Newsletter Thread 9/24-9/29

[kozski61]

Pointwise College Key Releases

1--CENTRAL MICHIGAN over Buffalo 45-20
1--Cincinnati over AKRON 41-17
2--Purdue (+) over NOTRE DAME 23-14
3--BALL STATE over Kent State 50-20
3--PENN STATE over Illinois 41-17
4--Northern Illinois over EASTERN MICH. 48-24
5--Colorado (+) over FLORIDA STATE 20-16
5--Oregon over WASHINGTON STATE 48-14

NFL Key Releases
2--San Diego over OAKLAND 31-17
3--Cleveland (+) over CINCINNATI 17-16
4--Buffalo over ST. LOUIS 34-13
5--CHICAGO (+) over Philadelphia 20-17
5--Carolina over ATLANTA 24-10





Sunshine Forecast
===============

NFL Computer Predictions

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Denver Broncos (-9) at Kansas City Chiefs

Power Rating Projection:

Denver Broncos 25 Kansas City Chiefs 21


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Kansas City Chiefs 31 Denver Broncos 23
Kansas City Chiefs (1 star)
Angle: Scored 30+ Points in Consecutive Games [Teams coming off back-to-back games scoring at least 30 points ]
Go against Denver Broncos ( Won neither previous game by at least 7 points, 4-10-2, 28.6% )
Angle: Favored by More Than 7 Points on the Road [Road teams favored by more than 7 points ]
Go against Denver Broncos ( No additional conditions, 44-65-3, 40.4% )
Historical trend: Take Kansas City Chiefs ( Domination by home team, 11-4-1, 73.3% )

Cleveland Browns (+3?) at Cincinnati Bengals

Power Rating Projection:

Cincinnati Bengals 22 Cleveland Browns 21


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Cincinnati Bengals 22 Cleveland Browns 21

Houston Texans (+7?) at Jacksonville Jaguars

Power Rating Projection:

Jacksonville Jaguars 29 Houston Texans 15


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Jacksonville Jaguars 31 Houston Texans 17
Historical trend: Take Houston Texans ( Domination by Houston Texans, 9-3, 75.0% )

Arizona Cardinals (+3?) at New York Jets

Power Rating Projection:

New York Jets 21 Arizona Cardinals 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

New York Jets 20 Arizona Cardinals 19

San Francisco 49ers (+6) at New Orleans Saints

Power Rating Projection:

New Orleans Saints 28 San Francisco 49ers 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

New Orleans Saints 35 San Francisco 49ers 30

Atlanta Falcons (+7) at Carolina Panthers

Power Rating Projection:

Carolina Panthers 19 Atlanta Falcons 16


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Carolina Panthers 13 Atlanta Falcons 10

Minnesota Vikings (+3) at Tennessee Titans

Power Rating Projection:

Tennessee Titans 20 Minnesota Vikings 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Minnesota Vikings 14 Tennessee Titans 13

Green Bay Packers (+1?) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Power Rating Projection:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Green Bay Packers 23


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29 Green Bay Packers 28

Buffalo Bills (-Cool at St Louis Rams

Power Rating Projection:

Buffalo Bills 26 St Louis Rams 18


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Buffalo Bills 28 St Louis Rams 20
Angle: Favored by More Than 7 Points on the Road [Road teams favored by more than 7 points ]
Go against Buffalo Bills ( No additional conditions, 44-65-3, 40.4% )

San Diego Chargers (-7) at Oakland Raiders

Power Rating Projection:

San Diego Chargers 27 Oakland Raiders 18


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

San Diego Chargers 30 Oakland Raiders 21
Historical trend: Take San Diego Chargers ( Domination by San Diego Chargers, 12-4, 75.0% )
Historical trend: Take San Diego Chargers ( Domination on the road by San Diego Chargers, 7-1, 87.5% )

Washington Redskins (+12) at Dallas Cowboys

Power Rating Projection:

Dallas Cowboys 25 Washington Redskins 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Dallas Cowboys 28 Washington Redskins 23

Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears

Power Rating Projection:

Philadelphia Eagles 25 Chicago Bears 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Philadelphia Eagles 31 Chicago Bears 28

Monday, September 29, 2008

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Power Rating Projection:

Pittsburgh Steelers 24 Baltimore Ravens 15


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Pittsburgh Steelers 21 Baltimore Ravens 13






Sunshine Forecast College
====================

CFB Computer Predictions

Thursday, September 25, 2008

S-M-U(+17) at Tulane

Power Rating Projection:

Tulane 32 S-M-U 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Tulane 32 S-M-U 21

Southern Cal(-24) at Oregon State

Power Rating Projection:

Southern Cal 33 Oregon State 18


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Southern Cal 33 Oregon State 19
Angle: After Bye Week [Teams playing after a bye week ]
Go against Southern Cal ( Playing on the Road, Favored by 7?+ Points, 46-84-2, 35.4% )
Historical trend: Take Oregon State ( Domination by home team, 6-1, 85.7% )

Friday, September 26, 2008

Connecticut(+3?) at Louisville

Power Rating Projection:

Louisville 29 Connecticut 28


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Connecticut 31 Louisville 30

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Navy(+15?) at Wake Forest

Power Rating Projection:

Wake Forest 38 Navy 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Wake Forest 44 Navy 31

Western Michigan(-4) at Temple

Power Rating Projection:

Western Michigan 25 Temple 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Temple 24 Western Michigan 18
Temple (1 star)

Marshall(+17) at West Virginia

Power Rating Projection:

West Virginia 41 Marshall 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

West Virginia 45 Marshall 24

Pittsburgh(-15?) at Syracuse

Power Rating Projection:

Pittsburgh 33 Syracuse 18


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Pittsburgh 32 Syracuse 17
Historical trend: Take Pittsburgh ( Domination by favorite, 6-2, 75.0% )

Michigan State(-8?) at Indiana

Power Rating Projection:

Michigan State 28 Indiana 26


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Michigan State 30 Indiana 28

Northwestern(+Cool at Iowa

Power Rating Projection:

Iowa 28 Northwestern 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Iowa 27 Northwestern 17

Virginia(+7) at Duke

Power Rating Projection:

Duke 29 Virginia 27


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Duke 31 Virginia 30
Historical trend: Take Duke ( Domination by home team, 6-2, 75.0% )

North Carolina(+7?) at Miami-Florida

Power Rating Projection:

Miami-Florida 24 North Carolina 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Miami-Florida 21 North Carolina 20

Mississippi(+23) at Florida

Power Rating Projection:

Florida 46 Mississippi 15


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Florida 51 Mississippi 21

Mississippi State(+24) at Louisiana State

Power Rating Projection:

Louisiana State 38 Mississippi State 14


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Louisiana State 38 Mississippi State 14
Historical trend: Take Louisiana State ( Domination by Louisiana State, 7-1, 87.5% )

Northern Illinois(-6) at Eastern Michigan

Power Rating Projection:

Eastern Michigan 27 Northern Illinois 26


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Eastern Michigan 27 Northern Illinois 26
Historical trend: Take Northern Illinois ( Domination by visiting team, 6-1-1, 85.7% )

Buffalo(+6) at Central Michigan

Power Rating Projection:

Central Michigan 31 Buffalo 25


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Central Michigan 34 Buffalo 28

Cincinnati(-10) at Akron

Power Rating Projection:

Cincinnati 40 Akron 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Cincinnati 47 Akron 31

Houston(+10?) at East Carolina

Power Rating Projection:

East Carolina 34 Houston 25


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

East Carolina 38 Houston 30

Purdue(+2?) at Notre Dame

Power Rating Projection:

Purdue 32 Notre Dame 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Purdue 34 Notre Dame 27

Minnesota(+17?) at Ohio State

Power Rating Projection:

Ohio State 35 Minnesota 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Ohio State 42 Minnesota 17
Ohio State (1 star)

Virginia Tech(+7) at Nebraska

Power Rating Projection:

Nebraska 32 Virginia Tech 26


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Virginia Tech 35 Nebraska 30
Virginia Tech (1 star)
Angle: Fourth Straight Home Game [Teams playing 4th straight home game ]
Go against Nebraska ( Won previous three games, Previous three games had betting line, 8-21, 27.6% )

Stanford(+3?) at Washington

Power Rating Projection:

Stanford 27 Washington 26


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Stanford 29 Washington 28

Colorado State(+25) at California

Power Rating Projection:

California 38 Colorado State 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

California 44 Colorado State 28

Alabama(+6?) at Georgia

Power Rating Projection:

Georgia 26 Alabama 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Georgia 26 Alabama 23

Tennessee(+6?) at Auburn

Power Rating Projection:

Auburn 32 Tennessee 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Auburn 35 Tennessee 27

Wisconsin(-6?) at Michigan

Power Rating Projection:

Wisconsin 21 Michigan 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Wisconsin 16 Michigan 14
Historical trend: Take Michigan ( Domination by underdog, 5-0-1, 100.0% )
Historical trend: Take Wisconsin ( Domination by Wisconsin, 5-0-1, 100.0% )

Maryland(+11?) at Clemson

Power Rating Projection:

Clemson 30 Maryland 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Clemson 24 Maryland 23
Maryland (1 star)
Historical trend: Take Maryland ( Domination on the road by Maryland, 4-0, 100.0% )

Fresno State(-7) at U.C.L.A.

Power Rating Projection:

Fresno State 29 U.C.L.A. 27


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Fresno State 31 U.C.L.A. 30

Bowling Green(-3?) at Wyoming

Power Rating Projection:

Wyoming 21 Bowling Green 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Wyoming 17 Bowling Green 15

Oregon(-20) at Washington State

Power Rating Projection:

Oregon 44 Washington State 16


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Oregon 48 Washington State 20
Historical trend: Take Washington State ( Domination by underdog at Washington State, 5-1, 83.3% )

Texas Christian(+17?) at Oklahoma

Power Rating Projection:

Oklahoma 44 Texas Christian 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Oklahoma 50 Texas Christian 30

U-A-B(+24?) at South Carolina

Power Rating Projection:

South Carolina 40 U-A-B 15


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

South Carolina 42 U-A-B 17

Army(+2Cool at Texas A+M

Power Rating Projection:

Texas A+M 36 Army 11


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Texas A+M 35 Army 10

Kent State(+17) at Ball State

Power Rating Projection:

Ball State 43 Kent State 16


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Ball State 48 Kent State 21

South Florida(-8?) at No Carolina State

Power Rating Projection:

South Florida 32 No Carolina State 20


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

South Florida 27 No Carolina State 25
No Carolina State (1 star)

Colorado(+6) at Florida State [@ Jacksonville FL]

Power Rating Projection:

Florida State 27 Colorado 23


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Florida State 26 Colorado 22

U-C-F(-5) at UTEP

Power Rating Projection:

U-C-F 35 UTEP 25


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

U-C-F 41 UTEP 31

Illinois(+13?) at Penn State

Power Rating Projection:

Penn State 37 Illinois 24


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Penn State 42 Illinois 30

New Mexico(-3) at New Mexico State

Power Rating Projection:

New Mexico 28 New Mexico State 19


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

New Mexico 27 New Mexico State 17

Idaho(+11?) at San Diego State

Power Rating Projection:

San Diego State 42 Idaho 21


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

San Diego State 48 Idaho 27

Nevada-Reno(+3?) at Nevada-Las Vegas

Power Rating Projection:

Nevada-Las Vegas 35 Nevada-Reno 28


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Nevada-Las Vegas 42 Nevada-Reno 34
Historical trend: Take Nevada-Las Vegas ( Domination by favorite at Nevada-Las Vegas, 4-0, 100.0% )
Historical trend: Take Nevada-Las Vegas ( Domination by home team, 6-2, 75.0% )

San Jose State(+3) at Hawaii

Power Rating Projection:

Hawaii 30 San Jose State 18


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Hawaii 28 San Jose State 17

Western Kentucky(+22) at Kentucky

Power Rating Projection:

Kentucky 44 Western Kentucky 16


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Kentucky 44 Western Kentucky 16

Arkansas State(+1) at Memphis

Power Rating Projection:

Arkansas State 29 Memphis 23


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Arkansas State 30 Memphis 24

Troy(+16) at Oklahoma State

Power Rating Projection:

Oklahoma State 40 Troy 27


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Oklahoma State 42 Troy 38
Troy (1 star)

Florida Intl(+17?) at Toledo

Power Rating Projection:

Toledo 47 Florida Intl 22


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Toledo 53 Florida Intl 29

UL-Lafayette(+21) at Kansas State

Power Rating Projection:

Kansas State 46 UL-Lafayette 15


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Kansas State 52 UL-Lafayette 20

North Texas(+19) at Rice

Power Rating Projection:

Rice 43 North Texas 21


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Rice 50 North Texas 27

Arkansas(+2Cool at Texas

Power Rating Projection:

Texas 38 Arkansas 16


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Texas 40 Arkansas 19

Rhode Island at Boston College

Power Rating Projection:

Boston College 39 Rhode Island 0


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Boston College 44 Rhode Island 0

Virginia Military at Ohio

Power Rating Projection:

Ohio 31 Virginia Military 0


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Ohio 32 Virginia Military 0

Morgan State at Rutgers

Power Rating Projection:

Rutgers 31 Morgan State 0


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Rutgers 38 Morgan State 0

Central Arkansas at Tulsa

Power Rating Projection:

Tulsa 53 Central Arkansas 0


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Tulsa 54 Central Arkansas 3

Weber State at Utah

Power Rating Projection:

Utah 50 Weber State 4


Statistical Projections
Too early for statistical projections

SUNSHINE FORECAST Official Prediction:

Utah 52 Weber State 6




Sunshine Forecast Official Picks
=========================

Official NFL Picks
September 28, 2008
Kansas City Chiefs (+9) 31 vs. Denver Broncos 23




Sunshine Forecast Official College Picks
================================

Official College Picks
September 25, 2008
No official selections for this date

September 26, 2008
No official selections for this date

September 27, 2008
Temple (+4) 24 vs. Western Michigan 18

Ohio State (-17?) 42 vs. Minnesota 17

Virginia Tech (+7) 35 at Nebraska 30

Clemson 24 vs. Maryland (+11?) 23

South Florida 27 at No Carolina State (+8?) 25

Oklahoma State 42 vs. Troy (+16) 38

 

[kozski61]

(1) USC (2-0) at Oregon State (1-2) 21:00 EDT Thu Sep 25, 2008
(1) USC (2-0) at Oregon State (1-2)
Game info: 21:00 EDT Thu Sep 25, 2008


Southern California traveled to the East Coast and crushed a team from the ACC, and followed that up by pounding a Big Ten opponent that was ranked fifth at the time.

Done humiliating non-conference opponents for a while, the top-ranked Trojans move on to where they?re even more dominant - Pac-10 play.

USC begins its quest for a seventh straight conference crown Thursday night, as it opens its Pac-10 schedule with its first visit to Oregon State since a stunning loss two years ago.

The Trojans (2-0) haven?t played since defeating then-No. 5 Ohio State 35-3 on Sept. 13 in what was billed as a showdown between two of the best teams in the country.

USC, however, made the Buckeyes look rather ordinary as it established itself as a favorite to win the national title.

?If we can keep this momentum going and we can keep our playmakers showing up, we?re going to be really tough,? USC coach Pete Carroll said.

That win came one week after the Trojans? season-opening 52-7 victory at Virginia. USC has won in such convincing fashion in the early going that some are comparing it to the 2003 and ?04 national championship-winning Trojans squads led by Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.

Carroll isn?t interested in entertaining those thoughts at this point.

?We?ve played two nice football games and that?s it,? Carroll said. ?We?re not even through the first quarter of the season yet. To figure out how we compare is hasty.?

Carroll wants his team to focus first on getting through the conference schedule unscathed.

USC went 7-2 against the Pac-10 last season to win its sixth straight conference title - all under Carroll. The Trojans have won 44 of 50 conference games since their league title streak began in 2002, and have not dropped a Pac-10 opener since losing 34-31 at California in overtime in 2003.

USC defeated Oregon State 24-3 on Nov. 3, but in its last trip to Corvallis on Oct. 28, 2006, the then-No. 3 Trojans were shocked 33-31, ending the program?s 38-game regular-season winning streak.

The Trojans? offense and defense are among the nation?s best as they return to Oregon State.

Mark Sanchez threw four touchdown passes against Ohio State, and has thrown for 510 yards, seven TDs and two interceptions this season.

Joe McKnight rushed for 105 yards on 12 carries last week after carrying the ball six times for 60 yards in the win over Virginia.

?He?s so explosive,? Sanchez said of McKnight. ?When he?s got time, when he?s got a little space, anything can happen.?

USC has yielded the fewest points in the nation and is allowing 197.0 yards per game, second-best in the country. The defense has forced seven turnovers and recorded seven sacks.

?It?s just a really good football team,? Beavers coach Mike Riley said of USC. ?It has a lot of speed and size. On defense they are overwhelming and on offense they are very balanced. That?s always very dangerous.?

Oregon State (1-2, 0-1) hasn?t played since a 45-7 victory over Hawaii on Sept. 13, finally winning after a season-opening 36-28 loss to Stanford on Aug. 28 and a 45-14 defeat to then-No. 19 Penn State on Sept. 6.

Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Warriors, becoming the school?s first true freshman to run for 100 yards in a game since Steven Jackson in 2001 at USC. In his last two games, the 5-foot-7 Rodgers has rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns.

Rodgers? older brother, sophomore slot back James Rodgers, has 13 catches for 159 yards and a score this season.

?These are two fine kids,? said Riley, a former USC assistant coach, ?and they?ve added a lot to our program already.?






Minnesota (4-0) at (14) Ohio State (3-1)12:00 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008
Minnesota (4-0) at (14) Ohio State (3-1)
Game info: 12:00 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008


Ohio State?s offense received a spark last week, as highly touted freshman Terrelle Pryor had a stellar debut as the starting quarterback.

Coach Jim Tressel hopes another key part of the offense can provide a lift on Saturday.

Star running back Chris ?Beanie? Wells is expected to be back in the lineup for the first time since the season opener as the 14th-ranked Buckeyes begin their quest for a fourth straight Big Ten title when they start conference play by hosting surprising Minnesota.

Wells was the nation?s ninth-leading rusher in 2007 as a sophomore, finishing with 1,609 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate this season, when Ohio State (3-1) opened as the No. 2 team in the nation.

Wells rushed for 111 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries in the Buckeyes? 43-0 win over Youngstown State on Aug. 30, but left in the third quarter with a foot injury. He missed the next three games, and Tressel said Tuesday that Wells was probable for the conference opener.

The addition of Wells should help an offense that has averaged 262.7 yards in its last three games.

?I think it adds to our arsenal,? Tressel said. ?He?s a good back. He can do some things, so exactly how that will unfold, I don?t know.?

Wells would be joined in the backfield by Pryor, who last week became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Ohio State since Art Schlichter in 1978.

After an embarrassing 35-3 loss at top-ranked Southern California on Sept. 13, Tressel shook up the offense by replacing senior Todd Boeckman with Pryor.

The 6-foot-6 Pryor was 10-for-16 for 139 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in last Saturday?s 28-10 win over Troy.

?My comfort level is about 7 or 8 out of 10 right now,? said Pryor, who also ran 14 times for 66 yards. ?You saw some bad (thrown) balls along with the four touchdowns I threw. I have so much to learn.?

Now that Pryor has his first start under his belt, he?ll look to continue his development against conference foes.

The Buckeyes have won 22 of 24 conference games since their league title streak began in 2005, and have won three straight Big Ten openers since a 33-27 overtime loss to Northwestern in 2004.

Ohio State has also won five straight over the Golden Gophers (4-0) since the then-No. 6 Buckeyes lost 29-17 at Ohio Stadium on Oct. 14, 2000. Ohio State, which has won 21 of its last 22 at home, is 20-3 all-time against Minnesota in Columbus.

The Buckeyes defeated Minnesota 30-7 last Sept. 29 as Wells rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, but this Gophers team will likely look different.

After going 1-11 in its first year under coach Tim Brewster in 2007, Minnesota is trying to open with five straight victories for the first time since 2004.

The Gophers were last in total defense last season (518.7 yards per game), but are allowing an average of 354.8 yards under new defensive coordinator Ted Roof, who was fired last season as the head coach at Duke.

Minnesota had four interceptions in last Saturday?s 37-3 win over Florida Atlantic, avenging last season?s 42-39 loss to the Owls. The Gophers already have forced 13 turnovers - while only committing two - after forcing only 14 all of last season.

?We?re executing the plan,? Brewster said. ?I had a plan when I took this job, a blueprint for exactly what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to accomplish it.

?We?re going to have to improve as a football team if we expect to win games in the Big Ten, but I like our football team.?

Offensively, Minnesota is led by quarterback Adam Weber, who has passed for 967 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. Weber?s top target, Eric Decker, leads the Big 10 in receptions (32), yards (454) and has four TD catches.





Maryland (3-1) at (20) Clemson (3-1) 12:00 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008
Maryland (3-1) at (20) Clemson (3-1)
Game info: 12:00 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008


Clemson entered the season with its highest ranking since 1991, and appeared capable of contending for its first BCS bowl and perhaps the national championship.

Though those goals may have seemed unlikely after a disheartening season-opening loss, three straight blowout wins have the Tigers believing again.

The 20th-ranked Tigers continue their quest for their first ACC title in 17 years as they return to conference play by hosting Maryland on Saturday.

Clemson (3-1, 1-0) came in at No. 9 in the preseason poll, the first time it cracked the top 10 since finishing the 1991 season ranked ninth.

The Tigers, though, quickly fell out of the Top 25 after losing to Alabama 34-10 on Aug. 30. They were outgained 419-188, thanks in part to a much-hyped rushing attack that netted zero yards.

Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper called that defeat a wake-up call, and it appears to have yielded the desired results. The Tigers have outscored opponents 126-26 to win their last three games.

?I think after week one, they?ve done all you can ask them to do,? coach Tommy Bowden said. ?I?d say right now, we?re right on track.?

Clemson continued its resurgence with a 54-0 rout of South Carolina State last Saturday - its first shutout since beating Louisiana Tech 51-0 on Sept. 30, 2006.

?Alabama, that was a tough loss,? defensive back Chris Chancellor said. ?But we just put that behind us, and each week we?ve progressed.?

Clemson has bounced back thanks in part to the resurgence of its dynamic rushing tandem of James Davis and C.J. Spiller. The duo was held to 20 yards and no touchdowns against Alabama, but has totaled 435 yards and eight TDs in the last three games.

?We set ourselves up pretty good with this game, got a little momentum,? Davis said after running 11 times for 95 yards and three touchdowns last weekend. ?I think we?ve put ourselves in position to get ready for ACC play.?

The Tigers, who entered the season as runaway favorites to win the ACC crown, beat North Carolina State 27-9 in their conference opener Sept. 13. They?re hoping to win the conference for the first time since they went 6-0-1 against ACC rivals in 1991.

?I feel like going into conference play, everybody?s going to be a little more hyped, everybody?s going to play a little bit harder,? safety Michael Hamlin said.

Clemson may need that additional boost against a surprising Maryland team. The Terrapins (3-1, 0-0) got off to a slow start, barely holding on for a 14-7 win over Delaware before losing 24-14 to Middle Tennessee State, but have totaled 86 points in winning their last two contests.

They followed up a 35-27 victory over then-No. 23 California with a 51-24 win over Eastern Michigan last Saturday. Darrius Heyward-Bey caught a 32-yard touchdown pass and ran twice for 81 yards to lead a Maryland offense that recorded its highest point total since Sept. 25, 2004 and its highest yardage total (486) since Nov. 12, 2005.

The Terps put together their best offensive performance in years despite playing without running back Da?Rel Scott, who was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Scott, who ranks fifth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 135.7 rushing yards per game, could return against Clemson.

That would likely please coach Ralph Friedgen, who didn?t panic after his team?s early struggles.

?I would love to be 4-0,? Friedgen said. ?Maybe we learned some things along the way. I see us getting better.?

That?s good news for the Terps, who visit Virginia next Saturday before hosting No. 16 Wake Forest the following week. The tough upcoming schedule was a topic of conversation in Maryland?s locker room after last week?s win.

?I brought up Clemson, I brought up Virginia and I brought up Wake Forest,? Friedgen said. ?I said this is a very big stretch for us. We need to put all our focus into playing the best we can right now. If we do well, we?ll be right in the mix. It starts next Saturday down there in Death Valley.?

Maryland, which was 3-5 in conference play in 2007, has won two of its last three road games against Clemson, including a 13-12 victory over the 19th-ranked Tigers in 2006. Clemson, though, has won three of four overall to take a 30-24-2 advantage in the all-time series.





Mississippi (2-2) at (4) Florida (3-0)12:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008
Mississippi (2-2) at (4) Florida (3-0)
Game info: 12:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008


Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy last season, but the Florida quarterback didn?t get much help from the defense as the Gators failed to repeat as national champions.

If the first three games of 2008 are any indication, Tebow should get plenty of support from that unit this time around.

Backed by one of the nation?s top defenses, Tebow and the fourth-ranked Gators (3-0, 1-0) will look to keep rolling Saturday when they play their SEC home opener against Mississippi.

Tebow was a key member of Florida?s 2006 national championship squad as a freshman, providing a multi-dimensional threat in place of starter Chris Leak and finishing as the team?s second-leading rusher.

With Leak gone last season, Tebow took over as the starter and was second in the country in passer rating while scoring 55 touchdowns - 23 rushing - en route to the Heisman.

The Gators? defense, however, failed to rise to Tebow?s level. Florida boasted a top 10 defense in 2006 but had only the seventh-best defense in the conference last season, allowing 80.0 more yards per game and 10.7 more points than in 2007.

The Gators appear to have regained their ?06 form this season despite having the only defense in the SEC without a senior starter. Florida is fifth in the country with 213.0 yards allowed per game, and is yielding 6.3 points a contest and has a plus-nine turnover differential - both of which rank second nationally.

?They?re playing great,? Tebow said of the defense. ?It helps you out so much. You can really count on them. You don?t have to force anything. They?re out there and they?re playing hard and making plays.?

The dominant defense powered Florida to a convincing win over Tennessee in its SEC opener last week, forcing three turnovers - two with the Volunteers inside the Gators? 20-yard line - in a 30-6 victory.

?We just came out and played relentless,? said linebacker Brandon Spikes, who led the team with 10 tackles. ?If we come out every week and do that it?s going to be tough on opponents.?

The defense?s resurgence has kept Florida unbeaten as Tebow has had a less spectacular season so far. His numbers haven?t been bad - he?s completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 489 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions - but they pale in comparison to where he was at this point last year.

In his first three games of 2007, Tebow completed 73.8 percent of his passes for 835 yards, throwing for eight touchdowns and running for five.

He has yet to run for a score this season.

Tebow ran for two TDs last year against Ole Miss (2-2, 0-1), rolling up a career-high 166 yards on the ground in the then-No. 3 Gators? 30-24 win in Oxford. That snapped Florida?s two-game losing streak against the Rebels, defeats that came by a field goal each time in 2002 and ?03, the latter being the teams? last meeting in Gainesville.

Ole Miss could easily be 4-0 but has suffered a pair of disheartening losses. The Rebels outgained then-No. 20 Wake Forest on the road Sept. 6, but lost 30-28 on a last-second field goal. After beating Samford the next week, Ole Miss hosted Vanderbilt in its SEC opener last Saturday and outgained the Commodores 385-202. Jevan Snead, though, threw four interceptions and the Rebels lost two fumbles in a 23-17 defeat.

?We just had a lot of missed opportunities that could have really put this game away early,? first-year coach Houston Nutt said. ?We gave them a lot of good gifts tonight.?

Snead, who transferred from Texas and sat out last season, got off to a great start with Ole Miss, throwing two touchdowns in the opener against Memphis and four against Wake Forest. However, he?s thrown six interceptions without a touchdown in the last two games.

?He?s going to get better. I know he is,? Nutt said. ?It?s just about going back out there, working a little harder, concentrating a little better and expecting different things.?

Nutt, who coached Arkansas from 1998-2007, is 0-3 against the Gators. He and Florida coach Urban Meyer have faced each other once, a 38-28 Gators win in the 2006 SEC championship game that put Meyer?s team in the BCS title game.

Florida is 21-1 in Gainesville under Meyer.






Arkansas (2-1) at (7) Texas (3-0) 15:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008
Arkansas (2-1) at (7) Texas (3-0)
Game info: 15:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008


When Texas and Arkansas were originally scheduled to meet two weeks ago, the Longhorns were coming off a blowout win against an overmatched opponent and the Razorbacks had been buoyed by their second consecutive comeback victory.

While not much has changed for Texas, Arkansas has a new perspective after getting routed at home in its SEC opener.

The seventh-ranked Longhorns look to continue their strong start and send the Razorbacks to back-to-back defeats Saturday when the former Southwest Conference rivals make up a game that was delayed by Hurricane Ike.

Texas and Arkansas were both 2-0 heading into their Sept. 13 matchup at Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Severe weather in southeast Texas forced the postponement of that game to Saturday, when both teams had open dates.

The Longhorns (3-0) are still undefeated after a 52-10 win over Rice last Saturday gave them their third victory by at least 29 points.

The Razorbacks (2-1), though, suffered their first loss under first-year coach Bobby Petrino, falling 49-14 at home to then-No. 9 Alabama. Their first big test of the year exposed some weaknesses in a young Arkansas team that had gotten a go-ahead touchdown in the final two minutes of each of its first two games.

?Even in the two wins that we had, we had places where we were beating ourselves,? Petrino said. ?We?ve got a lot to learn, a long way to go.?

Despite his team?s early success, Texas coach Mack Brown also sees plenty of room for improvement.

?I would think that we?re pleased with most of the things we?ve got, and they all need work,? said Brown, whose Longhorns returned only 10 starters from 2007. ?We?re still the team that everybody said was under the radar and they didn?t know if they were really good and they had all these question marks. ? We haven?t changed anything, we?ve just answered the bell three times.

?Each week we?ll know a little bit more about who we are. I don?t know if we?re any good or not.?

The jury may still be out on Texas, but Brown doesn?t have any lingering questions about quarterback Colt McCoy, who completed 19 of 23 passes for 329 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against Rice.

?He?s just taken over,? Brown said. ?This is his team. He?s having fun.?

McCoy?s four TDs last week gave him 62 for his career, two more than current Longhorns running backs coach Major Applewhite, who had set the school record from 1998-2001. A third-year starter as a junior, McCoy has a chance at breaking nearly all of Texas? passing records by the time he?s done. He insists, however, that he?s not looking that far into the future.

?There have been so many great quarterbacks to come here. I?m playing behind probably the best ever in Vince (Young),? McCoy said. ?To be able to have the success that we?re having is a blessing. ? I just want to win. I think that?s the most important category for a quarterback is how many wins you have, and that?s all I want to do.

?You dream about those things as a kid and now some of those things are coming true, and I have another year to play,? he said. ?My eyes are looking forward, they?re focused on Arkansas. Like I said, the plan is to win.?

The Razorbacks hope to put up a better fight this week, and cutting down on mental errors should help. Arkansas gave up interception returns of 63 and 74 yards in the first half last week, and turned the ball over on downs after marching to a first-and-goal on the 2 on their final drive of the second quarter. Despite outgaining Alabama in the first half, Arkansas trailed 35-7 at intermission.

?I felt like we were moving the ball well. The stop on the 1 and the interceptions really hurt our momentum,? Petrino said. ?We have got to get where we don?t beat ourselves. The first part of winning games is not beating yourselves - taking care of the ball, being where you?re supposed to be, not having assignment errors, getting more big plays than your opponent gets.?

Arkansas has defeated a ranked Longhorns team in two of the last three meetings in the series, but lost to seventh-ranked Texas 22-20 in the last matchup Sept. 11, 2004.

The Longhorns are 55-21 all-time against the Razorbacks, including 27-11 in Austin, but have lost three of their last four home games against them.






Tennessee (1-2) at (15) Auburn (3-1)15:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008
Tennessee (1-2) at (15) Auburn (3-1)
Game info: 15:30 EDT Sat Sep 27, 2008


Auburn has probably had its fill of close games for a while. Having Tennessee come to town might be a good way to end the trend.

With both SEC teams coming off hard-to-take home losses, the 15th-ranked Tigers try to hand coach Phillip Fulmer and the Volunteers their worst start in 14 years on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

A win with a baseball-like score - and the first 3-2 game in SEC history - was far from satisfying for Auburn (3-1, 1-1) after it defeated what was widely considered an inferior Mississippi State team on Sept. 13.

That less-than-convincing victory and mediocre offensive performance did not provide a big confidence boost for the Tigers heading into their showdown last Saturday with then-No. 6 LSU, and they ended up in another close game - this one in Auburn. Unlike the previous week, however, Auburn wasted an 11-point halftime lead and ended up losing 26-21 on a touchdown pass with 1:03 to play.

?We took a major step forward. We played much better than we did last week,? Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. ?I was proud of the offense. At times, we started executing and we didn?t have the crazy penalties that we had last week or the turnovers. We are not satisfied obviously with losing the game. That?s hard fought.?

Tuberville?s team is not expected to get as great a challenge from Tennessee (1-2, 0-1).

The Volunteers were outmatched by another ranked SEC foe last week in Knoxville, losing 30-6 to No. 4 Florida. They also suffered a season-opening 27-24 loss to a UCLA team which has lost its other two games by a combined 90-10 score.

Giving Fulmer hope for the rest of the season, Tennessee stood at 1-2 last year after a blowout loss to the Gators, but won eight of its next nine to reach the SEC title game.

?We played for the championship in Atlanta when a lot of other people had given up on us early,? Fulmer said. ?We won?t give up, and we?ve got a chance to be there yet. It?s just a little bit harder road.?

That road includes a visit to third-ranked Georgia on Oct. 11, not to mention this trip to Jordan-Hare as Tennessee tries to avoid its first 1-3 start since 1994 - Fulmer?s second full season as coach.

Auburn has won the last three meetings, though the teams have not faced each other since the Tigers? 38-28 victory in the 2004 SEC championship game. The Volunteers have not dropped four straight in this series since 1961-64.

Both teams are seeking more consistent quarterback play.

Tigers junior Chris Todd is eighth in the SEC in passer rating, having thrown three interceptions and two touchdown passes. He?s completed just 53.4 percent of his passes over the last two games, though he did throw for a season-high 250 yards against LSU and gave Auburn the lead midway through the fourth quarter with a 15-yard TD pass to Robert Dunn.

?We were a lot better than we did last week. The quarterbacks put a lot more trust in the receivers to make plays,? Dunn said. ?We made some plays, but unfortunately we didn?t make enough plays. ? We have another big game coming up.?

The Tennessee passing game also remains a work in progress. First-year starter Jonathan Crompton has attempted 100 passes but has thrown for less than 200 yards per game, with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Crompton has been prone to some big mistakes, including two turnovers after driving the Vols to Florida?s 1-yard line last Saturday.

?I?ve got to put it in the back of my mind and move on,? Crompton said. ?You?ve got to have a short-term memory, forget it and drive on.?

Tennessee might have to rely on Crompton to have a big day offensively, considering Auburn is one of only five teams in the nation yet to allow a rushing touchdown. The Vols have run for six TDs, though they were held to 3.1 yards per carry last week as top rusher Arian Foster gained 37 yards on 14 carries.

Auburn leading rusher Ben Tate also looks to bounce back after gaining 45 yards on 19 carries last week. It appears likely the TIgers? second-leading rusher, senior Brad Lester, will also be available after leaving the LSU game with a knee problem.

Lester has 174 rushing yards on 42 carries this season, while Tate - a junior - has rushed 67 times for 323 yards