Tennessee at Arkansas
The Volunteers’ season certainly went down river in a hurry. First, quarterback Erik Ainge started Saturday against Louisiana State with a tender right ankle and injured his other ankle. Then they lost in the last nine seconds and three players are so, um, distraught they went partying that night and got in a fight. Starting tailback Arian Foster is one of them and will sit out the first half. No. 11 Arkansas (8-1, 5-0), trying to hang on in the SEC West, has QB issues. Freshman Mitch Mustain has gone from phenom to flop and soph Casey Dick, above, will replace him. Still, Arkansas is a 5 1/2-point favorite.
BIG 12 GAME OF THE WEEK
Nebraska at Texas A&M
The Huskers have a chance to put some space between themselves and Missouri and Kansas State in the North Division and have a shot to make a mini-statement against one of the Big 12 South’s better teams.
MWC GAME OF THE WEEK
UNLV at San Diego State
Sometimes the worst teams produce the most entertaining games in the battle to avoid the basement. Both have potential on offense for a shootout and even more potential on defense for a high-scoring game.
NATIONAL ROUT OF THE WEEK
Louisiana Tech at Hawaii
Louisiana Tech’s first I-A games were on the road against Nebraska, Texas A&M, Clemson and Boise State and now the Bulldogs (3-6, 1-3 WAC) go all the way to Hawaii (7-2, 5-1) to be Colt Brennan’s latest dartboard. Tech is 112th in pass-efficiency defense, one of many reasons Hawaii is favored by 38.
BIG 12 ROUT OF THE WEEK
Iowa State at Colorado
Beat up and beaten down, struggling Iowa State will play hard for coach Dan McCarney, who will leave the program at the end of the season, but it won’t be enough to keep the game close.
MWC ROUT OF THE WEEK
TCU at New Mexico
The Lobos can’t be so lucky to win at the last minute for three consecutive games. TCU is rounding into last year’s form and the Frogs’ defense could be too much for a young New Mexico offense.
COLORADO CONNECTION
Ryan Mattice, Oregon, WR, So., Liberty HS.
Has three receptions for 26 yards in three games. Listed third string behind senior Jordan Kent and junior Garren Strong.
Victor James, New Mexico, WR, Fr., Montbello HS.
Has not caught a pass and has seen action only on kickoff, kickoff-return and punt-return teams.
THE LAST WORD
“I think if fan intensity is based on the decibel level in the crowd, it absolutely is. I think there’s a heightened feel for SEC football. I think there are certain fans who are as intense in every conference and every school, but it appears to me the stadiums we travel to, there’s a greater feel for that team. I think it’s greater in the SEC.”
– LSU coach Les Miles, formerly of Oklahoma State, on whether the intensity in the SEC is greater than in the Big 12
