Toledo, Michigan hosting big in-state showdowns

10/20/2012

Purdue at No. 7 Ohio State

Records: Purdue is 3-3, 0-2 in the Big Ten; OSU is 7-0, 3-0.

Time: Noon

TV: 13

Radio: 106.5

Series: OSU leads 37-14-2

Favorite: OSU by 18 1/2

Notes: The Buckeyes’ Big Ten revenge tour continues against Purdue— one of five league teams that knocked them off a year ago. OSU fell to the Boilermakers 26-23 in overtime last November after having an extra point blocked in the final minute of regulation. … Ohio State is off to its best start since beginning 10-0 in 2010. … OSU’s offense keeps rolling. Last Saturday against Indiana, the Buckeyes had two 100-yard rushers — tailback Carlos Hyde (156 yards) and quarterback Braxton Miller (149) — and a 100-yard receiver — Devin Smith (106) — for the first time in program history. … The defenses on both sides are another story. While the Buckeyes’ struggles are well-documented, Purdue allowed an average of 41 points and 527 yards in consecutive losses to Michigan and Wisconsin.

Bowling Green at Massachusetts

Time: Noon

Records: BGSU is 4-3, 2-1 MAC; UMass is 0-6, 0-3

Radio: 1470, 99.1

Series: First meeting

Favorite: BGSU by 17

Notes: The Falcons make their first-ever trip to Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, to face the Minutemen. … UMass is a “transitional” FBS member this season and is not eligible for the MAC title or a bowl bid. … First-year coach Charley Molnar, who spent the last two seasons as a Notre Dame assistant, has been an assistant at MAC members Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Central Michigan. … Among their top players are Notre Dame transfers WR Deion Walker (team-best 31 catches for 411 yards) and DL Hafis Williams (24 tackles) along with Michigan transfer RB Mike Cox (team-high 400 yards rushing). … In the last three games BG has run the ball 127 times for 749 yards, an average of 249.7 yards per game. Meanwhile, the Falcons defense in that span has allowed just 187 net yards rushing, or 62.3 yards per contest.

Michigan State at No. 23 Michigan

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Records: Michigan State is 4-3 and 1-2 in the Big Ten, Michigan is 4-2 and 2-0

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: 100.7

Series: Michigan leads 67-32-5

Favorite: Michigan by 9.5

Notes: Michigan seeks the 900th win for the football program and opens its Legends Division schedule against a traditional in-state rival. The Wolverines, however, have lost their last four games against the Spartans. The Spartans rushers have out-rushed the Wolverines 826-356 in those last four games. … Michigan has defeated its last two opponents by a combined score of 49-13, and in those two games, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has rushed for 363 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Still, the Wolverines are looking for a spark in their ground game past the halfway point of the season. After Robinson, tailback Fitzgerald Toussaint leads Michigan with 231 yards on 74 carries. … Though the Spartans have lost three of their last five games, Michigan State’s rushing defense leads the Big Ten and is eighth in the nation, allowing just 91.3 yards a game. Its pass defense has given up 173.9 yards a game.

No. 21 Cincinnati at Toledo

Time: 7 p.m.

Records: UC is 5-0; UT is 6-1

Radio: 1370

Series: UC leads 4-2

Favorite: UC by 6 1/2

Notes: These teams last played in the 2001 Motor City Bowl, with UT prevailing 23-16. ... The Bearcats have played a soft schedule, beating two FCS teams, Miami (Ohio), and Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh, both whom have struggled ... UC has surrendered just 72 points, but coach Butch Jones expressed displeasure this week for the play of his defense in the wake of a 49-17 win over Fordham. ... UT, which allowed 47 points and 624 yards last week at Eastern Michigan, ranks 116th nationally against the pass. ... UC quarterback Munchie Legaux averages 241.6 yards passing and is second on the team with 39.6 yards rushing. ... UC has won 10 games in a row against the Mid-American Conference. ... UT has registered just three sacks in the two games since ends T.J. Fatinikun and Christian Smith suffered season-ending injuries.