Tough road tests for Falcons, Wolverines; first meetings between UT, OSU opponents

9/21/2012

Bowling Green at Virginia Tech

Time: Noon

Records: BG is 1-2; Virginia Tech is 2-1

TV: ESPNU

Radio: 1470, 99.1

Series: Virginia Tech leads 2-0

Favorite: Virginia Tech by 19 1/2

Notes: The Hokies have won the previous two meetings in this series by scores of 21-7 in 1990 and 33-16 in 1993. … Virginia Tech has appeared in 19 consecutive bowl games and enters this season with a string of eight consecutive 10-win seasons, the longest current active streak in the FBS. … The Hokies' offense is led by 6-6 QB Logan Thomas, who has completed 50-of-92 passes for 707 yards and five TDs with three interceptions. … His favorite target is Marcus Davis, who has caught 12 passes for 245 yards. … LB Jack Tyler leads Virginia Tech with 35 tackles in three games. … After giving up an average of more than 200 yards rushing in each of the last two seasons, BG has allowed just 118.7 yards per game on the ground so far this year.

--John Wagner

 

Alabama-Birmingham at No. 16 Ohio State

Time: Noon

Records: UAB is 0-2; OSU is 3-0

TV: BTN

Radio: 106.5

Series: First meeting

Favorite: OSU by 37

Notes: Alabama-Birmingham is as sweet as FBS cupcakes come. The Blazers, whose program was founded as a club team in 1989, have not had a winning season since 2004 and are on the ground floor of another rebuilding project. Under first-year coach Garrick McGee -- formerly the offensive coordinator at Arkansas -- they have allowed an average of 44 points and 477 yards this season. UAB lost 49-6 at South Carolina last week. … The Buckeyes have won 20 of their last 21 games against first-time visitors to Ohio Stadium, with the outlier a 25-22 loss to Texas in 2005. … OSU will see a familiar face on the opposite sideline. John Peterson, who spent the last eight seasons at OSU as a tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, is now UAB's offensive line coach. … The Buckeyes rank 20th in scoring offense (40.7 points per game) and 38th in scoring defense (18 points). … OSU leads the Big Ten with six interceptions and is tied atop the conference with nine sacks. ... OSU will be without running back Carlos Hyde (knee) and defensive lineman Michael Bennett (groin). Defensive end John Simon was limited in practice with an aching shoulder but is expected to play.

--David Briggs

 

Coastal Carolina at Toledo

Time: 7 p.m.

Records: Coastal Carolina is 2-1, Toledo is 2-1

Radio: 1370

Series: First meeting

Notes: Football Championship Subdivision member Coastal Carolina has been playing football since 2003 but rose quickly, having won four Big South Conference titles since then. ... Coastal Carolina lost last week to No. 20 Eastern Kentucky 35-17. ... The Chanticleers have played FBS teams Penn State, Kent State, Clemson, West Virginia, and Georgia in past years while scoring a combined 13 points. They lost 18-0 to Kent State in 2009. ... Coastal Carolina is guaranteed $375,000 for the game. ... Quarterback Aramis Hillary, a South Carolina transfer, is completing 68 percent of his passes and averaging 257 yards per game. He is also the team's second-leading rusher with 87 yards. ... The availability of Toledo cornerback Byron Best (knee) is unknown. ... The Rockets defense is coming off a strong showing, allowing the fewest points in almost a calendar year in a 27-15 rivalry win over Bowling Green. ... Quarterback Terrance Owens has thrown 194 passes without an interception.

--Ryan Autullo

 

No. 18 Michigan at No. 11 Notre Dame

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Records: UM is 2-1, ND is 3-0.

TV: 24

Radio: 100.7

Series: UM leads 23-15-1

Favorite: ND by 5

Notes: The Wolverines and the Irish meet again under the lights -- though this year in South Bend, Ind. They are among the nation's top five BCS schools in both winning percentage and total all-time wins. Michigan has the nation's top winning percentage (.736), ahead of Notre Dame (.732) and Oklahoma (.718), while UM leads in all-time wins (897), ahead of Texas (861) and Notre Dame (856). The Wolverines have won its last three games against the Irish. … After being limited to seven yards two weeks ago against Air Force, Michigan tailback Fitzgerald Toussaint had 85 yards on 15 carries against Massachusetts. … QB Denard Robinson has keyed Michigan's offense, accounting for more than 80 percent of the team's 1,276 total yards. Robinson has rushed for 351 yards and passed for 699. … ND's defense has allowed only 96.3 rushing yards, while its offense is geared toward passing -- the Irish are averaging 233 yards passing a game. … The Irish are 6-2 under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium since 1982, including 3-0 against Michigan.

--Rachel Lenzi