Non BCS Football Week 10 Breakdown
Temple versus Ohio
WHY YOU’LL WATCH
These are two good teams forging ahead towards the postseason. They are neck-and-neck in the MAC conference. Temple leads by virtue of the fact that they’ve played one more game than the Bobcats. This game has the makings of a dogfight as both are top 40 in the country in major statistical categories. Temple even ranks in the top 10 in rushing and scoring defense, which could become important. After two strong wins, Temple faltered last week in a head-scratching 13-10 loss to Bowling Green. It gets no easier as they face Ohio, who rebounded last week against Akron after losing two in a row. It may come down to who makes plays in the air. Temple does not like to throw very much at all. Their quarterbacks have only thrown for 1,066 yards through eight games. Ohio, on the other hand, has Tyler Tettleton who slings it all over the field. He already has nearly 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. This is a marquee matchup for the MAC.
Tulsa versus UCF
WHY YOU’LL WATCH
The Conference USA race is tight, and Central Florida needs a big win. They have lost two out of three games, but got a big win by blanking Memphis 41-0 last weekend. Their 4-4 record is surprising considering they hold opponents to only 14 points per game on average. They have had some inconsistent play and some unacceptable losses. Losing to UAB, a formerly winless team, was not a great resume builder. This week they face a Tulsa team riding an undefeated conference win streak. The Golden Hurricane consistently score over 30 points per game. Senior quarterback G.J. Kinne is their steady hand. Tulsa historically has had pretty decent offenses and Kinne is continuing that tradition. It will be interesting to see if a good offense or strong defense ends up winning this one. A fast start would be good for UCF. Though they look like they won’t be able to hang initially, they do boast talent in the defensive backfield with NFL prospect cornerback Josh Robinson. We’ll see if he can help shut down Kinne.
Ball State versus Eastern Michigan
WHY YOU’LL WATCH
To see if Ball State can take command of second place in the Western Division of the MAC standings. Eastern Michigan has a half game lead on Ball State right now. A win for either side puts the victor squarely in second and a possibility of catching Toledo. The Cardinals had trouble with the opposite directional Michigan team two weeks ago. It was a high scoring affair with 1,165 total yards of offense and Ball State could not stop Western Michigan on 3rd down (11-15). They also gave up 11 yards per pass, which kept the chains moving for the Broncos. Eastern Michigan played Western this past weekend and escaped with a 14-10 win. The Eagles were able to dig in and stop the Broncos on third down and they didn’t turn the ball over. That will be the key in this matchup with the Cardinals. In their last game, Cardinals quarterback Keith Wenning threw two interceptions so he will need to limit those turnovers to help his team win the game.
TCU versus Wyoming
WHY YOU’LL WATCH
Both won last week and both are tied for first in the Mountain West Conference. This week, something has to give. Boise State is still the class of the conference, but these two squads have a chance to really take hold on the top spot. Wyoming beat a good San Diego State team last weekend. They had a great start to the game by scoring all 30 of their points in the first half. Both teams had over 500 yards of offense and ultimately, those 30 points held up. Their golden ticket was their kicker. Daniel Sullivan hit his only attempt from 33 yards and that ended up being the difference. Abelardo Perez for San Diego State missed his two attempts.
Sullivan will probably need more attempts and hits against TCU. TCU beat a good BYU team by 10 last weekend. The Horned Frogs were outplayed in almost every phase of the game. But they won the turnover battle 3-0. Those lost BYU possessions were vital for Casey Pachall and the offense. That feisty defense continues to lead this team. They will try to continue their success on Saturday.
Florida International versus Western Kentucky
WHY YOU’LL WATCH
These two former doormats are out to win the Sun Belt. There is not much time left to take down Arkansas State, the conference leader, but whoever wins will position themselves closer to that goal. Right now, Western Kentucky has a one game lead over Florida International. Last week, the Hilltoppers had a crazy win over Louisiana-Monroe. They won 31-28 in overtime after Monroe tied the game with three fourth quarter touchdowns. Once again, WKU was led by running back Bobby Rainey, rushing for 104 yards on 30 carries. They will need a heavy dose of him to keep FIU quarterback Wesley Carroll off the field. The senior is having a solid year and has his team one win away from bowl eligibility. The issue in South Florida is scoring. As well as FIU has played this year, they need to find the end zone more. Carroll needs to add to his meager 9 touchdown passes this season in order for this team to continue winning. They have a tough test on Saturday.
