Saturday, Sept. 15
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Michigan State (2-0) Noon (ESPN)
Opening Line: Michigan State by 7 1/2.
Series Record: Michigan State leads 5-0-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Michigan State 38-23
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Pittsburgh plays in East Lansing for the first time in nearly 50 years. The Panthers last visited the Spartans during the 1958 season. … Panthers have allowed 13 points over the first two games and rank seventh nationally in passing defense (75.66). … Michigan State is 2-0 for the third straight season. … Michigan State’s Jehuu Caulcrick is tied for sixth in scoring nationally with 15 points per game, including five touchdowns, the second-highest total among all players.
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Central Michigan (1-1) at Purdue (2-0), Noon (ESPN2)
Opening Line: Purdue by 19 1/2.
Series Record: Purdue leads 2-0.
Last Meeting: 2000, Purdue 48-0
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Ontario Sneed had 29 carries for 168 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in Central Michigan’s 52-31 victory over Toledo. … CMU is 2-16 against the Big Ten. Both wins came at Michigan State: a 20-3 win over the No. 18 Spartans in 1991 and a 24-20 victory in 1992. … Purdue has won the two previous meetings by a combined score of 106-16. … The Boilermakers are 41-6 against unranked opponents at home.
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Iowa (2-0) at Iowa State (0-2), 1:30 p.m. (Versus)
Opening Line: Iowa by 14.
Series Record: Iowa leads 36-18.
Last Meeting: 2006, Iowa 27-17
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The winner gets the Cy-Hawk Trophy. The Hawkeyes hold a 20-10 advantage in Cy-Hawk games after regaining the trophy last season. … Iowa is 1-3 in games played on Sept 15th. … Iowa has only allowed three points in its first two games and rank first nationally in scoring defense. … Iowa State has won six of the last nine meetings and three of the last four at home. … QB Bret Meyer ranks fifth on the Big 12’s career passing list with 7,751 yards.
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Notre Dame (0-2) at Michigan (0-2), 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Opening Line: Michigan by 9 1/2.
Series Record: Michigan leads 19-14-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Michigan 47-21.
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This game marks the first time that both teams enter the game unranked and the first time both schools were 0-2. … Notre Dame is 7-10 against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. … The Wolverines defensive unit has allowed 1,011 yards in the first two games. … Only five of the last 23 games have been decided by more than 10 points. 1981 Michigan 25-7, 1987 Notre Dame 26-7, 1998 Notre Dame 36-20, 2004 Michigan 38-0, and 2006 Michigan 47-21. … Freshman Ryan Mallett makes his first start for the Wolverines in place of the injured Chad Henne.
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No. 10 Ohio State (2-0) at Washington (2-0), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Opening Line: Ohio State by 4 1/2.
Series Record: Ohio State leads 7-3.
Last Meeting: 2003, Ohio State 28-9
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Ohio State makes it first trip to Husky stadium since 1994, a 25-16 loss to Washington. … Ohio State is 62-48-7 all-time in road openers. … OSU coach Jim Tressel, in his seventh season in Columbus and 22nd year, has 199 career wins. … Washington is 2-0 for the first time since 2001. … Washington, 40-38-1 all-time against the Big Ten, hasn’t faced a Big Ten opponent since 2003. … The Huskies’ 42-12 win at Syracuse was the most-lopsided win over a non-conference opponent since a 34-0 win at Northwestern in the 1983 season-opener.
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No. 6 Texas (2-0) at UCF (1-0), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Opening Line: Texas by 21 1/2.
Series Record: First ever meeting
Last Meeting: First ever meeting
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Texas defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in nine consecutive games. … RB Jamaal Charles, with 134 yards last week, posted consecutive 100-yard rushing games in his career. … The Knights begin a new tradition: playing home games on campus. UCF finished 28 seasons of playing at the Florida Citrus Bowl in downtown Orlando last year. … Kevin Smith rushed for a career-high 217 and two touchdowns in UCF’s 25-23 victory over N.C. State. … The Knights are 0-16 vs. ranked opponents.
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No. 23 Tennessee (1-1) at No. 5 Florida (2-0), 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Opening Line: Florida by 10.
Series Record: Tennessee leads 19-17
Last Meeting: 2006, Florida 21-20
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Six of the last nine games have been decided by four points or less. … Tennessee has won two of the last three in “The Swamp.” … QB Erik Ainge is 18-7 as a starter. … Austin Rogers (112) and Lucas Taylor (118) both had over 100 yards receiving last week, the first time for two Volunteer WRs since the 1997 SEC title game. … Florida coach Urban Meyer owns an 11-3 overall record against ranked opponents and is 8-3 against ranked opponents in Gainesville. … The Gators are 16-10 all-time when facing a ranked Tennessee and 14-6 when both Florida and Tennessee are ranked. … Tim Tebow is second in the nation with a 228.2 passer rating. … Since 1997’s 33-20 win against Tennessee no quarterback has led the Gators to a victory against the Volunteers in their first career start against the Vols.
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No. 11 UCLA (2-0) at Utah (0-2), 5 p.m. (Versus)
Opening Line: UCLA by 10.
Series Record: UCLA leads 8-0.
Last Meeting: 2006, UCLA 31-10
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The Bruins have not played at Utah since a 27-14 victory over the Utes in 1974. … Ben Olson made his first career start in last season’s 31-10 win over Utah. Olson was 25-for-33 for 318 yards and three touchdowns. … UCLA is the highest ranked team Utah has faced since 2001, when it played No.7 Oregon and No. 8 BYU. … Since 2001, Utah is 12-7 against BCS schools, and 7-0 at home. … The Utes are 8-5 against top 25 teams since 1994.
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No. 16 Arkansas (1-0) at Alabama (2-0), 6:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Opening Line: Alabama by 3 1/2.
Series Record: Alabama leads 9-8.
Last Meeting: 2006, Arkansas 24-23, 2 OT
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eiving yards. … Nick Saban is 3-2 vs. Arkansas in his career.
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No. 1 Southern Cal (1-0) at No. 14 Nebraska (2-0), 8 p.m. (ABC)
Opening Line: Southern Cal by 5 1/2.
Series Record: Southern Cal leads 2-0-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Southern Cal 28-10
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The Trojans have lost two of their last three road games. … USC makes it first visit to Lincoln since 1969, a 31-21 victory for the Trojans. … USC has won six straight non-conference road games. … This matchup marks the first visit by a No. 1 team to Memorial Stadium since No. 1 Oklahoma lost to fourth-ranked Nebraska 17-14 in 1978. … Marlon Lucky leads the Big 12 in rushing (161.5 yards per game), and is second in all-purpose yards (195 yards per game).
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No. 21 Boston College (2-0) at No. 15 Georgia Tech (2-0), 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Opening Line: Georgia Tech by 7 1/2
Series Record: Georgia Tech leads 4-1.
Last Meeting: 1998, Boston College 41-31
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Boston College is the first ACC team to open with three straight conference opponents since Florida State in 2003. … Boston College is the fourth-ranked run defense (29.0 ypg.) in the nation. … Georgia Tech’s Tashard Choice has nine straight 100-yard games. … Georgia Tech ranks among the nation’s top 10 in 10 different categories including fourth in rushing offense (327.0 ypg.) and ninth in scoring offense (51.0 ppg.).
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Florida State (1-1) at Colorado (1-1), 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Opening Line: Florida State by 4 1/2
Series Record: Florida State leads 1-0.
Last Meeting: 2003, Florida State 47-7
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Florida State travels to Boulder for the first time in its history. … In the first meeting QB Chris Rix threw for a career-high 395 yards in the Seminoles 47-7 victory over Colorado. … Colorado LB Jordon Dizon leads the country with a 17.5 tackles per game average. … Colorado is ranked 105th nationally in total offense. … The Buffaloes have scored in 224 straight games, the fifth longest active streak in the NCAA.
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