Inj and notes from 11/1-11/03

**bearmz** · 11-04-07, 01:43 PM

Pitt SRB McCoy, the fifth freshman in Big East history to gain 1,000 yards, has 562 yards in his last four games.
Pitt (4-5, 2-2), the loser of five of its previous six, needed every one of McCoy's yards to hold off Syracuse (2-7, 1-3) despite game-long offensive problems that led the Orange to bench quarterback Andrew Robinson at the half and bring in Cameron Dantley. He ended 15-of-27 for 189 yards after previously attempting only four passes all season.
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Ohio State's defense totaled 10 sacks and 13 tackles for negative yardage vs. Wisc. Tackle Vernon Gholston tied a school record with four sacks for the Buckeyes, who limited the Badgers to 12 yards rushing on 37 attempts.
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The MiF Hurricanes (5-4, 2-3) lost despite running 60 times for 314 yards against the ACC's worst run defense-NCST. But the Hurricanes simply couldn't pass the ball at all -- Kirby Freeman, playing for the injured Kyle Wright, was 1-for-14 for 84 yards and three interceptions
Javarris James ran for 103 yards and Miami outgained N.C. State 398-317, but things were so bad offensively that, at times, the Hurricanes decided it was better to go without a quarterback.
During the second quarter, one possession after Freeman threw an interception to Scott -- receiver Lance Leggett either ran the wrong route or one Freeman wasn't expecting -- the Hurricanes had Jenkins line up as quarterback and take snaps on two straight plays.
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Chris Singleton made two key interceptions, Alexander Robinson ran for two touchdowns and Iowa State stunned Kansas State 31-20 Saturday to snap a six-game losing streak.
Austen Arnaud, a freshman seeing his first dose of significant playing time, was 5-of-7 passing for 130 yards to lead the Cyclones (2-8, 1-5 Big 12), who had lost their first five conference games by an average of 23 points.
Arnaud shared time with Bret Meyer, who was 12-for-19 for 98 yards. Meyer also had a touchdown pass and an interception.
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The Gators, playing at home for the first time in five weeks, scored touchdowns on five of their first six possessions. They racked up 358 yards in the first half, 57 more than the Commodores allowed in the first eight games, and 19 first downs. They finished with 498 yards.
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Moreno is Georgia's first 1,000-yard rusher since Musa Smith in 2002. Moreno was also close to becoming the Bulldogs' first back with 200 yards in the game vs. Troy. since Verron Haynes had 207 against Georgia Tech in 2001.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said he didn't realize Moreno was so close to 200 yards, but he said the freshman already had enough glory for one day.
"He'd want to have something to look forward to," Richt said. "He's only a freshman."
Moreno has helped Georgia (7-2) survive injuries to tailbacks Thomas Brown and Kregg Lumpkin. Moreno ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 42-30 win over Florida and has 541 yards rushing in his last three games
The teams combined for more than 950 total yards -- 488 for Troy and 465 for Georgia. Troy committed four turnovers
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It was the 10th career win for third-year coach Ed Orgeron, coming on the heels of a vote of confidence from the university administration. Still, Ole Miss Rebels fans showed displeasure with the team's performance by staying away. The announced attendance was 23,283, less than half capacity
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Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said the easy win gave him a chance to empty his bench, which included playing four quarterbacks.
"We tried to rest as many as we possibly could on the first and second team after about a quarter," Tuberville said.
Auburn only scored one offensive touchdown after SQB Cox left. That came on the Tigers' first possession of the second half when BUQB Field completed a 20-yard pass to Dunn after a 13-play, 90-yard drive.
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Boise’s SRB Ian Johnson, playing after missing two weeks with a bruised kidney, scored twice but the WAC's leading rusher struggled with 33 yards on 12 carries.
"I felt amazing ... no pain whatsoever," Johnson said. "I was really antsy today to get some more work. I understand the situation and am just glad we won today."

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**bearmz** · 11-04-07, 02:09 PM

Travis Hewitt got his first start of the season for Ark St because quarterback Corey Leonard was held out because of an injury. Hewitt, who started four games last season, passed for 174 yards and ran for 24.
FIU has the nation's longest Division I losing streak at 21 games
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Baylor (3-7, 0-6) has lost its Big 12 games by an average margin of 30 points. The sixth straight loss guaranteed the Bears' 12th consecutive losing season.
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For the second straight week, Jamaal Charles led the late charge for the TX Longhorns, scoring two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Texas (8-2, 4-2 Big 12 Conference) twice trailed by 21 points, including a 35-14 deficit entering the quarter.
Between the first and second quarter, a livid TX HC Brown gathered his players in a huddle and screamed at them. Initially, Brown's outburst didn't seem to have much effect. Less than a minute into the second quarter, Robinson capped an 88-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, putting Oklahoma State ahead 21-0.
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Michigan trailed Michigan State by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter Saturday
The Spartans, who overcame an 11-point deficit at halftime to make it 24-14 with 7:40 left, drove to the Michigan 34 on the final drive before turning the ball over on downs.
Mich SQB Henne tied a school record with four TDs, the last two in the final 6:47.
Henne was 18-of-33 for 211 yards with one interception after missing the previous game with a shoulder injury. Manningham caught eight passes for 129 yards.
Before Henne boarded the bus with his right shoulder wrapped with ice, a reporter asked if the win made him feel any better.
"No," he said. "It really hurts."
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said Henne didn't throw the ball in practice, but threw some to the trainer Thursday.
Mich SRB Hart ran for 110 yards and was limited to 15 carries after missing 2 1/2 games with a sprained right ankle.
Michigan State ran for just 15 yards in the first half, then ran for 137 in the third quarter alone. The Wolverines had 7 yards rushing after halftime.
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Ben Mauk tossed three TD passes and the Cincinnati defense forced eight turnovers, including four interceptions and a fumble by Matt Grothe, who threw for 375 yards but only one touchdown for USF (6-3, 1-3).
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AF Chad Hall didn't care that he set three school records. He was just glad to finally beat a rival service academy at home.
Hall ran for a school-record 275 yards and a touchdown, leading Air Force over Army 30-10 on Saturday.
On the depth chart, Hall is listed as a wide receiver. But he lines up all over the field. He broke his own single-game record of 256 yards, set against Colorado State on Oct. 13.
Air Force (7-3) also set season highs for total yards (542) and yards rushing (437).
Army (3-6) keyed on Hall but couldn't stop him from finishing with 333 all-purpose yards.
Army only managed 181 yards of total offense, including just 17 yards rushing.
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With UCLA down 34-14, sophomore Osaar Rasshan, the fourth quarterback used by the Bruins this year, led a rally that fell a touchdown short. Quarterback Pat Cowan, again starting despite a torn ligament in his right knee, was ineffective, then went down with a concussion early in the third quarter. Rasshan had been moved to wide receiver before being sent back to his old position because of the injury situation.
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Tennessee must close out the season with wins over Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky to play in the SEC championship.
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Fresno’s RB Mathews' 12 touchdowns are the most of any freshman running back in the nation. The highly touted recruit from Bakersfield's West High left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. The Bulldogs finished with 255 rushing yards on 47 carries and 131 passing yards on 18 attempts
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The third-ranked Tigers did it again Saturday night, scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes to stay in the thick of the national championship race with a 41-34 win over No. 17 Alabama
LSU beat Florida and Auburn on its final possession and lost to Kentucky the same way.
LSU SQB Flynn, whose three first-half interceptions helped Alabama get back in the game from an early 17-3 deficit, calmly drove the Tigers 84 yards in 10 plays for the tying touchdown.
Then the touted LSU defense came up with not just a stop, but a turnover.
Wilson completed only 14 of 40 passes for Alabama, though it seemed every one was a game-changer. He threw three touchdowns, hooking up with DJ Hall on a 67-yarder and hitting Keith Brown for scores of 29 and 14 yards.
Alabama, with two linemen and its top running back suspended over textbook issues, couldn't muster a running game. The Tide finished with just 20 yards on the ground and were outgained 475-254 overall.
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RB Joseph Turner led TCU's balanced offense with a career-high 115 yards on 28 carries. The Frogs had 417 total yards -- 234 rushing and 183 passing -- while holding the NMX Lobos to 119. The Lobos hadn't been shut out since 2002 against Texas Tech.
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**bearmz** · 11-04-07, 02:42 PM

Col SQB Hawkins, the coach's son, was replaced by backup Nick Nelson after completing 12 of 25 passes for 100 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He fumbled twice.
Free SafetyWalters suffered a concussion in the closing minutes and was taken by ambulance to Boulder Community Hospital, where he was kept overnight for observation.
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Jeremy Young marked his return to the starting line up by throwing a pair of touchdown passes to Ed Morgan to lead Southern Mississippi to a 37-7 victory over UAB on Saturday.
Young had missed three games and played only briefly in a fourth because of an ankle sprain, but came back strong, completing 7-of-16 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns and running for 58 yards.
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Bradley Robinson returned a kickoff 89 yards to lift Middle Tennessee over Louisiana-Monroe 43-40 Saturday night.
BUQB and former SQB Joe Craddock completed 22-of-29 passes and threw for 401 yards and four touchdowns to help Middle Tennessee (5-5, 4-1 Sun Belt Conference) capture its fourth straight win. He also rushed for 70 yards and ran for a touchdown.
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Eastern Michigan's Andy Schmitt and Kyle McMahon teamed up to complete 18-of-33 passes, but McMahon was intercepted twice in a 52-28 L to Toledo. Walker rushed for 94 yards on 22 carries.
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Tulsa stay firmly in the Conference USA West Division race with a 49-25 victory over Tulane on Saturday
Tulsa leading 21-10 at H, could have been up by more if not for three first half turnovers on a pair of fumbles and an interception
The victory for Tulsa (6-3, 4-2) sets up a pivotal home game next week against West Division-leading Houston (5-3, 4-1), which was slated to play tonight against SMU
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In a 24-3 victory on Saturday, Griffen had 3 1/2 of USC's nine sacks, Oregon State was held to 176 yards of total offense, and the 13th-ranked Trojans lived up to their preseason hype for the first time since September.
Although admittedly rusty, John David Booty threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns in his first game in four weeks
USC entered with 18 sacks, fewest in the Pac-10
The Beavers allowed only 17 sacks in their first eight games
OSU SQB Canfield completed 11 of 25 passes for 85 yards with one interception before being relieved by Lyle Moevao late in the game. The Beavers (5-4, 3-3) played without tailback Yvenson Bernard, the Pac-10's third-leading rusher with a 101.8-yard per game average.
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Texas A&M has lost the first two games in a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents. Their final two games are at No. 9 Missouri next week and at home against No. 14 Texas on Nov. 23.
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Rashard Mendenhall ran for 201 yards, Juice Williams had his best all-around game of the season, and Illinois routed defenseless Minnesota 44-17 on Saturday night.
Mendenhall rushed for two touchdowns, and Illinois (7-3, 4-2) pulled into sole ownership of third place in the Big Ten after racking up 655 yards on offense.
Minnesota (1-9, 0-6) has yielded more yards than any of the other 118 teams in major college football, and this was as bad as the defense has been during this embarrassing season: the total package of missed tackles, loose coverage and no pass rush.
So much for the homecoming game.
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FSU’sGeno Hayes returned BC SQB Matt Ryan's third interception for a 38-yard touchdown with 1:10 to play on Saturday night to help Florida State beat second-ranked Boston College 27-17
The game began in a frigid and soaking downpour, with wind gusts forecast at up to 50 mph as the remnants of Hurricane Noel proceeded up the East Coast. The rain had stopped by the end of the first quarter, but the winds were still very strong.
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In what might have been his final game in Fayetteville, McFadden ran for an SEC-record 323 yards Saturday night, helping Arkansas to a 48-36 win over No. 23 South Carolina.
McFadden ran for a touchdown and also threw for one, and Felix Jones rushed for 163 yards and three TDs for the Razorbacks. Arkansas led 21-3 after the first quarter, and although the Gamecocks rallied in the second half, they never could stop the Hogs' running game. Arkansas rushed for 541 yards on the night.
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Kevin O'Connell threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Brown with just over a minute left to lift San Diego State to a 27-24 win over Wyoming on Saturday night
Karsten Sween threw two first-half touchdown passes to Michael Ford for Wyoming (6-3, 3-2), which led 21-0 in the second quarter.
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Nate Longshore passed for 213 yards in another shaky outing for the Cal Golden Bears, and Hawkins had nine receptions for 78 yards as Cal's offense held the ball for nearly 37 1/2 minutes in a 20-17 W vs. Wash ST.

**bearmz** · 11-04-07, 02:50 PM

Tavita Pritchard QB, Stanford University Cardinal 11/03/07, Time: 11:27 pm
News: Pritchard left Saturday's game against Washington with an undisclosed injury.

**bearmz** · 11-05-07, 04:14 PM

Sean Canfield QB, Oregon State Beavers 11/05/07, Time: 1:54 pm News: The Oregonian is reporting Canfield will undergo a MRI on his shoulder, after taking a hit from USC safety Will Harris in Saturday's game. Analysis:
Beavers head coach Mike Riley has indicated he would be shocked if Canfield starts to throw on Tuesday and Lyle Moevao could get the nod against Washington.
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Tim Tebow QB, Florida Gators 11/05/07, Time: 7:29 am News: The Times-Union is reporting Tebow's shoulder should be healed almost completely by this Saturday's game against South Carolina. Vanderbilt did not get many hits on Tebow and it looks like his shoulder injury will be just fine for this week's game. Analysis:
Tebow did not have his usual running game against the Gamecocks, but his injured shoulder played a big role in the limited carries. With his shoulder getting healthy, look for more running attempts by Tebow.
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Patrick Cowan QB, UCLA Bruins 11/04/07, Time: 12:15 am News: SportingNews.com is reporting Cowan is not expected to play in week eleven against Arizona State. Cowan was released from a local Tucson hospital, after suffering a collapsed lung against Arizona. The Bruins are struggling to find options at quarterback.
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Brad Lester RB, Auburn Tigers 11/04/07, Time: 12:13 am News: Tigers head coach Tommy Tuberville has indicated Lester could've played Saturday if needed, but he chose to rest his running back for Saturday's contest against Georgia. Analysis:
Lester will play against Georgia.
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Corey Leonard QB, Arkansas State Indians 11/04/07, Time: 1:15 pm News: Updating a previous report, The Jonesboro Sun is reporting Leonard's injury is not season-ending, but head coach Steve Roberts is not releasing much info about what the specifics are. Analysis:
Leonard's status for this week's game against Florida Atlantic is unknown.
Leonard did not play against Florida International
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Texas senior center Dallas Griffin will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
Griffin tore the anterior cruciate ligament Saturday in the first half of Texas' 38-35 win over Oklahoma State, coach Mack Brown said Monday. The Longhorns rallied with 24 points in the fourth quarter.
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MSU letdown?
Michigan State (5-5, 1-5) has lost five of six after starting the season strong in Mark Dantonio's first season as coach.
It closes the regular season at Purdue and against Penn State, needing to win at least one game to play in a bowl for the first time since 2003.
Dantonio set the Spartans' focus on Michigan shortly after he was hired a year ago, putting clocks in the football facility counting down the time left before Saturday's game. Now, he has to build the team back up.
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Tennessee defensive tackle Chase Nelson will miss the remainder of the season after dislocating his wrist in the Volunteers' 59-7 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday the sophomore underwent surgery following Saturday's game and will be out for eight to 10 weeks.
Wide receiver Austin Rodgers, who was limited in Saturday's contest, was also banged up, but Fulmer said he hopes to have the Vols' second-leading receiver back for this week's game against Arkansas.
"He's got a bruised shoulder-type thing going on, so we're hopeful that he'll be back for the weekend," Fulmer said. "But he'll be limited early in the week."
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Ducks banged up
Aside from Dennis Dixon's can't-be-that-bad twisted knee that kept him off the field for the final minutes of Saturday's win, junior middle linebacker John Bacon is the seventh big-time contributor to go down this season, as he tore his ACL on Saturday and will miss the rest of the year.
When Bacon went down on Saturday, freshman Casey Matthews did not miss a beat in moving up the depth chart. Matthews registered three tackles in his backup role, including two for a loss and a sack.
"Our depth is getting thin there at linebacker, but Casey's got a little moxie to him so I think he'll be just fine."
Through nine games this season, Bacon ranks seventh on the team in tackles, compiling 42, including 1.5 for loss. He has also pulled in an interception, which he returned for 49 yards.
As for Dixon, the official diagnosis from Saturday was a strained left knee. The quarterback will undergo a series of tests on Monday to make sure the injury is not worse than it appears, but he is expected to practice all week. Dixon was sore on Sunday, but team doctors diagnosed a minor strain. Since Oregon has 11 days off before playing at Arizona a week from Thursday (Nov. 15), the team has the day off on Monday, which gives Dixon plenty of time to heal without losing any practice reps.
"We're already at the razor's edge at depth and that's a scary deal," Bellotti said. "Hopefully we get A.J. Tuitele back at some point. Obviously, the sooner the better."
Tuitele, the team's most seasoned linebacker, has been hampered with a foot injury and will have a bone scan on Monday. He may be ready to go in time for the Dec. 1 date against Oregon State, but certainly not before then. Punt returner Andiel Brown's hip injury kept him off the field on Saturday, but Bellotti expects him to practice this week.
The Duck faithful can breathe a sigh of relief about their receiving corps, as receiver Garren Strong's shoulder injury should be "fine," according to Bellotti. The Ducks have already lost two receivers for the season due to injury - Brian Paysinger went down with a knee and Cameron Colvin's ankle is keeping him off the field - and pass-catching running back Jeremiah Johnson's knee is also keeping him out of action for the rest of the year. Keeping Strong healthy is essential, as Strong is the team's third-leading pass-catcher.
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**Cougar Bait** · 11-05-07, 04:22 PM

Once again some really good reports. Keep up the good work!

**pags11** · 11-05-07, 05:35 PM

bearmz,

thanks as always for this...

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 12:25 PM

The WV Mountaineers rank in the top 10 in the nation in total offense and total defense.
The Louisville Cardinals began the season as one of the nation's highest-scoring offenses but has averaged just 26 points a game against conference opponents. Just as troubling has been the team's inability to put opponents away. The Cardinals let a 10-point lead against Connecticut get away then needed a goal line fumble by Pittsburgh in the final minutes to avoid overtime.
The Cardinals handed the Mountaineers their first loss last season, 44-34, at Louisville.
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Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said Monday that junior running back Shannon Woods, the starter the last two seasons, would remain on the scout team and won't play in the last two regular-season games against Texas and Oklahoma.
Leach demoted Woods from starter to third-string for the Colorado game two weeks ago and then demoted him to the scout team for the Baylor game Saturday
Woods leads Tech this season with 84 carries for 439 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has 34 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
Leach said freshman Aaron Crawford and sophomore Kobey Lewis would see playing time at tailback the rest of the season.
Crawford, who had limited playing time early in the season, has started the last two games. He scored four touchdowns (two receiving) in Tech's 38-7 win at Baylor on Saturday, when he had a team-high 10 catches for 82 yards and nine carries for 44 yards.
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**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 01:56 PM

The UAB Blazers are coming off their third straight loss and have scored only 23 points in those three defeats. UAB fell 37-7 to Southern Mississippi on Saturday.
“Offensively, I’m concerned,” said head coach Neil Callaway, whose Blazers (2-7) face Central Florida (6-3) on Saturday. “We had a situation where we weren’t able to do much of anything right. I think it stems from the problems we are having up front offensively; having people banged up and the youth. We are not functioning well enough up front to let the other people function.”
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The Bruins are down to their fourth quarterback, once-converted wide receiver Osaar Rasshan, who is likely to start against ASU after UCLA’s already banged-up quarterback, Pat Cowan, was knocked out of last Saturday’s game with a concussion.
Erickson said regardless of who is in at quarterback, the Bruins will rely on their running game.
“We don’t know who is going to be in at quarterback, could be one of two or three different guys, we just have to prepare for the offense itself,” Erickson said.
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The main storyline for Saturday's game between Tennessee and Arkansas is obvious.
The Vols will have to find some way to limit the ground game after the Razorbacks put together one of the SEC's best rushing performances ever during their win against South Carolina on Saturday.
But Arkansas was similarly effective through the air, even though the numbers weren't as gaudy. The Razorbacks attempted only 11 passes, but nine were completed and three went for touchdowns.
The Razorbacks are second to last in the SEC in pass offense and only average 157.2 passing yards per game, but they are tied for third in touchdown passes with 17, the same number UT has thrown.
The Razorbacks also received a big boost recently with the return of receiver Marcus Monk.He caught eight passes for 137 yards when the Razorbacks beat the Vols 31-14 last season in Fayetteville. Monk caught two touchdown passes in the first half from SQB Dick, who was efficient and selective while completing 11 of 16 attempts for 166 yards.
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TURNOVER PROBLEMS: After leading the Big East last season in turnover margin, Rutgers ranks last in the conference in the game-swinging statistical category at minus-8 (10 gained, 18 lost) this fall.
More troubling for Schiano is the fact that his defense has gone two straight weeks without recording an interception or recovering a fumble, while the offense and special teams have five turnovers combined.
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No. 18 Auburn and No. 10 Georgia will meet as Top 20 teams with each starting three freshmen offensive linemen.
Auburn right tackle Lee Ziemba, right guard Chaz Ramsey and left tackle Ryan Pugh are all first-year freshmen.
Georgia starts first-year freshmen left tackle Trinton Sturdivant and right guard Clint Boling and redshirt freshman left guard Chris Davis.
"It shows that the 2007 class was strong and a freshman can compete in the SEC," Ziemba said.
Georgia's offense has scored 86 points combined in the past two weeks, and Richt attributes that largely to better blocking from the offensive line.
The Bulldogs are tied for third best in the SEC in sacks allowed with 11, and the line has helped pave the way for three straight 100-yard rushing games for Knowshon Moreno.
Auburn ranks in the bottom half of most of the SEC team offensive categories, but Tuberville says the freshmen have performed well.
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Though TCU is only 5-4 overall and 2-3 in MWC play, the Horned Frogs sent notice with a surprisingly easy 37-0 whitewashing of second-place New Mexico on Saturday. TCU held the MWC's second-best offense to just 119 total yards.
Last year, BYU beat Utah State 38-0 on Sept. 23, followed by a Thursday road trip to TCU, then ranked 17th in the country. The Cougars dominated and won in Fort Worth, 31-17.
Big improvement: After a few rough games, BYU sophomore quarterback Max Hall completed better than 70 percent of his passes against Colorado State for 355 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions
• Record-breaker: Mendenhall said he was unaware that running back Harvey Unga had become BYU's all-time leading freshman rusher until after the game. Unga has 735 yards rushing in 2007, two yards better than Ronney Jenkins' 733 recorded in 1996
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Put coach Shane Montgomery squarely in the MAC Coach of the Year mix, considering the MiO RedHawks are winning with backup quarterback Dan Radabaugh, their third- and fourth-string tailbacks, a bevy of freshman receivers and a defense that has been wrecked by injuries.

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 01:58 PM

Ohio vs Akron notes:

The Akron Zips will play the final of three games in a 12-day span when they host the Ohio Bobcats Wednesday night at the Rubber Bowl. The Bobcats (5-5, 3-3 MAC) have clawed their way back into contention in the MAC East with back-to-back MAC East wins at Bowling Green and against Temple.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Carlton Jackson got his second start of the season and played the entire game in place of starting quarterback redshirt sophomore Chris Jacquemain, who was suspended for one game by Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart.
Jackson was effective at moving the team on the ground, but struggled throwing the ball. The Zips rushed for 243 yards and gained 192 yards through the air. The 6-2, 195-pound backup quarterback led the team in rushing yards with 133, but also fumbled once and threw two interceptions - the first of which was returned for a 51-yard touchdown.
After nine games, the play of sophomores Chris Jacquemain, the starter, and Carlton Jackson, the backup, remains inconsistent.
Both players are talented, yet, that hasn't translated into offensive production (the Zips are last in the 13-team Mid-American Conference in total offense, averaging 309.1 yards a game) or wins (the Zips are 3-6 overall, 1-3 in the MAC and haven't put together back-to-back wins so far this season).
The Ohio 'Cats had a 23-7 win over the streaking Temple Owls to improve to .500. The Ohio defense, allowed just 209 total yards of offense. Temple was just three of 13 on third-down conversions, and the 'Cats did not allow the Owls to convert a single third-down attempt in the second half (0-6).
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**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 02:08 PM

CM vs WM game notes:

WMU’s offense went south. Six turnovers, zero offensive points, against Eastern Michigan? The Eagles are improved, especially defensively, but Akron's `D' was probably just as sound and WMU put up 38 points against the Zips -- not to mention 24 points against both West Virginia and Missouri.
The weather. By game time, the forecast calls for a mix of snow, rain and 20-mph winds with temperatures in the mid-30s. This is what you get when you play night football in November. Last season's showdown was all but ruined -- at least for the Broncos -- by horrible weather, though it's hard to imagine anything that miserable tonight.Last season, the Broncos hoped to grab hold of the division at Central Michigan. Plenty of rain, sleet and Chippewas points in a 31-7 defeat.
CMU's quarterback and 2006 MAC Freshman of the Year leads the Mid-American Conference in all-purpose yardage, trailing only six running backs with 546 yards rushing (before Saturday). LeFevour is completing better than 67 percent of his passes, and has thrown 18 touchdowns and just seven picks. One of the main reasons for this: The Chippewas have allowed a league-low nine sacks (WMU has taken 25). The Broncos' pass rush has improved over the last few weeks, led by Greg Marshall, who entered the weekend tied for third in the MAC with five sacks. Whether or not WMU can get to LeFevour might have a ton to say about the outcome.
WMU's quarterback. Whether it's Tim Hiller (who gets the start) or Thomas Peregrin, the Broncos' signal caller must move the chains and keep from turning the ball over. This is something LeFevour and the Chippewas do well, as they entered the weekend leading the league in first downs and were third in turnover margin at plus-six. WMU is second to last at minus-nine turnovers and holds the same spot when it comes to penalties, averaging 69 yards per game. Many of the turnovers and penalties this season fall on WMU's quarterbacks, mostly Hiller.
Central Michigan is more confident and has whipped Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State -- teams against which WMU either struggled or lost.

**pags11** · 11-06-07, 03:16 PM

keep it rollin' bearmz...

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 05:52 PM

[QUOTE=bearmz;403348]The WV Mountaineers rank in the top 10 in the nation in total offense and total defense.

WV vs LOO:

The Louisville Cardinals began the season as one of the nation's highest-scoring offenses but has averaged just 26 points a game against conference opponents. Just as troubling has been the team's inability to put opponents away. The Cardinals let a 10-point lead against Connecticut get away then needed a goal line fumble by Pittsburgh in the final minutes to avoid overtime.
The Cardinals handed the Mountaineers their first loss last season, 44-34, at Louisville.
West Virginia has failed to score at least 31 points only once this season, and that was in its 21-13 loss at South Florida on Sept. 28. The Mountaineers were undone by six turnovers and a thigh injury that kept SQB White sidelined for the second half.
The Cardinals used a similar formula in a 44-34 victory last year at home. West Virginia rolled up 540 yards, but Slaton coughed up three fumbles and left with a wrist injury.
SRB Slaton and White burst onto the scene two years ago against the Cards in Morgantown. Slaton scored five touchdowns, and White replaced injured starter Adam Bednarik to lead his team to a 46-44, triple-overtime victory. Last year at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, White rushed for four touchdowns and Slaton had 156 yards on the ground.

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 06:14 PM

What's wrong in Louisville?
• Porous defense: The unit lost eight starters from last year, among them William Gay, now a Steelers cornerback. The new group was overly generous -- 185 yards rushing to Kentucky, 260 to Utah, 265 and four touchdowns to Middle Tennessee, 322 yards passing to Utah, 324 yards passing to Cincinnati, a whopping 423 yards and four touchdowns passing to Syracuse.
HC Kragthorpe kept Brohm's older brother, Jeff, as the defensive coordinator. Yet he brought in a new offensive coordinator, running-game coordinator, secondary and defensive-line coaches. Perhaps a sign of a new administration's transition is disciplinary problems, and there sprouted many signs
Player problems: Kragthorpe benched receiver Marrio Urrutia for unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties and suspended running back George Stripling for three games after he violated undisclosed team rules. Linebacker Willie Williams, with 11 arrests before matriculating at Miami, was dismissed five weeks ago at Louisville after a drug arrest in which police reportedly found him eating marijuana, hence an additional felony charge of tampering with physical evidence (he pleaded guilty to the lesser drug charge last month). Receiver JaJuan Spillman, who was arrested in January for DUI and marijuana possession, was suspended 10 days after he made his lone start at North Carolina State. All that doesn't account for the rashes of injuries, such as to the running backs.
We're a work in progress offensively, defensively and special teams," Kragthorpe mused.

The difference a year makes: In this game in 2006, West Virginia's defenders botched an assignment on each of the first 17 plays against Loo.
Heading into this game in 2007, secondary coach Tony Gibson guesstimated of their missed assignments, "You could total all of them up this year, and we've had maybe 19 or 20."
That might explain the increase in another pertinent number: From 109th of 119 major-college teams to fourth in pass defense. To fourth in total defense. To sixth in scoring defense
Only two opponents have compiled more than 300 yards of total offense (Marshall and Rutgers in their most recent outing, at 314). No team has passed for more than 180 yards in the past six games, a meager average of 129.5 per game. No team has passed for a touchdown in the past nine quarters, and only two in the past five games -- Syracuse and South Florida each on 50-yard-plus busted plays.

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 06:37 PM

BG vs EM notes:

BOWLING GREEN - Save for a few aches and boo-boos, the most vital members of the Bowling Green State University football team had remained reasonably healthy through seven games.
Then Corey Partridge injured his thumb last week against Ohio. The Falcons' go-to receiver is done, most likely until next season.
Not much later Willie Geter went down with a sprained ankle. Consider the running back questionable for Friday's game at Eastern Michigan.
It gets worse.
John Haneline, BG's top defensive player, is wearing a boot after straining ligaments in his foot in Friday's win over Akron. It was originally believed the linebacker would be gone for the season, but coach Gregg Brandon is no longer ruling out Haneline's return.
In recap, BGSU lost two of its most dynamic players on offense and one of its lone bright spots on a sketchy defense over the course of two weeks.
But perhaps it sounds worse than it is.
Some pretty solid reserves have been waiting on the sidelines.
Chris Wright, replacing Partridge, caught five passes Friday for 83 yards and a touchdown, and Anthony Turner played an all-around brilliant game in Geter's absence, rushing and passing for a touchdown while picking up 104 yards on the ground. Haneline's understudy, freshman Glen Stanley, forced a fumble on what would have been a rushing touchdown by Akron's Carlton Jackson.
"Those kids have been practicing hard all season and just waiting for their opportunity," Brandon said. "When injuries occur, those back-up kids have to be able to step in and do the job."
Brandon stated earlier in the season that whichever team stayed the healthiest would have the best chance of winning the Mid-American Conference. But if the Falcons (5-4, 3-2) are fortunate enough to claim the title, which certainly does not look promising, one must point to depth following injuries as the primary reason.
"I feel like if somebody goes down in the skill positions, we can easily replace them," said Wright, a sophomore with just nine grabs prior to Friday.
BG's bench has extended deeper than Wright, Turner, and Stanley.
Dan Macon has re-emerged as a contributor at running back in his senior season. Jermiah Kelley, a junior college transfer in his first season at BG, caught a 15-yard touchdown pass Friday to give BG a 38-6 lead.
And don't forget about P.J. Mahone, who has started the past three games at safety in place of Jerett Sanderson, who has an injured quad. Mahone intercepted two passes Friday, returning one for a touchdown, and was named the MAC East defensive player of the week. BG kicker Sinisa Vrvilo earned the special teams honor.
Mahone now has five interceptions - second in the MAC - in just eight games.

Eastern Michigan's defense
surrendered 600 yards of total offense to the Rockets, who have now scored 122 points in their last two games.
Toledo (5-5, 3-3 MAC) followed up a huge first half with 24 second-half points behind Jalen Parmele, who rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns, fueling a Rockets offense that scored eight out of 11 times it had the ball.
EMU’s SQB Schmitt made his return after being knocked out of Eastern's homecoming victory over Western Michigan last week.
Freshman Kyle McMahon made his second start in three weeks, completing
7-of-13 passes for 72 yards in the first half, when he threw two interceptions.
"Kyle played fine, but at 28-7, we really felt like we needed a spark,'' Eastern Michigan coach Jeff Genyk said. "That's exactly what Andy Schmitt did.
In Eastern's 19-2 win over Western Michigan 2 wks ago, SRB Walker broke out with 151 yards on 33 carries, becoming the first Eastern Michigan running back to run for at least 100 yards in a game in two years.

Corey Partridge WR, Bowling Green State Falcons 11/06/07, Time: 10:46 am Status:
News: The Toledo Blade is reporting Partridge is done for the year, as the suffered a thumb injury against Ohio.
Willie Geter RB, Bowling Green State Falcons 11/06/07, Time: 10:42 am News: The Toledo Blade is indicating Geter is questionable for this week's game against Eastern Michigan.
Geter missed last week's game against Akron due to a sprained ankle

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 06:57 PM

Army vs Rutgers g notes:

Here's the irony of Rutgers' sudden red zone problems heading into Friday's game at Army: This offense is on pace to finish the regular-season with 5,500-plus yards, which would shatter the school record of 4,765.
Schiano admitted, however, that his team took a step back in its loss to Connecticut, a game that saw Rutgers struggle in all three phases.
An offense that compiled 511 yards failed to convert touchdowns five times in six trips inside the red zone. The defense allowed 183 of Connecticut's 256 rushing yards in the second half. And the special teams yielded a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown and a punt block that resulted in a safety among its many gaffes.
But the Knights are just 5-4 overall in large part because the unit has just 17 touchdowns compared to 13 field goals to show for its 34 trips to the red zone so far.
The red zone failings have become even more troubling recently. After having 11 touchdowns and five field goals in 16 red zone trips through the first four games, Rutgers has six touchdowns and eight field goals in 18 red zone tries the past five games.
For weeks, SQB Teel has been playing through a thumb injury that he says will only get better with extended rest. This Friday Rutgers will hit the road to face an Army team it should handily beat, with or without Teel under center.
Just don't tell that to Schiano, who's doing his best to stem a two-game losing streak this week.
"On the surface you may say (Army is) winnable, I don't know what's winnable," Schiano said. "If Mike's the starting quarterback, he gives us the best chance to win."
That doesn't mean Lovelace, who's workload has increased with each passing week, won't spell Teel at Army. In fact, Schiano hinted that the "Jabu Package," the change-of-pace, option-like sequence that Lovelace exclusively runs, could be unveiled more in the coming weeks.
Teel first hurt his right-throwing thumb when he banged it against a defensive lineman's helmet in the Cincinnati game, and has since aggravated the injury in games against Syracuse, South Florida and Saturday's loss at Connecticut.in the third quarter Saturday. Schiano said that wasn't the reason for backup Jabu Lovelace's extended playing time.
"There was a point in the third quarter where (Teel) hit it," Schiano said, "but by the time he came back, he was able to do everything, so I think he'll be Ok."
Schiano said Teel's most recent setback wasn't the reason why Lovelace played an entire series against the Huskies — the first time the sophomore has done so in anything but garbage time.
With 236 yards in seven games, Lovelace is Rutgers' second-leading rusher, but the 6-2, 205-pounder from Teaneck has only attempted seven passes this fall.
Teel will make his 23rd consecutive start Friday, health permitting. "If it's up to me, I'm starting, without a doubt. I'm not worried about (how it feels) the week after. You take it one week at a time."
"What's winnable is when you go out and play your best and give yourself a chance to be successful. If Mike's the starting quarterback, he gives us the best chance to win."
Still, Schiano hinted that Lovelace, who rushed for 61 yards on 11 carries Saturday, will see his role expand.

Army starting cornerback John Laird isn't listed on the depth chart this week and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain.
Laird injured his left knee covering a punt early in the second quarter. He's a valuable player in Army's pass defense because he switches inside to the nickel back when junior Josh Mitchell comes in and plays corner. Laird has made 10 straight starts. He is also one of the two gunners on punt coverage.
Josh Mitchell, who has made three career starts, is listed No. 1 at one cornerback.
Army sophomore defensive end Victor Ugenyi didn't start for the first time this season at Air Force Saturday. Sophomore Nicholas Emmons, who might be a little faster, got the nod and is No. 1 on the depth chart at right end this week. Emmons had seen a lot of playing time on Army's pass-rushing second line.
Can't blame Army quarterback Carson Williams for completing just 14 of 33 passes. This is one is on the offensive line. Sure Air Force was bringing the heat with blitzing linebackers. But it seemed like as soon as Williams took one step back from center, he was fearing for his life.
Senior Ray Zelenak returned to the starting lineup at left tackle after missing six games with a stress fracture in his foot but sophomore Jason Johnson replaced him in the second half. And the line's run-blocking was poor at best. Army running backs gained just 54 yards on 19 carries. STE Larson was suspended for the game due to a violation of team policy.
For the first time in recent history, the Corps of Cadets, along with its officers and staff, is calling for a game day "blackout." All fans are encouraged to wear, at a minimum, dark outerwear from the waist up.

**bearmz** · 11-06-07, 07:15 PM

Bret Meyer QB, Iowa State Cyclones 11/06/07, Time: 9:37 am Status:
News: Cyclones head coach Gene Chizik has indicated Meyer will continue to lose playing time to Austen Arnaud, as the redshirt freshman played well against Kansas State and the Cyclones need to get him snaps for next season
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Cedric Peerman RB, Virginia Cavaliers 11/05/07, Time: 12:27 am Status:
News: ESPN.com is reporting Peerman has been officially ruled out for the rest of the 2007 season.
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Patrick Cowan QB, UCLA Bruins 11/04/07, Time: 12:15 am News: SportingNews.com is reporting Cowan is not expected to play in week eleven against Arizona State. Cowan was released from a local Tucson hospital, after suffering a collapsed lung against Arizona. The Bruins are struggling to find options at quarterback.
UCLA will be without its top two quarterbacks, Ben Olson (knee) and Patrick Cowan (collapsed lung, concussion), as well as several other key players.
Sophomore Osaar Rasshan, who put up 13 points in less than a half against Arizona, will start at quarterback. But the Bruins may be without their second-leading rusher, Chris Markey (suffered a sprained ankle in last week's game against Arizona)
and have already lost leading rusher Kahlil Bell (knee).

**bigboydan** · 11-06-07, 07:30 PM

Wright back under center for Canes against Virginia

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Miami quarterback Kyle Wright still has some aches and pains related to the injuries he suffered three weeks ago.

Being unable to play hurt even more.

So Wright -- less than three weeks after suffering sprains to his left ankle and left knee -- will be back under center Saturday night, when the Hurricanes host No. 23 Virginia in the game that'll end Miami's 70-year run of calling the Orange Bowl home.

"I've got my RoboCop ankle boot on, but at this point, it is what it is," Wright said, pointing to the hard plastic brace protecting the joint. "I've just got to still get as much treatment as possible and try to get better, but it felt great to be back out there as opposed to standing and watching, which was very hard to do."

Wright was injured in the second quarter of Miami's game at Florida State on Oct. 20. Even with an off week to heal, Wright still wasn't able to play in last Saturday's 19-16 overtime loss to North Carolina State. Kirby Freeman started and went 1-for-14 with three interceptions.

Wright watched that one from the sideline, in uniform but aching. He said he isn't "100 percent" and added he doesn't expect to be by season's end, either.

"At this point, I'm trying to push through it," Wright said.

He's done enough to satisfy coach Randy Shannon, who said Tuesday that Wright was back as the starter.

Shannon has said numerous times in the past three days that the passing struggles were not the only reason why the Hurricanes lost to the Wolfpack, and reiterated those thoughts to Freeman during a meeting Monday.

He summoned Freeman for the chat, which turned into a pep talk of sorts.

"I didn't want to say anything," Freeman said. "I knew God gave me two ears to listen and one mouth to speak, so that means something. I just wanted to go listen to him and see what he had to say to me, because coach Shannon can be pretty inspirational."

So while insisting he still has faith in Freeman, Shannon seems eager to get Wright -- who has completed 88 of 142 passes this season for 1,240 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions -- on the field.

"Kyle's fine. He's ready to go," Shannon said. "He was trying to do it last week in warm-ups, but he couldn't get that push and step into the football. When you don't have that, you don't have the velocity on the football."

The move wasn't unexpected; Wright told reporters after the N.C. State loss that he believed he'd be ready to play Virginia.

"He'll be fine. We won't put a player out there unless they have full mobility," Shannon said. "I would not do that as a coach."

It's a crucial game for Miami (5-4, 2-3), which still needs one win to become bowl-eligible -- and could still capture the ACC's Coastal Division title with three wins and some help from around the rest of the league.

But Wright said he won't be thinking about the ACC picture on Saturday, citing it as a possible distraction.

"I think we've kind of gotten caught up in that the last couple weeks," Wright said. "I think we need to go and play. We just need a win. That, by far, is the most important thing."

**bearmz** · 11-07-07, 10:37 AM

With Tyrod Taylor healthy again and Sean Glennon playing about as well as he ever has, it's unclear which quarterback will start for Virginia Tech against Florida State on Saturday.
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday the coaching staff will decide whether to start Glennon or Taylor after they've put their game plan together and the decision won't come before late Friday.
Taylor has recovered from an ankle sprain that kept him out of 2 1/2 games.
Glennon, a junior, started all last season and the first two games of this year, but was replaced by the more mobile Taylor after the 48-7 trouncing Virginia Tech suffered against LSU in the second week of the season.
Glennon, a drop-back passer, wasn't at his best behind a shaky offensive line in the first two games for the No. 11 Hokies (7-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). He has played with more confidence since he got another chance when Taylor was injured in the first half of the Hokies' game Oct. 13 at Duke. They won that game 43-14, with Glennon directing touchdown drives on his first three series.
Glennon completed 22 of 32 passes for 296 yards and two long touchdowns and ran for another score as the Hokies had a season-high 491 total yards in a 27-3 victory over Georgia Tech last Thursday. It was Glennon's best game.
He said he'd be disappointed not to start Saturday when the Seminoles (6-3, 3-3) come to town, but he would accept the coaches' decision. "If the game plan dictates using Tyrod's strengths, then that's what we've got to do," he said. "If the game plan or situation dictates for my strengths, then put me in there."
Glennon's play has also let him feel more comfortable as a leader.
The Hokies have used two quarterbacks in the past with Bryan Randall and Marcus Vick sharing the job in 2003, but Beamer said it's not a good option.
Virginia Tech is looking for its first win in seven tries against the Seminoles under Beamer, and Florida State coach Bobby Bowden is 15-0 in his career against Tech.
The Hokies will be without tight end Sam Wheeler and linebacker Vince Hall on Saturday, and could be without wide receiver/punt returner Eddie Royal and center Ryan Shuman, both of whom Beamer described as questionable to be ready.
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Weis didn't specify when he would decide on a starter for Notre Dame (1-8), but hinted it would likely be Wednesday because he doesn't want to divide the first-team snaps evenly between the two all week.
Both could play against Air Force (7-3), although they won't play an equal amount of time.
"There will be one lead guy," he said.
Weis indicated immediately after Notre Dame's 46-44 loss in triple overtime to Navy on Saturday that he expected Sharpley to remain the starter. But after watching the game film Sunday he said he wasn't sure who would start.
Clausen, the first Notre Dame quarterback in at least 56 years to start his second game as a freshman, started the next six games before he was replaced for the past two by Sharpley. Demetrius Jones, who has since quit the team and transferred, started the opener.
Clausen has a better completion percentage than Sharpley, but Sharpley has been more productive. Clausen has completed 81-of-141 passes, a 57.4 completion rate, for 618 yards with five interceptions and one touchdown pass. Sharpley has completed 77-of-140 passes for 736 yards, a 55 percent completion rate, with three interceptions and five touchdowns.
Weis said he will start whoever looks better in practice.
"I think the No. 1 thing is: Who's going to play the best for you down the stretch?" Weis said. "I don't think what you want to be doing here is each week say, 'well, who's going to play the best for us against Air Force? Who's going to play the best for us against Duke? Who's going to play the best for us against Stanford?'
"I'm at the point right now where I want to win this game and simultaneously I want to start building some upward momentum. They go together," he said. "So the decision isn't as simple as, over the last half dozen weeks who's done what better. It's who gives you the best chance to win this week and the next two weeks and moving forward?"
Weis said at the time he made Sharpley the starter for the USC game he was doing so because Sharpley was steadily improving and because Clausen, who had been sacked 23 times, was banged up.
Clausen is getting healthier and Sharpley hasn't shown much improvement the past two games. Sharpley was 34-of-60 passing for 257 yards with one interception and two touchdown passes in his two starts. He was sacked nine times.
The possible change is just the latest in a series of moves Weis has made to try to shake the team up and turn the season around.
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Tommy Tuberville said Tuesday he's worrying about Georgia and Alabama, not a potential job opening at Texas A&M.
No. 18 Auburn's coach declined to discuss reports that his name is high on the Aggies' wish list of candidates if embattled Dennis Franchione is fired at Texas A&M.
Like Tuberville, the Auburn players insist they're focusing on Saturday's game at No. 10 Georgia, then will turn to the season-ender in two weeks against No. 21 Alabama. They've started hearing the rumblings about Texas A&M, though.
"We're not going to let it be a distraction," defensive end Quentin Groves said. "We're just going to go out and play football. Right now, he's Auburn's head coach and he's our head coach.
"If it happens, it happens. We've got Georgia. We can't focus on, 'Is he leaving or is he going?"'
Groves and several other players said Tuberville hasn't addressed the rumors with the team.
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They've tried desperately to overcome an uncanny rash of injuries, and all the Maryland Terrapins have received for their effort is three straight losses.
Now things really get tough. After facing eighth-ranked Boston College at home Saturday night, the Terps close out the season with road games against Florida State and North Carolina State.
Only four offensive starters have played in all nine games, and the defense has been similarly stricken. Coach Ralph Friedgen says he's never experienced anything like it.
A month ago, the Terrapins were soaring after successive wins over then-No. 10 Rutgers and Georgia Tech. Then came the injuries -- and losses to Virginia, Clemson and North Carolina.
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No. 12 USC (7-2, 4-2 Pac-10) is tied with UCLA in the conference standings, one game behind co-leaders Oregon and Arizona State.
Should USC finish the season by winning road games at No. 24 California and ASU and a home game against UCLA, the Trojans would be in line to play in the Rose Bowl should Oregon get a bid to play in the BCS championship game.
That could happen if the Ducks finish with wins at Arizona and UCLA and at home against Oregon State and either No. 1 Ohio State or No. 2 LSU falters.
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Stanford sophomore wide receiver Richard Sherman has been suspended for the Cardinal's game at Washington State on Saturday because of poor sportsmanship on the sidelines during a loss to Washington.
Sherman leads Stanford with 38 receptions for 646 yards and four touchdowns.
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Ohio State may not have been concentrating solely on Illinois when it struggled to beat the Illini last season.
So why did the unbeaten Buckeyes have so much trouble in a 17-10 victory at Champaign, Ill., against a team that finished the season 2-10?
The Big Ten has become a two-horse race, with Michigan and the Buckeyes both unbeaten through six games. The Wolverines play at Wisconsin in another marquee game on Saturday, before next week's annual rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan at the Big House in Ann Arbor.
Backup linebacker and special-teams standout Austin Spitler said it's hard to focus on Illinois when "The Game" is just around the corner.
Ohio State's game at Illinois last year was two weeks before the showdown with No. 2 Michigan -- the first time the two had ever come into the game ranked Nos. 1 and 2. WR Hartline didn't blame that game for the Buckeyes' lack of focus at Illinois so much as a lack of respect for the Illini.
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For the third time in four years, the Ok St Cowboys (5-4, 3-2 Big 12) must shake off the heartache from squandering a lead of 19 points or more against the Longhorns and find a way to rebound with a victory against another Big 12 foe.
They're 2-for-2 so far, but the test they'll face in bouncing back this time will be the stiffest yet as No. 5 Kansas (9-0, 5-0) visits Stillwater this week.
DE Peterson said this one might be the toughest loss in the series against the Longhorns, but maybe that's only because it's so fresh in the Cowboys' memory. This time, Oklahoma State led 35-14 in the fourth quarter before allowing Texas to rally back for a 38-35 victory.
Outside of the emotions, the Cowboys must find a way to get a complete game out of a defense that has worn down in the fourth quarter of its past two games against ranked teams. In a 41-39 victory against No. 25 Kansas State two weeks ago, Oklahoma State gave up an 80-yard scoring drive to fall behind with 1:10 left before a late field goal saved the win.
KU could put up big numbers again this week, when it plays host to Oklahoma State. The Cowboys' defense ranks 11th in the Big 12 – better than only Nebraska – and 102nd nationally overall; it's especially bad against the pass (117th, at 305.1 yards per game allowed).
But Kansas' defense showed some holes Saturday against a quarterback making his first college start (Joe Ganz), and Oklahoma State's rushing attack (eighth nationally at 246.3 yards per game) is going to put some pressure on a KU unit that has been excellent against the run so far (77.7 yards per game allowed).
---------------------------------------------
The No. 21 Crimson Tide is trying to rebound from a 41-34 defeat to No. 2 LSU and perhaps seek a little redemption from a much more surprising defeat in the process with Saturday's visit to Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs' stunned Alabama 24-16 on Nov. 4, 2006, to end their streak of 23 consecutive Southeastern Conference road losses and send the Tide on a three-game skid to end the season. It's a memory that might help Alabama (6-3, 4-2) forget the more recent disappointment.
"It stung for a while," Tide safety Rashad Johnson said Monday of that loss to the Bulldogs. "Losing to those guys that are just right down the street, they had a chance to brag for a whole year now. It's finally back around."
While Saban and Tide coaches stress their 24-hour rule for players to stop thinking about big wins or tough losses, forgetting about the one that got away days ago will be harder than usual. The game turned when LSU recovered a fumble near Alabama's goal line to set up what proved to be the go-ahead touchdown in the final 2 minutes.
Besides, what better way to learn how to finish tight games than playing against an LSU team that is making a living off doing just that this season? Alabama has done its own high-wire act this season with six games coming down to the final couple of minutes.
Unlike LSU, the Tide has lost three of those games.
"It's confidence and belief in yourself."
Saban said he had looked at three calls overturned by officials against LSU, and agreed with at least two of them. He said on a diving catch by Matt Caddell late in the game that was ruled an incompletion, it was harder to tell if he had possession of the ball before it touched the ground.
"We're not standing up complaining about what was called, but we had three circumstances in the game," Saban said. "I think the other two were probably called correctly, and this one was really a close call. It was just a close call."
Mississippi State (5-4, 2-3), already has wins at Auburn and Kentucky.
Meanwhile, Saban said there was no resolution on five players suspended the past two games for violations involving receipt of textbooks.
"We're going to continue do what we've done, which is hope for the best and kind of prepare for the worst," he said. "That's all I can really say about it because nothing has been completed and it's not final."
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With Texas Tech up next. The No. 15 Longhorns must fix a pass defense that gave up 430 yards last week to Oklahoma State and allowed the Cowboys to build a big lead before the Longhorns rallied to a 38-35 victory.
In its last two victories, the Texas defense has surrendered 1,134 yards and 60 points.
"Tech gets their yards if you play great," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "If you don't play great, they'll score a million."
Texas (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) struggled to cover Oklahoma State receivers and couldn't get a pass rush all afternoon. The Cowboys led 35-14 before the Longhorns' offense finally came alive.
Tech quarterback Graham Harrell leads the nation in passing with 4,412 yards and 38 touchdowns. Receiver Michael Crabtree leads the nation in yards (1,512), receptions (10.4 per game) and touchdowns (18).
A common thread to Tech's three losses this season was pressure on Harrell. Blitzing by Missouri and Colorado forced him into bad throws and interceptions.
Texas has won four in a row over Tech with an offense that could eat up the clock and match Tech's scoring bursts. The Longhorns have scored at least 35 points against the Red Raiders in that span.
What Texas can't afford is another slow start. Nebraska was up 17-3 in the third quarter before Texas rallied to win, and had Oklahoma State hit a late field goal, Ryan Bailey's 40-yard field goal would have sent the game into overtime instead of winning it. It was the fourth time this season Texas had to rally in the second half to win.
"We've asked them to start faster," Brown said of his team. "They've refused."
Texas senior center Dallas Griffin will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
"He was a leader for us," Brown said of Griffin, who was recently named a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, given to college football's top scholar athlete.
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bbDan, thanks for UD

**bearmz** · 11-07-07, 11:50 AM

Wisc:It remains unclear whether tailback P.J. Hill, who sat out the loss to Ohio State last week because of a bruised left leg, will be healthy enough to play Saturday
"It's on P.J., whenever P.J. feels he can come back," Bielema said Monday during his weekly news conference, adding that Hill's condition regressed late last week. "I know last week he was frustrated.
Freshman Zach Brown started in Hill's place and rushed 20 times for 63 yards against the Buckeyes. He has the inside track to start against the Wolverines if Hill is out again. Lance Smith, suspended for UW's regular-season road games, is eligible to play this week.
Defensive tackle Jason Chapman will undergo surgery to repair a knee injury he suffered against the Buckeyes and will miss the remainder of the season.
Junior Mike Newkirk, shifted from tackle to end before the season-opener because of personnel needs, moves back to tackle this week and is to start alongside senior Nick Hayden.
Either senior Kurt Ware, who has been slowed all season by a painful knee, or redshirt freshman Kirk DeCremer should replace Newkirk at end. Look for both players to play against the Wolverines
Junior cornerback Allen Langford, who also suffered a knee injury in the loss to Ohio State, will also undergo surgery and is out for the season. Freshman Aaron Henry is set to make his first college start.
Junior right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel, who suffered a foot/ankle injury at Ohio State, is listed No. 1 on the depth chart. However, according to Bielema, Vanden Heuvel is in considerable pain and is to undergo additional tests to determine the cause.
Left guard Andy Kemp, who has missed the last three games with a broken hand, could return to the lineup this week
The Wolverines have limited their last eight foes to an average of 274.8 yards and 14.9 points. Shawn Crable leads a solid linebacker corps with a team-high 7 ½ sacks and 22 ½ tackles for loss. That total leads the Big Ten and is 11 ½ more than any UW player. Senior end Tim Jamison (5 ½ sacks) and junior tackle Terrance Taylor (7 ½ tackles for loss) are two players to watch on the line. The secondary is vulnerable if UW's line can give quarterback Tyler Donovan adequate protection.
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The Illini have been relying on Rashard Mendenhall, who entered the weekend as the Big Ten's second-leading rusher, averaging 123 yards per game. But they'll have to get more from their passing game to move the ball against Ohio State. Last in the conference in passing before Saturday night's visit to Minnesota, with just seven passing touchdowns in nine games, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams came out and threw two first-quarter touchdowns against the Gophers (who hasn’t?). If it's just Mendenhall, they're in trouble.
This year is built on last year, nine starters returning from a defense that held Troy Smith to 108 passing yards and Antonio Pittman to 58 yards on 32 carries. All-Big Ten linebacker J Leman had 19 tackles in that game, and he's back as a senior All-American candidate. He said these are two different teams this year, but the Illini will continue to disguise coverages with their safeties, blitz from unique angles and attempt to stuff the run with three experienced linebackers.
Last year, the Buckeyes scored all 17 points in the first half before Illinois shut them out for the final 30 minutes and mounted a fourth-quarter comeback
The Illini could be even better than they have been this year - losing by 4 at Iowa when their offense vanished and entering the fourth quarter tied against Michigan before losing by 10. Still, at seven wins, with their first bowl game in six years locked up, the Illini have already exceeded expectations.
In the future, the Illini should find themselves closing the gap on the Buckeyes, thanks to recruits like freshman Arrelious Benn, a receiver the Buckeyes also pursued. He is the Illini's leading receiver, with 46 catches in 10 games. But the Illini offense is weighted heavily toward the run, which doesn't bode well for them against OSU's defense. So Illinois must rely on the kind of defense it played in the second half of last year's game.
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The Gophers football team has a chance to break a handful of single-season school records Saturday at Iowa. Unfortunately for Minnesota, not all of them are wanted.
The defense will smash the record for yards allowed in a season (5,543) set in 13 games in 2006. The Gophers already have given up 5,485 yards in 10 games.
The Gophers are the only Division I-A team that has given up at least 5,000 yards, and it's a safe bet they will surpass 6,000 yards in the final two games.
His team has lost eight consecutive games, the defense looked disinterested in the first half Saturday, and morale is not exactly high these days. But Gophers football coach Tim Brewster said he isn't worried that his team will cash it in during the final two weeks.
The defense, however, looked emotionally defeated throughout the first half of a 44-17 loss to Illinois on Saturday. The Illini entered the game ranked 10th in the Big Ten in total offense, scoring offense, first downs and third-down conversions and last in passing offense.
Minnesota knew that the Illini wanted to run the ball and still did not come close to stopping them. Illinois finished with 655 total yards (448 rushing), 27 first downs, a season high in points and was 8-for-12 on third down.
Iowa has allowed 39 sacks this season, which ranks 115th nationally. The Gophers rank last nationally in sacks, with only seven. That figure is even more glaring when you consider that opponents have attempted 390 passes against Minnesota.

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**bearmz** · 11-07-07, 10:27 PM

Brian Hardin, director of Notre Dame football media relations, announced the decision after practice Wednesday. Coach Charlie Weis, who usually meets with the media on Wednesdays, was not available for comment. Hardin said Weis would talk about his decision after practice Thursday.
Weis has said part of the reason Clausen has struggled is because he's had trouble adjusting to the speed of the game
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'Bama did a good job against the run, holding LSU to 87 yards on 34 attempts. Unfortunately, the pass defense was weak, yielding 388 yards on an average of 15.5 yards per completion. The Crimson Tide surrendered a pair of touchdowns in the final three minutes of the contest, as what would have been a huge win simply slipped away. Opponents are scoring 23.0 ppg against Alabama, which is yielding 368.3 total ypg. The Tide has been better against the run than the pass, as foes are gaining 12.6 yards per pass completion. Also, 16 of the 25 touchdowns that the Alabama defense has surrendered have come through the air.
Mississippi State is averaging 22.7 ppg and 297.2 total ypg, numbers that aren't going to scare Alabama. The Bulldogs have scored 23 offensive touchdowns through nine games, including 16 rushing scores. Still, MSU is gaining a mere 3.7 yards per rushing attempt. Anthony Dixon is clearly the top tailback on the roster, as he has rushed for 830 yards and 12 touchdowns. Wesley Carroll has completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 702 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions, and the fact that he takes great care of the football has been key to the club's success
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In the loss to the Ducks, two problems that had occurred throughout the season cropped up. They hadn't cost the Sun Devils against a relatively weak schedule, but they did on Saturday.
The first was a slow start. ASU overcame double-digit first quarter deficits against Colorado (14-0), Oregon State (19-0) and California (13-0).
They trailed Oregon 14-3 after one quarter and 21-3 early in the second quarter. The lead proved to be too much to overcome, even when the Ducks lost star quarterback Dennis Dixon to a leg injury early in the fourth quarter.
The second problem was sacks. ASU allowed nine, giving it 37 for the season. Only two teams _ Stanford and Notre Dame _ have given up more.
Carpenter, who showed no effects of a sprained thumb on this throwing hand, completed his first seven passes and looked as if he might pick Oregon apart.
At halftime, the Ducks decided to blitz more often, and he rarely seemed comfortable in the pocket the rest of the way.
Erickson said he expects UCLA to use the same strategy on Saturday.
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Arkansas Injury report Offensive tackle Jose Valdez, safety Kevin Woods and receivers Marcus Monk and Robert Johnson missed practice due to various injuries. Valdez sprained an ankle late in Saturday’s victory over South Carolina. “It’s very swollen,” Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said. “Hopefully he’ll be ready Saturday.” Offensive line coach Mike Markuson said there’s a chance Valdez could practice some today.
Woods suffered a partial shoulder separation Saturday.
“He’s good, [but ] he’s just very sore,” Nutt said. “We know what we have there. We’ll put him out in the game Saturday and just see how far he can go.” Dallas Washington is receiving extra reps with Woods’ absence.
Monk’s knee and a calf injury he suffered against South Carolina have slowed him, while Johnson’s ankle has been sore for several weeks
Arkansas has converted 31 of its past 45 third downs (. 688 ) in the past three games.
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In a series that reaches its 111th game most of them played on neutral fields Auburn leads in games played at Georgia and Georgia leads in games played at Auburn. It doesn't really figure, it's just the way it is.
The 17th-ranked Tigers, a 2-point underdog this time, own an 18-9 advantage in games played at Athens and Georgia leads 13-9-2 in games played at Auburn.
Freshman Matthew Stafford led Georgia to a 37-15 upset at No. 5 Auburn last year, one season after Brandon Cox led Auburn to a 31-30 victory over the Dogs in Athens.
Auburn already has won at Florida, at Arkansas and come close at LSU.
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Despite the loss to the Seminoles, the BC Eagles are still in position to win the conference.
All they have to do is keep winning and it's theirs. At 4-1 in league play, BC is a half-game ahead of Clemson and Wake Forest in the ACC's Atlantic Division. Since BC has already beaten Wake Forest, the winner a week from Saturday when the Eagles travel to play Clemson will likely win the division and go to the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville on Dec. 1.
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The Cal series favors USC, 59-30-5. The Trojans have won five of the last six meetings. Last year, USC captured a 23-9 victory to win its unprecedented fifth straight Pac-10 title.
Defensively, USC is still one of the better units in the country. They showed it against Oregon State, holding the Beavers to a mere three points and 176 yards of total offense. On the year, the numbers are solid, with the team yielding 15.9 ppg and 253.3 yards of total offense (third nationally).
Unfortunately, California's defense has not lived up to expectations in 2007. Like a lot of Pac-10 stop units, the Golden Bears have been generous in terms of yardage allowed. On the year, the team is giving up 25.7 ppg, while allowing teams to pick up 125.9 ypg on the ground and 249.0 ypg through the air. The team does have 20 forced turnovers, but just 18 sacks in nine games
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Cincinnati has never lost to UConn before, going a perfect 3-0, including a 26-23 triumph at Rentschler Field last season.
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**bearmz** · 11-07-07, 10:36 PM

DeMarco McNair RB, Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 11/07/07, Time: 5:07 pm News: The Tennessean is reporting McNair is questionable to play in Saturday's game against UL Lafayette due to a leg injury. Analysis:
McNair will probably be a gametime decision.
Dwight Dasher QB, Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 11/07/07, Time: 5:02 pm News: The Tennessean is reporting Dasher's status for Saturday's game against UL Lafayette is still listed as doubtful. Analysis:
Dasher did not play against UL Monroe and is not expected to play against the Ragin' Cajuns.
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Andrew Robinson QB, Syracuse Orangemen 11/06/07, Time: 10:25 am Status:
News: In his Monday meeting with the media, Orange head coach Greg Robinson indicated Robinson is questionable for this week's contest against South Florida.
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Corey Leonard QB, Arkansas State Indians 11/06/07, Time: 10:33 am News: The Jonesboro Sun is reporting Leonard is still listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Analysis:
Leonard may be a gametime call against Florida Atlantic
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Rafael Little RB, Kentucky Wildcats 11/06/07, Time: 1:17 am News: SportingNews.com is reporting Little is scheduled to return to the Wildcats lineup for Saturday's game against Vanderbilt
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Eddie Royal WR, Virginia Tech Hokies 11/07/07, Time: 11:22 am Status:
News: Hokies head coach Frank Beamer has indicated Royal won't play in Saturday's game against Florida State.
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**bearmz** · 11-07-07, 10:57 PM

Kansas has a dangerous Oklahoma State team this weekend on the road where the Jayhawks are winning by an average of just six points per game. That's a big difference compared to their 46 point average margin of victory at home.
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A reminder from coach Rich Brooks to the Wildcats (6-3, 2-3 SEC) that with games against Georgia and Tennessee remaining on the schedule, the team cannot afford to look past the Commodores (5-4, 2-4).
Kentucky learned that lesson the hard way on Oct. 27. The Wildcats, coming off consecutive games against Louisiana State and Florida, were upset 31-14 by Mississippi State in Lexington. Kelley said the Wildcats learned from that experience.
Kentucky's chances of earning that victory are enhanced by the return of running back Rafael Little and wide receiver Keenan Burton. Both players missed the Mississippi State game with injury, and Little is healthy for the first time since spraining an ankle against Arkansas on Sept. 22
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**bearmz** · 11-09-07, 01:35 PM

At the start of the season, neither Sean Canfield or Lyle Moevao had distinguished himself as Oregon State's starting quarterback.
Moevao, a sophomore, has played in five games, completing 27 of 51 passes for 280 yards. He has thrown four interceptions but has yet to throw a touchdown.
But Oregon State will see the return of tailback Yvenson Bernard, the Pac-10's third-leading rusher, who sat out the game against the Trojans with a shoulder injury.
The senior tailback has rushed for 814 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
But it could be the defenses that make the biggest difference Saturday. Oregon State is ranked second in the Pac-10 (behind USC), and 10th in the nation, in total defense.
And Washington's defense finally emerged against Stanford. After giving up 661 total yards to Oregon and another 535 to Arizona, the Huskies limited the Cardinal to just 253 yards.
The Beavers have won three consecutive games, all in Seattle, over Washington. The Huskies won the last game of the series, in Corvallis, 38-17, in 2003.
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After starter Taylor Bennett reached a low with his four interceptions in last week's loss to Virginia Tech, could Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey consider giving Nesbitt more snaps on Saturday at Duke?
Nesbitt (6-1, 204) has been able to show off his running skills early because the rest of the offense is more difficult to learn for a true freshman. Ultimately, he may surprise some observers who have him pegged as only a running quarterback.
As a senior at Greene County High in Greensboro, Nesbitt passed for 2,256 yards and 32 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He was regarded among the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks in last year's recruiting class.
SQB Bennett passed for 326 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia in last season's Gator Bowl, but he has passed for only two touchdowns in nine starts this season. He has thrown seven interceptions for Tech (5-4 overall, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Bennett lacks LY’s SQB Ball's skills as a runner but was supposed to provide more stability as a passer. He has completed only 50.4 percent of his passes: 120-of-238 for 1,494 yards
SRB Choice had the biggest smile of all when he made his return to practice on Tuesday and proclaimed he was ready for 30 to 35 carries against the Blue Devils.
"I'm good. I'm good to go," Choice said.
Choice has rushed for 864 yards, an average of 108 per game despite the hamstring injury which helped limit him to 31 yards against Boston College and 19 on only five carries against Virginia.
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Toss out an injured safety, throw in a couple of gimpy linebackers and suddenly the prospect of facing Texas Tech is looking less like a fun Saturday afternoon and more like a potential nightmare for No. 15 Texas (8-2, 4-2 Big 12).
For a game that requires depth to rotate defensive backs and linebackers and keep them fresh, the Longhorns may be critically short on numbers.
Reserve senior safety Drew Kelson will not play because of a left knee strain. Linebackers Jared Norton and Sergio Kindle, two of the best athletes on the team, are struggling with shoulder injuries. The defensive line, which must generate a pass rush, will be missing starting end Eddie Jones.
Coach Mack Brown won't use injuries as an excuse, but the sore bodies are piling up at a bad time.
The biggest problem for Texas may be tackling receivers who can make defenders miss in space. The Red Raiders (7-3, 3-3) throw a lot of short passes and try to expose gaps in the defense, making one-on-one tackling a premium.
In a 38-35 win over Oklahoma State last week, Texas gave up 157 yards after missed tackles and the Cowboys lit up Texas for 430 yards passing.
Texas has usually found a way to survive Tech's offensive firepower.
The Longhorns have won seven of the last nine meetings and four in a row, including last year's 35-31 victory in which Harrell passed for 520 yards. Texas rallied from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit and shut out Tech in the second half.
GOING BOWLING: With eight wins, Texas is already assured of a bowl bid. What's interesting is that the Longhorns are still in the BCS mix even though they're a long-shot to win the Big 12
That's because if they win out, a 10-2 Texas team would pretty attractive as at at-large bid to a BCS bowl. Remember, outside of the championship game and the automatic tie-ins, the BCS bowls are free to choose whoever they want as long as the team has at least nine wins and is in the top 14 in the BCS standings. Texas is currently No. 14.
"We know that if we take care of business, we're in line for something special," Colt McCoy said.
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Florida State (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) has handed Beamer seven losses in as many games in his coaching career, and two of the victories came in two of the biggest games Virginia Tech has ever played: 46-29 in the 1999 Sugar Bowl national championship, and a 27-22 upset in the inaugural ACC championship game in 2005.
The wins improved Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden's career record against Virginia Tech to 15-0, and the Hokies feel like it's time to finally erase that zero.
The Seminoles come into the game off their best victory of the season, a 27-17 triumph against No. 8 Boston College that sent the Eagles tumbling from a No. 2 ranking. It also gave Florida State hope that it can get back to the ACC title game.
Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford started the ACC title game in 2005, throwing for 225 yards and a touchdown as the Seminoles prevailed as huge underdogs
Virginia Tech will be without two of its best players -- wide receiver and punt returner Eddie Royal and linebacker Vince Hall -- and Beamer hasn't yet said who will start at quarterback. Glennon, who was benched after two games for freshman Tyrod Taylor, is coming off his best game at Tech, but the more mobile Taylor has recovered from an ankle sprain and would help the Hokies deal with the Seminoles' speed.
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Things have changed since coach Jim Grobe came to Wake Forest seven seasons ago.
Grobe's club has beaten Clemson twice in the past four years, including a 45-17 win in 2003 that nearly added Bowden to the list of ex-Tiger coaches, but Wake Forest has only won once at Clemson in its last six tries.
Bowden thought his team was as spirited and lively at practice as they have ever been during his nine seasons.
Should Clemson beat Wake Forest, it would have the BC Eagles coming to Death Valley Nov. 17 for a divisional showdown.
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There's some statistical eeriness between the teams in everything but their won-loss record. Virginia has scored 220 points, Miami 219. Both teams have allowed exactly 192 points. But it's the Cavaliers sitting atop the ACC's Coastal Division, while the Hurricanes are sputtering and on the cusp of missing the postseason.
Virginia has three wins by one point, two wins by two points. No team in major college football history has ever won so many games in the same season by such a slim margin.
Still, Virginia coach Al Groh -- whose alma mater is 0-15 all-time in Florida -- doesn't expect this one to be easy.
The Hurricanes began playing at what's now known at the Orange Bowl in 1937 and won three of their five national titles on that field. Miami will move to Dolphin Stadium next season to begin a planned 25-year stay there, and the Orange Bowl soon will be demolished
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Arkansas State has never scored on Florida Atlantic in regulation.
Of course, the Indians and Owls have only played twice, so FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger doesn't see much of a trend developing.
FAU hosts the Indians at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Owls (4-4, 3-1) still have a chance to represent the Sun Belt Conference in the New Orleans Bowl
Last season, the Owls won 29-0
FAU is playing its last home game of the season this weekend.
The Owls had last weekend off.
FAU quarterback Rusty Smith is the Sun Belt's passing leader at 272 yards per game.
Arkansas State's Reggie Arnold is third in the league at 93 yards rushing per game, and the Indians' Corey Leonard is fourth in passing at 210 yards per game.
Leonard missed Arkansas State's 27-24 win over Florida International last weekend because of an injury. Travis Hewitt went 19-of-30 for 174 yards in his place, and Arnold ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
"Corey will most likely be our starter barring anything unforeseen this week," Roberts told The Jonesboro Sun on Wednesday. "Unless something happens unexpectedly -- I don't know how you can put a percentage on unexpectedly this week -- but unless something happens unexpectedly this week, he is going to be our starter."
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Because of injuries, the passing combinations of Michigan's Chad Henne-to-Mario Manningham and Wisconsin's Tyler Donovan-to-Beckum may play a larger role than the bruising backs that have been the trademark of both schools.
Coach Bret Bielema is still being cryptic about whether sophomore P.J. Hill might be able to play with a lingering leg bruise. Bielema said Hill actually regressed before Wisconsin lost 38-17 to the Buckeyes on Saturday. Bielema remains excited about freshman Zach Brown, who had 20 carries for 63 yards replacing Hill.
One back who seems sure to play regardless of health is Michigan's Mike Hart. Hart, averaging 148.5 yards per game but suffering from a nagging ankle injury, said there's no way he'll skip the week to rest for the Buckeyes.
"These are the last two games of my career at Michigan, and a bowl game," Hart said. "I'm not missing anything."
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There's a countdown clock to the Michigan game inside top-ranked Ohio State's practice facility.
"We go in after our game and we want to see what everyone else has done," linebacker Austin Spitler said this week. "Obviously, Michigan is one of the first teams we look at, what they did that day. They're always in the back of our heads."
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said on Thursday he'd seen no signs that his players were looking past the Illini to the showdown on Nov. 17 at The Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Illini won just two games a year ago but took the Buckeyes -- also No. 1 then -- to the closing minutes before falling 17-10.
This year, coach Ron Zook's crew is deeper, stronger and more talented. The evidence is in their record.
It was Illinois' defense, led by linebacker J Leman, that held the Buckeyes and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith in check a year ago. Most of that unit is back again, including the omnipresent Leman and stellar cornerback Vontae Davis
The Illini have 34 sacks, tied for 10th in the nation and just three behind Ohio State.
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Kentucky running back Rafael Little will return Saturday after missing three games with a thigh injury. WR Burton also returns after missing the Wildcats' loss to Mississippi State on Oct. 27 with a sprained ankle.
"It's always nice to get playmakers back," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. "Everybody knows how many plays Keenan Burton and Rafael have made on our offense. Having those two guys back in the lineup will be a big boost for us."
Kentucky's high-powered offense will present all kinds of challenges for Vanderbilt, which gave up 49 points last week to Florida. Except for SEC career reception leader Earl Bennett, the Commodores don't have the offensive talent like the Wildcats.
Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson, who is averaging a league-best 270 yards passing per game, leads a Wildcats team scoring more than 38 points each game.
VANDERBILT: Two key injured in last week's loss at Florida are expected to be back in action Saturday when the Commodores (5-4, 2-4) host No. 25 Kentucky (6-3, 2-3).
Linebacker Marcus Buggs and wide receiver Sean Walker took second-half blows to the head last week, knocking them out of the game. Both returned to practice this week.
"We think Sean will be OK," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "He got hit in the head. Marcus got kicked in the face. It's a tough game."
Buggs eventually returned and finished the game with a career-high 10 tackles. Walker also had a good day, leading the team with 50 receiving yards on four receptions.
"We'll continue to monitor Sean, because I think his was a little more serious at the time," Johnson said. "Obviously we'll look at Marcus, too, but I expect both of them to be back."

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The Razorbacks beat the Vols 31-14 last year in a game Ainge missed because of ankle problems. Tennessee couldn't stop Darren McFadden that night, and since McFadden is still at running back for Arkansas, the No. 22 Vols can use a healthy Ainge when they host the Hogs on Saturday night.
Arkansas' pass defense has been an enigma this year. Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson had a big game in a September win over the Razorbacks. The following week, Kentucky's Andre Woodson helped his team rally past the Hogs.
Last week, in a 48-36 win over South Carolina, Arkansas allowed Blake Mitchell to throw for 364 yards and two touchdowns.
Arkansas is actually ranked No. 1 in the nation in pass efficiency defense -- but in yards allowed per game, the Razorbacks' pass defense is only seventh in the Southeastern Conference.
Defensive lineman Jamaal Anderson sacked Crompton three times last year. Now Anderson is playing for the Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee has allowed only three sacks all season.
Ainge has thrown for 238 yards per game this season, third in the SEC.
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RUN AND DONE: The Aggies have relied on their running game all season. The last two weeks, Kansas and Oklahoma have shut it down and, predictably, A&M has lost both games.
Before Oklahoma, Kansas held A&M to a season-low 74 yards rushing. The Sooners lead the Big 12 in rushing defense (75 yards per game), and the Jayhawks are second (78 yards per game).
"We're certainly not going to skirt our responsibility, but we've played two very good run defensive teams," Dennis Franchione said. "It's been a challenge, no doubt about that. I still think we should have rushed for more yards than we have."
Missouri is giving up only 117 yards rushing per game, fourth in the Big 12 and 25th in the nation. A&M wraps up the regular season against No. 15 Texas and the Longhorns rank third in the league and 14th in the nation in the category, allowing only 101 yards per game.
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**bearmz** · 11-09-07, 01:50 PM

Steffy to return? Maryland HC Friedgen is again toying with the idea of playing displaced starting quarterback Jordan Steffy, who hasn't played a snap since suffering his fourth concussion Oct. 29 at Rutgers.
"I thought Jordan practiced pretty well," Friedgen said of Monday's session. "I thought he had the better practice yesterday. If that continues, we'll make a change there."
Chris Turner has started the past four games and completed 62 percent of his passes. In order to beat Boston College, which has the nation's No. 1 rushing defense (58 yards allowed per game), Maryland is going to have to throw the ball. The Terps have only three passing touchdowns this season.
Walk-on might startNever in his coaching career has Friedgen had a walk-on offensive lineman play so many snaps and such an integral role as Paul Pinegar has been forced to this season.
Pinegar, who has played 39 snaps the past two games, might earn his first career start at left tackle this weekend because starter Scott Burley and his backup, freshman Bruce Campbell, have ankle sprains.
He might have added one more, as right guard Andrew Crummey, who broke his fibula and hasn't played since the Oct. 6 game against Georgia Tech, could return next week at Florida State. Crummey is out of his walking boot and off crutches.
Defense also achingMaryland has had an equal amount of hindering injuries on defense. Friedgen said cornerbacks Kevin Barnes and Isaiah Gardner are playing with shoulder injuries, as is linebacker Dave Philistin. Backup defensive tackle Travis Ivey has missed the past three weeks with a knee injury and tried to practice yesterday but couldn't.

**bmac** · 11-09-07, 02:57 PM

Thanks

**pags11** · 11-09-07, 05:04 PM

thanks again bearmz...