Syracuse, Big East Put Pride On The Line
National picks
Syracuse has a lot riding on its football game against Miami, and so does the Big East Conference.
If the 16th-ranked Orangemen (8-3) beat the Hurricanes for the first time in 17 years, they’ll win the Big East and gain a spot in the Bowl Alliance, most likely in the Fiesta Bowl.
If Miami (5-5) wins Saturday, the Alliance could be left with a Big East team - West Virginia, Virginia Tech or the Hurricanes - not ranked in the Top 25.
The other pivotal Big East game has Pittsburgh (5-5) at West Virginia (7-3) Friday in the Backyard Brawl.
Both Miami and Pitt need wins to qualify for the postseason, while the Orangemen and Mountaineers already have bowl bids locked up.
Miami has won the last six meetings against Syracuse, including last year’s 38-31 decision that knocked the Orangemen out of the Orange Bowl and into the Liberty Bowl.
“I don’t like them especially,” Syracuse tight end Roland Williams said this week. “… Miami has consistently been one team that irritates me year in and year out. You definitely have a special hate for any team that does that. This year, the stakes are high as usual.”
The Hurricanes, off last weekend, have rebounded from a 1-4 start, thanks to a running game led by Edgerrin James, who had 194 yards and two TDs in a 51-23 rout of Rutgers on Nov. 15.
The Orangemen, led by quarterback Donovan McNabb and wide receiver-punt returner Quinton Spotwood, have won seven straight.
The key could be the Orangemen’s running game. Miami is 98th of 112 I-A teams in rushing defense, allowing 206.1 yards per game. The Canes are 80th in total defense (389.4 yards per game).
Syracuse averages 187.2 yards rushing and 422.9 total yards per game.
“At this point of the season, there is no magic scheme, no magic players,” Miami coach Butch Davis said. “We haven’t held anybody out. The football team we’ve got is the one we’ve got.”
On Friday, the Big 12 title game participants are in action, with No. 2 Nebraska (10-0) at Colorado (5-5) and Texas (4-6) at No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2).
The Aggies, beaten 51-15 by the Longhorns last season, are not worried about the Huskers. Yet.
“If you give me a choice to beat Texas and lose the Big 12 championship to Nebraska, I’d rather beat Texas,” Aggies coach R.C. Slocum said. “‘I’d bet the players would, too. I’d have to think about 2 seconds to make that choice.”
The picks:
No. 2 Nebraska (minus 21) at Colorado (Friday): Huskers’ DE Grant Wistrom & Co. give Buffs all they can handle… . NEBRASKA 42-17.
Vanderbilt (plus 30) at No. 3 Tennessee: Vols’ Peyton Manning on final Heisman push… . TENNESSEE 42-14.
No. 4 Penn State (minus 6) at Michigan State: Nittany Lions need win to clinch Bowl Alliance spot… . PENN STATE 31-21.
Arizona (plus 9) at No. 12 Arizona State (Friday): Sun Devils won’t have easy time as they bid for Fiesta Bowl spot… . ARIZONA STATE 31-28.
No. 14 Georgia (minus 4) at Georgia Tech: Dawgs have six-game winning streak vs. Yellow Jackets… . GEORGIA TECH 31-27.
Texas (plus 14) at No. 15 Texas A&M (Friday): Can the Horns win one for coach John Mackovic? … TEXAS 34-31.
No. 16 Syracuse (minus 6) at Miami: Orange offense just too much for Hurricanes’ soft defense… . SYRACUSE 33-21.
Arkansas (plus 18) at No. 17 LSU (Friday): Tigers got caught napping against Irish, but wake up for Hogs… . LSU 44-13.
Mississippi (plus 2) at No. 22 Mississippi State: Bulldogs bounce back from last week’s loss to win Golden Egg… . MISSISSIPPI STATE 21-20.
Last week: 11-4 (straight); 7-8 (spread). Season: 181-51 (straight); 118-106-1 (spread).