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College football capsules

Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 10/01/2008 - 14:03

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:PITTSBURGH (3-1) at No. 10 SOUTH FLORIDA (5-0), 7:30, ESPN.FAVORITE: South Florida by 14COACHES: Dave Wannstedt (19-20 in fourth year at Pittsburgh) and Jim Leavitt (94-47 in 12th year at South Florida).LAST WEEK: Pittsburgh won at Syracuse, 34-24. South Florida won at N.C. State, 41-10.SERIES HISTORY: South Florida leads, 3-2.LAST MEETING: South Florida won, 48-37, last year.STATS THAT MATTER: Bulls are fourth in nation in run defense (58.8 yards per game) and 8th in total defense (243.8 ypg) while Panthers are 60th in nation in rushing (152.7 ypg) and 72nd in total offense (352.7 ypg).GAME FACTS: Winners of three straight, Panthers looking for first four-game winning streak over D-I opponents since 2003. Rushing game finally got going last week with RBs LeSean McCoy, LaRod Stephens-Howling combining for 220 yards, 2 TDs. But was that Pitt's line blocking well or just bad Syracuse defense? We'll find out as Panthers managed only 95 yards rushing in last year's home loss to USF. QB Bill Stull (800 passing, 2 TDs, 3 ints.) can start to look to WR Derrick Kinder (19 catches, 8 last week) as go-to guy as senior is back on track after missing last year with knee injury. 12-2 at home since start of 2006 season, Bulls play with lots of energy at Raymond James Stadium, home of NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. QB Matt Grothe (leads Big East with 1,394 total offense, 8 TD passes, 2 ints., TD run) has been on fire lately (66-of-96, 729 passing, 3 TDs, 146 yards rushing, TD run in last three games). Star DE George Selvie (ankle) didn't play last week and is questionable, along with LB Brouce Mompremier (neck). Since earning starter job in Week 2, freshman K Maikon Bonani is 7-for-10 on FGs including 43-yard game-winner on final play to beat No. 13 Kansas on Sept. 12.OREGON STATE (2-2) at No. 15 UTAH (5-0), 9, Versus.FAVORITE: Utah by 11-1/2.COACHES: Mike Riley (49-40 in 8th year at Oregon State) and Kyle Wittingham (29-14 in fourth year at Utah).LAST WEEK: Oregon State beat No 1 USC, 27-21. Utah beat Weber State, 37-21.SERIES HISTORY: Oregon State leads, 9-4-1.LAST MEETING: Oregon State won, 24-7, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: In winning 13 of last 14 games since last September, Utes are averaging 33.5 points per game.GAME FACTS: After first win over No. 1 team since also beating top-ranked USC in 1968, how much will Beavers have left here vs. quality opponent? After all, OSU hasn't beaten ranked teams in consecutive weeks since 2000. RB Jacquizz Rodgers (186 yards rushing, TD run, TD catch), QB Lyle Moevao (18-of-28, 167 passing, 2 TDs) were nothing short of sensational vs. USC. But real surprise was maligned defense (85th in nation in scoring, 27.2 ppg) rising up (only 313 yards allowed, 2 turnovers forced, USC only 2-of-10 on third-down conversions). To maintain hopes of crashing BCS bowl in January, Utes need this one badly. Behind QB Brian Johnson (second in Mountain West in QB rating, 92-of-133, 1,129 passing, 8 TDs, 5 ints.), RBs Matt Asiata, Darrell Mack (combined 639 rushing, 9 TDs), offense (second in Mountain West in scoring, 38.5 ppg) can score with anybody. Johnson might want some payback after separating his shoulder vs. OSU last year as Utah surrendered 5 sacks and never scored after Johnson left. Defense (5th in nation in total defense, 231.4 ypg, and vs. run, 60.2 ypg) has looked a little soft in last two wins over I-AA Weber State, Air Force (gave up 441 yards passing, 4 TD passes), despite best efforts of LB Mike Wright (16 tackles last two games), DE Paul Kruger, who has 11-1/2 tackles for loss (second in nation).FRIDAY:CINCINNATI (3-1) at MARSHALL (3-2), 8, ESPN.FAVORITE: Cincinnati by 3-1/2.COACHES: Brian Kelly (13-4 in second year at Cincinnati) and Mark Snyder (15-25 in fourth year at Marshall).LAST WEEK: Cincinnati won at Akron, 17-15. Marshall lost at West Virginia, 27-3/SERIES HISTORY: Cincinnati leads, 7-3-1.LAST MEETING: Cincinnati won, 40-14, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Under Kelly, Bearcats are 6-2 on road with only losses coming at No. 1 Oklahoma this year and at Pittsburgh last year.GAME FACTS: First and foremost, Kelly must figure out whom to play at QB with starter Dustin Grotza (broken leg), backup Tony Pike (broken arm last week) both out. Both freshman Zach Collaros (1-of-4 passing, 18 yards rushing in relief last week) or sophomore Demetrius Jones, a transfer from Notre Dame, could see snaps. S Brad Jones' int. with 1:44 left saved game last week after K Jake Rodgers nailed clutch 48-yard FG six minutes earlier to put UC ahead. Thundering Herd flopped badly in rivalry game last week managing only 158 total yards with 3 turnovers in discouraging loss. Crumbling defense (108th in nation in total defense, 440 ypg) gave up 319 yards rushing and must tighten up. QB Mark Conn had worst game of season (15-of-36, 119 passing, int.) but has a gifted target in senior WR Darius Passmore (30 catches, 17 ypg, 4 TDs). Sophomore RB Darius Marshall (second in Conference USA with 840 all-purpose yards, 4 TD runs) is versatile threat in open field. Defeat here would further cloud Snyder's future in Huntington, still quite cloudy as 28 scholarship players have left MU in last three years.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)