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**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:18 AM

ACC suspends UM-Duke officials 2 games
November 1, 2015

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) The Atlantic Coast Conference threw some penalty flags of its own Sunday, suspending the officiating crew that worked the Miami-Duke game for two league contests after finding they committed ''a series of errors'' that allowed the Hurricanes to score a wild last-play touchdown and pull out a win.

The ACC said the crew committed four errors on that play, the most grievous being not seeing Miami running back Mark Walton's knee was down as he threw one of the eight laterals the Hurricanes used on their desperate kickoff return. If that was noticed, Duke would have prevailed since no time was left on the clock.

Per league rule, the outcome - Miami 30, Duke 27 - cannot be overturned.

''At the end of the day, we got the win,'' Miami's Corn Elder, who took the final lateral 91 yards for the winning score, said Sunday after the Hurricanes returned from Duke. ''So no matter what they say, we won. That's all that matters.''

That surely wasn't Duke's opinion, nor was it that of the ACC.

The on-field crew members - referee Jerry Magallanes, umpire Terrence Ramsay, linesman Mike Owens, line judge Jim Slayton, back judge Robert Luklan, field judge Bill Dolbow, side judge Michael McCarthy and center judge Tracy Lynch - got two-game bans, as did the game's replay official and communicator.

In addition to not seeing that Walton was down, the ACC said the crew also missed a block in the back, erred in how they waved off an erroneous penalty call and should have penalized Miami's Rashawn Scott for running from the sideline onto the field in celebration before the play was over. None of those three events would have ended the game, but had Walton been ruled down correctly, all that would have been moot.

''I knew I was going down, so I was just trying to throw the ball back,'' Walton said. ''The referee made a good call.''

The ACC disagreed.

''The last play of the game was not handled appropriately,'' ACC Commissioner John Swofford said.

Plenty of other plays left both sides seething, including three pass-interference calls against the Hurricanes on the final drive and Miami insisting that the Blue Devils' touchdown run to end that possession - giving Duke a 27-24 lead with 6 seconds left - should have been negated.

Officials ruled Duke's Thomas Sirk carried the ball into the end zone; video replays were far from conclusive and Miami believed Juwon Young kept him from the goal line.

''They didn't get in,'' Miami interim coach Larry Scott said.

Miami was flagged 23 times - not only a school and ACC record, but the second-most in major college football history - compared to only five penalties against Duke. The 18-penalty disparity had been seen at the FBS level only one other time in the last 20 years. No team in the country has been penalized more this season than Miami.

Still, Duke felt the Hurricanes got away with one.

Miami athletic director Blake James told The Associated Press that he did not have any comment on the ACC's decision.

''It was a great way for our kids to be able to end a tough week and we came out of there with a victory,'' James said.

The Hurricanes play host to Virginia on Saturday while Duke visits North Carolina. Duke (6-2, 3-1) still controls its destiny in the ACC's Coastal Division race, and Miami (5-3, 2-2) also remains in the division-crown mix.

The saga adds just another chapter to a most challenging few days for the Hurricanes.

Al Golden was fired as head coach last Sunday, a day after a 58-0 loss to Clemson that was the worst defeat in Miami history. Star quarterback Brad Kaaya didn't make the Duke trip, left home with a concussion. Cornerback Artie Burns' mother died unexpectedly Monday. Reserve defensive tackle Michael Wyche was arrested Wednesday, accused of committing battery against his girlfriend.

And Kaaya's backup, Malik Rosier, threw for 272 yards Saturday - then stayed behind for evaluation of an undisclosed medical problem before returning to Coral Gables later Sunday.

''It's been a crazy week,'' said Elder, who was flagged twice for pass interference on Duke's final drive. ''It started off rough but it feels good to be able to win, and today, finally, be happy

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:20 AM

Norm Chow fired as Hawaii's football coach
November 1, 2015

HONOLULU (AP) Norm Chow was fired as Hawaii's football coach Sunday, a day after the Rainbow Warriors dropped to 2-7 with a 58-7 home loss to Air Force.

Athletic director David Matlin said Chris Naeole will finish the season as interim head coach.

Chow was 10-36 in four seasons at Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors are 0-5 this season in the Mountain West.

''I'd like to thank Coach Chow for his dedication to our football program for the past four years,'' Matlin said in a statement. ''Ultimately, we feel this decision is in the best interest of the university and athletics department and we need to move in a different direction. Coach Chow should be commended for helping our football program achieve all-time highs in APR scores and graduation rates.''

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:21 AM

FSU heads to Clemson with QB questions
November 1, 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) No. 17 Florida State will go into this week's preparations for third-ranked Clemson with the quarterback position unsettled.

Does Everett Golson return after missing last Saturday's game due to a concussion or does coach Jimbo Fisher decide that the offense runs more smoothly with Sean Maguire at the controls?

Maguire gave Fisher plenty to consider after throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns in the Seminoles' 45-21 win over Syracuse.

''Sean is one talented quarterback. I feel like he's one of the best in the nation so he definitely had a chip on his shoulder,'' said wide receiver Travis Rudolph, who had five catches for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

Fisher said after the game that he is always reevaluating things and that the best player will start.

''We have two guys that can play and win games. Everett's health, we'll see where things are,'' Fisher said.

Golson was limited last week after he took a couple hard hits in Florida State's 22-16 loss at Georgia Tech on Oct. 17. Maguire was seen taking most of the snaps with the first team offense during the opening part of Thursday's practice.

After practice, Fisher said Golson was good to go and didn't list him on the injury report. It wasn't until after the game that Fisher revealed Golson was in the concussion protocol last week. Fisher added that Golson passed an impact test but still had some symptoms during a Friday workout.

Syracuse coach Scott Shafer said that his staff had not prepared for Maguire because there wasn't enough film on him. Clemson, though, is very familiar with Maguire.

The junior's first career start came in last season's game against the Tigers after Jameis Winston was suspended for making an inappropriate remark on campus. Maguire was 21 of 39 for 304 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as the Seminoles rallied for a 23-17 win in overtime.

After Winston left early for the NFL Draft, Maguire was in line to take over but struggled in the spring game. That opened the door for Golson to come in as a graduate transfer from Notre Dame.

The preseason competition went on until five days before the season opened when Fisher announced Golson won the job. Golson threw for four touchdowns and 302 yards in the opener against Texas State but has been inconsistent since.

Golson has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 1,659 yards, 11 touchdowns and an interception but has only 11 completions of 25-plus yards which is not the trademark of a Fisher offense. Maguire had three against Syracuse and had a nice touch on the deep ball.

Maguire completed his first nine passes and had 302 yards at halftime, becoming the first Florida State quarterback since Chris Weinke in 2000 to have 300 yards in the first half.

''I was thinking this offense needed to get back to the way Florida State used to play,'' said Maguire of the vertical game. ''The line and receivers did a great job today and dug deep. It was a good day for everyone to play good football.''

Florida State (7-1, 4-1 ACC) tied a season high for points and had its second-highest offensive yardage total this year despite missing Golson and running back Dalvin Cook. Jacques Patrick had 24 carries for 162 yards and three touchdowns. Fisher was hopeful that Cook could return this week from an ankle injury that occurred against Georgia Tech.

When asked if he thought he would start against Clemson, Maguire said it was up to Fisher

''That's coach Fisher's problem. I can only cause him problems, I guess,'' Maguire said.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:23 AM

Penn State defense returning to form
November 1, 2015

State College, Pa. (AP) Anthony Zettel stepped into Beaver Stadium's interview room Saturday afternoon wearing an old-school hockey mask similar to one worn by horror movie villain Jason Vorhees.

The Halloween costume was fitting and would've looked good on any of the Nittany Lions' defensive linemen, especially considering their playing styles. Their relentless stalking of Illinois' Wes Lunt and his backup Chayce Crouch highlighted a return to form for a defense that allowed mobile quarterbacks to get loose the last two weeks.

Zettel sacked Lunt once in the third quarter to push his team's total to 35. Carl Nassib and Austin Johnson each added a sack and reserves Curtis Cothran and Parker Cothren shared one.

''It means the world when the younger guys go in toward the end of the game, they know what they have to do,'' Zettel said. ''No one missed a beat and everyone played hard.''

The Nittany Lions have gotten that effort up front all season. Coaches have been able to keep the starters fresh and their backups prepared by substituting regularly. It manages physical strain and keeps younger players like Cothran and Cothren on a regular rotation. The substitution ratio changes from game to game, from team to team.

It's allowed Penn State to keep up its pace as college football's best pass-rushing defense. And it's helped Nittany Lions defensive linemen get better as games wear on.

Twenty-two of Penn State's 36 sacks have come in the second half with 16 of them in the fourth quarter. Although Maryland's Perry Hills ran for 126 yards against Penn State, he was sacked twice in the final minutes and lost a fumble. Cothran and Cothren dropped Crouch on the final play of the fourth quarter to end the Illini's afternoon.

''That's kind of who we are,'' Penn State coach James Franklin said. ''We wear people down with our pass rush.''

It's come in handy while Penn State's offense has been a work in progress. But the offense has clicked with 70 points and 763 yards in back-to-back weeks and the defense got to play with a rare cushion on Saturday. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg got off to his fastest start - the one he'd been waiting for and hinting was coming any week now.

Hackenberg entered the game having completed just 48 percent of his first-quarter throws. He'd taken seven first-quarter sacks, too. On Saturday he went 8-for-9 passing with two touchdowns. He attributed his success to execution, which has been easier to do as he's gotten comfortable with an always-changing cast around him.

Penn State has used seven different offensive line combinations, seven running backs, seven receivers and four tight ends so far this season.

''There were some games where either we'd miss some throws or drop some balls and that's hard to get into a rhythm,'' Franklin said. ''I thought we started a lot cleaner as a football team this week.''

It came at a perfect time as a difficult stretch remains. Penn State will play a rested Northwestern (6-2, 2-2 Big Ten) on the road before its bye, then play No. 16 Michigan 6-2, 3-1 Big Ten) at home and at No. 6 Michigan State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten).

''This was the most complete win we've had and it's awesome,'' linebacker Jason Cabinda said. ''I think this game will be huge for our confidence and that's really the most important thing. Guys who are playing confident, are playing fast and with no hesitation.''

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:25 AM

Notre Dame's Kelly explains altercation
November 1, 2015

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said he doesn't believe he owes assistant strength coach David Grimes an apology for grabbing him and pushing him in the chest on the sideline to get him away from an official during a 24-20 win over No. 23 Temple on Saturday night.

Kelly said Sunday that people who have commented that he owes Grimes an apology don't know exactly what happened, saying: ''only those that are clearly near the situation and have all the information can make those judgments.''

Kelly wouldn't say whether he had taken any action against Grimes, calling it an internal personnel matter. Kelly had said in his postgame news conference that he was worried Grimes was going to get the eighth-ranked Irish a 15-yard penalty.

Grimes has been an assistant strength and conditioning coach for Kelly since 2012 and was an Irish wide receiver from 2005-08

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:26 AM

Missouri QB Maty Mauk suspended for rest of season
November 1, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) Missouri suspended junior quarterback Maty Mauk for the rest of the season Sunday for disciplinary reasons, just six days after reinstating him.

Coach Gary Pinkel said Sunday that Mauk's status will be evaluated at the end of the season. The first suspension was for a violation of program policies.

Pinkel declined to specify the circumstances of Mauk's second suspension. He also declined to say whether he had planned on giving Mauk back the starting job.

''What I'd be doing if I'm telling you is things that I don't ever do,'' Pinkel said. ''All my players trust me that I don't ever talk about disciplinary issues, since the day I got here.''

Pinkel said it was something he had to do.

''We don't overlook things, we don't cover things up, we do what's right,'' Pinkel said. ''A lot of other places would find ways to get the problem solved without doing what we do, but we don't do that at Missouri. I've never done that, I never will.''

The Tigers (4-4) play 24th-ranked Mississippi State (6-2) on Thursday night at home.

Freshman Drew Lock has made four starts since Mauk was first suspended. Missouri hasn't scored a touchdown the last three games, totaling 12 points.

Pinkel said he didn't think the Mauk suspension has affected Lock's play.

''I think that they're friends, I don't know that that weighed on him a lot,'' Pinkel said. ''I really didn't think of it in that respect, so I have no idea.''

Pinkel agreed with the notion quarterbacks are held to a higher standard.

''There is no question about that,'' the coach said. ''We're going to hand you the keys to the car - that responsibility is huge. It's a lot of pressure, especially nowadays more than ever.''

He hoped the Mauk suspension wouldn't be too much of a distraction.

''You don't like self-inflicted ones that tap in internally,'' Pinkel said. ''It's just the way it is. You've got to overcome them.''

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:29 AM

Memphis looking to avoid large deficits
November 1, 2015

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The Memphis Tigers can score points in bunches and stifle an opponent when they need. Getting started is proving to be a problem that coach Justin Fuente wants to fix.

Quickly.

The Tigers trailed Tulane 13-0 before reeling off the final 41 points to remain undefeated, and that moved Memphis up a spot to No. 15 on Sunday. Yet Memphis still has found itself in a double-digit hole in five games only to win, including against Kansas, USF, Bowling Green and Mississippi.

Fuente says he thinks his Tigers are a bit overanxious, trying to do too much early.

''I've tried to kind of convey that message, obviously I haven't. I'd be willing to convey any other message y'all think may work, be able to get it across,'' Fuente said. ''But I don't feel like it's a lack of preparation, you know? When I watch us out there, it seems like we're anxious to play. It just takes us a little while to settle in.''

Kansas led Memphis 10-0 before the Tigers won 55-23. Bowling Green was up 27-17 with Memphis pulling out its closest win this season, 44-41. South Florida scored the first 10 points of a 24-17 win by Memphis, and Ole Miss jumped out to a 14-0 lead before the Tigers scored the next 24 points en route to a 37-24 upset.

The Tigers won the toss against Tulane and deferred to the second half. Tulane held the ball for 11 minutes, 13 seconds in scoring a touchdown, and the Green Wave led 13-0 just 16 minutes into the game.

''We've done that all season,'' Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch said. ''We've been down behind two scores, so I think we just got Coach Fu (to) pull us aside and tell us that we need to relax and stop beating ourselves and dropping passes and getting penalties against us.''

Memphis dropped too many passes on a rainy night. The Tigers also had hurt themselves with eight penalties for 106 yards. Offensively, Memphis had failed to score only once inside an opponent's 20 this season until the Tigers' opening drive against Tulane. Lynch was sacked, then Jake Elliott missed a field goal.

Fuente said he saw players trying to do too much, running before catching the ball or thinking of what they would do once they caught the pass.

''But for whatever reason, there seemed to be a little excitement or overexcitement or whatever the term is that prevents us from just playing football going into the game,'' Fuente said.

Now the Tigers (8-0, 4-0) enter the toughest portion of their schedule with so much more than just their 15-game winning streak on the line. They host Navy, then hit the road to play No. 18 Houston and 23rd-ranked Temple in their chase for a second straight American Athletic Conference title and the best bowl in school history.

Lynch said the Tigers know falling behind again and again isn't good, even if they have the nation's third-best offense averaging 48.9 points per game.

''But our defense starts stepping it up after a little bit and our offense gets to clicking after we get that first touchdown, and we realize we're just shooting ourselves in the foot and get to work,'' Lynch said.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:33 AM

AP Top 25 poll: North Carolina makes first appearance of 2015 at No. 21

The top 20 teams in the AP Top 25 won over the weekend, meaning there wasn't much in the way of movement at the top of the poll. But closer to the bottom, two new teams entered the top 25, including a first 2015 appearance for 7-1 North Carolina.

The Tar Heels defeated former No. 23 Pitt last Thursday, giving Larry Fedora's team its first AP Top 25 appearance since early in the 2014 season at No. 21. Texas A&M also returned to the poll at No. 25.

At the top of the poll, Ohio State maintained its grip on no. 1 following a bye week, collecting 39 of a possible 61 first-place votes. The Buckeyes were followed by No. 2 Baylor, No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 LSU and No. 5 TCU. The only change in the top 10 occurred at No. 8 and No. 9, where Notre Dame moved up a spot and Stanford down after the Cardinals' escape at Washington State.

Joining Pitt in dropping out of the poll was the Panthers' ACC Coastal rivals at Duke, controversial-and-then-some losers to Miami.

The complete AP Top 25:

1. Ohio State (39 first-place votes)

2. Baylor (6)

3. Clemson (6)

4. LSU (5)

5. TCU (4)

6. Michigan State

7. Alabama (1)

8. Notre Dame

9. Stanford

10. Iowa

11. Florida

12. Oklahoma State

13. Utah

14. Oklahoma

15. Memphis

16. Michigan

17. Florida State

18. Houston

19. Ole Miss

20. Toledo

21. North Carolina

22. UCLA

23. Temple

24. Mississippi State

25. Texas A&M

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 64, Southern Cal 57, BYU 27, Northwestern 21, Duke 7, Penn St. 5, Appalachian St. 4, Boise St. 4, California 4, Pittsburgh 2, Tennessee 2, Navy 1, Washington St. 1

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 02:41 AM

With playoff rankings in works, Clemson makes case for No. 1
November 1, 2015

The Saturday before the College Football Playoff selection committee reveals its first rankings, mson made a case to be No. 1 - for whatever that's worth.

The first rankings come out Tuesday night. They will be more interesting than important.

As college football fans found out last year, everything that comes before the final ranks is mostly conversation fodder and overreaction fuel. The first ever playoff rankings had Mississippi State, Florida State, Auburn and Mississippi as the top four last year. SEC haters went nuts at the time, but none of those Southeastern Conference teams made the playoff.

You can tell people not to get too worked up over the first of seven rankings committee chairman Jeff Long and his crew will come up with in Grapevine, Texas, this weekend, but many still will.

So who will be No. 1?

Clemson would be a valid choice.

Deshaun Watson and the Tigers had some difficulties on defense at North Carolina State on Saturday, but still won comfortably, 56-41. It was the second straight week on the road for the Tigers and impressive if only because they took care of business in a tricky spot.

The Tigers, third ranked in the AP poll, put a historic beat down in Miami last week and host Florida State next week in game that will decide the Atlantic Division of the ACC.

''I think we're a team obviously that's in the hunt, we've earned that,'' Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. ''It's fun to be in November going into the championship run to be in the conversation. That's a blast. That's where we want to be. I mean, we embrace that. But we want to be there Dec. 6.''

The committee's other choices for the top spot were mostly idle this weekend.

LSU and Alabama were off preparing for each other. The fourth-ranked Tigers and seventh-ranked Crimson Tide meet in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, next Saturday.

No. 2 Baylor was off, giving the Bears an extra week to get their new starting quarterback, freshman Jarrett Stidham, ready to replace the injured Seth Russell.

No. 5 TCU and Heisman Trophy contender Trevone Boykin had an impressive showing in a 40-10 victory against West Virginia on Thursday night.

Top-ranked Ohio State was idle, but still making news. Just when it looked as if the quarterback situation was settled for the Buckeyes, J.T. Barrett was suspended for next week's game against Minnesota for being cited for operating a vehicle while impaired. For at least one week, it'll be back to Cardale Jones.

That should not affect what the committee does with the Buckeyes in the first rankings. Ohio State hasn't quite been the juggernaut many expected after it was the first unanimous preseason No. 1 in the AP poll. The Buckeyes have been getting better.

November games will sort out much of this stuff eventually.

Aside from the two showdowns next weekend in the ACC and SEC, Baylor still has to play TCU, Ohio State must play undefeated Michigan State and Pac-12 contender Stanford finishes its regular season against Notre Dame.

The Cardinal and Fighting Irish both had to dodge upset bids on the road Saturday night. Notre Dame beat No. 21 Temple 24-20 and Stanford held on 30-28 when Washington State's kicker missed a last-play field goal attempt.

Those five games will help make a lot of decisions for the committee. But America loves lists and the committee will present theirs for the college football fans and ESPN to pick over on Tuesday night.

What will it look like? Don't be surprised if some of the undefeated teams are ranked behind teams with one loss. Here's a guess at the top six:

No. 1 Clemson

No. 2 LSU

No. 3 Ohio State

No. 4 TCU

No. 5 Alabama

No. 6 Baylor

---

MEMPHIS & MISSISSIPPI

Watch for how the committee ranks Memphis. It could provide a little insight for how the Group of Five teams will be treated throughout the last half of the season.

The 16th-ranked Tigers (7-0) from the American Athletic Conference beat Mississippi, which beat Alabama, last month. At the very least that should get the Tigers ranked ahead of Ole Miss.

Highest ranked Group of Five champion is guaranteed a spot in a New Year's Six bowl, but the real question is whether Memphis has a chance to reach the final four if it wins out.

The Rebels can aid the Tigers' cause by winning the SEC, which might be bad news for the SEC.

Ole Miss (7-2, 4-1) stayed in control of the SEC West with a 27-19 victory at Auburn.

---

PROJECTING THE PLAYOFF

Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-02-2015, 01:55 PM

Alabama sent out as 6.5-point home fave versus LSU in Week 10

LSU has gone 0-4 straight up and 1-3 against the spread in the previous four meetings with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama has been in the national championship hunt regularly the past several years, and was one of the four teams to make the Football Bowl Subdivision’s first-ever playoff last season. Louisiana State would like to climb back into the national title picture this year.

But to do that, the Tigers are going to have to go through ‘Bama on Saturday, in a key Southeastern Conference game that highlights Week 10 of the college football season.

LSU (7-0 SU, 4-3 ATS) has ridden breakout running back Leonard Fournette to an unbeaten mark and comes to Tuscaloosa off a bye week. The Tigers rolled past Western Kentucky 48-20 laying 16 points at home on Oct. 24.

The Crimson Tide (7-1 SU, 3-5 ATS) are also coming off a bye week and are among the best one-loss teams in the country, so they remain in the hunt for the four-team playoff again. Alabama held off Tennessee 19-14 on Oct. 24, falling well short as a 14.5-point home favorite.

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, sent Alabama out as a 6.5-point favorite.

“This one may decide which of these two reach the four-team playoff,” Avello said. “LSU hasn’t won this matchup since 2011, and traditionally, this pair is hard-pressed to reach 40 points. Alabama will open somewhere around a touchdown favorite.”

Florida State Seminoles at Clemson Tigers

Clemson (8-0 SU, 5-3 ATS) continues to lead the pack in the Atlantic Coast Conference after topping North Carolina State 56-41 on Saturday as a 13.5-point road fave. That came a week after the Tigers drubbed host Miami 58-0 giving 9.5 points.

But the Seminoles, who won the 2013 national title and made the four-team playoff last year, will certainly be Clemson’s toughest test. Florida State (7-1 SU, 4-4 ATS) stubbed its toe at Georgia Tech in a 22-16 loss laying 5.5 points, but bounced back Saturday to rip Syracuse 45-21 as a 16.5-point home fave. And the ‘Noles won without starting quarterback Everett Golson (concussion) and starting running back Dalvin Cook (ankle).

With the status of both those players uncertain, Avello had to hold off on the opening line, but he’s wary of the banged-up Seminoles.

“You better be at full strength when you play the surging Clemson Tigers, and Florida State has huge question marks with Golson and Cook,” Avello said. “Clemson QB Deshaun Watson and the entire offensive unit has put on a clinic over the past two weeks, and the Tigers are looking to show who is this year’s top dog in the ACC Atlantic Division, after losing to the Seminoles the past three years.”

Texas Christian Horned Frogs (-3.5) at Oklahoma State Cowboys

If a Big 12 team is going to make the four-team playoff, this game could have a lot to do with it. Texas Christian (8-0 SU, 4-4 ATS), certainly still smarting from missing the playoff last year, wiped out West Virginia 40-10 last Thursday giving a dozen points at home.

Oklahoma State, meanwhile, is a bit of a shocker to still be in this position, unbeaten at 8-0 SU (5-3 ATS). It looked as if the Cowboys would suffer their first loss on Saturday at Texas Tech, where they trailed 17-0 in the first quarter and didn’t lead until late in the third quarter, when they went up 42-38. But a 28-point fourth gave them a 70-53 win laying 2 points.

“Oklahoma State showed some fight after being down 24-7 and rallied back to win by 17,” Avello said. “From the beginning of the season, I thought the Cowboys would be successful, but I didn’t think they would be 8-0 at this juncture. One would assume they will be highly motivated to go 9-0 after last year’s 42-9 loss at TCU.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-8) at Pittsburgh Panthers

The Fighting Irish (7-1 SU, 6-2 ATS) are among the one-loss teams hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive, and they nearly blew it as 11-point faves Saturday night at Temple. Notre Dame needed a late touchdown to salvage a 24-20 victory.

Pitt (6-2 SU, 4-4 ATS) had surged into the national rankings after a four-game win streak – including three on the road – but fell flat as a 1-point home underdog in a 26-19 loss to North Carolina last Thursday.

“Pitt didn’t play Notre Dame last year, after playing the Irish from 2008 to 2013,” Avello said. “The Panthers went 3-3 in those six games (4-1-1 ATS), and the three losses were by a combined total of 12 points. These two schools have a history of great battles.”

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The Bum's College Football Week # 10 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

The Bum's College Football Week # 10 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

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