ACC & Big 12 Week Five Preview
Throughout the college football season, members of the Florida Citrus Sports Team Selection Committee are out on the road to meet with fans of our partner schools (including new Big 12 partners) to spread the word about the Russell Athletic Bowl’s new matchup and our brand-new home field opening for the 2014 bowl season.
Here are five of the notable games across our partner conferences where we will be in attendance this weekend:
After just three games, Baylor has amassed 178 total points against its opponents and leads the FBS in points per game with an impressive 59.3 average. Its defense also has kicked off the season with great numbers– they have allowed only 27 points on the season, ranking them second in the nation. Coming off a week four bye, the Bears travel to Ames, Iowa, Saturday for their second of three away games in a row. Iowa State also had a bye last weekend after an upset win at the University of Iowa in which a last minute field goal lifted the Cyclones over their instate rival. Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has followed a 4,000-yard 2013 season with 577 yards and has seven touchdowns (six passing, one rushing) through two games. Though Iowa State has allowed an average of 27 ppg. this season, its defense is much better against the pass (33rd) than the run (107th), giving the Cyclones a better chance to hold off Petty and the Bear offense. The last time Baylor and Iowa State met was last season – the Bears came away with a 71-7 win.
For the first time since the 1994 season Duke has started with a 4-0 record and travels to Miami Saturday to play its first conference game against Miami. When Duke and Miami met last season, the Blue Devils handed Miami its third loss in a row, beating them 48-30 and dropping them from the BCS standings for the remainder of the 2013 season. The win put Duke in the top 25 for the first time since 1962. The overall record between these schools favors the Hurricanes 9-2.
Syracuse (2-1) took its first loss in week four to Maryland and now travels to MetLife Stadium to face Notre Dame (3-0) who defeated Purdue last Saturday. The Orange will be taking on one of the top defenses in the nation as the Fighting Irish are ranked third in the FBS, allowing just 10.3 points per game on average. Leading the offense for the Orange is senior quarterback Terrel Hunt who has rushed for five touchdowns this season and thrown for one. Notre Dame’s quarterback Everett Golson is as dangerous on the ground as he is through the air – he has thrown for almost 800 yards, accumulated seven passing touchdowns and has run in four as well. Syracuse hopes to upset the Fighting Irish for the second time since 2008. When the schools last met, the Orange edged Notre Dame 24-23, recording its third and final win of that season.
Following a week four loss in which its opponent scored 71 points, North Carolina (2-1) travels to South Carolina to face Clemson (1-2) who suffered its first conference loss and second overall loss to Florida State last week. This is the first time since 2004 that the Tigers have a 1-2 record to start the season. The Tigers’ one win so far came against South Carolina State in week two, a game in which it scored 73 points. This will be the first conference game for North Carolina. The last time the Tar Heels and Tigers met was in 2011 – Clemson defeated North Carolina 59-38 and it would be the end of the Tiger’s 8-game winning streak that season.
Florida State travels to Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. to take on North Carolina State after surviving against Clemson last weekend. Starting quarterback Jameis Winston returns from suspension and looks to extend FSU’s winning streak to 20 games. This will be the first conference game for the Wolfpack who has won its first four games. Junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett has thrown over 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns. When Florida State hosted North Carolina State in 2013, the Seminoles won 49-17.