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THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 30. 2010 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 3B
College Football News, Analysis and Prognostications
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SEC Contests
#6 FLORIDA AT #1 ALABAMA
Florida’s offense broke out against Kentucky when
Urban Meyer unleashed Trey Burton as his wing-T
quarterback. Of course, it’s the defense, specifically
the secondary with 12 picks on the season, that has
been the bright spot for the Gators. For part of its
game on Saturday, Alabama forgot it has the most
physical running game in the conference. The Tide
won’t make that mistake this Saturday.
Alabama 26 — Florida 22
VANDERBILT AT CONNECTICUT
Robbie Caldwell and his Commodores took last
weekend off to enjoy their first win of the season.
Now they head to Storrs to face a Connecticut team
that is 2 — 2. The Fluskies rely on a strong ground
game and a disruptive defense. Sounds a lot like
Vanderbilt. Only UConn is averaging over 33 points
per game and that’s twice as many as Vandy.
Connecticut 26 — Vanderbilt 18
ALCORN STATE AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State got a big win over Georgia and now
it has to avoid the hangover that sometimes comes
with such accomplishments. The key to the Bulldogs’
success has been their ability to run the ball when
they need to and they shouldn’t have any trouble
continuing to do that again this weekend.
Mississippi State 38 — Alcorn State 12
LA-MONROE AT #10 AUBURN
After taking care of the state of South Carolina on
back-to-back weeks, Auburn is surely looking forward
to playing a less competitive opponent. Gene Chizik
likes what he’s been seeing on both sides of the ball.
The Tiger offense leads the league in rushing and the
defense ranks first against the pass and in tackles for
losses. That’s why they could challenge for SEC West
supremacy before it’s all said and done.
Auburn 41 — La-Monroe 14
KENTUCKY AT MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi got a much-needed win against a good
Fresno State team. Now they face a Kentucky squad
that’s licking its wounds after giving up 466 yards
to Florida last weekend. The Rebels got 228 yards
rushing from Brandon Bolden but they’re still having
trouble holding on to the ball, and they’re allowing
opponents to complete 65 percent of their passes.
They need to do better than that to beat Kentucky.
Mississippi 33 — Kentucky 28
TENNESSEE AT #11 LSU
Tennessee averted disaster against UAB. They will
need more than luck to survive a trip to Baton Rouge.
Priority number one for Derek Dooley’s team is to
keep LSU’s Patrick Peterson from scoring another
kick return touchdown. Peterson is averaging 28
yards per punt return and has taken two into the end
zone. The Volunteers also have to find a way to score
against a defense that gives up 12 points per game.
LSU 27 — Tennessee 15
GEORGIA AT COLORADO
Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs are in uncharted
territory at 0 - 3 in the SEC. The Georgia offensive
line, which was supposed to be its strength, isn’t
doing its job, and the defense is giving up too many
big plays. Now they visit a Colorado team that’s 2-1
and is only giving up 61 yards per game rushing. The
Bulldogs took Mississippi State lightly last weekend.
They’re in trouble if they do that again in Boulder.
Georgia 29 - Colorado 23
ACC Contests
VIRGINIA TECH AT #23 N.C. STATE
The Wolfpack is 4 — 0 for the first time since
2002. Quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown 11
touchdowns and only interception, and the defense is
averaging 3.5 sacks per game. Virginia Tech appears
to have awakened from its early-season stupor and
the Hokie defense has the ball hawks to make Wilson
flinch. Good thing the Wolfpack can run the ball.
N.C. State 30 — Virginia Tech 25
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS AND NOTES
Nevada is ranked for the first time since 1948 and
just the second time in the history of The Associated
Press college football poll. The 25th-ranked WolfPack
(4-0) are 4-0 for the first time since 1991, when they
were still a I-AA program... Boston College coach
Frank Spaziani says he will start a new quarterback
next week against Notre Dame. Mike Marscovetra or
Chase Rettig will start for the Eagles in place of David
Shinskie. The announcement came after Saturday’s
19-0 home loss to Virginia Tech, which was the first
shutout against Boston College in 149 games since
1998... Temple running back Bernard Pierce left
the Owls’ game Saturday against No. 23 Penn State
with an apparent right ankle injury... North Carolina
athletic director Dick Baddour says the tutor linked to
possible academic violations in the football program
has refused to speak with school investigators. The
tutor, Jennifer Wiley, graduated in 2009.
LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is having a Heisman Trophy-type season. The junior has returned
two punts for touchdowns and has two interceptions despite the fact that no one will throw his way.
N o. 1 Alabama proved why it’s the gold standard of college football when it overcame a 13-point deficit with
5:04 left to play in the third quarter to beat No. 12 Arkansas 24 - 20 in Fayetteville. There’s no doubt the
Tide is supremely gifted, as all the recruiting gurus will confirm, but Nick Saban is a master motivator who gets all
that gaudy talent to plumb the depths and find a way to win, and that’s why he’s the best coach in college football.
Of course, the team in the Eastern part of the state is pretty good, too. No. 11 Auburn came back against No.
14 South Carolina to beat the Gamecocks 35 - 27. Tiger quarterback Cameron Newton scored five touchdowns
and is only getting better which is scary for the rest of the league. No. 13 LSU got another spectacular game from
Patrick Peterson and beat No. 24 West Virginia 20 - 14. Mississippi got its signature win of the season when it beat
Fresno State 55 - 38 in Oxford. No. 7 Florida’s Trey Burton scored six touchdowns and led the Gators to a 48 - 14
victory over Kentucky. Burton is only the fourth player in the history of the SEC to score six touchdowns in a game.
Tennessee sneaked past UAB 32 - 29 in overtime. Mississippi State beat Georgia 24 - 12, dropping Mark Richt’s
team to 0 - 3 in the SEC for the first time since 1993.
In the ACC, N.C. State is 4 - 0 after beating Georgia Tech 45 - 28 on The Flats. Wolfpack quarterback Russell
Wilson is the best signal caller in the conference right now. No. 16 Miami crushed Pittsburgh 31 - 3 on Thursday
night. Virginia Tech won its second game in a row by beating Boston College 19 - 0 in Chestnut Hill. Florida State’s
defense appears to be improving. The Seminoles held Wake Forest to just 185 yards in beating the Demon Deacons
31-0, after clamping down on BYU two weeks ago. North Carolina got past Rutgers 17 - 13. Duke fell to Army
35-21, turning the ball over four times in the process.
The big upset was in Austin, where unranked UCLA crushed No. 5 Texas. Not a good omen heading into the
Red River Shootout.
SEC Standings ACC Standings
Eastern Division
Conference
Overall
Atlantic Division
Conference
Overall
Florida
2-0
4-0
North Carolina State 1-0
4-0
South Carolina
1-1
3-1
Florida State
1-0
3-1
Vanderbilt
1-1
1-2
Wake Forest
1-1
2-2
Kentucky
0-1
3-1
Maryland
0-0
3-1
Tennessee
0-1
2-2
Clemson
0-0
2-1
Georgia
0-3
1-3
Boston College
0-1
2-1
Western Division
Conference
Overall
Coastal Division
Conference
Overall
Auburn
2-0
4-0
Virginia Tech
1-0
2-2
LSU
2-0
4-0
Georgia Tech
1-1
2-2
Alabama
1-0
4-0
Miami (FL)
0-0
2-1
Arkansas
1-1
3-1
Virginia
0-0
2-1
Mississippi State
1-2
2-2
North Carolina
0-1
1-2
Mississippi
0-1
2-2
Duke
0-1
1-3
tEbz OBri&irotx (Bajette 3£op 25
Ranking
1. Alabama
Power Rating
159.1
Ranking Power Rating
14. Texas 140.3
2. Ohio State
157.3
15. USC
140.1
3. Boise State
156.2
16. Arkansas
139.4
4. Nebraska
154.4
17. Arizona
136.6
5. Oklahoma
153.8
18. Iowa
136.4
6. Florida
153.7
19. South Carolina
133.3
7. TCU
147.7
20. Stanford
132.7
8. Oregon
144.4
21. Michigan
132.5
9. Wisconsin
144.3
22. Penn State
132.4
10. Auburn
144.1
23. N.C. State
132.0
11. LSU
143.9
24. Nevada
131.9
12. Utah
141.1
25. Michigan State
124.7
13. Miami (FI.)
140.5
Latest picks at www.gridirongazette.com
ACC Contests CONT.
FLORIDA STATE AT VIRGINIA
Florida State’s defense has given up less than 200
yards per game and 10 points total over the past two
weeks against two pretty good offenses in BYU and
Wake Forest. Now they head to Charlottesville to
meet a defense that’s giving up only 12 points per
game. Seminole quarterback Christian Ponder is cool
under pressure and he’ll have to be against Virginia
on Saturday.
Florida State 28 - Virginia 19
#13 MIAMI (FL.) AT CLEMSON
Clemson took last weekend off to soak in the ice bath
after its slugfest with Auburn. Meanwhile, Miami
destroyed Pittsburgh 31 — 3 on Thursday night.
Both these teams have defenses that spend a lot of
time harassing opposing quarterbacks, but Miami is
holding opponents to only 13 points per game and
that’s a hard number for the Tigers to overcome even
in Death Valley.
Miami 22 — Clemson 18
EAST CAROLINA AT NORTH CAROLINA
The Pirates are averaging 42 points per game, which
ranks them 9th in the country. The problem is on
defense, where Ruffin McNeill’s team is giving up 480
yards and 41 points per game. You never know what
you’ll get when the Tar Heels take the field, but their
pass defense ranks 4th in the nation and that will help
them beat East Carolina at home.
North Carolina 31 - East Carolina 24
DUKE AT MARYLAND
Duke might have the worst defense in FBS football.
The Blue Devils don’t rank in the top one hundred in
any major defensive category and are giving up 466
yards and 45 points per game. Maryland has plenty
of problems of its own but the Terps are 3 — 1 and
they’ll be 4 - 1 after Saturday. Then the wheels will
fall off as they take on the likes of Clemson, Miami,
and Florida State.
Maryland 39 - Duke 31
GEORGIA TECH AT WAKE FOREST
The Yellow Jackets gave up 45 points and 525 yards to
N.C. State last weekend and they don’t have the kind
of offense to overcome those numbers. Now they head
to Winston-Salem where Wake Forest’s offense was
looking strong but has suddenly come to a screeching
halt. Both these teams can run the ball but the Demon
Deacons have given up an average of 49 points per
game, and that’s why Georgia Tech will win.
Georgia Tech 36 — Wake Forest 28
NOTRE DAME AT BOSTON COLLEGE
The two largest Catholic schools in the country square
off in Chestnut Hill. Notre Dame is carrying the
burden of a three-game losing streak, while Boston
College got shutout by Virginia Tech last weekend.
The Eagles have a winning record but don’t let that
fool you: Their wins are against Weber State and Kent
State. The Irish might be struggling but at least they’ve
been struggling against real competition.
Notre Dame 28 - Boston College 20
Other Contests
#14 TEXAS VS #5 OKLAHOMA
The Longhorns might have been looking ahead to this
Saturday when UCLA shellacked them at home. Now
they find themselves with a devastating loss that will
likely knock them out of the BCS Title hunt but they
still have conference title hopes. The Texas offensive
line has been having trouble protecting quarterback
Garrett Gilbert and that will be their undoing in
Dallas.
Oklahoma 28 - Texas 22
#20 STANFORD AT #8 OREGON
There’s a good shot that these two teams will combine
for well over 1,000 yards of offense 100 points when
they meet this weekend. But what makes this one
interesting is the defenses. The Ducks and the Cardinal
rank 2nd and 4th respectively in pass efficiency
defense. The difference is in the running game where
Oregon is averaging 322 yards per game. That and the
home field advantage give them the edge.
Oregon 45 - Stanford 42
Last Week’s Picks: 13-4
There are certain teams every season that are impossible
to understand. Either they surprise us with their
winning ways, or they gall us with their losing ways.
This year Georgia is one of them. The Bulldogs fell to
Mississippi State last week 24 — 12, a result we did not
expect. They’re now 0 - 3 in the SEC. Mississippi is
another team that is schizophrenic. After losing to the
likes of Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt, two games
they should have won, they beat Fresno State last
week 55 — 38. We were wrong about all three. North
Carolina is incomprehensible because you never know
who will be playing for them. They beat Rutgers 17 —
13. We had the Scarlet Knights winning that one. We
were right about all the weekend’s top games, and we
picked N.C. State to upend Georgia Tech in an upset.
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