Primetime College Football: Meineke Car Care Bowl
TALENT
The 8th annual Meineke Care Care Bowl will see the Pittsburgh Panthers take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Charlotte North Carolina.
Head coach Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers enter the Meineke Car Car Bowl at 9-3 and 5-2 in the Big East Conference with their last lost coming to Big East champion Cincinnati, 45-44. Pitt is still competing for its first 10-win campaign since finishing 11-1 behind Dan Marino in 1981. This is Pitt’s 26th all-time bowl appearance and it has gone 10-15 in such games. The Panthers have dropped three straight postseason bouts, including a 3-0 setback to Oregon State in the 2008 Sun Bowl.
The biggest surprise for Pitt this season is without question tailback Dion Lewis, who rushed for 1,640 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. Lewis has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven straight games and is just 47 yards away from breaking Tony Dorsett’s school record for rushing yards by a freshman. Bill Stull has benefited from the attention paid to Lewis, as he has completed 64.6 percent of his tosses on the season. The senior gunslinger has thrown for 21 touchdowns against 8 interceptions and averaged 205.8 passing ypg. His main target is Jonathan Baldwin who caught for 1,080 yards and 8 touchdowns. Tight end Dorin Dickerson is one of the best in the country and grabbed a team-best 10 touchdowns.
The Panthers lead the nation with 44 sacks on defensive and defensive end Greg Romeus highlights the team with 8 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. The secondary have also recorded 14 interceptions against just 15 passing touchdowns surrendered. Safety Dom DeCicco leads the team and the secondary with 85 stops and three picks.
As for the Tar Heels they earned its way to the bowl game with an 8-4 record and 4-4 in the ACC. The Tar Heels are making their 27th all-time appearance in a bowl game and their second straight to the Car Care Bowl. UNC lost to West Virginia, 31-30, in the 2008 Car Care Bowl, dropping the program to 12-14 in bowl games.
Butch Davis Tar Heels have had their fare share of struggles on offense this season, averaging just 311.4 total ypg. T.J. Yates has thrown 12 touchdowns but also 14 interceptions in a total of 1,953 yards. Greg Little is the main outlet for Yates with 55 receptions for 637 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ryan Houston took over after starter Shaun Draughn was lost due to a shoulder injury late in the season in the backfield has rushed for 630 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Tar Heels are limiting opponents to a mere 16 ppg and only 267.8 total ypg, while recording 31 sacks and 28 turnovers. The defense has been especially good against the run and ranks ninth nationally, allowing only 92.8 ypg and just 2.8 yards per carry. The unit has also fared well versus the pass and ranks in the Top 10 in interceptions with 19. Robert Quinn is one of the best pass rushers in the nation, leading the Tar Heels with 11 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Corner Kendric Burney and safety Deunta Williams have combined for 11 interceptions and 314 return yards on those picks.
This is the seventh meeting between Pitt and UNC on the gridiron, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-2 edge in the series. The teams last met in 2000, when the Tar Heels notched a 20-17 victory over the Panthers at Three Rivers Stadium.
PICK: University of North Carolina Tar Heels
Primetime College Football: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Somewhat TALENT
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl previously called the Motor City Bowl before this season takes place in Detroit for the 13th time and this year it will see Ohio University Bobcats, who are making just their second postseason appearance since 1968, take on the Marshall Thundering Herd who will be lead by interim coach Rick Minter. The Thundering Herd gave West Virginia assistant John “Doc” Holliday a five-year contract to coach the team.
Marshall is no stranger to this bowl, as the team played in the first four Motor City Bowls posting a 3-1 record. Overall the Herd are 5-3 in bowl games, but have not played in one since 2004 when the team was defeated by Cincinnati, 32-14, in the Forth Worth Bowl. Marshall opened its season with four wins in its first six games, but lost four of its last six games to finish 6-6 overall and 4-4 in conference.
The Thundering Herd was nothing special offensively this season, as the team produced just 21 ppg. Marshall did enjoy success on the ground averaging 138.8 ypg and the majority of the yards came by Darius Marshall, who led the squad with 1,054 yards and 11 touchdowns on an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. At quarterback Brian Anderson was very inconsistent this season passing for 2,561 yards with 14 touchdowns but almost matched in 13 interceptions. Receiving most of the catches where Antavio Wilson who had 57 receptions and 706 yards and Cody Slate who hauled in 50 catches for 607 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Thundering Herd also dealt with plenty of problems defensively and surrendered on average 392.5 yards per matchup. The Herd gave up 145.1 ypg on the ground and 247.4 ypg through the air and allowed 19 passing touchdowns. The most alarming stat is that the Herd are allowing opponents to convert on 40 percent of their third down attempts. Mario Harvey is the lone bright spot on the defense with 105 tackles and 5 sacks.
As for the Bobcats, this will be just their fourth-ever bowl appearance, but the team’s second in the last three years. Ohio has lost all three of its bowl matchups, including a 28-7 loss to Southern Mississippi in the 2007 GMAC Bowl. Ohio started off the season 2-2 but turned things around by winning seven of its last eight regular season games but lost in the Mid-American Conference title game to Central Michigan 20-10 to finish 9-4 overall and 7-1 in conference.
Frank Solich’s Bobcats where led by Theo Scott who passed for 2,258 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Scott had numerous wide receivers to choose from like Taylor Price who has 52 catches for 735 yards and 5 scores and LaVon Brazill who has 50 catches for 689 yards and 6 touchdowns. On the ground Ohio was lead by Chris Garrett who ran for 591 yards.
Ohio has been lead by a defense that held opponents to 21 ppg and collected 20 interceptions while also forcing 36 turnovers. Noah Keller is the heart and soul of this defense with 138 tackles but Dak Notestine is leading the team with 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks while Gerald Moore has grabbed 6 interceptions.
Before heading over to the Conference-USA the Thundering Herd were part of the MAC, so these two schools are no strangers to each other. Ohio currently holds a 29-17-6 edge over Marshall in the all-time series, but the Thundering Herd have won 10 of the last 12 meetings.
PICK: Ohio University Bobcats
Primetime College Football: Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
TALENT
In the eighth annual Hawaii Bowl it will see a homecoming of former University of Hawaii coach June Jones as his SMU Mustangs take on the Nevada Wolf Pack at Aloha Stadium.
June Jones, the coach of the year on the ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team, has managed to get the Mustangs back to a postseason bowl game for the first time since 1984. In his second season, Jones has managed to keep the squad competitive in nearly every game in 2009 as they produced a 7-5 record overall and a mark of 6-2 versus the rest of Conference USA. Twice SMU lost by a field goal in overtime, another by just three points in regulation, while the other two losses came at the against nationally ranked opponents in TCU and Houston.
The last time SMU took part in the postseason it also occurred out on the islands in the 1984 Aloha Bowl where the group defeated Notre Dame, 27-20. With that victory, the Mustangs moved to 4-6-1 in the postseason. Before hiring Jones, the Mustangs had gone 58-153-3 under four coaches and posted one winning record, 6-5 in 1997.
Posting just one win in 12 attempts a season ago, the Mustangs stormed back with a vengeance in 2009 behind the efforts of both running back Shawnbrey McNeal and quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. McNeal accounted for the bulk of SMU’s rushing attack, generating 1,125 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Zach Line used his 45 carries to land in the end zone 6 times in 12 games. Mitchell only completed 56 percent of his passes, resulting in a total of 12 touchdowns, but he was also picked off 10 times. Freshman Kyle Padron stepped in to throw for 1,462 yards and 8 touchdowns in six games while Mitchell was hurt. Emmanuel Sanders was clearly the big-play man down the field for the squad with his 1,215 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The SMU defense ranked 92nd in the country with 404 ypg allowed, resulting in 29 ppg which was 90th in the nation. One bright spot was Chase Kennemer who had 126 tackles an average of 10.5 stops per outing ranking him 13th in the nation.
As for the Wolf Pack they went 8-4 and 7-1 in Western Athletic Conference, they put together a huge comeback under the direction of head coach Chris Ault. The offense was one of the most exciting in the nation, even though the Pack lost three straight games out of the gate. From there the Pistol Offense began making things happen, most notably, producing three players with at least 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in college football history. Nevada, which put together a lengthy eight-game win streak, had a chance to win the Western Athletic Conference title, but a wild shootout versus sixth-ranked Boise State in the regular-season finale resulted in a 44-33 setback.
Coach Ault, back on the sidelines for the Wolf Pack for his third different stint, has his team in the postseason for the fifth straight season. The last three appearances have all resulted in losses, the most recent of those being a 42-35 loss to Maryland during last year’s Humanitarian Bowl in Idaho. Nevada is currently just 3-6 in bowl decisions.
The Nevada offense was the best in the business when it came to running the ball this season, averaging a whopping 362.3 ypg, one of only two teams in the country to average better than 275 ypg on the ground. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick spearheaded the attack for Nevada, becoming just the 10th signal-caller in NCAA history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Passing the ball only when necessary, Kaepernick still made good on close to 60 percent of his attempts for 19 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. Kaepernick was second on the team with his 1,160 yards rushing, resulting in a team-best 16 TDs, while Vai Taua had 1,345 yards, and 10 touchdowns and Luke Lippincott had 1,034 yards with 9 touchdowns.
Due to the high power scoring it allowed opponents to get the ball back frequently and most of the time putting it through the air. That help cause Nevada’s defense to rank next to last in the nation with 284.3 ypg allowed. Not all was lost for the defense as there were a number of bright spots for the group, specifically Dontay Moch and Kevin Basped. Moch had 19.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and Basped accounted for 10.5 tackles for loss and team best 7.5 sacks
The Wolf Pack leads the all-time series between these two teams by a count of 3-2, although it was SMU that captured a 38-20 win in the most recent encounter back in 2004.
PICK: Southern Methodist University Mustangs
Primetime College Football: Poinsettia Bowl
TALENT
The fifth annual Poinsettia Bowl will see the Utah Utes take on the California Golden Bears at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.
Utah came into the 2009 season sporting the longest win streak in the country after finishing 2008 as the only undefeated program in the country after their defeat of Alabama 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl. The team won two straight out of the gate but then lost to Oregon on the road, 31-24 then Utah lost to both TCU and BYU in Mountain West Conference action after posting a six-game winning streak. Overall in postseason the Utes are 11-4 in bowl opportunities.
As for the Golden Bears, all four of their losses this season came against Pac-10 opponents. In those four decisions California, which finished 8-4 overall and 5-4 in league play. The Bears are making their school record seventh straight bowl appearance and coming off last years victory over Miami in the Emerald Bowl 24-17. Overall in postseason Cal is 10-8-1.
Jordan Wynn is slated to be the quarterback for the Utes over Terrance Cain, the freshman has started the last four games of the season and throwing 991 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Cain converted 63.7 percent of his attempts for 1,624 yards and 11 TDs. David Reed is there best target and has 75 catches for 1,085 yards, resulting in 5 touchdowns. Jereme Brooks is responsible for 49 catches for 620 yards and 6 touchdowns. Eddie Wide handles all of the running duties for coach Kyle Whittingham’s Utes averaging close to six yards per attempt and 12 touchdowns.
The defense ranked second in the Mountain West Conference and ninth in the nation in pass efficiency defense with a rating of 100.1, permitting a mere 172.8 ypg through the air. Christian Cox led the team with 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss while finishing with 28 tackles. Another key figure is Robert Johnson who had 5 interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries while having 66 tackles.
California head coach Jeff Tedford will be once again without Jahvid Best and instead have to rely on Shane Vereen, who has had the ball 88 times for 443 yards and 4 touchdowns in the final three games of the regular season for the program. Overall, Vereen has been credited with 10 rushing touchdowns and 830 yards on 163 carries this season. Kevin Riley who has completed 54.6 percent of his pass attempts for an average of 219.7 ypg and a total of 17 touchdowns, against just 6 interceptions. The teams best target is Marvin Jones who has 38 catches for 607 yards and 6 scores, while Vereen has 22 grabs for 224 yards and another two TDs.
The run defense for the Golden Bears has responded this season by limiting foes to just 117.1 ypg, 27th in the nation. Mike Mohamed may lead the unit with his 105 tackles, of which seven have come behind the line of scrimmage, but Tyson Alualu has 60 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
Utah has won just two of the six all-time meetings with the Golden Bears, the most recent of those taking place in 2003 with the Utes claiming a 31-24 win at home in Salt Lake City.
PICK: California Golden Bears
Primetime College Football: MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
TALENT
The 18th annual Las Vegas Bowl pits the Oregon State Beavers against the BYU Cougars, who are making their fifth straight trip at Sam Boyd Stadium.
BYU lost to Arizona in this bowl a year ago 31-21 but this year arrive after putting together a 10-2 record and a 7-1 record within the Mountain West Conference. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougars only two losses fcame against Florida State 54-28 at home in the third game of the season and demolishing 38-7 defeat at home against TCU.
Oregon State is playing in a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 11 years, its the Beavers second time appearing in the Las Vegas Bowl, their first being a 55-14 triumph over New Mexico back in 2003. Mike Riley’s Beavers had four losses on the season, three of which were against nationally-ranked programs. Their last lost came against in-state rival Oregon who won the 113th Civil War 37-33, snapping a four game win streak.
In terms of postseason experience Oregon State has won eight of 12 match-ups, last year wining their fifth straight bowl with a 3-0 defensive struggle versus Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl. BYU, has a mark of 9-17-1 in the postseason with its last win coming in 2007 against UCLA 17-16 at the Las Vegas Bowl. As far as the all-time series between these two teams goes, OSU holds a 5-3 edge over the Cougars and the last meeting being in Provo back in 1986.
The Beavers operate behind the one-two punch provided by brothers Jacquizz and James Rodgers. Jacquizz a devastating runner who gained 1,377 yards and registered 20 touchdowns on the ground this year. James set the OSU single-season record for all-purpose yards with 2,213 yards. This season, James has caught 87 passes for 1,004 yards and nine touchdowns from Sean Canfield who connected on 70 percent of his passes for 3,103 yards and 21 touchdowns and only throwing six interceptions in 406 attempts.
On defensive the Beavers are allowing opponents 23 points and 352.9 total yards per tilt. Keaton Kristick leads the team with 87 tackles and was 7.5 tackles for loss.
The Cougars have an offense that was ranked 12th in the nation this season with 34 ppg and backed by Max Hall who has thrown for 3,000 yards three times in his career and is second only to Ty Detmer on the school’s all- time passing list. Hall threw for 300 yards a league-record eight times this season, connected on 67.5 percent of his attempts for 3,368 yards and 30 touchdowns but threw 14 interceptions. Then there’s Hall’s favorite target Dennis Pitta, a 2009 ALL-SGE-NCAA FOOTBALL Team member, who led the nation in receptions at his position with 57 for 784 yards and seven touchdowns. Harvey Unga led BYU in rushing with 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns this year. The Cougars’ all-time leading rusher with 3,384 yards, he is the cousin of Oregon State freshman players Devin and Kevin Unga.
The Cougars defense is lead by senior defensive end Jan Jorgensen who has 10.5 tackles for loss this season bringing his total to 44 such stops in his career, establishing a new Mountain West record.
Mendenhall is looking for the opportunity of defeating the program he played for more than 20 years ago who was a starting safety for the Beavers the last time these programs meet in 1986.
PICK: Brigham Young University Cougars
Primetime College Football: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Somewhat TALENT
The ninth annual New Orleans Bowl features the first-ever meeting between the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
The Golden Eagles are making their second straight and fourth overall appearance in the New Orleans Bowl, where they are a perfect 3-0, including a 30-27 overtime triumph over Troy last season. Overall coach Larry Fedora’s Golden Eagles are 9-8 in bowl games and are appearing in their eighth straight. The Golden Eagles earned their spot in this game going 7-5 during the regular season while going 6-2 in Conference USA.
The Blue Raiders are making just their second bowl appearance and their first since losing to Central Michigan in the 2006 Motor City Bowl. Middle Tennessee went 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference and 9-3 overall while the nine regular-season victories are the program’s most since 1992.
Despite losing star quarterback Austin Davis to injury midway through the season, the Golden Eagles were still able to churn out more than 5,000 total yards of offense for the third straight season. Martevious Young stepped in for Davis and threw 13 touchdowns with only one interception while rushing for 270 yards. DeAndre Brown has gone over 100 yards in two straight games and has scored 5 touchdowns over his last five outings. Damion Fletcher is set to conclude his career with the Golden Eagles and has rushed for 937 yards and 8 scores this season and is just 63 yards shy of becoming the ninth player in NCAA Division I-A history to record four 1,000-yard campaigns.
Defensively, the Eagles are strong up front and they have done a nice job in registering 33 sacks on the season. The unit also ranks 22nd nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 6.9 per game. Linebackers Korey Williams has 112 tackles and Ronnie Thornton has 107 are the teams best tackles and have also combined for 18.5 tackles for loss. Williams has 6.5 sacks to his credit and ranks second to Cordarro Law, who tops the roster with 7.5 and 13.5 tackles for loss. The weakness of this defense comes in the secondary, where the Eagles are allowing 265.6 ypg through the air.
Coach Rick Stockstill’s Blue Raiders, it all starts with quarterback Dwight Dasher, who ranks ninth nationally in total offense. The versatile gunslinger can get the job done in a variety of ways and he has thrown for 2,627 yards and 21 touchdowns but has thrown 14 interceptions but does lead the team with 953 yards and 11 scores on the ground. D.D. Kyles ranks second to Dasher with 822 rushing yards and he is averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
The defense has done an outstanding job of making big plays, as they have notched 31 turnovers, including 17 interceptions and 38 sacks. Chris McCoy has posted 59 stops and a team-high seven sacks. Linebacker Cam Robinson leads the team in tackles with 104 and he also has 13 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. Danny Carmichael checks in with 87 stops, 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, while also ranking third in the nation with 6 forced fumbles. The secondary has allowed just 13 touchdowns through the air this season and corner Marcus Udell has 7 interceptions.
PICK: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Primetime College Football: St. Petersburg Bowl
TALENT
The University of Central Florida Knights from Conference USA and Rutgers University Scarlet Knights from the Big East face off at Tropicana Field in the second annual St. Petersburg Bowl in Florida.
The Central Florida doesn’t have far to travel for this game and perhaps that will help them pick up their first bowl win in their third appearance. UCF lost to Nevada in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl and Mississippi State in the 2007 Liberty Bowl, but are back in the postseason thanks to an 8-4 finish under the guidance of George O’Leary.
For Rutgers, it is making its school-record fifth straight bowl game appearance under head coach Greg Schiano who hadn’t been to a bowl game since 1978. Rutgers is 3-2 all-time in bowl games and it has won each of its last three appearances. The Scarlet Knights went 8-4, giving the team at least eight wins for the fourth straight season.
This game marks the first-ever meeting between UCF and Rutgers on the gridiron.
Brett Hodges has completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,263 yard and 15 TDs while spreading it all around. A.J. Guyton has 42 catches, 559 yards, Rocky Ross 37 receptions, 412 yards and Kamar Aiken 545 yards, 7 touchdowns are the main threats in the passing game. At running back sophomore Brynn Harvey has rushed for 1,077 yards in 11 games and has 14 rushing touchdowns.
The strength of this team though comes on defense, where the unit ranks in the top five in both sacks and rushing yards allowed. UCF has racked up 37 sacks on the campaign, with 11 different players having contributed to that number. However, defensive ends Jarvis Geathers and Bruce Miller are the two biggest reasons for the success in bringing down opposing quarterbacks. Miller leads the way with 12 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss, while Geathers checks in with 11 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Against the run, the Knights are allowing just 82.5 ypg and only 2.6 yards per carry to opposing clubs. The unit has given up just 10 rushing touchdowns and forced 15 fumbles. The success against the run has helped UCF limit foes to only 20 ppg for the season.
Rutgers has true freshman Tom Savage at quarterback and at time has looked the part, completing just 52.3 percent of his pass attempts. He has thrown for 12 touchdowns against 6 INTs while the offensive line has allowed 39 sacks on the season. Tim Brown is their best receiver averaging 20.6 yards per catch and 1,051 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season. Sophomore Joe Martinek paces the ground attack with 923 yards and 9 touchdowns, and true freshman Mohamed Sanu will also get some looks out of the wildcat formations after rushing for 305 yards. The versatile Sanu is also a wide receiver that ranks second on the team with 47 catches and 542 yards.
Rutgers possesses one of the better defenses around and are holding opponents to 17 ppg and 312.2 total ypg while creating 32 turnovers and recorded 34 sacks. Defensive end Jonathan Freeny has helped to create big plays with his pressure off the edge. He currently leads Rutgers with 8.5 sacks and 10 QB hurries and he will need to shine if Rutgers is to stop UCF’s improved offense. Devin McCourty highlights the secondary and he is a shutdown corner that has racked up a team-high 78 tackles.
PICK: University of Central Florida Knights
Primetime College Football: New Mexico Bowl
Primetime College Football Regular Season Record 66-27
The 2009-2010 bowl season kicks off today and that means the return of the Primetime College Football segments. Usually the Primetime College Football posts are slated for any national televised football game that starts at or after the 6 p.m. CST spot with the two exceptions being the Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry and the Army-Navy Game, where I finished 66-27 on the season.
Bowl Games are the true essence of Primetime College Football, with that being said no matter what the start time is a PCF post will be provided and to kick it off is the fourth annual New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque playing host to the Fresno State Bulldogs and the University of Wyoming Cowboys.
The Bulldogs are back in this event for the second time in as many years, having lost to Colorado State in 2008 by a 40-35 final. Now in his 13th season with the Bulldogs, head coach Pat Hill has led his squad to a postseason appearance 10 times in the last 11 seasons. Hill earned his 100th career victory in the regular-season finale versus Illinois, managed to turn his squad around from a record of just 1-3 heading into October to 8-4 overall and 6-2 mark versus the rest of the Western Athletic Conference.
Wyoming gained bowl eligibility for the first time since 2006, but in that year the team did not get a call, which means first year head coach Dave Christensen is the first Wyoming coach to take his team to a bowl game in his first season since Paul Roach turned the trick in 1987 when he took his squad to the Holiday Bowl. The Cowboys are 6-6 overall and 4-4 in Mountain West Conference action.
Fresno State’s bowl history stretches back to the 1937 All-American Bowl. Overall, the Bulldogs hold a mark of 12-10 in postseason outings, compared to the Cowboys who are 5-6 following their 24-21 victory over UCLA in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl snapping a six-game postseason slide. These two programs have faced each other six times with the meetings split three apiece and the last victory going to Fresno State at home back in 1997.
Usually powered by their defense under coach Hill, the Bulldogs have tried a slightly different approach this season, leaning heavily on the running game to take them places. In particular, the squad was carried by the legs of running back Ryan Mathews who cranked out nine consecutive 100-yard games and setting a new school record with 1,664 yards. Mathews had a season-high 235 yards rushing against Boise State and logged at least 150 yards in games against Illinois, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. He’s always a big-play threat, leading the nation with seven runs of at least 50 yards. The Bulldogs where ranked seventh in the nation in rushing as a unit with 231.6 ypg. Handling the passing responsibilities for the Bulldogs this season is junior Ryan Colburn who threw for more than 200 yards only three times this season and only threw 11 interceptions in 279 attempts.
The defense has been a different story for the Bulldogs as they rank 111th in the country in stopping the run with 212.4 ypg allowed and dead last in the country in sacks with a total of only nine.
As for the Cowboys, their offense was held scoreless three times this season and three other times failed to score over 10 points. But true freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels raised to another level near the end of the season to earn Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. Carta-Samuels completed 59 percent of his pass attempts for 1,752 yards and 7 TD’s and just 4 INTs in 295 chances. His receiver of his choice was David Leonard who caught 70 passes for 645 yards. The offensive line ranked 107th in the country with almost three sacks allowed per game.
The defense has given up 27 ppg but shown some strength in pass defense by ranking 20th in the country in turnover.
PICK: Fresno State Bulldogs
Primetime College Football: Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen
TALENT
Technically the Primetime College Football segment here on the Sports Grind Entertainment website is slated for any national televised football game that starts at or after the 6 p.m. CST spot. However there are two exceptions, the first being the Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry Game because nothing quite compares to Texas pride like that game. The second game being today’s between Army-Navy because nothing quite compares to national pride like this game in terms of football. It’s the last regular season game of the college football season and this game represents the love for the game, the love for our great country, the love for the armed services.
These men are not going to be found on an NFL Draft board next year but a majority will find themselves in Afghanistan or Iraq in yet they still they still play. That’s what will happen at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia as one of the greatest rivalries in sports enjoys its 110th addition, when Army takes on Navy.
Head coach Rich Ellerson is in his first season at the helm in West Point and has his Black Knights on the verge of their first postseason berth since the 1996 Independence Bowl. If Army, which has won two straight games entering this season-finale, wins, the Black Knights will move on to the EagleBank Bowl to take on the Temple Owls. A loss would leave Army at 5-7 overall and obviously out of this year’s bowl picture.
Earning that sixth victory won’t come easy as Navy is sporting an impressive 8-4 record in Ken Niumatalolo’s second season in Annapolis. The Midshipmen are coming off a 24-17 loss at Hawaii last time out however, and would like to get back on track before a New Year’s Eve showdown with Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
The Midshipmen have won the last six Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies and will look to add to their streak of 13 straight victories over both Army and Air Force combined. Navy holds a 53-49-7 advantage in the all-time series with Army, thanks to seven straight wins over the Black Knights. Navy blanked Army last year, 34-0.
Freshman quarterback Trent Steelman is poised to be only the second plebe to start an Army/Navy game. Its hard to argue with the decision, as the youngster is the team’s top rusher with 690 yards and five TDs. Steelman has not had that much success throwing the football, but then again, Ellerson doesn’t require that very often of his quarterbacks. Joining Steelman in the backfield are slotback Patrick Mealy 625 yards, three TDs and fullback Kingsley Ehie 445 yards, two TDs. In all, the Black Knights are a dangerous rushing team, averaging 212.1 yards per game.
Still, senior Ali Villanueva does have the ability to make plays downfield. At 6-10, 283 pounds, he poses serious matchup problems, and that has led to him leading the team in receptions 29, receiving yards 460 and 5 TDs.
The Army defense has done a nice job for the most part this season, limiting the opposition to a mere 22 ppg. The rush defense has been lax at times 149.3 ypg, but the pass defense has been tremendous 161.2 ypg. In addition, the Black Knights have recorded 23 sacks and 22 takeaways in the first 11 games.
Sophomore linebacker Andrew Rodriguez 70 tackles, two INTs and junior safety Donovan Travis, from Judson High School, 68 tackles, team-high four INTs will need to continue to excel in the back seven, while junior end Josh McNary 59 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks continues to blow things up in the backfield.
If Army is good running the football, than Navy is great at it. The Midshipmen rank among the nation’s top rushing teams, averaging a hefty 279.7 yards per game, which is third nationally, on 4.8 yards per carry. It is a pick-your-poison with this lethal option attack, as both quarterback Ricky Dobbs and running back Vince Murray are closing in on 1,000-yard campaigns. Dobbs has rushed for a team-high 924 yards on the year, with an eye-popping 23 touchdowns. Murray has amassed 884 yards on the season, with six scores. In all, Navy has rushed for 39 touchdowns, compared to just four through the air.
Much like the Army defensive unit, Navy’s defense has flown a little under the radar, considering the big numbers the offense is capable of generating. The Midshipmen are yielding just 21 ppg on the year, holding foes to a respectable 345.8 yards of total offense.
The play of linebacker is what fuels the Navy attack. Senior linebacker Ross Pospisil leads the way with his 91 total tackles. Fellow senior linebacker Tony Haberer is a distant second with 69 tackles, followed closely by junior linebacker Tyler Simmons 63 stops. Junior safety Wyatt Middleton 61 tackles, three INTs, two fumble recoveries highlights the play in the secondary, while sophomore Jabaree Tuani 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks can get the job done up front.
San Antonio is represented with a total of eight men in this game with Navy leading the way with five.
Navy’s senior linebacker Ram Vela from Taft has 53 tackles and 2 INTs, one was to help secure the victory over Notre Dame. Senior fullback Jordan Eddington from Taft has played in 11 games this season. Junior wide receiver Greg Jones from Reagan has six catches for 149 yards, including a 52 yard TD reception in the win against Notre Dame. Sophomore wide receiver Gary Myers from Taft has also played in 11 games. Freshamn offensive guard Josh Corby represents Madison and San Antonio.
Army’s has Donovan Travis the junior safety from Judson and junior wide out Alfred McDaniel from Judson and sophomore offensive tackle David Ford from Antonian.
Keep our soldiers states side and abroad in your hearts and minds and best of luck to all that represent in the 110th meeting between the two academies.
PICK: Navy Midshipmen
Primetime College Football: Badgers vs Warriors
TALENT
With a spot in the annual Sheraton Bowl on the line, the Hawaii Warriors try to finish off the 2009 regular season on a positive note this weekend as they host the Wisconsin Badgers in non-conference action at Aloha Stadium.
Hawaii has been a fixture in the postseason in recent years, earning an extra game in each of the last three years and in six of the previous seven campaigns heading into 2009. This year, with all the injuries to key skill players, it appeared the run might be over due to a six-game slide that had the team 2-6 at the end of October. But since then head coach Greg McMackin, who had his own issues before the season began, has gotten his group to post four consecutive wins and even its record at 6-6. Last week, the Warriors stayed alive with a 24-17 win against Navy at home and setting the stage for this dramatic conclusion.
As for the Badgers, they’ve been watching from the sidelines since losing at Northwestern back on November 21st, 33-31. The defeat snapped a modest three- game win streak for Wisconsin and was the third against Big Ten Conference foes, the other two being struck by Ohio State and Iowa in back-to-back meetings in the middle of October. While nothing has been decided as of yet, predictions have Wisconsin possibly heading to the Champs Sports Bowl to face an opponent from the ACC.
As far as the all-time series between the teams is concerned, the Badgers own a 4-1 edge on Hawaii and have won three of the four battles played in Honolulu. The most recent meeting took place in 2005 as Wisconsin posted a 41-24 road victory, even as Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan threw for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns.
The success of the Badgers this season has been predicated on the team’s ability to move the ball on the ground, and that seems to be the job of John Clay who ranks first in the Big Ten and is 19th in the nation this week with an average of 111.3 ypg. Clay has taken the lion’s share of the carries and has produced a hefty 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns, all while averaging better than five yards per attempt. The team as a whole checks in with 4.5 yards per attempt and 198.1 ypg to rank second in the league and 18th in the country. Compared to the opposition, which has logged just seven rushing scores in 2009, the Badgers have hit the end zone 24 times on the ground, taking that much more pressure off Scott Tolzien under center. Tolzien has managed to complete 62.4 percent of his attempts for 16 touchdowns and it is clear that his top targets are Nick Toon 49 catches, 713 yards, four TDs and Garrett Graham 41 catches, 502 yards, seven TDs.
Recognizing the importance of the running game in the Big Ten, not only have the Badgers figured out how to move the ball themselves in that fashion, they’ve also discovered how to keep the opposition from making the most of their opportunities. Wisconsin has surrendered an average of just 97.2 ypg on the ground this season and that number has the unit ranked third in the league and 12th in the country at the moment. A huge reason for the team’s success in that area has been the play of O’Brien Schofield who is third on the team in tackles with 55 and has made more than one-third of those stops behind the line of scrimmage. With 20.5 tackles for loss over 11 games Schofield is second in the conference and fourth in the nation in terms of average tackles for a loss per game.
Late in the third quarter of the game with Navy on Saturday night, Bryant Moniz threw his third touchdown pass of the meeting, a 14-yard effort to Alex Green, to put the Warriors ahead to stay. Moniz, who was back in the starting lineup again, threw for 366 yards and tossed a pair of scoring strikes to Kealoha Pilares. While he failed to get into the end zone, receiver Greg Salas continued to show why he needs to be considered for all-conference honors this season with his 10 catches for 147 yards. This offense has had to endure the styles and capabilities of three difference starting quarterbacks this season, with Moniz, Shane Austin and Greg Alexander all being forced into action. Between them all they’ve still managed to average a hefty 348.7 ypg through the air to rank third in the nation. The trio has thrown for 24 touchdowns, 13 of which have come from Moniz. But no matter who is settling into the pocket, the top option down the field remains Salas who is second in the nation with 129.9 ypg receiving and third with better than eight-and-a-half catches per game.
The Warriors were bound to give up considerable yards on the ground against one of the nation’s top rushing programs last weekend, but permitting 248 yards on 48 attempts really wasn’t all that bad for Hawaii. Linebacker Blaze Soares tied his career high with 12 tackles, all but one of those solo, and also sacked Dobbs on the final play of the game to earn himself Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. On a team that is rarely praised for its defense, Soares leads the group in total tackles now with his 96 stops.
PICK: University of Wisconsin Badgers
Primetime College Football: Bulls vs Huskies
TALENT
The Connecticut Huskies will try to continue their solid play when they host the South Florida Bulls in a Big East Conference battle at Rentschler Field.
Jim Leavitt Bulls began their season with five straight wins, but since then the team has fallen apart, losing four of its last six matchups. The last time South Florida was in action the team was no match for Miami, as the Hurricanes stormed over USF, 31-10. Surprisingly though the Bulls have played well on the road this year, posting a 3-2 ledger as the visitor.
As for the Huskies, they have won back-to-back matchups on the heels of a three-game skid. after defeating Notre Dame in thrilling fashion 33-30 OT, the Huskies clobbered Syracuse 56-31. With the win over the Orange, the Huskies are now bowl eligible for the fifth time in the last seven seasons.
This will be the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools, and the fifth as members of the Big East Conference.
Offensively, the Bulls have done a respectable job on the season, averaging 26 ppg, thanks 363.1 total ypg. The ground game is churning out 167.3 ypg on the season with the majority of the damage being created by the tandem of BJ Daniels and Moise Plancher. Daniels is leading the team with 710 rushing yards and six scores, while Plancher has rushed for 539 yards and five touchdowns. Daniels has not been as consistent under center for the Bulls, as the quarterback has thrown for just 1,606 yards and 12 scores against nine interceptions.
The Bulls defense is holding teams to just 20 ppg on 326.6 total ypg. South Florida has been able to live off the big play this year as well, as the team has forced 21 turnovers (12 interceptions and nine fumbles), and also comes into this game with 24 sacks.
The success for the Huskies this season has come from the ground game, which is churning out 176.9 ypg on 4.3 yards per attempt. Out of the 40 touchdowns scored by this unit, 27 have come via the run. Overall this offense is producing 402.6 total ypg and that has translated into 32 ppg. Leading the way on the ground has been the dangerous duo of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. Todman is currently leading the team with 1,079 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Dixon has rumbled for 917 yards and 11 scores. Zach Frazier the quarterback has been a bit inconsistent on the year and comes into this game with just seven touchdowns against nine interceptions.
Defensively coach Randy Edsall’s Huskies have struggled at times throughout the season and come into this game allowing 24 ppg. The Huskies are surrendering 132.5 ypg on the ground, but the real issue has come against the pass for UConn, as the defense is being torched for 252.5 ypg on the year. Lawrence Wilson is leading the team with 130 tackles.
The Bulls have a slim 4-2 edge over the Huskies, and one of those victories came last season when South Florida defeated UConn, 17-13.
PICK: University of Connecticut Huskies
Primetime College Football: Yellow Jackets vs Tigers
TALENT
Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney don’t feel they have to the defend the honor of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The winner will end a lengthy drought between league titles and earn a spot in the Orange Bowl.
Georgia Tech (10-2) lost to struggling Georgia and Clemson (8-4) was trounced by instate rival South Carolina. Before stumbling, the Yellow Jackets and Tigers were two of the hottest teams in the country. Georgia Tech had won eight straight since losing to Miami in September. Clemson was riding a six-game winning streak after losing three of five to start Swinney’s first full season at the helm.
Tech won the regular season meeting 30-27 in Atlanta, kicking two fourth-quarter field goals after blowing a 24-0 lead as Clemson scored 27 consecutive points.
The Yellow Jackets and Tigers are the top two scoring teams in the conference. Georgia Tech is second in the nation in rushing at 305 yards per game, and Clemson’s explosive offense features ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller, who has scored 16 touchdowns – seven rushing, four receiving and five on kick returns.
Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer and Josh Nesbitt, a distant second to Spiller for conference player of the year, are on pace to become the first teammates in the ACC to rush for more than 1,000 yards since 1993. But after giving up 339 yards on the ground during the loss to Georgia, it will be interesting to see whether the Yellow Jackets can make necessary adjustments to contain Spiller, who’s close to becoming the first player in conference history with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving in the same season.
Boasting two prolific ground gainers in Dwyer 197 carries, 1,236 yards, 12 TDs and Nesbitt 237 carries, 888 yards, 17 TDs, Georgia Tech offense typically batters foes into submission by averaging 5.3 ypc, 305.0 rushing ypg. 43 of the team’s 53 TDs have come on the ground. Nesbitt, Georgia Tech’s quarterback has attempted just 137 passes this season, completing 64 of them for 1,553 yards with nine TDs against only four INTs. Demaryius Thomas has clearly been Nesbitt’s favorite target, as he has 44 catches for 1,077 yards and seven scores.
The Georgia Tech defense is giving up 352.2 total ypg, with 135.7 ypg coming on the ground and 216.6 ypg coming via the pass. The Yellow Jackets have allowed nearly twice as many passing TDs 21 as 11 rushing ones and Brad Jefferson is the team’s leading tackler with 87 stops. Derrick Morgan has been a man possessed along the defensive line, posting 12.5 sacks.
The Clemson offense is every bit as explosive as Georgia Tech’s, but the Tigers prefer a more balanced approach. As a result, the rushing figure comes in at 156.8 ypg and the team generates 204.7 ypg through the air. Clemson is averaging 31 ppg and has reached the end zone 17 times on the ground, 22 times passing and a seven times on returns. Jacoby Ford is the team’s go-to guy down the field, as he has 50 grabs for 703 yards and five TDs. Kyle Parker is Clemson’s quarterback and he has completed 55.3 percent of his passes this season for 2,294 yards, 19 TDs and 10 INTs.
Defensively Brandon Maye is the team’s top tackler, having logged 90 stops while Kavell Conner and Marcus Gilchrist are close behind with 87 and 86. DeAndre McDaniel has eight INTs, one of which he returned for a TD, and Rashard Hall has six picks.
Georgia Tech owns a 48-24-2 advantage in the all-time series with Clemson, and the Yellow Jackets have won the last three meetings, and five of the last six overall.
Georgia Tech shared the ACC crown with Florida State in 1998, however the Yellow Jackets have not won the championship outright since 1990, the year before Clemson won its most recent title.
PICK: Clemson University Tigers
Primetime College Football: Huskers vs Longhorns
TALENT
Mack Brown’s Longhorns look to claim their first conference title in four years when they face Nebraska on in the Big 12 Championship game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The last time Texas (12-0, 8-0) played for a Big 12 title, it pounded Colorado 70-3 in 2005. Behind the play of quarterback Vince Young, the Longhorns then upset top-ranked Southern California 41-38 in the BCS title game.
Four years later, the Big 12 South champs again have a chance to head to Pasadena for a shot at the BCS title, but first must record a fifth straight victory over North champion Nebraska (9-3, 6-2).
Colt McCoy’s Heisman Trophy resume got a little more impressive after he passed for 304 yards and ran for a career-high 175 on 18 carries against the Aggies in a 49-39 on the road game on Thanksgiving night. McCoy has passed for 1,791 yards and 18 touchdowns with two interceptions in his last five contests. His 3,328 total passing yards this season ranks fourth in Texas history.
While McCoy has thrown for 401 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a pair of wins over Nebraska will face a stiff challenge versus a Cornhuskers’ defense that’s allowing a league low 11.1 points per contest.
Opponents are scoring a mere 15 ppg against Texas while gaining just 263.2 total ypg. Roddrick Muckelroy continues to pace the Horns with 87 total tackles, and he has made 10 tackles for loss. As for Earl Thomas has recorded eight interceptions while placing second on the roster in stops.
Though Nebraska ranks 11th in total offense 334.7 yards per game, the Cornhuskers are averaging 25.6 points per game and have won five in a row heading into this contest. Junior Roy Helu has paced the Cornhuskers, rushing for 1,111 yards and 10 touchdowns. Talented freshman Rex Burkhead ran for a career-high 100 yards and a TD on 18 carries in a 28-20 win at Colorado last Friday. As for quarterback Zac Lee, he has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 1,931 yards and 13 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Nebraska lacks a standout wide receiver, a major reason that the offense is so average.
Pelini is a defensive-minded coach, and he has made a huge impact on the Huskers who lead the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing a mere 11.1 ppg. They are allowing only 101.9 rushing yards per game at a clip of 3.0 yards per carry, and just six rushing scores have been surrendered in 12 outings. As for the pass defense, Nebraska has recorded 16 interceptions versus only seven touchdowns allowed.
Ndamukong Suh is a standout defensive lineman for Nebraska who has recorded 7.5 sacks this season, despite the fact that he is constantly forced to fight through multiple blockers. Suh gets plenty of help from Jared Crick, who has nine sacks to his credit.
Two years after finishing 5-7 in Bill Callahan’s final season as coach, Pelini has guided Nebraska to consecutive nine-win seasons and an upset away from earning its first league title since last beating Texas 22-6 in the 1999 Big 12 championship game.
This is the first meeting between the teams since the Longhorns won 28-25 at home Oct. 27, 2007.
PICK: University of Texas Longhorns
Primetime College Football: Chippewas vs Bobcats
TALENT
Everything is on the line when the Central Michigan Chippewas battle the Ohio Bobcats in the Mid-American Conference championship game at Ford Field.
The Bobcats had an outstanding season, winning nine of their 12 games and come into this contest with a four-game winning streak. The most recent victory was the most important win to date for Ohio on the year, as the Bobcats dismantled Temple, 35-17, clinching the East Division of the MAC. This is the second time in four seasons that Ohio has participated in the MAC title game. However, the team has not claimed the conference championship since 1968.
As for the Chippewas, they were once again the class of the conference, winning all eight of their league games, while finishing the year with a 10-2 mark. The only losses for Central Michigan came against Arizona and Boston College. The Chippewas are no stranger to playing in the MAC title game, as the team will be looking to collect its third league title in the last four seasons, and seventh overall in school history.
In regard to the all-time series, the Chippewas have handled Ohio throughout the years, posting a 20-4-2 mark against the Bobcats. The biggest showdown between the two teams in recent memory happened in 2006 when CMU and Ohio battled in the that year’s MAC title game and unfortunately for Ohio the contest was not close, as Central Michigan went on to win by a 31-10 margin.
Ohio is currently averaging 26 ppg, with the majority of the success due to the passing attack which is led by Theo Scott. Scott comes into this game with 2,120 yards and 19 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. His favorite target is Taylor Price, who is leading the team with 51 receptions and 733 yards. But he isn’t the only weapon in the recieving core as the Bobcats also have LaVon Brazill, who not only is a threat on special teams, but has also collected 49 passes for 670 yards and six scores.
The Ohio defense has been the strong point to the Bobcats season, holding teams to just 21 ppg and only give up 198.9 ypg through the air. The Bobcats force its oppenets to make mistakes and have collected 19 interceptions, while recovering 16 fumbles on the year. Ohio has only allowed opponents to convert on 35 percent of their third down chances, but inside the red zone is a different story, as the Bobcats have been scored on 85 percent of the time when their backs are against the wall. Noah Keller is the clear cut leader of this defense, as the linebacker is leading the way with 122 tackles.
The Chippewas possess the most balanced offensive attack in the MAC, and come into the title game averaging 34 ppg, behind 419.9 total ypg. Dan LeFevour leds the team on the ground and also with his arm. LeFevour has rushed for 650 yards on the season, while also throwing for 2,788 yards. The senior has thrown for 25 touchdowns against just five interceptions, and has also rushed for 14 scores.
LeFevour is currently tied for the NCAA’s record for the most touchdowns scored in a career with Colt Brennan (Hawaii 2005-07) and Graham Harrell (Texas Tech 2005-08). LeFevour has 146 touchdowns (99 passing, 46 rushing and one receiving), and that is six more that Florida’s Tim Teabow.
Antonio Brown has been the main target for LeFevour all season and comes into this game with 89 receptions, 954 yards and nine touchdowns. Bryan Anderson gives LeFevour a consistent second option, as the wideout has hauled in 50 receptions for 646 yards and five scores.
Central Michigan’s defense comes into this title game holding opponents to just 17 ppg. The Chippewas are limiting opponents to just 120.2 rushing ypg on a mere 3.6 yards per carry and while the unit is allowing 210.8 ypg through the air, teams have only scored 10 passing touchdowns against CMU. Nick Bellore is currently leading the team with 112 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss.
PICK: Central Michigan University Chippewas
Primetime College Football: Beavers vs Ducks
TALENT
In a bitter and long-standing rivalry known as the “Civil War”, the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers will battle for the Pac-10 Conference title and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
Last year the Beavers 65-38 loss snapped a six-game overall winning streak and an eight-game streak at Reser Stadium but utlimatley their shot at a Rose Bowl berth. It was the most points Oregon State had ever allowed an opponent.
The Beavers seemed lost without freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers, the Pac-10′s leading rusher who was out with a shoulder injury. The team also missed older brother James Rodgers, who had perfected his role in Oregon State’s trademark fly sweep. The Ducks were led by Jeremiah Masoli, who threw for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns. They rolled up 694 yards in total offense.
Oregon went on to beat Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl 42-31, and the Beavers went on to defeat Pittsburgh 3-0 in the Sun Bowl.
Oregon leads the overall series with Oregon State by a 56-46-10 margin. This season is the first “winner takes all” Civil War in the history of the longstanding rivalry game, where both teams have the opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl with a victory. The winner will also claim the Pac-10 title, breaking the hold that the Trojans have had on it for the past seven years.
Oregon (9-2, 7-1) lost its opener against Boise State and its lone conference game on the road at Stanford. Oregon State’s (8-3, 6-2) losses this season were to Cincinnati, Arizona and USC.
Few college football fans know anything about Sean Canfield, but the Oregon State quarterback certainly deserves credit for his outstanding play this season. Canfield has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 2,797 yards with 19 touchdowns against 6 interceptions. Jacquizz Rogers leads the team in rushing with 1,313 yards and 19 touchdowns while placing second on the team with 67 catches. James Rodgers is tops in receiving with 77 catches for 865 yards and 8 scores while also ranking second in rushing.
Oregon State is scoring 32. ppg this season to go along with 422.2 total ypg. The Beavers are have only turned the ball over eight times in 11 outings, perhaps the most impressive stat of all.
Defensively, Mike Riley’s Beavers have been rather mediocre this season, as the team is allowing 22. ppg and 340.5 total ypg. Oregon State has done its best work against the run, limiting the opposition to 98.5 ypg at a clip of 3.5 yards per carry. Pass defense has been it’s downfall. Keaton Kristick is certainly a player worth watching, as he has recorded 80 total tackles to lead the Beavers along with seven tackles for loss and 2 interceptions.
The strength of the Oregon offense is its ground attack, which has accounted for a staggering total of 32 touchdowns. The Ducks have registered a total of 47 offensive touchdowns and are scoring 37 ppg while generating 418.8 ypg. LaMichael James is a dynamic tailback who has posted 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per rushing attempt. As for Masoli he has thrown 14 touchdowns against only 4 interceptions, while rushing for 619 yards and 12 scores.
Chip Kelly’s Ducks doesn’t possess any star caliber defensive players on the roster, but there are a number of individuals who have made positive contributions this season. Javes Lewis leads the Ducks with 72 total tackles, and he has forced three fumbles. Oregon is allowing 22 ppg and 324 total ypg this season. The team has permitted 14 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing scores.
Oregon has made four appearances in the Rose Bowl, most recently following the 1994 season. The Ducks would have played in the 2002 game but went to the Fiesta Bowl because of the Rose Bowl’s tie with the national championship game that season. Oregon State has not earned a trip to the New Year’s game in Pasadena since the 1964 season.
PICK: Oregon State University Beavers
Primetime College Football: Bruins vs Trojans
TALENT
USC began the season looking for an eighth straight Pac-10 title and eighth consecutive BCS bowl appearance. After its second blowout loss in three weeks, the Trojans are simply trying to get into the best lower-tier bowl that they can. With its worst ranking in seven years, USC tries to regroup Saturday against crosstown rival UCLA, which needs a win in its finale to increase its bowl chances.
USC (7-3, 4-3) have three losses for the first time since going 6-6 in 2001, Pete Carroll’s first year as coach. Two weeks after yielding 613 yards in 47-20 loss at Oregon, the Trojans’ defense was again embarrassed, giving up the most points in school history.
The offense wasn’t much better with quarterback Matt Barkley having his third straight unimpressive game. He went 21 of 31 for 196 yards, but threw one touchdown and three interceptions. His turnovers on USC’s first two drives put the Trojans in an early 14-0 hole. Carroll has stuck with the freshman all season although he is averaging only 165.0 passing yards in his last three games, with four TDs and five picks in that span.
Rick Neuheisel defense that has forced 10 turnovers in the last two games. The Bruins (6-5, 3-5) are bowl eligible after defeating Arizona State 23-13 last Saturday – their third straight victory following a six-game skid. UCLA hasn’t had much success against its crosstown rival lately, though. The Trojans defeated the Bruins 28-7 last season and have won nine of 10.
The Bruins’ defense allowed more than 27 points once this season and is giving up an average of 14 during its winning streak. USC’s once-powerful offense averaged 18.3 points in its last three.
Kevin Prince took the snaps for the Bruins, and he completed just 15-of-31 passes for 161 yards.
Overall this season, UCLA is scoring a modest 22 ppg while generating 340.9 total ypg. The Bruins have struggled to move the ball on the ground, as they are rushing for a mere 114.8 ypg at a clip of 3.5 yards per carry. The fact that only 19 total offensive touchdowns have been scored in 11 games is a sign of a stagnant offense. Prince has completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,739 yards and six touchdowns with five interceptions. There are no standouts present at either the tailback or receiver positions.
UCLA has been able to hold opponents to 20 ppg and 338.5 total ypg. The Bruins don’t excel against either the run or the pass. Kyle Bosworth leads the Bruins with 70 total tackles, and Brian Price has recorded a staggering total of 20.5 tackles for loss, including 7 sacks. As for Rahim Moore, he has intercepted 9 passes in 11 games.
USC leads the all-time series with UCLA by a 43-28-7 margin, and Carroll is 7-1 against the Bruins since taking over as head coach of the Trojans.
PICK: University of California Los Angeles Bruins
Primetime College Football: Irish vs Cardinal
TALENT
A bitterly disappointing regular season comes to a close for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who will take on a tough Stanford team in non-conference action.
Notre Dame has completely fallen apart, as a promising 4-1 start has turned into a 6-5 record. The last three outings have resulted in losses of five points or less, including last weekend’s 33-30 overtime setback to UConn. Head coach Charlie Weis has been the topic of much conversation among fans and analysts, as it is the opinion of most that he will be coaching his last regular season game for the Irish this weekend.
As for Stanford, its Rose Bowl dreams were crushed last weekend with a 34-28 loss to rival Cal in the “Big Game”. That defeat halted a three-game win streak for the Cardinal, which is now 7-4 overall and 6-3 in Pac-10 play. All four losses this season have come by 10 points or less for Jim Harbaugh’s team.
The Notre Dame offense was held in check in regulation by UConn last weekend, as the Fighting Irish posted 20 points. Jimmy Clausen completed 30-of-45 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, another stellar performance by the Notre Dame signal caller. Golden Tate made nine catches for 123 yards and one touchdowns, while Michael Floyd finished with eight grabs for 104 yards and a score. Armando Allen spearheaded the ground attack with 106 yards. Overall this season, Clausen has thrown for 3,382 yards and 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions, tremendous numbers for one of the nation’s truly elite quarterbacks. Tate has made 83 catches for 1,295 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Floyd has 38 catches for 710 yards and seven scores in the six games he has played. Notre Dame is averaging 29 ppg and 452.2 total ypg.
Notre Dame is allowed 24 ppg this season, and the defense is permitting 388.8 total ypg. Of the 30 touchdowns that have been surrendered to opposing offenses, 16 have come through the air. The Fighting Irish are giving up 4.6 yards per rushing attempt and 13.7 yards per pass completion, Kyle McCarthy leads the team with 90 total tackles, and he has intercepted five passes.
Stanford tailback Toby Gerhart is a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy as he has rushed for 1,531 yards and 23 touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and his consistency from week to week has been most impressive. Gerhart has certainly helped freshman quarterback Andrew Luck succeed under center connecting on 55.2 percent of his passes for 2,377 yards and 13 touchdowns with only four interceptions, and he has rushed for 319 yards and two touchdowns as well. The top receiver on the roster is Ryan Whalen, who has recorded 48 grabs for 786 yards and three touchdowns. Stanford is averaging 35 ppg and 436.5 total ypg, tremendous numbers by any standards. Gerhart was outstanding against Cal last week, as he recorded 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries. Luck, unfortunately, was dreadful, completing only 10-of-30 passes with an interception.
Opponents are posting 25 ppg and 391.9 total ypg against a Stanford defense that has been mediocre at best. The Cardinal have permitted 18 rushing touchdowns and 15 scores through the air. Thomas Kaiser has 13 tackles for loss to his credit, including 8 sacks.
Notre Dame has won the last seven meetings with Stanford and owns a 16-7 advantage in the all-time series.
PICK: Stanford University Cardinal
Primetime College Football: Bulldogs vs Jackets
TALENT
Georgia Tech can earn its first trip to a BCS bowl with a victory in the ACC championship game. Considering how it’s fared at home against Georgia recently, though, it has something else to prove first.
Paul Johnson Yellow Jackets won a thriller in Athens last season to snap a seven-game skid in the series, and they’ll look for their first home win over the Bulldogs in a decade as the area rivals meet Saturday.
Georgia Tech (10-1) clinched the Coastal Division with a 49-10 win at Duke on Nov. 14. That set up a rematch of its 30-27 victory over Clemson on Sept. 10 next Saturday in Tampa for the right to represent the conference in the BCS.
Before the Yellow Jackets renew that series, which dates to 1898 and has been played 74 times, they will face their oldest rival. Georgia’s Tech’s history with Georgia (6-5) extends through 103 games back to 1893 and has been given the nickname “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.”
The Bulldogs were ranked in seven of the last eight matchups and four times in the top 10. The Yellow Jackets were ranked four times, but never higher than 16th. This season, Georgia Tech is the ranked team with its eye on the BCS, while Georgia is not in the Top 25 entering the game for just the second time since the start of the 1996 season.
Quarterback Josh Nesbitt and tailbacks Jonathan Dwyer and Anthony Allen have run for 2,600 yards, more than 115 teams. Nesbitt had a season-low nine carries for 30 yards against the Blue Devils, but threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He completed one pass for 19 yards and was held to 40 on the ground in the victory over Georgia last season, but faced a Bulldogs defense that ranked 22nd in the nation at 312.0 yards allowed per game. The team possesses one of the ACC’s top wideouts in Demaryius Thomas, who leads the team in 950 receiving yards and 6 TD catches.
The key contributor to the Yellow Jacket pass rush is All-American candidate Derrick Morgan. The 6-4, 275-pound junior has been unstoppable, recording 17 tackles for loss and an impressive 12.5 sacks. Linebacker Brad Jefferson team-high 76 tackles, two forced fumbles.
Georgia has allowed an average of 354.6 yards against opponents this season and forced eight turnovers in 11 games fewest in the nation. Almost as bad is the Bulldogs’ tendency to give the ball away. They are tied for 11th in the country with 26 giveaways, leaving them 119th in turnover margin at minus-18. Georgia turned it over four times last Saturday against Kentucky in a 34-27 loss, its first to the Wildcats since 1977. Junior linebacker Rennie Curran has done everything he can this season, leading the team in tackles with 107 stops.
Mark Richt Bulldogs are also fourth in the nation with 94 penalties.
Senior quarterback Joe Cox has played to mixed reviews, completing 56.1 percent of his passes, for 2,350 yards, with 21 TDs and 14 INTs. Georgia leading receiver A.J. Green, second in the SEC at 83.4 yards per game, sat out last week with a sprained shoulder and is doubtful. He had four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown against Georgia Tech last season.
This is the 102nd meeting in this longstanding rivalry that dates back to 1893. Georgia has won seven of the eight games under Richt, to take a 59-37-5 series advantage.
The Yellow Jackets haven’t beaten Georgia in Atlanta since a 51-48 win in 1999.
PICK: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Primetime College Football: Vols vs Wildcats
TALENT
The Tennessee Volunteers will attempt to post their 25th consecutive victory over the Kentucky Wildcats as the SEC foes meet this weekend in Lexington.
Tennessee has never played a night game in Lexington, and it will be interesting to see how the club reacts to the enemy crowd and crisp weather. The Vols have won three of their last four games to move to 6-5 overall, and the most recent outing resulted in a 31-16 triumph over Vanderbilt last weekend. Lane Kiffin’s Vols have been competitive even in defeat this season, as four of the five losses have come by 10 or fewer points.
As for Kentucky, it has improved to 7-4 overall and 3-4 in SEC play with three consecutive victories. The Wildcats showed a great deal of heart and toughness last weekend by knocking off Georgia in Athens. Rich Brooks remains rather anonymous among SEC coaches, but he continues to field a quality product at Kentucky.
Tennessee is a solid offensive team that is averaging 30.6 ppg and 391.0 total ypg. The Vols are led by quarterback Jonathan Crompton. He has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 2,345 yards and 25 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. Montario Hardesty paces the ground attack with 1,127 yards and nine touchdowns. In the victory over Vanderbilt last weekend, Hardesty pounded out a career-high 171 yards and a touchdown on 32 attempts, while Crompton threw for 221 yards and two scores.
With the exception of a few rough outings, Tennessee has played tremendous defense this season, especially considering the difficult schedule Kiffin’s group has faced. The Vols are yielding 20 ppg while holding opponents to 313.2 total ypg. Tennessee has been tremendous against the pass, limiting opposing quarterback to 9 yards per completion with a collective total of five passing scores in 11 games. There are a couple of tremendous performers on the defensive side of the ball, including safety Eric Berry, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in the nation at his position. Berry has record 75 tackles, including 5 tackle for losses, to go along with 2 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries. Hard-hitting linebacker Rico McCoy has 99 tackles to his credit, and he has forced 4 fumbles.
Kentucky is scoring 27 ppg this season to go along with 342.9 total ypg. There are two dynamic play makers in the fold for the Wildcats in Derrick Locke, a tailback, and Randall Cobb, a converted quarterback who does a little bit of everything. Locke has rushed for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns while making 22 catches for 221 yards and two scores. As for Cobb, he has run for 436 yards and 9 touchdowns, and his 33 catches for 403 yards and four scores leads all receivers. In addition to his 80 receiving yards, Lock rushed for 80 yards as well. Cobb had a pair of rushing scores but was limited to only 59 combined rushing and receiving yards.
The Wildcats are not a dominant defensive team, but they have played fairly well in most games. Opponents are posting 22 ppg and 355.4 total ypg against Kentucky, which has room for improvement against both the run and the pass, as foes are gaining 4.6 yards per rushing attempt and 13.6 yards per completion. Micah Johnson continues to lead the Cats in tackles with 84, and Sam Maxwell is tops with five interceptions.
Twenty-four straight wins over Kentucky has enabled Tennessee to stretch its advantage to 72-23-9 in the all-time series between the teams.
PICK: University of Kentucky Wildcats
Primetime College Football: Raiders vs Bears
TALENT
The Baylor Bears and Texas Tech Red Raiders will close out their respective regular-season schedules on a neutral site, as the two are set for a Big 12 Conference clash at the new Jerry’s World in Arlington.
Texas Tech has gone just 1-3 outside of Lubbock this season. But the Red Raiders are coming off last week’s 41-13 dismantling of Oklahoma. The win made the team bowl eligible for a 16th straight season, and it also pushed Mike Leach atop the program’s list of all-time winningest coaches.
Baylor’s 38-3 loss to Texas A&M last weekend effectively ended the Bears’ hopes of receiving their first bowl bid in 15 years. They’ve lost two straight and six of their last seven, with all six setbacks coming by double digits.
Defensively, Texas Tech loves to get after the quarterback. The team ranks second in the nation in sacks with 3 a game, largely because of senior defensive end Brandon Sharpe. Sharpe picked up 2.5 sacks against OU to give him 13 on the season, which ranks 2nd in the nation. Daniel Howard has dropped opposing quarterbacks 7.5 times this season. The whole defense put on a clinic against the Sooners, who netted just 48 rushing yards on 26 combined carries, and they converted only 3-of-13 third downs.
It has been a learning process for Baylor freshman quarterback Nick Florence since taking over for injured starter Robert Griffin following a season-ending knee injury in late-September. Florence posted a school-record 427 passing yards in a win at Missouri earlier this month. In their past six losses, the Bears have averaged only 8.5 ppg.
Opposing teams have been able to move the ball almost at will against Baylor’s defense. A lot of that has to do with a run defense that ranks 100th out of 120 schools in the country. Last week, Texas A&M running backs combined for 375 rushing yards 7.2 ypg and 3 touchdowns against the Bears. The Bears simply don’t make a lot of plays in the backfield, as they rank 110th in the nation in tackles for loss at only 4 a game. One of the few bright spots on this unit has been Smithson Valley High School senior linebacker Joe Pawelek, who leads the team with 97 tackles to go along with 2.5 sacks, an interception and five pass breakups.
Texas Tech leads the all-time series, 34-32-1, although this marks the first neutral-site meeting between the two schools. Texas Tech has won the last 13 matchups.
PICK: Texas Tech University Red Raiders
Primetime College Football: Razorbacks vs Tigers
TALENT
The LSU Tigers try to rebound from their third loss in six games, including a series of blunders in their last loss, when they host surging Arkansas.
Les Miles Tigers (8-3, 4-3 SEC) opened the season with five consecutive wins before losing 13-3 to Florida on Oct. 10. They recovered to rout Auburn and Tulane before falling 24-15 at Alabama on Nov. 7, but struggled to beat woeful Louisiana Tech 24-16 and were dealt a big blow last Saturday. A number of questionable play calls and suspect clock management led to a 25-23 defeat at unranked Mississippi. The Tigers have fallen out of contention for the SEC title and a BCS bid, so the best they can do is an at-large invite to a marquee bowl.
A win over the Razorbacks (7-4, 3-4) would certainly help, but LSU has dropped the last two meetings by a total of three points. The Tigers blew a 16-point lead in the second half at Arkansas last year, losing 31-30 on a 24-yard TD pass with 21 seconds to play. This will be the Razorbacks’ first trip to Baton Rouge since a triple-overtime thriller, winning 50-48 on Nov. 23, 2007. Still, LSU holds a 33-19-2 advantage in the all-time series.
Jordan Jefferson struggled in last year’s loss to Arkansas, completing 9 of 21 passes for 143 yards while rushing 19 times for 50 yards. He wasn’t overly effective last week, either, going 19 of 37 for 250 yards with nine rushes for minus-32 yards. The sophomore did throw for two touchdowns but also had an interception after missing the previous game the Louisiana Tech game due to an ankle injury.
Jefferson is still young, and while he hasn’t made a ton of bad decisions this season 5 interceptions, his 1,785 passing yards in 10 starts and 14 touchdowns suggests that big plays through the air have been few and far between. There is a star wideout in the fold, as Brandon LaFell has made 48 catches for 635 yards and nine touchdowns.
Ryan Mallett leads the conference with 3,195 passing yards, the SEC’s highest-rated passer, and a team-record 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. The sophomore threw for 313 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Razorbacks to a 42-21 win over Mississippi State last Saturday. That performance came a week after he connected for five TD passes and 405 yards in a 56-20 win over Troy.
Mallett has been named SEC offensive player of the week after each game, and Bobby Petrino Razorbacks have won four straight after opening the season by losing four of seven. While Mallett has the offense averaging a conference-best 38.0 points, the defense is the worst in the league, surrendering 408.7 yards per game. Mallet has Greg Childs on the outside, who has made 40 catches for 738 yards and 7 touchdowns and Broderick Green 10 has touchdowns after picking up the slack for injuried Michael Smith.
PICK: University of Arkansas Razorbacks
Primetime College Football: Wolf Pack vs Broncos
TALENT
The Boise State Broncos go for their 12th straight victory when they host the surging Nevada Wolf Pack with the Western Athletic Conference title on the line.
Boise State (11-0, 6-0) faces a Nevada team that has won eight straight and has averaged 55.6 points over the last five games, in large part due to a prolific running game that is the best in the country. The Broncos and Wolf Pack are the only undefeated teams in the WAC and Friday’s winner would earn at least a share of the conference title.
Boise State is looking to secure a share of its sixth WAC title in eight years. Further helping the Broncos’ chances is having their final two games at home, where they’ve won 56 straight since a season-opening loss to Washington State on Sept. 8, 2001. A potent offense is the biggest reason for Boise State’s success this season. The Broncos lead the nation with 44.4 points per game and also rank among the top 10 in the country in yards per contest with 456.0.
For much of the season, Boise State has relied on Kellen Moore, who is second in the nation with 33 passing touchdowns. The Broncos showed they had other offensive weapons in their latest victory, though, as they rushed for a season-high 323 yards in a 52-21 win over Utah State last Friday. Moore threw for 233 yards and one touchdown, but had one of his more ineffective games of the year, completing a season-low 15 passes. His quarterback rating was a season-worst 130.6 after failing to complete at least 60 percent of his passes for the first time this year.
It didn’t matter, however, as the running game more than compensated with its best showing of the season. Doug Martin ran for a team-high 121 yards and four TDs on 13 carries while Jeremy Avery rushed for two more touchdowns.
The Broncos finished with a season-high 572 yards of offense. They’ve averaged 51.8 points and 487.8 yards of offense over the last five games while their defense has been just as good, giving up 97 total points in the last five games.
The defense, though, could receive its biggest test of the season Friday. Nevada (8-3, 7-0) is averaging 445.6 yards rushing it its last eight games and has three players that have ran for more than 1,000 yards this season, Colin Kaepernick, Vai Taua and Luke Lippincott, the first team in NCAA history to accomplish that. Vai Taua leads the team with 118.5 yards per game.
The Wolf Pack are coming off a 63-20 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday during which they racked up 670 yards of offense, including a season-high 574 on the ground. Luke Lippincott and quarterback Colin Kaepernick each ran for two touchdowns while Kaepernick also passed for two scores.
Nevada has lost nine straight to Boise State, including a 69-67 four-overtime victory in 2007 at Bronco Stadium in one of the highest-scoring games ever in college football history.
Friday is the final regular-season game for the Wolf Pack. Boise State’s final game is Dec. 5 at home against New Mexico State.
PICK: University of Nevada Wolf Pack
Primetime College Football: Panthers vs Mounties
TALENT
Pittsburgh’s shocking upset of West Virginia in Morgantown two years ago was a positive end to an otherwise disappointing season. There have been few low points for the Panthers since.
Pittsburgh will try to avoid looking too far ahead when it visits West Virginia on Friday night in the 102nd meeting of the teams’ intense rivalry. Pittsburgh (9-1, 5-0 Big East) attention is focused on their annual showdown with the Mountaineers, a game often referred to as the “Backyard Brawl.”
Pitt has won the last two meetings with West Virginia (7-3, 3-2), including a 13-9 victory in Morgantown in 2007, which kept the Mountaineers from playing for the national title.
Coach Dave Wannstedt acknowledges the Panthers’ 2007 win over the Mountaineers as a turning point for his program. Pittsburgh had come into that game 4-7. In the two years since, the Panthers have gone 18-5, and they have been a consistent presence in the Top 25.
West Virginia, meanwhile, saw coach Rich Rodriguez leave two weeks after that upset defeat. The Mountaineers went 9-4 under Bill Stewart last season and have spent only two weeks in the rankings this season. This is the first time since 2003 that the teams have met with the Panthers in the Top 25 and the Mountaineers unranked.
Dion Lewis, the freshman running back leads the Big East with 129.1 rushing yards per game. Lewis needs only 38 more yards to surpass Pitt’s LeSean McCoy for the Big East’s freshman rushing mark.
Handing off the ball to Lewis is quarterback Bill Stull, has silenced doubters with his effective play this season. Stull has completed an efficient 66.3 percent of his pass attempts and has thrown 18 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions. Stull’s favorite targets are wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin and tight end Dorin Dickerson. Baldwin is obviously the deep threat, catching 40 balls for 840 yards, while Dickerson is a red zone target, with 10 of his 43 catches resulting in a touchdown.
The Mountaineers are sure to test Pitt’s run defense, as they are churning out 183.5 ypg on the ground this season. WVU is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and has scored 23 of its 35 offensive touchdowns on the ground.
The speedy and elusive Noel Devine leads the run game, although the 5-8, 176- pounder has been slowed by some minor injuries of late. Still, Devine has enjoyed a standout campaign with 1,098 yards and 10 scores, and his 5.7 yard per carry average is indicative of his explosiveness.
Helping to take some of the pressure off Devine is quarterback Jarrett Brown, who has proved too be an effective runner in his own right, gaining 366 yards and five scores on the ground. Brown has had success with his arm as well, hitting on 65.1 percent of his tosses with 11 more touchdowns. Jock Sanders is clearly the favorite target of Brown, as his 62 catches are nearly double the next closest player on the roster.
Friday is West Virginia’s final home game. It’s trying to go undefeated in Morgantown for the first time since 1993.
PICK: University of Pittsburgh Panthers
Primetime College Football: Horns vs Aggies
In Spirit Of Thanksgiving Wanted To Give Back To Aggie Fans
Texas star Colt McCoy finally ended his hex against Texas A&M last season. Getting his first victory at Kyle Field would have a great deal more meaning than just beating a heated rival again.
Texas (11-0, 7-0) clinched the division with a 51-20 win over Kansas. The Longhorns will face North Division champion Nebraska in the conference title game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on Dec. 5. With victories over Texas A&M (6-5, 3-4) and Nebraska, the Longhorns will gain a spot in the BCS championship game.
The Aggies have the 11th-worst pass defense in the nation, allowing 259.0 yards, and that looks like a favorable matchup for McCoy. McCoy is the nation’s most accurate passer with a 73.0 completion percentage. The quarterback, though, completed 56.7 percent of his passes and had one touchdown and four interceptions in losses to Texas A&M in 2006 and ’07. McCoy was much sharper in last season’s 49-9 win in Austin, going 23 of 28 for 311 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
McCoy became the winningest quarterback in NCAA history Saturday with his 43rd victory as a starter, completing 32 of 41 passes for 396 yards with four touchdowns to earn Big 12 offensive player of the week honors. Jordan Shipley and Malcolm Williams each had over 100 yards receiving and James Kirkendoll added 86 on eight catches two for touchdowns. Shipley has a school-record 1,204 receiving yards, but just 146 yards and one touchdown in three career games against Texas A&M. Earl Thomas is second on the team in tackles, and he has recorded a stellar total of seven interceptions. As for Roddrick Muckelroy, he leads Texas with 69 total tackles.
The Longhorns should be tested by an Aggies offense that ranks seventh nationally at 459.3 yards per game. The unit is spearheaded by record-setting quarterback Jerrod Johnson.
A Houston native who grew up rooting for the Aggies, Johnson will be making his first start against the Longhorns. The 6-foot-5 junior has set single-season school records for completions 241, passing yards 2,875, touchdown passes 24 and 4 300-yard games. He has thrown five interceptions.
Johnson helped the Aggies become bowl eligible and avoid a third straight loss in a 38-3 win over Baylor on Saturday. He went 19 of 25 for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Christine Michael ran for 116 yards and two scores while Cyrus Gray added 107 yards rushing for Texas A&M, which went 4-8 in 2008 in its first season under coach Mike Sherman. Gray has posted 741 rushing yards and five touchdowns to lead the ground attack and Ryan Tannehill paces a balanced group of receivers with 40 catches.
Mack Browns Longhorn’s rank third in the country in total defense, giving up an average of 238.7 yards.
Texas owns a 74-36-5 advantage in the all-time series with Texas A&M, including a 49-9 triumph over the Aggies last season.
PICK: University of Texas Longhorns
