the fortunes of Idaho football, and the Vandals – on their best day – can light up the scoreboard. Quarterback Nathan Enderle has the ability to roll up big passing numbers; the problem is that the signal caller is mistake-prone and decidedly inconsistent.

Enderle threw five interceptions in a September loss to Nebraska, and he completed just 24-of-50 passes in an Oct. 16 loss at Louisiana Tech. Enderle is completing just 59 percent of his passes this year, but the tricky component of Enderle’s game is that if he’s particularly sharp, Hawaii will be in for a battle.

Idaho’s average of 342 passing yards per game is fourth in the nation, just three spots below Hawaii. A turnover-free game from Enderle will do wonders for Idaho’s fortunes. If Idaho can then force Hawaii’s offense to settle for a number of field goals, the Vandals will be in this game until the very end of regulation.

Free College Football Picks: What Hawaii Has To Do To Win

The Warriors will need to lean on their passing game, of course, but they’ll also need to be patient on defense. UH is playing an Idaho team that made and won a bowl game last year. As noted above, Nathan Enderle can carve up any opposing secondary.

The Warriors will need to be patient against Enderle and make sure their defensive backs keep Idaho receivers in front of them. If this turns into a game of big plays, Hawaii is equipped to make more of them over the course of 60 full minutes.

Handicapping Outlook & Free College Football Picks

In a game where red-zone performance is going to be a telltale aspect of the competition, Hawaii will thoroughly outclass Idaho, and Bryant Moniz will outplay Nathan Enderle. Take Hawaii minus the points.

Free College Football Picks: Hawaii -15