ShareThisCapsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.
THURSDAY:
No. 4 OLE MISS (2-0) at SOUTH CAROLINA (2-1), 7:30, ESPN.
FAVORITE: Ole Miss by 4.
COACHES: Houston Nutt (11-4 in second year at Ole Miss) and Steve Spurrier (30-23 in fifth year at South Carolina).
LAST WEEK: Ole Miss was off. South Carolina beat Florida Atlantic, 38-16.
SERIES HISTORY: Ole Miss leads, 8-6.
LAST MEETING: South Carolina won, 31-24, last year.
STAT THAT MATTERS: Under Spurrier, Gamecocks are 5-13 vs. ranked foes including 2-7 mark in Columbia.
GAME FACTS: Sporting its highest ranking since 1970, Rebels' 8-game wining steak is longest since 1972 with wins over Memphis, SE Louisiana by combined 97-20 so far this season. Rebs are 4-2 on road under Nutt after going 3-17 away from 2004-07. But UM faces tough test vs. 'Cocks, who rolled up 405 yards in Oxford last year in first win over Ole Miss since 1979. Since that game, QB Jevan Snead (28-of-50 passing, 384 yards, 5 TDs, 2 ints., school record 8 straight games with 2 or more TD passes) has thrown 22 TD passes vs. 6 ints, -- pretty much the best QB play for Rebs since the Mannings (Archie and Eli). Defense has already forced 8 turnovers. That's bad news for SC, which coughed up 38 turnovers last year (worst in nation), but has only given up 3 so far in '09. Sophomore QB Stephen Garcia has looked good (51-of-70, 535 yards passing, 3 TDs, int., TD run in last two games) but needs to step it up to give 'Cocks first win over top-five team since 1981. Freshman RB Jarvis Giles flashed potential last week (113 yards rushing, TD. Senior DE Eric Norwood (leads SEC with 4 sacks) led charge in Oxford last year (2 tackles for loss, sack) while S Chris Culliver added 5 tackles, forced fumble.
FRIDAY:
MISSOURI (3-0) at NEVADA (0-2), 9, ESPN.
FAVORITE: Missouri by 8.
COACHES: Gary Pinkel (62-41 in 9th year at Missouri) and Chris Ault (138-55-1 in 25th year at Nevada).
LAST WEEK: Missouri beat Furman, 52-12. Nevada lost at Colorado State, 35-20.
SERIES HISTORY: Missouri leads, 1-0.
LAST MEETING: Missouri won, 69-17, last year.
STAT THAT MATTERS: In rolling up school record for points in last year's win, Tigers out-gained Wolf Pack,651 total yards to 362.
GAME FACTS: Pinkel has to be thrilled way sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert (11th in nation, leads Big 12 in QB rating, 62-of-91, 747 passing, 8 TDs) has made spread offense's transition from three-year starter Chase Daniel so seamless. WRs Danario Alexander, Jared Perry (combined 37 catches, 6 TDs) have helped out. A fourth straight 4-0 start would be a boost considering MU's brutal October schedule (Nebraksa, at Oklahoma State, Texas). In three-game losing skid dating back to last year, Wolf Pack has been out-scored 112-55. After getting stifled in 35-0 loss at Notre Dame in opener, junior QB Colin Kaepernick looked better last week (25-of-38, 251 passing, TD, 2 ints., 24 yards rushing) but still a long way down from what he did last year (led WAC, 11th in nation with 3,979 yards total offense; 17 TD runs, 22 TD passes, 7 ints.). Same can be said of misfiring "pistol'' offense (20 points scored after averaging 28.3 ppg last year). RB Vai Taua (209 rushing, 2 TDs after leading WAC in rushing last year) will look for room vs. average Tigers' front seven (40th in nation vs. run, 105.7 ypg). Then again, Gabbert could have field day vs. 'Pack pass defense that was worst in nation last year and has now moved all the way up to 102nd.
(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
