Saturday 10-13-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Duke at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has one of the top ground attacks in the nation, but it will face a tough challenge on Saturday as it hosts Duke in a key ACC contest for both teams. The Yellow Jackets lead the nation in rushing offense, averaging 373 yards per game, while the Blue Devils are 29th against the run (122.8 yards) - and that matchup will go a long way to deciding the winner in the battle of the bottom two squads in the ACC Coastal Division.

The Blue Devils began with four straight wins for the second consecutive season, but after losing to Virginia Tech 31-14 on Sept. 29, they spent their bye week focusing on avoiding a repeat of 2017 - when their strong start was followed by a six-game slide. “When you don’t play for four quarters in ACC games, you lose,” Duke linebacker Joe Giles-Harris told reporters on Monday. “That’s what happened (against Virginia Tech), that’s what happened last year six times in a row.” Georgia Tech cruised to its second consecutive victory last week, blasting Louisville 66-31 behind 542 yards on the ground – with 283 coming from quarterbacks TaQuon Marshall and Tobias Oliver. The Yellow Jackets scored on nine of their 10 possessions, prompting coach Paul Johnson to remark on Tuesday that the offense was “pretty remarkable” in the victory.

TV: 12:20 p.m. ET, RSN, ACC Network. LINE: Georgia Tech -3

ABOUT DUKE (4-1, 0-1 ACC): Daniel Jones, who passed for 226 yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech, benefited from the bye week - considering he broke his collarbone four weeks ago. Duke quarterbacks have thrown 12 touchdown passes and only one interception this season, while running back Deon Jackson has rushed for a score in three consecutive games. Linebackers Giles-Harris (260 career tackles) and Ben Humphreys (237) are the only active duo in the ACC with 200-plus total tackles.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (3-3, 1-2): Marshall earned ACC Quarterback of the Week honors, rushing for two touchdowns while leading the Yellow Jackets to six TDs and a field goal on their first seven possessions. Running back Jordan Mason is averaging 7.6 yards per carry and ranks fifth in the nation among freshmen with 443. Defensive end Anree Saint-Amour forced two fumbles last week, both of which were recovered by linebacker Charlie Thomas, but the defense has allowed an average of 34.7 points in ACC play.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia Tech has scored 60-plus points in back-to-back games, marking the fourth time an ACC team has accomplished that feat and second time it has done it (2015).

2. The Blue Devils have outscored opponents 95-37 in the first half.

3. The Yellow Jackets are 10-1 in their last 11 home meetings with Duke.

PREDICTION: Duke 27, Georgia Tech 21

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Louisville at Boston College

Boston College is hoping to have star running back AJ Dillon on the field when it hosts Louisville in an ACC clash Saturday afternoon. Dillon, who leads the conference with 130.4 rushing yards per game, sat out last week's 28-23 loss at North Carolina State due to an ankle injury and he is considered day-to-day.

"I just don't know yet, and this won't change," Boston College head coach Steve Addazio told the media this week. "It will continue to be a day-to-day, week-to-week deal and it is just hard to know. He made good improvement over the weekend and he is working really hard on rehab." Playing without Dillon, the Eagles gave the 19th-ranked Wolfpack all they could handle last Saturday with Anthony Brown throwing for 198 yards and a touchdown and junior Ben Glines stepping into the backfield to produce 90 yards and a score. Whoever Adazzio has at his disposal will be facing a Louisville defense that ranks second-to-last in the ACC against the run, giving up 231 yards per game. That average skyrocketed after Georgia Tech produced 542 yards on the ground in a 66-31 win over the Cardinals last week.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, RSN, NESN. LINE: Boston College -13.5

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (2-4, 0-3 ACC): The slow start on the heels of eight straight winning seasons has some in Louisville upset about coach Bobby Petrino, who reacted this week to some of the criticisms by saying, "I haven't really experienced (a season) like this. But I do feel like I'm a good football coach and I know how to win games." While the defense searches for answers, sophomore quarterback Jawon Pass has thrown for 605 yards and four TDs over the last two weeks. The Cardinals have an ACC-low six sacks while allowing opponents to pile up 17, second-most in the conference.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (4-2, 1-1): Dillon's breakout game came as a freshman at Louisville last year, when he rumbled for 272 yards and four TDs to fuel a 45-42 upset win. Brown was just 5-of-17 passing that day and has completed 49.4 percent of his passes over the last three contests. Kobay White (15 catches, 258 yards, three TDs) and Jeff Smith (13, 239, three) are the top targets, while junior defensive back Hamp Cheevers has helped on the other side of the ball with three interceptions over his last five games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cardinals WR Dez Fitzpatrick has found the end zone in each of the last two games and had 127 receiving yards along with a TD last year against Boston College.

2. Eagles DE Wyatt Ray ranks fifth in the ACC with 5 1/2 sacks.

3. Louisville won four straight meetings prior to last year's loss.

PREDICTION: Boston College 31, Louisville 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Pittsburgh at Notre Dame

Fresh off consecutive victories against ranked opponents, Notre Dame returns home to host Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon in its last game before its bye week. The fifth-seeded Fighting Irish passed another stiff test with flying colors last week, while the Panthers roll into South Bend after pulling off a home upset last weekend.

Running back Dexter Williams exploded for a 97-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to break open a tight game as Notre Dame outscored Virginia Tech 28-7 in the second half for a 45-23 road win. The Fighting Irish had minus-5 rushing yards on the evening before Williams broke free, but the senior found holes in the second half and wound up with 178 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries, bringing his season total to 339 total rushing yards in the two games he has played since returning from suspension. Pitt snapped a two-game losing streak by overcoming a 75-minute weather delay and a late charge from Syracuse to knock off the Orange 44-37 in overtime. “I'm happy for those guys in there. They needed that one, and they deserved that one,” Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi told reporters after the game.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -21.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (3-3): Narduzzi put the Syracuse game on the shoulders of his top two running backs, and the seniors responded as Qadree Ollison ran for 192 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries while Darrin Hall added 107 yards and two touchdowns on 17 attempts. There are still two major areas of concern for Pitt ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Notre Dame, however. The Panthers have had mediocre quarterback play all season, with Kenny Pickett yet to break the 200-yard passing mark in a game, and the defense is allowing 32.8 points per game, which ranks 99th nationally.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (6-0): In addition to Williams, Notre Dame’s defense deserved a game ball last week as it forced two turnovers - including a fumble recovery for a touchdown - and had two sacks and six tackles for a loss. Quarterback Ian Book struggled at times, missing open receivers downfield on multiple occasions, but still managed to go 25-of-35 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Miles Boykin continues to be Book’s go-to target, as the 6-4 receiver has 19 catches for 261 yards and three touchdowns in his last two contests.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Book has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in three straight games.

2. PK Justin Yoon became Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer in the win over Virginia Tech. The senior passed Allen Pinkett (320) and has 322 career points.

3. Ollison ranks 18th in the country in total rushing yards (596).

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 49, Pittsburgh 24

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Georgia at LSU

Second-ranked Georgia has not been challenged often during a season-opening six-game winning streak on which it is averaging 42.8 points but figures to face a more difficult task when it visits No. 12 LSU on Saturday for a matchup in which it likely will have to lean on its ground attack. The Bulldogs average an SEC-leading 245.2 rushing yards and, despite losing Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to graduation, continue to excel thanks to numerous contributors.

“I’ve been pleased with it,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters on Tuesday when discussing his running back rotation, which includes Elijah Holyfield, D’Andre Swift, Brian Herrien and James Cook and has produced nine touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The Tigers look to rebound after their first loss of the season, a 27-19 setback at Florida in which they scored on their first possession but struggled offensively the rest of the way. “We felt that we beat ourselves in a lot of areas,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron told reporters on Monday. The Tigers committed just five turnovers in their first five games but the same amount in their last two contests.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Georgia -7 ½

ABOUT GEORGIA (6-0, 4-0 SEC): Holyfield leads the Bulldogs with 432 yards rushing, recording 64 and a touchdown on just six carries in last week’s victory over Vanderbilt, and Swift has run for four scores. Quarterback Jake Fromm continued his strong campaign by passing for a season-high 276 yards last week, and his 72.8 percent completion rate ranks fifth in the nation. Georgia has been just as good defensively, ranking second in the country in scoring defense (13 points per game) and has kept opponents off the scoreboard in 12 of its 24 quarters this season.

ABOUT LSU (5-1, 2-1): Running back Nick Brossette, who ran for 95 yards and two scores against Florida, is tied for first in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with eight. Quarterback Joe Burrow suffered his first loss in his sixth start last week and saw his school-record streak of 158 pass attempts without an interception end against the Gators but completed a career-high 19 passes. All-SEC linebacker Devin White averages 8.8 tackles per game, while safety Grant Delpit leads the Tigers with three interceptions, three sacks and 6 ½ tackles for loss.

EXTRA POINTS

1. LSU LB Jacob Phillips is expected to play after missing last week’s game, but G Garrett Brumfield likely will miss Saturday’s contest.

2. Georgia S Richard LeCounte leads the Bulldogs with 33 tackles, including a team-high six last week.

3. LSU K Cole Tracy ranks second in the nation with 12 field goals after converting both of his attempts last week.

PREDICTION: Georgia 31, LSU 21

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Washington at Oregon

Washington senior quarterback Jake Browning played the best game of his career at Oregon two years ago, and considerably more will be at stake when Browning and the No. 7 Huskies return to Eugene to take on the No. 17 Ducks in a Pac-12 game on Saturday afternoon. Browning matched the Pac-12 single-game record with eight touchdowns in the 70-21 win against Oregon on Oct. 8, 2016, which is the most points Washington had scored since 1944.

Washington has won five in a row since a season-opening loss to No. 21 Auburn, but three teams with one loss in conference play sit directly behind the Huskies in the North Division, and one is Oregon. The Ducks had a light nonconference schedule before losing in overtime to Stanford in their Pac-12 opener. Oregon regrouped to beat California 42-24 in an impressive road victory on Sept. 29, and the Ducks have had two weeks to prepare for Washington and get healthier. Oregon defensive end Austin Faoliu missed the Cal game with a foot injury, but is expected to rejoin a defense that scored two touchdowns off turnovers against the Golden Bears.

TV: 3:30 p.m., ET, ABC. LINE: Washington -3

ABOUT WASHINGTON (5-1, 3-0 Pac-12): Huskies senior running back Myles Gaskin has as much experience against Oregon as Browning does and maybe even better results. He rushed for 155 yards and a 72-yard touchdown against the Ducks as a freshman, then came back with 197 rushing yards and a touchdown in the blowout victory in 2016. He put up another 123 rushing yards and a touchdown against Oregon last season, and enters this game after gashing UCLA for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-24 win last week.

ABOUT OREGON (4-1, 1-1): Ducks junior quarterback Justin Herbert made his first college start against Washington two years ago and it went surprisingly well, considering the one-sided outcome. He missed the Washington game last season after breaking his collarbone against California, but his stock has continued to rise among NFL scouts, and this will be a huge test against a Washington defense that ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (13.7 points). Browning has a talented receiver in Aaron Fuller, but so does Herbert in Dillon Mitchell, who caught 14 passes for 239 yards in the loss to Stanford.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington coach Chris Petersen was an assistant at Oregon from 1995-2000, and then moved on to Boise State, where he led the Broncos to BCS bowl games in 2006 and 2009.

2. Huskies S Taylor Rapp leads the nation with three fumble recoveries.

3. Oregon has outscored its opponents 145-47 in the first half this season.

PREDICTION: Oregon 28, Washington 27

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Central Florida at Memphis

Ninth-ranked Central Florida has yet to be challenged in the first five games of the season and could face its toughest test Saturday afternoon at Memphis in a rematch of the 2017 American Athletic Conference championship game. The Knights have extended their nation-best winning streak to 18 games while winning by an average of 31.2 points over the first five contests of 2018, including a 48-20 triumph against SMU last weekend.

UCF has won 11 of the 12 previous meetings, including a 62-55 double-overtime victory in the title game after a 40-13 win over the Tigers in the regular season last year - both games in Orlando, Fla. - and are averaging 48.6 points along with 574.4 yards per game in 2018. “I feel like it’s going to be a really good game, high energy with a lot of people flying around,” Central Florida sophomore receiver Tre Nixon told the Orlando Sentinel. “I think we’ll be ready for it, and I think they’ll be ready for it, too.” Memphis has won three of its last four games, including a 55-14 triumph against Connecticut last week, and averages 7.7 yards per attempt on the ground while ranking eighth in the nation in rushing overall (274.5 per game) as it approaches the showdown at home. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere and we’re going to be ready to go,” Tigers junior running back Darrell Henderson, averaging a nation-best 11.8 yards per carry, told reporters. “We got to get revenge.”

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 or ABC. LINE: UCF -4.5

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (5-0, 2-0 American): Junior running back Adrian Killins Jr. had a season-high 113 yards, along with his fourth touchdown on the ground, in last week’s victory over SMU and the Knights average 6.1 yards per carry. Junior quarterback McKenzie Milton continues to put up big numbers, throwing for 15 TDs and rushing for another five, and is completing almost 60 percent of his passes. Milton has plenty of impressive targets with sophomores Gabriel Davis (27 catches, 365 yards, four TDs) and Nixon (20, 312, three), along with junior Dredrick Snelson (21, 269, two), leading the way while UCF is eighth in the nation in turnover margin (plus-1.40).

ABOUT MEMPHIS (4-2, 1-2): Henderson needs just 66 rushing yards to reach the 1,000 for the second straight season and has run for at least 174 yards in four of the first six games while scoring 12 touchdowns on the ground (14 total). Junior Patrick Taylor Jr. rushed for 161 yards last week and junior quarterback Brady White was 16-of-18 through the air for 239 yards against UConn as coach Mike Norvell told reporters: “We played like the Memphis Tigers, and that’s what I was most pleased with.” The Tigers boast eight players with at least 99 receiving yards, led by sophomore Damonte Coxie (30 catches, 466 yards, four TDs) and junior John Pop Williams (19, 209, one).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Memphis junior RB Tony Pollard is averaging 31.8 yards per kickoff return with six of them brought back for touchdowns in his career.

2. Milton needs 359 yards of total offense to pass Darin Hinshaw (8,865) for third on the school’s all-time list.

3. Tigers junior LB Bryce Huff boasts five sacks and 11 tackles for loss in the first six contests.

PREDICTION: Central Florida 42, Memphis 31

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Texas A&M at South Carolina

Texas A&M will try to stay perfect against South Carolina when the 22th-ranked Aggies visit the Gamecocks on Saturday for an SEC showdown. The Aggies have won all four of the previous meetings in the all-time series, which began in 2014.


The Aggies are coming off a 20-14 overtime win over Kentucky – their second consecutive narrow victory in SEC play and first triumph over a ranked opponent since 2016. To pick up their third straight win, they’ll have to deal with a South Carolina team that rallied around backup quarterback Michael Scarnecchia in his first career start for a 37-35 win over Missouri last week. The Gamecocks could turn back to Jake Bentley if his knee improves enough by Saturday, but Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher doesn’t expect either quarterback to make a big difference in the gameplan. “They’re not going to change the whole system,” Fisher told reporters. “What the guy did last week was very good and was very similar to what they did before. One guy may have more quarterback runs than the other. I think they’re much more similar than they are different. But both guys are excellent players.”

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Texas A&M -2


ABOUT TEXAS A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC): The Aggies are one of five FBS teams that rank in the top 25 in the nation in both total offense and total defense. Quarterback Kellen Mond has put up big numbers, passing for 1,447 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 230 yards and four scores, and Trayveon Williams has recorded seven TDs while averaging 120 yards on the ground. The Aggies’ defense has been excellent against the run, holding opponents to an SEC-best 82.5 rushing yards per game, and ranks second nationally in third-down defense as it has allowed conversions just 22.9 percent of the time.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (3-2, 2-2): Whoever starts at quarterback for the Gamecocks will have a couple of dangerous receivers at their disposal in Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards, who have combined for eight touchdown receptions. South Carolina has had a tough time versus the run but has been outstanding against the pass and shut down Missouri’s Drew Lock in the second half last week. Like the Aggies, the Gamecocks have been excellent on third down, holding opponents to a 25 percent conversion rate - fourth-best in the nation.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas A&M TE Jace Sternberger’s five touchdown receptions are tied for the most by an FBS tight end.

2. South Carolina has lost seven straight against ranked opponents since recording a victory over Tennessee in 2016.

3. The Aggies have scored at least 14 points in 33 consecutive games, the longest streak in the SEC and third-longest among Power 5 schools behind Oklahoma (46) and West Virginia (37).


PREDICTION: Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 27

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Purdue at Illinois

After a 0-3 start, Purdue has found some footing, beating nationally-ranked Boston College and Nebraska by double digits. Now, following a week off, the Boilermakers will look to maintain that momentum Saturday when it visits Illinois in the Illini’s homecoming game.


Purdue opened with tough losses to Northwestern, Eastern Michigan and Missouri by a combined eight points but has followed with convincing wins over the Eagles (30-13) and Cornhuskers (42-28). Credit the Boilermakers’ aerial attack for the resurgence as senior David Blough has taken command at quarterback after splitting time early in the season. Blough has thrown for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns while tossing only one interception over the last three games, including a school single-game record 572 passing yards and a Big Ten-record 590 yards of total offense against the Tigers on Sept. 15. Illinois, meanwhile, started 2-2 overall before evening its Big Ten record at 1-1 a week ago with a 38-17 win at Rutgers in its first road game of the season.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Purdue -10.5


ABOUT PURDUE (2-3, 1-1 Big Ten): Blough ranks third in the conference and 25th nationally with 263.6 passing yards per game and his favorite target has been freshman wide receiver Rondale Moore, who leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally with 8.2 receptions per outing while totaling 457 yards and four TDs on the season. Moore has had at least eight catches and 85 yards in four of the Boilermakers’ five games so far. Linebacker Markus Bailey has totaled a team-most 40 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks for a bend-but-don’t-break Purdue defense, which is surrendering 447.2 total yards and 26.4 points.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (3-2, 1-1): The Illini have relied on a formidable ground game which ranks third in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with 260.8 yards. Behind 137 yards from tailback Reggie Corbin and 116 from quarterback AJ Bush Jr., Illinois rolled up a season-high 330 rushing yards against Rutgers and have 11 runs of 30-or-more yards, ranking third in the FBS. Defensively, Illinois ranks 12th in the conference in points allowed (28.6) and last in yards surrendered (483.4), but tops the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally with a 1.6 average turnover margin (plus-8), including three interceptions apiece for cornerback Jartavius Martin and linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Illinois holds a slim 44-43-6 series lead, but Purdue has won three of the last four, including a 29-10 home victory a season ago.

2. Bush, a graduate transfer who has had stops at Nebraska, Iowa Western Community College and Virginia Tech, returned against Rutgers after missing the South Florida and Penn State games with a hamstring injury, and had 205 yards of total offense while accounting for three TDs in the rout of Rutgers.

3. Purdue’s Moore also is averaging 20.7 yards per kickoff return and ranks third nationally with an average of 179.0 all-purpose yards.


PREDICTION: Purdue 37, Illinois 30

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Michigan State at Penn State

Penn State has had a week off to think about a painful loss to Ohio State and nearly a year to get over another to Michigan State. The eighth-ranked Nittany Lions will attempt to move on from the loss to the Buckeyes and get a measure of revenge against the Spartans when they host Michigan State on Saturday in a Big Ten tilt.

Penn State, which lost 27-26 to Ohio State on Sept. 29 before getting last weekend off, was held scoreless in the fourth quarter against the Spartans last year before dropping a 27-24 decision on a last-second field goal. "I know we did not finish the game the way anybody wants us to finish the game," Franklin told reporters this week while referencing the Ohio State loss. "I get that. But okay, we understand that. We study that. We learn from that. We grow from that." The Spartans will come in eager to bounce back as well after an upset 29-19 loss at home to Northwestern that dropped them out of the national rankings. Michigan State enters with the top run defense in the country (33.8 yards per game) but is 13th in the Big Ten - 109th among FBS teams - in rushing offense (123 yards per game).

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Penn State -13.5

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten): The Spartans allowed the Wildcats to pile up 373 yards through the air last week and Brian Lewerke (31-of-51, 329 yards and a touchdown) was unable to keep up as his team was held under 20 points for the second time this year. "We kind of take that personally," Lewerke told reporters Monday. "Our offense is kind of getting torn down and we realize we haven't been performing up to par, so I take that personally, being a leader on the offense, and I think all of us did a great job of communicating today [at a players-only meeting]." Lewerke - who has six TDs and six interceptions after posting 20 and seven, respectively, last year - relies heavily on Felton Davis III (23 catches, 374 yards) and Cody White (20, 300).

ABOUT PENN STATE (4-1, 1-1): The intriguing matchup in this contest features quarterback Trace McSorley, who had a career-high 175 rushing yards versus Ohio State, against the Spartans' tough run defense. However, McSorley's top two regular-season passing games in his standout career have come against Michigan State, as he threw for 381 yards and three TDs in last year's loss and 376 along with four scores the previous season as a sophomore. Freshman star KJ Hamler had 138 receiving yards and a TD against the Buckeyes before exiting the game due to a hit to the head, but Franklin told reporters Hamler will play Saturday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. McSorley needs 40 passing yards to become the all-time leader in program history, moving past Christian Hackenberg (8,457).

2. Spartans K Matt Coghlin is a Big Ten-leading 8-of-8 on field goals, while Nittany Lions K Jake Pinegar (3-of-6) is last.

3. Michigan State has won four of the last five meetings but lost 45-12 in its previous visit to Happy Valley in 2016.

PREDICTION: Penn State 32, Michigan State 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Baylor at Texas

The hype surrounding the Texas football program is bigger than it has been in years thanks to a dramatic win over rival Oklahoma last week and steady improvement under head coach Tom Herman. The 14th-ranked Longhorns will try to avoid a letdown and stay on pace for a Big 12 title when they host Baylor on Saturday.

Herman is trying to rebuild Texas into a national championship contender and has the team on a five-game winning streak following a season-opening loss to Maryland, and the 48-45 triumph over Oklahoma last week is just another step. "I said to them (at Maryland) this game will not define us -- how we respond to it will," Herman told reporters. "I told them that about this Oklahoma game. That game won't define us. How we respond to it will. This is not the ultimate goal." The Bears are trying to rebuild themselves into a contender as well and responded to a loss at the Sooners by holding off Kansas State 37-34 last week - providing a little momentum going into a two-game stretch at Texas and No. 6 West Virginia. "Texas is a really good team," Baylor coach Matt Rhule told reporters. "Our guys have to come out and play very confident. Texas is playing well. They have three top 25 wins. They are a team that is clicking on all cylinders. For us, we have to completely focus on ourselves. We will make sure our guys are ready and confident."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Texas -14

ABOUT BAYLOR (4-2, 2-1 Big 12): The Bears were ripped 66-33 at Oklahoma in Week 5, and bouncing back with the win over Kansas State the following week marked a step in the right direction for the program. "Winning games in the fourth quarter comes down to maturity, comes down to confidence, it comes down to trust," Rhule told reporters. "Trusting in yourself, trusting in the guys around you. And I just didn't sense any panic. I sensed a team that was just determined to find a way to win the game and kept coming back and kept battling." The star of the win was senior wide receiver Jalen Hurd, who totaled 11 catches for 135 yards and a score and added 56 rushing yards and a score on the ground - his second consecutive game with a rushing TD.

ABOUT TEXAS (5-1, 3-0): The Longhorns' ascent has coincided with the rise of quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who put his name in the Heisman Trophy conversation with his five touchdowns - three rushing - in the win over Oklahoma. "I think that every week, regardless of the outcome or the stat line or the score, we feel as an offense we're continuing to get better within our assignments and within what we're trying to do," Ehlinger told reporters. "I think it's all a credit to our coaches and the hard work that our guys are putting in and understanding that just because you beat a team and scored 48 points doesn't mean that you've arrived or that you've played a perfect game." Ehlinger is getting plenty of help from wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey, who threw his first career TD pass in addition to hauling in nine catches for a career-high 133 yards last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ehlinger is enjoying a school-record streak of 163 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.

2. Baylor is averaging 499.5 yards of total offense - 12th in the FBS.

3. The Longhorns earned a 38-7 win at the Bears last season in the first Big 12 meeting between Herman and Rhule.

PREDICTION: Texas 35, Baylor 28

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Miami at Virginia

After an emotional week that culminated with a come-from-behind victory over arch rival Florida State, No. 15 Miami gets back into action Saturday on the road at Virginia. The Cavaliers are rested and well prepared, coming off a bye, while the Hurricanes need to come down off their high to focus on a Virginia team that gave the Canes all they could handle a year ago, nearly pulling off the upset before Miami stormed back -- just as it did against Florida State.

The Hurricanes showed grit and determination last week but perhaps even more important to Miami and head coach Mark Richt was the continued maturity of redshirt freshman quarterback N'Kosi Perry, who shook off a lackluster first half, showing the confidence to come back with three touchdowns in the final two quarters to help the Canes' 21-point comeback. Perry passed his first test but now he faces another heading on the road for a big ACC Coastal Division tussle. The Cavaliers had an extra week to think about their disappointing performance their last time out, a 34-21 loss to North Carolina State, and they are anxious to turn things around at home, where they have beaten Miami three times in the last four meetings. "Our players know they're capable of beating top teams, they just have to finish," Cavaliers third-year coach Bronco Mendenhall told reporters. "That's the task, to play well through the majority of the game and add the other component to close it out."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Miami -6.5.

ABOUT MIAMI (5-1, 2-0 ACC): Perry struggled under pressure from the Florida State defense and made some poor choices at times -- he completed just 13 of 32 passes for 204 yards and a career-high four touchdowns -- but he came up big when it counted with the three TD strikes in the second half. Defense continues be the driving force behind Miami's success, but the unit did have some issues slowing the Seminoles before roaring back in the third quarter with back-to-back takeaways to fuel the comeback and set the tone for the rousing victory. Spearheading the charge for the Hurricanes is a defensive front, led by Gerald Willis, that is quick getting to the backfield and Miami wound up with six sacks and 12 tackles for loss against Florida State while holding the Seminoles to 45 yards of offense in the second half.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (3-2, 1-1): Quarterback Bryce Perkins (11 touchdowns, four interceptions) is a dual threat but he ran for just 24 yards on 14 attempts against N.C. State and his running skills may be needed as he figures to be under pressure unless his front line can do a better job with pass protection (12 sacks allowed). Perkins will look to get the ball into the hands of senior Olamide Zaccheaus, who has 501 yards receiving this season and is the only active player in the country with at least 2,000 career receiving yards (2,196) and 450 career rushing yards (490). The Cavaliers' defense proved vulnerable against N.C. State and it almost certainly will try to pressure Perry into ill-advised throws like Florida State did last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Hurricanes lead this series 9-6, with Miami winning three straight and four of the last five.

2. Virginia has rushed for 959 yards, only the third time since 2000 that the Cavaliers have rushed for at least 900 yards in five games.

3. Miami announced following the win over Florida State that star WR Ahmmon Richards, who had been out with a knee injury, would not play again due to a career-ending neck injury.

PREDICTION: Miami 34, Virginia 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Missouri at Alabama

Top-ranked Alabama looks to keep rolling up the points when it hosts Missouri in an SEC contest on Saturday. The Crimson Tide are coming off a season-high point total in a 65-31 victory over Arkansas to raise their national-best average to 56 points per game.

Alabama has topped 50 points in five of its six games and coach Nick Saban insisted that the Tigers -- who have allowed an average of 40 while losing their past two games -- are a tough opponent for his club. "This is by far the best offensive team we've played to this point," Saban said during a press conference. "Certainly a very good front seven on defense, difficult to run the ball against. ... They've lost two close games to two really good teams, so this is by far the biggest challenge we've had all season long." Missouri was outclassed by SEC foes Georgia and South Carolina in its past two games and coach Barry Odom is attempting to keep his team's spirits up. "Believe me, we're not walking around singing and dancing like everything's alright," Odom told reporters. "We've got a lot of ball to play. I think we can be a lot better team and I look forward to doing it with this group."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Alabama -28

ABOUT MISSOURI (3-2, 0-2 SEC): The Tigers are averaging 39 points per game behind senior quarterback Drew Lock, who has passed for 1,487 yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions. Sophomore Larry Rountree III (383 yards) and junior Damarea Crockett (353) have been productive on the ground with Crockett piling up 154 yards for his seventh career 100-yard outing in last weekend's 37-35 loss to South Carolina. Senior linebacker Terez Hall posted a season-best 11 tackles against the Gamecocks and his 32 stops rank second on the squad behind junior linebacker Cale Garrett (38).

ABOUT ALABAMA (6-0, 3-0): Sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is emerging as the Heisman Trophy favorite after reaching the midway point of the season with 18 touchdowns against zero interceptions, a 75.2 percent completion rate and 1,495 passing yards. Five different players have over 300 receiving yards and three of them average more than 20 yards per catch with sophomore receiver Jerry Jeudy leading the team in receptions (23), receiving yardage (558), average (24.3) and touchdown catches (eight). The defense has returned four interceptions for scores and racked up 43 tackles for loss, including 19 sacks (senior defensive end Isaiah Buggs has a team-leading six).

EXTRA POINTS

1. This is the first meeting since Alabama defeated Missouri 42-13 in the 2014 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

2. Tigers WR Emanuel Hall (team-leading 430 receiving yards) will miss his second straight game with hamstring and groin injuries, while fellow senior Nate Brown (12 receptions) is expected to play after missing the South Carolina game with a groin injury.

3. Crimson Tide junior CB Trevon Diggs (broken foot) is out indefinitely after being injured against Arkansas.

PREDICTION: Alabama 58, Missouri 26

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Houston at East Carolina

High-scoring Houston will get a tough test when it travels to East Carolina for an American Athletic Conference contest on Saturday night. Pirates senior defensive end Nate Harvey leads the country in sacks per game and will try to disrupt a Houston offense averaging 50 points.

The Cougars, who lead the American in total offense and scoring offense, have allowed one sack in five games. Harvey and East Carolina already own more sacks (19) than they did in all of 2017 (11) and have recorded at least seven tackles for loss in five consecutive games. The Pirates' offense has struggled, scoring 19 points combined in two league games and forcing coach Scottie Montgomery to reopen the quarterback competition during practice this week. "Let me say it clear that we are not benching anybody, but we are trying to see the guy who is going to go out and perform at the highest level to give the rest of the team the opportunity to win," Montgomery told the media Monday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Houston -16

ABOUT HOUSTON (4-1, 1-0 American): Junior quarterback D'Eriq King continues to lead a balanced offense, throwing for 272.4 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for another 44.8 yards and seven scores. Patrick Carr leads the ground game - which averages 264.8 yards - with 58.4 per contest and a touchdown while Marquez Stevenson has 29 catches for 432 yards and six scores. Junior Ed Oliver has 40 tackles and a team-high 6.5 tackles for loss with eight quarterback hurries after a 13-tackle performance against Tulsa.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (2-3, 0-2): Sophomore quarterback Reid Herring has started all five games but freshmen Kingsley Ifedi and Holton Ahlers have each seen action in the past two games. Herring has thrown for 1,273 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions but is not effective as a runner while Ahlers has been mostly used as a running quarterback with four rushing scores. Harvey leads the country with 1.5 sacks and 2.8 tackles for loss per contest after recording a sack and three tackles for loss in a lopsided loss to Temple.

EXTRA POINTS

1. East Carolina has improved its defense, allowing 30.2 points and 340.2 yards after giving up 45 points and 541.7 yards last season.

2. Houston is the only team in the country ranked in the top 15 in both passing offense (15th with 317.4 yards) and rushing offense (tied 10th with 264.8 yards).

3. King and West Virginia's Will Grier are the only quarterbacks in the country with at least three passing touchdowns in every game this season.

PREDICTION: Houston 38, East Carolina 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: UCLA at California

Two teams seeking their first Pac-12 victory meet Saturday when UCLA visits California, which has dropped back-to-back games following a 3-0 start. Cal committed four second-half turnovers in last week’s 24-17 loss to Arizona, while UCLA remained winless despite posting an improved effort in a 31-24 loss to Washington.

Cal started its third different quarterback of the season in the loss to Arizona as Brandon McIlwain played the entire game and was 32-for-43 for a career-best 315 yards and added 20 carries for 107 yards and two scores. McIlwain has seven turnovers in the past two games but is expected to get the start again Saturday against a young UCLA team that is 0-5 for the first time since 1943. Bruins coach Chip Kelly was encouraged by the play of Dorian Thompson-Robinson after the freshman quarterback set career highs with 272 passing yards and two touchdowns in the loss to Washington. Thompson-Robinson figures to be tested by an impressive Cal defense that has allowed 331.4 yards of total offense and 24.2 points per game.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Cal -7

ABOUT UCLA (0-5, 0-2 Pac-12): Senior defensive back Adarius Pickett had a career-high 16 tackles against Washington and ranks second in the conference with an average of 12.2 tackles per game. “Pick just keeps getting better each week,” Kelly told reporters. “He brings a lot of energy, a lot of juice. He’s a really, really smart football player.” Junior Joshua Kelley has emerged as the Bruins’ lead running back after averaging 6.3 yards on 20 carries against the Huskies and setting career highs for both receiving yards (39) and rushing yards (125).

ABOUT CAL (3-2, 0-2): The Bears’ opportunistic defense is led by linebackers Evan Weaver and Jordan Kunaszyk, a senior who ranks first in the Pac-12 and second in the nation in solo tackles per game (7.8) and is 24 shy of 200 for his career. Ashtyn Davis ranks first in the Pac-12 in kick return yardage at 28.0 yards per return, but the Bears need more consistency on offense to capitalize on the good field position. Running back Patrick Laird has struggled to build on his success from last season but could have ample opportunities against the vulnerable UCLA run defense.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cal has won its last eight games against UCLA in Berkeley dating back to 2000.

2. UCLA’s previous five opponents are a combined 25-3 entering this week.

3. Cal starting S Jaylinn Hawkins will be out for the first half due to a targeting penalty in last week’s game against Arizona.

PREDICTION: California 24, UCLA 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Virginia Tech at North Carolina

Teams looking to improve their offensive efficiency meet Saturday when North Carolina hosts Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels have been off since committing six turnovers - three returned for touchdowns - and going a combined 3-of-16 on third and fourth down in a 47-10 loss to Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 27, while Hokies quarterback Ryan Willis led an offense that was perhaps too pass-happy and had to settle for field goals twice after reaching the Notre Dame 1-yard line last weekend.



Chazz Surratt, making his season debut after serving a three-game suspension for selling team-issued shoes, relieved North Carolina starting quarterback Nathan Elliott early and rushed for a touchdown, but was intercepted three times in just 10 throws. "We gave up 24 points on turnovers and most of those were on third-and-long,” Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora told reporters. “They did exactly what we thought they were going to do. They got us in some long-yardage situations and then brought a lot of heat on third-and-long, and we didn't handle it very well at all." Willis was 31-for-52 - the most passes attempted in a game during coach Justin Fuente’s three-year reign -- for 309 yards with two TDs and one interception in the 45-23 loss to the Irish in his second start since replacing injured two-year starter Josh Jackson. “The fumble (that was returned for a touchdown) was not good. I just thought he was doing too much,” Fuente said. “(Throwing the ball 50 times) certainly is not the way we'd like for it to be designed. … We probably knew we were going to throw the ball a little bit more this week, and then when you get behind, it distorts that number a little bit more, too.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Virginia Tech -6.


ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (3-2, 2-0 ACC): The Hokies trailed 17-16 early in the third quarter, holding the Fighting Irish to minus-5 rushing yards when Dexter Williams broke a 97-yard TD sparking an Irish offense that scored touchdowns on four of their first five second-half possessions to put the game away. Hokies sophomore Damon Hazelton tied a career high with 12 catches for 131 yards and a receiving TD in his fifth consecutive game - tying the school mark set by Isaiah Ford in 2015-16. Willis, who has completed 48-of-79 passes for 641 yards and five touchdowns in his two starts, is the first Tech quarterback since Logan Thomas in 2013 to throw for at least 300 yards in back-to-back games.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (1-3, 1-1): In the Miami loss, Surratt and Elliott combined to complete 20-of-35 passes for 110 yards with Elliott losing three fumbles to offset Surratt’s errant passes. Fedora has not announced his starter against the Hokies; Surratt completed four passes for 10 yards in his season debut after completing 58.5 percent of his passes with 13 total TDs (eight passing) against three interceptions last season; while Elliott has completed 58.1 percent of his 129 passes for 773 yards with three TDs and four interceptions this season. Undoubtedly, they will be looking to hand it to Antonio Williams, who has 281 yards and a 6.5 yards-per-carry average, and throw it to wide receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams, who has 13 catches for 263 yards - good for a 20.2 yards-per-catch average.



EXTRA POINTS
1. Virginia Tech has won the last two contests with North Carolina under Fuente by a combined score of 93-10, and the Hokies have won 11 of 14 since meeting annually beginning in 2004.

2. Hazelton, who sat out the 2017 season after transferring from Ball State, tied the second-best single-game reception performance by an ACC player this season. It also tied his personal best of 12 catches he set with the Cardinals against Toledo on Nov. 16, 2016.

3. The 52 pass attempts by Willis were the most by a Tech team since Michael Brewer threw 56 times against East Carolina in 2014. In fact, Tech has won just one time under Fuente when throwing the ball at least 40 times in a game - Jerod Evans threw 40 times in the Hokies' 39-36 win over Pitt in 2016.



PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 36, North Carolina 17