GAMES OF THE DAY
No. 23 Wisconsin at No. 4 Ohio State, 8 p.m., ABC
Wisconsin’s roster lists 14 players from Ohio, including three from Columbus, the home of Ohio State.
Some of those 14 players grew up idolizing the Buckeyes, but didn’t receive a scholarship offer. Some players weren’t passionate Ohio State fans and were looking for a way out.
Chris Borland’s story might be the most compelling because of the games he has missed in his four-plus years at Wisconsin.
A senior linebacker, who grew up about an hour southwest of Columbus in Kettering, missed the 2010 and 2012 games because of injuries.
When Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) faces the Buckeyes (4-0, 0-0) on Saturday, it will mark his final chance to contribute in a victory against a team of which he isn’t especially fond.
Wisconsin was 1-5 against Ohio State during Bret Bielema’s seven-year run as coach, and the Badgers are 1-3 against the Buckeyes since Borland arrived in Madison in 2009.
After this season, the Big Ten realignment will put the teams in different divisions and will give the Badgers fewer opportunities to claim victory.
Meanwhile, they will fight an uphill battle — the Buckeyes are 16-0 under Urban Meyer.
“To win that many games in a row,” Meyer said, “that’s not normal. That’s a lot of commitment from a bunch of young players. Sometimes that’s a curse when you have a young player come in who thinks (winning every week) is the way it is. It’s not. It’s something you have to earn. I make sure I remind them of that once in a while.”
No. 14 Oklahoma at No. 22 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m., NBC
The first time Jarrett Grace saw Manti Te’o in front of him, Grace was a high school sophomore seated on his living-room floor. On the television was a wildly anticipated national signing day event in Hawaii, and like many others, Grace watched Te’o reach to the right and pull on a Notre Dame cap.
Grace had two more years at Cincinnati’s Colerain High School. So he kept watching.
“I knew he was a tremendous player,” Grace said. “If I go here, I’m going to have this great mentor.”
Ultimately, Grace arrived at Notre Dame to play linebacker. Ultimately, that meant more watching. But two years of idol time behind an admired star has reached the payoff stage, with Grace ascending into the spot for which he waited.
A defensive shakeup resulted in Grace, a 253-pound junior, starting at inside linebacker against Michigan State. He posted 18 of his team-high 28 tackles in the past two games. Enhanced comfort with an enhanced role might allow coaches to nudge senior Dan Fox back to the weakside linebacker spot as Grace seizes an opportunity he never had.
“Even last year, if something were to happen, he was ready to go,” cornerback Bennett Jackson said. “He knew all of his assignments. … He worked day in and day out knowing that he wasn’t going to get the reps he wanted in a game.”
He gets a good national spotlight Saturday against the 3-0 Sooners, who have won eight in a row since losing to the Fighting Irish 30-13 in Norman last season. Notre Dame is 3-1 and will effectively be out of the BCS title picture with another loss.
The Sooners are 16-4 coming off bye weeks under coach Bob Stoops.
WORDS WITH … CLEMSON’S VIC BEASLEY
A 235-pound defensive end from Adairsville High, Beasley ranks fifth in the nation with five sacks.
Q: How has the transition gone from situational pass rusher to starter?
A: I believe my mindset has changed. I knew the coaches were expecting a lot from me this season. I showed up, had a good spring, a good offseason and a good camp.
Q: Do you have your sights set on the school-record 16 sacks set by linebacker Keith Adams (Westlake High) in 1999?
A: If there's a record, I'm trying to break it. Whatever the record is, I am going for it. Last year, I used a lot of my quickness and not a lot of straight speed power. This year, I've put on a little weight and gotten stronger and tied that into my pass rush.
Q: Any doubts about being at Clemson?
A: I've had a lot of frustration and a lot of doubt. Thank God, I found a place, and I love where I'm at.
SIX PACK
No. 11 Oklahoma State at West Virginia, noon, ESPN: The Cowboys (3-0) are poised for their first top-10 ranking since 2011 with a victory in their Big 12 opener. It opens a stretch of three consecutive games against ranked opponents for the Mountaineers (2-2).
Wake Forest at No. 3 Clemson, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU: Clemson (3-0) owns the series, especially at Death Valley, and will be looking to put the offense back in high gear. The only shot for the Demon Deacons (2-2), a passing attack that features wide receiver Michael Campanaro, averaging eight receptions per game, against a Clemson pass defense that ranks 12th in the 14-team ACC.
No. 8 Florida State at Boston College, 3:30 p.m., ABC: The Seminoles (3-0) begin a stretch of seven consecutive ACC games, and already everyone is aiming at the Oct. 19 game at No. 3 Clemson. Catch this if for no reason other than to see freshman sensation Jameis Winston at quarterback. Despite his passing ability, the key in the game could be the ability of Boston College (2-1) to stop tailback Devonta Freeman. Boston College ranks 81st in FBS in yards allowed rushing.
Arizona at No. 16 Washington, 7 p.m., Fox: The Huskies (3-0) last were 4-0 in 2001, and the visiting Wildcats (3-0) last were at that mark in 2010. Washington has to stop tailback Ka'Deem Carey, who gained 172 yards last season as Arizona ran over Washington. Washington, with the No. 3 offense in the nation, and using an up-tempo style, will be favored.
No. 5 Stanford vs. Washington State, 10 p.m., ESPN: Stanford (3-0) looks to extend its 11-game win streak — second longest in the country — ahead of a trio of showdowns looming at home against Washington (Oct. 5), UCLA (Oct. 19) and Oregon (Nov. 7). Hard to say which Mike Leach team will show up. The Cougars (3-1) lost to Auburn and upset USC.
California at No. 2 Oregon, 10:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network: Cal (1-2) brings freshman quarterback sensation Jared Goff, the national leader at 435 yards passing per game. Oregon (3-0) has Marcus Mariota. According to research done by Football Study Hall.com, Mariota gets a snap off every 18.6 seconds, third fastest in the nation. Goff and Cal are next, every 18.8 seconds.
SPOTLIGHT … JAMEIS WINSTON, FSU
Who he is: A 6-foot-4, 228-pound redshirt freshman quarterback at Florida State, Winston has completed 50 of 64 passes for 718 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception with a 210.49 passing efficiency that ranks No. 2 in FBS.
Why teammates are impressed: "He keeps his same personality, which is really goofy and loose and just very competitive. He's just going out there being very comfortable in his own skin and just knowing his abilities. I feel like that right there is what's going to take him very far in this game." — safety Terrence Brooks
Little-known fact: No. 5 jerseys arrived Tuesday at the Garnet & Gold store on campus. "We can't promote it that it's a Jameis Winston jersey because you cannot use a current players' name to promote anything," Garnet & Gold marketing manager Austin Moore said. "But it's made specifically because of him. The way it works, whenever we order Nike, we have to order about eight months in advance. Before the season started, they had already (picked) the numbers before we had a quarterback decided."
What the coach says: "He did a great job of watching E.J. (Manuel, now with the Buffalo Bills). Of the things E.J. did, watching film, studying opponents, going and watching practice film. I think (Winston) did a very good job of that. That allowed him, because of the predecessor and his own demeanor, to know more than a lot of guys do at that stage." — Jimbo Fisher
What Winston says: "I'm a competitor till the day I die. When he says I'm getting too aggressive, that means I'm making decisions off of emotions and not off of business. … That's when mistakes start to happen."
About the Author
