Fan's Weekend Guide - Week 15

College Football Insiders previews the Week 15.

Division I-FCS Semifinal: William & Mary (11-2) @ Villanova (12-1)
December 11 * ESPN2 * 8:00 PM

It’s a rematch of the October 3rd battle in which Villanova came out on top 28-17 despite William & Mary out-gaining them 472-283 in terms of yards. The Indians have arrived at this point led by their defense. They rank fifth in the country in sacks and first against the run. The game features two veteran pass rushers on both sides. For the Indians it’s senior Adrian Tracy (pictured) who has 23 career sacks and 17-tackles for a loss. Coming off of a two-sack performance is Tim Kukucka who now has racked up a total of eight on the season.

Division II Championship: Grand Valley State (12-1) vs. Northwest Missouri State (13-0)
December 12 * ESPN2 * 1:00 PM

The Bearcats look to cap off an undefeated season and be crowned Division II champs when they face the one-loss Lakers. Quarterback Blake Bolles has 41 touchdowns on the year and 26 of them have gone to receiver Jake Soy. Going up against a solid Laker defense that has 20 interceptions on the season, the duo will need to continue their connection if the Bearcats are to be successful offensively. The Lakers, for their part, must get production out of their two-headed backfield monster, James Berezik and P.T. Gates. They’ll also need quarterback Brad Iciek, who has 33 touchdowns and two interceptions on the year, to perform at that mistake-free level for his team to hoist the trophy.

SWAC Championship: Alabama A&M (7-4, 4-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (8-1, 7-0)
December 12 * ESPN Classic* 2:00 PM

The Panthers come into the SWAC Championship game having won their last seven games, one of which was against the Bulldogs. Panther running back Donald Babers will have to run effectively and quarterback K.J. Black needs to make smart decisions as he has all season (19 TDs, three INTs.) to give his team an opportunity to win. The Bulldogs won the much weaker Eastern division in the SWAC by ending the season as its only team with a winning conference record. They will need 1,000-yard rusher Ulysses Banks and receiver Thomas Harris to make some big plays to have a chance at the upset.

Army (5-6) vs. Navy (8-4))
December 12 * CBS* 2:30 PM

One of college football’s oldest rivalries will be renewed when Army (5-6) and Navy (8-4) meet Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. In a departure from the past, the annual Army/Navy game was rescheduled this season to the week following “Championship Week” in an effort to gain exposure for the contest. This game is going to be won on the ground. Both teams have highly productive running attacks—Navy is ranked third in the nation in rushing yards per game (279.7) while Army is 14th (212.1). Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs is the offensive key for the Midshipmen. Dobbs is second in the nation in scoring with 12.6 points per game. Army’s ability to slow down Dobbs and the Navy rushing attack will be a key factor in determining whether the Black Knights can knock off the Midshipmen. Army has not beaten Navy since 2001. The Black Knights will need a great performance from leading tackler, junior linebacker Stephen Anderson, to end the losing streak. This game has bowl implications as well. Navy is slated to face Missouri on December 31 in the Texas Bowl. However, Army needs a win in order to qualify for the EagleBank Bowl on December 29, otherwise the Bruins of UCLA will take the last available bowl slot.

Division 1-FCS Semifinal: Appalachian State (11-2) @ Montana (13-0)
December 12 * ESPN * 4:00 PM

This isn’t the first time to the show for quarterback Armanti Edwards (pictured). He’s already led Appalachian State to two NCAA Division I-FCS Championships and has improved his playoff record to 11-1 by advancing this far. With a combined 30 touchdowns passing and rushing on the season, he has once again delivered as one of the more exciting players in all of the college football. However, he is not the only player to watch in this contest. Montana’s Chase Reynolds and Appalachian State’s Devon Moore are both in the top five in rushing touchdowns and have combined for 2,535 yards on the year.

John Garrett, Christopher Mogollon & Mark Zavodnyik contributed to this column.

Photos Courtesy of ASU Sports Information/Keith Cline, Jim Agnew

This Date in College Football History

Dec. 24, 1988: Alabama comes from behind to beat Army 29-28 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. Crimson Tide linebacker Derrick Thomas blocks two field goals for an NCAA bowl record. Trailing 28-20 in the fourth quarter, Bama scores nine points as kicker Phillip Doyle adds a field goal and David Casteal rushes two yards for the winning touchdown. Charles Gardner intercepts a Black Knight pass to secure the win.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack…

By JOHN GARRETT

Army vs. Navy (December 6, 12:00, CBS): In one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, Army and Navy will battle for the 109th time in front of a sold-out crowd that will include President George W. Bush at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Black Knights (3-8) and Midshipmen (7-4) will feature two of the most prolific rushing offenses in the nation when they fight for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major service academies – Army, Navy and Air Force. Navy leads the nation averaging 292 yards per game on the ground, while Army will feature the country’s ninth-best run-attack with an average of 254 yards per contest

Super Senior: Collin Mooney, FB, Army

Star of Tomorrow: Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy

USC @ UCLA (December 6, 4:30, ABC): For the 37th time, the battle between these Pac-10 rivals will have a Rose Bowl berth on the line. No. 6 USC (10-1, 7-1 in Pac-10 play) is searching for its fourth straight and 33rd overall entrance to the Rose Bowl, while UCLA (4-7, 3-5 in Pac-10 play) would love nothing more than to repeat the stunning performance that upset the Trojans in 2006 – the last time USC traveled to Pasadena for the rivalry – which knocked the Men of Troy out of the BCS Championship Game. But keep in mind that USC has won eight straight games, which has guaranteed them at least a share of the Pac-10 title for the seventh straight time. A win over the Bruins would extend its NCAA record streaks of BCS bowl berths and 11-win seasons to seven consecutive.

Super Senior: Patrick Turner, WR, USC

Star of Tomorrow: Brian Price, DT, UCLA

Arizona St. @ Arizona (December 6, 8:00, FSN): The Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet for the 82nd time in a rivalry that dates back to 1899. Arizona State (5-6, 4-4 in Pac-10 play), which won 20-17 in Tempe last year, has won five of the last six contests although four of the last seven games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Arizona (6-5, 4-4 in Pac-10 play) will have to contend with a Sun Devil defense that tied an NCAA record with four defensive touchdowns last week – its fourth game in a row with a defensive score – and one that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters. At stake in the Duel in the Desert is the Territorial Cup, the oldest rivalry trophy in the NCAA.

Super Senior: Rudy Carpenter, QB, Arizona State

Star of Tomorrow: Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

Cincinnati @ Hawaii (December 6, 11:30, ESPN2): Coming off of their first Big East championship, the No. 13 Bearcats (10-2, 6-1 in Big East play) are tied for the highest ranking in school history and will make their first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. Hawaii (7-5, 5-3 in WAC play) secured a bowl berth for the third straight year and sixth in the last seven years after a 24-10 victory over Washington State last Saturday. The Warriors accepted a bid to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for the fifth time since 2002. Both teams will be a bit unfamiliar with each other considering the last time Hawaii played a Big East opponent was when they took on Boston College in 1992.

Super Senior: David Veikune, DL, Hawaii

Star of Tomorrow: Mardy Gilyard, WR, UC

Photo Credit: College Press Box (USC)

This Date in College Football History

Nov. 9, 1912: Jim Thorpe (1951 College Football Hall of Fame inductee) leads Carlisle past Army 27-6 at West Point, N.Y. The Cadets squad featured nine future generals, including future U.S. President and NFF Gold Medal recipient Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Indians make history with the first "double wing" formation to spread out defenses.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

VANDERBILT IS TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 14-13 win over 13th-ranked Auburn, the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-0) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Oct. 4.

Mackenzi Adams threw a pair of touchdown passes as the Commodores improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1943. The Vanderbilt defense limited Auburn to just 208 yards and registered five sacks by five different players.

Vanderbilt's 3-0 start in SEC play is the school's best since 1950. The win over Auburn snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Tigers that dated back to the 1955 Gator Bowl. Coming in ranked No. 19, the Commodores also produced their first win as a ranked team since 1956.

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 4 included:

· Army (1-4): Collin Mooney ran for 187 yards and four touchdowns to help the Black Knights end a 10-game losing streak with a 44-13 win at Tulane.

· North Carolina (4-1): Converted safety Shawn Draughn ran for 109 yards and a score as the Tar Heels recorded their first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since 1997 with their 38-12 win over No. 24 Connecticut.

· Pittsburgh (4-1): LeSean McCoy ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers upset 10th-ranked South Florida, 26-21, in Tampa.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the fifth season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Members of the FWAA board of directors and All-America committee decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2008 college football season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week through Dec. 1.

Since 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl has hosted six games that have decided the college football national championship, including three Bowl Championship Series title games. This season the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game will be played on Jan. 5, 2009 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and the Insight Bowl will be played on Dec. 31, 2008 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, go to footballwriters.com or fiestabowl.org.

This Date in College Football History

Sept. 27, 1958: Football was revolutionized in West Point, N.Y., as Army Coach Earl "Red" Blaik unveiled the "Lonely End" offense against South Carolina. Future College Football Hall of Famer Bill Carpenter stands 18-25 yards away receiving visual signals from the huddle, while halfback Pete Dawkins (another future College Football Hall of Famer) rushes nine times for 113 yards and four touchdowns. The new offense amassed 529 yards in a 45-8 victory.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

This Date in College Football History

Sept. 12, 1942: Eastern Army All-Stars beat the New York Giants 16-0 at the Polo Grounds in New York City. As part of the Army Emergency Relief Series, the games were formed between NFL teams and the military All-Stars playing a total of eight games. All revenues went to charity.


Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

CFI: BLOW OUT CITY IN THE BIG EAST PART I & II

BY CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON
BIG EAST INSIDER

September 9 (8:00 – ESPN2) * Rutgers 5-4 (2-3) @ Army 3-6 – This is a must win game for the Scarlet Knights after losing two straight conference games since their upset over South Florida. Army has been spanked three times in a row and in all three games their defense has given up at least 30 points. Rutgers should be able to pass the ball fairly easily, as Tiquan Underwood is likely to have another big game. The receiver leads the conference in receptions with 59 and has six games with a 100 yards receiving or more. He is with out a doubt a playmaker, having caught six touchdowns, which is tied for fourth in the conference. Sophomores Kenny Britt and Tim Brown are also dangerous speedsters. Britt has come along nicely this season catching 39 balls for 829 yards, including a career-high eight receptions in a loss to Connecticut last week. Army does not have much of an offense, they are ranked 116th in college football, and their season-high in points is 23 in a loss to Central Michigan.

Key Match-Up: Ray Rice vs. Army Run Defense – Rice leads the conference in rushing and is ranked eighth in the country, having racking up 1257 yards. He is a scoring machine, getting into the end zone 14 times this year, which ranks sixth in the country. Rice has six 100-yard games, including his 181-yard performance against South Florida. Army has been dreadful defending the run giving up 100-plus yards on the ground to every team they have played this year, which includes Rhode Island. Their most recent game was a joke allowing 437 yards and two touchdowns on the ground versus Air Force.


September 10 (12:00 – ESPN 360/Gameplan) * South Florida 6-3 (1-3) @ Syracuse 2-7 (1-3) – South Florida has a lot of frustration coming into this game losing three in a row and going from number two in the country to unranked, with emotional Jim Leavitt pumping up his troops, don't be surprised if this one is a blowout. Syracuse lost a very tough game last week at Pittsburgh and find themselves lost for points, as their offense is ranked 113th in the country averaging 16.6 points a game. The Orange are getting productivity from their wide receivers every game with sophomore Mike Williams leading in the team in touchdowns and ranking ninth in the conference with 37 receptions. Captain Taj Smith has racked up 607 yards so far this season averaging 18.4 yards a catch. Syracuse might play around with their quarterbacks, using both Andrew Robinson and Cameron Dantley to try to get as much offensive production as possible. Trae Williams and Mike Jenkins lead the conference in passes defended, making up a fierce secondary. Watch out for the pass rushers in this game, George Selvie leads the conference with 13.5. Last year’s leader in sacks, Jameel McClain, hasn't had the same success this year as last year, but can still be dangerous.

Key Match up: Matt Grothe vs. SU Rush Defense – Grothe leads the team in rushing yards with 625, averaging 4.3 yards a carry. He scores plenty using his feet with seven touchdowns. The problem for Syracuse is they have been unable to stop any team’s rushing attack, especially clubs with a running quarterback. This year against Washington, Illinois, and West Virginia, the SU run defense looked very slow and couldn't bring down the opposing team’s athletic signal caller. Grothe was great last year versus the 'Cuse, as the freshman threw for 364 yards and rushed for 45 more.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Nov. 3, 1984: Army plays its first night game at Michie Stadium against Air Force, downing the Falcons 24-12 before a national television audience on ESPN. QB Rob Healy paces the Black Knights’ pounding rushing attack of 261 yards with 73 net yards while piloting the wishbone offense.

Courtesy: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Sept. 21, 1997: Army defeats Duke for the first time since 1984 with a 35-17 triumph over the Blue Devils. It is also the Black Knights’ first victory over an ACC team since 1989. Army QB Ronnie McAda rushes for 88 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns while hitting 7-of-8 passes for 225 yards, 32.1 yards per completion, and a 80-yard TD strike to WR Ron Thomas.