The Daily Gamecock

Around the nation: Baylor, WVU to meet in offensive battle

No. 25 Baylor @ No. 9 West Virginia, noon, FX

Last week Baylor took up the daunting task of facing 2012’s “Cinderella” — the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, who upset Arkansas in their first game this season. The Bears escaped with a narrow 47-42 victory, propelling them to their No. 25 ranking. That may be unfortunately short-lived, as the Bears travel to Morgantown, W.V., to face the No. 9 West Virginia Mountaineers this Saturday. Led by Heisman candidate Geno Smith at quarterback, the Mountaineers have displayed one of the most impressive offenses in all of college football, with the No. 3 passing offense in the nation. However, Baylor’s offense has been equally potent, ranking at No. 5 in overall yards per game. Expect an explosion of scoring in Morgantown.

Penn State @ Illinois, noon, ESPN
After stumbling out of the gate to an 0-2 start, Bill O’Brien’s Penn State Nittany Lions have done well in their attempt to right the ship. The Nittany Lions have earned wins over Navy and Temple in back-to-back weeks and now hit the road to face Illinois on Saturday. While in years past this game may have carried significant weight in the Big Ten title race, it now appears to be a relatively meaningless contest between two struggling programs. The Fighting Illinois have looked unimpressive in their 2012 campaign and limp into Saturday’s contest after suffering an embarrassing blowout loss on their home turf to Louisiana Tech last week. Starting quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who was injured for the early part of the season, returned last week only to be benched in the first quarter. Neither team has been particularly impressive this season, but the Nittany Lions boast a respectable defense that has allowed only 15.3 points per game this year. On paper, Penn State appears to be the superior squad, but if Illinois corrects its early-season miscues, home field advantage could help it come out on top.

No. 17 Clemson @ Boston College, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
Clemson’s performance last week may very well determine its fate in the ACC for 2012. The Tigers suffered a huge setback when they lost to Florida State in a 49-37 shootout, losing control of their own destiny in the Atlantic Division. Despite the loss, no one can question that quarterback Tajh Boyd, wide receivers Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins and running back Andre Ellington make up one of college football’s most dangerous offenses. Their opponent this week is Boston College, a team that isn’t as bad as its 1-2 record would indicate after losing close games to respectable opponents in Miami and Northwestern. Boston College does have a decent offense led by quarterback Chase Rettig, and it is facing a Clemson defense that has been sieve-like at times this year. However, the Golden Eagles’ defense has allowed an average of more than 38 points per game, and their offense will be very hard pressed to keep up with Clemson’s scoring abilities. Anything is possible, but Clemson is clearly the favorite in this contest.

No. 14 Ohio State @ No. 20 Michigan State,
3:30 p.m., ABC
The new-look Ohio State Buckeyes under head coach Urban Meyer will experience a true test from the upper echelon of college football. Narrow wins over Central Florida, California and UAB left room to question the legitimacy of their 4-0 record. This week’s game against Michigan State will go a long way in determining if those doubts are justified. Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller has superstar potential, but questionable decision-making and accuracy indicate he may not be ready to succeed against college football’s best. Michigan State has a strong defense, allowing only 11.8 points per game. The Spartans’ only loss came at the hands of Notre Dame, and running back Le’Veon Bell is one of the best in the nation. Bell is the offense’s workhorse and has already carried the ball 117 times this season for 610 yards. The key for Ohio State will be putting a stop to Bell and finding a way to take pressure off Miller, who has accounted for the majority of their offense this year.
No. 12 Texas @ Oklahoma State, 7:50 p.m., Fox
Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State will provide the first road Big 12 test for the Texas Longhorns and will be significant in proving whether they can sustain their impressive beginning to the 2012 season. The Longhorns have shown excellent balance offensively between quarterback David Ash and running backs Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, is a team with a lot of new faces and has yet to establish a new identity since the departures of two-time Biletnikoff Award–winning wide receiver Justin Blackmon and star quarterback Brandon Weeden. The Cowboys come into their fourth game of the season with a record of 2-1 after chalking up easy victories over Savannah State and Louisiana and suffering a 59-38 loss against Arizona. Texas is OSU’s first Big 12 opponent of the year and possibly its toughest. The Cowboys will have a hard time pulling off the upset with starting quarterback Wes Lunt questionable after injuring his leg earlier this month.

Virginia Tech @ Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux not only has one of the coolest names in college football, but could also be one of its best-kept secrets. While the junior signal caller may not be the most polished passer, he has electrifying speed and can change the game at any moment with his legs. As a team, the undefeated Bearcats have a very small body of work, as they have only played two games this season. However, they have the makings of a contender for a conference title in the lackluster Big East. Meanwhile, the Virginia Tech Hokies are one of the most confusing teams in college football. Quarterback Logan Thomas is one of the most talented players in the nation, yet he seems to consistently make head-scratching decisions that cost his team. Frank Beamer’s normally well-coached, mistake-free Hokies have shot themselves in the foot far too often this year to be counted on to remain among the elite in college football. Virginia Tech could very well be walking into a trap on the road against a well-rested Cincinnati team.


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