EXTRAPOINTS
Denver Post staff writers John Henderson, Chris Dempsey and Natalie Meisler preview the weekend.
NATIONAL GAME
OF THE WEEK
FLORIDA AT ALABAMA
Florida coach Urban Meyer won his first road game in the SEC last week, but that was against Kentucky. This is a huge defensive game between the nation’s fifth-best defense in Florida vs. Alabama’s seventh-ranked defense. Florida’s puny success running the option out of the spread offense puts a lot of pressure on super tailback DeShawn Wynn.
BIG 12 GAME OF THE WEEK
TEXAS AT MISSOURI
Contrary to popular belief, there are roadblocks in Texas’ expected march through the Big 12, and a schizophrenic Missouri team is one of them. There remains enough talent in Columbia to give the Longhorns problems, as the Tigers did a year ago in Austin.
MWC GAME OF THE WEEK
NEW MEXICO AT TCU
Can Texas Christian go for three straight overtime wins? There’s some history between these schools, going back to TCU luring Dennis Franchione (and his then-defensive coordinator and current TCU coach Gary Patterson) from Albuquerque after the 1997 season.
NATIONAL ROUT
OF THE WEEK
BALL STATE AT BOSTON COLLEGE
The Cardinals’ brutal schedule shows no relief. After giving up 53 points a game in losses to Iowa, Bowling Green and Auburn, Ball State visits No. 21 BC. How bad is Ball State’s 115th-ranked defense (522.3 ypg)? Since the beginning of 2004, it has three interceptions.
BIG 12 ROUT OF THE WEEK
BAYLOR AT TEXAS A&M
No one is too fooled by the Bears’ 3-0 start. The Bears are better but not ready to compete week in and week out against Big 12-caliber talent. The Aggies lost to Baylor in overtime last season. It won’t happen again. Not even close.
MWC ROUT OF THE WEEK
UNLV AT WYOMING
UNLV QB Jarrod Jackson, a junior college transfer, will take his first career Division I snap in Laramie, subbing for injured Shane Steichen, who was having his own troubles. This is historically a high-scoring series, but only one side has the weapons to put huge numbers on the scoreboard this year.
COLORADO CONNECTION
BRETT STURM, S,
SAN DIEGO STATE
The sophomore from Heritage High School returned his first career interception 44 yards for a touchdown in a 52-21 win over San Jose State last week. Sturm is a second-team safety behind junior Reggie Grigsby and has four total tackles.
CHRIS HOLLERMEIER, DB, UNLV
The junior from Mullen played on special teams against Utah State and Idaho, recording one assisted tackle.
LAST WORD
“I see him running in my sleep. He’s fun to watch because he plays the game the way it should be played. I hope our tailbacks emulate not only his success – his ability to break tackles and such – but that he gets up and hands the ball to the official. He seems like a first-class young man in everything he does. He’s very, very impressive.”
Terry Hoeppner, Indiana coach, on Wisconsin tailback Brian Calhoun, the Colorado transfer
