Virginia Tech vs. Boston College
VegasInsider.com
The Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game Saturday in Jacksonville pits two teams that played each other down to the wire just over a month ago. The winner between sixth-ranked Virginia Tech and 12th-ranked Boston College gets a slot in the Bowl Championship Series.
The fact that these two teams collided in such an intense game last month in Blacksburg should play into this contest according to VegasInsider.com handicapper Jorge Gonzalez, who is 11-3 his last 14 college football selections en route to hitting 58 percent of his plays this season.
“Virginia Tech controlled the first meeting with Boston College until the very end when Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan rallied his team,” stated Gonzalez. “Ryan has to make key plays once again to win this contest in similar fashion.”
Caesars Palace lists Virginia Tech as a 4 ½-point ‘chalk’ over Boston College, with the total set at 47. The Hokies opened as a five-point favorite, with the total listed at 46. ABC Sports will begin coverage of the ACC Championship Game at 1:00 p.m. ET from Jacksonville’s Municipal Stadium.
“This game comes down to a matchup between Boston College’s offense against Virginia Tech’s defense,” noted Gonzalez. “The Hokies’ special teams also have a knack for coming up with crucial plays in big games.”
Virginia Tech (10-2 straight up, 6-5 against the spread) is riding a four-game SU and ATS winning streak since falling to Boston College back in late October. The Hokies continued their winning ways by upending rival Virginia last weekend as a 3 ½-point road ‘chalk,’ 33-21. The combined 54 points toppled the 40-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the second game in a row with a total posted.
Quarterback Sean Glennon was 13-of-19 passing for 260 yards with a touchdown, while Branden Ore paced the ground game with 31 carries for 147 yards and two scores. Wideout Eddie Royal also enjoyed a solid effort by catching six passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
The Hokies finished the contest with advantages in first downs (20-15), rushing yards (131-97), passing yards (299-144) and time of possession (32:17-27:43). Virginia Tech notched its fourth consecutive victory over the Cavaliers by outscoring them, 10-0, in the fourth quarter.
Boston College (10-2 SU, 6-5 ATS) defeated Miami for the first time since 1984 last weekend as a 14 ½-point home favorite, 28-14. The Eagles have struggled to a 1-3 ATS ledger their last four outings.
Signal caller Matt Ryan completed 26-of-43 passes for 369 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Andre Callender ran the ball 15 times for 96 yards and a score, while wideout Rich Gunnell caught nine passes for 135 yards.
Boston College finished the game with advantages in rushing yards (93-83) and passing yards (369-198), but trailed the Hurricanes in turnovers forced (4-2) and time of possession (34:31-25:29).
The Eagles are 3-1 SU and ATS the previous four encounters with Virginia Tech after winning the October 25 encounter as a three-point road underdog, 14-10. The combined 24 points never seriously threatened the 43-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash the third game in a row between these teams.
“The Hokies have to close out this game if they get a lead like the last meeting,” said Gonzalez. “The offense has to produce some points, and the defense has to put pressure on Ryan.”
Boston College was shut down by the Hokies defense until late in the fourth quarter when the Eagles scored two touchdowns the final 2:11. Ryan was 25-of-52 passing for 285 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Boston College rushing attack could only muster 32 yards on 18 carries, while Virginia Tech ran the ball 40 times for 126 yards.
Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor (flu), tight end Greg Boone (hamstring), offensive tackle Ed Wang (leg) and center Ryan Shuman (knee) are ‘probable’ against the Eagles.
Boston College cornerback DeJuan Tribble (knee) is ‘questionable’ versus the Hokies, while strong safety Marcellus Bowman (shoulder) and running back AJ Brooks (suspension) are ‘out.’
Saturday’s forecast for Jacksonville, Florida calls for partly cloudy skies with a high of 70 degrees and a low of 53. There is a 20 percent chance of precipitation, with winds expected to be 10-20 mph.
Miles says QB Flynn a game-time decision
Perrilloux ready to go despite some rust
ATLANTA -- LSU Coach Les Miles said Friday that quarterback Matt Flynn's availability for today's SEC championship game would be a "game-time decision."
But during Friday's walk-through practice the signs didn't look good.
Flynn, who injured his right (throwing) shoulder in LSU's loss to Arkansas, did not participate with the other quarterbacks in the throwing drill early in practice. Flynn stood nearby, throwing short passes with offensive coordinator Gary Crowton instead. Only the first 15 minutes of the practice were open to the media.
"Matt Flynn, just to let you know, took snaps and threw balls during the week of practice and really took part much more on Thursday," Miles said in the press conference before practice. "That will be a game-time decision. We'll take him to the field and warm him up and see how that feels. But you know, if, in fact, he is ready to play, we'll play him. If not he'll watch. But I would expect that he may well play."
If Flynn doesn't start, Miles said Ryan Perrilloux would play in his place. Perrilloux has seen significant action, but other than some mop-up duty in two games, he hasn't played since being suspended for the Alabama game on Nov. 3.
"If he takes snaps for us, he will be doing the things that he can do, run and pass," Miles said. "As long as he doesn't try to do too much, I suspect that he'll do fine for us."
FLASHBACK: It was 2001 when LSU and Tennessee met in the SEC championship game. The Vols were a victory away from playing Miami for the national championship in the Rose Bowl, but a then-unheralded backup quarterback got in the way.
LSU's Matt Mauck, who two years later would guide the Tigers to the national championship, came off the bench to run for two touchdowns and win the game's MVP award in a 31-20 LSU upset. He replaced Rohan Davey, who was injured in the first quarter.
"I guess we messed up when we knocked their quarterback out of the game," Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We weren't prepared for a running quarterback."
In fact, Mauck said the offensive package with the quarterback draw plays was put in as an afterthought, late in the week.
"I ran it one time in practice, and we ended up using it for 15-20 plays during the game," Mauck said.
Mauck ran for his first touchdown from 4 yards to give LSU a 7-0 lead before Tennessee scored 17 straight points. The Tigers dodged a bullet when a fourth-down try deep in their own territory failed, but the Vols could only get a field goal out of it.
LSU cut the deficit to 17-16 on three John Corbello field goals when Mauck struck again. He weaved his way for a 13-yard run and passed to Josh Reed for the two-point conversion to give LSU the lead for good with 14:20 left.
LSU iced the game with a long scoring drive to make it 31-20 as Mauck completed a key third-down pass to Michael Clayton.
RICKY'S BACK: Defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois, who sat out the season because of an academic issue, will be eligible to play.
"He's a high-strung guy and loves to play, and he's very talented," Miles said. "But I want him to get into the flow of the game in a nice, easy, comfortable fashion."
Jean-Francois, a significant part of the defensive line rotation, hasn't played since the Arkansas game last season.
OTHER INJURIES: Miles said running back Trindon Holliday, who missed the Arkansas game, should be back at full speed. Miles did not mention guard Will Arnold, who did not suit up for Friday's practice.
timespicayune.com
College Football Weather Forecast
Navy at Army, 12:00 p.m. (Baltimore, MD)
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northwest at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Louisiana Tech at Nevada, 4:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 10-20 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
U-C-L-A at U-S-C, 4:30 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the West at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 60.
Oregon State at Oregon, 4:30 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 60-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
California at Stanford, 7:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the West at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Pittsburgh at West Virginia, 7:45 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southeast at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
Arizona at Arizona State, 8:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 60.
Washington at Hawaii, 11:30 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70.
Florida Atlantic at Troy, 2:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the East at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70.
North Texas at Florida International, 7:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
Tulsa at U-C-F, 12:00 p.m. (Orlando, FL)
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
Virginia Tech at Boston College, 1:00 p.m. (Jacksonville, FL)
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70.
Saturday football weather watch
Covers.com
A look at games around the county in which the weather could play a key factor today.
Tempe
Fans attending Arizona-Arizona State won’t be sweltering tonight at Sun Devil Stadium. The temperature is expected to drop to a cool 48 degrees in Tempe.
There is also a 60 percent chance of rain in Tempe with strong winds gusting from the southwest at 18 mph. The conditions should favor Sun Devils star running back Keegan Herring, who is averaging more than 70 rushing yards.
The forecast has caused the line to move from Arizona State -6 ½ to -7 since Wednesday.
Eugene
Rain and snow should impact the result of the 111th edition of the Civil War game between Oregon State and Oregon. There is an 80 percent chance of precipitation in Eugene with winds gusting from the southwest at 15 mph.
Oregon was already prepared for a sloppy game without quarterback Brady Leaf able to go, who was filling in for injured starter Dennis Dixon. The Ducks’ seventh-ranked running game should shoulder the offensive load against the Beavers.
Soggy conditions have caused the total to drop from 44 ½ to 43 points since Friday and the spread has moved to Oregon +1 after opening as a pick ‘em.
WIND WARNING
Washington at Hawaii
Winds are expected to gust to 12 mph in Aeia, which could impede the Warriors’ powerful aerial attack, which is led by Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan. The line has moved from Hawaii -14 to -13 ½ and the total has dropped from 74 ½ to 73 points since Thursday.
UCLA at USC
Winds are expected to gust to 14 mph from the west in Los Angeles, causing the temperature to plunge to as low as 45 degrees. The total has dropped from 46 ½ to 45 ½ points overnight.
Louisiana Tech at Nevada
Relentless winds gusting to 17 mph from the southwest could force both clubs to the ground. Nevada has the 12th-ranked rush offense in the country, averaging more than 220 yards per game. Running back Luke Lippincott has amassed more than 1,200 rushing yards and also leads the team with 13 touchdowns.
The line has moved from Nevada -8½ to -7 since Wednesday. The total has also dropped from 64 to 63 points.
College mismatches: Where to find the edge in Saturday’s games
Covers.com
A number of Saturday’s games feature big mismatches that can give bettors a major edge. The most noteworthy are listed below:
California running back Justin Forsett vs. Stanford’s rush defense
Golden Bears running back Justin Forsett should shred Stanford’s struggling rush defense.
The senior running back has compiled more than 1,300 rushing yards to go along with 14 touchdowns in eight outings. That is an average of more than 115 rushing yards per game. Forsett ran for more than 160 yards on 31 carries against USC’s third-ranked rush defense two weeks ago. He has also rushed for more than 150 yards four times.
Stanford conceded more than 120 rushing yards with three touchdowns during last Saturday’s 21-14 setback to the lowly Irish. It is also allowing more than 170 rushing yards per outing and more than four yards per carry.
Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan vs. Washington’s secondary
Prolific passer Colt Brennan, who led the Warriors to the WAC championship last Friday, turns his attention to Washington’s weak secondary.
Brennan enters the game as the nation’s fourth best passer. He has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for more than 3,700 yards with 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Brennan also smashed Ty Detmer’s mark for most touchdown passes in a season when he tossed five against Boise State. He also had more than 490 passing yards against the Broncos.
Huskies’ opponents are averaging more than 240 passing yards and have scored more than 20 aerial touchdowns. Washington also allowed 400 passing yards with five scores in last Saturday’s 42-35 setback to lowly Washington State.
North Texas receiver Casey Fitzgerald vs. Florida International’s secondary
North Texas receiver Casey Fitzgerald has been the lone bright spot in the school’s miserable campaign.
Fitzgerald has more than 1,200 receiving yards and ranks fourth nationally with more than 100 receiving yards per game. The athletic junior caught eight passes for 80 yards in last Saturday’s 27-26 victory over Western Kentucky. He also had a season-high 327 receiving yards and two touchdowns during a 45-31 loss to Southern Methodist on Sep. 8. Fitzgerald also leads the team with 12 touchdowns.
The agile receiver should torch a winless Golden Panthers team that is conceding an average of 242 receiving yards. Florida International allowed more than 340 passing yards and five receiving touchdowns in last Saturday’s 55-23 loss to Florida Atlantic.
Florida Atlantic linebacker Cergile Sincere vs. Troy’s offensive line
Owls linebacker Cergile Sincere ranks third nationally with six forced fumbles. The Trojans, meanwhile, are conceding more than one fumble per game.
Sincere has forced three fumbles in his last three outings, leading the Owls to a 3-1 record during that span.
Troy has lost 12 fumbles in 11 outings, including six in its last four games. Trojans senior quarterback Omar Haugabook has also thrown 16 interceptions.
Navy’s third-down offense vs. Army’s third-down defense
Navy has been leaning on its running attack all season, especially on third down. Thanks to a strong ground attack, led by multipurpose quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, the Midshipmen have not had a problem moving the sticks.
Navy has converted more than 53 percent of its third-down attempts. The Midshipmen were also 3-for-5 on third-down situations during last Saturday’s 74-62 shootout win over North Texas. Kaheaku-Enhada rushed for 53 yards and passed for 108 yards with a touchdown against the Golden Panthers.
The Black Knights are allowing opponents to convert 44 percent of their third-down attempts. They are also conceding more than 220 rushing yards per contest. Army allowed more than 190 rushing yards in last Saturday’s loss to Tulsa. It also allowed the Golden Hurricane to convert 58 percent of third-down attempts.
Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond III vs. Oregon State quarterback Ryan Gunderson
Beavers senior quarterback Ryan Gunderson takes the helm against the Ducks because starting quarterback Sean Canfield is sidelined with a shoulder ailment. Gunderson will make his first start against Walter Thurmond III, one of college football’s fiercest defenders with three takeaways.
Oregon State senior quarterback Gunderson has thrown four passes for 17 yards with no touchdowns and no picks in just two games this season. Moreover, Gunderson has thrown just two touchdowns and four interceptions in his college career.
C-USA Championship Preview
VegasInsider.com
They say payback can be sweet and on Saturday afternoon the University of Central Florida will have their chance to take the Conference USA Championship for the first time. However, Tulsa is standing in the way and adjusting its sights on a second Conference Championship in the last three years, the Golden Hurricane are sure to put up one tough fight.
It was on Dec. 3, 2005 when Tulsa cut the tape on the C-USA's inaugural championship game. Downing the same UCF team it will face on Saturday by the score of 44-27, the Golden Hurricane continued down the path of victory, defeating Fresno State at the Autozone Liberty Bowl (its first bowl win in 15 years).
So now that you’re up to speed on the history of these two squads let’s see what will transpire this weekend.
Offense wins Games
Ranked first in the nation at driving the ball up and down the field, Tulsa (9-3 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) has accumulated 548.6 yards per game this season. High flying gunslinger Paul Smith has been a sensation behind center, completing 61.3% of his passes for 4,327 total yards and a career high 164.9 QB rating.
Tulsa's QB Paul Smith has thrown for 4,327 yards with 39 TDs. (AP Images)
This explosive offense has helped Tulsa earn an 11-5 ATS record in its last 16 after accumulating 450 total yards in their previous game. With most books installing UCF (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS) as a 7 ½-point home favorite, bettors beware that the Golden Hurricane is 5-1 ATS in its their last six contests as an underdog of 3 ½-10 points and are 6-2 ATS in their last eight as a road underdog.
Tulsa’s running back Tarrion Adams hit the 100-yard plus mark five times this season, brining his ground game to an effective 1,072 total rushing yards. A total of nine scores (two receiving) make him a very dangerous target for UCF to defend against and even worse, Adams helps keep opponents off balance when QB Smith takes to the air.
Then there’s the other Smith.
The Knights’ firecracker of a running back, Kevin Smith has paved gridirons with gold. A possible dark-horse candidate for the Heisman trophy, Smith is leading the nation with an astounding 2,164 rushing yards and 26 trips across the goal line.
A great reason for Smith’s excellent production on the ground stems from the guys that hold back other teams on the offensive line. I’m talking about tackles Josh Sitton and Patrick Brown, combined with center Kyle Smith. The big three have not only manufactured tremendous holes but are like a steel wall, protecting QB Kyle Israel (1,957 passing yards with 15 TDs) from a lot of pocket pressure.
It doesn’t take a genius to see that offensive production is in Tulsa’s favor, but how did that work out for this squad back on Oct. 20 of this year?
Citrus Bowl Blowout
While Tulsa brandished some serious skill in the 2005 Conference Championship game, the Knights opened up a new chapter on this rivalry. On Oct. 20, UCF began a run that has since seen it take six in a row leading up into Saturday’s kickoff.
Outscoring Tulsa 44-23, the Knights’ RB Smith was once again on a rampage. His 170 rushing yards with three TDs helped keep a bewildered Golden Hurricane defense off keel. This brings up another interesting angle to this matchup; if Tulsa stalls on offense how can its 111th ranked ‘D’ in the nation pick up the pieces?
The biggest concern is the Golden Hurricane’s inability to stop the run game, a problem which might cater to UCF’s Smith running up the score with a possible repeat performance from October. Tulsa’s pass defense ranks at the bottom of the list as well, allowing 285.2 YPG and the turnover margin has been putrid at -0.67 (101st in the nation).
The Golden Hurricane is 11-2 on the ‘under’ in their last 13 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game and are 7-2 on the ‘under’ in their last nine versus a team with a winning record.
Look for UCF’s signal caller Israel to run the play-action down Tulsa’s throats. With Smith looking to steam roll over an inadequate Golden Hurricane run defense, Israel will have the opportunity to select his targets with patience or may even use his average speed to run in a score all by his lonesome (Israel racked up five scores on the ground this season).
Make a Note
On paper, UCF is the dominant team hands down. They’ve got a brand new stadium to play in (Bright House Networks Stadium), the running game is head over heels what Tulsa can bring to the game and the Knights’ cornerbacks Joe Burnett and Johnell Neal have pushed the team into the No. 1 spot in the league with 20 interceptions for 310 yards. If the linebacker core, led by Cory Hogue (65 tackles, 5 ½ tackles for losses) and defensive end Leger Douzable can continue his monster pace of 11 tackles for losses with 5 ½ sacks, expect UCF to lay siege to the visiting team.
The Knights are 6-1 ATS in their last seven after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game and are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games.
If you’re a totals player approach with caution as most books are predicting this contest to resemble more of a basketball game score then totals found in a game of pigskin. Bodog.com has set the total at 74½ points. In both teams last 10 contests (20 games all together) the total of 70 or more has been set nine times with the ‘over’ only going 2-7. In their last head-to-head match, the ‘under’ hit when the total was set at 72½.
Take heed to the fact that both squads are entering this clash in Orlando on great winning runs. UCF has taken its last six beginning with its defeat over Tulsa in October and the Golden Hurricane has shelved five wins in a row.
The bottom line is look for this battle to focus on Smith versus Smith.
Game time is set to begin on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. EST, with ESPN providing full coverage of the event. Weather conditions are currently forecasted to remain sunny with high temperatures reaching a comfortable 77 degrees.
Saturday's College Football TV Capsules
CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS @ MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS
Opening Line: Central Michigan by 3 1/2.
Series Record: Miami leads 11-9-1.
Last Meeting: 2005, Central Michigan 38-37
Last Meeting: 2005, Central Michigan 38-37
The last team to win consecutive MAC Championship Games was Marshall (four straight from 1997-2000). No West Division representative has ever won two straight MAC Championship games. ... Miami is making its first appearance in the title games since 2004. ... Miami is second in the MAC in rushing defense (160.3 yards per game), total defense (369 yards per game), and fourth in passing defense (124.65). ... Central Michigan is the only team to rank in the top three in the MAC in rushing (third, 175.8 yards per game), passing (third, 271.8 yards per game), and total offense (second, 447.6 yards per game). ... Central Michigan has won nine straight games against opponents from the MAC East Division, including last year's MAC Championship game win over Ohio.
ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS @ NAVY MIDSHIPMEN
Opening Line: Navy by 14.
Series Record: Navy leads 51-49-7.
Last Meeting: 2006, Navy 26-14
Last Meeting: 2006, Navy 26-14
This is the fourth time the Army-Navy contest will be played in Baltimore, and the first time since 2000. ... Army has not beaten Navy since a 26-17 victory in Philadelphia on Dec. 1, 2001. ... A win against Navy would give the Black Knights four wins, making it the third time since 1997 has won as many as four games in a season. ... Army has not beaten a FBS team that finished its season with a winning record since beating Akron in 2005. ... Navy has won five straight in this series. ... The Midshipmen have outscored Army 202-68 in the last five meetings. ... Navy is looking for its fifth straight Commander-In-Chief Trophy, and 13th overall. ... Navy leads the nation in rushing (357.4 yards per game).
TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE @ CENTRAL FLORIDA GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Opening Line: UCF by 6.
Series Record: Series tied 1-1.
Last Meeting: 2007, UCF 44-23
Last Meeting: 2007, UCF 44-23
This game is a rematch of the Conference USA Championship game in 2005 which Tulsa won 44-27. ... Tulsa has won five in a row and is one win away from its highest win total since 1982. ... Tulsa leads the nation in total offense (548.6 yards per game), third in passing offense (369.3 yards per game), and ninth in scoring offense (40.7 points per game). ... Central Florida enters the game with a six-game winning streak, one win shy of tying the school record of 10, set in 1990. ... UCF RB Kevin Smith leads the nation in rushing (180.3 yards per game).
VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES @ BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES
Opening Line: Virginia Tech by 4.
Series Record: Virginia Tech leads 9-5.
Last Meeting: 2007, Boston College 14-10
Last Meeting: 2007, Boston College 14-10
This is the first neutral site meeting between the two schools. ... The Coastal Division is 0-2 against the Atlantic Division in title games. ... This is the first time since 1906 that Virginia Tech will play the same team twice in one season. ... Virginia Tech is second in the nation in scoring defense (15.4 points per game), fourth in total defense (285.3 yards per game), fourth in passing offense (97.07), and fifth in rushing (86.2 yards per game). ... Virginia Tech, the road team will wear its white road jerseys. The Hokies are 4-0 in the white jerseys this season. ... Boston College has won two in a row and three of the past four vs. the Hokies, including a 14-10 victory earlier this season. ... The Eagles are looking to win 11 games for only the second time in school history (1940, 11-0). ... The Eagles are second in the nation in rushing defense (65.6 yards per game), fourth in interceptions (20), and seventh in passing offense (331.8 yards per game).
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS @ LOUISIANA STATE TIGERS
Opening Line: LSU by 7 1/2.
Series Record: Tennessee leads 20-6-3.
Last Meeting: 2006, LSU 28-24
Last Meeting: 2006, LSU 28-24
This is the second time LSU and Tennessee will meet in the league's title game. LSU beat the Volunteers, 31-20 to claim the school's first outright title since 1986. ... LSU has won two of the last three games against Tennessee. ... LSU is 5-1 all-time in the Georgia Dome. ... LSU is 5-0, under Les Miles in games following a loss. ... The Tigers have not lost back-to-back games since the 2002 season, when LSU fell to Arkansas 21-20 to end the regular season and then dropped a 35-20 decision to Texas in the Cotton Bowl. ... LSU is third in the nation in total defense (278.9 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (98.3). ... Tennessee is 2-0 in the SEC Championship game when it faces an opponent it did not meet in the regular season. ... Tennessee is 10-0 all-time on Dec. 1, including 9-0 vs. the SEC. ... The Volunteers lead the nation in sacks allowed (.33 per game). ... Tennessee QB Erik Ainge is 26-9 (.743) as a starter (15-4 at home, 11-4 on the road, 0-1 at neutral sites).
UCLA BRUINS @ SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS
Opening Line: Southern Cal by 16.
Series Record: Southern Cal leads 41-28-7.
Last Meeting: 2006, UCLA 13-9
Last Meeting: 2006, UCLA 13-9
The winner gets the Victory Bell. ... The Bruins last win in the Coliseum came in 1997, by the score of 31-24. ... UCLA has defeated three of its last four Top-10 teams. ... UCLA has outscored its conference opponents in the fourth quarter by a 91-42 margin this season. ... A win over the Bruins would earn the Trojans its 32nd Rose Bowl Berth. ... Southern Cal is 21-12-5 against unranked UCLA teams. ... The Trojans are second in the nation in total defense (267 yards per game), fourth in rushing defense (85.3 yards per game), sixth in passing defense (100.3) and scoring defense (16.7 points per game).
OREGON STATE BEAVERS @ OREGON DUCKS
Opening Line: OFF.
Series Record: Oregon leads 55-45-10.
Last Meeting: 2006, Oregon St. 30-28
Last Meeting: 2006, Oregon St. 30-28
The visiting team in the Civil War hasn't won since Oregon's 49-13 victory in Corvallis in 1996. ... Oregon State has not won in Eugene since a 15-12 victory in 1993. ... Oregon State has won a road game against a ranked opponent each of the last three seasons but has never won two true road games against nationally ranked opponents. ... The Beavers are a Pac-10 best 13-3 combined in the months of October, November and December over the last two seasons. ... Oregon State leads the nation in rushing defense (64 yards per game). ... Oregon is 25-23-4 vs. the Beavers in Eugene, and 12-6-1 vs. Oregon State at Autzen Stadium. ... The Ducks have allowed only one rushing touchdown in the last six games. ... Oregon leads the nation in tackles for loss (9.9 per game). ... Oregon is seventh in the nation in rushing offense (247.6 yards per game). ... Oregon ranks second in the Pac-10 in overall turnover margin (+0.27 per game), but is tied for last in conference play (-0.62 per game).
CALIFORNIA BEARS @ STANFORD CARDINALS
Opening Line: California by 14.
Series Record: Stanford leads 54-44-11.
Last Meeting: 2006, California 26-17
Last Meeting: 2006, California 26-17
This game marks the 25th anniversary over the ``The Play.''. ... The winner of the Big Game gets ``The Axe'' trophy. ... California has won the last five games against Stanford by a combined score of 152-49. ... California coach Jeff Tedford is 5-0 all-time vs. Stanford. ... California's RB Justin Forsett is first in the Pac-10 in rushing (118.8 yards per game) and leads the Pac-10 in rushing touchdowns (13). ... Stanford had not beaten California since a 35-28 victory at Stanford, Nov. 17, 2001. ... The Cardinal is sixth in the nation in tackles for loss (8.36 per game), and ninth in sacks (3.27 per game). ... Stanford is last in the Pac-10 in total offense (323.1 yards per game).
PITTSBURGH PANTHERS @ WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
Series Record: Pittsburgh leads 38-19.
Last Meeting: 2006, West Virginia 45-27
Last Meeting: 2006, West Virginia 45-27
The visiting team has won 12 of the last 20 games. ... Pittsburgh is looking for its first victory at West Virginia since a 23-17 decision in 2001. ... Pittsburgh's last win over a No. 2 ranked team was on Jan. 1, 1982, when the Panthers beat Georgia 24-20 in the Sugar Bowl. ... Panthers RB LeSean McCoy is second in the Big East in rushing (107.3 yards per game) and needs only 82 yards to break the Big East freshman rushing record of 1,261, set in 1993 by Rutgers Terrell Willis. ... West Virginia has won four of five against the Panthers. ... The Mountaineers are second in the nation in rushing (310.1 yards per game) and eighth in scoring offense (41.6 points per game). ... West Virginia is 32-4 over the last 36 games, and 17-3 in the Big East in that span. ... Since 2000, the Mountaineers are 52-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a contest.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS @ MISSOURI TIGERS
Opening Line: Oklahoma by 3.
Series Record: Oklahoma leads 64-23-5.
Last Meeting: 2007, Oklahoma 41-31
Last Meeting: 2007, Oklahoma 41-31
Missouri's last win in the series was in 1998, a 20-6 victory in Columbia. ... A win over Oklahoma would give Missouri its first conference title since 1969. ... Missouri is 0-1 all-time as the No. 1 ranked team losing a 23-7 decision to Kansas in 1960. ... Missouri is 2-10 against Oklahoma when both teams are ranked, and 1-2 when the Tigers are the higher-ranked team. ... Missouri is fifth in the nation in total offense (507.33 yards per game), passing offense (336.83 yards per game), sixth in scoring offense (41.92 points per game) and eighth in passing efficiency (153.4). ... Missouri is 2-0 this season in neutral site games. ... Oklahoma has won five in a row and 17 of the last 18 over Missouri, including a 41-31 victory earlier this year. ... Oklahoma is 6-12-2 vs. the No. 1 ranked team, and 6-5-2 when the Sooners are also ranked. ... The last time the Sooners played the same opponent twice in one season was in 2002, when Oklahoma beat Colorado 27-11 at Norman and then 29-7 in the Big 12 Championship. ... Oklahoma is second in the nation in passing efficiency (174.31), third in scoring offense (43.6 points per game), fifth in sacks allowed (0.9 per game), seventh in rushing defense (91.4 yards per game) and 10th in scoring defense (18.3 points per game). ... Sooner coach Bob Stoops is 4-1 in the Big 12 Championship game.
ARIZONA WILDCATS @ ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
Opening Line: Arizona St. by 7.
Series Record: Arizona leads 44-35-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Arizona St. 28-14
Last Meeting: 2006, Arizona St. 28-14
The winner gets the Territorial Championship Cup. ... Arizona is looking for its first four-game winning streak since 2000. ... This game is the first time Arizona has faced a ranked Arizona State team in Tempe, since 1997, when the Wildcats beat No. 12 Arizona State 28-16. ... Arizona has won the last four games against ranked Sun Devil teams. ... Arizona is second in the Pac-10 in passing offense (311.8 yards per game). ... The last time a ranked Sun Devil team has beaten Arizona was a 24-13 victory in Tempe, in 1981. ... Arizona State has won six of the last eight meetings between the two schools including the last two. ... The Sun Devils are second in the Pac-10 in passing defense (109.19), and third in total defense (336 yards per game).
WASHINGTON HUSKIES @ HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS
Opening Line: Hawaii by 13.
Series Record: Series tied 1-1.
Last Meeting: 1973, Hawaii 10-7
Last Meeting: 1973, Hawaii 10-7
Washington has not played a regular-season game so late in the year since 1939, a 9-7 loss to No. 1 Southern Cal, on Dec. 2. ... The last time, Washington played at Hawaii was on Dec. 1, 1938 in the Pineapple Bowl. ... Huskies QB Jake Locker is 90 yards away from 1,000 rushing yards on the season, marking the first time in school history two players rushed for 1,000 yards in the same season. ... Hawaii is 11-0 for the first time in school history. ... Hawaii has won 21 of its last 22 games overall. ... Hawaii leads the nation in scoring offense (48 points per game). ... Hawaii has a 12-game winning streak, longest in the nation and longest in school history.