.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Arkansas at Auburn
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is 6-foot-7. Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton is 6-foot-6. They are two light-bulb changers, to be sure. They were both transfers, but they could not be more different.
Mallett will lead the No. 12 Razorbacks into an SEC showdown at Auburn as the conference's leading passer (349.6 yards per game). Newton leads the unbeaten and No. 7 Tigers with his legs. He also leads the SEC in rushing (112 yards per game).
Last week, Newton plowed through Kentucky's middle on his zone-read runs. It was Tim Tebow all over again. He is reading and running, and even if there is a half-block on a defender, Newton is sturdy enough to get away.
Mallett towers over the defense and shoots streaks of light called passes to receivers.
There are some keys to this game: Arkansas will script a drive right off the bat with its best plays by coach Bobby Petrino. Auburn has to survive that punch, and the one after. Alabama barely escaped.
Two, the Razorbacks better run the ball because the Tigers are going to give everything they have to pass defense. Arkansas is 12th in run offense in the SEC. That's the bottom.
It figures to be one of those games where the team that has the ball last wins.
By Ray Glier For the AJC
The Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is 6-foot-7. The Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton is 6-foot-6. They are two light bulb changers, to be sure. They were both transfers, but they could not be more different.
Mallet will lead the No. 12 Razorbacks into an SEC showdown at Auburn as the conference's leading passer (349.6 yards per game). Newton leads the unbeaten and No. 7 Tigers with his legs. He also leads the SEC in rushing (112 yards per game).
Last week, Newton plowed through Kentucky's middle on his zone read runs. It was Tim Tebow all over again. He is reading and running and even if there is a half-block on a defender, Newton is sturdy enough to get away.
Mallett towers over the defense and shoots streaks of light called passes to receivers.
There are some keys to this game: Arkansas will script a drive right off the bat with its best plays by coach Bobby Petrino. Auburn has to survive that punch, and the one after. Alabama barely escaped.
Two, the Razorbacks better run the ball because the Tigers are going to give everything they have to pass defense. Arkansas is 12th in run offense in the SEC. That's the bottom.
It figures to be one of those games where the team that has the ball last, wins.
SEC
South Carolina at Kentucky
Can No. 10 South Carolina ruin everything gained by beating Bama by losing this game? Yes, they could, but they won't. The Gamecocks spent a lot of emotion last week in the win over No. 1 Alabama, but UK had an emotional time of it, too, with a near upset of unbeaten Auburn. What's more, the Wildcats' leading rusher, Derrick Locke, probably will not play because of shoulder stingers.
South Carolina is too physical with its run game. If SC shows any signs of sloppiness with the pass game, Steve Spurrier is going to run the football as much as he can. Stats to remember: Gamecocks are 11th in total defense in the SEC; UK is fourth in offense. But Kentucky is last in rushing defense.
Mississippi State at Florida
Florida, the team with all that speed, is 96th in total offense in college football. It doesn't seem possible. The Gators' quarterback is beat up and their head coach reinstated skill guy Chris Rainey, who merely sent a text to a woman, "Time to Die." It's time for the Gators to amount to something for all this talent they have hauled in. Ron Zook was fired after he lost to Miss. State. Meyer won't be fired if there is an upset, but he will have some explaining to do about last offseason when he resigned then came back, but passed some duties on to his assistants.
Ole Miss at Alabama
Alabama star wide receiver Julio Jones has a broken hand and may not play. Will it matter? The Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1) should be plenty angry after losing by two touchdowns to South Carolina. The wide receivers opposite Jones have not made enough plays because quarterback Greg McElroy is in a slump. NFL scouts say he is way too methodical with the ball and slow to turn it loose.
Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe said Alabama has been "exposed" as a one-dimensional team that can run and not pass. The Rebels (3-2, 1-1) have their defensive secondary intact after some injuries so this should be interesting. Ole Miss, which had the week off to get healthy and get prepared, has not won in Tuscaloosa since 1988.
McNeese State at LSU
No way, Les Miles and the No. 9 Tigers make this close, right?
Right?
ACC
Maryland at Clemson
The Terrapins are 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC because of big plays (they have 12 plays of 50 yards or longer). If Clemson (2-3, 0-2) wants to win, the Tigers have to do Maryland in third down. The Terps convert just 24.6 percent of third-down plays, last in the ACC. Ralph Friedgen, the ex-Georgia Tech assistant coach and the Maryland head coach, owns the Tigers (6-3).
Clemson has to figure some things out. It has lost three in a row. It hurt itself with turnovers in a loss to Miami and then hurt itself with penalties against North Carolina. Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers has six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in just five games. None of this misery can be pinned on him; he might be the best football player in the ACC.
Boston College at Florida State
What team exactly showed up at Oklahoma a month ago and got clobbered by the Sooners? That Florida State team is nowhere in sight. It's not as easily explained as saying the Seminoles got into their ACC schedule and everything was made easy. Miami has some skill -- but not coaching apparently -- and No. 16 FSU waxed the Canes. Quarterback Christian Ponder was leading the offense until the run game showed itself with 298 yards vs. Miami. There is a lot of balance for BC to worry about. The Seminoles average 4.3 sacks per game. BC better stay out of third and long, especially with its freshman QB Chase Rettig back on the field.
North Carolina at Virginia
Carolina comes off an upset over Clemson, but look what happens this week. Tar Heels coach Butch Davis is back doing damage control on the school's scandal. His former right-hand man, assistant coach John Blake, was in the news on Blake's relationship with agents. Davis cannot survive this, can he? His team is playing inspired football and it is working hard to save his job, but the Pope would have to intervene at this point. Tailback Ryan Houston has been reinstated after missing five games because of the scandal.
Miami at Duke
Randy Shannon, who was supposed to lead the Canes back to glory, is leading his team down a dark shaft. In two Show-me games, Ohio State and Florida State, Miami has looked dreadful on offense and has been pushed around on defense. The Hurricanes beat Pitt and Clemson and looked formidable, but now what? Quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown nine interceptions. The Blue Devils (1-4, 0-2) have lost four straight, two of them by one score each. They can pass; they can't run. Miami's defense can win this, as long as Harris does not put them in a lot of bad situations.
National games to watch
Ohio State at Wisconsin
Ohio State is No. 1 and is 19-1 in its last 20 Big Ten road games. Is that enough insulation to withstand the Badgers' home field, Camp Randall? It has been in the past, but the games are painfully close for the Buckeyes. Look at the media guide. The total score of the last three games at Wisconsin between these teams is 49-48, OSU. The Badgers are ranked No. 18.
This is a chance for quarterback Terrelle Pryor to add another layer of "it" and be the hero for the Buckeyes once and for all. These are the tight games where somebody makes a pivotal play: a turnover or a busted run for a key first down.
Texas at Nebraska
The fifth-ranked Cornhuskers have all the motivation, plus the home field edge. They were robbed of the Big 12 championship when Texas got a second put back on the clock last December. Second, the Huskers are still in the hunt for a national championship. Finally, Texas' dominance/control of the Big 12 and money grab sent Nebraska packing to the Big Ten. There is ill will.
There is another reason UT will suffer. Taylor Martinez, the Nebraska quarterback, is in the Heisman hunt with his explosive plays on the option. It looks like old-time Husker football.
Around the nation
Ohio State at Wisconsin
Ohio State is No. 1 and is 19-1 in its past 20 Big Ten road games. Is that enough insulation to withstand the Badgers' home field, Camp Randall? It has been in the past, but the games are painfully close for the Buckeyes. Look at the media guide. The total score of the past three games at Wisconsin between these teams is 49-48, OSU. The Badgers are ranked No. 18.
This is a chance for quarterback Terrelle Pryor to add another layer of "it" and be the hero for the Buckeyes once and for all. These are the tight games where somebody makes a pivotal play: a turnover or a busted run for a key first down.
Texas at Nebraska
The fifth-ranked Cornhuskers have all the motivation, plus the home edge. They were robbed of the Big 12 championship when Texas got a second put back on the clock last December. Second, the 'Huskers are still in the hunt for a national championship. Finally, Texas' dominance/control of the Big 12 and money grab sent Nebraska packing to the Big Ten. There is ill will. There is another reason UT will suffer. Taylor Martinez, the Nebraska quarterback, is in the Heisman hunt with his explosive plays on the option. It looks like old-time 'Huskers football.South Carolina at Kentucky
Can No. 10 South Carolina ruin everything gained by beating 'Bama by losing this game? Yes, they could, but they won't. The Gamecocks spent a lot of emotion last week in the win over No. 1 Alabama, but UK had an emotional time of it, too, with a near upset of unbeaten Auburn. What's more, the Wildcats' leading rusher, Derrick Locke, probably will not play because of shoulder stingers.
South Carolina is too physical with its run game. If SC shows any signs of sloppiness with the pass game, Steve Spurrier is going to run the football as much as he can. Stats to remember: Gamecocks are 11th in total defense in the SEC; UK is fourth in offense. But Kentucky is last in rushing defense.
Mississippi State
at Florida
Florida, the team with all that speed, is 96th in total offense in college football. It doesn't seem possible. The Gators' quarterback is beat up and their head coach reinstated skill guy Chris Rainey, who merely sent a text to a woman, "Time to die." It's time for the Gators to amount to something for all this talent they have hauled in. Ron Zook was fired after he lost to Mississippi State. Coach Urban Meyer won't be fired if there is an upset, but he will have some explaining to do about last offseason when he resigned and then came back but passed some duties on to his assistants.
Mississippi at Alabama
Alabama star wide receiver Julio Jones has a broken hand and might not play. Will it matter? The Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1) should be plenty angry after losing by two touchdowns to South Carolina. The wide receivers opposite Jones have not made enough plays because quarterback Greg McElroy is in a slump. NFL scouts say he is way too methodical with the ball and slow to turn it loose.
Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe said Alabama has been "exposed" as a one-dimensional team that can run and not pass. The Rebels (3-2, 1-1) have their defensive secondary intact after some injuries so this should be interesting. Ole Miss, which had the week off to get healthy and get prepared, has not won in Tuscaloosa since 1988.
McNeese State at LSU
No way that coach Les Miles and the No. 9 Tigers make this close, right? Right?Maryland at Clemson
The Terrapins are 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC because of big plays (they have 12 plays of 50 yards or longer). If Clemson (2-3, 0-2) wants to win, the Tigers have to stop Maryland on third down. The Terps convert just 24.6 percent of third-down plays, last in the ACC. Ralph Friedgen, the ex-Georgia Tech assistant and the Maryland head coach, owns the Tigers (6-3). Clemson has to figure some things out. It has lost three in a row. It hurt itself with turnovers in a loss to Miami and then hurt itself with penalties against North Carolina. Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers has six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in just five games. None of this misery can be pinned on him.
Boston College
at Florida State
What team exactly showed up at Oklahoma a month ago and got clobbered by the Sooners? That Florida State team is nowhere in sight. It's not as easily explained as saying the Seminoles got into their ACC schedule and everything was made easy. Miami has some skill --- but not coaching, apparently --- and No. 16 FSU waxed the Canes. Quarterback Christian Ponder was leading the offense until the run game showed itself with 298 yards vs. Miami. There is a lot of balance for BC to worry about. The Seminoles average 4.3 sacks per game. BC better stay out of third-and-long, especially with freshman QB Chase Rettig back on the field.
North Carolina at Virginia
Carolina comes off an upset over Clemson, but look what happened this week. Tar Heels coach Butch Davis is back doing damage control on the school's scandal. His former right-hand man, assistant coach John Blake, was in the news on Blake's relationship with agents. Davis cannot survive this, can he? His team is playing inspired football and it is working hard to save his job, but the Pope would have to intervene at this point. Tailback Ryan Houston was reinstated after missing five games.
Miami at Duke
Randy Shannon, who was supposed to lead the 'Canes back to glory, is leading his team down a dark shaft. In two show-me games, Ohio State and Florida State, Miami has looked dreadful on offense and has been pushed around on defense. The Hurricanes beat Pitt and Clemson and looked formidable, but now what? Quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown nine interceptions. The Blue Devils (1-4, 0-2) have lost four straight, two of them by one score each. They can pass; they can't run. Miami's defense can win this as long as Harris does not put them in a lot of bad situations.ACCSECCompiled by Ray Glier, For the AJCNATIONAL GAMES TO WATCH
