Thursday
8:00 PM ET ESPN: Arizona State 5-6 @ #23 Arizona 7-4 (-6) - There is still hope for Arizona State. Despite two of their five wins coming against FCS teams, if they win Thursday, they plan to petition the NCAA for bowl eligibility. One point they'll argue is that they had to play two FCS teams because San Jose State backed out on them, to instead play Wisconsin for more money. But first, they must beat rival Arizona. ASU backup QB Brock Osweiler will get the start as Steven Threet is out with a head injury. Against UCLA last week, Osweiler was 27/36 for 380 yards, 4 TDs, and 0 INTs. He also rushed for 35 yards and 1 TD on 6 carries. RB Cameron Marshall will play a pivotal role in the game as the key to defeating Arizona is likely their run defense. In their last three games, all loses, the Wildcats have given up almost 270 yards a game and 8 total TDs on the ground. The other big match-up in this game will be QB Nick Foles against ASU's porous 98th ranked pass defense. Foles is 8th in the nation in passing ypg (294.3) and 6th in completion percentage (68.2|PERCENT|). Arizona has won two in a row in this series.
Sun Devils Offense: 429.0 ypg (29th), 6.0 yards/play (33rd), & 39.0|PERCENT| 3rd Down (70th)
Pass: 288.2 ypg (12th), 7.6 ypa (36th), 61.9|PERCENT| comp. (39th), 22 TDs, & 17 INTs
Run: 140.8 ypg (79th), 4.19 yards/carry (62nd), & 18 TDs
Wildcats Defense: 338.5 ypg (32nd), 5.0 yards/play (30th), & 41.4|PERCENT| 3rd Down (78th)
Pass: 200.5 ypg (35th), 6.8 ypa (52nd), 57.6|PERCENT| comp. (53rd), 15 TDs, & 9 INTs
Run: 138.0 ypg (43rd), 3.63 yards/carry (30th), & 14 TDs
Wildcats Offense: 450.1 ypg (19th), 6.3 yards/play (23rd), & 51.3|PERCENT| 3rd Down (8th)
Pass: 314.0 ypg (9th), 7.9 ypa (30th), 69.0|PERCENT| comp. (5th), 21 TDs, & 9 INTs
Run: 136.1 ypg (84th), 4.23 yards/carry (59th), & 19 TDs
Sun Devils Defense: 363.2 ypg (57th), 5.1 yards/play (35th), & 33.9|PERCENT| 3rd Down (15th)
Pass: 243.4 ypg (98th), 6.8 ypa (52nd), 63.0|PERCENT| comp. (97th), 15 TDs, & 12 INTs
Run: 119.8 ypg (17th), 3.31 yards/carry (14th), & 13 TDs
Friday
|STAR|MAC Championship|STAR|
7:00 PM ET ESPN2: #25 Northern Illinois 10-2 (-17.5) vs. Miami (OH) 8-4 - Northern Illinois has a chance to win its first MAC title in 27 years on Friday. They lead the nation in rushing yards per carry (6.43). RB Chad Spann is 16th in the nation in rushing yards per game (103.3) and 1st in rushing TDs (20). Don't let their 96th ranked passing attack fool you, they are very efficient when they decide to throw the ball. In the conference, QB Chandler Harnish is 1st in passer rating (154.13), 1st in ypa (8.2), and 2nd in completion percentage (66.0|PERCENT|). The Miami run defense has played better as of late, allowing only 68.5 yards per game in their last four contests. Still, this is the same unit that gave up 384 yards earlier in the season to Cincinnati's 55th ranked rushing attack. Offensively, the Redhawks will have to rely on RB Thomas Merriweather (323 rushing yards in last 2 games) to carry them as they continue to adjust to frosh Austin Boucher at QB. This may prove tough as the Northern Illinois run defense has allowed just 2.98 yards per carry in their last two games. Boucher is playing in place of the injured Zac Dysert (ruptured spleen). In just two games he has a 2/1 TD/INT ratio with a 61.7|PERCENT| completion percentage. Northern Illinois has won 5 in a row against Miami (OH).
Huskies Offense: 452.0 ypg (17th), 6.8 yards/play (9th), & 51.7|PERCENT| 3rd Down (7th)
Pass: 172.8 ypg (96th), 7.6 ypa (36th), 64.5|PERCENT| comp. (22nd), 19 TDs, & 8 INTs
Run: 279.2 ypg (7th), 6.43 yards/carry (1st), & 38 TDs
Redhawks Defense: 332.7 ypg (27th), 5.3 yards/play (53rd), & 35.9|PERCENT| 3rd Down (28th)
Pass: 208.8 ypg (48th), 6.8 ypa (52nd), 56.8|PERCENT| comp. (41st), 11 TDs, & 17 INTs
Run: 123.8 ypg (24th), 3.87 yards/carry (42nd), & 25 TDs
Redhawks Offense: 340.0 ypg (85th), 5.2 yards/play (77th), & 35.0|PERCENT| 3rd Down (98th)
Pass: 243.4 ypg (40th), 7.0 ypa (61st), 64.5|PERCENT| comp. (22nd), 16 TDs, & 13 INTs
Run: 96.6 ypg (115th), 3.12 yards/carry (108th), & 9 TDs
Huskies Defense: 324.3 ypg (23rd), 5.1 yards/play (35th), & 36.6|PERCENT| 3rd Down (33rd)
Pass: 191.2 ypg (25th), 6.3 ypa (26th), 56.6|PERCENT| comp. (36th), 12 TDs, & 16 INTs
Run: 133.2 ypg (32nd), 4.02 yards/carry (54th), & 13 TDs
Week 13 Leaders
Passing:
1. Jordan La Secla (San Jose State) - 35/65, 496 yards, 5 TDs, & 3 INTs vs Louisiana Tech
2. Landry Jones (Oklahoma) - 37/62, 468 yards, 4 TDs, & 3 INTs @ Oklahoma State
3. Nick Foles (Arizona) - 29/54, 448 yards, 3 TDs, & 1 INT @ Oregon
4. David Piland (Houston) - 32/61, 441 yards, 2 TDs & 3 INTs @ Texas Tech
5. Danny O'Brien (Maryland) - 33/47, 417 yards, 4 TDs, & 0 INTs vs NC State
6. G.J. Kinnie (Tulsa) - 23/37, 406 yards, 4 TDs, & 2 INTs vs Southern Miss
7. Brock Osweiler (Arizona State) - 27/36, 380 yards, 4 TDs, & 0 INTs vs UCLA
8. Greg McElroy (Alabama) - 27/37, 377 yards, 2 TDs, & 0 INTs vs Auburn
9. Taylor Potts (Texas Tech) - 32/46, 373 yards, 4 TDs, & 1 INT vs Houston
10. Austin Davis (Southern Miss) - 28/41, 371 yards, 2 TDs, & 1 INT @ Tulsa
Rushing:
1. Alex Green (Hawaii) - 19 carries, 327 yards, & 3 TDs @ New Mexico State
2. Lance Dunbar (North Texas) - 22 carries, 270 yards, & 3 TDs vs Kansas State
3. Daniel Thomas (Kansas State) - 36 carries, 269 yards, & 2 TDs @ North Texas
4. Lennon Creer (Louisiana Tech) - 30 carries, 252 yards, & 3 TDs @ San Jose State
5. Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M) - 27 carries, 223 yards, & 2 TDs @ Texas - Very strong finish to the season.
6. Andre Williams (Boston College) - 42 carries, 185 yards, & 1 TD @ Syracuse
7. Thomas Merriweather (Miami - OH) - 22 carries, 182 yards, & 1 TD vs Temple
8. Montee Ball (Wisconsin) - 20 carries, 178 yards, & 4 TDs vs Northwestern
9. Jordan Todman (UConn) - 31 carries, 175 yards, & 3 TDs vs Cincinnati
9. Dan Herron (Ohio State) - 22 carries, 175 yards, & 1 TD vs Michigan
Receiving:
1. Torrey Smith (Maryland) - 14 catches, 224 yards, & 4 TDS vs NC State - He killed me in the finals of a league.
2. Denarius Moore (Tennessee) - 7 catches, 205 yards, & 1 TD vs Kentucky
3. Julio Jones (Alabama) - 10 catches, 199 yards, & 1 TD vs Auburn
4. Greg Salas (Hawaii) - 10 catches, 191 yards, & 1 TD @ New Mexico State
5. Jalal Beauchman (San Jose State) - 9 catches, 178 yards, & 3 TDs vs Louisiana Tech
6. Patrick Edwards (Houston) - 10 catches, 177 yards, & 0 TDs @ Texas Tech
7. Rishard Matthews (Nevada) - 10 catches, 172 yards, & 1 TD vs Boise State
8. Cobi Hamilton (Arkansas) - 3 catches, 164 yards, & 2 TDs vs LSU
9. Lance Lewis (East Carolina) - 8 catches, 154 yards, & 2 TDs vs SMU
10. Cameron Kenney (Oklahoma) - 6 catches, 141 yards, & 2 TDs @ Oklahoma State