S. Carolina at Florida
3:30 p.m., CBS
Line: Florida -21 – O/U: 491/2
ANGLE: The Ol’ Ball Coach returns to Gainesville, where he won the Heisman Trophy then transformed the Gators into a national power. Steve Spurrier then went the NFL route before returning to the college game, where he has made substantial strides in turning South Carolina into an upper-tier SEC team. The Gamecocks (7-3) are doing it with defense. They’re third in the nation in total defense and haven’t allowed a team to score 30 this season. Florida has averaged 44.5 since its loss to Ole Miss. The Gators are making their surge to get back to the national championship game and their speed on offense should be too much for the Gamecocks.
EYES ON: South Carolina DE Eric Norwood; Florida QB Tim Tebow.
PREDICTION: Florida, 37-17
Boston College at Florida St.
8:05 p.m., ABC
Line: Florida St. -6 1/2 – O/U: 46
ANGLE: BC’s Jeff Jagodzinski has quietly done one of the best coaching jobs of the season. He lost QB Matt Ryan to the NFL, yet the offensive coach has adapted and is relying on a terrific defense, which is ninth in the nation in total defense. The Eagles are coming off a 17-0 win over Notre Dame and playing with great confidence and poise. FSU should have one loss, having fumbled away a win over Georgia Tech in the final seconds. Jimbo Fisher is quietly setting the table for when he takes over for Bobby Bowden. Critical game for the ‘Noles, who at 4-2 in league play have a shot at the Atlantic Division title.
EYES ON: Boston College SS Paul Anderson; Fla. St. DE Neefy Moffett
PREDICTION: Florida St., 27-13
Notre Dame at Navy
Noon, CBS
Line: N. Dame -3 1/2 – O/U: 52
ANGLE: Imagine the indignation in Annapolis: Navy ends 44 years of frustration by winning in triple OT at Notre Dame last season, the Middies are 6-3 (Notre Dame is 5-4), the Middies are second in the nation in rushing offense (308 yards per game) and the Irish are a pedestrian 53rd in the nation against the run. Yet the Irish are 3-point favorites?! If the Middies protect the football and keep ND’s defense on the field, they should start a win streak of their own. Look for ND’s Jon Tenuta to use a lot of run blitzes.
EYES ON: Notre Dame LB Maurice Crum; Navy RB Shun White.
PREDICTION: Navy, 37-31 (OT)
N. Carolina at Maryland
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Line: N. Carolina -3 – O/U: 451/2
ANGLE: This game sums up the season the ACC has had and could determine which teams meet in the league championship game. The Tar Heels and Terrapins are two of five ACC teams with two losses. Carolina (7-2, 4-2) has a chance to win the Coastal Division and the inconsistent Terps (6-3, 3-2) can win the Atlantic. Butch Davis is on the verge of turning the Tar Heels into a perennial league title contender. Ralph Friedgen has never gotten the Terps back to the success of his first two seasons. We see a case of one program rising and the other treading water.
EYES ON: North Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks; Maryland WR Darius Heyward-Bey
PREDICTION: UNC, 24-20
Stanford at USC
7 p.m., Versus
Line: USC -23 – O/U: 481/2
ANGLE: Haven’t heard any quotes from Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh suggesting that his USC counterpart, Pete Carroll, is on his way to the NFL. Did such rhetoric distract the Trojans last season in a 24-23 loss? The Trojans had that game in hand, then let up. Don’t expect the same. As well as Texas Tech is playing on offense, USC is as dominant on defense, allowing just 23 points in its last six games. The Trojans need help to get to the BCS title game, where no team wants to face this defense.
EYES ON: Stanford LB Pat Maynor; USC LB Brian Cushing.
PREDICTION: USC, 37-9
Last week: 1-4; Overall: 22-33.
