Cnotes 2016 College Football Best Bets,Trends,Stat, News !!

[CNOTES]

Temple at Memphis
October 4, 2016


Last week’s American Athletic Conference matchup on Thursday night had some intriguing storylines but the game wound up a blowout as Houston crushed Connecticut.


This week’s AAC spotlight game had a lopsided result from the underdog last season but a closer game is expected in a key division crossover game between Memphis and Temple.

Match-up: Temple Owls at Memphis Tigers
Venue: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee
Time/TV: Thursday, Oct. 6, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Memphis -10, Over/Under 60
Last Meeting: 2015, at Temple (+2½) 31, Memphis 12

Much of the 2015 season it looked like Memphis and Temple might meet in the AAC championship game as both climbed into the polls with Memphis starting 8-0 and Temple starting 7-0. By the time these teams met in the regular season both had taken conference losses as Houston eventually seized control of the AAC West and eventually bested Temple in the conference championship.

For Memphis led by a NFL draft pick at quarterback in Paxton Lynch, a 9-4 final result with a lopsided Birmingham Bowl loss was a bit of a disappointment considering the Tigers were ranked #15 in the nation when they were 8-0 before losing three consecutive games. Justin Fuente had a very successful four year run to build up the program and that success led him to be picked up for the Virginia Tech position. Mike Norvell was hired to take over after spending the previous four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Arizona State.

This year’s team has some clear changes in place and the 3-1 start deserves some scrutiny as the wins came over FCS Southeast Missouri State, Kansas, and Bowling Green with all three games at home. Last week the Tigers had a big test at Mississippi and despite a commendable effort Memphis lost 48-28. Houston remains the massive favorite in the AAC West where Memphis resides and the Tigers will host that game at the end of the year. The eight-game league slate is a difficult one for the Tigers however as they are drawing arguably the top three teams from the East, starting with this game with Temple.

This game last season came in late November with Memphis reeling off back-to-back losses. Memphis was stunned in a 45-20 home loss to Navy and in the big matchup with Houston the following week Memphis played well but wound up losing 35-34 before heading to Philadelphia for a second straight road game. Temple started 2015 7-0 and gave Notre Dame a tough battle with a 24-20 defeat. The Owls took a conference loss at South Florida prior to the big win over Memphis that was critical in sealing the East division title.

Despite Memphis featuring far more impressive offensive statistics on the season it was Temple that had big numbers in that game posting a 461-232 yardage edge to win 31-12 despite a 2-0 turnover deficit for the Owls. Paxton Lynch threw for just 156 yards on only 4.6 yards per attempt as the secondary for Temple had a great performance. Memphis was also held to just 2.2 yards per rush while the Owls had a 200-yard rushing game on offense and P.J. Walker threw for 261 yards, eventually turning a game that was tight through three quarters into a rout late as Temple scored the final 17 points and Memphis failed to score a touchdown despite an over 40 points per game scoring average on the season.

Temple would go on to play Houston very tough in the AAC championship, posting a yardage edge but burned by turnovers in a 24-13 loss that looks even more impressive now with Houston going on to win the Peach Bowl last winter and riding great momentum into 2016 as well. While it will be tough for Temple to match last season’s 10-win campaign, returning to a bowl for the second straight season is very realistic and the Owls are a threat in the East division, although South Florida is likely the favorite at this point.

Temple hasn’t had a bye week yet this season and sits at 3-2 but the wins have come against light competition, beating FCS Stony Brook, Charlotte, and SMU. The opening week loss to Army at home was a surprise but Temple did play tough at Penn State in a 34-27 defeat. Already 1-0 in league play Temple is on the road the next two games before hosting the top two E division contenders in South Florida and Cincinnati in back-to-back weeks including facing the Bulls on a Friday night primetime game in two weeks.

Going by Phillip Walker this season, the senior quarterback has struggled with seven interceptions and only six touchdowns in five games, with four of the interceptions and no touchdowns in the two losses. Walker has a worse completion rate than last season at this point and is nowhere near the production pace of throwing for nearly 3,000 yards last season. The receiving group has had some turnover as three of the top five receivers from last season departed but Temple has had a slightly improved running game this season, posting 4.3 yards per carry with 14 rushing touchdowns mostly split between senior Jahad Thomas who had over 1,300 yards rushing last season and breakout sophomore Ryquell Armstead who had posted 6.0 yards per rush.

Replacing a NFL quarterback is a tough challenge but junior Riley Ferguson has been productive with 11 touchdown passes in four games, though six of those came in the 77-3 rout of Bowling Green. Against Mississippi last week he had three interceptions that prevented a more serious upset threat for the Tigers in a matchup they won in 2015. The running game has been important for Memphis with last season’s leading rusher Doeoland Dorceus leading the team so far with 5.7 yards per rush but the offense revolves around the passing game and junior Anthony Miller already has 27 catches this season for over 400 yards.

Pass defense has been a strong suit for Temple in recent years and Memphis has struggled in this series, posting 21, 16, and 12 in the past three seasons in this matchup, although the Tigers did win the 2014 meeting at Temple in a 16-13 result. Temple’s offense could have some opportunities in this matchup as Memphis has allowed 371 yards per game but the quick pace of the offense can inflate those cumulative numbers to some degree. It does feel like these squads are both playing for second place in their respective divisions but this is a key game as the victor could have chance to sneak into the AAC title race and the winner will certainly enter the second half of the season on solid footing towards a postseason goal.

Historical Trends:


-- Temple is 2-1 S/U and 3-0 ATS in this series since becoming conference rivals in 2013.


-- Temple is on a 22-12 ATS run as a road underdog while also going 15-4 ATS as a double-digit underdog in that span regardless of location.


-- Memphis is 15-7 S/U at home since 2013 but just 11-11 ATS.


-- Memphis is on a 25-40-2 ATS run as a home favorite going back to 1993, going just 4-4 ATS in that role since the start of last season.

 

[CNOTES]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST BETS:


10/05/2016 1-1-0 50.00% -50


TRIPLE PLAYS RECORD: 9 - 4 - 1


WLT PCT UNITS


ATS Picks 138-126-8 52.27% -300


O/U Picks 50-49-2 50.51% -1950



THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


TEM at MEM 08:00 PM


MEM -10.0


O 57.5




WKU at LT 08:00 PM


LT +2.5


U 68.0

 

[Skeeter123]

Great info CNOTES...thanks for posting

 

[CNOTES]

Muschamp: Georgia game changed to Sunday
October 6, 2016


COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina coach Will Muschamp said his team's home game with Georgia has been moved from Saturday night to Sunday because of Hurricane Matthew.


The school and the Southeastern Conference announced Thursday night that the game would be played at 2:30 p.m.


''Due to the potential impact of the hurricane on Columbia and the surrounding area, it is in the best interest of safety to play the game on Sunday rather than Saturday night,'' SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. ''I appreciate the cooperation of the schools who worked closely to make the appropriate operational adjustments in order to accommodate this change in the schedule.


The decision capped a long day of speculation about whether Matthew would significantly impact Williams-Brice Stadium.


When Muschamp started his weekly call-in show, he had not heard about any changes to the contest, originally scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday. By the end of the show, Muschamp told fans about the game's shift to Sunday.


Georgia (3-2, 1-2 SEC) and South Carolina (2-3, 1-3) are each coming off of two straight league losses.


This is the second straight year weather altered a South Carolina home game: its LSU contest was shifted to Baton Rouge, Louisiana because of the fatal flooding that struck last October.


Muschamp thanks University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides, athletic director Ray Tanner and their staffs for taking precautions to keep fans safe and hold the game this weekend.


''There's a lot of moving parts and everyone's got to be on the same page moving forward,'' Muschamp said.


The Southeastern Conference earlier Thursday postponed the LSU-Florida game in Gainesville, Florida because of Matthew.


The South Carolina game will go off without the 100-to-200 state troopers who normally help with traffic flow after Gov. Nikki Haley said they'd be deployed to help areas affected by Matthew.


The school said in a statement Thursday night it would continue consulting with the National Weather Service, the SEC, the governor's office and state and local law enforcement agencies about potential issues related to Matthew.


''The University is confident in our ability to host the game on Sunday at Williams-Brice Stadium,'' according to the statement.


The school also asked Gamecock fans who don't need previous reserved hotel rooms to release the reservations so they might be available to those from coastal areas evacuating. It also asked hotel operators to be flexible about their standing two-night minimum stay to help accommodate both hurricane evacuees and fans.

 

[CNOTES]

Rescheduling LSU-Florida game could be problematic for SEC
October 6, 2016


GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Rescheduling the LSU-Florida game might not be as easy as it seems for the Southeastern Conference.


The SEC postponed the game scheduled for Saturday because of Hurricane Matthew, which was bearing down Thursday on Florida's east coast. The league said it will work with both universities to reschedule the game later in the season, if possible.


The schools have different opinions on how it should be handled, and ultimately the league will decide.


The 18th-ranked Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) ideally would like to play the game Nov. 19 in Gainesville, a scenario that doesn't seem very attractive for the Tigers.


Florida and LSU each play nonconference games at home that Saturday and would need to buy out those opponents, South Alabama for the Tigers and Presbyterian for the Gators. LSU (3-2, 2-1) would be on the hook for $1.5 million to South Alabama, and Florida would have to pay $500,000 to Presbyterian of the Football Championship Subdivision.


Doing that would mean the Tigers would end the regular season with three consecutive road games - against Arkansas (Nov. 12), Florida (Nov. 19) and Texas A&M (Nov. 24).


''We told the league we're 100 percent committed to whatever scenario they can come up with,'' Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said. ''Certainly we don't have a consistent open date. ... It's not as easy sometimes as it seems and involves other games, it involves other teams, it involves television contracts, whatever have you.


''Whatever scenario they come up with, we're going to be in favor of. We want to play the football game.''


LSU would rather not play three straight league games on the road, especially considering the last one, against the Aggies, is during a shortened week. It also would mean giving up a home game and losing revenue for the school and the city.


''I haven't come to a decision on that yet, but it would be pretty damn tough to play on the 19th and then play A&M on Thursday, so I've got to do what's in the best interest of the team,'' LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said.


The Tigers are likely to push for a cancellation of the game.


The SEC has an insurance policy that covers lost game revenue for all 14 schools, but it's unclear how much it would cover in this scenario.


''There's insurance and scenarios and TV and all those type of things,'' Foley said. ''That's why it will be handled in the league. The money is not an issue. Can it be worked out? Those are conversations that you probably need to hold with the Southeastern Conference. If it can be worked out, we'll be thrilled, excited and ready to play that football game and I know our fans will be, too.''


LSU offered to host the game in Baton Rouge on Sunday or fly in and out of Gainesville that day, but Foley said it would be ''almost impossible to accommodate that request.''


''To try to put a road trip together of 150-plus people in a day and half, not knowing the condition of the roads, not knowing the conditions of the airports, trying to get equipment out there,'' Foley said. ''Again, not in the best interest of safety, not in the best interest of people that would be involved in that trip. ... People in this state may be dealing with stuff that is far more significant, far more serious. So that really didn't work, either.


''I really understand the interest in the game, people's desire to play the game. At the end of the day, we make these decisions based on what matters, and people's safety is what matters. That's why the decision was made as it did. It took as long as it did because a lot of moving parts.''


The biggest question surrounding the game if it's not made up would be how it affects the SEC standings. If either team wins out, there could be potential ramifications for Auburn, Tennessee and maybe others. The SEC said Thursday that a team that finishes 6-1 in league play would go to the conference title game over a 6-2 team even if the 6-2 won a head-to-head matchup.


''They have to play that football game,'' Volunteers coach Butch Jones said. ''I know the SEC will do the right thing.''

 

[CNOTES]

GAMES CANCELLED OR MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION OR ANOTHER DAY


8:00 PM EDT
309 TULANE 56 49.5u15 / 48.5u15 / 48u15 48 +405 betting closed
310 CENTRAL FLORIDA -13.5 -13.5 -15 / -13.5 / -13.5 -15 -13.5 -525
Game postponed | Time-change to 08:00pm EDT | TV: ESPNU, DTV: 208 | CLOUDY, 60% CHANCE RAIN. WEST WIND 20-30, GUSTY. GAME TEMP 77, RH 84% HEAT INDEX 81


7:30 PM EDT
375 GEORGIA -7 -7 -05 / -7.5 / -7 -7 -05 -290 betting closed
376 SOUTH CAROLINA 44 44.5 / 44 / 42.5 41.5 +230
Game postponed | Time-change to 07:30pm EDT | GEO-RB-Nick Chubb-Probable | TV: SEC, DTV: 611 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWERS. NORTHEAST WIND 15-25, GUSTY. GAME TEMP 70, RH 78% HEAT INDEX 72




THIS IS IT FOR RIGHT NOW.....AM SURE MORE WILL BE CANCELLED CHECK THE SCHEDULE........

 

[CNOTES]

Friday's Tip Sheet
October 5, 2016



**Clemson at Boston College**


-- If you’re a gambler who likes to hunt for situational advantages, you may have one here with Boston College. The Eagles get Clemson at home on a short week with the Tigers coming off a 42-36 win over previously-undefeated Louisville in a slugfest. Coupled with FSU’s loss at home to UNC, the victory essentially gave Dabo Swinney’s team a two-game lead in ACC Atlantic and plenty of breathing room, potentially setting up a flat spot laying more than two touchdowns on the road.


-- As of Wednesday, most betting shops had Clemson (5-0 straight up, 3-2 against the spread) listed as a 17-point favorite with a total of 43. The Eagles were +550 on the money line (risk $100 to win $550).


-- Clemson has won five in a row over BC and seven of the last eight. With that said, the Eagles have taken the cash in three consecutive head-to-head meetings, including a 17-13 home loss as 5.5-point underdogs in 2014. The Tigers won by a 34-17 count as 18-point home favorites last year at Death Valley. BC trailed just 17-10 at intermission, but Deshaun Watson connected on a pair of second-half TD passes to get Clemson ahead of the number with a 34-10 advantage. However, with 1:29 remaining, Jeff Smith’s one-yard TD run for BC gave his team and its betting supporters the backdoor spread cover. Watson threw for 420 yards and three TDs and ran for another score, but we should mention that he was also intercepted twice.


-- The ‘under’ is 5-2 in the last seven Clemson-BC encounters.


-- Clemson raced out to a 28-10 halftime lead over Louisville last Saturday night as a one-point home underdog. Watson threw three TD passes in the second quarter, including a five-yard scoring strike to Artavis Scott with five seconds left until intermission. U of L would score 26 unanswered points in the second half and took a 36-28 advantage on Lamar Jackson’s 11-yard TD run with 7:52 remaining. Scott probably came up with the biggest play of the game on the ensuing kickoff, returning it 77 yards to five the Tigers a short field. Moments later, Watson found Mike Williams for a 20-yard TD pass at the 7:06 mark. Although the two-point conversion failed, Clemson went ahead on its next possession thanks to Waton’s fifth TD pass of the night, a 31-yard connection to Jordan Leggett with 3:14 remaining. Jackson quickly marched U of L down the field and into the red zone. But on a fourth-down play with 33 seconds left, Jackson’s short pass to James Quick came up one yard shy of a first down when Quick inexplicably ran out of bounds without cutting inside and giving up his body when it appeared he had room to get a first down.


-- After a scorless first quarter, the 78 combined points scored in the next three stanzas allowed the ‘over’ (64) to cash tickets. Watson completed 20-of-31 throws for 306 yards with five TDs and three interceptions. He rushed for 91 yards on 14 carries, while Wayne Gallman ran 16 times for 110 yards and one TD. Deon Cain had four receptions for 98 yards and two TDs. Jackson threw for 295 yards in the losing effort. The Heisman Trophy favorite ran 31 times for 162 yards and two scores.


-- Watson hasn’t produced the stats he did last season, but the zero in the loss column for his team is all that matters. He has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 1,302 yards with a 14/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He has rushed for 211 yards with a 4.3 yards-per-carry average. Gallman has 366 rushing yards and four TDs with a 4.6 YPC average. Williams, who missed nearly all of 2015 after sustaining a season-ending neck injury in Week 1, has a team-high 25 receptions for 373 yards and two TDs. Ray-Ray McCloud has 24 catches for 271 yards and two TDs, while Scott has 19 grabs for 183 yards and one TD. Cain has a team-best four TD catches.


-- Clemson’s defense had three sacks and 10 tackles behind the line vs. Louisville. DC Brent Venables’ stop unit ranks 12th in the nation in total defense, 14th against the pass and 16th in scoring defense (16.0 points per game). This group is led by senior LB Ben Boulware, who has 38 tackles, one interception, four tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass broken up. Sophomore safety Van Smith has a team-best 39 tackles to go with one interception and 2.5 TFL’s.


-- Clemson WR Hunter Renfroe will miss a fourth straight game since breaking his hand in a 30-24 win over Troy in Week 2. Renfore had 33 catches for 492 yards and five TDs in 2015. He had four receptions for 62 yards and two TDs before suffering the injury. Also, sophomore LB Jalen Williams (knee) and freshman LB Tre Lamar (ankle) are listed as ‘questionable.’ Williams, who didn’t play vs. U of L, had 11 tackles and one interception in the first four games. Meanwhile, Lamar has recorded eight tackles, 2.5 TFL’s and one sack. Sophomore DE Austin Bryant, who has missed the first five games due to a foot injury, might make his season debut but is listed as ‘questionable.’ As a freshman in ’15, Bryant had 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks.


-- Boston College (3-2 SU, 2-2-1 ATS) has three wins at UMass (26-7), vs. Wagner (42-10) and vs. Buffalo (35-3). Steve Addazio’s squad lost 17-14 against Georgia Tech in the season opener in Dublin, Ireland. Then in Week 3, the Eagles were demolished by a 49-0 count at Va. Tech. Addazio is 20-23 during his four-year tenure at BC and is considered to be on warm seat in terms of his job security. A win in this spot at home over Clemson would do wonders for his prospects of seeing a fifth year at the helm.


-- To be fair, Addazio took over a program that went 4-8 and 2-10 in 2011 and ’12, respectively. He went 7-6 in back-to-back campaigns that saw his team go bowling each time. BC dropped a 31-30 overtime decision to Penn St. at the Pinstripe Bowl two years ago. In 2015, BC saw its top two QBs get injured in September and 3-1 start turned into a painful eight-game losing streak. In those eight games, the Eagles couldn’t generate any semblance of an offensive attack, never once scoring more than 17 points. They lost five games by 14 combined points.


-- BC’s defense was one of the nation’s best last season, allowing just 15.3 PPG. Once again this year, BC has one of the country’s best stop units. The Eagles are tops in the nation in total defense (202.0 yards per game), No. 1 against the pass (124.0 YPG), seventh versus the run (78.0 YPG) and 16th in scoring defense (17.2 PPG). This group is led by senior safety John Johnson, junior LB Connor Strachan and senior LB Matt Milano. Johnson has 28 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, four passes broken up and 0.5 TFL’s, while Milano has 27 tackles, 4.5 TFL’s, three sacks and one PBU. Strachan has recorded 24 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one QB hurry.


-- In last week’s win over Buffalo, BC’s defense gave up only five first downs and 67 total yards of offense. The Bulls converted only 1-of-11 third-down attempts. Patrick Towles, the grad transfer QB from Kentucky, completed 14-of-25 passes for 234 yards and two TDs without an interception. Jon Hilliman rushed for 54 yards and one TD, while Jeff Smith had five receptions for 55 yards.


-- Towles has connected on 55-of-108 passes (50.9%) for 806 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio. He has rushed for 174 yards and three TDs. Hilliman has rushed for a team-best 294 yards and five TDs, but he’s averaging merely 3.4 YPC. Smith has a team-high 14 catches for 247 yards and three TDs.


-- The ‘under’ is 4-1 overall for BC, 2-0 in its home games. The ‘under’ has cashed at a 10-1 clip in the Eagles’ last 11 home games.


-- The ‘under’ is 4-1 overall for Clemson, 2-0 in its road assignments. However, the Tigers’ lowest previous total was 58. In other words, the ‘over’ would be 3-2 instead of 1-4 if they had seen previous totals in the low 40s.


-- Kickoff from Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. The weather forecast for Friday night calls for clear conditions, 5-10 mph winds and a low temperature of 52 degrees.

**Boise State at New Mexico**

-- Boise State (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS) will be in revenge mode Friday night in Albuquerque, where it faces a New Mexico team that came to the blue carpet and stunned the Broncos in a 31-24 win as a 31-point road underdog last season. As of Wednesday, most books had BSU installed as a 17-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 61. The Lobos were +575 on the money line (risk $100 to win $575).


-- Bryan Harsin’s team has wins at UL Lafayette (45-10), vs. Washington St. (31-28), at Oregon St. (38-24) and vs. Utah St. (21-10). BSU has failed to cover the number in three straight games, including last week’s win over the Aggies as a 24.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Brett Rypien completed 15-of-24 passes for 163 yards and two TDs without an interception. Jeremy McNichols rushed 30 times for 132 yards while also catching six passes for 73 yards and one TD. Cedric Wilson connected with McNichols on a 61-yard TD pass off a trick play in the first quarter. Wilson also had two catches for 46 yards and one TD, while Thomas Sperbeck had five receptions for 64 yards and one TD. Boise St.’s defense gave up 358 yards, but it stopped Utah St. 15 times on 19 third-down attempts.


-- Rypien has completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 1,024 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio. Sperbeck is his favorite target, hauling in 24 receptions for 431 yards and three TDs. Wilson has 14 catches for 265 yards and two TDs, while McNichols has 16 receptions for 216 yards and three TDs. McNichols has rushed for 504 yards and seven TDs with a 5.7 YPC average.


-- Boise State owns an 8-5 spread record in 13 games as a home favorite since Harsin took over for Chris Petersen in 2014.


-- New Mexico (2-2 SU, 1-3 ATS) has compiled a 6-9 spread record in 15 games as a home underdog during Bob Davie’s five-year tenure. Davie has a 20-34 record as UNM’s head coach, taking the program to its first bowl game since 2007 last season when the Lobos finished 7-6. They lost 45-37 as nine-point home ‘dogs to Arizona in the New Mexico Bowl in their own stadium. I doubt I’m on an island solo with this thought -- let’s hope the Lobos get another bowl invite this year, so we can at least get one more year with Davie on the sidelines and NOT in an analyst chair chafing us beyond belief.


-- New Mexico has beaten South Dakota (48-21) and San Jose St. (48-41) at home while dropping a pair of road games at New Mexico St. (32-31) and at Rutgers (37-28). The Lobos bested the Spartans last week but were unable to cover the 10.5-point spread. UNM was actually ahead of the number on four different occasions, only to give up a 14-yard TD pass with 31 ticks left to allow San Jose St. to post the backdoor cover. The Lobos had taken a 41-20 advantage late in the third quarter on Austin Ocasio’s 37-yard pick-six. After the Spartans answered with 14 straight points to slice the deficit to 41-34, UNM’s Richard McQuarley scored on a six-yard TD run with 2:54 remaining.


-- New Mexico averaged 7.0 YPC and produced 446 rushing yards against San Jose St. Teriyon Gipson paced the balanced attack with 156 yards and one TD on just 11 carries. Tyrone Owens added 117 rushing yards and one TD on 16 attempts, while McQuarley had 83 yards and three scores on 16 totes.


-- New Mexico is second in the nation rushing yards per game (347.0 YPG). Gipson has run for a team-high 399 yards and has five TDs and a 12.9 YPC average. Owens has rushed for 308 yards and one score with a 5.5 YPC average, while McQuarley has 202 rushing yards, a 5.0 YPC average and a team-high seven TD runs.


-- Lamar Jordan and Austin Apodaca have split time at the QB position, but Apodaca is now ‘out’ for an indefinite period of time with a collarbone injury. Apodaca has completed 29-of-52 throws (55.8%) for 372 yards with a 3/2 TD-INT ratio. He has 122 rushing yards and one TD on 20 attempts. Jordan has completed 12-of-19 passes (63.2%) for 129 yards with a 0/1 TD-INT ratio. Jordan has rushed for 148 yards and one TD on 29 carries.


-- Boise State will be without senior CB Jonathan Moxey in the first half due to a targeting suspension from last week’s win over Utah St. Moxey, who has 31 career starts, has recorded 20 tackles, one TFL and three PBU this year. Dylan Sumner-Gardner, who was BSU’s likely starter at safety, is poised to make his season debut after serving a four-game suspension.


-- The ‘over’ is a perfect 4-0 for the Lobos with combined scores of 69, 63, 65 and 89 points.


-- The ‘under’ is 3-1 overall for the Broncos, 1-1 in their two road contests.


-- The CBS Sports College Network will have the broadcast from University Stadium at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.


**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**


-- There are five undefeated teams remaining ATS: Western Michigan and Colorado are 5-0 ATS, while Miami, Ohio St. and Toledo are 4-0 versus the number.


-- Worst ATS squads: Arkansas State (0-4 ATS going into Wednesday’s home game vs. Georgia Southern), FAU (0-5), Bowling Green (0-5), Oregon (0-4-1) and UConn (0-4-1).

Coach of the Year candidates:
1-Paul Chryst (Wisconsin)
2-Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M)
3-Bobby Petrino (Louisville)
4-P.J. Fleck (Western Michigan)
5-Mike MacIntyre (Colorado)


-- Speaking of the Buffaloes, star QB Sefo Liufau is ‘questionable’ at Southern Cal due to an ankle sprain that has caused him to miss the last two games. Liufau completed 71.1 percent of his throws for 768 yards and six TDs without an interception in the CU’s first three contests. Steven Montez, a redshirt freshman, has answered the call, however. In his first career start, Montez threw for 333 yards and three TDs in a 41-38 upset win at Oregon as a 14-point underdog. For the season, Montez has connected on 63.2 percent of his passes for 743 yards with an 8/2 TD-INT ratio. He also has 193 rushing yards and one TD while averaging 5.8 YPC. The Buffs are 4.5-point ‘dogs at USC.


-- Arizona QB Anu Solomon has missed four consecutive games with a knee injury and remains a question mark for Saturday’s game at Utah. Brandon Dawkins has played well with Solomon out, throwing for 698 yards with a 4/1 TD-INT ratio. Dawkins has also rushed for a team-high 435 yards and seven TDs with an 8.9 YPC average. However, Dawkins is also ‘questionable’ this week (ribs). RB Nick Wilson (273 yards, 5.6 YPC & 3 TDs) is also a question mark along with defensive star DeAndre’ Miller, who had 13 tackles, four TFL’s and two sacks in the Wildcats’ first three games.


-- Utah is also dealing with a number of injuries. Three WRs are ‘questionable,’ including Tim Patrick, who has a team-high 24 catches for 429 yards and five TDs. Also, star DT Lowell Lotulelei, a first-team All Pac-12 selection last season, missed last week’s 28-23 loss at Cal and is ‘questionable’ vs. AU. Lotulelei has nine tackles, two TFL’s and one sack in four games.


-- East Carolina QB Phillip Nelson is ‘questionable’ at USF. The transfer from Minnesota has played extremely well for the Pirates, completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 1,753 yards with an 11/4 TD-INT ratio.


-- It’s time for this space to offer a little praise for Troy second-year head coach Neal Brown. After four losing seasons over the last five years, Brown has the Trojans with a 4-1 record both SU and ATS. The only Troy loss was a 30-24 decision at unbeaten Clemson. The Trojans’ lone non-cover came in their opener, a 57-17 win over Austin Peay as 41-point home favorites. They won outright by a 37-31 count at Southern Miss as 9.5-point road underdogs in Week 3. Following a 34-13 victory at Idaho last weekend, Troy has an open date before hosting Georgia State.

 

[CNOTES]

Friday, October 7


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TULANE (3 - 2) at UCF (3 - 2) - 10/7/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULANE is 88-119 ATS (-42.9 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
TULANE is 31-52 ATS (-26.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.


Head-to-Head Series History
TULANE is 2-0 against the spread versus UCF over the last 3 seasons
UCF is 1-1 straight up against TULANE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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CLEMSON (5 - 0) at BOSTON COLLEGE (3 - 2) - 10/7/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEMSON is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON COLLEGE is 1-0 against the spread versus CLEMSON over the last 3 seasons
CLEMSON is 2-0 straight up against BOSTON COLLEGE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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SMU (2 - 3) at TULSA (3 - 1) - 10/7/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SMU is 87-119 ATS (-43.9 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1992.
TULSA is 14-32 ATS (-21.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1992.


Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 1-1 against the spread versus SMU over the last 3 seasons
TULSA is 2-0 straight up against SMU over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BOISE ST (4 - 0) at NEW MEXICO (2 - 2) - 10/7/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 130-90 ATS (+31.0 Units) in all games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 130-90 ATS (+31.0 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
BOISE ST is 106-76 ATS (+22.4 Units) as a favorite since 1992.
BOISE ST is 79-53 ATS (+20.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1992.
BOISE ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after playing a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
BOISE ST is 73-42 ATS (+26.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1992.
BOISE ST is 82-56 ATS (+20.4 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1992.


Head-to-Head Series History
NEW MEXICO is 2-0 against the spread versus BOISE ST over the last 3 seasons
NEW MEXICO is 1-1 straight up against BOISE ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Friday, October 7


7:30 PM
CLEMSON vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Clemson's last 7 games when playing Boston College
Clemson is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston College
Boston College is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Boston College is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home


8:00 PM
TULANE vs. CENTRAL FLORIDA
Tulane is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Central Florida
Tulane is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Central Florida
Central Florida is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Central Florida's last 5 games at home


8:00 PM
SOUTHERN METHODIST vs. TULSA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Southern Methodist's last 5 games when playing on the road against Tulsa
Southern Methodist is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Tulsa
Tulsa is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Southern Methodist
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tulsa's last 6 games


9:00 PM
BOISE STATE vs. NEW MEXICO
Boise State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boise State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
New Mexico is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Mexico's last 5 games at home


------------------------------




Friday, October 7


Boise State @ New Mexico


Game 315-316
October 7, 2016 @ 9:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Boise State
95.169
New Mexico
78.577
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boise State
by 16 1/2
67
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boise State
by 17 1/2
61
Dunkel Pick:
New Mexico
(+17 1/2); Under


SMU @ Tulsa


Game 313-314
October 7, 2016 @ 8:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
SMU
70.385
Tulsa
87.746
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulsa
by 17 1/2
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulsa
by 16 1/2
64 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tulsa
(-16 1/2); Under


Clemson @ Boston College


Game 311-312
October 7, 2016 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Clemson
103.237
Boston College
90.741
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Clemson
by 12 1/2
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Clemson
by 17
43 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston College
(+17); Over


Tulane @ Central Florida


Game 309-310
October 7, 2016 @ 8:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Tulane
77.078
Central Florida
89.309
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Central Florida
by 12
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Central Florida
by 14
48
Dunkel Pick:
Tulane
(+14); Under


-------------------------------


Fri – Oct. 7


Tulane at Central Florida, 8:00 PM ET
Tulane: 8-20 ATS off 2 or more consecutive overs
C Florida: 21-9 ATS in home games after a playing a game where 60 total points or more were scored

Clemson at Boston College, 7:30 PM ET
Clemson: 11-3 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins against the spread
Boston College: 10-1 UNDER in games played on turf


SMU at Tulsa, 8:00 PM ET
SMU: 17-35 ATS off a road blowout loss by 21 points or more
Tulsa: 6-0 ATS after 1 or more consecutive losses against the spread

Boise State at New Mexico, 9:00 PM ET
Boise St: 73-42 ATS off a win against a conference rival
New Mexico: 13-26 ATS in home games after allowing 37 points or more last game


--------------------------------------


Friday’s games


Central Florida scored 100 points in winning its last two games, after losses to couple of Big 14 teams, Michigan/Maryland. Knights are 5-2 in last seven games with Tulane, winning last three here by 7-49-10 points (2-1 vs spread). Green Wave is +6 in turnovers in last two series games. UCF was 0-3 as a home favorite LY, after being 28-15 in that role from 2007-14. Tulane scored 72 points in winning last two games, after close losses to Wake Forest (7-3), Navy (21-14) in its first two I-A games. Green Wave is 8-7 in its last 15 games as a road underdog.


Clemson has to guard against a letdown after beating Louisville LW; Tigers won 19-13/26-7 in its first two road games this year- they’re 3-7 in last 10 games as a road favorite, 1-1 this year. Clemson won its last five games with Boston College, by 17-4-10-14-22 points (0-2-1 vs spread last three). Tigers are 3-2 in last five visits here, with only one win by by more than six points. Overall, underdogs are 7-3-1 vs spread in last 11 series games. BC held three of its four I-A foes to 17 or less points, but lost 49-17 at Va Tech. Eagles are 4-5 as home underdogs under Addazio.


Tulsa was down 31-0 in its last game, at Fresno State, rallied to win in OT; Hurricane is 3-1 this year with only loss at Ohio State- they’re 3-8 in its last 11 games as a home favorite, 1-0 this year. Underdogs are 9-4 in last 13 Tulsa-SMU games; Tulsa won 38-28/40-31 last two years and is 4-1 in last five series games played here, winning by 10-31-6-7 points (1-4 vs spread). Mustangs allowed 39.3 pts/game in losing last three I-A games, all by 25+ points; they’re 10-18 in last 28 games as a road underdog.


New Mexico (+31) upset Boise State 31-24 on blue turf LY, despite being TY difference of 641-413, Boise. Broncos won last three visits to Albuquerque by 11-3-17 points, but Lobos are 5-0 vs spread in last five series games. Boise already has road wins at ULL (45-10, -19), Oregon State (38-24, -13) this year. Broncos are 31-13 in last 44 games as a road favorite, 9-4 under Harsin. New Mexico scored 35.7 pts/game in its three I-A games but lost two of the three games; Lobos are 6-9 as home underdogs under Davie, but have covered three of last four such games. Underdogs are 4-2 vs spread in Mountain West games this year, 1-1 at home.


--------------------------------


NCAAF


Friday, October 7


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
College football Game of the Day: Clemson at Boston College
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


As quarterback Deshaun Watson goes, so go the Tigers, and the junior recorded season highs of 306 yards and five touchdowns in the thriller against Louisville.

Clemson Tigers at Boston College Eagles (+17, 42.5)


Clemson once again has put itself in the driver's seat in the ACC and will try to maintain its momentum against the conference doormats when it visits Boston College on Friday. The third-ranked Tigers, who served notice with their 42-36 home win over then-No. 4 Louisville last weekend, will try to extend a pair of impressive winning streaks - their 19-game regular-season run and an 11-game string in ACC play.


On the other side of the coin are the Eagles, who have dropped 10 straight conference affairs, including a 49-0 rout at the hands of Virginia Tech on Sept. 17. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is not looking too far ahead, knowing how much of a struggle it was to get out of Chestnut Hill the last time the Tigers paid a visit in 2014, when his team eked out a 17-13 triumph.


"They always play tough and every time we go up there, it is always a battle," he told reporters this week. "We've had two or three times up there that we've been fortunate to come away with a win, especially a couple of years ago." Boston College followed its ugly loss to the Hokies with consecutive non-conference victories, including a 35-3 rout of Buffalo on Saturday.


TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.


LINE: Clemson opened as a 16.5-point road favorite and was bet up as high as -17.5. The total has moved down from 45 to 42.5 points with money on the Under.


INJURY REPORT: Clemson - QB D. Watson (Probable), CB D. Johnson (Probable), DE A. Bryant (Questionable), CB A. Baker (Questionable) / Boston College - WR C. Garrison (Out)


WEATHER: The forecast for Alumni Stadium is calling for clear skies and winds blowing south at 4 mph.


WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Obviously a very difficult spot for Clemson coming off their epic game versus Louisville last week. Now they have to travel on a short week to take on a very good Boston College defense. But as good as BC is on defense, they're equally as bad on offense. Clemson is going to struggle to score, in my opinion, so the 17 points on the road seems a bit high. But it's always tough backing Boston College because their offense is so inept. We'll see, but you have to assume Clemson comes into this game a bit flat, so I believe BC is a live home dog."


WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Clemson is now 5-0 SU (just 2-3 ATS) after its big 42-36 win over the Louisville Cardinals last week. Boston College looks much improved from last season and comes into Week 6 sitting at 3-2 after hammering Buffalo 35-3. The Tigers offense averages 35.2 PPG, while BC posts only 23.4 thus far, but these conference opponents are very evenly matched on the defensive side of the ball, with Clemson conceding 16 PPG and the Eagles allowing just 17.2."


ABOUT CLEMSON (5-0, 2-0 ACC, 3-2 ATS): As quarterback Deshaun Watson goes, so go the Tigers, and the junior recorded season highs of 306 yards and five touchdowns in the thriller against Louisville. He also tacked on a season-best 91 rushing yards and has been sacked only twice this season, giving him enough time to consistently find the likes of Mike Williams (25 catches, 373 yards, two TDs) and Ray-Ray McCloud (24, 271, two). Senior linebacker Ben Boulware is coming off a monster performance in which he registered a career-high 18 tackles (three for losses), a fumble recovery and a pass deflection - good enough to earn him ACC Player of the Week honors at his position.


ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (3-2, 0-2, 2-2 ATS): Although the level of opponent had a lot to do with it, the Eagles have to be pleased with their improvement on offense, as they averaged 445 total yards in their last two games after being held to 124 by the Hokies. Patrick Towles threw four TD passes with no interceptions in the wins over Wagner and Buffalo after recording two scores through the air and four picks in the first three games of the season. The Eagles lead FBS teams in total defense (202 yards allowed per game) and are seventh in rushing defense (78).


TRENDS:


* Underdog is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings.
* Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Tigers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Eagles are 1-5-2 ATS in their last eight home games.


CONSENSUS: 69 percent of side bets are on Clemson while 71 percent of total bets are on the Over.

 

[CNOTES]

Chad Kelly involved in brawl at brother's high school game
October 7, 2016


BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly, the nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, was involved in a brawl at his brother's high school football game in New York.


It happened during a game between his brother's team, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, and Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School on Friday night. Buffalo police suspended the game. There have been no reports of arrests.


The scuffle began after Chad's brother, Casey Kelly, reportedly took a late hit. Chad ran onto the field, and video shows him being restrained on the field by several coaches.


Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze told The Associated Press that he talked with Chad by phone since the game, and that the quarterback was back at home with his parents. The Rebels are off this week and don't play again until Oct. 15 at Arkansas.


''From the version I've heard, he didn't do anything to anybody. They were pulling him back because he gets emotional,'' Freeze said. ''I probably would too if that were my family.''


Freeze said he's isn't planning any discipline for Kelly, but is working to gather more details.


Later Friday night, Freeze issued a statement: ''I have spoken to Chad and his family. He understands that he should have handled this difficult situation with his brother differently. He has apologized and we will continue to address this when he returns to campus.''


Chad Kelly has been in trouble before. In 2014, he was arrested after a bar fight, eventually pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. The Buffalo native is in his second season at Ole Miss after stops at Clemson and junior college at East Mississippi.


Chad Kelly is second in the Southeastern Conference with 1,596 yards passing this season. He's thrown 13 touchdowns and four interceptions for the 14th-ranked Rebels.


Jim Kelly starred for the Buffalo Bills.

 

[CNOTES]

Cal staying vigilant against Oregon State
October 7, 2016


CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) Boosted by a pair of wins over ranked teams this season - including last weekend's dramatic victory over Utah - the California Golden Bears are trying to stay vigilant against Oregon State.


The Golden Bears (3-2, 1-1) visit the Beavers (1-3, 0-1) on Saturday, with Oregon State still looking for its first conference win under coach Gary Andersen, now in his second season.


''I think there've been a lot of lessons learned this year on both sides of the ball. I think we're prepared, to hopefully play back-to-back weeks just like we did last week, which we haven't done this year,'' Cal quarterback Davis Webb said.


Webb, a Texas Tech graduate transfer, took over this season following the departure of top NFL draft pick Jared Goff. He leads the nation with 2,143 passing yards and 22 touchdowns.


He earned Pac-12 offensive Player of the Week honors for throwing four touchdown passes, all of more than 24 yards, in Cal's 28-23 victory over Utah last Saturday. The victory over the Utes was capped by a defensive stand that stopped Zach Moss from the 1-yard line on the final play.


The win was Cal's second straight over a ranked team. The Bears also beat then-No. 11 Texas 50-43 on Sept. 17.


Oregon State lost 47-6 last weekend to surprising Colorado, which currently sits atop the Pac-12 South standings. The Beavers' lone victory has come at home against Idaho State.


There have been comparisons between Andersen's start at Oregon State and coach Sonny Dykes' start at Cal. Dykes, now in his fourth year with the Golden Bears, went 1-11 in his first season, while Andersen went 2-10. Colorado's Mike MacIntyre is similarly seeing results in his fourth season, after going 4-8 and 2-10 in his first two seasons.


STICKING WITH GARRETSON: In his weekly media address, Andersen said he's sticking with starting quarterback Darell Garretson, despite his struggles against Colorado, when he was 5-for-16 for 55 yards. He was replaced by freshman Conor Blount, who was 8-for-16 for 45 yards with two interceptions.


''The decisions that I make as we go through time, I don't expect everybody to 100 percent agree with them and kids sometimes get frustrated,'' Andersen said. ''But Darell's not looking over his shoulder in any way, shape or form. He understands that and he knows that, and the things Darell and I talk about and the decisions I make are to make sure I help Darell become the best quarterback that he can be.''


HURTING SECONDARY: Oregon State freshman cornerback Jay Irvine has been ruled out against Cal after hurting his shoulder last week. Nickelback Dwyane Williams, who missed the game against the Buffs, is questionable with a hamstring injury. Last week, safety Devin Chappell and outside linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu were pressed into duty as nickel backs.


''I'm proud of those kids to accept that role, have an understanding of what to do, how to do it and walk in there in a very difficult spot and really hold their own pretty good,'' Andersen said.


LOSING RAMBO: Dykes made it official this week: safety Evan Rambo will miss the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The promising sophomore starter, who was hurt in the Sept. 24 loss to Arizona State, had 10 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup this season. He was replaced against Utah by Luke Rubenzer, who had four tackles and a pass breakup.


SPEAKING OF RUBENZER: He's a former quarterback for Cal, and he may be called upon during the game to defend Oregon State sophomore receiver Seth Collins, himself the former Beavers quarterback. Rubenzer switched to defense when it became clear he wasn't going to get much opportunity behind Goff. Collins was the starting quarterback for Oregon State at the beginning of last season, but he was dogged by injuries. Although he mulled transferring, he returned to the Beavers and embraced his new role.


THE LAST TIME: Cal leads the series 36-32. Last season, the Golden Bears ended a four-game losing streak with a 54-24 win over the Beavers.

 

[CNOTES]

No. 21 Colorado gets first ranked test from resurgent USC
October 7, 2016


LOS ANGELES (AP) Colorado's first game as a ranked team in nearly 11 years is a prime chance for the Buffaloes to prove they're serious about contending with the Pac-12's perennial powers.


It's also a chance for one of those perennial powers to continue climbing.


No. 21 Colorado (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) puts its program resurgence to its stiffest test yet Saturday against Southern California (2-3, 1-2), which has dominated this matchup since 1927. These aren't the same Buffaloes who lost 40 conference games over the past five years, but coach Mike MacIntyre realizes they've got to show it on the Coliseum's grand stage.


''How many times has Colorado played USC? 10,'' MacIntyre said. ''How many times have they beat them? Zero. So we have to earn our respect, there's no doubt about it. It's fun to do something that's never been done. Hopefully we can do that. I think you always need a little bit of a chip on your shoulder in whatever you do. I think it gives you an added advantage.''


The experienced, veteran Buffs are the only team in the Pac-12 South without a conference loss, and they're on their first Pac-12 winning streak since joining the league in 2011. They're carrying momentum and confidence after beating Oregon during their strong start to MacIntyre's fourth season.


But few teams have the overall talent level of the Trojans, who showed strong signs of revival last week while routing previously unbeaten Arizona State. USC lost three of its first four games away from home to ranked teams in coach Clay Helton's first full season, but that talent was too much for the Sun Devils.


While the Trojans have never lost to the Buffs, they've never taken the matchup for granted. Colorado led for more than 30 minutes last season before Cody Kessler rallied USC to a win in Boulder.


''We've always known they have had players,'' USC safety Chris Hawkins said. ''Most of their players are from here, so I know (receiver) Devin Ross. I played (receiver) Bryce Bobo in high school. I know (receiver) Shay Fields. We know they have the good players. They were young. Now that they're juniors and seniors, it is really showing how special they can be.''


Here are more things to know for Colorado's visit to the Coliseum:


MEGA MATCHUP: USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster broke out against Arizona State with three TD catches from freshman quarterback Sam Darnold. The job of slowing Smith-Schuster could largely fall to Colorado cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, a California native with NFL-caliber coverage skills.


RANKING POINTS: The Buffs are the fourth ranked team faced already this season by USC, which is playing one of the nation's toughest schedules, but this is the first of those games at home. Helton is hoping the Trojans have learned from taking their lumps against Alabama, Stanford and Utah. Colorado has only been ranked once in a previous matchup with USC - and the Trojans beat the Buffs 40-3 in Boulder in 2002.


QB QUESTION: MacIntyre hasn't said whether freshman quarterback Steven Montez will make his third consecutive start. The Buffs have been waiting to gauge the health of career passing leader Sefo Liufau, who has an ankle injury. The change isn't likely to alter Colorado's game plan. ''If you look at the tape, they are the same guy,'' said Hawkins, the USC safety. ''They can run. They are identical, and I think they are very interchangeable.''


BANNER DAY: USC offensive tackle Zach Banner is doubtful to play due to a sprained left ankle. He was held out of last week's game, and a platelet-rich plasma injection this week didn't appear to help. His absence could open an opportunity for the Buffaloes to put pressure on Darnold, who was outstanding in his first home start last week.


CALIFORNIA SOUL: The Buffs are 2-19-1 in California, where they haven't won since 2002. Colorado has 43 players from California on its roster, including that vaunted receiving group containing Ross, Bobo and Fields, who is aware of the Buffs' winless record against USC. ''You always want to do something that's never been done in school history,'' Fields said. ''So that aspect adds a little bit of fire for us.''

 

[CNOTES]

No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Tennessee both look to remain perfect
October 7, 2016


COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) Texas A&M has had a tough time piling on points late after building a lead this season.


The eighth-ranked Aggies know that if they get ahead Saturday against No. 9 Tennessee and let up it probably won't end well for them. Not what the Volunteers have done again and again this year.


Tennessee's Jauan Jennings grabbed a 43-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Dobbs on the last play of the game to give the Volunteers a 34-31 win over Georgia last weekend and improve to 5-0. The catch came after the Bulldogs took the lead on their own long scoring grab with 10 seconds to play.


It was the fourth time in five games that Tennessee has come back from a double-digit deficit to get a victory.


''Let's just say what it is,'' Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. ''This is a team on paper if you don't watch it you say: `Well, they've gotten lucky.' No, they haven't gotten lucky. They have a veteran quarterback that is No. 1 in league for points responsible for. Let's just start there. Whether he's throwing it, he's running it, whatever he's doing he's the No. 1 guy for points in this league. That gives you a chance to have those types of games and to win every game.''


Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight is well-aware of what the Volunteers have done this season and won't be shy about reminding his team of their history if the Aggies build a lead in this matchup of unbeaten teams.


''Keep your foot on the pedal, don't let up because there's a lot of ball left to play,'' he said. ''It's never over until it's over especially with the way these guys have battled back throughout this season and that's going to be an emphasis this week. Starting fast and definitely finishing the game.''


While the Aggies worry about finishing games, the Volunteers are looking to start fast after playing from behind almost every week.


''With these games coming up, going on the road playing Texas A&M, we need to play four quarters of football,'' Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. ''That's paramount. This football team is as talented as any football team in the country.''


The first quarter has been particularly bad for the Volunteers where they've been outscored 41-10. Things are much different late in games where they have a 76-21 advantage in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.


''I think we're like vampires,'' Tennessee receivers coach Zach Azzanni quipped. ''I think when the sun goes down, we're a lot better.''


Some things to know about the Tennessee-Texas A&M game.


NO HURD FOR VOLS


Tennessee will be trying to win this game without its leading rusher. Tennessee athletic department spokesman Ryan Robinson said Friday that running back Jalen Hurd didn't make the trip to Texas A&M and wouldn't be playing ''due to an undisclosed injury.''


Hurd has a team-high 407 yards rushing. His absence likely means a greater role for Alvin Kamara, who has rushed for 165 yards on 38 carries this season.

PASS-RUSHING FORCES


The game could feature two of the nation's top pass rushers in Texas A&M's Myles Garrett and Tennessee's Derek Barnett . Garrett has 27 career sacks and 38 1/2 tackles for losses. Barnett has 24 sacks and 41 1/2 tackles for losses. Barnett has recorded two sacks in each of his last two games.


RARE MEETING


This marks just the third time Tennessee and Texas A&M have faced each other, and it's their first regular-season meeting. Tennessee beat Texas A&M 3-0 in the 1957 Gator Bowl and 38-7 in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005.


INJURY UPDATE

Hurd isn't the only Tennessee player unavailable Saturday. The Vols also will be missing linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland, Jr. as well as cornerback Cam Sutton because of injuries. Texas A&M starters Garrett, receivers Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil and offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor all sat out last week because of various injuries. Sumlin refused to comment on the health of any of the players on Tuesday.


SCHEDULE WATCH


The Vols get no breather after their visit to College Station. Next weekend, Tennessee gets a visit from top-ranked Alabama and the Crimson Tide will host the Aggies on Oct. 22 in games that will likely go a long way in shaping the race for the SEC championship.

 

[CNOTES]

No. 15 Stanford wary with Washington St coming to town
October 7, 2016


STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Washington State is coming off a huge home victory over Oregon and Stanford is coming off a huge road loss to Washington.


The Cougars are hoping to carry that success into this week and the Cardinal want nothing more than to play better.


A victory Saturday for either team will go a long way in determining the caliber of bowl game each team may wind up in at the end of the season.


The No. 15 Cardinal (3-1, 2-1 Pac-12), preseason favorites in the North Division, probably have more to lose. A second loss will make it impossible to remain in the national discussion and will likely hurt running back Christian McCaffrey's chances at the Heisman.


The Cougars (2-2, 1-0) can gain national respect and push quarterback Luke Falk into the conversation.


''I don't think that will be the same Stanford team we'll see,'' Cougars coach Mike Leach said. ''One key with Stanford is to be physically strong enough to address the issues Stanford gives you. Washington is pretty strong. Stanford got back on their heels and never came out of.''


Stanford owns an eight-game winning streak against the Cougars, extending it last year when Washington State missed a potential game-winning field goal as the clock expired.


''We should have won that game but that's on us,'' Leach said. ''We have to do a better job of putting ourselves in position to control our own destiny.''


What worries Stanford coach David Shaw, whose team was limited to 29 yards rushing in last week's loss, is how prolific Washington State has become running the ball.


The Cougars rushed for 280 yards and scored six times on the ground in a 51-33 victory over Oregon, and Falk passed for 371.


''Mike Leach will attack scheme and personnel,'' Shaw said. ''He doesn't care if Richard Sherman is out there. The conflict he puts you in, with this Air Raid passing attack and now a run game, it keeps you honest. You can't play soft coverage; you have to account for the running game.''


Other things to know as Stanford prepares to host Washington State:


FANTASTIC FALK: Falk is the FBS' active career leader in passing yards per game at 360.0. He's already thrown for 1,495 yards and 12 touchdowns and is fourth nationally with a 373.8 yards per game average.


''Falk does a good job of handling things when the situation is not perfect,'' Shaw said. ''He slides to the soft spot and throws downfield. He has a strong arm and is very accurate.''


STILL WATCHING McCAFFREY: McCaffrey rushed for 49 yards on 12 carries against Washington last week but he still remains one of the most dangerous players with a ball in his hands. He leads the country with 214.5 all-purpose yards per game.


''Those offensive linemen at Stanford have a big role in making him as good as he is,'' Leach said. ''I think he's good anyway. You can see that in his versatility. He's a factor in returns and catches the ball out of the backfield.''


BY THE NUMBERS: Washington State has two consecutive games of 200 or more yards rushing for the first time in 11 years. ... Stanford has won 48 of 54 games played at home since 2008. ... The Cougars have not beaten a top 15 team since 2003. ... The Cardinal have averaged 34.1 points in games following a loss under Shaw.

 

[CNOTES]

UCLA, ASU meet in key Pac-12 game
October 7, 2016


TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) UCLA and Arizona State have had some wild games the past four seasons, including Kalen Ballage's push-the-pile touchdown that secured the Sun Devils' 38-23 victory a year ago.


This year's game, Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium, will keep one team in the Pac-12 South race and put the other in a deep hole.


''You have to win at home; you better win them all if you want to compete in this league,'' Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. ''We have to figure out a way to beat a very good UCLA team here at home.''


Arizona State's win a year ago at the Rose Bowl ended UCLA's perfect start to the season and sent the Bruins into a bit of a downward spiral.


UCLA is on the upswing heading into this year's game, coming off a 45-24 win over Arizona after losing to Stanford the week before. At 1-1 in the Pac-12, the Bruins (3-2) are a game behind No. 21 Colorado in the South Division.


Arizona State has a better overall record (4-1) and also is 1-1 in conference, but is coming off a 21-point loss to Southern California.


The difference Saturday will likely come down to what UCLA does when it has the ball.


UCLA coach Jim Mora ripped into the Bruins after they labored offensively in the first half against Arizona and the tactic worked. The Bruins ran away from the Wildcats behind quarterback Josh Rosen, who threw for 350 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.


Arizona State continues to have trouble preventing big plays despite a change in defensive approach. The Sun Devils were last in the FBS against the pass last season and are back at the bottom of the pack this year, allowing 396.4 yards per game.


USC freshman Sam Darnold threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona State in his first career start last week.


A few more things to look for when the Bruins play the Sun Devils:


WILKINS OUT: Arizona's Manny Wilkins won a tight battle to be Arizona State's starting quarterback and played well through the first four games. The sophomore injured his left leg against USC last week and Graham said on Friday that he will not play against UCLA.


That leaves the Sun Devils in the hands of redshirt freshman Brady White in his first career start. Though not the same running threat Wilkins is, White is a good passer with a nice touch. He hit 6 of 13 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown after Wilkins went down last week.


MILLER'S STATUS: UCLA could be without its starting right tackle against ASU.


Sophomore Kolton Miller injured his left leg in the first half against Arizona last week and was seen around campus wearing a cast and riding a mobility scooter. If Miller can't go, redshirt freshman Andre James will likely get the start in his place.


GONZALEZ EYES ALL-TIME MARK: Arizona State kicker Zane Gonzalez can break the NCAA's all-time field goal record if he makes three on Saturday.


The senior broke the Pac-12 record of 85 last week by making two kicks and is two behind Florida State's Dustin Hopkins, who had 88 from 2009-12. Gonzalez also leads the nation with 31 touchbacks on kickoffs.


NUMBERS: The road team has won the last five games in the series. ... Rosen has not thrown an interception in his last 97 passes. ... Arizona State RB Demario Richard needs 44 yards rushing to become the 19th player in school history to reach 2,000 for his career. ... UCLA is holding opponents to a 48.3 completion percentage on passes, lowest in the Pac-12. ... The Sun Devils have scored on all 21 trips into the red zone this season, one of seven FBS teams to still be perfect.

 

[CNOTES]

Gophers geared up for Hawkeyes, with pig on the line
October 7, 2016


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Mitch Leidner and Minnesota started the week with a much bigger loss than that overtime defeat at Penn State.


The Gophers, already fired up to play for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy, will have an abundance of motivation for this game on Saturday against rival Iowa.


Dick Johnson, the assistant coach that Leidner and his teammates at Lakeville South High School light-heartedly called ''Magic,'' died of a heart attack last Saturday while Minnesota was on the road. He's the father of Jay Johnson, the first-year offensive coordinator for the Gophers.


The confidant and mentor that Leidner used to talk to every Monday during the season to dissect his performance from the weekend is no longer around. Leidner first met Dick Johnson when he was a sixth-grader growing up in the suburb of Minneapolis. Even as a senior quarterback for the Gophers, Leidner had as close of a relationship with him as with any coach. That made Jay Johnson joining the staff even more poignant this year.


''I wouldn't be where I'm at today without him, and so I was pretty upset about the whole thing,'' Leidner said. ''So I've just got to be there for coach Jay because I know he's upset, too, and I know Magic, what we called his dad, he would love nothing more than to beat the Hawkeyes.''


The Gophers (3-1, 0-1) scored 86 points while splitting the last two matchups with Iowa, their most in a two-game span in the series since 1936-37. Leidner had a lot to do with that, rushing 22 times for 109 yards and a touchdown and completing 29 of 40 passes for 397 yards and five scores without an interception over the last two battles for the bronze pig.


The Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-1) are reeling after their 12-0 regular season in 2015, having already lost at home to North Dakota State and Northwestern.


''We're a few plays away from being 5-0,'' cornerback Desmond King said. ''We know what kind of team we have.''

Here are some key angles to know about the game:


RUN OVER


Another uncharacteristic development for the Hawkeyes has been a soft front seven that has allowed opponents 182.8 rushing yards per game. That's the fourth-worst mark in the Big Ten and 87th out of 128 teams in the FBS, a vulnerability the Gophers are poised to exploit. They're fourth in the conference in rushing, averaging 228.3 yards per game on the strength of sophomores Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith.


''We're close to really gashing some plays and really giving Shannon and Rodney the chance to even get more yards,'' right tackle Jonah Pirsig said.


THE PRESSURE'S ON


C.J. Beathard was sacked six times by Northwestern, a humbling performance by an experienced offensive line that has long been one of Iowa's strengths. The passing game needs all 11 players to function effectively, though, so the wide receivers can't escape responsibility, either.


''Anything we can do to help C.J. out, running better routes, getting open quicker, anything will help at this point right now,'' wide receiver Riley McCarron said.


KICKING IT


Minnesota's Emmitt Carpenter made all four field goal attempts at Penn State. Carpenter, who took over this season when Ryan Santoso switched to punter, has not missed on nine field goals and 16 extra points.


TRAVELING PARTY


The Hawkeyes have won seven straight games in their opponent's stadium, tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. That's also one short of the program record, set from 1920-23 when they only played three road games per season.


BORDER-STATE SERIES


Minnesota leads the overall series 62-45-2, including 42-37-2 since Floyd was introduced in 1935. Iowa has won 11 of the last 15 matchups, but the Hawkeyes have lost three of the last four times on the road including a 51-14 thrashing by the Gophers on Nov. 8, 2014.

 

[CNOTES]

Huskies look to end skid against Ducks
October 7, 2016


EUGENE, Ore. (AP) The last time Washington won at Autzen Stadium was in 2002, when the Huskies upset the No. 23 Ducks and then drew the ire of the fans by dancing on the ''O'' at midfield.


After nearly a decade of dominance within the conference, Oregon (2-3, 0-2 Pac-12) is limping into Saturday's rivalry game against the No. 5 Huskies (5-0, 2-0) with a three-game losing streak, while Washington is rising in its third year under Chris Petersen.


The Huskies also defeated Oregon back home in Seattle in 2003, but that was the last time they've won in the series. The Ducks have since won 12 straight.


Following Washington's 44-6 victory over Stanford last week, fans at Husky Stadium chanted ''Beat Oregon!''


While ending the streak may be important to the fan base, it doesn't really change a thing when it comes to Washington's preparation, Petersen said. He hasn't mentioned the streak to the players.


''We know it's important. But all these games are important. I mean, I want our guys to just do what they've been doing - just preparing hard and staying focused on the right things and showing up on Saturday with great energy and playing as a team,'' Petersen said. ''You can't tell them, `OK, now we're going to prepare really hard.' That's ludicrous.''


Oregon has totally different concerns at this point. Reeling from the uncharacteristic losses, Oregon may start freshman Justin Herbert at quarterback.


Herbert has been competing in practice this week with Dakota Prukop, a graduate transfer who started in Oregon's first five games.


Prukop completed 14 of 22 passes for 132 yards and one interception in Oregon's 51-33 loss at Washington State last weekend. The Ducks showed a spark on their final series when Herbert led the team on an 85-yard drive capped by his 4-yard run for a touchdown.


''We're going to put the best guy out there, at that and every other position, to help us win this game,'' Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said.


PURPLE HAZE: Washington has been the best in the country at getting to the quarterback. The Huskies have 21 sacks through five games, tied with Ohio for the most in the FBS. Eight of those sacks came last week against Stanford as the Huskies defensive line overpowered the Cardinal on the line of scrimmage.


What's even more impressive with Washington's success getting to the quarterback has been its ability to do it without blitzing. It's been the Huskies front four - sometimes five - rushers that have recorded most of the quarterback sacks thus far.

DYE'S RETURN: After a mysterious absence last weekend, Oregon freshman linebacker Troy Dye is expected to return against the Huskies. There were rumors about why he didn't travel to Pullman but Helfrich made a point this week of suggesting it was injury-related. Oregon doesn't disclose injuries as policy so it's unclear exactly what was going on.


Doesn't matter much anyway this week because he's back. Dye has been a bright spot on the Ducks' defense, which has struggled this season.


''He's just one of those guys that works extremely hard every rep of practice, whether it's defense or special teams,'' Helfrich said. ''That's absolutely contagious. We need more guys like that.''


DAWG SLED: Whether it's Myles Gaskin or Lavon Coleman, Washington is getting excellent production from its running backs.


After Coleman broke out with 181 yards against Arizona two weeks ago, it was Gaskin's turn to show off with 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns against Stanford. Coleman did his part as well, rushing for 74 yards and a score, and the Huskies finished with 214 yards on the ground against the Cardinal.


That's not good news for Oregon. The Ducks are allowing 210 yards per game on the ground, including 280 yards rushing and six touchdowns to pass-happy Washington State last week.


GETTING CLOSER?: Last season the Ducks beat Washington 26-20 in Seattle, which was the closet margin of victory in the 12-game winning streak.


WAIT, WHAT?: Oregon will wear navy blue uniforms on Saturday. Yep, you heard that right: navy with yellow accents, ala Michigan and Cal. The throw-way-back uniforms pay homage to the ''Webfoots'' team that won the 1916 Rose Bowl. The helmets feature the Oregon state flag.

 

[CNOTES]

Oklahoma State hoping to keep momentum going vs. Iowa State
October 7, 2016


STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Following a convincing 49-31 victory over then-No. 22 Texas last week, Oklahoma State is feeling pretty good about where it is right now.


A win Saturday at home against Iowa State would allow the Cowboys (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) to keep the momentum going and continue building toward their goal for a league championship.


''I think as long as we keep taking care of conference play and we are preparing each week to the best of our ability, we can hopefully get ourselves in a good spot for a Big 12 title,'' said quarterback Mason Rudolph, who was injured for last year's regular season-finale that his team lost to rival Oklahoma with the Big 12 championship on the line. ''This week is important just like every other week.''


Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy liked what he saw against Texas.


''We took good care of the ball, made some plays on offense, the running game was better, blocking was better and we were good on special teams,'' Gundy said. ''It was a good win for our program. We'll continue to get better at what we think gives us the best chance to be successful over the next couple of months.''


The Cyclones (1-4, 0-2) are coming off an agonizing 45-42 defeat to No. 13 Baylor in which they led 42-28 entering the fourth quarter before losing on a Bears' field goal as time expired.


Iowa State first-year coach Matt Campbell was happy with how his team responded in practice this week and believes it will be focused on Saturday.


''Really proud of our kids' effort,'' he said. ''A lot of lessons learned, a lot we have to continue to grow and get better on.''


Five things to watch for on Saturday:


RUNNING DOWN HILL


Freshman running back Justice Hill had another big game for Oklahoma State last week, rushing for 135 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, with no turnovers. After gaining a total of 89 yards on 24 carries over the first three games combined, Hill broke out for 122 yards and a touchdown on 20 rushes in a 35-24 loss to Baylor on Sept. 24, but also lost two fumbles, including a momentum-changer on the 1-yard-line in the fourth quarter.


''He has a tremendous work ethic and did a great job protecting and securing the football,'' Cowboys offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said of Hill's performance against Texas. ''I'm excited about how much better he can become.''


TIME SHARE


Before last week's loss to Baylor, Iowa State's previous three games featured starting quarterback Joel Lanning sharing time with backup Jacob Park. Park completed 15 of 19 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-10 win over San Jose State on Sept. 24, but he never made it into the lineup against Baylor, as Lanning threw for a career-high 261 yards on 17 of 23 passing, with two touchdowns, while also rushing for 57 yards and another score.


''Joel has earned the right to be the starter,'' Campbell said. ''When you've got two guys playing, you've got to go with your gut sometimes and keep the flow of the game going. We believe in both of those guys. I think you're going to still see plenty of Jacob Park.''

SHOCK BLOCKS


After blocking three consecutive PAT kick attempts against Texas, one of which was returned for two points, Oklahoma State now leads the nation with four blocked kicks on the season. Three of them have come from defensive tackle Vincent Taylor.


RUNNING REVIVAL


The Iowa State running game has come alive the last few weeks, as top running back Mike Warren, after totaling just 58 yards in the first two games of the season, has averaged 109.3 yards, with three touchdowns, in the last three outings. Two weeks ago, he amassed 103 yards and a touchdown on 19 rushes, with another 68 yards on three receptions. Against Baylor, he had 130 yards and two TDs on an eye-popping 30 carries.


AIR IT OUT


Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph enjoyed a strong performance last week against Texas, completing 19 of 28 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for another score. Eight of his 19 completions for were for 20 or more yards, with TD passes of 54 and 52 yards. Following a school-record game of 540 yards earlier in the season, Rudolph now ranks seventh in the nation with 1,688 yards passing.

 

[CNOTES]

Huskies, Bearcats look to avoid 0-3 start in American
October 7, 2016


STORRS, Conn. (AP) UConn and Cincinnati both need a win Saturday to avoid an 0-3 start in the American Athletic Conference.


Both also are looking for big improvements at key offensive positions.


The Huskies (2-3, 0-2 American) come into their game with the Bearcats (3-2, 0-2) averaging just 350 yards a game, which ranks 104th among the 128 Bowl Subdivision teams. That includes just 124 yards per game on the ground.


Their leading rusher, Arkeel Newsome, has 224 yards on 58 carries. The Huskies quarterback, Bryant Shirreffs, has run the ball 84 times for 199 yards.


''I don't really don't have an interest in watching Bryant run and Arkeel not, said coach Bob Diaco. ''For Arkeel to have six touches, it can't happen.''


Cincinnati is looking for more production from the quarterback position, where Hayden Moore has missed two games with a high ankle sprain. Redshirt freshman Ross Trial threw three interceptions last week in a 40-25 loss to South Florida and has six interceptions and just one touchdown this season while filling in.


''The quarterback is the key to your engine,'' coach Tommy Tuberville said this week. He's the guy that gets you going, gets you in the right plays, motivates the players, gets all that stuff done.


The two are both listed at the top of this week's depth chart, but Tuberville has given Moore just a 25 percent chance of playing. Former starter Gunner Kiel still listed as third string, but Tuberville said he would choose his starter based on this week's practices.


The Bearcats are averaging just under 415 yards per game.


Here are some other things to watch for as UConn hosts Cincinnati on Saturday morning:


NEW TARGETS


UConn's passing attack has so far consisted of a single threat, wide receiving Noel Thomas. The senior has 46 of UConn's 97 catches for 523 yards and two touchdowns. The second most productive receiver, sophomore Hergy Mayala, has just 15 catches for 231 yards. But Diaco said he's pleased with the effort from the receiving corps and is not looking for anyone to step up their game.


''If we put them in situations to be successful, they've done the work, they'll be successful,'' he said.


SCORING PROBLEMS


Both teams are struggling to score this season. UConn ranks at the bottom of the conference and No. 117 in the nation with 19.8 points per game and has yet to put a point on the board in the first quarter. The Cincinnati offense is just above the Huskies, ranking 10th in the league scoring at 25.8 points per game.


SERIES DOMINANCE


The series between the two programs has not been very competitive. Cincinnati has won 10 of the 12 meetings and five straight including all three as members of the American. The Bearcats were 6-2 against UConn when both were members of the Big East.


EARLY START


The game has an 11:30 a.m. start as is being played on the same day as the Hartford Marathon, which will lead to numerous road closings in the greater Hartford area. Tight end Tyler Davis said the players actually are looking forward to the early start, because it means less waiting around in the morning.


BIG 12 PREVIEW?


Both programs have been listed among the top contenders for possible expansion in the Big 12 and made pitches to the league last month.

 

[CNOTES]

Penn State, Maryland enter rubber match on similar paths
October 7, 2016


STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) When DJ Durkin and James Franklin spoke about their teams earlier this week, they sounded nearly identical praising young, up-tempo offenses led by dual-threat quarterbacks and highlighted by playmaking running backs.


Whichever one takes the next step will have to come at the expense of the other. Penn State (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) hosts Maryland (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on Saturday in what's become arguably both team's biggest rivalry to date. The teams have split the past two games, each decided by one point after a combined 11 lead changes.


''I think both teams are going to be going into that stadium on Saturday fired up and excited,'' Franklin said. ''They are coming in undefeated. We played an undefeated team last week. We are coming off a big emotional win where the guys just kept fighting and persevering.''


The Terrapins are seeking their first 5-0 start since 2001 and are averaging 43.3 points per game. Quarterback Perry Hills, like his Penn State counterpart Trace McSorley, has found a groove behind an offensive line that features three former walk-ons.


''He can beat you with his feet and his arm,'' Durkin said. ''He's doing a great job of doing what we ask him to do. He's playing with confidence. If he makes a mistake, he can't wait to get back out there.''


Hills didn't throw his first interception until last week and isn't making many other mistakes. His supporting cast has made it easier on him, including a group of running backs that are averaging over 8.5 yards per carry.


Meanwhile, McSorley is trying to do the same thing for Saquon Barkley by forcing teams to back out of the box. Penn State's talented tailback hasn't ran for 100 yards since the season opener.

D-LINE BREAKOUT?


Penn State's defensive line appears to be coming around. Tackle Kevin Givens has looked better with each game and ends Torrence Brown, Evan Schwan and Garrett Sickels have all made plays on the edge where they were burned earlier this season.


They could be in for another game where their containment is tested. Maryland's Ty Johnson has been the Terps' most dangerous outside runner. He tortured Purdue for 204 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries last week.


If they can keep Johnson in check, Penn State's defensive line will have a shot to get after Hills. Maryland's offensive line has allowed nine sacks in the last two games.


''Even though they may be a little bit undersized, they're incredibly active,'' Maryland offensive coordinator Walt Bell said. ''They have great ball get-off and they have great short-area quickness up front. That'll be a real test for us, especially inside.


CORNERBACK PROS AND WOES


Maryland cornerback Will Likely hasn't let his size deter him against Penn State's bigger receivers in the past. He's got seven tackles, an interception and a forced a host of other incompletions or look-aways covering Nittany Lions DaeSean Hamilton and Saeed Blacknall who have big height and weight advantages against the 5-foot-7, 175-pound corner.


Likely's hurt Penn State as a returner, too.


Already down a handful of linebackers, Penn State is hurting at corner now. Starter Christian Campbell left the Minnesota game with a left leg injury and is doubtful for Saturday. The team's fourth corner, Amani Oruwariye is also questionable with an undisclosed injury.


Expect longtime reserve Jordan Smith to play a larger role. He was good against Minnesota with an interception, two pass breakups and four tackles.


IN AND OUT


Franklin hoped the team would get good news on the hand injury that's kept linebacker Jason Cabinda out but he is out for this game. His replacement Brandon Smith will return to the lineup after leaving the Minnesota game early. Defensive end Curtis Cothran will sit out the first half and be eligible to return in the third quarter, a continuance of a targeting penalty from last week.


BORDER BATTLE


Penn State has 11 players from the state of Maryland while the Terps boast 10 Pennsylvanians on their roster. In total, 117 players from both states line both rosters.


''It's always fun playing those guys especially since I know a couple on the team,'' Maryland defensive lineman Azubuike Ukandu said.

 

[CNOTES]

Miami hopes to end woes against FSU
October 7, 2016


MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Jimbo Fisher has seen this scenario before.


A coach takes over a long-struggling program, more than a decade removed from its most glorious days and is asked to resuscitate it quickly. And in that coach's first season, a win over his team's biggest rival serves as that springboard back to prominence.


That's what happened for Fisher and Florida State in 2010.


And that's what Mark Richt and Miami will try to repeat now.


The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) host No. 23 Florida State (3-2, 0-2) on Saturday night, looking to snap a six-year losing streak in the storied series and perhaps cement themselves as a true contender in the ACC's Coastal Division.


''It's a huge game,'' Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya said. ''It sways recruiting. It sways fan bases. It sways seasons.''


Richt has been part of this series as a Miami player and Florida State assistant coach. He now gets a taste of it as a head coach for the first time, though is trying to avoid the hyperbole that almost always accompanies the buildup to a Miami-Florida State clash.


''What we need to do,'' Richt said, ''is do our job the way we're being taught to do it.''


Florida State hasn't lost back-to-back games since 2011 - the Seminoles fell at home to North Carolina last week on a field goal at the final horn - and needed heroics from star running back Dalvin Cook to rally from fourth-quarter deficits to beat the Hurricanes in each of the last two years.


''This is one of the games you came to Florida State to play in,'' said Cook, a Miami native.


Florida State - widely touted as a national-title contender coming into the season - is probably out of the ACC's Atlantic race already, though Fisher has insisted there's plenty of meaningful football left to play.


''Miami is a very good team,'' Fisher said. ''I don't know if they're Top 10, but they're undefeated. Playing very well. ... We need to perform at a very high level to have a chance to have success, and that's what our goal is and that's what our intentions are.''


Here's some of what to know going into Florida State-Miami:


POLL WATCH: Florida State's streak of 75 consecutive appearances in the AP Top 25 - the second-longest current run behind Alabama's 137 - is in jeopardy. A loss almost certainly would leave the Seminoles unranked for the first time since the Nov. 20, 2011 poll. A win would give Miami a chance at its highest ranking in 11 years; the Hurricanes went to No. 3 in 2005, and haven't been past No. 7 since.

STORM PASSES: The Miami area was minimally affected by Hurricane Matthew, which skirted past the area before lashing much the coastline on the Atlantic side of Florida with incredibly intense wind and rain Friday and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Florida State was able to fly south Friday morning, about a half-day behind what the Seminoles originally scheduled.


ONLY TWO: Miami's Mark Walton and Joseph Yearby have touchdown rushes in all four Hurricane games this season. They're the only FBS running-back duo in the country with a TD run apiece in each of their team's games this season. Also, Miami is one of two FBS schools to not trail yet this season, with Boise State being the other.


KAAYA WATCH: There are two players since 2000 with multiple 300-yard passing games against Florida State - and both are Miami quarterbacks. Ken Dorsey did it in 2000 and 2002, and Brad Kaaya has thrown for 316 and 405 in his first two outings, respectively, against the Seminoles. Florida State gave up exactly 405 yards passing last week as well, to North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky.


DRIVE FOR FIVE: Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois will try to become the fifth consecutive Seminole starter to win his debut game against Miami, joining Christian Ponder (2008), EJ Manuel (2011), Jameis Winston (2013) and Everett Golson (2015). The last Florida State quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in his first start against Miami and lose was Chris Rix in 2001. Rix wound up going 0-5 against the Hurricanes.