UCF vs. Mississippi State
When: December 29, 2007 Time: 4:30 p.m. EDT Where: Memphis, Tenn. TV: ESPN Series: Mississippi State leads 1-0 Last meeting: Mississippi State won 35-28 in 1997 Line: UCF -3
Coaching Does Make A Difference
Without question, Penn State and Texas A&M are looking ahead to next season. After all, the Nittany Lions will return 21 starters, along with both specialists. Gone will be the team’s weakest link, quarterback Anthony Morelli. Despite his so-so play, the Lions hung tough in all but one game, with three losses being by seven points or less. The Aggies will ring in a new era with Coach Mike Sherman. He’s currently finishing the NFL season as an assistant with the NFL’s Houston Texans. These teams met in the 1999 Alamo Bowl, with the Nittany Lions rolling to a 24-0 victory. Look for an encore performance.
Prediction: UCF 27-17
MISSISSIPPI STATE (7-5) A-30 LSU........................... 0-45 S-8 @Tulane.................. 38-17 S-15 @Auburn................. 19-14 S-22 Garner-Webb........... 31-15 S-29 @South Carolina..... 21-38 O-6 UAB......................... 30-13 O-13 Tennessee............... 21-33 O-20 @West Virginia........ 13-38 O-27 @Kentucky.............. 31-14 N-10 Alabama.................. 17-12 N-17 @Arkansas.............. 31-45 N-23 Ole Miss.................. 17-14
Prediction: Penn State 31-21
Bowl Buster
UCF junior running back Kevin Smith is the nation’s leading rusher and scorer, averaging 188 yards (2,448 total yards) and 14 points per game. If he gains 181 yards in the bowl, he’ll become the all-time single-season rusher leader, surpassing Barry Sanders.
must know info
Master Insight “Central Florida will win because it has much better overall team speed. Plus, Mississippi State starts a freshman at quarterback. Not good.” — Pat Dye
When: December 29, 2007 Time: 8:00 p.m. EDT Where: San Antonio TV: ESPN Series: Penn State leads 2-1 Last meeting: Penn State won 24-0 in the 1999 Alamo Bowl Line: Penn State -5.5
Just Wait Until Next Year
Now this is what a bowl is supposed to be about: a reward for outstanding effort. These teams have progressed tremendously under fourth-year coaches. UCF’s George O’Leary is the Conference USA Coach of the Year, and MSU’s Sylvester Croom should be getting the same award in the SEC. Fans of both schools are thrilled, as the game is a sellout. UCF running back Kevin Smith is the real deal. He gashed Texas’ defense for 173 yards, so he’ll easily get that and more against the Bulldogs. By the way, look for Croom, the SEC’s first black coach, to replace some guy named Saban at Alabama in about three years or so. CENTRAL FLORIDA (10-3) S-1 @N.C. State............. 25-23 S-15 Texas....................... 32-35 S-22 Memphis................. 56-20 S-29 Lou.-Lafayette......... 37-19 O-6 @East Carolina........ 38-52 O-13 @Southern Florida.. 12-64 O-20 Tulsa........................ 44-23 O-28 @Southern Miss..... 34-17 N-3 Marshall.................. 47-13 N-10 @UAB...................... 45-31 N-17 @SMU..................... 49-20 N-24 UTEP....................... 36-20 D-1 Tulane...................... 44-25 C-USA Championship
Penn State vs. Texas A&M
Coach George O’Leary guided UCF to its second 10-win season and first C-USA title in school history. The Knights are playing in just their second bowl ever.
PENN STATE (8-4) S-1 Florida Int.................. 59-0 S-8 Notre Dame............. 31-10 S-15 Buffalo..................... 45-24 S-22 @Michigan................ 9-14 S-29 @Illinois.................. 20-27 O-6 Iowa.......................... 27-7 O-13 Wisconsin................. 38-7 O-20 @Indiana................. 36-31 O-27 Ohio State............... 17-37 N-3 Purdue.................... 26-19 N-10 @Temple................... 31-0 N-17 @Michigan State..... 31-35
TEXAS A&M (7-5) S-1 Montana State........... 38-7 S-8 Fresno St.........47-45 (OT) S-15 Lou.-Monroe........... 54-14 S-20 @Miami (FL)........... 17-34 S-29 Baylor...................... 34-10 O-6 Oklahoma State....... 24-23 O-13 @Texas Tech............. 7-35 O-20 @Nebraska.............. 36-14 O-27 Kansas.................... 11-19 N-3 @Oklahoma............. 14-42 N-10 @Missouri............... 26-40 N-23 Texas....................... 38-30
Master Insight “Joe Paterno has always been excellent at preparing his team for bowl games. And we have yet another bowl with a team that is distracted by a coaching change. Lions win.” — R.C. Slocum
This Week in Football • tri-state edition • Vo l u m e 5 , I s s u e 1 3
Bowl Buster
Dan Connor, Penn State’s all-time leading tackler with 410 stops, is the winner of the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player. The first team All-American also leads the Big Ten with 136 tackles.
must know info
Penn State’s Joe Paterno is coaching his 500th game; Texas A&M’s Gary Darnell is coaching his first as the Aggies’ interim coach. Darnell, the team’s defensive coordinator, replaces Dennis Franchione, who resigned.
23