COLLEGE GAMEDAY: 11.21.09
- Four Downs: Saturday's Story Lines
- Local Previews: Maryland , Virginia Tech and More
The Roster: Games to Watch
The Front line
No. 9 Ohio State at Michigan, noon, WJLA (Channel 7), WMAR (Channel 2); Connecticut at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m., WRC (Channel 4), WBAL (Channel 11); Virginia at No. 18 Clemson, 3:30 p.m., WJLA (Channel 7), WMAR (Channel 2); No. 11 Oregon at Arizona, 8 p.m., pay-per-view.
A long, trying season for Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez could come to a close Saturday against Ohio State. The Wolverines need a victory to become bowl eligible, and after a university audit revealed Monday that the football team didn't file monthly logs that recorded how much time Wolverines players spent practicing or working out during the 2008 season, Rodriguez could use the pick-me-up.
Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis might be sitting just as uncomfortably as Rodriguez right now. The Fighting Irish are 6-4, and Weis's winning percentage is the same as his two most immediate predecessors - Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham - when they were fired. A win over Connecticut would be a step in a positive direction for the embattled Weis.
Clemson can claim the ACC Atlantic Division title and earn a spot in the conference title game with a win over Virginia. Clemson's Heisman-contending tailback, C.J. Spiller, has averaged 95.2 rushing yards per game during the Tigers' five-game winning streak. The loser of the Oregon-Arizona matchup essentially is eliminated from Pacific-10 title contention. The Ducks own the sixth-best rushing offense in the nation.
(By Harry Howl/Getty Images)
Middle Distance
North Carolina at Boston College, noon, ESPN2; California at No. 14 Stanford, 7:30 p.m., Versus; Kansas State at Nebraska, 7:45 p.m., ESPN.
North Carolina has won three straight conference games - including two against ranked opponents - and is in position to end Boston College's ACC title game hopes for good. Boston College needs to win and hope for a Clemson loss against Virginia to keep alive its hopes of claiming the Atlantic Division title. North Carolina owns the top-ranked scoring defense in the conference.
After consecutive wins over top 10 opponents, Stanford enters Saturday's matchup against California as one of the country's hottest teams. The Cardinal offense, led by quarterback Andrew Luck and tailback Toby Gerhart, has tallied 106 points in the past two weeks. Gerhart ranks third in the nation in rushing yards with 1,395. California will play without tailback Jahvid Best, who continues to recover from a concussion. Backup Shane Vereen rushed for 159 yards last weekend in Best's place against Arizona.
The winner of the Kansas State-Nebraska game will represent the Big 12 North in the conference title game against No. 3 Texas. Kansas State running back Daniel Thomas ranks No. 11 in the nation in rushing yards (1,166), while Nebraska tailback Roy Helu Jr. has compiled 962 rushing yards.
Secondary
Duke at No. 21 Miami, noon, ESPNU; No. 4 Texas Christian at Wyoming, 2 p.m., The Mtn.; No. 10 Louisiana State at Mississippi, 3:30 p.m., WUSA (Channel 9), WJZ (Channel 13); Kansas at No. 3 Texas, 8 p.m., pay-per-view.
The ACC Coastal Division already is locked up, so there's not much riding on the Miami-Duke game for the Hurricanes. The Blue Devils, though, must win their last two games to become bowl eligible.
Texas Christian can continue its run to a BCS bowl berth - dare we say, a BCS national title game berth? - with a win over Wyoming.
Mississippi has not defeated Louisiana State at home since 1998 and will have a difficult time doing so this season unless it can curb its penchant for giveaways (minus-0.8 turnover margin).
Texas's Colt McCoy can become the winningest quarterback in NCAA history with a win over Kansas.
