Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009

Today's SEC, ACC games

North Carolina (8-3) at N.C. State (4-7), noon

N.C. State has won two in a row in the series and has not won three in a row against the Tar Heels since winning five consecutive games from 1988-92. North Carolina has won four in a row and five of six overall. This is the first time since 1998 these rivals have closed out the regular season against each other. North Carolina 24-16.

Wake Forest (4-7) at Duke (5-6), noon

Wake has won nine in a row in the series. Expect a ton of passes: Duke's Thaddeus Lewis has a good chance to finish as the ACC's No. 2 career passer, and Wake's Riley Skinner has a good chance to finish as the ACC's No. 4 career passer. Wake Forest 34-26.

Ole Miss (8-3) at Mississippi State (4-7), 12:20 p.m.

The home team has won nine of the past 10 in the series. Mississippi State is playing for respect; Ole Miss is playing for a likely bid to the Capital One Bowl. Ole Miss 34-23.

Florida State (6-5) at Florida (11-0), 3:30 p.m.

Florida owns the nation's longest winning streak at 21 and will play for the national title with a win in this one and next week against Alabama in the SEC championship game. The Gators have won five in a row in the series; they have not won six in a row against the Seminoles since 1981-86. Florida 38-16.

Miami (8-3) at USF (7-3), 3:30 p.m.

This is the second meeting between the schools; Miami won the first, in 2005. South Florida already has beaten Florida State this season, and a sweep of Florida's two ACC schools would provide a huge boost on the recruiting trail for the Bulls. USF is 4-1 at home this season, with the only loss coming to Cincinnati. Miami 27-23.

Boston College (7-4) at Maryland (2-9), 3:30 p.m.

Neither team is proficient offensively; BC ranks 99th in the nation in total offense, while Maryland is 101st. But BC is much better defensively; the Eagles are 28th in total defense, the Terps 88th. Boston College 27-17.

Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (3-8), 3:30 p.m.

It seems as if it will be the final game for Virginia coach Al Groh, whose team is destined for its third losing record in the past four seasons. The Hokies have a five-game winning streak in the series. Virginia Tech 40-21.

Arkansas (7-4) at LSU (8-3), 7 p.m.

LSU coach Les Miles is looking forward to the kickoff, if for no other reason than people will stop talking about LSU's bad-beyond-belief clock management at the end of last week's loss to Ole Miss. Arkansas has won two in a row in the series, and the last time the Hogs won three in a row against the Tigers was 1927-29. LSU 20-17.

Tennessee (6-5) at Kentucky (7-4), 7 p.m.

Kentucky has broken two long droughts this season; it won at Auburn for the first time since 1966 and it won at Georgia for the first time since 1977. The Wildcats have not beaten the Vols since 1984. That 24-game winning streak is the longest active streak in major-college football among opponents who play annually. Tennessee 22-17.

Georgia (6-5) at Georgia Tech (10-1), 8 p.m.

The Yellow Jackets won last season to snap a seven-game losing streak in the series. Tech is looking for its first two-game winning streak in the series since 1998-2000, when it won three in a row. Georgia is trying to avoid its first six-loss season since 1996, which was Jim Donnan's first season as coach. Georgia Tech 38-24.

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