WEEK 9 INFO

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Beware of Let Downs - Week 9


Close calls were the order of the day last Saturday in college football as three of the teams in the Top 10 had brushes with defeat. Iowa needed a last second touchdown to get by the Spartans. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide needed a late field goal block to hold for a win against Tennessee at home. Those matches have yielded us some attractive fade possibilities to play this weekend.

Volunteering to lose?

Of all the games this weekend that an underdog had a chance to win outright, Tennessee?s 12-10 road loss to the Crimson Tide was the toughest to swallow. The Vols suffered blocks on their last two field goal attempts, which went a long way to helping Alabama stay perfect. It also gave Lane Kiffin a little more credit for keeping his team in it until the end against top-tier SEC talent.

The close loss did help the Volunteers get love in the betting shops this weekend by listing them as five-point home favorites against South Carolina.

You?re not alone if you think this line is a bit bigger than it should be for the Vols. The Gamecocks have shown themselves to also hold up against the big boys of the conference. South Carolina fell to the Tide 20-6 two weeks back. That score, however, doesn?t really show how close the game was between Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban.



Tennessee hasn?t wowed anyone in its wins in Knoxville this season. I mean, this is a team that fell to UCLA and Auburn ? two programs that are middle-of-the-pack, at best.

South Carolina is a beast defensively, ranking 14th in the nation by allowing just 288.9 yards per game this season. They?re also 21st in scoring defense, giving up 17.5 points per game.

Another thing to keep in mind is the road team has covered the spread in nine of the last 12 meetings of these two schools.

Hawkeyes spent?

There are 60 minutes in a game of college football, and Iowa needed 59 minutes, 58 seconds to pick up its 15-13 win on the road against the Spartans. Ricky Stanzi wasn?t all that great, connecting on 11 of his 27 passes for 138 yards. But he picked up 93 of those yards and his lone touchdown in the Hawkeyes? final two drives of the game.

The sportsbooks aren?t too worried about the Hawkeyes suffering a let down against Indiana by making them 17 ?-point home favorites.

The Hoosiers are also in a spot where they could be a good fade after squandering a 25-point lead to lose at Northwestern as 5 ?-point road pups, 29-28. Ben Chappell started the game hot by completing eight of his first nine passes. After that, however, Chappell connected on eight of his last 18 passes during the tilt.

One thing that I can say about this Indiana side is that it isn?t the abomination that we used to see during the 90s and early 2000s. This club should already bowl eligible this season when you think they could have easily won at Michigan and last week in Evanston. Plus, keep in mind that the Hoosiers have covered two of the last three meetings.

Cyclone of despair?

There have some pretty lean years recently for the Cyclones, but things appear to be looking up under Paul Rhoads. Iowa State?s 9-7 road win against the Cornhuskers is no doubt the first signature win for its new head coach.

That win fell on deaf ears in Las Vegas as the betting shops have made the Aggies seven-point home favorites against Iowa State this Saturday.

It would be easy to say that the Cyclones can claim bowl eligibility against a team that got drilled for 62 points by Kansas State. However, Texas A&M just knocked the Red Raiders around for a 52-30 win as a 21 ?-point road pup.

Before you decide to place your money on Iowa State to cover, just remember that the Aggies are 5-1 straight up and 4-2 against the spread. Don?t be shocked if Texas A&M comes up with another cover in this spot.

 

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Public Enemies - Week 9

Public Enemies - Week 9

Public Enemies - Week 9


Following some of last week's developments around college football, it's time to find out which teams will keep up its winning ways, and how bettors will respond to perception. This week, we'll take a look at a pair of ACC battles, two inconsistent Big 12 teams, and if Idaho can rebound from a pounding at Nevada.

N.C. State at Florida State (-9, 64) - 12:00 PM EST

The Seminoles try to salvage their season after rallying at North Carolina last Thursday, as FSU picked up its first ACC win of the season. The Wolfpack started the season at 3-1, but Tom O'Brien's team has dropped three straight, while allowing 101 points the last two losses.

FSU has struggled to cover the line in this series, as N.C. State has cashed in seven of the last eight meetings with the lone non-cover resulting in a push. The Noles are 2-0 the last two meetings, including a 26-17 victory in Raleigh last season. Christian Ponder's numbers are some of the best in the nation, as the FSU quarterback is completing 70% of his passes, while tossing 12 touchdowns and just one interception.

The Wolfpack are able to score points, but their defense has let them down recently, allowing 30 at Wake Forest, 49 to Duke, and 52 at Boston College. Russell Wilson owns solid numbers with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, but the Wolfpack QB has failed to throw for more than 275 yards in any of the last three games.

Capper Joe says the Wolfpack's skid was not anticipated, "N.C. State was expected to be a potential contender in the ACC, but after a promising start including a win over Pittsburgh that now looks fairly impressive, the Wolfpack have stumbled in what was supposed to be the softer part of the conference schedule. N.C. State has had two weeks to get things back in order and the Wolfpack have been a much better defensive team than Florida State, although the numbers are a bit skewed with two FCS wins."

On the flip side, Ponder has carried the FSU offense, but there are still problems elsewhere on this team, according to Nelson, "The Seminoles are giving up a lot of big plays on defense and there has not been a consistent running game. The underdog has had great success in this series and N.C. State is generally that team. With the extra preparation time and catching FSU off a huge win that they may not have deserved, the Wolfpack can hang around and have a shot at a minor upset."

Duke at Virginia (-7, 47 ?) - 3:30 PM EST

Amazingly, two of the more profitable teams in the ACC were laughed at following losses to FCS schools in each team's season opener. The Blue Devils and Cavaliers are a combined 7-3-1 ATS this season, while UVA has covered four of its last five.

Duke continues to improve after being a conference doormat for years, coming off consecutive conference wins over N.C. State and Maryland. The Blue Devils have been a solid 'over' play as well, sailing 'over' the total in five of six games, before finishing 'under' against the Terrapins.

The Wahoos had played terrific defense during a three-game winning streak, allowing 19 combined points to North Carolina, Indiana, and Maryland. Al Groh's defense was lit up last week, giving up 34 points in a home loss to Georgia Tech.

Joe feels this game can go either way between these surprising squads, "Duke has averaged over 110 more yards per game on offense with a strong passing attack and defensively the Blue Devils have not been a complete pushover, actually featuring much better numbers against the run than Virginia. Although Duke has the better record, Virginia should be the superior team and the home team is 7-2 ATS in the past nine meetings. Duke has been a decent ATS team away from home in recent years and this is a team with much more momentum than a typical Blue Devils squad which makes this game a very tough call."

Iowa State at Texas A&M (-7, 60) - 3:30 PM EST

The Cyclones and Aggies have each been tough to figure out this season, but they are turning into halfway-relevant teams inside the Big 12. Iowa State had a great shot to upset Kansas, but fell in the final minute when the Cyclones couldn't convert a fourth down in Jayhawks' territory. ISU rebounded with consecutive wins over Baylor and Nebraska, allowing 17 points the last two games.

The Aggies started the season on fire, winning three straight, but then dropped three in a row. Texas A&M rebounded with a blowout victory at Texas Tech, 52-30, covering easily as 22-point road 'dogs. Mike Sherman's team owns one of the top offenses in the country, averaging nearly 36 ppg and 489 yards a contest.

Both these teams have shocked many inside the Big 12, but staying with the underdog may be the way to go, according to Nelson, "While Texas A&M has been the more impressive offensive team, the Cyclones have posted very impressive defensive numbers. The pressure will be greater on A&M in this match-up as Iowa State is playing with house money at this point, as they have exceeded all expectations already in Coach Paul Rhoads' first season. Last season, Iowa State posted 574 yards against A&M, but lost and this year the Cyclones can keep the run of strong play going as an underdog again."

Louisiana Tech at Idaho (-3, 57) - 5:00 PM EST

The Vandals have been one of the pointspread "darlings" of the season so far, covering seven of eight games this season. Idaho's seven-game ATS run came to a screeching halt last week in an embarrassing 70-45 defeat at Nevada. Louisiana Tech, meanwhile, is 3-0 SU/ATS at home and 0-4 SU/ATS on the road.

Idaho owns a solid offense, but also possesses a shoddy defense (evidenced by the 70-spot thrown up by Nevada). The Vandals allowed 484 rushing yards on 53 carries to the Wolfpack last week, which computes into nearly 10 yards/carry. Prior to this loss, Idaho's rushing defense had given up 444 combined yards in their previous five contests.

The Bulldogs have won three of the last four meetings with the Vandals, including a 46-14 blowout last October in Rustin. Louisiana Tech has scored over 14 points just once in four road contests, putting up 21 in a loss last week at Utah State.

Joe feels the Vandals have proven more this season than the Bulldogs, "Louisiana Tech has been the better defensive team, but the schedule has been very weak and the Bulldogs are not as strong on offense as last year's bowl team. Idaho has covered in six straight home games and facing another road game will be a difficult challenge for Louisiana Tech, a team that is 14-37-1 ATS on the road since '02. Look for the Vandals to bounce back as last week's loss was a misleading final against a very tough Nevada team."

 

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Primetime Tips

Primetime Tips

Primetime Tips

Let?s jump right into a discussion of what gamblers are looking at as options for Saturday night in Week 9. A battle of once-beaten teams at Autzen Stadium in Eugene is the main event, as Oregon is set to host USC in a crucial Pac-10 showdown.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Southern Cal (6-1 straight up, 2-5 against the spread) as a 4 ?-point road favorite, but the Trojans were favored by three Thursday afternoon. The total is 47 and the Ducks are plus-130 on the money line (risk $100 to win $130).

Since getting dominated in a 19-8 loss at Boise St. in its opener, Oregon (6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS) has responded with six straight wins. The Ducks have covered the spread in five consecutive outings, including last week?s 43-19 win at Washington as 9 ?-point road favorites.

With the Huskies leading 3-0 early in the second quarter, the game turned on a blocked punt by Oregon?s Rory Cavaille that was recovered for a touchdown by Tyrell Irvine. Washington countered by marching down the field for a first-and-goal opportunity from the Ducks? four yard line.





However, three plays later, Jake Locker was intercepted on fourth and goal by Javes Lewis. If you think those key plays were momentum shifters, check out what happened next.

On Oregon?s ensuing drive, it faced a second and 36 and a third and 25, but Jeremiah Masoli hit David Paulson for a 32-yard gainer for a first down. Moments later on fourth and five, the Ducks perfectly executed a fake field goal that eventually set up Masoli for a one-yard touchdown run.

Masoli added another TD run and a TD pass in the second half. He finished with 54 yards rushing on 11 carries, in addition to completing 14-of-22 passes for 157 yards without an interception. Redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James turned in another spectacular performance, rushing 15 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

The aforementioned debacle on the smurf turf is a distant memory for the Ducks because of the play of James, who stepped in for the suspended LaGarrette Blount and has rushed for 735 yards and six TDs. James is averaging a robust 6.9 yards per carry.

Also, we have to offer major props to first-year head coach Chip Kelly. Seriously, has a coaching debut ever been as big a catastrophe as Kelly dealt with in Boise? For starters, he replaced Mike Bellotti after serving under him as an offensive coordinator for two seasons, yet his offense didn?t get a first down against the Broncos until late in the third quarter.

And then there was the post-game hysteria caused by Blount that led to his suspension the following day. But since then, the Ducks have been rolling. They have won all four home games, posting a 3-1 spread record.

California came to Eugene with an unbeaten record and was favored by five back in Week 4. The Bears left with a 42-3 loss. Next, Oregon waxed Washington St. by a 52-6 count. Now it returns home after road wins over UCLA (24-10) and Washington.

Pete Carroll?s team has won four straight games since suffering its lone loss at Washington back in Week 3. With that said, gamblers have been better served by fading the Trojans, who are 1-5 ATS in their last six games.

USC won a 42-36 decision over Oregon St. last week, but the Beavers easily covered the number as 20 ?-point underdogs. Allen Bradford was the catalyst for the Trojans, producing 147 yards and a pair of rushing TDs on 15 carries. Damian Williams also had a critical 63-yard punt return for a TD.

Freshman QB Matt Barkley threw for 202 yards and two TDs, but he was also intercepted twice. For the year, Barkley has a ho-hum 7/5 TD-INT ratio. Williams is his favorite target, hauling in 34 receptions for 525 yards and three TDs.

Joe McKnight leads USC in rushing with 617 yards and seven TDs, averaging 6.4 YPC. Bradford has 375 rushing yards and four TDs, averaging 7.4 YPC.

USC has been a road favorite four times this year, compiling a 3-1 SU record and a 1-3 ATS ledger. The last time the Trojans went to Eugene, they left with a 24-17 loss as 2 ?-point road underdogs. However, they beat down the Ducks last season by a 44-10 score as 16-point home favorites.

The ?over? is 4-3 overall for the Ducks, 3-1 in their home games. Meanwhile, USC has seen the ?under? go 4-3 overall, 3-1 in its road assignments.

ABC will have the telecast at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

The fans of Oregon and USC will also have their eyes on the events in Stillwater. That?s where Oklahoma State will try to knock off undefeated Texas in a Big 12 battle. LVSC opened the Longhorns as 8 ?-point road favorites with a total of 52.





As of late Thursday afternoon, most spots had the ?Horns at nine with the total still sitting at 52. The Cowboys are plus-280 to win outright (risk $100 to win $280).

Texas (7-0 SU, 2-4-1 ATS) might have played its best game of the season last week, trouncing Missouri 41-7 as a 13-point road ?chalk.? Colt McCoy connected on 26-of-31 attempts for 269 passing yards with three TDs and one interception. Mack Brown?s defense was dynamite, limiting the Tigers to just 173 yards of total offense.

Jordan Shipley had seven catches for 108 yards, including a pair of TD grabs. Shipley could be on his way to garnering All-American honors, as he has 58 receptions for 713 yards and five scores. McCoy hasn?t matched his 2008 numbers, but he?s still completing 71.7 percent of his passes. He has 1,806 passing yards and 14 TD passes, but McCoy has been picked off eight times, the equivalent of his interception total for all of ?08.

Oklahoma State (6-1 SU, 3-2-1 ATS) has bounced back from a 45-35 home loss to Houston to win five straight games. During that stretch, Mike Gundy?s squad is 2-1-1 versus the number.

The Cowboys spanked Baylor last week 34-7 as nine-point road favorites. OSU senior QB Zac Robinson was nearly flawless, completing 23-of-27 passes for 250 yards with three TDs and zero interceptions.

Robinson has had to deal with the recent absences of his two premier weapons. Nevertheless, he is enjoying another stellar campaign with a 12/3 TD-INT ratio.

Robinson?s favorite target, junior All-American Dez Bryant, has missed the last four games after being suspended by the NCAA for lying about his offseason workouts with Deion Sanders. With his appeals recently exhausted, Bryant has now been ruled out for the rest of the season.

On the other hand, RB Kendall Hunter might return to the field this week. Hunter, who rushed for 1,555 yards and 16 TDs in ?08, has been out with a leg injury since a 41-24 win over Rice in Week 3.

Oklahoma St. owns a 4-4-2 spread record as a home underdog on Gundy?s watch. The ?Boys are 4-1 SU and 2-2 ATS at home this year.

The ?under? is 5-2 overall for Texas, 2-0 in its road games. OSU has watched the ?under? cash at a 4-2 overall clip and a 3-1 pace in its home outings.

ABC will provide regional coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Those two games are the highlights of the prime-time action, but gamblers certainly have other options under the lights. For instance, South Carolina goes to Knoxville to take on Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. This will be the ESPN game at 7:45 p.m. Eastern.

As of late Thursday, most books had the Vols listed as six-point favorites with a total of 41. The Gamecocks are plus-200 on the money line.

Steve Spurrier?s team owns an 11-4-1 spread record in 16 games as a road underdog during his five-year tenure at South Carolina. The Gamecocks have taken the cash in all four games as underdogs this season. On the flip side, the Vols are 2-3 ATS in five games as home favorites in ?09.

If you like to eat chalk, you?ll certainly have a chance to do so in NBC?s primetime broadcast of Washington State versus Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The Irish and Cougars will square off at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

LVSC opened Notre Dame as a 31-point favorite, but most books have adjusted the Irish to 28. Oklahoma is also a 28-point ?chalk? for its home game against Kansas State on FSN at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Wildcats actually lead the Big 12 North with a 3-1 conference record, but they have played a creampuff schedule to date.


--Oregon?s Masoli has seven rushing TDs and a 5/2 TD-INT ratio when throwing the ball.

--Texas is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 head-to-head meetings against OSU.

--FSU has been favored four times this year, going winless both SU and ATS in those four contests. The ?Noles return to the ?chalk? role this week against North Carolina St. Most spots have Bobby Bowden?s team favored by either nine or 9 ? (as of Thursday).

--If you simply saw the score and didn?t check the box score or recap for Iowa State?s stunning 9-7 win over Nebraska last week, then let me make some sense of it for you. The Cornhuskers had eight turnovers. That?s right, EIGHT turnovers. Most appalling for Bo Pelini?s team was the fact that four of those give-aways came inside the Cyclones? five yard line. Nebraska will try to bounce back this week at Baylor as a 13 ?-point favorite. The Bears are down to their third-string QB and have been unable to muster much offensive production since losing sophomore sensation Robert Griffin to a season-ending injury. The ?Huskers are 3-0 ATS as road favorites on Pelini?s watch.

 

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Games to Watch - Week 9

Games to Watch - Week 9

Games to Watch - Week 9


Saturday - Texas at Oklahoma State (ABC-Regional, 8:00 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny Gambling Notes

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Texas (7-0 SU, 2-4 ATS) is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the school still needs to jump one last hurdle. The third-ranked Longhorns will head to Stillwater this Saturday for a Big 12 South showdown against Oklahoma State (6-1 SU, 3-2 ATS). The Longhorns are coming off back-to-back wins against Oklahoma (16-13) on Oct. 17 and Missouri (41-7) last Saturday. QB Colt McCoy saved his best game (84%, 3 TDs) for last week and appears to be back on track after a slow start. The Longhorns defense (235 YPG, 13.6 PPG) continues to dominate opponents, especially on third downs (22%), which is the best conversion rate in the country. The unit will face another test when they meet Oklahoma State and QB Zac Robinson (1,547 yards, 12 TDs), who leads an attack that is averaging 37 PPG. What's more impressive is that the Cowboys have been shorthanded this season. RB Kendall Hunter (ankle) has missed six games due to an injury and All-American WR Dez Bryant hasn't played in the last three games (suspension). Hunter has been listed as 'questionable' for Saturday and Bryant was just told he's done for a year. If OSU pulls off the upset here, it will be favored in its next three games before the season finale in Norman against intrastate rival Oklahoma. A win for Mack Brown and Texas would all but clinch a trip to the Big XII title game for the school, which would be the first visit since 2005. This head-to-head series has been owned by Texas, who has won 11 straight and 16 of the last 17 matchups. Despite the dominance, the Longhorns have only won the past two by a combined seven points, including last year's 28-24 victory in Austin. Even though the game was tight, McCoy went nuts (391 yards, 3 total TDs) against the Cowboys and OSU's Hunter (192 total yards) also had a solid game too. After this game, Texas wound up falling to Texas Tech 39-33 the following week in Lubbock. We note that setback because the Longhorns haven't lost since then. Gamblers chasing Texas finally cashed tickets last week at Mizzou but the school is just 2-5 ATS on the year. OSU stands at 3-2-1 ATS, which includes a 2-1 ATS mark at home. Head coach Mike Gundy has had seven chances to put the Cowboys on the map against teams ranked fifth or higher in the country. Unfortunately, OSU is 1-6 SU and 3-4 ATS during this span and that includes a pair of double-digit defeats at home against those foes. Texas is 4-1 ATS in its last five as a road favorite. The total isn't as high as previous years for this matchup but the 'over' is on a 4-2 run. The last three games in Stillwater saw point totals of 73, 75 and 71 posted on the scoreboard.




Saturday - Southern California at Oregon (ABC-Regional, 8:00 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny Gambling Notes

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The Pac 10 doesn't have a title game but Saturday's matchup between Southern California (6-1 SU, 2-5 ATS) and Oregon (6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS) from Autzen Stadium should help clear up the conference race. The Ducks are the only team in the Pac 10 without a loss (4-0) and Chip Kelly's team has quietly ripped off six straight victories after losing to Boise State (19-8) in Week 1. What's impressive about Oregon is that the defense (16.7 PPG, 297 YPG, 19 TOs) is catching up with the offense. Make no mistake that QB Jeremiah Masoli (12 total TDs) and the Oregon ground game (210 YPG) is key to the team's success. The USC defense (291 YPG, 15.1 PPG) lost a ton of starters to the NFL but the group responded nicely by holding its first five opponents to 8.6 PPG. Unfortunately, something has gone wrong in the last two weeks with the Trojans. The unit has given up 27 and 36 points, more importantly a combined total of 849 yards. USC still managed to defeat Notre Dame and Oregon State but questions are looming. Fortunately, QB Matt Barkley and the offense have put up 930 yards and 76 points in the same span. After this game, Oregon faces another tough test at Stanford. Meanwhile, USC will stay on the road next Saturday for a battle in the desert against ASU before closing the year with three in a row from the Coliseum. USC has dominated Oregon recently by winning four of the last five meetings, including a 44-10 blowout victory in 2008 as a 16-point home favorite. The Ducks actually held a 10-3 lead but the Trojans closed the game with 41 unanswered points. The lone win over the last five games did come in Eugene, when Oregon captured a 24-17 decision as a three-point home favorite. Pete Carroll and USC have been known to slip up in the Great Northwest and this year was no different as the team dropped a 16-13 decision to Washington on Sept. 19. The team is 3-1 SU on the road but just 1-3 ATS. After losing at Boise in Week 1, the Ducks barely got past Purdue (38-36) the very next week, failing to cover as 13-point favorites. Since that pair of games, Oregon has ripped off five straight covers. The weather on Saturday is expected to be a mix of wind and rain which might hinder the scoreboard operator, something familiar in recent encounters. The 'under' has cashed in four straight and five of the last six. USC opened as a four-point road favorite but the early money has watched the number drop to 3.





Other Games to Watch
Saturday - Southern Mississippi at Houston (Gameplan, 1:00 p.m.)

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Houston (6-1 SU, 5-1 ATS) continues to quietly have a great season and some might wonder if the Cougars deserve a shot at a BCS bowl game? Still a lot of games to be played but Houston is ranked 18th in the latest BCS poll and does own wins over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Another question surrounding this school is if QB Case Keenum (2,734 yards, 70%, 20 TDs) is worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration? If the Cougars post a 12-1 record, it's hard to argue against Kevin Sumlin's squad. The sledding gets tougher this weekend for Keenum and company when Southern Mississippi (5-3 SU, 3-4 ATS) heads to Texas. The point-spread (Hou -6.5) says a lot on this contest and three of the last four have been decided by six or less.
Saturday - Central Michigan at Boston College (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.)

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Another BCS mid-major making quietly making noise this year is Central Michigan (7-1 SU, 6-1 ATS). The Chippewas' odds of making a big-time bowl game are slim to none but the school is only a 19-7 opening week loss at Arizona from being undefeated. The MAC is garbage this year but a nicely timed non-conference tilt this weekend at Boston College (5-3 SU, 5-2 ATS) is a great test for CMU. This will be the third straight road game for the Chips and those following BC this year know that the school has been great at home (5-0 SU, 4-0 ATS) but garbage on the road (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS). The Eagles are 2-0 all-time against the Chips, which includes a 3-24 win in 2006. Gamblers backing CMU in this spot can take a shot on a nice money-line price of +180.
Saturday - Florida at Georgia (CBS, 3:30 p.m.)

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The game often called "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" doesn't have as much luster this year but anything can happen when Florida (7-0 SU, 2-3 ATS) and Georgia (4-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) collide from Jacksonville. A victory for Urban Meyer and his troops would lock up a berth in the SEC Championship, which would be their third in the last four seasons. The Gators offense hasn't been clicking on all cylinders lately but the defense is coming off a performance of four sacks and three interceptions against Mississippi State. And that came without three starters too. Florida has won three of the last four (2-2 ATS) in this series, including a 49-10 blowout win last year. The total has gone 2-2. The Gators are laying 16 1/2-points at most books, which is the highest line in this series since 2001.

 

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News and Notes - Week 9

News and Notes - Week 9

News and Notes - Week 9

Week 9

NEWS AND NOTES

Virginia had 4 trips into GT territory result in 4 FG att's and they missed one so they had just 9 pts. A key play in the game happened when UVA settled for a 30 yd FG after a 1st & gl at the 6 to trail by 11 then stopped GT on 3rd & 7. The Cavs were going to get the ball back but a late pers foul call gave GT a FD and UVA's tired D allowed GT to go 66/11pl and 71/10pl for a pair of TD's to ice it. It was GT's first win in Charlottesville since 1990 when they upset #1 ranked Virginia who was led by Shawn and Herman Moore. GT finished with a 42:43-17:17 TOP edge...

Illinois lost their 6th game of the year and all 6 losses have been by double digits although they had some opportunities LW. With the score tied at 7 they had a FD at the Purdue 29 but were int'd at the 12. Late 1H, trailing 21-7 they had a 1st & gl at the 2. They had a TD wiped out by a pen then missed a 23 yd FG...

Pitt is 7-1 for the first time since 1982 when Dan Marino was the QB of a Pitt team that was ranked #1. Dion Lewis, who came in #3 in the nation in rushing, was held to 111 yds but only because Pitt went up 34-7 and he and starting QB Bill Stull were pulled on the 3rd series of the 3Q...




Baylor is now 0-3 in the Big 12 and has scored 24 points in its Big 12 games as they have not recovered from losing QB Robert Griffin a month ago to injury. Zac Robinson hit 23 of 27 passes and his 85% completion rate was the best ever for an OSU QB with at least 20 pass attempts breaking Coach Mike Gundy's record of 75% vs Kansas in 1989...

Ole Miss had a dominating win over Arkansas as they had 31-13 FD and 553-299 yd edges. Three TO's and a key play kept Arkansas in the game through most of it. UM led 17-0 before allowing Ark a TD late 1H. It could have been worse but they fmbl'd at the Ark26. An int set up Ark for a 43 yd FG, 17-10. UM got a 64 yd TD run but Ark threw a pass up for grabs that bounced off one receiver, was caught down field by another and turned into a 58 yd TD and they only trailed 24-17. UM went on a 12 play drive settling for a 39 yd FG and then a 14 play drive settling for a 19 yd FG, 30-17 (4:13). UM took their final drive to the Ark19 where they took a knee...

Ohio St only led Minnesota 7-0 at the half so the 38-7 score is a little surprising. TO's in the 2H by UM hurt them as they fmbl'd the opening KO setting up a 31 yd TD drive by OSU. After another fmbl, OSU drove 22 yds for a TD to lead 21-0. They got a 57 yd TD pass then after an int drove 55 yds for a TD to lead 35-0. Trailing 38-0 UM brought in backup QB Gray and went 78/7pl for a garbage TD with 4:15 left...

Since Kansas St was shredded for 739 yards by Texas Tech, they have outscored foes 58-6 in the 1H of the L2 games. The stats are a little misleading in the K-St/Colorado game as KSU finished with a 284-244 yd edge but CU took over with 6:36 left at their own 4 and would drive 94/16pl before being int'd in the EZ with 3:05 left...

Despite the 56 combined points, Ball St only had a 19-12 FD edge vs EM. Ball St had amazing rushing numbers as Lewis rushed 26 times for 301 yards and Sykes 23 for 203. BSU hit just 2 of 10 passes for 1 yard. BSU actually trailed 27-13 in the 3Q but got a TD, blk'd a punt for a safety and scored another TD after the free kick to lead 29-27 after 3Q's. EM did not cross midfield on their final 4 drives with BSU ending the game on a 22 yd run to the EM27. It was just the 4th time in NCAA history that 2 backs on the same team topped 200 yards in the same game...

Brian Kelly, the coach at Cincinnati is the hottest coaching prospect out there. At this point, he's bordering on genius. Last year UC won the Big East Title despite using 4 different QB's. This year he had one of the hottest QB's in the country in Tony Pike. Pike went down to injury so he plugged in Zach Collaros. Collaros simply hit 15 of 17 passes for 253 yards while rushing for 52 vs Louisville. UC had TD drives of 78, 90 and 80 yards on their first 4 poss with their other drive being SOD at the UL39. They led 21-7 at the half with a 299-97 yd edge and despite the backup QB, rolled to a 41-10 win...

Connecticut played with great emotion as teammate Jasper Howard was stabbed to death after the Louisville game. UC had a 501-387 yd edge vs W Virginia and outplayed them for most of the game. They gave up a KR TD to open the game but still led 17-14 at the half. In the 2H UC missed FG's of 27 and 45 yards, fmbl'd at the WV34 and was int'd at the WV37. UC led 24-21 after an 88 yd TD pass with 3:50 left but WV got a 56 yd TD run by Devine with 2:10 left. UC dropped a 2nd & 21 FD pass at the WV18 and then was int'd at the 27 on their last drive...

Duke never trailed Maryland and had a 394-249 yd edge and they got consecutive ACC victories for the first time since 1994. Duke led 17-6 before allowing a 3rd & 18, 67 yd TD pass. Duke fmbl'd at the MD1 with 9:40 left and MD forced a punt with 1:41 left but fmbl'd the punt at their own 21...

Oklahoma led Kansas 14-6 at the half with a key play being a 90 yd IR TD but the Sooners led 35-6 mid-4Q when they fmbl'd and KU drove 54 yds for a garbage TD to make it 35-13 with 4:27 left...

Kent St held Ohio to -9 yds rushing, 164 yds offense and tallied 7 sk, 15 tfl, 3 int and did not allow an offensive TD for the 2nd straight game. Kent St finished with 21-11 FD and 369-169 yd edges and led 20-3 before OU got an 87 yd PR TD with 2:18 left...

Cal jumped out to a 21-0 lead over Washington St, but the surprising stat of the game was that at the half, due to 78 and 75 yd WSU TD drives after trailing 35-3, it was 35-17 Cal but with only a 314-294 yd edge. For the game, Cal allowed 440 yards which was the 4th straight game Cal has allowed 400+. WSU was SOD at the Cal18 with 5:17 left and Cal got to the WSU22 at the end...

Utah St/Louisiana Tech was the tale of 2 halves. In the 1H USU had 10-2 FD and 245-66 yd edges and LT's only score was on a 100 yd KR TD as the Aggies led 20-7. It was 23-7 after 3Q's but LT went 66/8pl for a TD after converting on 3rd & 16 and then on 3rd & gl from the 20 got a 20 yd TD pass with 6:15 left but missed the 2 pt conv. LT got to the 50 but on 4th & 3 was SOD...

Penn St had a 19-10 lead at the half and increased it to 32-10. PSU took over with :31 left 3Q and went on a monster 68/18pl drive, with the key play being a roughing the punter on 4th & 22 but they settled for a 29 yd FG with 5:25 left. UM gained 61 yds on the game's final 14 plays but was int'd at the 3...

Folks were complaining that Texas did not have any big wins but they dominated Missouri. QB Gabbert was still not 100% for the Tigers and hit just 8 of 16 for 84 yards and re-injured his ankle on the 2nd drive of the 2H. UT led MO 35-3 at the half last year in Austin and this year it was 35-7 at the half with a 285-102 yd edge. Colt McCoy hit his first 9 passes and UT had 3 long drives all for TD's to open a 21-0 1Q...

Florida Atlantic rolled up a school record 624 yards in their win over ULL. The game was actually as close as 34-29 with 3:12 left 3Q but FA scored on their next 3 poss to blow it open to a 51-29 win and held ULL to 372 yds...

TCU stepped up in National Title contention as they had a dominating win over BYU. It was 21-7 at the half when BYU was int'd and TCU got a roughing the QB call for a FD and on their next drive on 3rd & 8 had an incomplete pass ruled pass interference and got a 75 yd TD on the next play. TCU had a very impressive performance winning at a tough site...

The Tennessee/Alabama game could be painted in a couple different fashions. UT did miss a 47 yd FG before the half and in the 4Q had a 43 yd FG blk'd by DL Cody. At the game's end, Cody blk'd a 44 yd FG that was dead set in the middle of the field and UT came up 2 pts short. UA Coach Saban said that the Tide was in control, up 12-3 and had the ball with 3:30 to go with a FD and those statements are correct with UT having just 1 time-out left. Heisman candidate Mark Ingram got his first ever fmbl in a Bama uniform on that next play and UT got a TD then rec'd the onside kick setting up the late game dramatics...

New Mexico susp'd Coach Locksley the week prior to the game and UNLV dominated with 29-19 FD and 423-287 yd edges finally ending their school record 20 game losing streak in conf road games. The score could have been worse as UNLV missed a 44 yd FG in the 2Q and settled for a 33 yd FG in the 3Q and missed a 38 yd FG in the 3Q, all after long drives but they ended the game at the NM5 yd line taking a knee, up by 17...

Tim Tebow had suffered 1 IR TD in his career but his old coordinator, Dan Mullen (now HC at Miss St) had the Bulldogs get two, including a 100 yd IR TD with just :27 left in the half which got MSU back in it at 13-10. UF had troubles in the redzone as they missed a 37 yd FG and settled for FG's from the 4, 4 and 10 yd lines. Miss St was actually tied at 13 with 9:32 left in the 3Q. UF did get one break when they got a 23 yd IR by Doe to break it open. It appeared Doe put the ball out and it was swatted away by a Miss St defender prior to getting into the EZ but it was still ruled a TD. UF did have a 376-237 yd edge.

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED COMPARISON SCORES?

Well try this one on for size. Two weeks ago Texas Tech beat Kansas St 66-14 with a 739-284 yd edge at home. The next week that same KSU team played Texas A&M. KSU thrashed A&M 62-14 in a game they led 59-0 in the 3Q. Now, A&M who lost by 48 to KSU had to travel to TT, who beat that same KSU team by 52. As you would expect, the final score was 52-30. As you would not expect, A&M was the winning team as they led 28-14 at the half and scored on their first poss of the 3Q and never looked back. BIG COMEBACKS

Indiana led Northwestern 28-3 with 7:32 left in the half. They gave up a TD with 4:07 left in the half and then punted with 2:19 left and NU went 84/10pl getting a 4 yd TD pass with :07 left in the half to pull within 28-17. NU battled back to 28-26 with 12:33 left in the game and they were int'd at the IU38 with 10:15 left but then went on a 63/13pl drive for a 19 yd FG with :21 left. IU had a 59 yd FG come up just short on the last play.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Navy played Wake Forest without their starting QB Ricky Dobbs. Backup Kriss Proctor rushed 23 times for 89 yards and his 40 yard TD run in the 3Q put Navy up 13-3. Navy also fumbled at the WF3 late 3Q leading 13-3. Last year Navy became the first team since 1997 to not attempt a single pass in a game when they did that in a victory over SMU. Here they did not attempt a pass again rushing 64 times for 338 yards. Navy took over with 2:38 left, up 13-10 and got a crucial 3rd & 9, 42 yd run down to the 6 and took a knee...

North Texas was without starting QB Riley Dodge. Troy led 50-13 after 3Q's with NT getting 80/4pl and 86/12pl drives for garbage TD's in the 4Q.

OPPORTUNITIES LOST and MISLEADING FINALS

It's interesting that if you were following along the N Illinois/Miami Oh game on the play-by-play, it actually listed the final at 27-16 but then one more play was run and MU got a 24 yd TD pass with no time remaining. The Red Hawks trailed by 11 (+11) and the TD made it 27-22 and the xp was not attempted. NI jumped out to a 17-0 1Q lead in the game...

ULM/Kentucky was a lot closer than the final score. ULM had 24-18 FD and 374-372 yd edges but they scored just 2 TD's on 5 drives inside the 20 yd line. UK got a 72 yd PR for a TD to lead 14-0. ULM had blown opportunities including a 1st & gl at the UK6 but they settled for a FG and a high snap botched the attempt. At the end of the half, they had a FD at the UK3 with :04 left but went for the TD instead of the FG and their pass was incomplete and they ran did not score. ULM went on a 74/13pl drive but missed a 31 yd FG wide left. ULM fmbl'd into the EZ and rec'd it themselves for a safety and then gave up a 50 yd IR TD with 7:44 left when they were only down by 17. ULM's final 2 poss ended on int's at the UK13 and at their own 41...

Washington was in control of the UO game early. In fact, with 8:13 left in the 2Q, UW had 10-3 FD and 163-25 yd edges. Amazingly the score was Oregon, 8-3. Just like the previous week against UCLA, a big special teams play (this time a blk'd punt for a TD) gave them their first TD and UW had 2 drives getting 1st & gl at the 9 and 1st & gl at the 2 but they resulted in a 33 yd FG and a 4th & gl int in the EZ. At the half UW had a 195-141 yd edge but trailed 15-6 and the Ducks took control in the 3Q and rolled to a 43-19 win...

Air Force had a commanding 22-8 FD edge vs Utah and in regulation had a 300-242 yd edge. Ninety-one of Utah's 242 yds came on a 3rd & 4 slant pass from their own 9 which WR Reed broke 2 tkl's and raced 90 yds for a TD. Utah's other TD in regulation came when their QB fmbl'd the ball and RB Wide scooped it up and raced 44 yds for a TD. AF held the ball for 38:57 to Utah's 21:03 but lost it in OT when they were stopped on 4th & 2.

TURNOVERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

There was no game this past weekend where TO's had a bigger difference than the Nebraska/Iowa St game. NU's D was taking on an ISU offense that was missing its QB Arnaud and top RB Robinson. They held ISU to 11 FD's and 239 yds. Unfortunately, NU's offense turned it over an amazing EIGHT times. NU fittingly fumbled on the first play of the game at their own 39 setting up an ISU FG. From the ISU16 they were int'd at the 2 and ISU's lone TD came after they faked a punt on 4th & 5 at their own 33 for a gain of 20 yards and then with NU's D unexpectedly back on the field, ISU got a 47 yd TD pass on the next play. NU appeared to have a 73 yd TD pass to Paul but he was tripped up and dropped the ball. He scooped the ball back up and fmbl'd into the EZ for a TB and ISU rec'd. NU fmbl'd into the EZ for a TB on its first drive of the 3Q and then fmbl'd at the ISU5. They fmbl'd at their own 22 on the next drive. Two poss later NU was int'd at the ISU37 and NU's final offensive play was an int at their own 35 with 1:37 left.

 

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TCU no sure bet yet as BCS buster

TCU no sure bet yet as BCS buster

TCU no sure bet yet as BCS buster
October 30, 2009


FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -TCU coach Gary Patterson only has to point at the half-shaded pyramid of goals to remind his Horned Frogs how much they still haven't accomplished - even though they are now in position to be a BCS buster.

``They've already heard everything,'' Patterson said. ``They know if you lose, the top of that pyramid is done.''

Each time the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs (7-0, 3-0 Mountain West) accomplish one of their goals, it is shaded in purple on the pyramid prominently posted in the team's meeting room.

The latest was their impressive victory at BYU, but there is still plenty of white space to get to the upper rungs that include ``Go To BCS Bowl and Win'' and national championship.

``One step at a time, from the bottom to the top,'' safety Tejay Johnson said.

Next for TCU is homecoming Saturday against UNLV (3-5, 1-3), which is coming off its first conference road victory in five years. The Frogs are five-touchdown favorites against the Rebels, who have lost the last four games in the series by an average margin of 29 points.

After winning 38-7 at BYU last weekend, the Frogs moved up to the sixth in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings. They passed Boise State (7-0), the other undefeated team from a non-BCS conference. The Broncos, No. 7 in the BCS standings, are also big favorites this weekend, against San Jose State.

TCU and Boise State could flip-flop in those standings several more times this season - assuming both keep winning.

``One of the good things about seeing us jump, whether we stay there or not, it proves that it can happen,'' Patterson said. ``If it happens once, it has a chance to happen again. No matter if it changes next week, you've got a chance for it to work out.''

Still, Patterson and his players insist their focus is solely on UNLV.

``That win last week against BYU, the wins against Clemson and Air Force, none of that matters at all if we don't win this week,'' center Jake Kirkpatrick said. ``That definitely keeps us focused.''

While TCU is trying to win the rest of its games and get in one of the major bowl games, UNLV can't lose another game if it just wants to pull out its first winning season since 2000.

With their 34-17 victory at New Mexico last weekend, the Rebels snapped their Mountain West road losing streak at 20 games. They had also lost 16 consecutive October games since 2005.

``People may think I'm crazy, but we're going in there to win a football game,'' coach Mike Sanford said. ``If I think anything less, it wouldn't be right. That's what we expect to do. ... A lot of interest and excitement because of playing TCU. But our deal right now is about ourselves.''

UNLV is 4-22 against ranked teams, though the Rebels did win at then-No. 15 Arizona State last season.

The Frogs have an 11-game home winning streak, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 44-9 since their last loss at Amon Carter Stadium in 2007 against Utah, which will be at TCU in two weeks.

This is the deepest TCU has gotten into the season without a loss since 2003, when the Frogs were 10-0 before a loss at Southern Miss knocked them out of BCS contention and kept them from winning Conference USA. Instead of a major bowl, they ended up in the Fort Worth Bowl on their home campus and lost 34-31 to Boise State.

TCU and Boise State met in the Poinsettia Bowl last December and the Frogs won 17-16.

Now the Frogs and Broncos are competing in the polls.

``In no shape or form, nowhere along the line will I do anything that would discredit Boise State if both of us go undefeated,'' Patterson said. ``I don't think that's how you do things.''

Instead of campaigning for votes, Patterson wants his team to earn them by how they play. And he knows there can't be any mistakes on the field.

``We've grown up every week,'' Patterson said. ``We've been gaining confidence with how we've played. We can't be overconfident. We can't decide not to play one game. They understand that.''

They know there can't be any white space on the lower portions of the pyramid and UNLV is the next spot waiting to be shaded in purple.

 

[Lumi]

College football Top 25 cheat sheet: Week 9

College football Top 25 cheat sheet: Week 9

College football Top 25 cheat sheet: Week 9


Georgia vs. No. 1 Florida (-15, 48; in Jacksonville)

The Dawgs had an extra week to prepare for this one. The Georgia defense has had its problems, but UF?s offense has scored touchdowns in just two of its past 15 trips to the redzone.

Hard to imagine that Tim Tebow, who has thrown more than one TD pass just once this year, doesn?t have a great performance, as it?s the final college game in Jacksonville for the native of that area. The Gators have won 16 of the past 19 in this series.

No. 3 Texas at No. 13 Oklahoma State (+8.5, 52)

The Horns are 11-0 in this series under coach Mack Brown. UT is second nationally in defense and won?t have to worry about suspended star Cowboys WR Dez Bryant, who had six catches in last year?s 28-24 Texas win.

The Cowboys have led Texas by margins 21, 19 and nine points in the past three meetings in Stillwater, only to lose them all. OSU should have back star RB Kendall Hunter, albeit on a limited basis.

No. 4 Southern Cal at No. 12 Oregon (+3, 47)

USC?s offense seems to be finding itself, having gained more than 400 yards in four consecutive games and topping 30 points in each of the past three. The Trojans have won four of the past five against the Ducks.

Oregon?s offense is nearly unstoppable, and USC has allowed 63 total points in the past two games. And the Trojans have lost in the state of Oregon at least once in the past three seasons.

San Jose State at No. 5 Boise State (-35, 56)

The Spartans are the only FBS team to be 100 percent in redzone efficiency this season at 13-for-13. They lead the WAC with an 84.6 percent redzone TD rate and had an off week to prepare.

Boise State is 9-0 all-time in this series, winning 33-16 last year. QB Kellen Moore, the nation?s top passer, should have a field day against a defense that?s in the bottom 20 in FBS in yards and points allowed.

UNLV at No. 6 TCU (-35, 57.5)

The Rebels have never beaten TCU since the Frogs joined the Mountain West, going 0-4. UNLV is coming off a road win at New Mexico, which ended the school?s 20-game MWC road losing streak.

This game is during the day, which bodes well for the Frogs. They are 21-1 in day games under Gary Patterson. TCU also has won its past 10 on Homecoming, which Saturday is.

No. 7 Cincinnati at Syracuse (+15, 51)

Star QB Tony Pike is likely to miss a second game in a row with an arm injury. Since Pike has been out, backup Zach Collaros has completed 19-of-24 passes for 325 yards and has run for 184 yards.

The Orange?s best player will be on the field. WR Mike Williams, who was suspended for last week?s game vs. Akron, ranks fifth in the nation in receiving yards per game and seventh in catches per game.

Indiana at No. 8 Iowa (-17.5, 47.5)

The Hoosiers have won two of the past three in the series (and five of the past nine), including in Iowa City two years ago. And the Hawkeyes haven?t come close to covering in their past two home games.

The Hawkeyes suffered two potentially critical injuries in last week?s win against Michigan State, losing top rusher Adam Robinson and top offensive lineman Dace Richardson.

Tulane at No. 9 LSU (-35.5, 36.5)

It will be tough for LSU not to be looking ahead to the Alabama game next week. Tulane is due to beat a ranked team, considering it hasn?t done so in 27 years.

LSU has the longest non-conference win streak in the country at 21 games (winning by an average margin of nearly 27 points), and it has won 23 in a row against in-state teams, which includes 17 in a row in this series.

No. 10 Penn State at Northwestern (+14.5, 47)

This is a classic ?sandwich? game. The Wildcats get PSU the week after the Lions played Michigan and the week before they host Ohio State. NU is 2-4 all-time in Evanston in this series, with four of the losses by five points or less.

PSU, which leads the all-time series 9-3, is playing back-to-back road conference games on back-to-back weeks for the 13th time since joining the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions, who won at Michigan last week, have swept the back-to-backs just four times.

No. 11 Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt (+11.5, 47)

The Jackets are on their longest winning streak since 2006, lead the ACC in scoring and are second in the nation in rushing.

Vandy could catch Tech napping in this tricky non-conference game. The Commodore defense is fairly solid, but the offense hasn?t scored more than 17 points but once this year.

New Mexico State at No. 15 Ohio State (-44, 48.5)

The Aggies are the nation?s worst offensive team, but they certainly could see Ohio State substitute their starters out early with a key game against Penn State next week.

Coach Jim Tressel has warned his team about taking New Mexico lightly in the wake of OSU?s upset at Purdue a few weeks ago. Ohio State?s only two non-conference home losses under Tressel are to Texas and USC.

Southern Miss at No. 16 Houston (-6.5, 62.5)

Southern Mississippi has lost nine straight games against ranked opponents and is 0-3 on the road this season. If the Golden Eagles reach 200 yards rushing, they win: 4-0 this season.

The Cougars are 20-2 at home since 2006 with an average margin of victory approaching 23 points. Houston leads the nation in total offense, averaging 30 yards more than any other team.

No. 18 Miami at Wake Forest (+7.5, 51.5)

Miami now needs a miracle to reach the ACC title game after losing to Clemson, so the Canes could be a bit flat to start this one. But UM is 3-0 all-time at Wake and has won five in a row in this series.

The Deacons have scored just 13 total points in the past two games but are 4-1 at home this year. Wake won?t see Miami?s best defensive player LB Sean Spence, who will miss the game with a knee injury.

Wyoming at No. 19 Utah (-17, 43.5)

The Cowboys have historically been a very solid team coming off a bye, as they have won 25 of 40 games on that occasion. But they haven?t beaten Utah since 2006.

The Utes have won four in a row in this series in Salt Lake City. Utah had no right beating Air Force last week but now has had eight of its past nine games decided by a touchdown or less.

No. 20 West Virginia at South Florida (+3, 47.5; Friday)

Noel Devine saved WVU from an upset to UConn last week and the Mountaineers are 11-2 all-time when Devine rushes for at least 100 yards in a game.

The Bulls are on their typical late-season fade. They were held to 212 total yards of offense in last week?s loss to Pittsburgh, the fewest for USF since 2005.

No. 21 South Carolina at Tennessee (-5.5, 40)

South Carolina dominated in last year?s 27-6 home victory. Some Gamecocks are using a comment by UT Lane Kiffin as motivation. Kiffin reportedly told a South Carolina recruit, current freshman Alshon Jeffery, last winter that the player would wind up ?pumping gas? if he signed with USC.

The Vols are 13-1 all-time against South Carolina in Knoxville. The UT defense hasn?t allowed an offensive touchdown in the past two games ? a total streak of 133 minutes.

No. 22 Mississippi at Auburn (+4, 50)

While the Ole Miss defense remains among the best in the nation, the offense has taken off, averaging 527.0 total yards over the last two games. All-purpose threat Dexter McCluster is coming off his best game of the year.

The Tigers have won 22 of the past 26 in this series and are 11-2 against the Rebels at home. Auburn has dropped three in a row this season, and QB Chris Todd has thrown two interceptions and no touchdown passes in his last three outings and has been sacked seven times.

Kansas State at No. 23 Oklahoma (-28, 48.5)

The Wildcats, not that anyone has noticed, are leading the Big 12 North. But they haven?t won in Norman since 1997. KSU has rushed for more than 200 yards in the past two games and is second in the conference in rushing.

OU?s defense is second in the nation in scoring and third in rushing defense. The Wildcats? pass offense is just 104th in the country, so if they can?t run on the Sooner D this one may not be close.

Washington State vs. No. 25 Notre Dame (-28, 60.5; in San Antonio)

At least the Cougars don?t have to travel to South Bend and worry about weather in this Notre Dame home game in the Alamodome. Wazzu, which leads the Pac-10 in turnovers forced, is basically treating this as its bowl game this year.

Irish QB Jimmy Clausen should feast on a WSU defense ranked 119th in the nation overall. Notre Dame is ranked again this week, and the previous two times the Irish took the field as a Top-25 team they lost.

 

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MWC'S TOP TEAM PLAYING FOR BCS BID: Rebels expect to get TCU's best

MWC'S TOP TEAM PLAYING FOR BCS BID: Rebels expect to get TCU's best

MWC'S TOP TEAM PLAYING FOR BCS BID: Rebels expect to get TCU's best

UNLV not looking for letdown following Frogs' victory at BYU


FORT WORTH, Texas -- Conventional wisdom might suggest UNLV is catching Texas Christian at the right time.

The Horned Frogs are coming off a statement-making 38-7 victory at Brigham Young, and a letdown wouldn't be surprising against a Rebels football team with only three victories -- over opponents with a combined record of 4-17.

But TCU (7-0, 3-0 Mountain West Conference) has plenty to play for, and that could be bad news for the Rebels (3-5, 1-3) when they meet at 1 p.m. PDT today.

TCU, No. 8 in The Associated Press poll, stands at No. 6 (USA Today) and No. 7 (Harris) in the polls that are part of the Bowl Championship Series rankings. The Frogs are behind Boise State in both polls, but the computer rankings push them one spot above Boise State in the BCS standings, at No. 6.

The two teams are competing for the top spot from conferences without automatic BCS bids. And every impression is important, including the one TCU can make with a strong showing against UNLV.

So the Rebels expect TCU's best shot.

"I think if somebody told me I have a chance for a BCS berth from a non-BCS conference, I'd be pretty focused," Rebels quarterback Omar Clayton said.

The Frogs are five-touchdown favorites, so a close score might drop them below Boise State.

"They're trying to catch up in the minds of voters with Boise State," BCS expert Jerry Palm said. "They can't afford a drop. They don't need to win 63-0 or 56-20, but they need to look like a top-five team and put it on them."

TCU coach Gary Patterson doesn't believe in running up scores, but Palm said the Frogs could have an easy victory well in hand early and wouldn't have to pour it on. He expects about a 49-3 final.

"Realistically, any time a top-10 team plays a team like Vegas that's undermanned, they can't help but win big," said Palm of collegebcs.com. "If you have that good a team, you don't have to run up the score to put up a big score."

UNLV hasn't been much of a challenge for TCU since the Frogs joined the Mountain West in 2005. TCU has outscored the Rebels by an average of 39-9.

That sort of score today probably wouldn't hurt TCU, depending largely on how Boise State looks today against San Jose State.

Patterson doesn't like to discuss the BCS and points out the Frogs' schedule beyond UNLV includes a game against No. 19 Utah on Nov. 14 and what could be tricky trips to San Diego State on Nov. 7 and Wyoming on Nov. 21.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Patterson said. "It's a very tough schedule."

UNLV coach Mike Sanford prefers not to get into BCS talk either, saying his focus is solely on the Rebels. But he has plenty to worry about with the Frogs.

Jerry Hughes, who leads the Mountain West with nine sacks, might be the nation's best defensive end. He is the mainstay of a defense that tops the conference in allowing 246.6 yards and 12.7 points per game.

Quarterback Andy Dalton heads an offense that is second only to BYU in scoring (34.4 points) and total yards (428.3). Dalton has completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 1,464 yards and 11 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

"People may think I'm crazy, but we're going in there to win a football game," Sanford said. "If I think anything less, it wouldn't be right."

It is Halloween. Maybe something crazy will happen.

Voters will be checking in.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Read the latest UNLV football updates at lvrj.com/blogs/unlv_sports.

BREAKING DOWN THE REBELS

BREAKING DOWN THE HORNED FROGS

RUSHING YARDS 120.0

PASSING YARDS 261.9

2009 OFFENSIVE AVERAGES

TIME OF POSSESSION 31:05

PENALTY YARDS 45.4

RUSHING YARDS 190.1

PASSING YARDS 243.6

DEFENSIVE AVERAGES

211.0 RUSHING YARDS

217.3 PASSING YARDS

2009 OFFENSIVE AVERAGES

32:11 TIME OF POSSESSION

54.1 PENALTY YARDS

85.3 RUSHING YARDS

161.3 PASSING YARDS

DEFENSIVE AVERAGES

 

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ETCHED IN CLAY: Rested Badgers set to rebound

ETCHED IN CLAY: Rested Badgers set to rebound

ETCHED IN CLAY: Rested Badgers set to rebound

Purdue's woes on road could prove pivotal


It would appear Wisconsin and Purdue are teams headed in opposite directions entering today's Big Ten matchup at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

After all, the Badgers are on a two-game conference losing streak, while the Boilermakers are coming off back-to-back victories over Ohio State and Illinois.

But closer examination uncovers a host of handicapping advantages in the Badgers' corner.

First of all, Purdue is playing for the ninth straight week and Wisconsin is off a much-needed bye week.

From a technical standpoint, the Boilermakers have not been conference road warriors in recent times, compiling a 6-14 mark against the spread as an away underdog in their past 20 in the role.

Senior quarterback Joey Elliott is putting up impressive numbers for Purdue, but its defense is not particularly stingy against the run, allowing 156.3 yards per game to rank 81st among the 120 teams in Division I.

Wisconsin tailback John Clay, a physical runner, could be in for a big day against the Boilermakers, who have had difficulty holding back the better running teams on their schedule.

Go with Wisconsin as a 61/2-point favorite.

Six more plays for today (home team in CAPS):

? BOSTON COLLEGE (-5) over Central Michigan -- The Chippewas of the Mid-American Conference upset Michigan State early this season, but they typically have been at their worst as an away underdog against non-Big Ten foes, registering a 1-7-1 ATS mark in that role. Boston College has covered eight of its past 10 games at home.

? TEXAS A&M (-6) over Iowa State -- The Cyclones' shocking 9-7 victory over Nebraska last week was more the result of eight Cornhuskers turnovers than anything else. The Aggies have loads of talent offensively and should handle an Iowa State team taking to the Big 12 Conference road for the second week in a row.

? OKLAHOMA STATE (+91/2) over Texas -- The Longhorns could end up in the Bowl Championship Series title game if they get by Oklahoma State. Texas, however, was lucky to escape the Cowboys last season in Austin and should face an even stiffer challenge before a packed house of Halloween night rowdies in Boone Pickens Stadium.

? Texas-OKLAHOMA STATE (Under 54) -- Simply put, the Longhorns' offense is a notch or two below last year's standards. On the flip side, the Texas defense has few peers in 2009, holding Oklahoma to negative yards rushing two weeks ago in Dallas.

? TEXAS TECH (-61/2) over Kansas -- Red Raiders coach Mike Leach obviously has done everything in his power to grab the attention of his players this week with some less-than-glowing comments about their girlfriends. Ouch! In any event, look for the Red Raiders to exploit the middle of the field in the passing game against a Kansas defense lacking standout linebackers.

? South Carolina (+6) over TENNESSEE -- The Volunteers are coming off an emotional loss at Alabama, while the Gamecocks thrive as away underdogs. South Carolina has covered 10 of its past 14 in this role, while the visitor in this series is 10-1-1 ATS.

Last week: 3-4 against the spread

Season: 15-26-1