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TUNE THE TUBE!...THE WEEK'S TOP GAMES
Week of November 29 - December 5, 2004

Football | Basketball

GAME OF THE WEEK...

(8) Virginia Tech at (12) Miami

Sure, the conference championship games are this week, but the game with the best matchup takes place in south Florida. Virginia Tech and Miami get together in a battle for ACC supremacy, which is ironic since both are newcomers to the ACC after many years together in the Big East.

QB Brock Berlin leads his 'Canes into battle and is the ACC's best at his position. The Louisiana native has thrown for nearly 2400 yards and 21 TDs this season with only 4 interceptions. His 237 passing yards per game is also a league-best. Berlin's favorite target is the always-dangerous Roscoe Parish. The junior WR leads the conference with 8 touchdown receptions this year, which is even more impressive considering he has only played in nine games this season. RB Frank Gore is making a bid for 1000 yards this season. The Coral Gables junior has scored 8 rushing TDs this season and has run for 819 yards. As you might expect, the Hurricane offense leads the ACC with over 34 points a game, while the defense allows less than 18 points a contest.

QB Bryan Randall has stepped up his play this season to lead the Hokies. Randall has thrown for over 1800 yards and has thrown for 17 TDs. One improvement for Randall has been his TD to interception ratio, which currently sits at 5:2. RB Mike Imoh, a junior, has emerged as a star in the conference. Imoh has run for over 700 yards this year and has scored 6 TDs. Imoh averages 88 rushing yards a contest, which is actually seven more than Miami's Gore. Josh Hyman and Eddie Royal have combined for over 800 yards receiving this season. Hyman leads the way with five TD catches, while Royal has two on the season. The Tech offense averages just under 34 points a contest, just a fraction of a point less than that of Miami. Frank Beamer's defense is the ACC's best, allowing less than 13 points a contest.

Both teams have weapons on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, but this contest is likely to be decided on special teams. Both teams rely on big plays in kicking situations. VT loves to block kicks, while Miami loves to return those kicks. Roscoe Parish and Devin Hester have run back a total of four punts this season, and each averages nearly 20 yards a return.

A BCS bid is on the line, and no one is more familiar with the BCS than the Hurricanes. Miami has played in each of the four different BCS bowl games in the last four years. The home field along with the special teams help Miami squeak past Virginia Tech and into the BCS.

The Editor Says: Miami


THE WEEK'S OTHER TOP MATCHUPS...

MAC Championship Game - Toledo vs Miami (Ohio)

These teams have met once already earlier this month with the Hawks coming away with a seven point win in Oxford. This game will be played in neutral Detroit, and with the Rockets rolling after huge wins at NIU and against BGSU, look for Toledo to capture the conference crown.

The Editor Says: Toledo

(1) Southern Cal at UCLA

After hammering Notre Dame last weekend, this is the last obstacle for the Trojans. A win at cross-town rival UCLA would give USC a berth into the Orange Bowl and give Pete Carroll's team a chance to play for the national title against either Oklahoma or Auburn.

The Editor Says: Southern Cal

SEC Championship Game - (3) Auburn vs (15) Tennessee

The Volunteers have been anything but impressive in recent weeks, knocking off Vanderbilt by five two weeks ago before sliding past Kentucky by just six points last week. Auburn, meanwhile, has been perfect all season and will continue that trend in Atlanta. Will an Orange Bowl berth follow?

The Editor Says: Auburn

(5) California at Southern Miss

This is a game delayed due to a hurricane earlier in the season. A win here would almost surely give California a BCS berth into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. A loss opens the door for teams like Texas and Boise State to jump into the BCS, but expect the Bears to hold their ground.

The Editor Says: California

Big XII Championship Game - (2) Oklahoma vs Colorado

Colorado, just 4-4 in league play, slipped into this championship game thanks to Iowa State's home loss to Missouri last Saturday. The Buffaloes have come a long way since last year's offseason off-the-field troubles, but the Sooners know a shot at the national title is on the line.

The Editor Says: Oklahoma


COULD BE INTERESTING...

Pittsburgh at South Florida

Another postponed game from earlier this year, this matchup could vault Pittsburgh into the BCS if the Panthers are victorious.

The Editor Says: Pittsburgh

Army vs Navy

There games means more than football to both teams, and it's a good thing because Navy should easily take the win in Philadelphia.

The Editor Says: Navy

Michigan State at Hawaii

Hawaii knocked off one Big Ten team (Northwestern) last week and will try to do the same this week. MSU needs a win to reach .500 on the season.

The Editor Says: Hawaii


COLLEGE BASKETBALL...

GAME OF THE WEEK...

(1) Wake Forest at (2) Illinois - Wednesday

SCS.com's top two ranked teams in the latest Fab 15 get together as part of the ACC / Big Ten Challenge. Illinois is coming off a huge win over Gonzaga this past weekend, while the Deacons took home the Preseason NIT trophy. Tight game, but home court does the trick.

The Editor Says: Illinois


THE WEEK'S OTHER TOP MATCHUPS...

Michigan State at Duke - Tuesday

Another ACC / Big Ten showdown, this one should be interesting. Both teams have things to prove coming into the season.

The Editor Says: Duke

(7) Washington at Gonzaga - Wednesday

The Huskies looked dominant in the Alaska Tourney, while the Zags have work to do after a thumping at Illinois.

The Editor Says: Washington

(10) Kentucky at (3) North Carolina - Saturday

The Tar Heels stumbled early but rebounded by winning the Maui event. UK has young talent but will be tested big time.

The Editor Says: North Carolina

(2) Illinois vs Arkansas (North Little Rock, AR) - Saturday

The Illini's second big game of the week could be tough. Stan Heath's team needs to make the NCAA's this season.

The Editor Says: Illinois

(12) Mississippi State vs (15) Arizona (Los Angeles, CA) - Sunday

The Bulldogs couldn't get the job done against Syracuse, while Arizona has also stumbled twice (VA, WF) early this season.

The Editor Says: Arizona


COULD BE INTERESTING...

Purdue at NC State - Monday
The Editor Says: NC State

Nevada at (11) Kansas - Monday
The Editor Says: Kansas

Michigan at (4) Georgia Tech - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Georgia Tech

Arizona State at Temple - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Arizona State

Creighton at Xavier - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Creighton

Maryland at Wisconsin - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Maryland

East Tennessee State at (13) Alabama - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Alabama

(3) North Carolina at Indiana - Wednesday
The Editor Says: North Carolina

Virginia at Northwestern - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Virginia

Auburn at Virginia - Friday
The Editor Says: Virginia

Memphis at Purdue - Friday
The Editor Says: Memphis

Indiana vs (9) Connecticut (Hartford, CT) - Saturday
The Editor Says: Connecticut

Notre Dame at Michigan - Saturday
The Editor Says: Michigan

Florida State at Mississippi - Saturday
The Editor Says: Mississippi

Richmond at (1) Wake Forest - Saturday
The Editor Says: Wake Forest

(14) Texas at Seton Hall - Saturday
The Editor Says: Texas

Pacific at (11) Kansas - Saturday
The Editor Says: Kansas

Michigan St. vs George Washington (Washington D.C.) - Saturday
The Editor Says: Michigan State

Cincinnati at Dayton - Saturday
The Editor Says: Cincinnati

(13) Alabama at Charlotte - Saturday
The Editor Says: Alabama

Vanderbilt at Oregon - Saturday
The Editor Says: Oregon

Wisconsin at Rutgers - Saturday
The Editor Says: Rutgers

Clemson at South Carolina - Saturday
The Editor Says: South Carolina

Boston College at UCLA - Sunday
The Editor Says: UCLA

Georgia at (4) Georgia Tech - Sunday
The Editor Says: Georgia Tech


The Editor's CFB Records:
    Last Week: 8 - 11 (.421)
    To Date: 208 - 100 (.675)
    Game of the Week: 10 - 2 (.833)

The Editor's CBB Records:
    Last Week: 10 - 8 (.556)
    To Date: 10 - 8 (.556)
    Game of the Week: 1 - 0 (1.000)

 > Talk about it in The College Corner...

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