What's the only sign of civilization in East Lansing? "Ann Arbor: 45 miles."
How does a Texas grad get an Oklahoma grad off his lawn? He pays for the pizza.
That's right, it's a weekend full of rivalry games, so break out your best one-liners for the enemy (note: we don't actually consider any of the previous ones "good."). In addition to the two games mentioned, there's Georgia-Tennessee, Kansas-Kansas State, Duke-Virginia and a host of other grudge games whose importance transcends whether the teams are actually good this year.
But in terms of national significance, it's hard to top Miami-Florida State, regardless of the fact the Hurricanes are plagued by injuries. This is sure to be the No. 1 Seminoles' last test before the season-ending Florida game. Two years ago, the score was 45-0 FSU. Don't expect nearly the same this time.
| Week 7 Previews |
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| (19) Miami (2-2) at (1) Florida State (5-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, Noon (ABC regional)
Game Preview |
41: Lowest point total FSU has scored in any of its five games. |
| Player to Watch |
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Clinton Portis, RB, Miami. Frosh ran for 147 yards in first start against East Carolina and should be pressed into action again with starter James Jackson still ailing. |
| Analysis |
This is not the same Hurricanes team that crushed Ohio State in late August, with injuries to their top two tailbacks and a starting linebacker, plus the sting of back-to-back losses. But LB Dan Morgan anchors the toughest defense FSU will face this year, and the 'Noles have struggled against the run all year.
Trev Alberts' pick: Florida State
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| (2) Penn State (5-0) at Iowa (1-3) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, Noon
Game Preview |
79.5: Hawkeyes' rushing average, ranking them 111th out of 114 Division I-A teams. |
| Player to Watch |
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Chafie Fields, WR, Penn State. PSU's on-again, off-again big-play man needs to start putting up numbers every week to merit Heisman consideration.
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| Analysis |
We'll cut to the chase: Iowa is atrocious. Evidence last week's 49-3 loss to Michigan State, in which it gained 107 yards. Expect more of the same this week against the Nittany Lions, who are coming off a bye week. Penn State's two-headed QBs, Rashard Casey and Kevin Thompson, rank first and second, respectively, among the Big Ten's pass-efficiency leaders.
Trev Alberts' pick: Penn State
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| (3) Michigan (5-0) at Michigan State (5-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, Noon (ABC Regional)
Game Preview |
42.8: Average rushing yards allowed by the Spartans, No. 1 nationally. |
| Player to Watch |
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Anthony Thomas, RB, Michigan. Broke 100 yards last week against Purdue but will be supremely challenged this week.
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| Analysis |
The Wolverines have shown their defense is hard to top, shutting down the likes of Ron Dayne and Drew Brees. But the Spartans are no slouches on that side of the ball, led by pass rusher Robaire Smith and S Aric Morris. Both teams will be challenged to move the ball, and the game may come down to who performs better: Michigan QB Tom Brady or the Spartans' Bill Burke.
Trev Alberts' pick: Michigan State
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| Iowa State (3-1) at (4) Nebraska (5-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 7 p.m (Fox Sports Net)
Game Preview |
15: Turnovers forced by Nebraska, which has also lost 11. |
| Player to Watch |
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Darren Davis, RB, Iowa State. The man largely responsible for Iowa State's Big 12-leading rushing average (328.3 yards per game). |
| Analysis |
This could be the most competitive game in this series in quite some time. ISU put a scare into Kansas State in its last game. But Nebraska has looked much better the past two weeks, as Eric Crouch has found his niche as starting QB. Expect Davis to find some success but for the Huskers to move the ball even better.
Trev Alberts' pick: Nebraska
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| (5) Virginia Tech (4-0) at Rutgers (0-4) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
6 p.m.
Game Preview |
41.7: Hokies' average point total in six consecutive wins over Rutgers. |
| Player to Watch |
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Charlie Titus, P, Rutgers. Big East's leading punter will get heavy usage against defensive stalwart Virginia Tech. |
| Analysis |
Big East season is here, so now the Hokies will finally be tested. Or not. Rutgers may indeed be the best 0-4 team in the country, playing the likes of Texas and Wake Forest tight. But the Hokies' nasty pass rush will do in Knights QB Mike McMahon, who, believe it or not, is the Big East's leading passer (230.5 yards per game).
Trev Alberts' pick: Virginia Tech
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| (10) Georgia (4-0) at (6) Tennessee (3-1) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game Preview |
0-5: Georgia's record, since 1992, when entering the Tennessee game undefeated. |
| Player to Watch |
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Jamal Lewis, RB, Tennessee. Junior needs to step it up, having gained only 45 and 64 yards in last two games.
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| Analysis |
The Bulldogs' star is QB Quincy Carter, but their league-leading rushing game has carried them. The Vols usually shut down the run, however. Tennessee needs a better performance in all areas than it has turned in the last three weeks. QB Tee Martin, who hasn't looked the same since getting battered around at Florida, has the chance to throw deep on Georgia's suspect secondary.
Trev Alberts' pick: Tennessee
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| North Carolina (1-3) at (7) Georgia Tech (3-1) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC regional)
Game Preview |
517.3: Georgia Tech's total offense average, tops nationally, and only 109 yards higher than UNC's 91st-ranked defense. |
| Player to Watch |
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Dez White, WR, Georgia Tech. Junior averaged 36 yards a catch against Maryland last week.
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| Analysis |
The Tar Heels are reeling badly, while Joe Hamilton and the Yellow Jackets offense keep rolling. No one symbolizes UNC's struggles more than sophomore QB Ron Curry, (three TDs, 10 INTs) who looks to rebound against an average Tech defense. But Hamilton and White should torch the UNC defense much like Florida State, which got up 28-0 in the first quarter two weeks ago.
Trev Alberts' pick: Georgia Tech
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| (8) Florida (4-1) at LSU (2-2) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Game Preview |
20: Tackles by the Gators' Marquand Manuellast week against Alabama. |
| Player to Watch |
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Josh Booty, QB, LSU. Struggled against Georgia (19-of-45, three INTs) and may face greater pressure from Gators' front. |
| Analysis |
Those worried about Florida rebounding, consider this: Steve Spurrier's clubs haven't lost consecutive regular season games since 1992. But if LSU has any resiliency, it should come out fired up after losses to Auburn and Georgia. It's no secret Booty will be throwing, but the biggest question is whether the LSU defense stands a chance against Doug Johnson's rifle arm.
Trev Alberts' pick: Florida
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| Kansas (2-3) at (9) Kansas State (4-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Game Preview |
71: Points scored by Kansas on Sept. 11 against Cal State-Northridge, one more than its other four games combined. . |
| Player to Watch |
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David Allen, RB, Kansas State. Wildcats' Mr. Do Everything must step up for injured Frank Murphy on offense. |
| Analysis |
The Wildcats dispelled a lot of doubts with an impressive 34-17 defeat of Texas last week. LB Mark Simoneau leads a frenzy of blitzes that should do in Kansas QB Dylan Smith. K-State QB Jonathan Beasley needs to be more consistent.
Trev Alberts' pick: Kansas State
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| Baylor (1-4) at (13) Texas A&M (3-1) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Noon
Game Preview |
52: A&M rushing yards in last week's loss to Texas Tech, 148 below its average coming in. |
| Player to Watch |
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Chris Taylor, WR, Texas A&M. Even in defeat, Aggies' star receiver broke 100 yards last week.
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| Analysis |
The Aggies need to right their ship after last week's debacle, and lowly Baylor seems the perfect opponent for the occasion. But consider this: Baylor last week got its first win, 23-10 over North Texas, which two weeks earlier won 21-14 against Texas Tech, the same team that just bounced A&M! In seriousness, the "Wrecking Crew" shouldn't repeat last week's disaster, in which Tech's Sammy Morris ran all over them.
Trev Alberts' pick: Texas A&M
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| (14) Mississippi State (5-0) at Auburn (3-2) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Game Preview |
454: Bulldogs' total offense last week against Vanderbilt. |
| Player to Watch |
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Leonardo Carson, DE, Auburn. Tigers standout was openly critical of coach Tommy Tuberville's ways this week. |
| Analysis |
Auburn is hurting offensively with preseason third-stringer Jeff Klein at quarterback and should have continued problems scoring. MSU, meanwhile, is coming off an offensive explosion against Vanderbilt and is strong at QB with Wayne Madkin. The end result is MSU will improve to 6-0 and climb higher up the polls while playing six unranked opponents.
Trev Alberts' pick: Mississippi State
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| Southern Miss (2-2) at (16) East Carolina (5-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3 p.m. (Fox Sports Net)
Game Preview
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6: Times, out of 12, Southern Miss has kept an opponent from scoring after it entered the red zone.
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| Players to Watch |
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David Garrard, QB, East Carolina. Having a great year to pace the 5-0 Pirates despite throwing for only four TDs.
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| Analysis |
It's only their second conference game each, but it isn't presumptuous to say a Liberty Bowl bid is on the line in this game. The two are clearly the class of the conference, with ECU upsetting Miami (Fla.) and Southern Miss putting scares into Nebraska and Texas A&M. It's a toss-up, with ECU possessing the more versatile offense but the Eagles owning the more athletic defense.
Trev Alberts' pick: East Carolina
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| (17) Purdue (4-1) at Ohio State (3-2) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC regional)
Game Preview |
396: Ohio State's average yards allowed, ranking ninth in the conference. |
| Player to Watch |
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Na'il Diggs, LB, Ohio State. One of four supposed standouts John Cooper has singled out for poor play. |
| Analysis |
In a make-or-break game for both teams' seasons, Purdue will bring its chaos-causing offense against a defense that's seemingly been in chaos all season. But don't expect Michael Wiley and the OSU offense to fold over like it did last week against Wisconsin facing a Boilermakers squad that Northwestern and Michigan had no trouble moving the ball on.
Trev Alberts' pick: Ohio State
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| (20) Wisconsin (3-2) at (25) Minnesota (4-0) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, Noon (ESPN2)
Game Preview |
39-7: Average score of Gophers' four wins -- against Ohio, Louisiana-Monroe, Illinois St. and Northwestern. |
| Player to Watch |
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Billy Cockerham, QB, Minnesota Gophers' most athletic QB in a decade has passed for 688 yards and run for 244.
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| Analysis |
It's time to find out whether Minnesota, ranked for the first time since the Reagan era, is for real. Its offense presents several different looks and includes a strong back in Thomas Hamner (400 yards). Wisconsin, of course, has a stronger back in Ron Dayne, who has already engaged in several memorable battles with Gophers super safety Tyrone Carter.
Trev Alberts' pick: Minnesota
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| (22) USC (3-1) at Arizona (3-2) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC regional)
Game Preview |
83.5: Average rushing yards allowed by USC, tops in the Pac-10. |
| Player to Watch |
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Dennis Northcutt, WR, Arizona. Nation's second-leading punt returner and third-leading receiver forgotten amongst Arizona's disappointments. |
| Analysis |
Since neither team has done anything anyone would have predicted, expect a game full of big plays, turnovers, missed field goals, long kick returns and a wild ending. USC knocked off Oregon State last week in Mike Van Raaphorst's first start thanks to a big game from RB Chad Morton (27 carries, 153 yards). He'll need to do it again to keep Arizona's explosive offense off the field.
Trev Alberts' pick: Arizona
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| (23) Texas (4-2) at Oklahoma (3-1) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ABC regional)
Game Preview |
16: Touchdown passes thrown by OU's Josh Heupel, a Sooners season record already. |
| Player to Watch |
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Pee Wee Woods, CB, Oklahoma. Lives up to name at 5-foot-8, but also has the ability to contain Longhorns' WR Kwame Cavil. |
| Analysis |
It's safe to say the 94th installment will be like none before it in this series. The once wishbone-exclusive schools now average a combined 84 pass attempts. Texas' success depends on an improved effort from QB Major Applewhite, who excelled all season before his six turnovers against Kansas State. He'll need to put up points, because Heupel can expect at least as much success offensively as he did in last week's 34-30 loss to Notre Dame.
Trev Alberts' pick: Oklahoma
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| Cal (2-2) at (25) BYU (3-1) |
| Preview |
Key Stat |
Saturday, 7 p.m. (ABC regional)
Game Preview
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491: BYU's average offense, ranked fifth nationally.
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| Player to Watch |
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Kyle Boller, QB, Cal. Cal's QB of the future playing now -- and struggling. |
| Analysis |
Another one of those schizophrenic Pac-10 teams, Cal looked great in beating Arizona State then stunk up the joint last week against Washington State. Expect the Cal front to get pressure on BYU QB Kevin Feterik, but his arm and Lucas Staley's legs will be too much for the Bears.
Trev Alberts' pick: BYU
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