The Bum's College Football Week # 9 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

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North Carolina-Pittsburgh Preview Capsule
October 28, 2015

North Carolina (6-1, 3-0 ACC) at No. 23 Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-0), 8 p.m. (ESPN)


Line: North Carolina by 2 1/2.

Series Record: North Carolina leads 6-3.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: A leg up in the crowded ACC Coastal Division. The Panthers, Tar Heels and Duke are all undefeated heading into the final days of October and will play each other over the next three weeks. Whoever loses tonight will face an uphill battle to win the division and earn a spot in the conference title game.

KEY MATCHUP

North Carolina's secondary vs. Pitt WR Tyler Boyd. The dynamic and versatile Boyd is the school's all-time leading receiver and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney keeps finding interesting ways to get Boyd involved. He ran six times last week in a win over Syracuse and even completed his first pass, a 38-yard gain.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

North Carolina: QB Marquise Williams. The senior has become increasingly accurate throughout his career and is now one of the better dual threats in the country. He's completing 66 percent of his passes, which is making him even more dangerous with his legs. Williams is averaging 7.0 yards per carry and ran for 71 yards in last week's win over Virginia.

Pittsburgh: LB Matt Galambos. The junior has become a playmaking catalyst for the Panthers' rejuvenated defense. Galambos leads the team in sacks (four) and he can catch the ball, too. His two interceptions are tied for the team lead and he hauled in a 12-yard reception on a fake punt against Syracuse that led to the winning field goal.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Tar Heels have won six straight since a season-opening loss to South Carolina, the program's longest winning streak since 1997. ... The Panthers have won four consecutive games, their only loss came to unbeaten Iowa on a field goal at the end of the game. ... Pitt is second in the ACC and 12th in the country in sacks per game (3.14) and its 22 sacks are already four more than the team managed in 2014. ... North Carolina is one of just 10 teams in the country to average more than 200 yards rushing and 250 yards passing. ... The Tar Heels are allowing only 16.7 points per game a season after giving up 39 points per contest. ... The Panthers are 5-1 in games decided by single digits. ... North Carolina has not allowed a punt return all season.

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Beamer's future unclear as reeling Hokies enter home stretch
October 27, 2015

Longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer isn't worried about his future with the Hokies or his legacy, at least not at the moment.

''The only thing I'm really concerned about right now is Boston College,'' Beamer said Monday when asked about the firings of friends Mack Brown at Texas and Al Golden at Miami. ''That's the only thing on my mind.

''I can tell you the second part of that is whatever is good for Virginia Tech, what's best for Virginia Tech is what I'm into,'' the coach said. ''I've always felt that way and always will, and that's it.''

Beamer, the career victories leader among Division I coaches with 276, is in his 29th season at his alma mater, a program he talked about taking to a national championship when he took over in 1987. The Hokies got there in the 1999 season, a Michael Vick-led team losing 46-29 to Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

They have played in five major bowl games since, beating only Cincinnati in the 2009 Orange Bowl.

But nothing lasts forever and questions are being raised if it's time for a change.

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock Babcock is declining all interview requests, but in January he said Beamer was never in danger of losing his job last year.

That was then, before the Hokies stumbled out of the gate.

Babcock and Beamer met twice after the regular season - the second time at Beamer's home when he was recuperating from throat surgery.

The bowl-bound Hokies were coming off their third consecutive pedestrian season, a run of mediocrity that followed a nation-best eight consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins. Beamer had missed most of his team's bowl preparations after his surgery and was forced to watch and manage the game from the coaches' box.

''We have high expectations here, and the guy who's our coach created them,'' Babcock said then. ''There were no ultimatums issued, no magic numbers issued. I support coach and I think we're going to be a lot better next year.''

It hasn't happened.

Virginia Tech (3-5, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) has lost four of its last five and heads to Boston College on Saturday needing to win three of its last four to keep alive its streak of 22 seasons ending in a bowl game.

''What I really wanted to hear from coach, and I saw it crystal clear was, is he ready to get back in the saddle and dig in?'' Babcock said in January. ''Not that he hasn't been, but really get this thing going, and I was very satisfied with that. He has a lot of drive to get this back. He's a humble guy, but he wants to compete. And I think he's very well aware of the expectations that he's created.''

Those lofty expectations are what make the current state of the program tough for Hokies fans and have led to questions about Beamer's future.

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B]No. 5 TCU Horned Frogs head into telltale stretch of season
October 27, 2015[/B]

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) TCU stayed undefeated when playing three of its first four Big 12 games on the road, a portion of the season that was repeatedly emphasized by coach Gary Patterson.

But that was just a warmup for the fifth-ranked Horned Frogs (7-0, 4-0 Big 12), who head into their tell-tale stretch after an open date.

''The games we're getting ready to play are going to speak volumes for us, for our resume,'' Patterson said. ''Not sure that the ones that we've beaten already make a difference.''

While the Frogs had to win all those games to be in a playoff-contending position, the toughest part of their schedule is still ahead of them.

TCU is home Thursday night against West Virginia (3-3, 0-3), in a matchup of the programs that came into the Big 12 together in 2012. Their three games as conference foes have been decided by a combined five points, with two overtime games before the Frogs won 31-30 last season on Jaden Oberkrom's 37-yard field goal to end regulation.

''They're a lot better football team than 3-3. They've played all three of those teams that have only one loss between them,'' Patterson said.

The Mountaineers lost in consecutive weeks to 14th-ranked Oklahoma, 12th-ranked Oklahoma State and second-ranked Baylor - all teams that TCU still has left to play in November.

''I think winning the games in front of us will speak more for themselves than anything that's happened,'' Patterson said. ''Right now, we're just going to worry about West Virginia, but I think the games coming up will tell the tale of whether we can get into the playoff, or we can win the conference, or do any of the above.''

In their last game, the Frogs fell behind 21-14 in the first quarter at Iowa State before scoring 31 unanswered points. Their Big 12 opener was a 55-52 victory at Texas Tech when they scored on a deflected fourth-down pass, and they overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to win 52-45 at Kansas State.

TCU's first home game in nearly four weeks, since a 50-7 win over Texas, comes in advance of the first weekly College Football Playoff rankings next Tuesday.

''To make it any business, I think you have to understand what the landscape is,'' Patterson said, when asked about the pending rankings. ''I'm just interested.''

The Frogs were third in the CFP rankings going into their regular-season finale last year. Even after a 55-3 win over Iowa State, they dropped to sixth in the final rankings and were left out of the four-team playoff.

TCU was second in the preseason Top 25 this year, but has been up and down in that poll. They were third after their first three games, slipped to fourth after the Tech win, went back to second after the Longhorns game, and have slipped one spot in each of the last three weeks.

''When we were in the Mountain West and Conference USA, well, it was you don't play anybody,'' Patterson said. ''Now we got in a league ... and now I saw our resume is not good enough yet because we haven't played anybody.''

If the Frogs get through November still undefeated, that shouldn't be an issue anymore.

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Back to basics for Michigan during bye; Badgers battered
October 27, 2015

MILWAUKEE (AP) Given an opportunity to stew during a bye week following their stunning loss to Michigan State, the Michigan Wolverines instead went back to basics.

No sign of a team-wide hangover at the Big House, at least to coach Jim Harbaugh.

First, Harbaugh had his team run through what he described as a training camp-like practice last week. The next day, he ran drills as if it were spring practice. The Wolverines took a few days off and returned on Sunday to begin preparations for this weekend's game at Minnesota.

''I was really inspired actually,'' Harbaugh said Tuesday. ''We're mentally sharp. Physically, didn't show any signs of rust.''

Now those sharp practice performances must carry over to Saturday and the trip to Minnesota to reclaim the Little Brown Jug. The Golden Gophers claimed possession last year with a 30-14 win in Ann Arbor.

The trophy game is the highlight of this week's conference schedule.

''We'll fight awfully hard to do our best and keep it in the state of Michigan, but it will be a challenge,'' Minnesota associate head coach Tracy Claeys.

Oops, that's not what he meant.

''I mean in the state of Minnesota. Sorry about that,'' said Claeys, who filled in for head coach Jerry Kill on the Big Ten coaches' call.

All will be forgiven in Minnesota if the Gophers, who are also coming off a bye, can hang on to the jug.

Michigan is the only Big Ten team this week that can win its sixth game to get to bowl eligibility and join Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Penn State among postseason-bound schools.

Minnesota is two wins away but faces a three-week gauntlet that also includes back-to-back trips to face the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes.

Getting off to better starts would help. Minnesota has been outscored 47-10 in first quarters this season.

Wisconsin has weathered its own injury woes to stay near the top of the West division. The offense, especially, has been battered with injuries to running back Corey Clement (sports hernia) and several offensive lineman

The Badgers added two more key players to the list with starting center Dan Voltz (knee) out for the year and receiver Robert Wheelwright (leg) out indefinitely after getting hurt in the 24-13 win last week over Illinois.

''Certainly you want all your guys, and you do develop consistency,'' coach Paul Chryst said. ''And yet you've got to focus on the things that you can control.''

That means the never-ending task of getting backups ready for more responsibilities.

At least Chryst appears confident that starting quarterback Joel Stave will practice this week. Stave was going to through the concussion protocol after getting knocked out of the Illinois game.

BYE WEEKS: Ohio State, Michigan State, Northwestern and Indiana are off this weekend. ... Spartans coach Mark Dantonio's plans for his team's bye week included no padded practices. He said he was dialing the contact down with his team dealing with injuries. ''We need to be fresh going into November,'' he said. ... Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz took a similar approach for his team's bye last week. ''Certainly the least amount of contact in 16-plus years being back,'' said Ferentz, referring to his Hawkeyes tenure.

HEADED HOME: The Illini travel to Penn State on Saturday in what will amount to a homecoming game of sorts for Illinois interim coach Bill Cubit. He is from the Philadelphia suburb of Sharon Hill. Cubit's resume also included a successful five-year stint as head coach at Division III Widener in southeastern Pennsylvania.

SORE ILLINI: Cubit said that junior TE Tyler White would miss the rest of the year a torn ACL, the third such injury of his career. Running back Josh Ferguson (right shoulder) appeared likely to miss a third straight game. ''I would put him at very, very doubtful at best,'' Cubit said

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Offense giving Shittu, No. 8 Cardinal defense a rest
October 27, 2015

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Defensive end Aziz Shittu plays more than his coaches would like and he welcomes the opportunity. A lack of depth along No. 8 Stanford's defensive front has forced him into extensive playing time.

Shittu has a secret weapon for staying rested though and it's the Cardinal offense.

''Our offense does a great job of staying on the field,'' Shittu said as Stanford prepared for a road trip at Washington State on Saturday. ''We always seem rested.''

The Cardinal (6-1, 5-0 Pac-12) lead the conference in time of possession, averaging nearly 36 minutes a game. That's a product of Stanford's commitment to the run game and the fact it rarely uses an up-tempo offense. The Cardinal have rushed for at least 100 yards in 41 of their past 44 games.

Throw in a conference-leading passing efficiency rating of 174.6 and Stanford controls the tempo of its contests.

Shittu is also a part of the Pac-12's leading defensive team, though the Cougars, who average over 500 yards a game, will put that to the test.

''It will be a test of wills all night,'' Shittu said. ''Washington State is a great team and they will be throwing the ball 40-50 times. You just have to keep on going.''

Stanford could get some relief up front with the possible return of senior outside linebacker Kevin Anderson, who has missed five games with an unspecified injury.

''He practiced a little bit and he'll go a little bit more,'' Cardinal coach David Shaw said. ''At the end of the week we'll see where he is.''

Anderson was one of just two returning starters, with Blake Martinez, on defense for Stanford. Active in pass coverage, he's also an effective pass rusher.

The forecast calls for rain in the Pullman area this weekend. The Cardinal have yet to play in inclement weather as Northern California remains in drought conditions.

''Can we still play at a high level?'' Shaw asked. ''It's just another challenge.''

NOTES: RB Christian McCaffrey, the national leader in all-purpose yards, is physically holding up. ''We're conscious of it and try to take care of it to a certain degree during the week,'' Shaw said. ''He only knows two speeds: On and Off.'' ... The Cardinal are 13-5 all-time in games played on Halloween. ... Stanford has won its last seven games against Washington State, matching the program's second-longest active streak against any one school.

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Utah's loss sends Pac-12 South into big jumble
October 27, 2015

Utah and Stanford appeared to be on a collision course for the Pac-12 championship game, two power programs that had the look of the dominant team in each division.

The eighth-ranked Cardinal took care of their end of the bargain last week by rolling over Washington to maintain a comfortable lead in the Pac-12 North.

Utah could not keep its roll going, losing to unranked Southern California to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten.

The Utes' loss also threw the Pac-12 South into chaos.

With five weeks left until the Pac-12 championship game, five of the six teams in the South still have a shot at winning the division - everyone except 1-3 Colorado.

A quick rundown of the teams still in it and their chances to win the South:

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UTAH

Record: 6-1, 3-1 Pac-12.

Title chances: Good.

Outlook: Despite their loss to the Trojans, the 13th-ranked Utes still control the South; win out and the title is theirs. The problem is Utah played its worst game of the season at an inopportune time. Travis Wilson threw four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and the Utes had a hard time matching up with USC's talent in the 42-24 loss. Utah has a pair of what should be relatively easy games against Oregon State and Colorado left, but also has road games against Washington and Arizona, along with UCLA at home on Nov. 21.

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USC

Record: 4-3, 2-2.

Title chances: Solid.

Outlook: Beating the No. 3 team in the country would be a huge boost to any program. Doing it in their second game under interim coach Clay Helton made it more impressive. Despite all that's happened to the Trojans, they still match up with just about anyone, their roster full of NFL-caliber talent. USC lost to Notre Dame five days after coach Steve Sarkisian was fired and led in the second half before the Irish scored 17 points to win by 10. The Trojans were favored over Utah and proved odds makers right with perhaps their most complete game of the season. USC has road games against Cal, Colorado and Oregon, with home games against Arizona and UCLA to close out the season.

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UCLA

Record: 5-2, 2-2.

Title chances: Solid.

Outlook: The Bruins bounced back from losses to Arizona State and Stanford nicely last week, rolling over California 40-24. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen was sharp against the Bears after a couple of so-so games, setting a school record with 34 completions while throwing for 399 yards and three touchdowns. The Bruins' defense also hounded Jared Goff, one of the nation's best quarterbacks, into a second-straight below-average game. Despite a litany of injuries, particularly on defense, UCLA has enough talent to contend for the South title. The Bruins face Colorado and Oregon State the next two weeks, but close the season against Washington State, Utah and USC.

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ARIZONA STATE

Record: 4-3, 2-2.

Title chances: Average.

Outlook: Coach Todd Graham told his players Thursday's game against Oregon is essentially an elimination game and he could be right. The Sun Devils were in decent shape after beating UCLA and Colorado, but failed on a chance to take control of the South with a loss to Utah. Get past the Ducks and Arizona State still has a tough road ahead with road games against resurgent teams Washington State and California, along with Washington and Arizona at home. Their goal of winning the South is still a possibility, but they need to get things rolling now to have a chance.

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ARIZONA

Record: 5-3, 2-3.

Title chances: Not great.

Outlook: Despite opening the Pac-12 season with lopsided losses to UCLA and Stanford, the Wildcats were in OK shape heading into Saturday's home game against Washington State. Arizona couldn't keep up with the Cougars in a 45-42 loss, leaving its prospects for the South title pretty bleak. The Wildcats will likely need to win out and get some help, which won't be easy with the schedule they have left. Arizona plays three of its final four games on the road - against Washington, USC and Arizona State - and its lone home game is against Utah. The Wildcats also are banged up, particularly on defense, and don't have a bye week this season to heal up.

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No. 9 Notre Dame seeks to stop giving up big plays
October 27, 2015

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) It's been a perplexing season for the defense at No. 9 Notre Dame, an odd mix of being stout while also surrendering big plays and touchdowns in bunches.

The Fighting Irish (6-1) head into Saturday's game against No. 21 Temple (7-0) struggling to find consistency on defense. The defense ranks seventh nationally in holding opponents to three-and-out on 31 percent of their possessions, yet has allowed 15 plays of 35 yards or more.

''If we are more consistent as a defense, we are going to be really good. We just have to get to that point,'' coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday.

In their last game, the Irish gave up 590 yards of offense to Southern California - the most yards in six years under Kelly - with 340 yards of that coming on seven plays.

''We're at a point at one time in the game where it's 24-10 with five minutes and 50 seconds to go in the half and the thing just goes crazy on us,'' Kelly said.

That's when USC quarterback Cody Kessler threw a backward pass to Jalen Greene, who threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster, the third time this season the Irish have been gashed by a trick play. On USC's next possession, Adoree Jackson turned a screen pass into an 83-yard touchdown. Notre Dame won 41-31.

It's been that way all season for the Irish, allowing opponents to score in chunks. Navy scored on back-to-back possessions. Clemson scored two touchdowns in the first two possessions. Massachusetts scored on three straight possessions. Georgia Tech scored on its final two possessions in the final minute.

Kelly blames poor tackling and undisciplined play, especially on the trick plays.

''We clearly as coaches and players know what our deficiencies are, and we know how to fix them. We just got to get that done.'' Kelly said. ''In practice, we talked about it last night again as a staff. We are making up gadget plays. We are trying to get our guys to do their job and be disciplined.''

The biggest problem has been in the secondary, especially at safety, where Max Redfield has struggled. So Matthias Farley played some there against the Trojans. Kelly was asked Tuesday what he wanted from that position.

''Honestly, what I want and what we have are two different things. Both those kids are committed to being the best players that they can be and we are coaching them every single day,'' Kelly said.

The Irish rank 50th in total defense, giving up 370.3 yards a game, and 39th in scoring defense, giving up 22.6 points a game.

The good news for the Irish is they don't play a lot of potent offenses in their final five games. Temple ranks 108th in total offense, Pittsburgh is 94th, Wake Forest is 105th, and Boston is 125th. The exception is against Stanford in the regular-season finale. The Cardinal is 32nd in total offense.

Kelly said the Irish need to put together four quarters of solid defense. The Irish held USC scoreless for the final 24 minutes and Clemson's only touchdown after the first quarter was set up by a fumble by C.J. Sanders on the second-half kickoff. So Kelly knows the defense is capable.

''We just haven't put together four quarters of football defensively,'' he said.

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Is 12-0 possible for Hawkeyes?
October 27, 2015

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Iowa is a long, long way from the beginning of the season, when the Hawkeyes were a national afterthought and the job security of coach Kirk Ferentz was the subject of widespread speculation.

Look at the Hawkeyes now.

Iowa, which moved up to 10th in this week's Top 25 after a bye week, is 7-0 and 3-0 in the Big Ten ahead of Saturday's home game against Maryland (2-5, 0-3). A 12-0 regular season suddenly looks possible for these improbable Hawkeyes, whose final five games are against teams that are a combined 2-14 in Big Ten games.

A Big Ten title game would be on deck if Iowa runs the table and the opponent there could be defending national champion Ohio State or perhaps Michigan State.

Forget all that for now, players say. They insist they're heeding the advice of Ferentz, whose coaching staff gave the team an illustration of all the recent upsets in college football as a reminder to remain focused.

''You can't let that stuff get to your head,'' quarterback C.J. Beathard said. ''Before the season started, people were saying the opposite, and now they're all of a sudden thinking we should go undefeated and all that stuff. Who knows what they know? They don't know much, and we know that.''

Indeed, seven wins looked like the ceiling back in August for a team that went 7-6 in 2014.

But the Hawkeyes have already matched last year's win total - and they finish the season playing teams simply hoping to become bowl eligible.

That's a big contrast to the first two months, when Iowa beat West rivals Wisconsin and Northwestern on the road. The Hawkeyes also survived their typically tricky visit to Iowa State, 31-17, and held off No. 23 Pitt last month at home by three points.

Maryland, on the other hand, has lost four in a row and recently fired coach Randy Edsall. Iowa then plays at Indiana, which is currently 0-4 in the Big Ten.

The Hawkeyes will host Minnesota (4-3, 1-2) at home on Nov. 14. Iowa closes out its home schedule with Purdue (1-6, 0-3), followed by a trip to Nebraska (3-5, 1-3), which has been a huge disappointment so far.

Iowa's players acknowledged hearing all the nice things that were said about the Hawkeyes during the bye week, but they're doing their best to block it all out.

''It's hard. But I try not to let my thoughts get too global,'' running back Akrum Wadley said. ''I try not to think about the big picture.''

Still, there are plenty of Hawkeyes fans who can't help but start thinking about how special this season might be.

Iowa last made a national title push in 2009. Had star quarterback Ricky Stanzi not sprained his ankle in a week 10 loss to Northwestern, that team might have gone 12-0.

The Hawkeyes went 11-1 and reached the Orange Bowl in 2002. But a loss to Iowa State in the third game kept them largely out of the title picture. In 1985, the Hawkeyes spent a month at No. 1 before losing at Ohio State and in the Rose Bowl to UCLA.

This year's team has a chance to top all those memorable seasons - but the talk can wait for the Hawkeyes.

''To worry about those things is really kind of silly. You get defined by what you do on the field,'' Ferentz said.

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UCLA sees way to Pac-12 South title
October 27, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) Although UCLA loathes acknowledging the success of crosstown rival Southern California, the Bruins will gladly accept the benefits of the Trojans' 42-24 win over Utah last weekend.

The Utes' loss puts the Pac-12 South back in play, something UCLA receiver Thomas Duarte knew as he was watching the game. Duarte wouldn't admit to rooting for USC, but was pleased with the outcome.

''I'm not going to say that much, but the winning team was the team we wanted to win,'' Duarte said.

No. 24 UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) would now claim the division title and a berth in the conference championship game by winning its final five games, including a Nov. 21 trip to Salt Lake City before facing USC at the Coliseum on the following Saturday, and having Arizona State lose another game. That stretch begins Saturday with Colorado's visit to the Rose Bowl.

The Sun Devils hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to their 38-23 win at the Rose Bowl earlier this month, but UCLA would almost certainly advance from a multiple-team tie that included Arizona State because of a superior intra-division record.

To make those scenarios meaningful, UCLA has to keep winning. The 40-24 win over previously ranked California last Thursday night was a good start, breaking a two-game losing streak.

UCLA has never lost three straight regular-season games under coach Jim Mora, and has put together winning streaks of three and five games following consecutive losses the past two seasons.

That track record of success was on display against the Golden Bears, Duarte said.

''We've been there before,'' Duarte said. ''We have experience. This team is a veteran team. We know how to bounce back and we showed it against Cal, so we're just going to stay focused and keep working hard.''

Defensive lineman Eli Ankou hinted that injuries to standout defenders Eddie Vanderdoes, Myles Jack and Fabian Moreau had a negative effect on UCLA's mentality going into losses against Arizona State and Stanford.

Now UCLA is waiting for updates on the availability of running back Paul Perkins (knee), wide receiver Devin Fuller (neck) and linebacker Isaako Savaiinaea (knee), each of whom exited the game against Cal with injuries. Mora has given few specifics on the extent of those injuries, but all three showed up for at least part of Tuesday's practice.

Ankou said another rash of injuries should not hurt the team's psyche at this point in the season.

''The numbers dwindle a little bit, but that's not something that should affect us mentally. It's always next man up,'' Ankou said.

Freshman running back Soso Jamabo displayed that mentality against Cal, stepping in for Perkins and rushing for a game-high 79 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Jamabo said UCLA has the right mindset now, and the opportunities created by USC's win over Utah add to that focus.

''We want to stay very energetic, very optimistic, and we got an opportunity now. It's in our own hands,'' Jamabo said. ''We got to take it one game at a time, one day at a time, have a great week of practice and get ready for Colorado.''

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Duke, Pitt, UNC create tight race in ACC
October 27, 2015

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) There's chaos brewing once again in the ACC's Coastal Division.

But this time, nobody's making fun of it.

The division mocked recently for its parity has a logjam of teams at the top for a change, with No. 22 Duke, No. 23 Pittsburgh and North Carolina all unbeaten in league play.

''You have a handful of teams,'' Duke safety Jeremy Cash said Tuesday, ''that are competing on a very high level.''

And in a quirk of the schedule, the picture could get much clearer over the next couple of weeks.

The three teams with a combined record of 18-3 play a round robin among themselves: North Carolina (6-1, 3-0) visits Pitt (6-1, 4-0) on Thursday night, then hosts Duke (6-1, 3-0) next week. Pitt then travels to Duke on Nov. 14.

Then again, if they each go 1-1 against each other, things could get complicated again.

There are still too many permutations to try to figure out, North Carolina running back Elijah Hood said.

''If I could (pay attention), I probably would, but I don't have time to think about that right now,'' he said. ''I've got to have tunnel vision because it's a big game, and none of it matters if you lose the game coming up.''

That hasn't always been the case in the Coastal, where every winner since Virginia Tech in 2011 has had multiple ACC losses. Since the split into divisions in 2005, the 2010 Hokies were the only Coastal team to go unbeaten in league play.

''It's definitely gotten more competitive,'' Duke center Matt Skura said. ''Especially this year, I think a lot of the teams are feeling the pressure than in years past to keep winning every single week. I think sometimes before, teams could know that they could get away with one or two losses and still make it to Charlotte.''

Here's a quick look at how they got here:

- Pitt's only loss was a 27-24 setback at No. 10 Iowa that came on a last-second field goal. The Panthers have won four straight games, all decided by a touchdown or less, with kicker Chris Blewitt drilling late game-winners on the road in each of the past two weeks.

- North Carolina has reeled off six straight wins since its season opening loss to South Carolina. The Tar Heels have the ACC's best offense.

- Duke has won four in a row since a home loss to Northwestern and the Blue Devils own one of the league's best defenses.

But there are still questions about the strength of the ACC.

Asked what he would say to people wondering if Pitt is for real, first-year coach Pat Narduzzi said: ''We'll find out this weekend, I guess, right?

''It doesn't matter what you did in the past,'' he added. ''Outside this room, I really don't care what they say or what they think. It really matters what we think in this room. I think we're a darn good football team.''

Not many thought so in the preseason. Of 158 voters this year, only four picked Duke, four more chose North Carolina and three had Pitt first. Preseason favorite Georgia Tech is in last place. Virginia Tech, picked second, is in sixth. And Miami, the third-place pick, is in fourth but fired its coach after the worst loss in program history.

The Coastal had dropped to second-class status in comparison to an Atlantic Division headlined by national powers Clemson and Florida State.

Duke won the division in 2013 when the Blue Devils were just beginning to be taken seriously as a program after years of ineptitude. When they stumbled down the stretch last year, Georgia Tech snatched the title.

But now, a case could be made that the Coastal is the deeper division.

The Atlantic seems to be more top-heavy with the third-ranked Tigers and 17th-ranked Seminoles. But behind them are five teams that have losing records either overall, in ACC play or both. And the Coastal's Yellow Jackets just gave Florida State its first ACC loss since 2012.

''This whole conference, especially in the Coastal, has been getting stronger,'' Skura said. ''Hopefully, good things are still to come.''

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COACHES WANTED: 7 job openings for 7 coaches
October 27, 2015

We're not even to November and the coaching carousel already has started to turn in college football.

Seven head coaching jobs are open, with tradition-rich programs Southern California and Miami among the five available in the Power 5 conferences. Big Ten schools Illinois and Maryland also are looking for new coaches, as is South Carolina in the SEC.

Central Florida and North Texas are the other two, and you can be sure there'll be more schools conducting searches in another month or so.

Since there are seven openings right now, let's look at seven coaches who could be among the candidates to fill these and others that come up:

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RICH RODRIGUEZ, ARIZONA

The 52-year-old Rodriguez just might be ready to move on after four mostly successful years with the Wildcats. The messy departure from West Virginia and his flop at Michigan are history. The time might be right for him to move back East. He's a West Virginia native, and he's maintained strong recruiting ties to Florida.

DAN MULLEN, MISSISSIPPI STATE

No one was hotter than Mullen in 2014. Within a five-week span the Bulldogs went from unranked to No. 1, and they were the first team since Auburn in 1983 to beat three straight top 10-ranked opponents. MSU won its one and only SEC football title in 1941, and the way that league is nowadays, it might be a while before the Bulldogs win another. Last year probably was as good as it's going to get for Mullen in Starkville.

MIKE GUNDY, OKLAHOMA STATE

Operating in the shadow of Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners, Gundy has built the Cowboys into a consistent Top 25 program. Gundy has gone 92-44 in 11 seasons at his alma mater, but don't think he wouldn't leave if the right job came along. He's had discussions with Tennessee and Arkansas in the past, and he's had spats with everyone from program sugar daddy T. Boone Pickens to his quarterbacks.

MATT RHULE, TEMPLE

Forget that he just signed a four-year contract extension through 2021. Rhule, 40, will be the hottest young coach in America if his No. 21 Owls knock off No. 9 Notre Dame in prime time in Philadelphia this week. Temple opened this season by beating Penn State for the first time in 74 years, and Rhule has the Owls 7-0 for the first time in the program's 121-year history.

MATT CAMPBELL, TOLEDO

Toledo has served as a launch pad before. Just ask ex-Rockets coaches Nick Saban and Gary Pinkel. The 35-year-old Campbell's team stunned the nation with its upset of Arkansas, and the unbeaten Rockets' No. 20 ranking is their highest since 1997.

JEFF BROHM, WESTERN KENTUCKY

In his two years with the Hilltoppers the 44-year-old Brohm has burnished his identity as the purveyor of high-flying offenses. Brohm has been terrific at developing prolific quarterbacks since he got into college coaching in 2003, and WKU star Brandon Doughty might be his best to date. The Hilltoppers are 6-2 this season after playing No. 4 LSU tough for three quarters last week.

JUSTIN FUENTE, MEMPHIS

On the strength of that upset of Mississippi, the 39-year-old Fuente has led the No. 16 Tigers to their highest ranking in program history. Memphis had lost 31 of its previous 36 games before the former TCU offensive coordinator arrived in 2012. Last year the Tigers won the American Athletic Conference and a bowl, and they're 7-0 this year while piling up huge offensive numbers.

[StarDust Bum]

North Carolina at Pittsburgh
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, October 29, 2015
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

North Carolina attempts to build a seven-game winning streak for the first time since 1997 when it visits Pittsburgh on Thursday in a battle between two of the ACC Coastal Division’s three unbeaten teams. The Tar Heels have limited five of their last six opponents to 14 points or fewer while 24th-ranked Pittsburgh has won four straight contests – all by seven points or fewer.

“If it’s a close game you have to step up and make something happen,” Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi told reporters. “Our offense did it (last) weekend and our defense did it the past couple (weekends).” Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman has thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions during the win streak and his top target Tyler Boyd is one of the nation’s most productive receivers. North Carolina, which hosts the other unbeaten Coastal squad Duke next week, boasts the league’s best passing defense (137.3 yards against per game) and senior quarterback Marquise Williams leads the top-ranked offense in the ACC. “Last five games are going to be tough,” Williams told the Raleigh News & Observer. “We’ve just got to stick together as a team.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: North Carolina -3

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (6-1, 3-0 ACC):

Williams has completed 66.9 percent of his passes and thrown four interceptions in the last six games after tossing three in the opener. Quinshad Davis (30 catches, 328 yards) is one of four Tar Heels receivers to have accumulated at least 300 yards this season and needs two receptions to pass Hakeem Nicks (181) for the school record. Elijah Hood has rushed for 100 or more yards four times in 2015 – including each of the last two games – and scored eight TDs while Williams is gaining seven yards per carry.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (6-1, 4-0):

Boyd leads the league in catches (8.8) and receiving yards (81.5) per game while completing both of his pass attempts and rushing for 68 yards. “He’s done it all,” Narduzzi told reporters. “I don’t know why people aren’t talking about him for the Heisman.” Qadree Ollison has filled in nicely after James Conner was lost for the season with a knee injury, totaling 662 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, while the Panthers boast 22 sacks – second in the ACC and three more than all of last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Tar Heels have outscored Pittsburgh 74-62 while winning the last two meetings and lead the series 6-3 overall.

2. Williams needs 14 yards to become the fifth ACC QB to rush for at least 2,000 in his career and has accounted for 76 career TDs -- three shy of Darian Durant’s North Carolina record.

3. Boyd needs 76 yards to become the third Pitt receiver to reach 3,000 in his career and 138 to pass Antonio Bryant for first on the school’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 27, Pittsburgh 21

[StarDust Bum]

Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 29, 2015
Where: Rynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, Michigan

QUICK HITS

Overall Team Offense

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are ranked 66 on offense, averaging 405.5 yards per game. The Eagles are averaging 179.8 yards rushing and 225.8 yards passing so far this season.
The Western Michigan Broncos are ranked 40 on offense, averaging 438.0 yards per game. The Broncos are averaging 176.7 yards rushing and 261.3 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are 0-4 at home this season, 0-4 against conference opponents and 1-3 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Eagles are averaging 27.0 scoring, and holding teams to 42.8 points scored on defense.

The Western Michigan Broncos are 1-2 while on the road this season, 3-0 against conference opponents and 1-3 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Broncos are averaging 26.0 scoring, and holding teams to 31.7 points scored on defense.

[StarDust Bum]

Texas State at Georgia Southern
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 29, 2015
Where: Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, Georgia

QUICK HITS

Overall Team Offense

The Georgia Southern Eagles are ranked 42 on offense, averaging 434.7 yards per game. The Eagles are averaging 368.9 yards rushing and 65.9 yards passing so far this season.
The Texas State Bobcats are ranked 33 on offense, averaging 452.7 yards per game. The Bobcats are averaging 220.0 yards rushing and 232.7 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Georgia Southern Eagles are 3-0 at home this season, 3-1 against conference opponents and 2-1 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Eagles are averaging 49.0 scoring, and holding teams to 18.7 points scored on defense.
The Texas State Bobcats are 0-3 while on the road this season, 1-1 against conference opponents and 1-3 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Bobcats are averaging 19.0 scoring, and holding teams to 55.7 points scored on defense.

[StarDust Bum]

West Virginia at Texas Christian
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 29, 2015
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas


Third-ranked TCU looks for its eighth consecutive win this season and 16th straight overall victory when it hosts West Virginia on Thursday in a Big 12 contest. The Horned Frogs are battling Baylor and Oklahoma State for the conference crown and are thriving behind an offense that has topped 600 yards five times this season.

Senior quarterback Trevone Boykin is a Heisman Trophy candidate but senior receiver Josh Doctson is shattering the TCU record books with 60 receptions for 1,067 yards and 12 touchdowns -- the latter two marks surpass his own school records set last season. "I'm just stepping up, trying to be better than I was last year," Doctson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I guess the results are the numbers that are being put up. I'm not really drooling over how much success I'm having this year. I'm just glad that we're 7-0." West Virginia has lost three consecutive games and the thought of having to outscore the Horned Frogs isn't one coach Dana Holgorsen wants to entertain. "I would like to get to a point where we can," Holgorsen said at a press conference. "I've been involved in some games where it's been fairly high scoring-games. We just haven't been there yet."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: TCU -14.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (3-3, 0-3 Big 12):

Junior quarterback Skyler Howard is a native of Fort Worth and he returns home with stats of 1,566 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. Junior running back Wendell Smallwood has rushed for 678 yards and five touchdowns while big-play sophomore receiver Shelton Gibson (23 catches, six touchdowns) is averaging 23.5 yards per reception and 30.2 yards on kickoffs with one return score. The defense suffered a blow earlier this month when senior safety Karl Joseph (five interceptions) suffered a season-ending knee injury but the unit is receiving strong play from senior strong-side linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski (team-best 39 tackles) and senior middle linebacker Jared Barber (team-leading seven tackles for losses).

ABOUT TCU (7-0, 4-0):

Boykin has been superb by passing for 2,539 yards and 25 touchdowns against just five interceptions but struggled badly against the Mountaineers last season when he was 12-of-30 for 166 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Doctson has recorded five straight 100-yard receiving outings and has also caught at least one touchdown pass in each of those games, while senior running back Aaron Green (632 yards, eight touchdowns) will attempt to rebound after having just seven yards on 12 carries in TCU's most-recent game against Iowa State. Junior defensive end Josh Carraway has a team-leading 4.5 sacks while senior free safety Derrick Kindred (42 tackles, one interception) excels in the back end.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The teams have split four previous meetings and Horned Frogs senior K Jaden Oberkrom was the hero last season by kicking a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give TCU a 31-30 victory.

2. The Mountaineers are 2-13 under Holgorsen when allowing more than 40 points.

3. Horned Frogs freshman WR KaVontae Turpin (upper-body injury) will likely miss the contest, leaving a hole in the return game as he is averaging 29.1 yards on kickoffs and 12.2 on punts.

PREDICTION: TCU 59, West Virginia 31