Bold Predictions Challenge: Charleston Southern

With only two weeks left in our Bold Predictions Challenge, here’s what things look like. Continue to make your picks because there will be some big opportunities to move up on Coastal Week.

Make your picks in the comments section. Good Luck!

1. Liberty out rushes CSU.

Why this is bold-  Charleston Southern’s heavy rushing attack has put them atop the Big South in rushing yards. They are currently averaging 218 yards per game compared to Liberty’s 175.

Why it will happen- Liberty has put more and more emphasis on the rushing game as the season has gone on, and the Flames’ front seven aren’t the type to get run all over. D.J. Abnar currently leads the Big South in carries by 38 over second place.

2. There will be 55+ points scored.

Why this is bold- A lot of this prediction will depend on which defense shows up for Liberty. They have had both really good and really poor performances this year. They’ll probably have to have one of their poor performances for the total score to go over 55.

Why it will happen- Both teams have the capability to score a lot of points. They also have the capability to allow a lot of points.

3. Gabe Henderson goes for 60+ reception yards.

Why this is bold- Henderson is averaging 35 reception yards per game.

Why it will happen- It’s senior day, and perhaps a sentimental Coach Gill will make him a larger part of the game plan in his final regular season home game.

4. Someone other than Josh Woodrum throws a pass for Liberty.

Why this is bold- So far, only the Flames have only had two passes thrown by someone not named Josh Woodrum. We had one other pass that was negated as well, but it’s not something you’ll see the Flames do too often.

Why it will happen- Well we know it’s in the playbook, and it hasn’t been run in a few games, so why not?

5. Seniors total 4+ tackles for loss.

Why this is bold- Dominique Davis and Toby Onyechi are the only seniors who have consistently made their way to the backfield this year. It may be all up to them.

Why it will happen- Dylan Bowman, Nick Sigmon, Andrew Jauch could all contribute. Will one of these guys step up in the TFL category on senior day?

6. John Lunsford leads all players in scoring.

Why this is bold- Though he has been the Flames leading scorer for much of the year, it’s tough for kickers to get the most in a single game. If any player scores two touchdowns, it would be highly unlikely that Lunsford could lead the way.

Why it will happen- There should be a good balance of scorers, and as long as no one is able to get in the end zone twice, Lunsford should be able to tally the most points.

7. Darius Hammond doesn’t lead the game in punt return yards.

Why this is bold– Hammond is leading the Big South with 217 punt return yards, more than double second place. Meanwhile, Liberty’s returns have been abysmal.

Why it will happen- Sometimes things just happen without rhyme or reason. Maybe Liberty will play it smart and not punt to him at all.

Bonus 1 (5 points): Will a senior score an touchdown?

Gabe Henderson, Dexter Herman, Jaquan Glover, and Jacob Hagen are some of the top possibilities.

Bonus 2 (5 points): Which team will have more time of possession?

Normally, you’d want to just pick the favorite, but with CSU’s ability to control things on the ground, this could be a tossup.