Week 1: Navy vs Delaware 9/3/22 College Football Picks, Predictions, Odds
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (0-0) vs. Navy Midshipmen (0-0)
September 3, 2022 12:00 pm EDT
The Line: Navy Midshipmen -15 / Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens +15 ; Over/Under:
(Get latest betting odds)
The Navy Midshipmen and Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens clash Saturday in week 1 college football action from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Hens are coming off a 5-6 overall campaign in 2021, going 3-5 in Colonial Athletic Association play. As for the Midshipmen, they finished 4-8 last year and 3-5 in the AAC. Check back all season long for free college football picks at Sports Chat Place.
Delaware couldn’t match their seven-win total from 2020 last year, ultimately finishing 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the CAA. That result left the Blue Hens in ninth place in the conference standings and out of bowl game consideration.
Delaware started out the year pretty well with a 3-1 record, but then lost three straight to Rhode Island, Stony Brook and James Madison. After wins over Dixie State and William & Mary, the Hens lost to Richmond and Villanova to finish off the season.
Over on the Navy side, they fared slightly worse at 4-8 overall last year. The Midshipmen landed just three spots out of the basement in the American Athletic Conference with their 3-5 record, ahead of only Tulane, South Florida and Temple at 1-7.
Navy started out on a rough clip at 1-6 with a lone win over UCF to show for it. The Midshipmen beat Tulsa, then lost two more to Notre Dame and East Carolina. The good news is that Navy finished off the year with a pair of wins over Temple and Army.
PICK: I’m likely going to lean toward Navy here, but staying away. There are too many question marks involved right now. The Midshipmen have a few things to build on after a rough 2021 season (like beating Army), but they’ve still got some kinks to work out—specifically the team needs a go-to receiver or two to emerge from the fray. Not that Navy will be passing that much, but it’ll be necessary at times. QB Tai Lavatai will be directing a backfield full of new faces (the top three rushers are gone), but so long as the offensive line gels—and the defense performs—the Midshipmen should be in line for a step forward.
