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College football capsules

Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 15:32

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:CLEMSON (3-2) at NO. 21 WAKE FOREST (3-1), 7:30 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: Wake Forest by 3.COACHES: Tommy Bowden (72-44 in 10th year at Clemson) and Jim Grobe (49-40 in 8th year at Wake).LAST GAME: Clemson lost at home to Maryland, 20-17, on Sept. 27. Wake lost at home to Navy, 24-17, on Sept. 27.SERIES HISTORY: Clemson leads, 56-16-1.LAST MEETING: Clemson won, 44-10, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Since routing Demon Deacons last Nov. 10, Tigers are only 4-3 with wins over South Carolina, N.C. State and I-AA members The Citadel and South Carolina State.GAME FACTS: Preseason picks to win ACC, Tigers have disappointed badly, getting hammered by Alabama and blowing lead in stunning loss to Maryland. So much so that loss here might put Bowden on hot seat. Struggling with reworked line, offense has scored only 51 points in three games vs. D-I foes. After combining for 1,832 yards rushing last year, RBs C.J. Spiller, James Davis have only 679 yards so far. Similar struggles have plagued QB Cullen Harper (27 TDs, 6 ints. last year, 3 TDs, 5 ints. this year). Defense (6th in ACC in total defense, 316.2 ypg) has been hurt by big plays. Wake isn't exactly crowing either after baffling home loss to 17-point underdog Navy, which ripped through Deacons for 292 yards rushing, 3 TDs. Junior QB Riley Skinner's numbers looked okay (26-of-40, 270 passing, TD) until you factor in career-high 4 ints., which equaled his total of his past 11 games dating back to last year. He doesn't have good memories of last year when Tigers sacked him 6 times. Senior CB Alphonzo Smith (second in nation with 6 passes defensed, 16 career ints. including 2 this year) might be best cover guy in nation. One of Wake's most valuable weapons, senior K Sam Swank (leads nation with 10 FGs, 28-of-34 on FGs dating back to last year) is questionable with strained quad. Freshman Shane Popham gets call if Swank can't go.FRIDAY:LOUISVILLE (2-2) at MEMPHIS (3-3), 8, ESPN.FAVORITE: Louisville by 6.COACHES: Steve Kragthorpe (8-8 in second year at Louisville) and Tommy West (44-47 in 8th year at Memphis).LAST GAME: Louisville lost at home to Connecticut, 26-21, on Sept. 26. Memphis won at Alabama-Birmingham, 33-30, on Oct. 2.SERIES HISTORY: Louisville leads, 21-19.LAST MEETING: Louisville won, 56-49, in 2004.STAT THAT MATTERS: Cardinals' 8 losses under Kragthorpe is only one fewer than UL had combined in 2003-2006 under Bobby Petrino when Cards went 41-9.GAME FACTS: Old Conference USA rivals renew series that dates back to 1948. Kragthorpe hopes senior QB Hunter Cantwell (ankle) can play since coaching staff seems to have little confidence in sophomore backup Tyler Wolfe. Return of WR Scott Long from broken foot should help depleted WR corps. RBs Victor Anderson, Bilal Powell both topped 100 yards vs. UConn. Tigers have rebounded from 0-3 start with 3-game winning streak, albeit over Nicholls State, Arkansas State and UAB. Junior QB Arkelon Hall threw 4 TDs vs. UAB, 2 to WR Ernest Williams and also drove team to K Vinny Zaccario's game-winning 25-yard FG with two :02 left. Soft run defense (86th in nation vs. run, 170.5 ypg) could have big problems with bruising UL line opening holes for Anderson and Powell. DT Clinton McDonald leads C-USA and is fourth in nation with 4-1/2 sacks. Win would come in handy in pursuit of UM's fifth bowl game since 2003, no small feat considering Tigers had made only one bowl ever prior to West's arrival.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)