Hokies' 1
By Benjamin Singer
Daily Sports Writer
While Michigan fans wait until bowl
season rolls around to see the
Wolverines play again (and Ohio State
fans wait until next season for theirs),
Thanksgiving weekend brings the
Stion one step closer to answering the
ultimate question: who will play in the
Sugar Bowl?
Florida State guaranteed itself a trip
to New Orleans as the No. I team with
its win over Florida. The second spot is
still up in the air. Virginia Tech (yum,
turkey) blew away Temple last week, but
the idle Nebraska (yum, corn) still man-
aged to gain on the Hokies in the BCS
rankings to close within .63 points.
ut even teams with no prayer for a
CS bid still have other bowl games
and bragging rights on their minds - -
oh, and Thanksgiving leftovers.
No. 22 BOSTON COLLEGE AT No. 2
VIRGINIA TECH: Freshman quarterback
Michael Vick led the Hokie offense this
season and not just with his arm, but his
legs.
In Virginia Tech's 62-7 rout ofTemple
*t week, Vick ran 12 times for 134
yards and two touchdowns.
Boston College will need to bring the
same run defense that held Notre Dame
to 95 yards last week, though the
Fighting Irish had averaged 184.
Vick and the Hokies will still run all
over the Eagles. Expect Virginia Tech to
show no mercy so it can protect its No.
2 spot in the BCS rankings.
VIRGINIA TECH 37, BOSTON
oLLEGE 14
No. 3 NEBRASKA AT COLORADO:
Nebraska: Claims to be 1997 National
Champions over the Wolverines.
Colorado: Kordell Stewart to Michael
Westbrook. While Michigan fans hate
both, this time around, they will hate the
Buffaloes more.
The Cornhuskers must win to face
Texas in the Big 12 championship. If
braska avoids a repeat loss to Texas,
nMichigan likely goes to the Orange
Bowl. If Nebraska does not win out,
Michigan will probably be knocked
down to the Citrus or Outback Bowl.
Nebraska's defense stifled opponents
this season, as its ranked second in the
nation in total and passing defense
while only giving up 11.4 points per
game. Nebraska boasts a dangerous
offense as well, with quarterback Eric
Crouch more likely to keep the ball than
*ow it. He has 134 passing attempts
and 138 rushing attempts to lead the
team. He also leads the Huskers with
694 rushing yards and 13 rushing
touchdowns.
Colorado quarterback Mike
Moschetti has had impressive outings.
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Wednesday, November 24, 1999 - The Michigan Daily-- 9
an faces. strong Boston College 'D'
this year, but not against teams up to par
with Nebraska. Colorado's toughest
opponent was Kansas State. And
Nebraska pummeled the Widcats.
After Kansas State jumped out to a
20-0 lead, Moschetti led the Buffs back
into the game with two late touchdowns,
but Colorado could get no closer.
Even if Moschetti manages to con-
nect on big plays, Colorado won't be
able to stop Crouch from running cir-
cles around the defense and into the end
zone.
NEBRASKA 45, COLORADO 10
No. 7 TEXAS AT No. 24 TEXAS A&M
Although Texas A&M can't prevent
the Longhorns from going to the Big 12
championship, the Aggies have revenge
on their minds after unranked Texas
upset Texas A&M last year.
Texas no longer has Ricky Williams,
but it still has sophomore quarterback
Major Applewhite to lead the team.
Applewhite set new single season
records for Texas including 20 touch-
downs and 3,132 yards passing. Kwame
Cavil, his prime target, has 85 catches
and six touchdowns.
After a horrendous loss to Nebraska,
A&M bounced back with a 51-14
pounding of Missouri. Ja'maar Toombs
had three short touchdown runs. The
Aggies' biggest advantage, however,
may lie in the leg of punter Shane
Lechler who is averaging 46.9 yards a
punt to give Texas poor field position.
The roles are reversed this year. Texas
heads to the conference championship
but must face a hungry A&M team on
its tuif which are anxious to prove it
deserves to stay ranked.
TEXAS A&M 31, TEXAS 27
No.16 GEORGIA AT No.20 GEORGIA
TECH: Georgia Tech quarterback Joe
Hamilton is not going to win the
Heisman, but he made some heads turn
this year. Mostly linebackers' heads, try-
ing to see which way he ran.
Hamilton is the nation's top quarter-
back for passing proficiency, has 25
touchdowns and is the team's second
leading rusher with 636 yards and six
touchdowns.
Despite the triple threat of Hamilton,
running back Sean Gregory (5.2 yards
per carry, 11 touchdowns) and wide
receiver Kelly Campbell (63 catches, 8
touchdowns), the Jackets fell victim to a
couple of upsets, including a 26-23 loss
to Wake Forest this past weekend.
Georgia must exploit Tech's defense,
which gives up 184 yards per game on
the ground and 13 passing touchdowns.
The Bulldogs' defense will make the
difference in this game, if it can hold the
explosive Jackets' running game to less
than 100 yards. They have only surren-
dered 93.4 yards on average this year.
Georgia also ranks fourth in turnover
margin thanks in part to 19 intercep-
tions.
The Bulldogs D' won't contain
Hamilton. The Yellow Jackets want to
make up for last week, when they
scored 23, their lowest output of the sea-
son.
GEORGIA TECH 35, GEORGIA 27
No. 23 MiSSIssIPPI AT No. 18
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Mississippi didn't
kill the goose that lays the golden egg,
but it has hurt its ankle.
Rebels' quarterback Romaro Miller's
injured ankle, leaves him questionable
for the battle of the Golden Egg against
rival Mississippi State. Miller has until
Thursday to heal after he suffered the
injury in the Rebels loss to Georgia.
Miller took almost every snap this year,
but Mississippi will have to go with
inexperienced sophomore David Morris
if Miller can't get healthy.
The consolation for Mississippi is
that its success truly lies in the fourth-
ranked running back tandem of Deuce
Mcallister and Joe Gunn. Each rushed
for over 600 yards this year, and aver-
aged over five yards a carry. Mcallister
ran for 12 touchdowns.
Mississippi State counters with the
nation's top-ranked defense, allowing
only 60.5 yards per game. The Bulldogs
need their defense to sparkle in response
to their lackluster offense. The last time
Mississippi State rushed for more than
100 yards? Against Oklahoma State in
the third game of its season. The
Bullogs totaled only 99 yards rushing
in their last two games.
With or without Miller, the Bulldogs
defense will keep the Rebels out of the
end zone, and if their offense can wake
up at all, they will end their two-game
losing skid and a five year-streak of the
road team winning the Egg Bowl.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 17, MISSISsIPPI 13
VANDERBILT AT No. 6 TENNESSEE:
Perhaps Vanderbilt would hesitate to
call a losing effort the hig'hlight of its
season, but one of the Commodores
most impressive outings was a 13-6 loss
to Florida at the swamp three weeks ago
- giving the Gators a huge scare.
Vanderbilt still needs one more win to
become bowl eligible. It will have to get
it in Knoxville against the Volunteers.
Tennessee won the past 16 meetings
between these two rivals, and in the last
34, is 31-2-1.
Meanwhile, Tennessee quarterback
Tee Martin is climbing up the charts for
school records and already leads the
Volunteers in all-time career rushing
touchdowns as a quarterback with 16.
Martin needs just nine yards passing to
better his 2,164 he reached last year.
TENNESSEE 31, VANDERBILT 7
IWOODSON
Continued from Page 8
they won the game, they should have been happy."
Denver police said an arrest warrant for Woodson was
in the works and was likely to be issued today because
authorities were unable to contact Woodson and serve
the citation. The warrant will charg him with misde-
meanor assault and throwing objects, violations that
carry a maximum punishment of a )1,000 fine and a year
in jail. The complainant against Woodson was Sharon
Freeman, of Parker.
Denver Police Detective Mary Thomas said the war-
rant is not extraditable and Woodson probably could set-
tle the matter by paying a fine, perhaps as little as $25.
Kennedy, listed at 6-6 and 335 pounds, punched a fan
after getting hit in the face by a snowball. Kennedy had
charges filed against the fan, Robert Lynn, and police
said Kennedy was not cited because he had the right to
fight back after getting hit by the snowball.
"I did something that was very unorthodox," Kennedy
said Monday night. "I got hit by a number of snowballs
and then got surrounded by a number of drunk fans and
lost my temper."
The confrontation lasted a few minutes before
Kennedy hopped a chain-link fence and returnedto the
field. After doing a postgame television show, Kennedy
reported the incident to a Denver police officer.
"I filed charges against an individual. It was some-
thing I needed to do," said Kennedy who, along with
Woodson, was not available at the Raiders' practice site.
Players had the day off.
"I had to make some serious moves to escape those
snowballs," Gruden said. "You try to warn your players
and talk to your players about not retaliating on the field
and off the field. Unfortunately, after that game, there
were a barrage of snowballs and some wicked hits."
Police said eight fans were arrested for assault and 13
others received citations for their actions during. and
after the game. Three fans spent the night in jail.
Broncos fans also reacted angrily earlier this season
after Denver dropped to 0-4.
AP PHOTO
Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton will try to run past
in-state rival Georgia this weekend.
STAFF PICKS
I
All picks made against
the spread.
Home teams in CAPS.
Correct picks in bold.
T.J. Berka
Nebraska (-5) vs. COLORADO Colorado
Texas (-2.5) vs. TEXAS A&M Texas
VIRGINIA TECH (-24) vs. Boston College Boston College
Georgia Tech (-5.5) vs. GEORGIA Georgia
STANFORD (-6) vs Notre Dame Stanford
SOUTHERN CAL (-1) vs. Louisiana Tech La. Tech
Arizona (-1.5) vs. ARIZONA STATE Arizona Sta
TENNESSEE (-23) vs. Vanderbilt Vanderbilt
OKLAHOMA (-13.5) vs. Oklahoma State Oklahoma
WEST VIRGINIA (-1 .5) vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh
Arkansas (-11) vs. LSU Arkansas
Rick Freeman
Nebraska
Texas
Boston College
Georgia Tech
Stanford
Southern Cal
Arizona State'
Vanderbilt
Oklahoma
West Virgina
Arkansas
TCU
Hawaii
Marshall
Vanderbilt
7-7 (1-0)
te
Texas
Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
Stanford
La. Tech
Arizona
Vanderbilt
Oklahoma
Pittsburgh
LSU
TC U
Wash. St.
Ohio
Stanford
Josh Kleinbaum Andy Latack
Colorado Nebraska
Texas
Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
Stanford
Southern Cal
Arizona
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Pittsburgh
Arkansas
TCU
Wash. St.
Marshall
USC
Texas Christian (-12.5) vs. Southern Meth.
HAWAII(-4.5) vs. Washington State
MARSHALL (-25.5) vs. Ohio
Best Bet
TCU
Hawaii
Marshall
Hawaii
Last week 6-8 (1-0)
7-7(0-1) 7-7(01)
Overall 80-71-3 (2-9) 78-73-3(6-5) 77-74-3(5-6) 76-75-3 (5-6)