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GAME OF THE WEEK... Wisconsin at (5) Purdue Not many people would have believed you if you had told them Purdue and Wisconsin would be the Big Ten's best two teams heading into mid-October, but that certainly seems to be the case. Ohio State has fallen apart in recent weeks, while Michigan and Minnesota, both very good teams, have both sustained losses already this season. The Badgers and Boilers are two of only fourteen teams that remain unbeaten in Division I and the only two unbeatens in the Big Ten. Wisconsin really cashed in and gained respect last week when the Badgers went into Columbus, Ohio and came away with a huge eleven point victory over the Buckeyes. RB Anthony Davis, though he missed time in September, is healthy for the moment and is averaging 153 rushing yards a contest. QB John Stocco seems to make the big plays and is helped out by a trio of talented wideouts. Purdue, meanwhile, is led by one of the surprising Heisman candidates of 2004. With his play in big Boiler wins over Syracuse and Notre Dame, QB Kyle Orton has captured the attention of the experts and for good reason. The senior is leading the Big Ten in passing, averaging 328 yards per game. He has thrown only 2 INTs on the season while tossing 18 touchdown passes. The Purdue backfield is split between Jerod Void and Brandon Jones with each averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Boiler WR Taylor Stubblefield is Orton's favorite target; he has already hauled in 11 TDs this year and averages more than 100 yards a contest. With a win, the Badgers could bust into the SCS.com Fab 15 with force next a week. Anthony Davis is one of the country's best when he's healthy, but you never know when his health might turn for the worse. A Boiler victory could boost Purdue's Big Ten and BCS hopes and give Joe Tiller's team some momentum heading into the following week's matchup with Michigan. The game is in West Lafayette, and the Boilermakers haven't played there since September 11. The Boiler Nation will be pumped as Purdue steams to victory number six of the 2004 season. The Editor Says: Purdue THE WEEK'S OTHER TOP MATCHUPS... (11) West Virginia at Connecticut The Mountaineers got a week to think about their road loss at Virginia Tech and now return to Big East play. UConn has already knocked off Pitt at home earlier this year, but WVU is a much more talented team. The game will be close, but Kay-Jay & Co. find a way to win. The Editor Says: West Virginia (9) Louisville at (3) Miami This is a huge chance for the Cardinals to bust onto the national scene, and if they are ever going to upset Miami, this year's team may be their best shot. Though unbeaten, the 'Canes look vulnerable. UofL will fight hard, but Miami comes away with the non-conference win. The Editor Says: Miami Arizona State at (1) Southern Cal The Sun Devils, led by star QB Andrew Walter, have gotten off to an unbeaten start but haven't received a lot of respect thus far. That will change in a big way if ASU is able to knock off top ranked USC. Will the Trojans have a let-down after the Cal game last week? The Editor Says: Southern Cal Missouri at (8) Texas The Longhorns still couldn't beat Oklahoma last weekend, but at least the Horns were in the game this time. The Tigers have rebounded from their loss at Troy and picked up a big home win over Colorado a week ago. The Big XII South is dominant, and Texas proves that point. The Editor Says: Texas (14) Virginia at Florida State The Cavaliers are one of two new entries into this week's Fab 15 and would certainly improve their position with a road win in Tallahassee. FSU was nearly upset by a bad Syracuse team last week. Were the Noles looking ahead or are they just struggling to find themselves this year? The Editor Says: Florida State COULD BE INTERESTING... TCU at UAB The Blazers have been dynamite this season, knocking off Memphis and Mississippi State. TCU has been the opposite. The Editor Says: UAB (2) Oklahoma at Kansas State The Wildcats have fallen off the map this year, most recently losing at Kansas. OU continues to dominate. The Editor Says: Oklahoma Notre Dame at Navy The Midshipmen are one of the best teams you haven't heard about this season. This is huge for both teams. The Editor Says: Navy Minnesota at Michigan State The Gophers nearly knocked off Michigan last week. Will a let-down at inferior Michigan State follow? The Editor Says: Minnesota (12) Michigan at Illinois The Wolves got that huge win over Minnesota last week. This week should be much easier. The Editor Says: Michigan Boston College at Pittsburgh The Panthers are having major struggles this year. BC's only loss came in the final minute at Wake Forest. The Editor Says: Boston College Iowa State at Colorado The Cyclones are struggling as expected. CU needs to get back on track after consecutive Big XII losses. The Editor Says: Colorado Ohio State at Iowa Two straight losses have knocked OSU out of the Fab 15. A loss at Iowa would knock them out of the Big Ten race for sure. The Editor Says: Ohio State Southern Miss at Alabama A win here could boost the unbeaten Golden Eagles into the Fab 15. Alabama is up and down since the loss of Brodie Croyle. The Editor Says: Alabama Arkansas at (6) Auburn The Hogs lost a heart-breaker at Florida two weeks ago. Auburn should be able to take down Houston Nutt's club on the Plains. The Editor Says: Auburn NC State at Maryland Both of these teams were highly disappointed last week, the Terps losing to GT and NCSU falling to UNC. Both need this victory. The Editor Says: Maryland Oregon State at Washington The Beavers are desperate for something to go right, and a game at UW could be just what the doctor ordered. The Editor Says: Oregon State UCLA at (7) California The Bears were disappointed after last week's loss. RB Maurice Drew could make the Bears feel worse. The Editor Says: California Boise State at Tulsa Tulsa was a bowl team a year ago but looks nothing like one this season. A possible trap for the Broncos in Oklahoma? The Editor Says: Boise State South Carolina at Kentucky USC had just gotten a national ranking before being upset last week. This is a must-win for Lou Holtz's team. The Editor Says: South Carolina Troy at Arkansas State This is a matchup of two of the Sun Belt's better teams. Troy is the better of the two, though the Trojans are on the road. The Editor Says: Troy Texas A&M at (15) Oklahoma State A&M has been surprisingly good so far this season. The Cowboys are one of two new members of the SCS.com Fab 15. The Editor Says: Oklahoma State Tennessee at Mississippi Both teams are coming off big wins last week, the Volunteers at Georgia and the Rebels at South Carolina. The Editor Says: Tennessee North Carolina at (4) Utah UNC plays well at home (wins over GT, NCSU) but can't get much done on the road. A trip to Utah won't help that matter. The Editor Says: Utah Stanford at Washington State The Cardinal has been more competitive than anticipated. After last week's loss, WSU badly needs to win this home contest. The Editor Says: Washington State The Editor's Records: |
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