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College football capsules

Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 10/15/2008 - 13:56

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:FLORIDA STATE (4-1) at N.C. STATE (2-4), 7:30, ESPN.FAVORITE: FSU by 11.COACHES: Bobby Bowden (304-88-4 in 33rd year at FSU) and Tom O'Brien (7-11 in second year at N.C. State).LAST GAME: FSU won at Miami, 41-39, on Oct. 4. N.C. State lost at home to Boston College, 38-31, on Oct. 4.SERIES HISTORY: FSU leads, 19-9.LAST MEETING: FSU won, 27-10, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Since start of 2006 season, Seminoles are 2-8 vs. ACC Atlantic rivals including 1-3 mark on the road.GAME FACTS: Time for Seminoles to start flexing muscles again. RB Antone Smith (244 yards rushing, 7 TDs in last two games) certainly has. Sophomore QB Christian Ponder (30-of-71, 330 passing, 6 ints., 1 TD pass in 3 games vs. D-I opponents) remains work in progress but his mobility (144 yards rushing vs. Miami) does give offense another dimension. Defense had real problems vs. Miami, giving up 456 total yards, 32 points (29 in second half). 3-2 vs. FSU in Raleigh since 1998, Wolfpack's hopes for another upset center on improving freshman QB Russell Wilson (19-of-33, 218 passing, TD pass, 2 TD runs vs. BC), return of TE Anthony Hill, LB Nate Irving from injuries. Exciting frosh WR T.J. Graham took kickoff back for 100-yard TD vs. BC. But poor defense (last in ACC, 107th in nation in total defense, 430.2 ypg) gave up game-losing TD with 22 seconds left vs. BC and just hasn't been stopping anybody.No. 9 BRIGHAM YOUNG (6-0) at TCU (6-1), 8, Versus.FAVORITE: BYU by 2.COACHES: Bronco Mendenhall (34-10 in fourth year at BYU) and Gary Patterson (68-26 in 8th year at TCU).LAST WEEK: BYU beat New Mexico, 21-3. TCU won at Colorado State, 13-7.SERIES HISTORY: BYU leads, 5-2.LAST MEETING: BYU won, 27-22, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: In beating Horned Frogs last two seasons, Cougars have thrown for combined 626 yards and 6 TD passes, most of any TCU opponent over that span.GAME FACTS: Riding nation's longest winning streak at 16 games, Cougars face big obstacle to breaking through to BCS bowl. Junior QB Max Hall (leads Mountain West, 7th in nation in QB rating, 152-of-215, 1,845 passing, 20 TDs, 4 ints) burned Frogs last year (26-of-45, 305 passing, TD, int.). WR Austin Collie (leads MWC, fifth in nation with 47 catches, second in nation with 673 receiving yards, 8 TDs) is precise route runner. Swarming defense (second in nation in scoring, 10.2 ppg, 9th with 48 tackles for loss) has yielded only 2 TDs in last four games and will take ball away (18 turnovers forced, second in nation). 28-4 at home since 2003, Frogs need nasty pass rush (leads nation with 28 sacks) to get after Hall and help out secondary (41st in nation vs. pass, 186.7 ypg), which flunked only real test giving up 411 yards passing, 4 TDs in 35-10 loss at Oklahoma, Sept. 27. Run defense leads nation yielding just 20.7 yards per game. Sophomore QB Andy Dalton (knee) is questionable. Junior Marcus Jackson has started last two games and hasn't exactly lit it up passing (combined 26-of-45, 281 passing, TD, int.), but has run well (185 yards, 2 TD runs). RB Joseph Turner (9 TDs) is tough around goal line. TCU has finished strong outscoring opponents, 62-0, in final quarter.FRIDAY:HAWAII (3-3) at No. 15 BOISE STATE (5-0), .8, ESPN.FAVORITE: Boise State by 25.COACHES: Greg McMackin (first year at Hawaii) and Chris Petersen (28-3 in second year at Boise State).LAST WEEK: Hawaii beat Louisiana Tech, 24-14. Boise State was off.SERIES HISTORY: Boise State leads, 6-3.LAST MEETING: Hawaii won, 39-27, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Since 2001, Broncos have won 46 straight regular-season home games, their only loss at Bronco Stadium over that span coming to Boston College, 27-21, in the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl.GAME FACTS: Last three games between these two have been decided by 18 total points with BSU winning two of three. After tough 1-3 start, Warriors have bounced back with consecutive wins behind junior QB Inuke Funaki (31-of-51, 394 passing, 4 TDs, int., 122 yards rushing, TD run in last two games) who entered season as third-stringer. All-WAC DE David Veikune is still looking for first sack after getting 7 last year, but has still made 37 tackles. Broncos QB Kellen Moore (leads WAC, 6th in nation in QB rating, 98-of-137, 1,335 passing, 10 TDs, 3 ints.) has been phenomenal, especially for a freshman. Defense (leads WAC, 7th in nation in scoring, 11.2 ppg, second in WAC with 35-1/2 tackles for loss) has pretty much taken care of rest holding four of five opponents to 7 points or less behind S Jerron Johnson (second in WAC with 48 tackles), DE Ryan Winterswyk (4 tackles for loss, 2-1/2 sacks). Hero of Boise State's Fiesta Bowl upset of Oklahoma two years ago, RB Ian Johnson leads all D-I players with 3,740 career rushing yards, 51 TDs.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)