Capsule previews for Thursday and Friday's college games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.
THURSDAY:
NORTH CAROLINA (4-3) at No. 14 VIRGINIA TECH (5-2), 7:30, ESPN.
FAVORITE: Virginia Tech by 15.
COACHES: Butch Davis (16-16 in third year at UNC) and Frank Beamer (182-91-2 in 23rd year at Va. Tech).
LAST WEEK: North Carolina lost at home to Florida State, 30-27. Va. Tech was off.
SERIES HISTORY: Va. Tech leads, 16-9-6.
LAST MEETING: Va. Tech won, 20-17, last year.
STAT THAT MATTERS: Since November, 2007, Hokies have won eight straight ACC home games while yielding only 13 points per game.
GAME FACTS: Reeling Tar Heels (0-3 in ACC, winless vs. D-I teams since beating East Carolina, 31-17, on Sept. 19) stagger in after blowing 24-6 second-half lead to Florida State. RB Shaun Draughn busted out with 126 yards (first 100-game since opener vs. The Citadel) but QB Tyler Yates (12-of-25, 64 yards, TD, int.) was ineffective again. Collapse must have stirred memories of last year's loss to Hokies when 17-3 third quarter lead vanished. Hokes aren't exactly riding high either. In disheartening 28-23 loss at then No. 19 Ga. Tech on Oct. 17, Hokies were trampled for 309 yards rushing while QB Tyrod Taylor (leads ACC, fourth in nation in QB rating, 68-of-118, 1,154 passing, 9 TDs, 3 ints.) threw pair of costly ints. Freshman RB Ryan Williams' 66-yard TD burst (his 10th TD of season) boosted his rushing total to 834 yards (leads ACC). WR Dyrell Roberts leads nation in kickoff returns (40.8 ypr including 98 yard TD return vs. Alabama). Since rivalry renewed after 51-year hiatus with Tar Heels' 42-3 triumph in 1998 Gator Bowl, Hokies are 5-0 vs. UNC while holding Tar Heels to 13 ppg.
FRIDAY:
No. 20 WEST VIRGINIA (6-1) at SOUTH FLORIDA (5-2), 8, ESPN.
FAVORITE: West Virginia by 3-1/2.
COACHES: Bill Stewart (16-5 in second year at West Virginia) and Jim Leavitt (92-54 in 13th year at South Florida).
LAST WEEK: West Virginia beat Connecticut, 28-24. South Florida lost at Pitt, 41-14.
SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 2-2.
LAST MEETING: West Virginia won, 13-7, last year.
STAT THAT MATTERS: Since December, 2006, Bulls are 5-1 vs. ranked teams.
GAME FACTS: Win here keeps Mountaineers (2-0 in Big East play) in running for league title with mid-November showdowns with leaders Cincinnati and Pitt looming. All of 5-8 and 175 pounds, junior RB Noel Devine (leads Big East, third in nation with 912 rushing, 10 TDs) is among fastest players in nation. After suffering concussion in win over Marshall Oct. 17, senior QB Jarrett Brown returned last year with solid effort (16-of-27, 153 passing, TD, int., 41 yards rushing, TD run). Those 19 turnovers (last in Big East, 107th in nation) have been huge problem. Trounced by combined 75-31 in consecutive losses to Cincinnati and Pitt, this is pretty much last stand for Bulls. After looking great initially filling in for injured senior Matt Grothe, QB B.J. Daniels now looks every bit like a freshman (19-of-40, 262 passing, TD, 4 ints., 124 yards rushing, TD run in last two losses). Defense floundered last week giving up 486 total yards as Pitt never punted as Leavitt admits, "We haven't played any defense lately.'' About only bright spot was return of junior RB Mike Ford from two-game suspension.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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