OrangeBowl.org | News Who the Experts Say Will Play In the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl

OrangeBowl.org | News

Who the Experts Say Will Play In the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl

Miami Lakes, FL (www.orangebowl.org) – Another top-10 team fell in week eight of the college football season while the nation’s second ranked team needed a blocked field goal on the final play to hold on for the win. Then-#10 Miami (FL) dropped a heartbreaker to conference rival Clemson 40-37 in overtime in a game that saw 12 lead changes and two ties. Clemson speedster C.J. Spiller showed why he is one of the most dangerous weapons in college football as the running back led the Tigers with 81 yards rushing, 104 yards receiving, including a 56-yard TD, and a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Clemson improved to 3-2 in ACC play, tying Boston College for the ACC Atlantic Division lead. The Tigers control their own destiny, already having beaten Boston College and Wake Forest.

Crimson Tide 350-pound nose guard Terrence Cody blocked a 44-yard field-goal attempt on the final play – his second block of the fourth quarter – as #2 Alabama escaped with a 12-10 victory over rival Tennessee. #1 Florida won its 17th straight game and snapped its four-game losing streak in Starkville as the Gators hold off Bulldogs' upset 29-19. Florida is 7-0 for the first time since its national championship season of 1996. Colt McCoy completed his first 11 passes and produced touchdowns on #3 Texas' first three drives, helping to put the Tigers away early in a 41-7 victory. McCoy's commanding performance helped Texas win its 11th in a row overall while improving his record to 39-7 overall at Texas, tying Tennessee's Peyton Manning for second in career victories.

Other games on note across the top-25 saw then-#6 Iowa also win on the last play of the game to remain among the unbeatens as Ricky Stanzi connected with Marvin McNutt for a 7-yard touchdown pass to enable the Hawkeyes to escape with a 15-13 victory at Michigan State. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes, helping then-#8 TCU thump then-#16 BYU 38-7. The Horned Frogs improved to 7-0 and 3-0 in the Mountain West. Playing without star quarterback Tony Pike, then-#5 Cincinnati rolled up 41 points and 468 yards of offense while improving to 7-0 as the Bearcats were all over Louisville 41-10. Cincinnati is off to its best start since 1954. Allen Bradford ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns while Matt Barkley threw for 202 yards and two scores as the then-#7 Trojans hung on to avenge last season’s loss with a 42-36 win over pesky Oregon State.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, then-#12 Georgia Tech snapped an eight game losing streak dating back to 1990 in Charlottesville as the Yellow Jackets steamrolled Virginia 34-9. Georgia Tech has its first 7-1 start since its national championship season of 1990 when it went 11-0-1. Boston College saw its six game winning streak over Notre Dame come to an end as the Irish downed the Eagles 20-16. It was first win for the Fighting Irish over the Eagles since 2000. Florida State outscored North Carolina 24-3 over the game's final 22 minutes to rally in Chapel Hill 30-27. Christian Ponder threw for a career high 395 including a 98-yard touchdown pass to Rod Owens which tied the school record for longest pass play in school history. Thaddeus Lewis threw for 371 yards and two scores as Duke held off Maryland 17-13. Navy’s triple-option proved to be key a driving rainstorm with a water-logged football as the Midshipmen downed Wake Forest 13-10.

Week nine of the college football season features key conference games across the nation with BCS berths on the line. #3 Texas looks to take control of the Big XII South division as the Longhorns travel to Stillwater to face #14 Oklahoma State. #4 USC looks for its first win in the state of Oregon since 2006 as the Trojans take on the #10 Ducks in Eugene. Georgia looks to upend #1 Florida in Jacksonville in a big SEC battle. In the ACC, #19 Miami (FL) heads to Winston-Salem to face Wake as both squads look to get back on their winning ways following last weekend’s disappointing losses. #13 Virginia Tech hosts North Carolina in a Thursday night match up while #10 Georgia Tech goes out of conference to face Vanderbilt.

The 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, to be held on January 5, will feature the first available pick among the BCS at-large teams against the ACC Champion. For tickets, log on to www.orangebowl.org or call 305-341-4702.

With just 70 days until the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, here are the BCS bowl projections provided by some of the experts from across America:

	Mark Schlabach ESPN.com	Bruce Feldman ESPN.com	Collegefootballnews.com	Stewart Mandel SI.com	CBSSportss.com
Rose Bowl presented by Citi January 1	Iowa vs. Oregon	Iowa vs. USC	Iowa vs. Oregon	Iowa vs. USC	Iowa vs. Oregon
Allstate Sugar Bowl January 1	Florida vs. Cincinnati	Alabama vs. Cincinnati	Alabama vs. Cincinnati	Florida vs. TCU	Alabama vs. Cincinnati
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl January 4	USC vs. TCU	Penn State vs. Boise State	USC vs. TCU	Oregon vs. Cincinnati	Penn State vs. Boise State
FedEx Orange Bowl January 5	Georgia Tech vs. Boise State	Georgia Tech vs. TCU	Georgia Tech vs. Penn State	Georgia Tech vs. Penn State	Georgia Tech vs. TCU
Citi BCS National Championship January 7	Alabama vs. Texas	Florida vs. Texas	Florida vs. Texas	Alabama vs. Texas	Florida vs. Texas