Saturday, Sept. 22
North Carolina (1-2) at No. 23 South Florida (2-0) Noon (ESPN)
Opening Line: South Florida by 14 1/2.
Series Record: South Florida leads 1-0.
Last Meeting: 2006, South Florida 37-20
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Butch Davis coaches his first game in the State of Florida since leaving the Miami Hurricanes in 2000. … North Carolina QB T.J. Yates ranks ninth nationally in passing efficiency (178.85). … North Carolina has averaged 79.7 rushing yards per game, but has thrown for an average of 383 passing yards per game. … South Florida has only lost two home games over the last two seasons and only eight since 2000. The Bulls play six home games this season and are 1-0 thus far. … The Bulls rank second in the nation in tackles for loss (11 per game) and are eighth in sacks (4 per game). … USF cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time in its history.
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East Carolina (1-2) at No. 5 West Virginia (3-0), Noon (ESPN2)
Opening Line: West Virginia by 26 1/2.
Series Record: West Virginia leads 16-2.
Last Meeting: 2006, West Virginia 27-10
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The Pirates have never won in 11 trips to Morgantown and have not beaten a top 10 opponent since defeating Miami in 1999. … East Carolina has held opponents to 86 rushing yards per game. … East Carolina is one of only six opponents to hold West Virginia to under 200 rushing yards in the last 34 games. Of those six, only the Pirates have done it twice. … West Virginia is ranked second nationally in rushing yards per game (343.7). … RB Steve Slaton has scored three touchdowns in every game this season and leads the nation in scoring (18.0). … West Virginia freshman Noel Devine is averaging 15.1 yards per carry.
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Michigan State (3-0) at Notre Dame (0-3), 3:30 p.m. (NBC)
Opening Line: Michigan State by 9 1/2
Series Record: Notre Dame leads 44-25-1
Last Meeting: 2006, Notre Dame 40-37
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Michigan State has won seven of the last ten, including five straight at Notre Dame and can become the first team to ever win six consecutive in South Bend. … Mike Dantonio is the fourth coach in school history to win his first three games. … The winner gets the Megaphone Trophy. … The Irish have not defeated the Spartans at home since 1993. … Notre Dame is looking to avoid going 0-4 for the first time in school history. … In last year’s meeting, Notre Dame overcame a 16-point fourth quarter deficit, the largest since 1986.
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Texas Tech (3-0) at Oklahoma State (1-2), 3:30 p.m. (FSN)
Opening Line: Texas Tech by 3 1/2.
Series Record: Texas Tech leads 19-11-3.
Last Meeting: 2006, Texas Tech 30-24
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Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell leads the nation in total offense with 432.7 yards per game. … Michael Crabtree has eight touchdowns in his first three collegiate games and ranks first in the nation in receptions (12.67) and second in receiving yards (179.3) per game. … Shannon Woods has 202 carries without a fumble. … Oklahoma State has rushed for over 230 yards in each of its last two games. … Kendall Hunter became the second OSU freshman since 2002 to rush for over a 100 yards in a game.
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No. 12 South Carolina (3-0) at No. 2 LSU (3-0), 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Opening Line: LSU by 15 1/2.
Series Record: LSU 14-2-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, LSU 33-7
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Blake Mitchell is 13-6 as a starter and has completed 65.4 percent of his passes this season. … Cory Boyd is eighth in the SEC in rushing averaging 85 yards per game. … South Carolina’s only win in Tiger Stadium came in 1994 by an 18-17 margin. … The Tigers are ranked number one in the nation in scoring defense (2.33 points per game), total defense (128.33 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (54.30 rating). … LSU QBs Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux have combined to complete 57 out of 82 passes for 757 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception.
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No. 10 Penn State (3-0) at Michigan (1-2), 3:30 p.m. (ABC) or (ESPN)
Opening Line: Penn State by 2 1/2
Series Record: Michigan 9-3
Last Meeting: 2006, Michigan 17-10
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Penn State has won six consecutive games and 25 of their last 30 overall, dating back to 2004. … Penn State are 6-8 in Big Ten opening games and 4-4 on Big Ten openers on the road. … Penn State has allowed only 53 rushing yards on 92 carries (0.6 average) and are first in the nation in rushing defense (17.7 ypg) and tied for first in sacks (17) with Indiana. … Mike Hart leads the Big Ten and his third in the nation in rushing with a 167.3 yards per game. … The Wolverines have won eight straight over Penn State. … Shawn Crable leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (8) and sacks (5).
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Northwestern (2-1) at No. 8 Ohio State (3-0), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) or (ABC)
Opening Line: Ohio State by 24
Series Record: Ohio State leads 57-14-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Ohio State 54-10
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Tyrell Sutton is 48 yards away from becoming Northwestern’s all-time leading rusher. … Northwestern’s last win at the “Horseshoe” was a 14-10 victory in 1971. … Northwestern is 11-3 in its last 14 games decided by seven points or less. … Ohio State has won 14 straight at home. … The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten and are third nationally in total defense. … Jim Tressel is 5-1 in Big Ten openers, losing to Northwestern 33-27 in overtime in 2004.
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No. 21 Kentucky (3-0) at Arkansas (1-1), 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Opening Line: Arkansas by 7 1/2
Series Record: Series tied 2-2.
Last Meeting: 2003, Arkansas 71-63 7 OT
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g seven overtimes in Lexington in 2003.
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Arizona (1-2) at No. 6 California (3-0), 6 p.m. (Versus)
Opening Line: California by 17.
Series Record: Series tied 12-12-2.
Last Meeting: 2006, Arizona 24-20
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The Wildcats snapped California’s eight game winning streak with last year’s 24-20 victory. … Arizona is 6-5-2 all-time in Berkeley. … California has rushed for 200 yards in four straight games. … California is 20-2 in their last 22 home games and have outscored opponents 814-401.
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Rice (0-3) at No. 7 Texas (3-0), 7 p.m. (FSN)
Opening Line: Texas by 38 1/2.
Series Record: Texas leads 67-21-1.
Last Meeting: 2006, Texas 52-7
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-yard rushing games in the last 10 years.
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No. 22 Georgia (2-1) at No. 16 Alabama (3-0), 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Opening Line: Alabama by 4.
Series Record: Alabama leads 34-23-4.
Last Meeting: 2003, Georgia 37-23
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Georgia QB Matthew Stafford is 8-3 as a starter, with three wins coming against ranked opponents. … The Bulldogs have won the last two meetings against Alabama and have not won three straight over the Crimson Tide since a five-game winning streak from 1910-1916. … Alabama is fourth in the SEC in scoring defense (18.0) and passing defense (165.0) and seventh in rushing defense (144.57). … Alabama RB Terry Grant is second in the SEC and eighth nationally with 134.33 rushing yards per game.
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Washington State (2-1) at No. 1 Southern Cal (2-0), 8 p.m. (ABC)
Opening Line: Southern Cal by 27.
Series Record: Southern Cal leads 54-8-4.
Last Meeting: 2006, Southern Cal 28-22
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es with a record of 20-32-1 in those games. … The Trojans are giving up 272 passing yards per game and 64.5 rushing yards per game. … USC averages 438.5 yards of total offense per game including 263.5 rushing yards per game on 6.5 yards per carry. … Southern Cal has won the last four meetings.
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Iowa (2-1) at No. 9 Wisconsin (3-0), 8 p.m. (ABC)
Opening Line: Wisconsin by 9 1/2.
Series Record: Series tied 40-40-2.
Last Meeting: 2006, Wisconsin 24-21
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Kirk Ferentz is 4-4 in his career against Wisconsin and the Hawkeyes have won four of the last five meetings. … The Heartland Trophy is at stake. The Hawkeyes are 2-1 in the series since the introduction of the trophy in 2004. … Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill scored a record-tying five touchdowns in the Badgers 45-31 win over The Citadel. … Wisconsin is 25-17-1 against the Hawkeyes in Madison, but have lost the last two meetings. … Wisconsin has won nine consecutive home games since losing to Iowa in 2005.
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Purdue (3-0) at Minnesota (1-2), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Opening Line: Purdue by 11 1/2.
Series Record: Minnesota leads 31-29-3.
Last Meeting: 2006, Purdue 27-21
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Purdue is 7-1 against Minnesota since Joe Tiller took over as head coach. … The Boilermakers have won nine of their last 10 conference openers with their last loss being a 42-35 overtime loss to Minnesota. … Purdue is averaging 534.7 yards per game in total offense and is seventh in the nation in total offense. … Minnesota is averaging 37 points per game and averaging 229 rushing yards per game. … The Gophers are allowing 431 passing yards per game, and 556.3 yards of total offense per game this season.
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Washington (2-1) at UCLA (2-1), 10:15 p.m. (FSN)
Opening Line: UCLA by 9.
Series Record: UCLA leads 35-29-2.
Last Meeting: 2006, Washington 29-19
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Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is 3-4 against UCLA. … Washington is 55-82-6 against schools from Los Angeles. … QB Jake Locker leads the Huskies in rushing with 269 yards, the last quarterback to lead the team in rushing was Denny Fitzpatrick with 697 in 1974. … The Bruins have won five of the last six meetings and eight of the last 10. … UCLA has held opponents to 218 rushing yards on 88 attempts (2.5) in the first three games. UCLA is 21-5 at home under coach Karl Dorrell.
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