BCS Buster: Week 9 Preview

By KENNY FRANEK

Game of the Week - Central Michigan @ Boston College

Chippewa quarterback Dan LeFevour is coming off a huge game and will take his show on the road to play the Eagles. Boston College is coming off a disappointing loss at Notre Dame and will be hungry for a win. They have had trouble containing dual-threat quarterbacks, as shown in the 48-14 loss to Tyrod Taylor and the Hokies of Virginia Tech. The problem for them is that LeFevour is an even better run/pass quarterback than Taylor and is harder to defend.

The Chippewa defense will have their problems to deal with as well. Boston College running back Montel Harris currently has 794 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards-per-carry. Wide receiver Colin Larmond is averaging 21.5 yards-per-reception and stands at 6’ 3”, which will make it tough for the Chippewa secondary to cover him man-to-man.

This will be the Chippewas’ toughest match-up since its season opener at Arizona, their only loss this season. The Eagles, on the other hand, have played the likes of Virginia Tech, Florida State, Clemson, and Notre Dame so they have experience playing in tougher games. The Chippewas already have one big road win against a BCS school (Michigan State) and will look to make it two for their eighth-straight win. Regardless of outcome it should be a wicked awesome game in Boston.
Prediction: Boston College 23; Central Michigan 17

Players to Watch: Central Michigan: QB Dan LeFevour; WR Antonio Brown; LB Nick Bellore; DB Josh Gordy; Boston College: QB Dave Shinskie; WR Rich Gunnell; WR Colin Larmond; LB Luke Kuechly; DL Alex Albright

Other Games to Watch

Sothern Miss @ Houston
Southern Miss has given up 30 or more points three times this season and no one has been as explosive as Case Keenum and the Cougars. Projection: Houston 48; Southern Miss 24

Wyoming @ Utah
If Wyoming wants to stay in the MWC race with TCU and BYU, they need to win this game. But scoring 19.4 points-per-game and giving up 23.6 won’t allow you to win many games, especially when you are playing an opponent of Utah’s caliber on the road. Prediction: Utah 30; Wyoming 14

UNLV @ TCU
Who doesn’t love a match-up between acronyms? Oh, and the TCU defense might just win the game by themselves. Prediction: TCU 23; UNLV 9

Photos Courtesy of Robert Barclay Central Michigan, University of Houston