Three states feature week 6 showdowns which will determine pride, superiority and bragging rights as teams from Michigan, Florida and California meet. With Michigan State playing host to the most exciting player in the nation, a battle in Tallahassee, Fla., which could reveal the ACC's top team, and Stanford looking to rebound from last week's shellacking in Eugene, Ore., week six promises to be full of turmoil and tumult.
Michigan State vs. Michigan
Two of the remaining four undefeated Big Ten teams square off this weekend in Ann Arbor in a battle to decide the Wolverine State's finest. While the No. 17 Michigan Wolverines have a substantial lead in the all-time series (67-30-5), the No. 18 Michigan State Spartans have hoisted the Paul Bunyan Trophy after each of the past two in-state encounters.
If there ever was a time for Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez to secure a significant victory it is now. In his third year with the Wolverines, he is 0-4 against Michigan State and Ohio State, but there is a certain player donning the time-honored maize and blue who can help Rodriguez's cause: Heisman frontrunner Denard Robinson.
Through just four and a quarter games, Robinson has amassed 1,008 yards through the air and a nation-leading 905 yards on the ground with 15 total touchdowns and only one lonely interception. Robinson does it all for his team, accounting for 68 percant of the Wolverine's total offense and even punting once for 30 yards.
The secret to success for Michigan State is simple, then: Stop Robinson and win the game. However, even with preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year senior linebacker Greg Jones, who has already tallied 42 tackles, five for loss, 2 picks and a sack, it will be a lot easier said than done.
Florida State vs. Miami (FL)
The No. 23 Florida State Seminoles will host their intrastate rival, The No. 13 Miami Hurricanes this Saturday in another episode of one of the most storied rivalries in college football. This is the first time in the past four years both teams will be ranked when facing each other, and with so much talent on the field it promises to be an exciting game.
The Miami offense centers around junior dual-threat quarterback Jacory Harris. Harris has thrown 10 touchdowns this season (six to senior wide receiver Leonard Hankerson) and is the engine that makes Miami go. When Harris sputters, like against Ohio State in week 2 where he threw four interceptions, Miami's offense comes to a screeching halt.
His Seminole quarterback counterpart is senior Christian Ponder. While Ponder doesn't garner the same kind of nationwide respect as Harris, he has posted 844 yards and thrown only three picks compared to Harris' eight.
The last nine meetings between these teams have all been decided by 10 points or fewer, with an average difference of 4.1 points per game. With the two best defenses in the ACC, it is a safe bet that the game will be another closely contested affair. This battle for Florida glory will, like many close contests, go to the team that is able to limit turnovers and penalties.
USC vs. Stanford
First-year head coach Lane Kiffin and the USC Trojans pack their bags for Palo Alto, Calif., hoping to test the No. 16 Stanford Cardinal. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses, in which their defenses were not able to keep up with potent opposing offenses. Bouncing back against an in-state Pac 10 rival is just what both squads need.
The Trojans are facing the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, junior quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck has thrown for over 1,200 yards, 13 touchdowns and is the complete package as a pocket passer. Luck has a powerful and deadly accurate arm. He is also mobile, and is excellent at throwing on the run. The Trojans will have to pressure Luck and hope to confuse him if they have any chance at the upset Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT.
Unfortunately for USC, they are coming off of a loss in which they gave up 420 total yards to Washington senior quarterback Jake Locker, who is otherwise having a dissapointing season. USC will rely on sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley and the two-headed rushing attack of junior Marc Tyler and senior Allen Bradford. At the end of the day, expect Stanford to rally behind Luck and get back to its winning ways.
