Miami at Georgia Tech
Despite all the hand-wringing about coach Larry Coker’s job status, a win here puts Miami (5-2, 2-1) alone in first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division. Also, the Hurricanes’ defense is still sound, leading the league in rush defense (62.9 yards per game) and second in scoring defense (12.7 points per game). The numbers put up by Georgia Tech superstar Calvin Johnson, above, are embarrassingly low (five receptions per game), which is pointing the finger again at inconsistent QB Reggie Ball. Still, the Yellow Jackets (5-2, 3-1) are favored by six.
BIG 12 GAME OF THE WEEK
Oklahoma at Missouri
Missouri bounced back last week from its first loss, routing Kansas State. The Tigers (7-1, 3-1) can steer the North Division supremacy conversation back into a legitimate two-horse race (with Nebraska) with a win over OU.
MWC GAME OF THE WEEK
Wyoming at TCU
TCU was last year’s champ and defensive leader, but Wyoming’s defense is the envy of the Mountain West this time around. After a two-week respite from the MWC, TCU (4-2, 0-2) looks to regain form. A victory puts Wyoming (4-4, 3-1) on a possible Nov. 9 collision course with BYU.
NATIONAL ROUT OF WEEK
Florida International at Alabama
OK, what do you get when you combine a winless team from the nation’s worst conference and subtract 16 players suspended indefinitely from the brawl in Miami two weeks ago? A game so embarrassing Las Vegas wouldn’t even put up a line.
BIG 12 ROUT OF THE WEEK
Texas at Texas Tech
The Red Raiders steadied a shaky ship last week with a victory at Iowa State, but now in comes Texas, which owns a 15-9 record against Tech in Lubbock.
MWC ROUT OF THE WEEK
UNLV at Utah
Injury-decimated UNLV (1-6, 0-3) should cure all of Utah’s ills this week. Look for the Utes (4-4, 0-2) to vent some frustration and take the heat off offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig.
COLORADO CONNECTION
Chandler Henley, Yale, WR, Sr., Mullen HS
Leads 5-1 Bulldogs with 30 catches for 408 yards and a touchdown. Of his 30 catches, 25 have resulted in a first down or score.
Jonathan Lucas, Cornell, DE, Sr., Arvada West HS
Preseason all-Ivy League pick is fifth on team with 32 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. In third year as starter, is seventh on school’s all-time list with 21.5 tackles for loss.
LAST WORD
“We played Notre Dame and I felt Clemson was a better team top to bottom than the Notre Dame team we faced.”
– Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey, whose Yellow Jackets lost to Notre Dame 14-10 in the season opener and to Clemson on Saturday, 31-7
