For just the second time in league play, the Seminoles are involved in a Top 10 matchup at home, a historic point not lost on FSU coach Bobby Bowden. "You're going to get the kind of atmosphere of Miami-Florida State," he said. "It seemed like it used to always be Miami and Florida State or Florida and Florida State. Now here you are getting the ACC in the mix, which I think shows the growth of the ACC in football since Florida State has joined it." No. 10 Georgia Tech came to Tallahassee in 1999 and lost a 41-35 shootout to the top-ranked Seminoles. The rankings, however, don't do justice to the stakes of the game. FSU must win to stay alive for a shot at the ACC title, let alone a berth in the Bowl Championship Series finale. The Cavs are trying to prove they belong with the Haves of college football. "It'll be a big test for us, a test we've been preparing for quite some time," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "I think we're all curious to see how we matchup to the test." As far as which team passes the test, FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews captured it best. The Cavaliers are fifth nationally in rushing offense (275 yards per game), albeit the yards have come against a soft schedule (Temple, North Carolina, Akron, Syracuse and Clemson). Meanwhile, the FSU defense is third nationally against the run (65.6 yards). "Something's going to give," Andrews said. And vice versa. The Seminoles haven't been running the ball too badly themselves with Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker. Virginia, which uses a 3-4 defense led by fast, physical linebackers Ahmad Brooks, Darryl Blackstock, Kai Parham and Dennis Haley, is 11th nationally against the run (85.4 yards). Said Bowden: "It ought to be a heck of a ballgame."
- BRIAN LANDMAN, Times staff writer
MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT NO. 22 FLORIDA, NOON
Though Middle Tennessee originally was Florida's season opener and has losses to Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette and North Texas, the Blue Raiders enter the game with a few impressive numbers. Receiver Kerry Wright ranks fourth nationally in receptions per game (8.20) and has seven career 100-yard games. Quarterback Clint Marks is fifth in total offense (310.4 yards per game). Last weekend, Marks was 30-of-34 for a career-high 447 yards. Sure, it was against Arkansas State, but for a Florida secondary that has struggled to find consistency, Marks could prove to be a challenge. This is just the second meeting between the schools; Florida won 55-0 in 2000. UF quarterback Chris Leak is coming off one of his worst games, passing for just 142 yards against LSU. But Leak generally doesn't have back-to-back bad games. The Gators' rushing game stalled last weekend, so look for Ciatrick Fason to try to remind people why he's the SEC's leading rusher. After a tumultuous week, losing to LSU then the public scrutiny over coach Ron Zook's confrontation with fraternity members last month, it's tough to know where the Gators' heads are right now. If nothing else, this team should know it can't afford to take anybody lightly. "There are a lot of players on their roster that signed with SEC schools and, for one reason or another, they are at Middle Tennessee," Zook said. "They have some talented guys. Their top receiver could play at Florida. You learn that any time you line up, you have to be ready to play the game. There's not much difference between playing at the level you need to play at and not playing at that level."
- ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times staff writer
USF vs. ARMY , 7
One key showdown pits units each ranked among the bottom four out of 117 Division I-A schools: USF's offense, which ranks 114th in total yards at 270.3 per game, and Army's defense, which is 117th in yards allowed, giving up 532.4 per game. Army's 48-29 win against Cincinnati last weekend ended the nation's longest losing streak at 19 games, and that honor now falls to Central Florida. USF's defense is ranked 36th nationally against the run and will have a challenge in Army's Carlton Jones, who is averaging 106 yards. The running game has been Army's biggest improvement under first-year coach Bobby Ross, and the Bulls need to find ways to make plays defensively. USF has one sack in each of its last three games, and the team has one interception this season and none since the season opener. On offense, junior running back Andre Hall has six of the team's 10 touchdowns, and USF's receivers have scored just one. That came from sophomore S.J. Green of Brandon, who has emerged as the Bulls' most consistent receiver with team highs in receptions (13) and yards (162). Keep an eye on the battle of field position: USF is ranked 10th in the nation in net punting (40.96 yards) while Army is among the 10 worst in punt returns.
- GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer
AKRON AT UCF, 6
Last weekend's 30-28 loss to Northern Illinois was painful, but the Golden Knights (0-5, 0-2) played better in the second half than they have most of the season and will try to build on that performance. UCF is hoping for its first Mid-American Conference victory and a little revenge: Akron beat the Golden Knights 38-24 in Akron last year. Senior running back Alex Haynes needs 198 yards to become UCF's all-time rushing leader. The Zips are led by Brett Biggs, who had a career-high 165 yards and three touchdowns last weekend in a 44-21 victory over Buffalo.
B-CC AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE, 4
This is one of B-CC's more important games, and it couldn't come at a better time for the Wildcats (4-1, 3-0). The winner will have the inside track to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and possibly move into the Division I-AA Top 25. B-CC has won three straight games over MEAC opponents by a combined 139-40 behind sophomore quarterback Jarod Rucker, who is settling in as the Wildcats' new starter. South Carolina State (4-1, 1-0) rushed for 488 yards in a 49-13 victory over Norfolk State last weekend, but plans to pass more against B-CC.
FAMU AT VIRGINIA TECH, 1
As if they weren't having a tough enough year, the Rattlers (2-4) get to play homecoming patsy for the Hokies (4-2). This will be the teams' first meeting. It's also the fourth I-A opponent of the season for FAMU, which isn't playing a MEAC schedule because it had planned to move up to I-A next season (those plans since have been dropped). For now the Rattlers are trying to stay healthy, reduce penalties and improve enough to beat Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 20 in the Florida Classic.
FAU AT NORTHERN COLORADO, 4
The Owls have won 14 of their past 15 games and are off to the best start in their four-year history. FAU is aiming to enter next week's hurricane-delayed home opener at 5-0. Led by quarterback Jared Allen, the Owls are averaging 289.5 passing yards, which would be good enough for 12th in the nation if they were full members of I-A. FAU won last year's meeting with I-AA Northern Colorado (1-5) in Fort Lauderdale 21-19.
FIU AT LOUISIANA-MONROE, 3:30
Last weekend the Golden Panthers (2-1) beat a ranked I-AA opponent for the first time (31-24 at Stephen F. Austin); this week they will try for their first victory over a I-A team. But Louisiana-Monroe (1-4) is not necessarily a pushover: Two of its losses came to Arkansas and Auburn. Last week the Indians recorded five sacks in holding Idaho to 83 rushing yards in a 16-14 victory. Louisiana-Monroe's defense will have to contend with FIU's Rashod Smith, who rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns against SFA.
