Big Final Weekend of October in College Football

The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-3, 2-1 B1G Legends) travels to Northwestern ( 6-2, 2-2 B1G Legends) for a big game coming off an ugly home loss last Saturday night at home to Penn State.  Big games in the Big Ten to close out October, with some great games:

• Ohio State @ Penn State - two teams on probation that are undefeated in Leaders play in '12.
• Michigan @ Nebraska - key game to determine who leads to race in the Legends division and spot in the Big Ten title game in '12.
• Michigan State @ Wisconsin - repeat of the '11 Big Ten title game...
• Iowa @ Northwestern - the Hawkeyes are struggling, while the Wildcats two close losses ended a change at being undefeated right now
• Purdue @ Minnesota - the winner will pick up first conference win in '12.
• Indiana @ Illinois - who remains in the cellar in the Leaders division after today?

Saturday, October 27th Game on!

• Ball State at Army 11:00 a.m. CBSSN (HD)
• Indiana at Illinois 11:00 a.m. BTN (HD) / btn2go
• Iowa at Northwestern 11:00 a.m. ESPN2 (HD) / espn3 - Iowa covers spread, but Wildcats may be the more likely winner in this game.  Throw out the picks and play football!  Our hope is a 28-20 upset win by Hawkeyes, but hard to pick the Hawkeyes in this one!
• Kentucky at Missouri 11:00 a.m. ESPNU (HD) / espn3
• Northern Illinois at Western Michigan 11:00 a.m. ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable) / espn3
• Temple at Pittsburgh 11:00 a.m. SNY / MASN / CSCA / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3
• Texas at Kansas 11:00 a.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable)
• Tennessee at South Carolina 11:00 a.m. ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3
• Ole Miss at Arkansas 11:21 a.m. SEC Network / ESPN-GP / espn3
• North Carolina State at North Carolina 11:30 a.m. (ESPN-GP / espn3) / ACC Network (HD)
• Southern Miss at Rice 12:00 p.m. (CSNC / CSBA) / CSS (cable)
• BYU at Georgia Tech 2:00 p.m. (FSN Affiliates (HD) / ESPN-GP / espn3)
• Colorado at Oregon 2:00 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com
• UCLA at Arizona State 2:00 p.m. FX (HD)
• Boise State at Wyoming 2:30 p.m. CBSSN (HD)
• Duke at Florida State 2:30 p.m. ESPNU (HD)
• Eastern Michigan at Bowling Green 2:30 p.m. ESPN-GP / espn3 / BCSN
• Florida vs. Georgia 2:30 p.m. CBS (HD) / cbssports.com
• Fresno State at New Mexico 2:30 p.m. CSCA / (Comcast / TW) (cable)
• Kent State at Rutgers 2:30 p.m. SNY / MASN / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3
• Michigan State at Wisconsin 2:30 p.m. (ABC / ESPN2) (HD)
• Navy at East Carolina 2:30 p.m. FCSA (cable) / DirecTV: 623
• Ohio U. at Miami (Ohio) 2:30 p.m. ESPN-GP / STO / ERTV (cable) / espn3
• Purdue at Minnesota 2:30 p.m. BTN (HD) / btn2go
• TCU at Oklahoma State 2:30 p.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSP (cable)
• Texas Tech at Kansas State 2:30 p.m. FOX (HD)
• USC at Arizona 2:30 p.m. (ABC / ESPN2) (HD)
• Illinois State at Northern Iowa 4:00 p.m. CSNC / Mediacom (cable) / espn3
• Ohio State at Penn State 4:30 p.m. ESPN (HD) / espn3
• Washington State at Stanford 5:15 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com
• Baylor at Iowa State 6:00 p.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSP (cable)
• Hawaii at Colorado State 6:00 p.m. RSRM / KTVD (cable)
• Texas A&M at Auburn 6:00 p.m. ESPNU (HD)
• UMass at Vanderbilt 6:00 p.m. (FS South (HD) / ESPN-GP / espn3)
• Louisiana Tech at New Mexico State 7:00 p.m. ESPN-GP / AggieVision / Comcast / espn3
• Michigan at Nebraska 7:00 p.m. ESPN2 (HD)
• Notre Dame at Oklahoma 7:00 p.m. ABC (HD)
• UCF at Marshall 7:00 p.m. CBSSN (HD)
• Mississippi State at Alabama 7:30 p.m. ESPN (HD)
• California at Utah 8:45 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com
• Oregon State at Washington 9:15 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com
• Akron at Central Michigan 2:30 p.m. Video (new, Akron link)
• Maryland at Boston College 12:00 p.m. espn3
• Memphis at SMU 2:00 p.m. TW (cable) / Video
• North Texas at Middle Tennessee 2:30 p.m. espn3
• South Alabama at Louisiana-Monroe 6:00 p.m. $ Video
• Syracuse at South Florida 6:00 p.m. espn3
• Texas State at San Jose State 3:00 p.m. $ Video
• Toledo at Buffalo 2:30 p.m. TW (cable) / Video?
• Troy at Florida Atlantic 4:00 p.m.
• UAB at Tulane 2:30 p.m. $ Video
• UNLV at San Diego State 7:00 p.m. TW (cable)
• Utah State at UTSA 1:00 p.m. espn3
• UTEP at Houston 3:30 p.m. CSS (cable)
• UNLV at San Diego State 7:00 p.m. TW (cable)
• Western Kentucky at Florida International 5:00 p.m. espn3

For Iowa, the game @ Northwestern today, will be the half-way point of the Big Ten season with game 8 of the year.  The final month of November and big games, if any, in December will wrap up the regular season of the 2012 College Football season.

Friday Night College Football Week 9

Friday, October 26th

Cincinnati at LOUISVILLE
7:00 p.m. on ESPN (HD) / espn3 - Big East showdown!

NEVADA at Air Force
7:00 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - MWC showdown!

Thursday night College Football in the ACC

Thursday, October 25th
Clemson at Wake Forest
6:30 p.m.on ESPN (HD) / espn3 - Tigers look to take home road win in ACC play tonight!

With or Without, Does Iowa have the Mojo Saturday night game with Penn State

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- With or without sophomore running sensation Mark Weisman, the University of Iowa football team will keep scrapping Saturday night in prime-time against Penn State.

"One thing about football, things are always changing," said UI head coach Kirk Ferentz at his weekly news conference inside the Hayden Fry Football Complex. "We went through that (last) Saturday, all of a sudden Weisman is out, and you keep trying to find the winning combination. As long as everybody's working hard at it, you've got a shot."

Ferentz says the Hawkeyes need to prepare with the assumption Weisman -- the team's leading rusher with 631 rushing yards and eight touchdowns -- will not play. With the top two running backs questionable, the Hawkeyes turn to freshman Greg Garmon and sophomore Jordan Canzeri, who has yet to play a snap in 2012.

Iowa will need to find enough offense vs. Penn State, but look for Iowa to lean heavily on the defense vs. Nittany Lions at home. Defense, after all, wins championships and has aided Iowa in season's past.

"They're going to let him work today a little bit," Ferentz said of Weisman. "This is the varsity we are playing this week, so it's a whole different deal. He would have to make a lot of progress to be able to play, so we'll have to take the mental approach that he's not going to be here. If he does join us, it would be great.

University of Iowa junior linebacker Christian Kirksey is looking forward to Iowa's only primetime game of the season Saturday night as the Hawkeyes host Penn State (7:05 p.m., BTN) in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes have played one night game in Kinnick Stadium each year of Kirksey's career, and he says the atmosphere is better than ever for night games. "It's a great environment when we get a chance to play a night game at home," said Kirksey, following Wednesday's practice. "The student section will be on fire. As a team we are excited about the opportunity as well." Kirksey has started all six games for the Hawkeyes at outside linebacker and has started 19 straight games over the past two seasons. He is currently fourth on the team in tackles with 14 solo stops and 23 assists. Kirksey had an interception return for 68 yards in Iowa's win over Minnesota for his only career touchdown. Kirksey knows the Iowa defense has a tough challenge ahead on Saturday night. "Last year at Penn State was a physical battle," said Kirksey. "We're a young team, we have to keep our focus. We know Big Ten games are going to be physical. We have to practice hard to be prepared for that Saturday night." The Hawkeyes dropped a 13-3 decision at Penn State a year ago, but this week face the Nittany Lions after consecutive wins over Minnesota and Michigan State. Kirksey has teamed with fellow juniors James Morris and Anthony Hitchens to provide Iowa with a solid trio of linebackers. "We watch film together, we prepare together so we know we are seeing the same things," said Kirksey. "We all came in together in the same class. We've been through spring practice together, through camp, now we're having fun being out there in games playing together."

"We have a limited pool of guys right now, so I think it's realistic to think that (Canzeri) is thick into it. He has played one game, and they were tough carries, but at least he has played, been tackled at the Division I level, and has looked good in practice. Given our circumstance, it's realistic to think he'll play."

Canzeri appeared in seven games as a true freshman, including a start in the Insight Bowl against Oklahoma. He rushed for 114 yards on 37 carries in 2011, to go along with six receptions for 28 yards with one touchdown.

Ferentz says the Hawkeyes can't abandon their running attack against Penn State, but the passing game needs to step up.

"We are not going to give up on the run, but we are going to try to compensate a little bit and spread it around and do what we can," said Ferentz. "It's not going to be easy. These guys get after you good up front; it's going to be a good challenge for our line to try to neutralize their front."

The Nittany Lions (4-2 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) have won four straight games in '12 heading into Kinnick Stadium. Penn State's defense is 15th in the country in scoring, giving up 16 points per game; Iowa is 17th, surrendering 17.2.

Last season's contest in Happy Valley fit the same defensive bill, a game the Nittany Lions won 13-3 to snap a three-game Iowa winning streak in the series. Penn State last win at Kinnick Stadium was in 1999.

"They beat us toe-to-toe," said Ferentz of the 2011 game. "They beat a lot of people toe-to-toe last year. If you look at their defense right now, it's not identical to what they have been, but they look very similar.

"They have three outstanding linebackers, their front four guys are really good, and they are very athletic in the secondary. They have a lot of good players on that team, and it's going to be tough for us to try and match up against them, because they are very talented."

With another defensive-oriented game on the docket, Ferentz feels fortunate to have an ace in his back pocket in junior placekicker Mike Meyer. The Dubuque, Iowa, native has made 14-of-15 field goals this season, including 13 straight dating back to the season-opener.

"We don't have a lot of proven week-in, week-out players on our team right now," said Ferentz. "We are kind of scrapping along here, but Mike has entered that point I think in his career. We all have confidence in Mike right now. He has done such a good job."

Saturday's game will begin at 7:01 p.m. (CT), and be televised to a national audience live on the BTN. Eric Collins, Derek Rackley and Jon Jansen will call the action.

Our Pick: Iowa 20, Penn State 16.

Week 8 Saturday: Cyclones in Stillwater, Cornhuskers in Evanston and Iowa Hawkeyes host Penn State at Kinnick Stadium

Saturday, October 20th    

Iowa State at Oklahoma State, 11:00 a.m. on FX (HD) - Cyclones need offense to clink, but defense may be ready for another Big Win!
LSU at Texas A&M, 11:00 a.m. on ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3 
Minnesota at Wisconsin, 11:00 a.m. on ESPNU (HD) / espn3 - Badgers
Northern Illinois at Akron, 11:00 a.m. on ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable) / espn3 - NIU
PURDUE at Ohio State, 11:00 a.m. on (ABC / ESPN2) (HD) - Can Purdue make it two straight over Buckeyes?
Rutgers at Temple, 11:00 a.m. on CanSNY / MASN / CSCA / ESPN-GP/ ERTV/ espn3 - RUTGERS
Virginia Tech at Clemson, 11:00 a.m. on (ABC / ESPN2) (HD) - Tigers
Auburn at Vanderbilt, 11:21 a.m. on SEC Network / ESPN-GP / espn3 - Vandy looking for another win over Tigers in '12
Wake Forest at Virginia, 11:30 a.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) / ACC Network (HD) - UVA
Florida International at Troy, 12:00 p.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) *2 / Sun Belt Network UVA- TROY
Boston College at Georgia Tech, 2:00 p.m. on (FSN Affiliates (HD) / ESPN-GP / espn3) - GT
New Mexico State at Utah State, 2:00 p.m. on ESPN-GP / KMYU (cable) / AggieVision - Aggies
Stanford at California, 2:00 p.m., FOX (HD) - CAL
BYU at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m. on NBC (HD) / nbcsports.com
Indiana at Navy, 2:30 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) / Video - Navy looks to keep winning...
Michigan State at Michigan, 2:30 p.m.on BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - STATE
Nebraska at Northwestern, 2:30 p.m. on (ABC / ESPN2) (HD) - Huskers have had road woes in '12, so Wildcats look to make it two straight over UNL!
North Carolina State at Maryland, 2:30 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) - NC STATE
Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 2:30 p.m. on SNY / MASN / ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable) / espn3 - PITT
Rice at Tulsa, 2:30 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - TULSA
South Carolina at Florida, 2:30 p.m. on CBS (HD) / cbssports.com - Gamecocks
South Florida at Louisville, 2:30 p.m.ABC (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - Cardinals
Texas Tech at Texas Christian, 2:30 p.m.(ABC / ESPN2) (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - Red Raiders
NEVADA-Las Vegas at Boise State, 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN (HD) - BOISE
Colorado at USC, 5:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com
#1 Alabama at Tennessee, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN (HD) - Bama
East Carolina at UAB, 6:00 p.m. on FCSA (cable) / DirecTV: 626 / WITN
Georgia at Kentucky, 6:00 p.m. on FS South (HD) / ESPN-GP *2 -UGA
Idaho at Louisiana Tech, 6:00 p.m. on MASN/ ALT2/ CSCA/ ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3 - LA TECH
Kansas at Oklahoma, 6:00 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - Sooners
Kansas State at West Virginia, 6:00 p.m. on FOX (HD) - This would be huge win for Bill Snyder and his Wildcats!
Marshall at Southern Miss, 6:00 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - We are Marshall!
Middle Tennessee at Mississippi State, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN2 (HD) - Bulldogs at HOME!
New Mexico at Air Force, 6:00 p.m. on RSRM - Falcons
North Carolina at Duke, 6:00 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) - Here's to Duke football to keep rolling!
Baylor at Texas, 7:00 p.m. on ABC (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - Longhorns rebound!
Florida State at Miami-FL, 7:00 p.m.on ABC (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - Seminoles
Penn State at Iowa, 7:00 p.m. on BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - IOWA 20, PSU 16, as Hawkeyes need QB Vamdenberg to step up tonight @ Kinnick!
UCF at Memphis, 7:00 p.m. on (CSMAa / CSNC)  / CSS (cable)
Washington at Arizona, 9:00 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com - Wildcats
San Diego State at Nevada, 9:30 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - NEVADA
Utah at Oregon State, 9:30 p.m.on ESPN2 (HD) - Upset alert - UTAH
Wyoming at Fresno State, 9:30 p.m. on RSRM / RSNW / CSCA / TW (cable) - FRESNO
Army at Eastern Michigan, 12:00 p.m. on espn3 - ARMY
Ball State at Central Michigan, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 - Chippewas
Bowling Green at UMass, 11:00 a.m. on Video1 / Video2 - Bowling Green
Cincinnati at Toledo, 6:00 p.m. on espn3 - Bearcats
Florida Atlantic at South Alabama, 2:30 p.m. - FAU
Louisiana Monroe at Western Kentucky, 3:00 p.m. on espn3 - LMU
San Jose State at Texas-San Antonio , 1:00 p.m. on espn3 - SJState
South Dakota State at Northern Iowa, 5:00 p.m. on Mediacom (cable) - Go Panthers!
Tulane at UTEP, 7:00 p.m. on $ Video
Western Michigan at Kent State, 2:30 p.m. on Video - WMU

Friday night football in the Big East

Friday, October 19th

Connecticut at Syracuse, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN (HD) / espn3 - Big East Friday night showcase... can the Orange get it done vs. UConn in the Dome?

Could we witness a Major Upset on Thursday Night College Football?

Thursday, October 18th

Houston at SMU, 7:00 p.m. on FSN affiliates (HD) - a Thursday night C-USA showdown... Go Mustangs, as former SWC foes meet in Dallas

#2 Oregon at Arizona State, 8:00 p.m. on ESPN (HD) - The Sun Devils look to earn there way into the Top 25, as leaders of the Pac 12 North and Pac 12 South meet in Tempe.  Do the Ducks stay clean for BCS title run?

Tuesday Night College Football in the Sun Belt

Tuesday, October 16th

Louisiana Lafayette at North Texas, 8:00 p.m. on ESPN2 (HD) - ULL is 2-0 and in a three-way tie for first place, while North Texas is 1-1.  Home game for coach Dan McCarney's Mean Green in Denton, but will the Ragin' Cajuns spoil the party in seeking fifth win on the season in six games?  We hope Dan McCarney can notch another win, after 2-4 start in '12.

Iowa wins Double OT game at Michigan State to stay undefeated in B1G Legends race

Hawkeyes Give Ferentz No. 100 in East Lansing

Iowa toughs out a 19-16 double overtime victory over Michigan State

• Iowa wins in 2 OTs over Michigan State for second time ('07 win @ Iowa was 34-27)
• Iowa wins another OT game on an interception (2000 victory @ Penn State 26-23)
• Iowa and Michigan move to 2-0 to lead B1G Legends (Michigan beat Illinois 45-0 on Saturday)
• Iowa RB Mark Weisman runs for 116 yards for the fourth straight week over 100 yards
• Iowa PK Mike Meyer hits four field goals, including a 42 yard kick in the second OT to take lead
• Iowa's defense holds opponent under 400 yards for the sixth straight game to open '12

Iowa loses some games they shouldn't.  However, under Kirk Ferentz over past 13+ seasons another trend has developed.  Iowa often can win as an underdog, at home and on the road against anyone in the Big Ten.  In bowl games, Iowa has pulled out some impressive wins, as well, often as underdogs.

The latest underdog victory comes in East Lansing, as senior Greg Castillo intercepts the ball in the second overtime to give Iowa another B1G victory.  Michigan State (4-3, 1-2 B1G Legends) is the latest victim.

Throw out the ugly loss vs. Central Michigan in Week 4. The Hawkeyes hung around and pulled out an ugly 19-16 win in double overtime over the Spartans in East Lansing on Saturday.  The series in East Lansing is now 10-10-1.

"Obviously just extremely proud of our football team. It was a really hard-fought game. Both teams really competed hard; I think anybody in the stadium today could have seen that. Just really proud about the way the guys hung in there against a very good football team. It was more than 60 minutes, obviously and it took basically every player out there. And outside of the turnover, you can throw all the stats out the window. It was just a hard-fought, one of those tough games," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz 

The Hawkeyes were not projected to be in the hunt for the 2012 Legends title.  Michigan State, the defending division champions, along with Michigan and Nebraska were the three programs projected ahead of Iowa, Northwestern and Minnesota.  After Week 7 of 2012, the Hawkeyes are

At the halfway point of the regular season for Iowa, the Hawkeyes are in a position to have a good October and November run, if they can remain healthy and continue to improve week in and week out.

On his team's defensive performance...
"I think they're growing, and they played extremely hard today. It seemed like they gave a pass there each direction, but outside of that I thought they really competed and, you know, we started out in adverse circumstances and held them to 3 [points], which was a positive, and I just thought they played hard all day long," Ferentz said

"To win on the turnover there at the end...outstanding and probably appropriate...to have an unsung guy was really the trigger guy, really triggered this all, to get his hand on the ball. It's kind of a fitting way. It gave us the chance to get the pick."

Defense wins championships and if Iowa is going to continue in the hunt in the Big Ten in '12, the defense will continue to be leaned on.

On winning this game as a senior...
"It's huge now that we know that we've got momentum going into Penn State so it's going to be a tough task," said Castillo.

The Hawkeyes follow up the victory @ Michigan State with a game on Saturday night on the Big Ten Network at Kinnick Stadium vs. Penn State (4-2, 2-0 B1G Leaders).  The night game at Kinnick should be electric as two undefeated Big Ten teams square off.  The Hawkeyes lost in '11 @ Penn State 13-3, in a game that resembled the first half @ Michigan State.

The Hawkeyes have a lot of questions that remain, especially on offense.  Senior quarterback James Vandenberg has struggled at times each week.  "I don't care if they're home or away, the close ones are the ones that really separate the good football teams. I thought we executed very well down the stretch. We made the plays when we had to and we gave ourselves a chance," Vandenberg said.

Mark Weisman has stepped up from fullback to fill the running back position the past four weeks for Iowa, after Iowa experienced injuries of Damon Bullock and Greg Garmon were injured in the Week 3 game vs. Northern Iowa.  Weisman didn't play in overtime, but his five yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter tied the ball game up at 13-13, to send the game into overtime.

On the frustration with Iowa's offense...

"It's never good to have three and outs, but as an offense we're confident. We know that we're close. We're missing some easy plays out there, but we kept fighting. That's all you can do is just keep fighting until you get the ball."

On the big play in the fourth quarter (long pass from James Vandenberg to Keenan Davis)...

"That set a spark in us, definitely. It helped us big time. We need that, no doubt. If we don't have that, we don't have that drive," Weisman said.

On what the difference was that made the last play of the game...
"I think we were battling all day and eventually it pays off. We just kept fighting out there, giving punches, keep going and just got it done at the end," Weisman added.

On Iowa's defense...
"Defense is unbelievable out there. They're the only reason we were in the game at all. We give them more credit than anyone out there," Weisman said.

The defense kept Iowa in the game and the Hawkeyes put together enough offense.  But, special teams played a huge role in Iowa's victory.  After Michigan State took a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, Iowa returned a kickoff 87 yards to the end zone.  Sadly, a poorly timed penalty, with a late block in the back to the MSU placekicker, the return was reduced and Iowa lost four points, but the first of four Mike Meyer field goals were witnessed.

"Mike has...really turned the corner from a confidence standpoint, maturity standpoint from back in the spring. And just really started performing the way we all hoped he would. He's been good the prior two years, so we don't take it for granted, but boy, his execution was flawless," Ferentz said.

Iowa won the toss in the overtime and put Michigan State on offense.  After MSU was held to a field goal in the first overtime, Iowa's Meyer kicked a 27 yard field goal to tie the game up again at 16-16 to send the game into the second OT period.  

Iowa started on offense in the second overtime.  After the offense struggled, Meyer came on to kick a 42 yard field goal and give Iowa the first lead of the game at 19-16.  On defense, Iowa's first forced turnover of the game was the difference.

"The biggest thing is just the way our guys fought right to the end because they [Michigan State] weren't going away - that was pretty obvious - but I think our guys answered the same way - they said they weren't going away either - and it's one of those games where, you know...last guy standing.

"It was a real great effort by our guys," Ferentz said

Can Hawkeyes pull out first conference road game @ #24 Michigan State?

From Michigan State on Saturday, with 11 a.m. kickoff on ESPN, Iowa @ #24 Michigan State!

Iowa (3-2, 1-0 Legends, Big Ten) and Michigan State (4-2, 1-1 Legends, Big Ten) have faced one common opponent this season, with Central Michigan.  Looking at that game will not lead one to believe this game in East Lansing has much promise.  Our prediction on Saturday: Iowa 20, Michigan State 19, as the game looks very similar to the 2008 match up in East Lansing.  Which offense will click today?

IOWA CITY, Iowa - As the University of Iowa football team completes preparations for Saturday's Big Ten Conference clash at Michigan State, coordinators Greg Davis and Phil Parker know they will have their hands full as the Hawkeyes play their first conference road game of the season.

Michigan State (4-2 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) ranks as one of the top defensive teams in the nation, returning most of its key players from a squad that played in the first-ever Big Ten Conference championship game last season. The Spartans rank among national leaders in several defensive categories, including eighth in total defense and 10th in rushing defense.

Davis, in his first year as Iowa's offensive coordinator, has never attended a football game at Spartan Stadium; Parker is returning to his alma mater. After completing his playing career as a defensive back for the Spartans, Parker also began his coaching career as a graduate assistant on the Michigan State staff in 1987.

"We had a good bye week," said Davis. "And actually, you can have a bad off week, so it was good for us. Our last time out (31-13 win over Minnesota) we made improvements; continued to get better in the red zone among those improvements. One of the first things you notice about Michigan State is it returns eight starters from a team that played in the championship game."

The Spartan offense is led by veteran Le'Veon Bell (6-foot-2, 244 pounds), one of the most physical running backs in the country. Bell has rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown in two career games against the Hawkeyes.

"The open week gave us a chance to get some guys a little rest and get a little healthier," said Parker. "But we worked hard and are ready to go. Obviously, you have to stop the run first with Michigan State. He (Bell) is a heck of a back and they have won a lot of games when he gets going."

Game time Saturday at Spartan Stadium is 11:01 a.m., CT (ESPN).

Brian Ferentz Enjoys Busy Week

Offensive line coach juggles birth of his first child, football preparations

WAVERLY, Mich. -- It has been a busy and exciting week for University of Iowa offensive line coach Brian Ferentz . On top of preparing the Hawkeyes for their first Big Ten Conference road game of the season at Michigan State, he became a father Tuesday morning when his wife, Nikki, gave birth to their first child, Presley.
"It was a pleasant addition and she came at a pretty opportune time," Ferentz joked. "She was about three weeks early, but she must have known we were coming off a bye and I had a little time here. It's exciting and it's nice."
On the football field, Ferentz's young offensive line has steadily improved over the first seven weeks of the season. He is quick to point out that the sport he coaches is a team game, and the offensive unit needs everyone working together.

"Anytime you have some success as an offensive football team, whether it's throwing or running the ball, it's a team game," Ferentz said. "The key is 11 guys doing their job. We've been fortunate enough to be OK up front.

"We still need to improve and we have a long way to go in that regard," Ferentz said. "But if we get 11 guys on the same page, like we've had them, I think we have a chance to have some success."

That success can continue Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Iowa is coming off a bye week after a convincing win over Minnesota to open Big Ten play. Ferentz said the message during the bye week was pretty simple.

"Our focus was improving our football team," Ferentz said. "Getting better at the things we know we are going to be doing all season and for years to come. The key is improvement; working with some younger guys to bring them along, and getting older guys healthy and feeling better."

While the team was improving and working on fundamentals, Ferentz added that the bye week allowed the staff to get a start on preparing for the Spartans.

"You would be remiss if you didn't pick up a few extra days of preparation on your next opponent," Ferentz said. "It's a great chance to get a head start. We are excited to go out there and see the fruits of that labor."

Make or break Saturday for many College Football programs?

Is Iowa State a Top 25 program in '12?  Beat #6 Kansas State on Saturday and jump to 5-1; and the Cyclones would clearly be worthy of Top 25 consideration, despite the coaches premature approval, after win over TCU.  By the way, the coaches still had TCU ahead of ISU in the Top 25 and no Texas Tech.

Iowa is coming off a bye week.  In 2011, it wasn't pretty heading to Penn State, but in 2010, Iowa coming off a bye week ended in a win @ Michigan.  On Saturday, Iowa heads to #24 Michigan State to begin a seven week journey in the B1G to close out the regular season.

Red River Rivalry: Which team hits two losses first?  #11 Oklahoma vs. #16 Texas in Dallas on Saturday!

The Big Ten Leaders may have the game of the year on Saturday, with Wisconsin @ Purdue?

What gives in Week 7: Make or Break anyone in College Football?


Saturday, October 13th

• #19 Louisville at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Cardinals open Big East play on the road, against a Pitt team with only one solid win of note, in the OOC in '12.

• Iowa at #24 Michigan State, 11 a.m. on ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3 - The over/under is 31 today; can Iowa pull out the 20-19 win in East Lansing to move to .500 on the road in this series?

• #6 Kansas State at Iowa State, 11 a.m. on FX (HD) - The Wildcats are lead by senior QB Collin Klien.  Could ISU coach Paul Rhoads be ready to notch another profile victory, like the Oklahoma State win in '11?

• Kent State at Army, 11 a.m. on CBSN (HD) - Does the MAC with the Golden Flashes notch another OOC win on the season?

• Northwestern at Minnesota, 11 a.m. on ESPN2 (HD) / espn3 - The Golden Gophers were flat at Iowa in returning Floyd to the Hawkeyes, so can coach Jerry Kill pull off a B1G win over a Northwestern team heading to the road again, after first loss @ PSU last year?

• #11 Oklahoma at #16 Texas (Dallas), 11 a.m. on ABC (HD) - The Longhorns have gone down to the wire two straight weeks in the Big 12, while the Sooners are coming off a solid win in Lubbock!

• Syracuse at # 20 Rutgers, 11 a.m. on SNY / MASN / CSCA / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn 3 - The Orange have been up and down in '12, while the Rutgers are looking to get to bowl eligible on Saturday.

• UAB at Houston, 11 a.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - A C-USA game... 

• Wisconsin at Purdue, 11 a.m. on BTN (HD) - The winner on Saturday owns tiebreaker for the Leaders ticket in the '12 race to the Big Ten title game.  Holy Boilermakers are in the race in '12?

• Auburn at Ole Miss, 11:21 a.m. on SEC Network / ESPN-GP / espn3 - Who hits the bottom of the SEC West on Saturday?  It may get a little more hot in the seat for Gene Chizik in Auburn?

• Duke at Virginia Tech, 11:30 a.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) / ACC Network (HD) - The Hokies are not playing well, while the Blue Devils are in '12.

• SMU at Tulane, 12 p.m. on (CSBA / CSBAa) / CSS (cable) - Another C-USA game ...

• North Carolina at Miami-FL, 1:30 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) / espn 3 - The Hurricane are undefeated in ACC play in '12, but two ugly losses vs. Top 10 Kansas State and Notre Dame on the road.

• Maryland at Virginia, 2 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / ESPN-GP - The ACC is not going to represent in the BCS title hunt in '12 and these two teams were not candidates to begin with.

• Utah at UCLA, 2 p.m. on FOX (HD) - Do the young Bruins rebound, after ups and downs in Pac 12 play in '12?

• #1 Alabama at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. on CBS (HD) / cbssports.com - This game should be a blow out, as defending BCS champs come off bye week...

• Buffalo at Northern Illinois, 2:30 p.m. on CSNC / ESPN-GP - The Huskies have won, since opening season loss in Soldier Field by 1.

• Fresno State at #23 Boise State, 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN (HD) - The Broncos look to remain in the Top 25 and on top in the MWC race as they close out final year in conference.

• Illinois at #25 Michigan, 2:30 p.m. on (ABC / ESPN) (HD) - The Wolverines look to get to 2-0 to stay a top in the Legends ahead of in-state game with Spartans next week.

• Oklahoma State at Kansas, 2:30 p.m. on FSN Affililates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - The Cowboys are young at QB, but the Jayhawks continue work to climb up from the bottom of the Big 12.

• #10 Oregon State at BYU, 2:30 p.m. on ABC (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - The out of conference battle featuring each teams #2 QB... history favors home team in this one?

• #13 Stanford at #7 Notre Dame - The Fighting Irish are in the Top 10, so a win today puts them in the BCS Top 10, which will be released at the end of Week 7 on Sunday night.

• UTSA at Rice, 2:30 p.m. on FCSP (cable) / DirecTV: 623 - A WAC vs. C-USA game in Houston, with the UTSA Roadrunners coming into this one undefeated in '12!

• #4 West Virginia at Texas Tech - Could back to back trips to the State of Texas in two weeks lead to upset alert in Lubbock on Saturday?  Does Texas Tech lose back to back home games in Big 12?

• Utah State at San Jose State, 3 p.m. on ALT / MASN / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3 - The WAC battle unfolds... 

• Memphis at East Carolina, 3:30 p.m. on (CSBA / CSBAa) / CSS (cable) - Our third C-USA game on Saturday!

• Boston College at #15 Florida State, 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2 (HD) - The Seminoles title game will not be in the BCS in '12, but an ACC title is realistic for '12.

• #5 Florida at Vanderbilt, 5 p.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Gators travel to Nashville, as the Commodores are coming off big road win @ Missouri.

• Air Force at Wyoming, 6 p.m. on RSRM / RSNW - The MWC doesn't have the luster of the past, as programs like BYU, Utah and TCU have moved on...

• Idaho at Texas State, 6 p.m. on ALT (HD) / ESPN-GP / cable / espn3 - Can the Vandals pick up a W, after plenty of frequent travel miles thus far in '12?

• Kentucky at Arkansas, 6 p.m. on Fox Sports South *6 (HD) / ESPN-GP - Can the Razorbacks and coach John L. Smith pick up back to back conference wins in the SEC?

• TCU at Baylor, 6 p.m. on FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - These teams used to battle in the old SWC, but in '12 it has moved to the Big 12... welcome back Horned Frogs!

• #14 USC at Washington, 6 p.m. on FOX (HD) - The Trojans hit the road to Seattle, which wasn't pleasant last go around!

• Florida Atlantic at Louisiana-Monroe, 7 p.m. on (ESPN-GP / espn3) *2 / Sun Belt Network - A little Sun Belt flare anyone?

• #8 Ohio State at Indiana, 7 p.m. on BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - The Buckeyes hit the road in the Big Ten Network prime time game, after IU missed vs. Spartans last week!  Urban Meyer looks to get to 7-0, but no bowling in '12.

• #3 South Carolina at #9 LSU, 7 p.m. on ESPN (HD) - This game is the biggest game on Saturday, in the SEC and overall in College Football!

• Southern Miss at UCF, 7 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - Our fourth C-USA game of the day!

• Tennessee at #12 Mississippi State, 8 p.m. on CBSSN (HD) - Can the Bulldogs get bowl eligible in just 6 games and remain undefeated in the SEC and overall for '12?

• #22 Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech (Shreveport), 8 a.m. on ESPNU (HD) - The Aggies are having a good start as new members of the SEC, while LA Tech looks to remain undefeated in '12 and earning a slot in the Top 25.

• California at Washington State, 9:30 p.m. on PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com - Winning on the road is often never easy, but can the Golden Bears get over the hurdle ahead at Wazzu?

• New Mexico at Hawaii, 11 p.m. on RSRM / Oceanic PPV - The Bob Davie era is on at UNM, while the Warriors look for first win in year one in MWC.

• Akron at Ohio U., 1 p.m. on epsn3 - Coach Frank Solich seeks to remain undefeated in '12.

• Colorado State at San Diego State, 5:30 p.m. on (KTVD / TW) (cable) - The Aztecs look get above .500 in the MWC on Saturday!

• Miami-OH at Bowling Green, 2:30 p.m. on espn3 / BCSN - The visiting RedHawks are undefeated in MAC play, while Bowling Green can get to 2-1, with a win at home.

• Middle Tennessee at Florida International, 5 p.m. on Video (not sure if free) - Can MTU get to above .500 in the Sun Belt race in '12 on Saturday?

• Nevada at Nevada-Las Vegas, 2 p.m. on (TW / Charter / Cox (NV)) (cable) / espn3 - Both teams are undefeated thus far in the MWC, so one is jumping forward...

• South Alabama at Arkansas State, 6 p.m. on $ Video - Sun Belt Alabama vs. Sun Belt Arkansas is not quite to same as SEC play!

• Temple at Connecticut, 12 p.m. on espn3 - The Owls are 1-0 in conference play, while UConn fell in the Big East opener.

• Toledo at Eastern Michigan, 12 p.m. on Video? - MAC football can be good, bad and ugly!

• Western Michigan at Ball State, 2 p.m. on epsn3 - A key game to remain relevant in the MAC West in '12?

The BCS ratings are announced on Sunday night for the first time in '12.  Game on!

Friday Night College Football: Navy @ Central Michigan

The Chippewas get an opportunity to host the Midshipmen, after two previous meeting @ Navy.

Friday, October 12th


Navy at Central Michigan 7:00 p.m. ESPN2 (HD) / espn3

Saturday, the 13th, should be a great day in College Football, with some possible upsets on the horizon, as well.  

Thursday Night College Football: October 11th

Thursday, October 11th

• Western Kentucky @ Troy, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)/ espn 3
• Texas-El Paso @ Tulsa, 7:00 p.m, FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable)
• Arizona State @ Colorado, 8 p.m., ESPN (HD)

A batlle in the Sun Belt, the Conference USA and the Pac 12 highlight Thursday night football in College Football.  None of the teams are Top 25 programs currently, though Arizona State be getting closer to breaking the Top 25.  The Sun Devils are 2-0 and leading the Pac 12 South currently.  Colorado is 1-1 in the conference.

Western Kentucky is 1-0 in the Sun Belt, while Troy is 2-1 in the conference.  Huge game for both programs in the hunt for the '12 Sun Belt title.

Tulsa is 3-0 in the C-USA West, while UTEP is 0-2 in the conference.  Who will pick up this important conference Thursday night game?

Iowa (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten Legends) @ Michigan State (4-2, 1-1 Legends) on Saturday with 11 a.m. kickoff on ESPN

 The Iowa Hawkeyes will prepare this week, coming off a bye week for #24 Michigan State, the defending Legends champion in'11.  Iowa should be healthy, with news RB Damon Bullock has been cleared to play.

Mark Dantonio Weekly Press Conference Coverage 

Spartans take on Iowa Saturday at noon (Eastern time) in Spartan Stadium on Homecoming.

News out of East Lansing is mixed, as the Detroit News is reporting.  MSU coach Mark Dantonio (pictured, left) will be missing junior TE Dion Sims, due to injury.  Sims has been first year starting QB junior Andrew Maxwell's main target in the passing game.  Further, Dantonio, who is in his sixth season as head coach for the Spartans, is making plenty of changes in the two-deep depth chart for MSU.

Entering the 2012 season, both the Hawkeyes and the Spartans returned five starters from '11 on defense.  On offense, the Spartans returned eight starters compared to Iowa's six, but injures have fallen to MSU's offense, with TE Sims the most recent victim.  The offensive line has been hit hard in '12.

Both teams played Central Michigan in the non-conference.  For Michigan State, the Spartans headed to Mt. Pleasant, MI to play @ Central Michigan, which finished in a 41-7 win for the Green.  After a bye week, Central Michigan traveled to Iowa City the following week.  The Hawkeyes finished on the short end of a 32-31 defeat, with the Chippewas scoring nine points in the final minutes to upset Iowa.

Of course, comparing common opponents can be risky in College Football.  However, it certainly should give people pause, as the odds makers saw Michigan State on Sunday, as a 11 point favorite over Iowa.  Iowa hasn't been a double digit underdog in the Big Ten, since the 2009 road game at Ohio State in what was termed a Big Ten title game that year.  Iowa didn't win, but gave a good showing, in a 27-24 OT loss to Ohio State.  By the way, that was Iowa's current QB, senior James Vandenberg's first start as a Hawkeye, during his redshirt freshman year, stepping in for an injured teammate.

The Iowa-Michigan State is typically a close, competitive series.  The series favors Iowa 22-19-2.  A win on Saturday would give Iowa a 10-10-1 record and move them to .500 in East Lansing.  Iowa won in East Lansing in '09 in a 15-13 game, which Iowa scored on the final play of the game, when then Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi hit departed WR Marvin McNutt on 4th down with 0:00 left on the clock.

Last year's game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City was a 37-21 game in favor of the Spartans.  The Spartans jumped out to a 31-7  lead, scoring two touchdowns in a 36 second stretch late in the second quarters.

Michigan State will be celebrating Homecoming on Saturday, when they host Iowa.

Iowa faces first B1G road challenge of '12 in East Lansing

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz called the Hawkeyes' bye week "productive," but the challenge ahead is a Big Ten road opener at Michigan State.

Ferentz met with the media on Tuesday at his weekly press conference. Coach Ferentz Press Conference Transcript 

The Spartans bring a 4-2 overall and 1-1 Big Ten record into Saturday's game. After trailing 27-14 at the half at Indiana, Michigan State came alive in the second half, reeling off 17 unanswered points, while limiting the Hoosier offense to zero points, two first downs, and 37 yards of total offense.

Ferentz says the Spartans' second-half performance is more indicative of the type of Michigan State team the Hawkeyes will face.

"If you look at that half, it gives you an indication of the kind of football team they have... the talent and potential they have," said Ferentz at his Tuesday media gathering inside the Hayden Fry Football Complex. "They've got great players and are a physical football team. That's why they've had 22 wins the past two years... if you're not ready for that, it could be a long day."

"The last three games we've looked a little more representative of what we hope to be, and that's good. I feel like we can throw it better than we have so far, including the last three games." UI head coach on Iowa's passing attack

It will be the 44th meeting in the series between the two schools with the Hawkeyes holding a 22-19-2 advantage. Three of the last five meetings have been decided by seven points or less, but each of the last two contests -- both played inside Kinnick Stadium -- were lopsided. Michigan State won 37-21 last season, and Iowa won 37-6 in 2010.

Saturday's game will feature two of the top running backs in the Big Ten in Iowa's Mark Weisman and Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell. Bell ranks second in the conference, and ninth nationally with 129.3 yards per game; Weisman is fourth in the league and 22nd nationally with an average of 103 yards (in three games).

"He (Le'Veon) is a very big and powerful guy," said Ferentz. "Yet he's mentally talented. You've seen him hurdle guys, which is pretty impressive for any back. If you break down at all, or somebody misses a gap, he can really hurt you, and he can run with some speed, too."

Iowa's running back depth will be bolstered with the return of sophomore Damon Bullock. Bullock, who started the first three games before going down with a concussion, gives the Hawkeyes a different dimension in the backfield to go along with Weisman's bruising.

"In a limited amount, have shown they're both capable, two different types of players, but both have done a good job this year," said Ferentz. "We're going to need them both moving forward."

Ferentz says Iowa's passing attack has taken steps forward in each of the past three games, and he sees more growth on the horizon. Senior James Vandenberg has completed 62 percent of his attempts (52-of-84) for 635 yards during the most recent three-game stretch with two touchdowns.

"The last three games we've looked a little more representative of what we hope to be, and that's good," said Ferentz. "I feel like we can throw it better than we have so far, including the last three games."

While the team's passing is on the upward trend, the competition level is also on the rise. The Hawkeyes face a Michigan State defense that is leading the Big Ten in total defense, surrendering an average of 272.3 yards in six games.

"We're playing a team that is veteran on defense, talented and aggressive," said Ferentz. "We're going to need to keep improving. We're making strides, but we're not there yet."

Saturday's game will be Iowa's first true road test of the season, although the Hawkeyes experienced a "road routine" in the season-opening 17-16 victory against Northern Illinois at Chicago's Soldier Field.

"The trip to Chicago is a good exercise, but the environment in the stadium was not like we'll face on our next four away games," said Ferentz. "At least we went through the process of being on the road.

"At the end of the day, we have to try to block that out and be a little more focused than you would be at home. The biggest thing is still the team on the field... that's more of a concern to us than maybe the stadium."

Saturday's game will be televised to a national audience on ESPN beginning at 11:01 a.m. (CT). Dave Pasch, Brian Griese and Jenn Brown will all the action.

Player Safety in College Football: Concussions and Recovery

The University of Iowa played the University of Northern Iowa on September  15th.  Sophomore #1 running back Damon Bullock took a blow to the head in the first half.  He left the game and did not return.  Iowa had a bye week at the beginning of October.  Bullock didn't get cleared for play, until the week of October 8th.  He is expected to play on Saturday, when Iowa travels to play #24 Michigan State in East Lansing, nearly a month later.

On Thursday, October 4th, USC traveled to Utah to play the Utes in Pac 12 play.  In the first half junior WR Robert Woods of USC took a blow to the head on a punt.  He left the field, after nearly collapsing.  He returned a play later, as ESPN reported.

The Tony Barnhart Show highlighted concussion awareness for last week's show prior to the Woods incident.  This week's show highlighted concerns over USC coach Lane Kiffin's comments, after Woods continued to play, after taking a blow to the head.

Both Tony Barnhart of CBS Sports and ESPN voiced concerns over Woods return in the ball game.  Watching the game, we would agree his return appeared to be premature.

IT'S OUT OF THE QUESTION: Was USC coach Lane Kiffin using his brain about Robert Woods injury? Link to Tom Hoffarth, columnist on the subject.

The issue of concussions in football is very serious at all levels of the sport.  Head injuries in all sports, both women's and men's, is getting more attention throughout the nation over the past year.

Iowa Hawkeyes prepare for first B1G road test @ Michigan State

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- While the first unit caught its breath during a bye week, University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said the second and third team Hawkeyes gained ground. Ferentz expects that improvement to bolster special team play that was stellar during a 31-13 win against Minnesota on Sept. 29.

"We still have a lot of young players, but the exciting news is that they improve every week and every practice if they are doing things right," Ferentz said Sunday during an exclusive interview with hawkeyesports.com "Hopefully we'll see the growth on special teams more than any place else. Our last game out, we looked more Big Ten-ready, but we're hardly a finished product there, either. That's one area we're really focused on now."

Iowa (3-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) travels to East Lansing, Mich., for its first conference road test of the season Oct. 13 against #24 in CIDSports Top 25, Michigan State (4-2, 1-1). From 2007-09, one game between the Hawkeyes and Spartans was decided in double overtime and the other two were decided by a combined five points.

"History would say that it has been an interesting series," Ferentz said. "Most of these games have been closely contested and go down to the last couple minutes. If we're playing well this week, I would predict that being the case, but if we aren't playing well, it could get away from us quick. We have to be at our best when we go up to East Lansing."

The offensive backfield will include the following healthy Hawkeyes: Damon Bullock, Greg Garmon, Jonathan Gimm, Brad Rogers, and Mark Weisman, with Jordan Canzeri "making progress."

"It has gone from a position of being a concern to looking like we're developing some depth now," Ferentz said.

Recap Week 6 and new CIDSports Top 25 Poll: College Football was slightly turned upside as October kicks off in College Football

The Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten Legends) opened October with a bye week, after Big Ten opener to end September.  They will travel to East Lansing in Week 7 for a game @ # 24 Michigan State.  The Hawkeyes will have some questions at some key positions heading into the Big Ten road opener in Week 7.  Recap of offense (by Greg Davis) and defense (by Phil Parker) by Iowa coordinators, during bye week.

While Iowa was idle in Week 6, there were outstanding games to open the first weekend in October and shake up the Top 25 in College Football, as SEC, Big Ten, Pac 12 and Big 12 all had top 25 showdowns!

• Moving up: Oregon, South Carolina, West Virginia, Florida, Notre Dame and Ohio State
• Going down: LSU, Florida State, Georgia, Texas and others
• Bowl eligible: Ohio U., Oregon and South Carolina
• Ineligible for post-season play: North Carolina, Ohio State and Penn State

CIDSports Top 25 after Week 6 as we open October in College Football!

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC West) 1 - Through 6 weeks, the defending BCS champions are undefeated and appear to be playing at a high level.  The Crimson Tide opened October with a bye week!  Week 7: @ Missouri (3-3, 0-3 SEC East), who fell at home 19-15 to Vanderbilt (2-3, 1-2 SEC East), as the road in the SEC hasn't been kind on the Tigers.

2. Oregon Ducks (6-0, 3-0 Pac 12 North) 3 - The Ducks have won three straight Pac 12 titles and they continue the road to get back to the BCS Title game, last in '10, with a 52-21 win over former #22 Washington.  Week 7: Bye week, ahead of Thursday night game @ Arizona State (4-1, 2-0 Pac 12 South) in Week 8.

3. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-0, 4-0 SEC East) 5 -  The Gamecocks dominated former # 6 Georgia in a 35-7 win at home to move to 4-0 in the SEC East, tied for first place.  Week 7: @ #9 LSU, who are coming off their first loss in 18 regular season games, due to the 14-6 defeat @ Florida.

4. West Virginia Mountaineers (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) 8 - The Mountaineers brought some defense to complement the high octane offense in a 48-45 win @ former #10 Texas to remain undefeated.  Week 7: @ Texas Tech (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), in back to back road trips to the State of Texas for the Mountaineers.

5.  Florida Gators (5-0, 4-0 SEC East) 9 - The Gators 14-6 win vs. then #2 LSU in the Swamp at the half-way point for Florida in the SEC.  Week 7: vs. Vanderbilt (2-3, 1-2 SEC East), who are coming off the Commodores first win in SEC in '12 with a 19-15 win @ Missouri.

6. Kansas State Wildcats (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) 7 - The Wildcats take care of business in the third quarter in 56-16 blowout over Kansas (1-4, 0-2 Big 12) to remain undefeated in the Sunflower State.  Week 7: @ Iowa State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), as the Wildcats head North to face the Cyclones seeking fifth straight in the series.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-0) 13 - The Fighting Irish hosted Miami-FL (4-2, 3-0 ACC Coastal) in Chicago at Soldiers Field to the tune of a 41-3 win over the Hurricane.  Week 7: vs. #13 Stanford, who needed OT to defeat Arizona 54-48 at home in Week 6.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten Leaders) 16 - The Buckeyes defeated former #21 Nebraska 63-38 to remain undefeated in the Big Ten and overall in '12.  Week 7: @ Indiana (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten Leaders), who gave MSU a game, but fell short 31-27 at home.

9. LSU Tigers (5-1, 1-1 SEC West) 2 - The Tigers hadn't lost in the regular season in the past 18 games, dating back to '10 in a game in the SEC, but they fell 14-6 @ Florida in the Swamp.  Week 7: vs. #3 South Carolina, who dominated Georgia at home in a 35-7 win.

10. Oregon State Beavers (4-0, 3-0 Pac 12 North) 19 - The Beavers open Pac 12 play at home with a 19-6 win over Washington State (2-4, 0-3 Pac 12 North).  Week 7: @ Brigham Young (4-2), as the Beavers go outside the Pac 12 in October, with a trip to Provo.

11. Oklahoma Sooners (3-1, 1-1 Big 12) 15 - The Sooners come off bye week with a 41-20 win @ Texas Tech (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) to get to .500 in the conference with a nice win at Lubbock.  Week 7: vs. #16 Texas in the Red River Shootout in Dallas and looking to make it three straight over the Longhorns.

12. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0 SEC West) 18 - The Bulldogs stay unbeaten with a 27-14 road win  @ Kentucky (1-5, 0-3 SEC East).  Week 7: vs. Tennessee (3-2, 0-2 SEC East), who are coming off bye week, after 51-44 loss @ Georgia in Week 5.

13. Stanford Cardinal (4-1, 2-1 Pac 12) 11 - The Cardinal have to go to OT to pull out a 54-48 win at home over Arizona (3-3, 0-3 Pac 12) to avoid back to back losses in the Pac 12.  Week 7: @ Notre Dame, where the Cardinal have won three straight, but the visitor is 4-12 of late.

14. USC Trojans (4-1, 2-1 Pac 12 South) 12 - The Trojans took care of business 38-28 @ Utah (2-3, 0-2 Pac 12) to remain in the hunt for the '12 Pac 12 title game in the South.  Week 7: @ Washington, where Trojans have won 8 of last 10, but lost 32-31 in '10 on road.

15. Florida State Seminoles (5-1, 2-1 ACC Atlantic) 4 -  The Seminoles lost for the fifth time in the last eight trips @ North Carolina State, as the Seminoles gave up 17 unanswered points in the second half to lose 17-16.  Week 7: vs. Boston College (1-4, 0-2 ACC Coastal), who are coming in after a 34-31 lost @ Army.

16. Texas Longhorns (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) 10 - The Longhorns fall in Austin vs. then #8 West Virginia 48-45 to tumble out of the Top 10.  Week 7: vs. #11 Oklahoma, in the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.

17. Clemson Tigers (5-1, 2-1 ACC Atlantic) 17 - The Tigers broke the game open in the fourth quarter 47-31 to defeat. Georgia Tech (2-4, 1-3 ACC Coastal) at home.  Week 7: vs. Virginia Tech (3-3, 1-1 ACC Coastal), with the Hokies coming of two straight losses, including a 48-34 loss @ UNC in Week 6.

18. Georgia Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1 SEC East) 6 - The Bulldogs were dominated most of the game @ then #5 South Carolina in a 35-7 lost to fall for the first time in '12.  Week 7: Bye week to lick wounds and prepare for next SEC game @ Kentucky in Week 8.

19. Louisville Cardinals (5-0) 20 -  The Cardinals enjoyed the first weekend in October with a bye week ahead of opening Big East for '12.  Week 7: @ Pittsburgh (2-3, 0-2 Big East), who lost Week 2 @ Cincinnati 34-10 and this past Friday @ Syracuse 14-13.

20. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-0, 2-0 Big East) nr - The Scarlet Knights remain undefeated to lead Big East Conference early, with a 19-3 win over UConn (3-3, 0-1 Big East) in Week 6.  Week 7: vs. Syracuse (2-3, 1-0 Big East), as two teams seek to remain undefeated in Big East play.

21. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-0, 1-0 Big East) nr - The Bearcats finished '11 in the final Top 25 national polls and jump into the Top 25 in '12, after a 52-14 home win over Miami-OH (3-3, 2-0 MAC West).  Week 7: vs. Fordham (4-2 in '12, FCS), as the Bearcats enjoy a series of OOC games in October.

22. Texas A&M Aggies (4-1, 2-1 SEC West) nr - The Aggies won @ Ole Miss 30-27 to jump into the Top 25, after Week 6.  Week 7: vs. Louisiana Tech (5-0) @ Shreveport, in what could make for a short stay in the Top 25 for the Aggies and an opportunity for the Bulldogs?

23. Boise State Broncos (4-1, 1-0 MWC) 24 -  The Broncos opened October with a strong road win 40-14 @ Southern Miss, as young Broncos win fourth in a row.  Week 7: vs. Fresno State (4-2, 2-0 MWC), who won 28-7 @ Colorado State (1-5, 0-2 MWC) to take early lead in MWC, with Nevada.

24. Michigan State Spartans (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten Legends) nr - The Spartans bounce back in the second half to win 31-27 @ Indiana (2-3, 0-2 in Big Ten Leaders) to bounce back from B1G home opener vs. OSU.  Week 7: vs. Iowa (3-2, 1-0), who are coming off a bye week and 31-13 win over Minnesota in Week 5 at home.

25. Michigan Wolverines (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten Legends) nr - The Wolverines bounced back into the Top 25, with a 44-13 win @ Purdue (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten Leaders), coming off bye week.  Week 7: vs. Illinois (2-4, 0-2 Big Ten Leaders), who fell 31-14 @ Wisconsin (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten Leaders).

Out of Top 25 after Week 6:

• Former # 14 TCU (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) - The Horned Frogs without senior starting QB, out due to suspended for an arrest, lost 37-23 at home to Iowa State  (4-1, 1-1 Big 12).  Next up: @ Baylor (3-1, 0-1 Big 12), who enjoyed a bye week.
• Former #21 Nebraska (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten Legends) - The Cornhuskers fall 63-38 @ then # 16 Ohio State to continue road woes for '12.  Next up: Bye week, ahead of another road trip @ Northwestern (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten Leaders).
• Former #22 Washington (3-2, 1-1 Pac 12 North) - The Huskies fall @ then #3 Oregon 52-21 to fall out of the Top 25.  Next up: vs. #14 USC, who beat the Huskies last year, but fell short @ Washington in '10.
• Former #23 UCLA (4-2, 1-2 Pac 12 South) - The Bruins were defeated 43-17 @ Cal (2-4, 1-2 Pac 12 North).  Next up: vs. Utah (2-3, 0-2 Pac 12 South), to kick off the second half of the season for the Bruins.
• Former #25 Northwestern (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten Legends) fell 39-28 @ Penn State (4-2, 2-0 Big Ten Leaders), as Wildcats miss on quest to get to 6-0 for the first time, since '62.  Next up: @ Minnesota (4-1, 0-1 Big Ten Legends), who enjoyed a bye week.

Unranked undefeated teams after Week 6:

• Louisiana Tech (5-0) - Season opener vs. now #22 Texas A&M was postponed, but the game will be played this week, so the Bulldogs may punch Top 25 ticket with a win on 10/13.
• Ohio U. (6-0, 2-0 MAC East) - The Bobcats opened '12 with a 24-14 win over Penn State.  Next up: vs. Akron (1-5, 0-2 MAC East).
• UTSA (5-0, 1-0 WAC) - The Roadrunners have moved up from FCS to fill voids in WAC, with three wins vs. non-FBS programs, as well as win over South Alabama from Sun Belt.  Next up: Bye week, then @ San Jose State (4-1).

FCS upsets for Week 6:

No upsets in Week 6.

Breakdown of OOC records in Week 6 by conference and Notes:

SEC -  Six conference games this week, as South Carolina and Florida remain undefeated in both the SEC East at 4-0 and undefeated overall.  In the SEC West, Alabama and Mississippi State lead at 2-0 and undefeated overall.

Big Ten - Five conference games this week, as Iowa and Minnesota were idle.  The Legends division is lead by Iowa and Michigan at 1-0, while Ohio State and Penn State are 2-0 to lead the Leaders division in the B1G.

Big 12 -  Four conference games this week, as Kansas State and West Virginia move to 2-0 to remain the only undefeated teams, both in conference play and overall.  Five teams are 1-1 in early October.

Pac 12 - Five games this week in the conference, as Arizona State and Colorado were idle.  Oregon and Oregon State lead in the North at 2-0, while Arizona is 2-0 in the South, followed by USC at 2-1.

ACC - 0-2 vs. OOC opponents, with losses @ two Independents.  Five conference games this week, as Maryland is 1-0 in the ACC Atlantic, followed by Clemson and Florida State at 2-1.  In the Coastal division, Miami-FL is 3-0, with Duke 2-0.

Big East - 1-0 vs. OOC opponent, with win vs. MAC.  This week there were three conference game played.   The Big East has four undefeated teams in conference play with Rutgers leading at 2-0, followed by Cincinnati, Temple and Syracuse at 1-0.

MWC - 2-2 vs. OOC opponents, with wins vs. C-USA and WAC, while losses vs. Independent and @ WAC.  Three conference games this week, as Nevada and Fresno State lead conference at 2-0, with Boise State and UNLV at 1-0.

C-USA - 1-3 vs. OOC opponents, with win vs. FCS, but losses @ Sun Belt, vs. Sun Belt and MWC.  In C-USA, UCF and Memphis are 1-0, with East Carolina 2-1 in the East; while Tulsa leads the West at 3-0, with Houston and SMU at 1-0.

Independents - 4-0 vs. OOC opponents, with wins WAC, @ MWC and vs. ACC (2).  Only head to head game between Independents was Notre Dame's win in Dublin over Navy.

WAC - 1-2 vs. OOC opponents, with win vs. MWC, while losses @ Independent and vs. MWC.  In the WAC, UTSA and Idaho lead with a 1-0 record in conference play.

MAC - 0-1 vs. OOC opponent, with a loss @ Big East.  The MAC race for '12 has begun with Kent State 3-0 to lead MAC East, with Miami-OH and Ohio U. at 2-0; while in the MAC West, Toledo is 3-0, followed by Northern Illinois at 2-0.

Sun Belt - 1-1 games vs. OOC opponents, with win over vs. C-USA and loss @ C-USA.  After Week 6 games in the Sun Belt.  Louisiana-Lafayette is 2-0 to lead the conference, followed by Western Kentucky and ULM at 1-0, with Troy 2-1.

Bye Week blues for Iowa Hawkeyes, as off the field issues emerge in Iowa City during off weekend

The Iowa Hawkeyes opened September only 3-2 overall, but earned the Floyd of Rosedale back with a 31-13 win over Minnesota in Week 5 to close out month and open 1-0 in the Legends division of the Big Ten .  But, the Week 6 bye week has been bitter sweet for Iowa, with news of an off the field arrest, as senior team captain Micah Hyde, Iowa's top cornerback, was arrested for public intoxication and interference of official acts per The Gazette and ESPN.

Update: Some solid Big Ten games in Week 6, as Iowa and Minnesota are enjoying bye weeks, but some players are enjoying the bye weeks too much!  The list gets longer for Iowa, as sophomore TE Ray Hamilton and reserve OL junior Drew Clark were charged with alcohol related issues per 1630 AM./KCJJ.

• Michigan State @ Indiana on Big Ten Network at 11 a.m.
• #25 Northwestern @ Penn State on ESPN at 11 a.m. ***
• Illinois @ Wisconsin on ABC (KCRG in Cedar Rapids) at 2:30 p.m.
• Michigan @ Purdue on Big Ten Network at 3 p.m.
• #21 Nebraska @ #16 Ohio State on ABC (KCRG in Cedar Rapids) at 7 p.m.

College Football rocks!

Week 6: First Saturday of October has some outstanding match ups around the Nation!

Saturday, October 6th

In the Big Ten, two Legend division teams are enjoying a bye week, Iowa and Minnesota, as Big Ten play is here for everyone now.  #1 Alabama enjoys a bye week, before back to back SEC road trips to open the month of October.  We welcome October College Football in Week 6!

• Navy at Air Force 10:30 a.m. CBS (HD) / cbssports.com - The Midshipmen are not playing very well in '12, so can the Falcons move from .500 to winning record in Week 6 vs. Navy?
• Arkansas at Auburn 11:00 a.m. ESPN2 (HD) / espn3 - Only one win in September for both teams, as each looks to improve in October and pull off first SEC win this week!
• Boise State at Southern Miss 11:00 a.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSC (cable) - MWC @ C-USA, as one of the top teams faces the weaker team on the road in the OOC.
• Boston College at Army 11:00 a.m. CBSSN (HD) - Both programs are off to weak starts, as BC is 1-3, while Army is 0-4 entering into Week 6 of  '12.
• Buffalo at Ohio U 11:00 a.m. ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable) / espn3 - Battle in the MAC East, as Ohio U opened with a win, while Buffalo opened 0-1.
• Connecticut at Rutgers 11:00 a.m. ESPNU (HD) / espn3 - Rutgers is 1-0 in the conference and 4-0 to open '12, as UConn opens conference play on the road!
• Kansas at #7 Kansas State 11:00 a.m. FX (HD) - The battle for Kansas, as Big 12 rivals play this one in little Manhattan, as Wildcats are 1-0 and Jayhawks are 0-1 in conference play.
• Michigan State at Indiana 11:00 a.m. BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - The Spartans and Hoosiers are both 0-1 in the Big Ten, Legends and Leaders, respectively... big game on the road for MSU!
• #25 Northwestern at Penn State 11:00 a.m. ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3 - Another Legends vs. Leaders match up in the Big Ten today, as the Wildcats look to get to 6-0 for first time, since '62.  Winner gets to 2-0 in the Big Ten ...
• South Florida at Temple 11:00 a.m. SNY / MASN / CSCA / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3 - The Owls are coming off a bye week for Big East opener, while the Bulls lost to #4 FSU at home in Week 5 and are 0-1 in conference play.
• #18 Mississippi State at Kentucky 11:21 a.m. SEC Network / ESPN-GP / espn3 - The Bulldogs, 4-0, 1-0 SEC West, are undefeated and coming off bye week, against a home underdog, who are 0-2 and 1-4 overall.
• Virginia Tech at North Carolina 11:30 a.m. (ESPN-GP / espn3) / ACC Network (HD) - A Coastal division game in the ACC, as the Hokies are 1-0 and the Tar Heels are 0-1, as VA Tech faces UNC on the road.
• Arizona at #11 Stanford 2:00 p.m. FOX (HD) - The Wildcats opened 3-0  in the OOC in Rich Rodriguez's first season, but a loss @ Stanford would make U of A .500 and win-less in the Pac 12.
• Virginia at Duke 2:00 p.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / ESPN-GP - Duke is 4-1 and 1-0 in the ACC Coastal, while UVA is 2-3 and 0-1 in the same division. 
• Georgia Tech at #17 Clemson 2:30 p.m. ESPN (HD) - Battle of Coastal vs. Atlantic in ACC play, as both teams are needing a win here, as Yellow Jackets face three game slide with a L.
• Illinois at Wisconsin 2:30 p.m. ((ABC / ESPN2) (HD)) - The Fighting Illini have lost two straight, while the Badgers lost a heartbreaker in Lincoln in prime time a week ago.
• Iowa State at #14 TCU 2:30 p.m. FSN Affiliates (HD) / FCSP (cable) - The Horned Frogs will be without their senior QB, due to a DUI, so can the Cyclones pick up a conference road win, after a sour loss in Ames in the conference opener?
• Louisiana Monroe at Middle Tennessee 2:30 p.m. (ESPN-GP / espn3) / Sun Belt Network - Big Game in the Sun Belt, as ULM opens conference play and Middle Tennessee is coming off big road win over Georgia Tech.
• #2 LSU at #9 Florida 2:30 p.m. CBS (HD) / cbssports.com - SEC battle of West vs. East, as Gators come off bye week to host defending SEC champions in the Swamp.
• #15 Oklahoma at Texas Tech 2:30 p.m. ((ABC / ESPN2) (HD)) - We don't have Tech yet in the Top 25, so could a win over the Sooners allow the Red Raiders a spot in our Top 25?
• Tulsa at Marshall 2:30 p.m. CBSSN (HD) - The Golden Hurricane are 2-0 in the C-USA West, while the Thundering Herd are -10 in the C-USA East.   
• Wake Forest at Maryland 2:30 p.m. ESPNU (HD) - Conference opener for the home team, while Wake is 1-2 in conference play.  Both teams want to get back in the win column.
• Michigan at Purdue 3:00 p.m. BTN (HD) / btn2go.com - Big Ten opener for both teams, as Wolverines are coming off bye week, while Purdue enjoyed final tune up for conference play with a 51-41 win over Marshall to close out September.
• New Mexico State at Idaho 4:00 p.m. ALT (HD) / ESPN-GP / KMYU (cable) / AggieVision - Combined record of both teams is 1-9, as Idaho opens WAC play and in search of first win of '12.
• Tulane at Louisiana Lafayette 4:00 p.m. (ESPN-GP / espn3) / COX4 (cable) - C-USA @ Sun Belt, as ULL is 3-1, 2-0 in Sun Belt, while Tulane is 0-4, 0-1 in C-USA West seeking a W of any kind.
• Washington State at #19 Oregon State 5:00 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com - Pac 12 North has been good to some Pac 12 teams, but tough on WSU, as they open 0-2 in conference.
• Fresno State at Colorado State 6:00 p.m. CSBA / (KTVD / TW) (cable) - Fresno is off to 1-0 start in MWC, while Rams are 1-4, 0-1 in MWC.  But, could this be a tougher game, than first glance?
• #6 Georgia at #5 South Carolina 6:00 p.m. ESPN (HD) - Biggest game in the SEC East race, as both are 3-0 in conference play and seeking to open '12 at 6-0.
• Miami-OH at Cincinnati 6:00 p.m. (ESPN-GP / FSCN / FSOH / espn3) - The Bearcats are 3-0, 1-0 in the Big East, while the RedHawks are 3-2, 2-0 in the MAC East.
• North Texas at Houston 6:00 p.m. (CSMA / CSNC / CSBAa) / CSS (cable) - The Sun Belt travels to face a C-USA team... here's to the upset and Dan McCarney's Mean Green look to get to .500 for '12.
• Rice at Memphis 6:00 p.m. FCSC (cable) / DirecTV: 623 - Conference USA West vs. East game... Rice is 0-2, 1-4 overall, while Memphis is 0-4 and opening conference play in '12.
• Texas A&M at Ole Miss 6:00 p.m. ESPNU (HD) - Welcome to the Aggies, who are 1-1 in the SEC and travel to Ole Miss, where the old Big 12 rival Texas Longhorns found a W in the OOC, but will the Aggies in conference play?  Ole Miss is coming off bye week and is 0-1 in conference play.
• UNLV at Louisiana Tech 6:00 p.m. MASN2 / ALT2 / ESPN-GP / ERTV / espn3 - Should Tech be in the Top 25?  MWC vs. WAC, as Tech looks to get to 5-0 in Week 6.
• Vanderbilt at Missouri 6:00 p.m. Fox Sports South (HD) / (ESPN-GP / espn3) - The Tigers are 0-2 in their first season of SEC East play.  Vandy is also 0-2 and only 1-3 overall.  Who gets a W in the East?  Commodores may not be as easy out for Tigers as one might think?
• #8 West Virginia at #10 Texas 6:00 p.m. FOX (HD) - Does defense win championships or will the Mountaineers spread attack continue to roll in game 2 of Big 12 play?  Do the Longhorns have the mojo?
• Miami-FL vs. #13 Notre Dame (Chicago) 6:30 p.m. NBC (HD) / nbcsports.com - Road game for the Hurricane back in the Central Time zone... so, why will this week be better for Miami-FL?  Notre Dame continues strong start in '12 or does October slide begin?
• #4 Florida State at North Carolina State 7:00 p.m. ESPN2 (HD) - The second of back to back road games, with this one in conference play, as NC State seeks to get first win in ACC Atlantic in '12.
• Hawaii at San Diego State 7:00 p.m. CBSSN (HD) - Both teams are 0-1 in the MWC, with the Aztecs looking to get to .500 on the season.
• #21 Nebraska at #16 Ohio State 7:00 p.m. ABC (HD) - The Cornhuskers and Buckeyes are both off to 1-0 starts in the Big Ten, in the Legends and Leaders, respectively.  Does Bo win @ alma mater on Saturday?  It should be a good on in prime time!
• #23 UCLA at California 9:00 p.m. PAC-12 Network (HD) / pac-12.com - The battle of the two public Cal universities in the Pac 12, as the Bears seek first win and UCLA looks to get above .500 in the conference.
• #22 Washington at # 3 Oregon 9:30 p.m. ESPN (HD) - Huge showdown in the Pac 12 North, as someone is going to fall for fist time in conference play, after today's game!
• Bowling Green at Akron 1:00 p.m. Video - Someone is going to notch first win in MAC East today!
• Central Michigan at Toledo 2:00 p.m. espn3 - Homer pick here, but we are hoping Dan Enos' club can notch first MAC win of the season, as Toledo enters 2-0 leading the MAC West.
• Kent State at Eastern Michigan 12:00 p.m. Video - Kent State is 2-0 in the MAC East, while EMU is looking or first win of the season and in conference play, as a MAC West program.
• Northern Illinois at Ball State 2:00 p.m. espn3 - Both teams are 1-0 in the MAC West and trying to stay unbeaten in conference play.
• Southern Methodist at UTEP 7:00 p.m. TWC (cable) - Battle in C-USA, as SMU looks to open conference play and UTEP looks to get to .500 in the conference and earn first win.
• Southeastern Louisiana at UAB 2:00 p.m. $ Video - Opportunity knocks for a FCS program in Week 6.  Not many options, as conference play is on tap in most games.
• Texas State at New Mexico 5:00 p.m. Video - WAC vs. MWC game, so can Texas State pull off the road win over Bob Davie and UNM?
• UMass at Western Michigan 1:00 p.m. Video - Neither team has a win in the conference in '12, so someone will notch the first MAC win for this season!
• Wyoming at Nevada 6:00 p.m. $ Video - MWC game, as Nevada looks to stay at the top of the conference in '12.
• Youngstown State at North Dakota State 1:00 p.m. (ND NBC / WFMJ) (cable) / espn3 - Showdown in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, as #1 should take care of business at home!