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OTHER KEY GAMES

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No. 14 Minnesota Golden Gophers at No. 15 Michigan Wolverines

TIME: Noon Saturday
STADIUM: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor (107,501)
LINE: Michigan by 3
TV: ESPN
OVERVIEW: Two teams with serious Big Ten title aspirations
will clash in Ann Arbor Saturday. Michigan true-freshman quarterback
Chad Henne is looking more comfortable in the offense thanks largely to
the dominating play of Braylon Edwards. While the Gophers don’t have a
defensive answer for Michigan’s all-time leading receiver, they do have
an impressive pair of running backs in Marion Barber III and Laurence
Maroney who can control the clock or produce big plays on the ground.
Maroney and Barber rank one and two in the conference in rushing.
Minnesota will need this to claim the “Little Brown Jug” for the first
time since 1986.

No. 7 California Golden Bears at No. 1 USC Trojans

TIME: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
STADIUM: The Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles (92,000)
LINE: USC by 7.5
TV: ABC
OVERVIEW: The Trojans have won 13 consecutive games dating back to
September 27, 2003, when they lost in double overtime, to Cal. This
year the Bears are no surprise, however, as Aaron Rodgers and J.J.
Arrington provide a backfield most teams in the nation would envy. One
team that does not envy that backfield, however, is USC, who touts
preseason Heisman favorite Matt Leinart and the new face in the Heisman
race, Reggie Bush. Throw in LenDale White, and the Trojans backfield
becomes a serious juggernaut. One difference in this game will be the
Trojans defensive line. Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson have wreaked
havoc in opposing backfields for a long time in L.A. and will give
Rodgers and Arrington fits.

No. 5 Texas Longhorns at No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners


TIME: Noon Saturday
STADIUM: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas (68,252)
LINE: Oklahoma by 7
TV: ABC
OVERVIEW: The Sooners have owned the Longhorns in the past few
years, winning the last four meetings mainly on the strength of
dominating defensive efforts. But Texas senior running back Cedric
Benson has hit his stride early this season and leads the nation in
rushing, gaining almost 190 yards a game on the ground. Oklahoma has
its own explosive back to compliment Heisman winner Jason White in
freshman Adrian Peterson. Peterson has rushed for at least 100 yards in
each of Oklahoma’s first four games. But he has yet to see the likes of
linebacker Derrick Johnson who many consider the best defensive player
in the nation. He has led the Longhorn defense, which has allowed only
11.75 points this season.

No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs

TIME: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
STADIUM: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga. (92,746)
LINE: Georgia by 13
TV: CBS
OVERVIEW: Two SEC teams coming off of two very different outcomes
will meet between the hedges Saturday. The Bulldogs clobbered defending
BCS National Champion LSU last week, with quarterback David Greene
putting his name back onto the Heisman watch list. While the Vols were
clobbered by Auburn and freshman quarterback Erik Ainge, who was fourth
in the nation in pass efficiency going into the game, was brought
crashing down to earth. Ainge and fellow freshman QB Brent Schaeffer
combined for six turnovers in the loss. Tennessee’s freshman duo won’t
get a break this weekend as the Georgia defense, led by defensive end
David Pollack, can bring the heat without blitzing.

 

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