Hilfestellungen » has two capable competitors for the job

No. 9 Tennessee broke its long losing skid to Florida earlier this season and now No. 5 Washington and No. 10 Miami get their chances to turn around a couple of recently one-sided rivalries.The Hurricanes have lost six straight to the Seminoles and nine of 11 in a series that had a run in the late 1980s and early `90s of often producing the most important college football game of the season.For the Huskies, their run of futility against Oregon has been longer and uglier. Washington has lost 12 straight to the Ducks by an average margin of 23 points.Things are looking up for both the Hurricanes and Huskies, though far more so for Washington. The Huskies are coming off smashing Stanford and have a top-five ranking for the first time since the end of the 2000 season. They even get a little extra rest, having played last Friday night. Meanwhile, the Ducks are on their first three-game losing streak since 2007. This looks like a mismatch in the Huskies favor, despite recent history.The Hurricanes should be more guarded in their optimism. Sure they are favored, and they are the higher ranked team heading into the game for the first time since 2010. But the `Noles won that 2010 game 45-17.And as for those Volunteers, who snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Gators and then beat Georgia with a Hail Mary, it gets even tougher this week with a trip to No. 8 Texas A&M.The picks:FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTSNo. 3 Clemson (minus 17) at Boston CollegeA BYOE game for the Tigers. Bring your own energy into a stadium that might not have much juice for a home team on a 10-game ACC losing streak. Plus, the Red Sox are playing Friday, too ... CLEMSON 35-10.No. 19 Boise State (minus 17) at New MexicoThe Lobos upset the Broncos last season, breaking off a bunch of big passes out of their triple-option; the season before, they ran for 505 yards in a close loss ... BOISE STATE 38-24.MAIN EVENTNo. 9 Tennessee (plus 7) at No. 8 Texas A&MSeems like too much to ask Josh Dobbs and the Vols to win another big road game after two draining weeks ... TEXAS A&M 28-19.STREAKSNo. 1 Alabama (plus 14) at No. 16 ArkansasThe Razorbacks have lost nine straight to the Crimson Tide ... ALABAMA 31-16.Indiana (plus 29) at No. 2 Ohio StateThe last time the Hoosiers avoided losing to the Buckeyes was 1990, when they tied. Last Indiana victory was 1988 ... OHIO STATE 49-17.No. 5 Washington (minus 8) at OregonOne game cant make up for 12 years of frustration, but the Huskies can certainly try ... WASHINGTON 45-21, BEST BET.No. 23 Florida State (plus 3) at No. 10 MiamiA real Hurricane is threatening the region and could disrupt this game ... FLORIDA STATE 28-23, UPSET SPECIAL.Washington State (plus 7+) at No. 15 StanfordThe Cougars have lost eight-straight to the Cardinal ... STANFORD 33-24CONFERENCE CALLSNo. 4 Michigan (minus 27+) at RutgersWolverines star Jabrill Peppers returns to his home state. And just a few days after his birthday, too ... MICHIGAN 45-13.No. 6 Houston (minus 17) at NavyThe Midshipmen need to play keep-away against Greg Ward Jr. and the Cougars ... HOUSTON 40-20.No. 25 Virginia Tech (plus 2+) at No. 17 North CarolinaTar Heels QB Mitch Trubisky starting to get some Heisman buzz ... NORTH CAROLINA 35-28.LSU (minus 3) at No. 18 FloridaRB Leonard Fournette iffy at best for Tigers; QB Luke Del Rio the same for the Gators ... LSU 24-17.No. 20 Oklahoma (minus 10) vs. Texas at DallasRed River has rarely looked so murky. Hard to figure either team right now ... OKLAHOMA 42-35.No. 21 Colorado (plus 4+) at Southern CaliforniaSam Darnold has brought hope for a recovery at USC ... USC 35-24.Arizona (plus 9) at No. 24 UtahBoth teams are banged up, but the Wildcats might be starting freshman QB Kahlil Tate against one of the Pac-12s better defenses ... UTAH 28-17.TWITTER REQUESTSBYU (plus 6) at Michigan State -- (at)aolsenUnder-the-radar star: Cougars RB Jamaal Williams is third in the nation in rushing at 140.6 yards per game while playing four Power Five schools and maybe the best team in the MAC ... MICHIGAN STATE 28-21.Auburn (minus 3) at Mississippi State -- (at)conorgattisThe Bulldogs have won three of four in the series and Tigers coach Gus Malzahn is next in line to start feeling the heat in the SEC now that Les Miles is gone ... AUBURN 23-21.Notre Dame (plus 1+) at North Carolina State -- (at)MPVahalikWolfpack begins a three-game stretch that also includes road games at Clemson and Louisville. This is the most winnable ... NORTH CAROLINA STATE 38-31.Maryland (minus 1+) at Penn State -- (at)iamDougWarrenThe Terps 4-0 start is built on sketchy opposition, but there are promising numbers underneath: plus-141 yards per game and only two turnovers ... PENN STATE 28-23.---Record: Last week 19-6 straight; 11-14 vs. points.Season: 75-25; 47-50-1.Upset specials: 1-4.Best bets: 0-5.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---More college football coverage at www.collegefootball.ap.orgOakland Athletics Pro Shop . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Oakland Athletics Store https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Custom Oakland Athletics Jerseys . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Chris Bassitt Athletics Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series.LOS ANGELES -- Stanford coach David Shaw only needed a few words to epitomize why his Cardinal are the Pac-12 football favorites this fall -- and also why that distinction doesnt mean much.I think we have a chance to be a good team, but were a team in flux, Shaw said after learning his Cardinal had won the preseason media poll.The West Coasts top league is wide open heading into the fall, with a half-dozen legitimate title contenders and no overwhelming favorite. Every team has major questions at key positions, but nobody seems better prepared to answer them than the ever-resourceful Cardinal.Stanford is the defending champion of the conference and the Rose Bowl, and running back Christian McCaffrey might be the nations top player. Its still not enough to make them prohibitive favorites to repeat in a conference that could end up without a playoff representative again despite several quality teams.Parity is the enemy of excellence, and the Pac-12 is full of teams with big positives and big question marks. Two-thirds of the league began training camps with uncertainty at quarterback, and the league doesnt appear to possess any dominant defenses.It could be a recipe for tight division races, memorable Saturday finishes and a crackerjack conference title game.THE FAVORITESNORTH: Stanford has McCaffrey, but less than 10 other returning starters, including no tested quarterbacks. The Cardinal also must fight through a brutal schedule while fending off challenges from Oregon and Washington, who both could contend with just a few breaks. The Huskies are the popular pick to surge in their third season under Chris Petersen, while the Ducks always have enough talent despite no clear starting quarterback.SOUTH: Although Utah is a serious contender, the division race could come down to the annual crosstown showdown between UCLA and USC at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 19. The Bruins had too many injuries on defense to contend last season, but quarterback Josh Rosen is ready to blossom into a national star. They could be ready to knock off the talented Trojans, who must play Alabama, Stanford and Utah away from home in September.TOP PLAYERSStanford RB Christian McCaffrey. After one of the most spectacular individual seasons in conference history, the do-everything Heisman Trophy finalist is back to doing everything again.ddddddddddddUCLA QB Jake Rosen. A new offensive scheme should mean bigger plays and more chances for Chosen Rosen to shine.USC WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Trojans annual turmoil has obscured the career of the next brilliant pass-catcher in USCs long lineage, but he has a chance to get everybodys attention this fall.Oregon RB Royce Freeman. After setting the Ducks single-season rushing record last year, he will shoulder a heavy load during a possible transition season.Utah DL Lowell Lotulelei. The consummate space-eating lineman from a powerful football family is back to clog lanes on one of the nations top defensive fronts.Washington QB Jake Browning. The Huskies preseason popularity hinges partly on the gifted sophomore, who appears poised to break out with an improved offense.Washington State QB Luke Falk. The big-armed passer might be the man who can lead coach Mike Leachs offense into title contention.NEW FACESOregon QB Dakota Prukop. The Montana State transfer is the favorite to follow Marcus Mariota and Vernon Adams, but he has two capable competitors for the job at the controls of the Ducks remarkable offense.Arizona defensive coordinator Marcel Yates. Rich Rodriguez is rebuilding his defense with the former Boise State coordinator, but he could need more than one season to fix everything.USC coach Clay Helton. Hes far from new, but the veteran assistant is in his first full season in charge of the Trojans, with a roster in flux and a sadistic schedule.ON THE HOT SEATSonny Dykes, California. No coach in the Pac-12 is in imminent trouble as the season begins, but Dykes certainly could use a strong year after Jared Goffs departure to solidify his rebuilding program with the Golden Bears.Mike MacIntyre, Colorado. Likewise, the Buffaloes coachs rebuilding project probably would benefit greatly from a .500 season -- or heck, even three Pac-12 victories in the same season for the first time since 2007.PICKSNorth: Stanford. South: UCLA. League champion: Stanford. ' ' '