College Football Week 3: Undercard

 College Football Week 3 Undercard

With the Bears-Packers matchup, the NFL will attract most football fans' attention tonight. This game could determine who is the NFC North champion. It's a good time to enjoy college football. It's a great way for college football Week 3, and this game leads our look into the weekend undercard.

South Florida has just come off a thrilling 32 to 31 win at Nevada. But what's even more impressive is the fact that it was a breakthrough game for B.J. Daniels. Daniels. Although the mobile quarterback is not always consistent with throwing the ball, that's what was the big question for the Bulls this season. Daniels won against a solid Nevada team. He will now face a Rutgers defensive that has won against lesser competition. Jawan Jamison has also run the ball. Now it is Gary Nova, Scarlet Knights' QB, who will have to prove that he deserves to be gift-wrapped as the starting job (the reward of being a highly-rated recruit) even though backup Chas Doesdd outplays Nova every time he has the opportunity. The game will be played at South Florida. I doubt Nova will make a sudden change, but I think any Skip Holtz-coached team won't miss the chance to play this game on their homefield.

The Rutgers - South Florida game is just one of several conference games that will matter in the greater picture. Two big ACC games are scheduled for Saturday. They are Wake Forest Florida State and Virginia Georgia Tech. They are each intra-divisional matchesups from opposite ends of the conference alignment. Wake beat North Carolina last week, but Tanner Price was not at the top of his game. That's going to make it difficult against an even faster Florida State defense. The Seminole issue is the main focus. They can't look ahead at Clemson next Sunday. Virginia-Georgia Tech must win the Yellow Jacket, after they lost to Virginia Tech, who is division leader. Because Georgia Tech didn't score as many field goals last week, I expect the Cavs to be more offensive than they were.

Based on television exposure I think I should save Alabama - Arkansas (3:30 PM ET, CBS) tomorrow's preview game of Saturday's marquee events. I almost felt guilty for mentioning the game, given Arkansas' loss against UL-Monroe. The team also lost to Jacksonville State before, as well as Tyler Wilson's questionable quarterback. This game is akin to the Red Sox - Yankees baseball series. It's a matchup that will grab your attention but only one participant is really good. Other conference games take place at the midmajors level. They are rounded with East Carolina Southern Miss in Conference USA, and Bowling Green-Toledo (MAC). This could be a great game for someone to launch their career. Toledo has beaten Wyoming and Bowling Green has pushed Florida.

Cal makes a stop at Ohio State for one of the two Pac-12 road tests. While the Golden Bears are not looking sharp so far, the Buckeye offense looked a little slow last week against Central Florida. Running backs are also injured this week. Braxton Miller, a major conference player who is at most respectable, will give us a better glimpse. Arizona State, just after its big win over Illinois goes to Missouri. The Tigers cannot afford to be left alone after their loss to Georgia in the SEC debut. If they do, the Sun Devil passing games will prove them wrong.

North Carolina-Louisville will be one of two games on the ABC card at 3:30 pm ET. With the other being Navy/Penn State, these could be the worst marquee matches since...well, this year's presidential campaign. Only thing we know is whether Louisville can be joined by Syracuse and the Rutgers South Florida winner to become a Big East champion and how terrible Penn State will be. The ACC has a few half-interesting stories. Pitt will play Virginia Tech in a renewed Big East rivalry. (I was there when Pitt won the series' best game, which was played at the end of 2003. It was won by Larry Fitzgerald on a TD pass). This year, the game will be an ACC match. Randy Edsall from Maryland will be taking on UConn's old team, which includes many of the players he recruited for Storrs. The match is also a rematch between the schools that competed for the NCAA title in 2002 when Maryland was victorious. rutgers south florida friday night college football