The Bum's 2016 College Football Best Bets,Trends,Stat, News !!

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No. 7 Louisville looks get offense going against NC State
October 21, 2016

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Louisville is determined to get back on the gas against North Carolina State after its high-scoring offense was slowed down by Duke.

The visiting Wolfpack not only want to keep the brakes on the seventh-ranked Cardinals and Heisman Trophy contender Lamar Jackson, but knock off a ranked opponent along the way.

North Carolina State (4-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) faces its second straight top-10 road opponent in Louisville (5-1, 3-1). The Wolfpack would like to make up for missing a huge opportunity in last week's agonizing 24-17 overtime loss at No. 3 Clemson .

The Wolfpack defense did nearly everything necessary to win, forcing four turnovers and returning an interception for a touchdown. N.C. State drove toward a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation but missed, opening the door for the Tigers to win in OT. Now the Wolfpack's attention is squarely on Louisville.

''We believed we were going to win when we went down there and played good enough to win and just didn't get it,'' N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said. ''Those guys understand what they have to do to do it again, and we don't have any time to lick our wounds. We're playing, in my opinion, as good or better (a) team this week.''

Louisville would like to prove it after scoring a season low in points in its 24-14 escape of Duke .

The output was more than 30 points less than the Cardinals' nation-leading average coming in, and having the ball for just over 22 minutes was a factor. But Louisville made the most of its limited time of possession behind Jackson, who accounted for 325 of its 469 yards on offense along with a touchdown each passing and rushing - including the late game-sealing score.

The Cardinals accepted the outcome but know they could have done better. Improvement is certainly needed against N.C. State, which ranks fifth in the ACC in time of possession (31:50 per game) and has a blueprint to follow in keeping the ball out of Jackson's hands.

''We need to be more consistent,'' said Louisville coach Bobby Petrino, whose teams are 5-1 against N.C. State. ''We didn't have a lot of touches in that game and we had some good drives and came away with no points, so we've got to take care of the football.''

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Some other things to watch as the Wolfpack visit Louisville on homecoming:

HEISMAN HYPE: Jackson's playing down being a Heisman favorite hasn't stopped the school from touting him. Louisville has even launched a website promoting him, Lamar8.com , featuring his eye-popping statistics and lighting up a letter in his name after each game. Jackson said that while it was his childhood dream to win the trophy, the reality of actually being mentioned ''still hasn't hit me. I don't really think about it.''

NO RETURNS: It's been something close to that for the Wolfpack punt coverage, which has allowed just two returns for six yards this season. They'll have their hands full against Cardinals return man Jaire Alexander, who took one back 69 yards for a TD against Florida State and had a 90-yard TD return last week against Duke nullified by an illegal block penalty.

GOOD HANDS PEOPLE: Five Cardinals have at least 119 yards receiving with wideouts James Quick and Jamari Staples leading the way. They have 480 and 410 yards respectively with Quick's four TDs topping the receiving corps. Quick ranks fourth in the ACC with 80 yards receiving per game with Staples ninth at 68.3.

DAYES OF THUNDER: Ranked behind Jackson and Florida State's Dalvin Cook in ACC rushing is Wolfpack senior Matt Dayes with 111.5 yards per contest. Just over half of his 669 yards this season have come after contact, and he has rushed for 100 yards in 10 of his last 13 1/2 games.

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No. 12 West Virginia, TCU try to keep pace in Big 12 race
October 21, 2016

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) TCU and West Virginia share somewhat of a kinship as the two youngest members of the Big 12. Their head-to-head series has been close, too.

Three of their four meetings since joining the league in 2012 have been decided on the final snap. Two went to overtime.

''We really have a lot of respect for each other,'' said TCU defensive end Josh Carraway. ''They're going to battle their butts off, just like they know we're going to go out there and battle our butts off.''

No. 12 West Virginia (5-0, 2-0) is off to a surprising start but still has to face the conference's traditional heavyweights, starting Saturday with the Horned Frogs (4-2, 2-1). There are showdowns later against No. 9 Baylor and No. 16 Oklahoma, which are tied for first place at 3-0.

TCU edged the Mountaineers 31-30 in 2014 and 39-38 in double overtime in 2012 after making the 1,200-mile trip to Morgantown, so coach Gary Patterson has a formula for beating West Virginia on the road.

''Score one more point,'' he said.

TCU is the underdog this time and will face a West Virginia team coming off its best game of the season, a 48-17 win last Saturday at Texas Tech .

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said he told his team the next day that ''if you like the feeling that you're having right now, then you've got to prepare. If you don't prepare, then we're not going to be in position to be able to win. Then everybody's going to tell you that you suck again. Then you're going to be in a bad mood. It's reality.''

TCU is 31-9 on the road since 2009. Lately, though, the Horned Frogs have struggled anywhere they play, losing to Arkansas and Oklahoma at home and barely winning at Kansas .

''On the road, it's just about finding your comfort zone, bringing your own energy,'' said TCU wide receiver John Diarse. ''That's tough, depending on the place. West Virginia does have a reputation of having a hostile crowd. We've just got to go in and be confident in what we do, be comfortable in what we do and minimize the mistakes.''

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Other things to know about the sixth-ever meeting between TCU and West Virginia:

CLOSE CALLS: Both teams have had to squeeze out some wins. TCU came from nine points down in the fourth quarter to beat Kansas on the road two weeks ago. West Virginia beat Kansas State by a point after the Wildcats missed a late field goal, and BYU nearly came from 16 points down in the fourth quarter but was intercepted on its final drive near West Virginia's end zone.

RB PASS CATCHER: One of the focuses for West Virginia will be stopping TCU leading rusher Kyle Hicks, who also has a team-best 27 receptions for 308 yards. ''He's big. A thick kid, hard to bring down, but can still run a little bit,'' said West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. ''He's busted a couple big runs and he catches the ball well, so they aren't afraid to use him.''

FACING HOMETOWN TEAM: West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. Howard has improved his passing accuracy significantly to 66 percent and is fourth in the Big 12 with 318 yards per game.

SUSCEPTIBLE DEFENSE: TCU has allowed 40 or more points three times this season. ''Two years ago when they came here, they led pretty much every defensive category that existed,'' Holgorsen said. ''So just because they're not, that doesn't mean that they're not good. They're really good.''

COMEBACK FROGS: TCU overcame double-digit deficits against West Virginia in the second half in 2012, 2013 and 2014, losing only the 2013 game in overtime.

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No. 25 LSU rolling into rivalry game with No. 23 Ole Miss
October 21, 2016

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron has deflected questions about his past at Mississippi this week.

He's dismissed story lines revolving around his opportunity to beat the program that gave him his first head coaching job in the Southeastern Conference, and which fired him after three losing seasons.

''That's the furthest from my mind,'' Orgeron insisted as 25th-ranked LSU prepared to host No. 23 Ole Miss on Saturday night. ''This is about the LSU Tigers.''

Orgeron coached the Rebels from 2005-2007, when he hired an assistant named Hugh Freeze, who is now Ole Miss' head coach.

''That was a long time ago,'' Orgeron said. ''That's far from my memory, I promise you.''

Be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact that Orgeron, a Louisiana native, can't really afford a loss to Ole Miss (3-3, 1-2 SEC) if he wants to keep a job he has long coveted.

Fortunately for Orgeron, LSU (4-2, 2-1) has ample talent and seems to have hit its stride in the two games since he took over for Les Miles, who was fired in late September. The Tigers trounced Missouri 42-7 and demolished Southern Mississippi 45-10. Odds makers have listed LSU as the favorite by nearly a touchdown.

''They have, in the last few weeks, offensively put up a lot of big numbers,'' Freeze said. ''We are playing one of the better teams in the country this Saturday night and it is a great opportunity.''

Led by quarterback Chad Kelly, whose 308.2 yards passing per game leads the SEC, Ole Miss hasn't had trouble scoring. But the Rebels' defense has struggled at times, giving up 34 or more points in all three losses.

''They are not as stout as they've been in the past,'' Orgeron said. ''But I know this is a game they're going to want to be playing very well.''

While three losses makes Ole Miss a long shot to get back into the SEC title race, Kelly asserted that the Rebels remain highly motivated.

''We're playing to win every single game regardless of the outcome of the game before,'' Kelly said. ''I hate to lose and so do those guys in the locker room.''

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LSU and Ole Miss have played 104 times since first meeting in 1894. Here are some of the sub plots of their 105th clash.

FOURNETTE'S FORM: LSU running back Leonard Fournette practiced this week for the first time since aggravating his left ankle injury on Sept. 24 and looks ready to play again. But LSU doesn't want Fournette's return to marginalize Derrius Guice, who has rushed for at least 155 yards in each of his three starts in place of Fournette. ''We want to rotate our guys, we want them to keep fresh. It might be a possibility of putting them both in the backfield at the same time,'' Orgeron said. ''They're both outstanding.''

TOUGH SCHEDULE: Ole Miss has played one of the most difficult schedules in the nation this season, which is a big reason the program is still in the national rankings despite a 3-3 record. LSU is the fifth nationally-ranked opponent the Rebels have faced in seven games. The Rebels had a 1-3 record against ranked opponents, losing to Alabama, Florida State and Arkansas and beating Georgia.

STINGY DEFENSE: Under first year coordinator Dave Aranda, LSU's defense has allowed only six touchdowns this season. ''They're athletic, they can run, they can hit. They do a lot of good things. That's what they're known for: their defense,'' Kelly said. ''We've just got to stick to what we do: Go fast.''

THE BOUNCE BACK: Ole Miss has a 7-1 record over the past three seasons when bouncing back from a loss, including a 2-0 mark so far this season. Freeze on trying to win against LSU after losing to Arkansas last week: ''It won't be done just because I come to work and say we are fixing to bow up and get it done. It is going got take a collaborative effort from a lot of people and a lot of kids.''

HARDWARE: Since 2008, the winner of this border state rivalry game has been presented with the Magnolia Bowl trophy, with each team winning it four times. Mississippi won it at home in Oxford last season.

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PSU confident they can hang with Bucks
October 21, 2016

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Ohio State coaches and players are plenty familiar with the difficult environment that awaits them in Happy Valley.

The No. 2 Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) survived against Wisconsin in a hostile, raucous atmosphere last week, similar to the one they'll face in their third-straight road game against Penn State (4-2, 2-1), where Ohio State will have to deal with more than 100,000 fans clad in white.

''There's a lot of energy right now in that program,'' Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. ''Wins do that for you. They played their best game, obviously, against Maryland, all the way around.''

It's a trend that'll have to continue for Penn State - nearly three touchdown underdogs - to have a shot against a team that's 30-1 in Big Ten regular season games under Meyer.

Ohio State brings the nation's third-ranked scoring defense and fourth-ranked offense into Beaver Stadium where the Buckeye's are 4-0 since 2005. But save for Wisconsin last week, Penn State is the only other team that's pushed Ohio State to overtime since Meyer took over, falling in two extra periods in 2014.

''The margin of error when you play a team like this is so small, you've got to be almost perfect on your details,'' Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley said.

That's a lesson Penn State's young lineup learned the hard way in their previous game against a top 5 team, a blowout to then-No. 4 Michigan where the Nittany Lions managed just three first downs in the first half.

''That's something where the margin of error showed up,'' McSorley said.

But McSorley's taken a page out of Ohio State counterpart J.T. Barrett's book lately. His 26 rushes for 154 yards and two touchdowns the past two games coupled with his ability to buy time with his feet so his receivers can get deep has led to big plays down the field.

It's evidence Penn State's offense has turned a corner since the Michigan game and is confident it can hang with Ohio State.

''I think we would be extremely comfortable if it's a shootout,'' tight end Mike Gesicki said. ''I think we would be extremely comfortable if it's going to be one big play that changes the game.''

RESPECTING BARKLEY: Ohio State's defense has allowed just one 100-yard rusher so far but hasn't faced one as dynamic as Saquon Barkley.

Leading the Big Ten with nine touchdowns, Barkley has 51 carries over the past two games and ran for 202 yards against Maryland.

''He's probably one of the top running backs in the nation, if not the top running back in the nation,'' Ohio State safety Malik Hooker said. ''He's got a lot of vision, makes a lot of jump cuts and stuff like that, and once he does that and gets a lot of teams out of their coverage, it's hard to get him down because he's got a lot of speed, too.''

LINEBACKERS BACK: Both teams are healthier at linebacker.

Penn State had seven out with injuries before starters Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda returned to practice on Tuesday. They'll play after missing the last five and four games with leg and hand injuries, respectively.

Ohio State's Dante Booker, who's missed the last five games with a knee injury, is also expected to return.

END OF THE LINE: Penn State will likely use a combination of Paris Palmer and Chasz Wright to plug the hole left by Andrew Nelson's season-ending knee injury and keep Ohio State's surging defensive line at bay. The Buckeyes had four sacks last week including a game-sealing swarming of Alex Hornbook in overtime.

GUSTY EVENING: Heavy rain and flooding Thursday evening into Friday around State College forced the athletic department to close a handful of parking lots prior to the game. While the rain is expected to stop before kickoff, wind could pick up with local forecasters predicting possible 40-mph gusts at game time.

TOUGH COMPETITION: A win for Penn State would be big to snap out of a long slump against the nation's best teams. Penn State is 0-9 against top 5 teams since 2005 - with four of those losses coming to Ohio State - and is 0-7 against the Buckeyes, Michigan and Michigan State since James Franklin arrived.

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Army hosts North Texas in key game
October 21, 2016

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) The sudden death of a budding star and two straight losses temporarily halted Army's fast start to the season. Count coach Jeff Monken among those who have marveled at the resolve of the Black Knights.

''I've really been impressed with this team and their ability to continue to focus through everything that we have been through this year,'' Monken said as he prepared for Saturday's home game against North Texas. ''I think they've handled the wave of emotions that comes with winning and losing, and I sense in our team that there's not a satisfaction like they accomplished what they wanted to this year.''

With a little luck, Army (4-2) could be unbeaten and already qualified to play in a bowl game. The Black Knights started the season with three straight wins, then blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and dropped an overtime game at Buffalo that was there for the taking in regulation. That setback came two weeks after defensive back Brandon Jackson was killed in a one-car accident in the hours after a victory over Rice at Michie Stadium. Then came a 13-6 loss at Duke played in a driving rain as Hurricane Matthew buffeted the East Coast.

Last week, Army rebounded with an emphatic 62-7 victory over FCS foe Lafayette, a nice reset with the imposing second half of the season looming. Air Force, Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Navy still remain after Saturday's game against North Texas (3-3) of Conference USA.

Army's triple option chews up yards and time. For teams that rarely play against that type of offense, it's normally a real test. At least North Texas head coach Seth Littrell has had some extra time to prepare for the nation's top running team. The Mean Green is coming off a bye week.

''The challenges are you don't see them much,'' said Littrell, in his first season at North Texas. ''Seeing all the different reads, you have to be extremely disciplined. You have to have your eyes in the right spot. If you're not careful, people will be running wide open.''

This will be the fifth all-time meeting between Army and North Texas, and the Mean Green has yet to win one. Mapping out a plan on paper to succeed is easy. Executing it is another matter.

''You're going to have to be physical, no doubt, and you're going to have to stay patient ... and not get frustrated,'' Littrell said. ''It's crucial that you stay on the field when you've got the opportunity to score.''

Other things to know when Army hosts North Texas on Saturday at Michie Stadium:

NO. 1 AGAIN IN THE RUN: Army has regained its spot as the top rushing team in the nation. The Black Knights had 537 yards rushing against Lafayette and now are averaging 366.5 yards per game and 5.9 per carry. The North Texas defense is allowing 4.7 yards per carry.

RUN TO VICTORY: Tailback Jeffrey Wilson has been a key cog for North Texas. In the team's three wins, Wilson has averaged 142.7 rushing yards and the team has rushed for an average of 265.3. In the Mean Green's three losses, Wilson has averaged 44.3 and the team 31.3.

SACK CREW: Army has 15 sacks this season, and they've been nicely spread around. Alex Aukerman, Andrew King and Kenneth Brinson share the team lead with four apiece. Aukerman, a hybrid defender who can line up at either linebacker or end, has 8.5 tackles for loss and his 1.4 per game ranks 22nd in the country.

DEFENSE RULES: The Army defense is allowing only 14 points per game to rank fourth in the nation. The Black Knights also rank second in total defense, allowing an average of 245.2 yards per game, and second against the run, allowing just 99 yards per game on the ground.

''We've got to do a good job of making competitive plays in the run game,'' Littrell said. ''We've got to get off the ball. Our running backs are going to have to break tackles.''

FAMILIAR FOE: Both teams beat Rice. Army posted a 31-14 triumph over the Owls in September. Two weeks later, North Texas beat them 42-35 in double overtime.

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WSU meets ASU amid accusations
October 21, 2016

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Washington State coach Mike Leach told the Pac-12 to look at whether Arizona State stole signs last season, joining a chorus of teams accusing the Sun Devils.

Leach has taken it too far this season, according to the Pac-12.

The conference fined Leach $10,000 and officially reprimanded him on Thursday, adding a layer of intrigue before the Cougars travel to the desert to face the Sun Devils.

''Conference rules prohibit Pac-12 member institutions from disparaging each other and discrediting other institutions,'' Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in statement. ''Information or accusations relative to rule violations must be handled by institutions filing those concerns with the Conference office through a formal process, and institutions must refrain from discussing those concerns publicly.''

Leach is not the only person to accuse the Sun Devils of stealing signs.

Utah's players said Arizona State stole signs during a game last year and both Oregon and Washington took the extra step of putting up sheets to block the Sun Devils' view from the other sideline.

The Sun Devils maintain they have done nothing wrong. Pac-12 rules do not prohibit sign stealing unless audio and video equipment were used to decipher the signs.

''Make this perfectly clear: We do everything exactly by the rules. Period,'' Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. ''Obviously, we take a great deal of pride in the integrity that our program has. I'll just leave it at that. I'm not going to get involved in things like that that are ridiculous. We're very open and honest about how we do things.''

A few more things to watch for when the Sun Devils host the Cougars:

OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS: Washington State had a dismal start to the season, losing to FCS Eastern Washington at home and Boise State on the road. The Cougars (4-2, 3-0 Pac-12) have righted themselves since then, winning four straight to join No. 5 Washington atop the Pac-12 North. Arizona State started the season strong and has faded now that conference play has started. After opening with four straight wins, the Sun Devils (5-2, 2-2) have lost two of three to fall a game behind No. 19 Utah and Colorado in the South Division.

WILKINS' HEALTH: Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins insisted he was 100 percent healthy after last week's loss to Colorado despite clearly having limited mobility. Wilkins did not play the week before against UCLA after suffering a right ankle sprain against USC and Graham acknowledged the sophomore was limited against the Buffaloes. Wilkins practiced this week and his mobility could play a huge part in Arizona State's chances Saturday night; the Sun Devils' run game suffers when he is not able to tuck and run.

FALK'S SEASON: Washington State quarterback Luke Falk led the nation in passing yards per game last season and was second in completion percentage. He's back among the national leaders as a junior. Falk enters Saturday's game second nationally with a completion rate of 71.5 percent and is fifth with 352 yards passing per game. Arizona State is last among the 128 FBS teams, giving up 384.4 yards per game, so Falk could have another big night.

THE SERIES: Arizona State has won 10 of the past 12 games against Washington State, though the Cougars won last year's game 38-24 in Pullman after a fourth quarter comeback. Washington State has not won in Tempe since 2001 and has not won consecutive games in the series since 2002-04. ASU leads the all-time series 26-14-2.

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South Carolina, UMass struggle to score
October 21, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina-UMass may not be the game for you, not if you're looking for a lot of offense.

The Gamecocks (2-4) and Minutemen (1-6), who play Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, are two or the worst offenses in the country. Both teams are in the bottom six of the 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams when it comes to scoring. UMass is 118th in the country at 19.7 points a game while South Carolina is dead last at 14 points a contest.

First-year Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp has had to bite his lip and focus on the positives instead of his team's lack of offense .

''There is a lot of encouragement as far as those guys are going to continue to improve and get better,'' he said. ''Does it sometimes get you a little upset about where things are? Certainly, but I also try to keep some perspective about where we are and we're going to continue to improve.''

Part of that process could be a change at quarterback and scrapping the redshirt plans for highly regarded South Carolina freshman quarterback Jake Bentley. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Bentley was targeted to spend the season on the sidelines after giving up his senior season in high school - Bentley turns 19 next month - to enroll at South Carolina.

But the lack of attack has Muschamp and quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper searching for any answers to turn around the season.

Muschamp, as he has all season, was tight-lipped about his starting QB. Senior Perry Orth started three games while freshman Brandon McIlwain, who enrolled in January, started the others. Neither has been able to consistently move the Gamecocks.

''We are not in it to just play close. We want to win games,'' he said. ''That's what I've challenged our guys about, really straining and focusing for those six or eight plays whenever they come in the game to make a difference in those situations.''

UMass understands that too well, tight end Andrew Breneman said.

''I think we could look at every game we have played and say what could have been,'' he said. ''There were way too many mistakes from everyone, offense and defense.''

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Some other things to watch when South Carolina plays UMass

DE-FENSE: South Carolina has been better than expected at keeping opponents out of the end zone, sixth in the Southeastern Conference at 20.2 points given up a game. Gamecocks defensive end Darius English said the team worked on basics during its bye last week and feel refreshed headed into the season's second half.

SEC TOUGH: Massachusetts is facing its third Southeastern Conference opponent this season after throwing scares into Florida and Mississippi State. The Minutemen trailed the Gators 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter before losing 24-7. UMass was up 14-13 at halftime on Mississippi State before the Bulldogs took control with 28 points in the third quarter for a 47-35 victory. This is Massachusetts first game with South Carolina. UMass received $1.25 million for its trip to Florida and will get $1.5 million for playing the Gamecocks.

YOUNG GAMECOCKS: The Gamecocks hope to continue bringing along their young offensive players. Freshman A.J. Turner is the team's leading rusher with 300 yards. Sophomore Deebo Samuel and freshman Bryan Edwards, both starting receivers, returned from injuries last game against Georgia and combined for seven catches for 125 yards. Samuel also had a 9-yard TD run against the Bulldogs.

FORD TOUGH: Sophomore quarterback Andrew Ford has thrown for 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in four starts for Massachusetts. He hit his first 11 passes a week ago in a 56-28 loss to Louisiana Tech last week.

BOWL CHANCES: South Carolina coach Will Muschamp said he's spoken with the team about its goals of playing in a bowl game this season - one that must start by beating UMass. A win would equal its victory total from a season ago. Even if the Gamecocks win, getting to six wins to make the postseason will be difficult with SEC games against No. 18 Tennessee, Missouri and No. 15 Florida and a rivalry game at No. 4 Clemson.

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Colorado keeping its focus on Pac-12
October 21, 2016

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) A year ago, Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre watched his struggling team play Stanford close early before a pair of quick scores just before halftime broke the game open and helped catapult the Cardinal to its third Pac-12 championship in four years.

How quickly things have changed.

This season the Buffaloes are tied for first place in the South Division and charging hard toward a potential berth in the conference title game while Stanford is two games off the pace in the North and simply trying to stay in the postseason picture.

Both teams can take a big step forward when they meet for a rare noon kickoff Saturday at Stanford Stadium.

Beating Stanford would not only enhance the Buffaloes' (5-2, 3-1) hold on the division lead but it would also make them bowl eligible just one year after they lost eight of their nine conference games.

That's nice, Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay said, but he and his teammates remain focused on a bigger prize.

''Our goal is Pac-12 champs, there's nothing less than that for us,'' Lindsay said. ''The bowl game will come as we continue to win games. We just need to focus on ourselves and Colorado football.''

The Buffaloes are off to their best start since 2005 but have lost five straight to the Cardinal, including all three times since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011.

MacIntyre said his team has to match Stanford's toughness in order to win, something the Buffaloes failed to do a year ago when they lost 42-10

''We have to be more physical than we were last year,'' MacIntyre said. ''We have to go in there and go toe-to-toe with them. We have to surpass what they do to be able to win the football game. That's a big challenge for us.''

This year could be different.

Stanford (4-2, 2-2) has come back to the pack after being dominant in the conference for several years. Many of the problems have come on offense and have been self-inflicted, from turnovers to costly penalties in the red zone that have repeatedly derailed the Cardinal's once-prolific offense.

''Those are things that we don't have here and that we don't accept here,'' Stanford coach David Shaw said. ''The thing with us is not doing those things that hurt us. It's just those one or two plays that kill a drive that we just can't have.''

Here are a few more things to look for when Stanford hosts Colorado:

MCCAFFREY ON THE MEND: Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey was held out of last week's win over Notre Dame with an unspecified injury. The 2015 Heisman Trophy finalist did some light on-field work three days after the Cardinal beat the Irish but is still questionable. If McCaffrey can't go, Stanford will once again lean on Bryce Love, who had his first career 100-yard game against Notre Dame.

RETURN OF THE MAC: Before taking over the Buffaloes program in 2013, MacIntyre spent three seasons as the coach at San Jose State and went 16-21 with the Spartans. While he's looking forward to going back to the Bay Area, MacIntyre won't have much time for walking down memory lane. ''After the game I'll probably get to see a few of those guys before we get on the bus to head back,'' MacIntyre said. ''That was a very special place in our family's lives.''

LINDSAY ON A ROLL: While McCaffrey is must-see TV every time he touches the ball, Lindsay has also done quite well for himself this season. The Colorado junior leads the Pac-12 with 614 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns and is the reigning conference player of the week after rushing for a career-best 216 yards and three scores against Arizona State.

GILBERT'S PASS RUSH: Colorado outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert leads the Pac-12 with 6 + sacks this season and leads the nation with five forced fumbles. Gilbert has had at least one forced fumble in three consecutive games and will be facing a Stanford offensive line that has been banged up most of the year.

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No. 10 Wisconsin looks to keep division hopes alive at Iowa
October 21, 2016

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) In just three weeks, Wisconsin might go from being the toast of the Big Ten West to, well, toast in the Big Ten West.

The 10th-ranked Badgers (4-2, 1-2) earned the nation's respect after close losses to Michigan and Ohio State, dropping just two spots in this week's poll. And yet a loss on Saturday at unranked Iowa (5-2, 3-1) would put the Badgers three back of the Hawkeyes in the win column with just five games left.

There's also No. 8 Nebraska (6-0, 3-0), which hosts a Purdue team that just fired its coach on Saturday before it visits Wisconsin next week.

The Badgers might prove to be the best overall team in the West. They might also be out of the division title chase before Halloween.

''For us to be the best, we have to keep improving each week. That's the (halfway) report,'' Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said.

Iowa was supposed to be the team that everyone one in the West was looking up at by now.

Instead, the Hawkeyes are eager to prove they're a real division contender again.

Iowa rallied from two losses in three games with a tight win at Minnesota on Oct. 8. Last week, they sealed Boilermakers coach Darrell Hazell's demise with a 49-35 win that included three late and largely meaningless Purdue touchdowns.

Here are the factors that could decide things on Saturday when Iowa and Wisconsin renew acquaintances in Iowa City:

SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES

Purdue's late rally obscured the fact that the Hawkeyes have been much better defensively in recent weeks. On offense, Iowa has a pair of dangerous backs on pace for 1,000-yard seasons in LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley. Quarterback C.J. Beathard hasn't put up great numbers, largely because the Hawkeyes receivers have lacked the ability to separate from defensive backs. Still, Beathard is completing 60 percent of his passes and has 11 TDs against just four picks.

DEFENSE MATTERS

Wisconsin's defense has been spectacular all season. The Badgers are ninth nationally in points allowed per game at 15.2, despite the fact that they've already faced LSU and the Wolverines and Buckeyes. Iowa is 21st in the country with just 19.2 points allowed per game and has let up seven points or less three times this season. ''In games like this typically, little things are really going to matter - and they're good at little things. So if we're going to want to be in this ballgame, we're going to have to do that a little bit better, too, and really be detailed because it's going to be tough,'' Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

CICHY'S THE MAN

Wisconsin junior linebacker was named the Big Ten's defensive player of the week on Monday after making 15 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, and forcing a fumble against the Buckeyes. He and fellow linebacker T.J. Watt might prove to be a handful for an offensive line that could be without starters Cole Croston and Boone Myers.

HOME WOES

The visiting team has won the last five meetings in this series dating back to 2009. Iowa last hosted Wisconsin in 2014, when it also had control of its own destiny in the Big Ten West. But Melvin Gordon had 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Badgers rallied for a 26-24 win.

HE SAID IT

''I don't want to be Dr. Doom here. I think he's got a chance,'' Ferentz on tight end George Kittle, who is questionable for Saturday's game with a foot injury.

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No. 3 Michigan has proven ability to focus on any opponent
October 21, 2016

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Michigan has gotten good at focusing on each opponent, avoiding the tendency some teams have of overlooking inferior opponents.

Illinois provides another opportunity, especially with the Wolverines' game next week against rival Michigan State on the road and next month's showdown at No. 2 Ohio State.

The third-ranked Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) are favored to rout the Fighting Illini (2-4, 1-2) by more than five touchdowns. When they've been favorites by a lot of points this season, they've usually delivered. The latest example came in Michigan's last game when it was expected to win at Rutgers by nearly four touchdowns and ended up winning 78-0.

Jim Harbaugh, though, looks and sounds the same every week. Whether his team is preparing to play the Scarlet Knights, or a ranked team such as Wisconsin, he beats the same drum publicly and privately.

Even though Illinois appears to pose no threat to spoiling the Wolverines' potentially special season, you wouldn't know it by listening to Harbaugh.

''It'll be a challenge,'' he said. ''A championship-type football game for our team.''

Here are some things to watch when Michigan hosts Illinois on Saturday:

THE COMEBACK: Michigan linebacker Mike McCray has been one of the top players on a highly touted defense, making 32 tackles, including five for losses, intercepting a pass and forcing a fumble. McCray, a senior, hadn't started a game until this year's opener against Hawaii. He missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.

''It's a lot different now,'' McCray said. ''I feel a lot better. I'm not down or anything on myself.''

BACKFIELD BY COMMITTEE: Illinois' best bet to move the ball has been its running game. The Illini are averaging 189.8 yards rushing, primarily due to the work of tailbacks Reggie Corbin, Kendrick Foster and Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Vaughn went into the season as the starter, a job that the freshman Corbin has taken over. All three share time in the backfield. The top producer so far has been Foster, who has run for 384 yards - 6.2 per carry - with five rushing touchdowns and two more receiving.

''We have like a three-headed monster in the backfield,'' Foster said. ''We all bring something from speed to wiggle to explosiveness.''

NO OFFENSE: History will be made at the Big House when Harbaugh and first-year coach Lovie Smith become the first college coaches to face each other after leading teams to the Super Bowl. In their only previous NFL matchup, Harbaugh helped San Francisco beat the Smith-led Chicago Bears 32-7 in 2012. When asked about matching up with Smith again, Harbaugh couldn't recall the game in which Colin Kaepernick made his first start for the 49ers.

''I don't remember any meetings we had in NFL,'' Harbaugh said.

TAKEAWAYS: Smith came to Illinois preaching the takeaway philosophy his Bears teams relied on and the Illini are tied for fourth in the country in turnover margin at plus-eight. The five turnovers Illinois forced in last Saturday's win over Rutgers were a big difference in the game.

''We've got to keep building on that,'' Smith said. ''That's a part of our DNA.''

THREE AND OUT: Michigan's Jabrill Peppers-led defense leads the nation in six categories, including how it fares on third downs. Teams are converting just 12.2 percent of third downs against the Wolverines this season.

''It takes all 11 playing well together,'' Harbaugh said. ''Stopping the run on third and short yardage situation, pass-rush, tackling, not allowing yards after contract, not allowing yards after shorter passes, defending deeper balls.''

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No. 17 Arkansas, No. 21 Auburn meet again after 4-OT battle
October 21, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) The Auburn Tigers are rested from an open date while Arkansas has reached the midpoint of a grueling stretch against ranked teams.

A win in their matchup Saturday would elevate either team's mood and, perhaps, their season.

The 21st-ranked Tigers (4-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) hope to have a healthy Kerryon Johnson back running the ball with the extra week following a dominating win over Mississippi State. The 17th-ranked Razorbacks (5-2, 1-2) are fresh from their first league victory, 34-30 over No. 23 Mississippi.

They're also on Round 3 of a five-week stretch against ranked SEC teams.

''To play in the SEC West, it's just a way of life,'' Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said.

As close as they come historically, this rivalry had mostly produced fairly one-sided games in recent years before the Razorbacks' 54-46 win in four overtimes last season.

Auburn holds a 6-5-1 record in meetings at Jordan-Hare Stadium and has overall outscored Arkansas just 633-629 in 25 previous games.

The Tigers this season have had one of the SEC's better defenses while Arkansas managed to score 34 points on the Rebels and 30 in a loss to No. 1 Alabama two weeks ago.

''Our offense is really starting to hum the last couple of games,'' Bielema said.

Auburn's offense has been humming pretty well lately, too. Much of that on both counts has to do with the league's two most efficient passers, the Tigers' Sean White and the Razorbacks' Austin Allen.

A still-inexperienced White helped bring Auburn back on the road last season and further cemented the trust of his coaches and teammates.

''We were still learning about Sean at the time,'' Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said. ''We learned a lot about him that day. We saw the way he handled pressure and getting hit. He showed a lot of toughness that game.''

---

Some other things to watch for when Auburn hosts Arkansas:

AUBURN'S BACKS: Johnson injured his right ankle early in the Mississippi State game, and has practiced this week, though Malzahn hasn't disclosed much about his status beyond that. Kamryn Pettway wound up rushing 39 times for 169 yards and three touchdowns in that game for a team that's third in the SEC in rushing.

RUSHING WILLIAMS: Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams took over as the SEC's leader in rushing yards following his career-best 180-yard rushing performance against Mississippi. The sophomore had his neck broken in the game against the Tigers last year, missing the final six games of the season, but he's returned to top form this year - having gained 785 yards on the ground through the first seven games.

RAZORBACKS VS. RANKED: Saturday will be Bielema's 46th game as the coach of the Razorbacks, and it will be his 23rd against a ranked opponent. Five of those have come this season, with Saturday's game against the Tigers marking Arkansas' third straight game against a ranked member of the SEC. Next up: No. 15 Florida and No. 25 LSU.

MAD MALZAHN: Malzahn tries not to dwell on last year's game against his home state Razorbacks, but it appeared to be a turning point in the season. After that, Auburn struggled down the stretch until the bowl game. ''When I think about it, it still makes me mad, but that's last year,'' Malzahn said. ''That's history. There's nothing I can do about it.''

EFFICIENT QBS: White is the league's highest rated passer with a 157.2 rating and a 69.7-percent completion rate. Allen is the second-most efficient thrower (156.0) and also leads the SEC with 18 touchdown passes.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST BETS:

10/20/2016 4-0-2 100.00% +2000

10/21/2016 3-3-0 50.00% -150

TRIPLE PLAYS RECORD: 26 - 22 - 6 *****

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 191-178-11 51.76% -2400

O/U Picks 72-70-4 50.70% -2500

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

NCST at LOU 12:00 PM

LOU -19.0

UCF at CONN 12:00 PM

CONN +4.5

IND at NW 12:00 PM

NW -3.0

WIS at IOWA 12:00 PM

IOWA +4.0 ***** GOY

O 42.5

MASS at SOCAR 12:00 PM

SOCAR -20.0

UNT at ARMY 12:00 PM

ARMY -17.5

TEX at KSU 12:00 PM

KSU +1.0

OKST at KU 12:00 PM

O 61.0

CMU at TOL 12:00 PM

TOL -10.0

M-OH at BGSU 12:00 PM

BGSU -2.0

SYR at BC 12:30 PM

SYR +4.5

U 49.5

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SYR at BC 12:30 PM

SYR +4.5

U 49.5

OHIO at KENT 01:00 PM

KENT +1.5

HAW at AFA 02:00 PM

HAW +17.0

O 58.5

COLO at STAN 03:00 PM

O 49.5

AKR at BALL 03:00 PM

AKR +3.5

UNC at UVA 03:00 PM

UVA +10.5

IDHO at APP 03:30 PM

O 53.0

MEM at NAVY 03:30 PM

NAVY +2.5 *****

ILL at MICH 03:30 PM

MICH -39.5 *****

PUR at NEB 03:30 PM

NEB -24.0

TAM at ALA 03:30 PM

ALA -18.5 *****

EMU at WMU 03:30 PM

EMU +23.5

TULN at TLSA 03:45 PM

TLSA -10.5

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UTAH at UCLA 04:00 PM

UTAH +6.5

MTU at MIZZ 04:00 PM

U 73.0 *****

CHAR at MRSH 05:30 PM

CHAR +9.5

CSU at UNLV 05:30 PM

CSU +2.0 *****

ARK at AUB 06:00 PM

AUB -10.5 *****

ORST at WASH 06:30 PM

WASH -36.5