Theater preview - Hank Williams talks about musical bio from beyond the grave

City Stage will complete its trilogy of music legend musicals this week when it opens “Hank Williams: Lost Highway.” It's the last of three shows that included “Always … Patsy Cline” and “Elvis … The King and Me.”

Want to go?

What: “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik. Presented by City Stage.
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 28-Nov. 1 and Nov. 4-8, with additional Sunday matinees Nov. 1 and 8.
Where: City Stage, 21 N. Front St. (fifth floor), downtown Wilmington
Tickets: $20-$22, with $2 student and senior discounts.
Details: 342-0272 or www.CityStageAtLevel5.com

City Stage had a successful run with “Lost Highway” in 2007, and the 2009 version brings back the same director (Don Baker) and most of the same cast, including Zach Hanner in the title role.

The show, which features a couple dozen of Williams' hits and is infused with loads of humor, follows the singer from his early days in Alabama to success at the Grand Ole Opry and his ultimate demise.

In the spirit of Halloween, Hanner agreed to do an interview in character as Hank Williams, who passed on to the great hereafter in 1953 at the age of 29.

What memories, fond or otherwise, do you have from the last time you appeared at City Stage a couple of years ago?

Well, it was a doggone good time, what little I remember of it. That whiskey'll do a number on your noggin. I sure do remember that the folks there was awful nice to us and me and the boys had us a ball. Heck, I thought we was runnin’ everybody out ‘cause at the end of the show, they was all standin’ up like they was ready to leave. But then they kept on clappin’ and hollerin’. It was quite somethin’ and the fellas and me shore did appreciate it.

What do you like best (or least) about singing with your wife, Audrey (played by Madison Weidberg)?

You got to understand that just because you love somebody, don't mean you need to work together. Now Miss Audrey, and I cared more about that woman than anyone 'cept my momma, she's a real sweet gal but her voice is somethin' that'd make a possum hop out of a trash can and that ain't easy to do. What the good lord give her in looks, he held back in her vocal chords. I’d say singin’ with that gal is ‘bout as close to wrestlin’ with the devil that I ever come.

I heard you and (‘Lost Highway’ director) Don Baker used to pal around back when y’all were growing up. What was he like back then, and how do y’all get along today?

Ol’ Don’s got to be up around 80 years old now, I reckon. Back when we was young’uns, his mama and my momma was in the sewing circle together. We used to pinch their snuff tins and get loopy out back on that powdered tabacca. Lord, you ain’t never had a buzz until you put a pinch of that between your cheek and gum! I remember one time him throwin’ up in the spittoon and me havin’ to rinse it out. I nearly gagged doin’ that mess! These days, he has a hard time keepin’ up with me but he’s still a pretty good ol’ cuss. Don’t trust him around your girlfriends, though.

What’s the best advice your mama, played by Kitty Fitzgibbon, ever gave you?

Mama was always on me about goin’ to church. When I was a little feller, we went ever Sunday and some Wednesdays but when I started playin’ the honky tonks, that sort of fell off. It’s hard to make it to service when you been up ‘til 5 a.m. the night before. Well, this one time I followed her advice and while I was dozin’ off, the preacher said that he had “fought off the devil and ‘saw the light.’” I ripped a page out of the back of the hymnal and took a pencil and wrote the lyrics to “I Saw The Light” right there. It turned out to be a good idea to go to church that day, I reckon.

If you could go back and meet with your old friend Tee-Tot, who taught you how to sing the blues, what would you say to him?

The first thing I’d do is ask for that $20 bill I loaned him back in ’49! Then I reckon I’d ask him for a slug of that Old Crow I used to give him. I’d bring him a bottle and he’d teach me to sing from my heart, to sing about what I know and not sing somebody else’s damn song. That feller taught me the other side of music, the part that helps you deal with life by expressing your sorrow and pain, as well as your joy. Oh yeah, ol’ Tee-Tot done me good alright.

If you had to cut your show down to three songs, which ones would you pick, and why?

I reckon I'd have to start with “Honky Tonk Blues” 'cause that's the one about our early days, burnin' up the back roads and playing all them blood bucket honky tonks in our youth, drankin', fightin' and meetin' purty girls. I'd have to do “Lovesick Blues,” which was our first big hit and got us on the Grand Ole Opry. The first time we played there, they made us do six encores of that song, somethin' that ain't happened before or since. “Lost Highway” is a purty good look at what I was feelin' in the last years of my life: “A rollin' stone/ All alone and lost.”

Have you heard tell of this Zach Hanner fella? He seems to think he can do a pretty good impression of you.

Well, he's nice enough I reckon but he's a might too old to be playin' me. We do share a common love of whiskey, pickin' and purty girls but he's one ‘a them married fellas and don't like the carousin' the way I do. Lucky for him his wife's a real looker and his young'un's just about as sweet as they come so I'll let him slide if he tries to go home early. I just got to get him to put down that dang ukulele. If I hear “Tiny Bubbles” one more time, I’m a’ gonna have to open a can of whup-ass!

I know you love the ladies, Hank, so we’ll keep this one between me and you – which local diner has the best-looking waitresses?

I done eat all around this town and them little gals over thar at the Dixie Grill are about as cute as they come. Ol’ Brian over yonder, he knows how to pick ‘em. I’d wager them little ladies do right good for themselves. I like them Flamin’ Amy’s gals too, but I reckon I just ain’t used to all them tattoos the girls get today. But they are sweet as sugar and them burritos and bowls go down a little easier when you got a purty thang a’ waitin’ on ya.

Got anything else to say to the folks here in Wilmington?

I just hope that all our friends and neighbors here in the Port City will take a night out and come join us to celebrate some good music and learn a little bit more about my life. Now I ain’t the one sayin’ it, but a lot of folks think I’m the one what brought the blues and country music together, which would make me one of the founding fathers of that ol’ stuff they call rock and roll. They also say that I set the blueprint for the “live hard, die young” type of rock star like that Morrison fella, the Hendrix kid and even that boy name ‘a Cobain from up yonder in Washington state. I don’t know about all that but I do know one thing. Don’t worry about nothin’, ‘cause ain’t nothin’ gonna be alright nohow

The Takeaway: Michigan State

Sure, Iowa just squeaked by the Spartans, 15-13. But how much do we really know? What was really important about beating Michigan State? What does it all mean, Basil? The Takeaway has the answer.

Did we have to jump over the sad Jerel Worthy? Doesn't that seem like rubbing it in? Oh well; at least Micah Hydedidn't sneak in a few rib kicks.

50/50. Going into the game, with the betting line oscillating somewhere between Iowa -2 and MSU -2 (recall that HFMR called it a pick'em and nobody complained), this game was essentially a 50/50 affair. Heads, the Hawks win; tails, we crawl into an oven and have a sympathetic friend turn it to 350 degrees (you'd think as high as it can go, but broiling humans doesn't really do the trick as elegantly; the skin chars too quickly and actually let's go ahead and drop this subject now).

Sure enough, for all the drama packed into the first 59 minutes and 45 seconds, it all culminated in Iowa down four points, ball on the MSU seven yard line, and one timeout. Not a gimme, certainly not impossible. 50/50.

After three unsuccessful throws, the Hawkeyes called time out and Ken O'Keefe called... a fade route. Yes, we know what happened on the play, but KOK called a fade. Let's let Marvin McNutt tell the story:

McNutt told offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe that cornerback Chris L. Rucker lined up on his outside shoulder, giving McNutt, with the steps and technique, an open release to the inside, the quick slant. McNutt told O’Keefe he could win with the fade, but that Rucker was on the outside.

"If you have a bad release, you’ve got to go to the other side," said McNutt, who played just two plays against Wisconsin the week before because of a jammed thumb . "I came off him. I think they put another DB on me. The last couple times I ran a fade. I told coach that he was playing off me and on the outside.

"I told him I could win on the slant. He trusted me enough to call the play where I was isolated on the slant. And we won."

Just like that, it turns into a play where it's just one man against another, and whoever makes the play wins the game. 50/50. And though it's already a constant staple of coachspeak, there's rarely so vivid an example of how one player can affect one play, one game, and one season.

Are we officially calling this play "Seven Gets Six"? Because if so, that's fine, but one more vote here for "McNutts in your motherfucking mouth." Although we guess that one's more of a mouthful. Doesn't roll off the tongue. Pause.

Lest we forget, both McNutt and Ken O'Keefe deserve credit for that play call. McNutt's credit needs no explanation, but KOK listening to McNutt's observation and adjusting the play call instead of pulling a "you're run the play I fucking told you to run"--which a lot of coaches would probably do with the game literally on the line--is commendable.

Further, recall that this would not be the first time an Iowa player has affected the call of a play that ended up deciding the ballgame. Back in Week 1, after these refs were out to get our boys, Jeremiha Hunter told the team that the UNI kicker was firing line drives over the middle. Iowa adjusted to overload the middle and swatted the potentially fatal kick away.

Think about that. Obviously, all teams have smart players and all coaches encourage their players to be observant and everything. But to have a coaching staff that trusts its players enough to change their last calls of the game--twice--is a special situation.

Ugh.

Fare thee well, Dace Richardson. Broken ankle, says the QC Times, and fuck that sucks. While Dace didn't have the spate of random injuries plaguing him like Tony Moeaki, what he did have was a knee that betrayed him with a drunk ex-wife's malevolence. With that knee healthy, Richardson was back in business this season, and had been Iowa's steadiest, best performer on the line through the first seven games. He was a mid-season All-American, and nobody flinched.

One freak play later, Richardson was on the ground, having been rolled up from behind. Just like that, his regular season's definitely over, and January's completely in doubt as well. In other words, Richardson's star-crossed career with the Hawkeyes may already be over. If so, what a damned shame.

Julian Vandervelde was fine, we suppose, but he's not Dace, and that's just one more area where Iowa's going to have less of an advantage than they would have preferred. Fortunately...

It looks like Bryan Bulaga is back. Maybe it's just because he wasn't facing guys like O'Brien Schofield or Brandon Graham. Maybe it's just because the coaches fixed something in his mechanics coming out of his stance. Maybe that thyroid still had a little bit of recovery to do. Whatever. Dude come to play last night, and thank God--it was agony to see him fall off so badly and struggle against the type of player he would normally eat for breakfast. We didn't get any "putRiley Reiff back in there already" texts this weekend, and it's not only because Reiff's holding it down at right guard.

It's doubly a shame that Richardson went out, because it looked as if Iowa had the front five it had wanted all season long, with this fourth version of the starting o-line (Bulaga, Dace, Rafael Eubanks, Reiff, and Kyle Calloway) starting its third straight week--and, it would appear, its first with Bulaga back to his usual self. Now, we prepare for the fifth iteration.

That hook-and-ladder was awesome. Boo Michigan State and all, but yeah. That's all. Nice call, Dantonio.

And finally, this time the breaks didn't go Iowa's way, and it was still okay. For as much of a dynamic playmaking unit the defense has been all season long, this week served as proof that there is a bit of luck to creating turnovers. Three times, the Hawkeye defense basically had a ball in hand and each time, they failed to turn it into Iowa ball.

1. Just before the half, Kirk Cousins threw an insanely ill-advised out route, one that bounced off Hunter's hands. If he catches it, it's either six points or Iowa in easy field goal range. Incomplete, and the half ended without incident.
2. In the third quarter, Adrian Clayborn chases down Larry Caper and strips the ball inside MSU's 20 yard line; though Clayborn falls onto the ball, he doesn't gain possession of it, and MSU eventually recovers. The Spartans would keep this drive alive and kick a field goal to gain a 6-3 lead.
3. Later in the third quarter, with MSU again inside their own 20 yard line, Cousins lofted a pass under duress; the ball floated on Cousins and hit a diving Shaun Prater in the hands before harmlessly falling incomplete. It would take seven snaps and three first downs for Iowa to get to the field position they'd have had if Prater had caught the ball.
   

Yes, it would have been the toughest of these three plays, but does this reaction look like Prater had no shot at it?

Now, this isn't to say that Iowa deserved to win by bigger or that MSU had no opportunities to force a turnover or whatever. It's just that there were three moments at which the Hawkeye defense had its hands on the ball and couldn't give Iowa (at least) a very short field by hanging on. That Iowa still won is a testament to the mental toughness of both sides of the ball.

Not every team comes away from those missed golden opportunities with a win. And for Iowa, until that clock hit 0:00 with the ball in McNutt's hands, that was a 50/50 proposition.

Week 7 Pick 'Em: Will Irish eyes be smiling?

Cincinnati at South Florida (Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m.)
Both Big East schools are coming off bye weeks after easy wins over mediocre opponents on Oct. 3. Cincinnati (5-0, 1-0 Big East) handled a road game at Miami of Ohio with no issues as they won 37-13 and the Bulls (5-0, 1-0) got their first conference victory in a laugher at Syracuse. Bearcats' quarterback Tony Pike, the Big East's leader in total offense with over 306 yards per game, jumped onto the national stage the last time these two teams met last season. Pike, broken arm and all, went 20 of 28 for 281 yards and two scores to upset then-No. 24 USF in Cincinnati. Both the Bulls and Bearcats will enter Thursday's primetime game ranked in the AP Top 25 but it is Pike's team that comes in inside the Top 10. However, the Bearcats remain slightly untested as their best win thus far was the opening week of the season, 47-15 at Rutgers. They had closer-than-expected games at Oregon State and against Fresno State in consecutive weeks. South Florida has dealt with adversity this season and has come out better for it. Senior quarterback Matt Grothe got hurt and is out for the year but freshman B.J. Williams has come on and hasn't missed a beat. The Bulls beat up on the Seminoles in Tallahassee three weeks ago in Williams' first game and he's been nothing but solid in his two starts.
Jeff's breakdown: This Thursday night affair featuring two ranked undefeated Big East schools should prove highly entertaining. The Bulls and Bearcats both have excellent offenses and defenses. USF is ranked 36th nationally in total offense and 10th in defense, giving up just 263 yards per game. They will need that defense against a Cincinnati offense averaging over 468 yards per game and ranked 11th in the nation. The Bulls are looking for some sweet vindication after the upset they suffered at the hands of the Bearcats last season and since this game is at home, Williams and company should have just enough on offense and defense to overcome the higher ranked Bearcats for an upset of their own.

Iowa at Wisconsin (Oct. 17, Noon)
Last season in Iowa City the Hawkeyes dominated the Badgers, 38-16. This year should be a much different story. Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) enters Saturday's game having suffered its first defeat of the season on the road at heavily favored Ohio State. Iowa (6-0, 2-0) narrowly defeated Michigan last week and has had two close calls in a row, as it also had a scare the week prior against Arkansas State. The Badgers are led by RB John Clay, who is among the best in the Big Ten with almost 107 rushing yards per game. Since Iowa is allowing 134 rushing yards per contest, Clay should be able to eat up large chunks of yardage. Wisconsin doesn't have a stellar passing attack and will give the Hawkeyes a steady dose of the run all game. Iowa does not have the greatest offense as they rank 67th nationally and the defense isn't amazing, either. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi has been more of a game manager than top offensive weapon and it was really the defense that helped them beat the Nittany Lions. Their Sept. 26 win at Penn State was easily their season's highlight thus far and they've been largely underwhelming since that game.
Jeff's breakdown: Iowa seems ripe for a letdown as the undefeated team has played very close games the last two weeks at home against Arkansas State and Michigan, two teams they should have handled easily. They just haven't looked as sharp since winning at Penn State three weeks ago and hitting the road against a Wisconsin team that returns home after its first loss of the season should translate into loss No. 1 for the Hawkeyes.

Oklahoma at Texas (Oct. 17, Noon)
The Red River Rivalry should be as good as ever on Saturday despite Oklahoma coming in with two losses. Despite losing to open the season against BYU, losing Heisman Trophy-winning QB Sam Bradford to injury and then another loss two weeks ago to Miami, the Sooners were high on life after getting Bradford back in an easy win over Baylor last week. Now they can concentrate fully on revenge against their Big 12 rivals, who upset them in Dallas last season when the Sooners were ranked No. 1 in the land. Despite the 45-35 loss last season, Bradford threw for 387 yards and five touchdowns against the Longhorns and should be 100 percent by this week's game. Colt McCoy threw for 277 yards and a touchdown in the game last year but has been one of the best in the nation in 2009. Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) comes in ranked second in the nation. Coming off an easy win over Colorado, the 'Horns are largely untested thus far. Outside of a home victory over an unranked Texas Tech team, which did prove their defensive dominance, Texas hasn't seen a team as good as Oklahoma yet while the Sooners have been thoroughly tested already this season.
Jeff's breakdown: The Sooners might be down in the rankings compared to the Longhorns but their defense is as good as ever and their Heisman winner is back just in time. Texas ranks inside the top 10 both offensively and defensively but the Sooners aren't far behind. We think OU will return the upset favor in what should prove another exciting installment of the Red River Rivalry game.

Minnesota at Penn State (Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m.)
It hasn't been since 2006 that Penn State and Minnesota locked battle in the Big Ten and the Nittany Lions won that game 28-27 in overtime. Nothing about these two teams is the same three years later, well, except for the fact that PSU is still heavily favored to win the game. Penn State wasn't nearly as good back in '06 as coach JoePa has them now at 5-1, 1-1 in the Big Ten and ranked just outside the Top 10. Minnesota handled Purdue last week 35-20, one week after losing their only Big Ten contest at home against Wisconsin. They also lost earlier in the year at home against then-No. 8 Cal. Penn State's lone loss came three weeks back as Iowa limited the Nittany Lions to just 10 points in a 21-10 loss. Coming off back-to-back wins at Illinois and against FCS Eastern Illinois, PSU really hasn't had its first impressive win. That said, the Nittany Lions rank 23rd in total offense and 8th in defense and Minnesota isn't even close at 99th and 77th, respectively. Minnesota QB Adam Weber has not been very good this season despite having the Big Ten's best wide receiver in Eric Decker at his disposal. Decker is 7th in the nation in receptions and leads the Big Ten with 114.8 yards per game. That said, PSU's pass defense is one of the best in the country as well.
Jeff's breakdown: Penn State is playing at home and with QB Daryl Clark and RB Evan Royster running the show, it is hard to believe Minnesota has much of a chance. Royster is 3rd in the Big Ten in rushing and Clark leads in passing efficiency and is 3rd in total offense with over 246 yards per game. They struggled offensively against a solid defense in their loss to Iowa, but Minnesota is not Iowa. The Nittany Lions should be able to score and their top-notch defense will keep the Gophers in check.

USC at Notre Dame (Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m.)
Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez led the Trojans to a big 38-3 victory over the Fighting Irish in Los Angeles last season and it seemed that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' job was in jeopardy following the clunker. Both teams head into their annual rivalry game on Saturday at 4-1, only this time, it is the Irish, with Weis' job safe, that has a quarterback in the Heisman race, as Jimmy Clausen has been absolutely phenomenal with over 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two picks. USC has a future Heisman candidate of their own in freshman Matt Barkley, but despite coach Pete Carroll's affinity for the youngster, he has only three touchdowns and two interceptions to his credit. USC is largely a running team this season and are led by Joe McKnight. Notre Dame, on the other hand, doesn't run nearly as well as they pass frequently and own the 8th-best passing offense.
Jeff's breakdown: Two factors should make all the difference on Saturday. Notre Dame will be playing in front of Touchdown Jesus but although they are on a three-game winning streak, they've beaten Michigan State, Purdue and Washington by a total of 13 points. They've been allowing far too many points to mediocre teams and their defense ranks 100th in the nation. USC, on the contrary, ranks 6th and 4th, respectively, in total and scoring defense and should be able to shut down Clausen and the Irish. Notre Dame is far better in 2009 than when it lost at USC last year, but we still think the result will be the same, another Trojan victory.

Washington at Arizona State (Oct. 17, 10:15 p.m.)
Arizona State thoroughly defeated Washington in Seattle last season, but that wasn't saying much as Tyrone Willingham's Huskies couldn't win a single game in 2008. Steve Sarkisian's Huskies already have a win over then-No. 3 USC to their credit. That said, Washington is still just 3-3 and 2-1 in the Pac-10. They lost to then-No. 11 LSU the opening week of the season and suffered back-to-back defeats immediately following the win over the Trojans at Stanford and at Notre Dame. Washington is coming off a wild home win over Arizona, 36-33, and is in for a defensive battle against the 3rd best defense in the nation. It is a good thing that the Sun Devils are so good defensively, because their offense leaves a lot to be desired. Led by QB Danny Sullivan and RB Dimitri Nance, ASU is 79th in total offense. Washington, led by QB Jake Locker and RB Chris Polk, is only slightly better offensively but their defense is among the worst in the FBS.
Jeff's breakdown: Arizona State (3-2, 1-1 Pac-10) lost at Georgia and at home against Oregon State in consecutive weeks and hasn't shown much of anything this season against decent teams. That said, their defense is still stout and should be able to limit Washington at home. We like the direction the Huskies are headed under their new coach but still feel that they'll be picking up their second Pac-10 loss of the season on Saturday.

Arkansas at Florida (Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m.)
Florida is 5-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation, a position in the polls only strengthened on the heels of their 13-3 victory at then-No. 4 LSU Saturday night. Arkansas is 3-2 and 1-2 in the SEC and unranked. That said, the Razorbacks are as hot as any team in the nation right now after consecutive wins at Texas A&M and against then-No. 17 Auburn. Quarterback Ryan Mallett is ranked 18th in the nation in total offense and is tops in the SEC with over 280 yards per game. He's giving Florida's Tim Tebow a run for his money as the SEC's best signal caller. Of course, coming off a concussion suffered against Kentucky two weeks prior, Tebow solidified his spot in the Heisman race with a heroic performance at LSU as he went 11 of 16 for 134 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 38 more yards, grinding out gains when Florida needed it most. Arkansas has definitely proven itself thus far and the offense is absolutely legit. Ranked 15th in the country in total offense, they have been even better finding the end zone with over 37 points per contest. Of course, Florida, the defending national champs, have been even better. The Gators are the second-best running team in the country with over 284 ground yards per game and are 6th overall despite not concentrating on the pass for lack of need. The difference maker here, however, lies in the defense. While the Hogs hand out yards and points in bunches, Florida owns the nation's best defense. They are No. 1 in passing, total and scoring defense and teams are averaging just under seven points per game against them.
Jeff's breakdown: Arkansas has been on a nice run and is definitely an up-and-coming team in the SEC. Some might argue that the Gators are ready for a letdown game after their big win at LSU. But this is an Urban Meyer-coached team and with Tebow still not 100 percent following the concussion, the Gators are not leaving anything to chance. They will be prepared, they certainly don't want to lose on homecoming and the bottom line is that Mallett and the Razorbacks will simply be overwhelmed by the defense.

Cal at UCLA (Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m.)
Despite the return of QB Kevin Prince last week for the Bruins, they still lost its game against Oregon, 24-10. Prince did not play all that well in his return and UCLA has now lost two straight to fall to 3-2 and 0-2 in the Pac-10 as they get set to host Cal on Saturday. The Bears, unfortunately, haven't been much better lately. Ranked inside the Top 10 at one point this season, Cal has also lost its last two games at Oregon and against then-No. 7 USC last week. As these two teams get set to do battle, something has got to give. The last time Cal played the Bruins, in Berkeley last season, the Bears won handily 41-20. Running back Jahvid Best rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in that game and is averaging almost 103 yards per game this season. That said, Best has been limited to just 102 yards total the last two weeks and hasn't seen the end zone in that time. UCLA is just as good against the run as Oregon has been this season and that could mean another tough day for Best, who is obviously having trouble with his offensive line. UCLA's signature win came in Week 2 at Tennessee, but that Vols squad isn't the same one that destroyed Georgia last Saturday.
Jeff's breakdown: Both of these teams need a win in the worst way to stay competitive in the Pac-10 standings. The Bruins have the home-field advantage and the edge defensively but their offense has been just abysmal and is one of the worst in the nation. Hopefully Prince gets more comfortable in his second game back but we still think the Bears will have enough offensive firepower to come into Los Angeles and leave with their first conference win.

Kentucky at Auburn (Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.)
In case you didn't notice, the Kentucky Wildcats will be playing the fourth and final installment of what was just a brutal stretch of football games on Saturday at Auburn. Because the Tigers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) lost last weekend at Arkansas and dropped out of the rankings, is the only reason Kentucky won't be meeting their fourth straight ranked SEC opponent. The Wildcats (2-3, 0-3) started the season 2-0 with wins over Miami of Ohio and Louisville but have since lost three straight. They were pounded in the first two at home to No.1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama and then played close on the road at No. 22 South Carolina and lost a nail biter, 28-26. Now they must go up against the fifth-best offense in the nation in Gene Chizik and Guz Malzahn's Tigers in their home stadium. That's right, Auburn, a team that was just awful last year under longtime coach Tommy Tuberville, is suddenly one of the most entertaining and high-flying teams in the nation with quarterback Chris Todd throwing passes to Darvin Adams and Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb running the football. Kentucky's 59th-ranked defense will have to stand very tall on Saturday. These two teams have not met since 2005, when Auburn was an annual BCS contender and Kentucky was, well, Kentucky. Auburn has gone from great to terrible and back again since then. The Tigers' defense still leaves a lot to be desired and it was majorly exposed in their first loss last Saturday at Arkansas. The Tigers can score but are also allowing over 27 points per game against them this season. Kentucky's offense has been dismal but their bright spot is the running game, where Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb can do some damage against the 84th-best rush defense in the nation.
Jeff's breakdown: If this game were in the Blue Grass State there would be much more to speculate here. At Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium, one of the loudest places to play in the south, we don't feel the Wildcats will be able to put up enough offense to match what Auburn will do coming off its first loss. The Tigers suffered a setback but make no mistake. They are a good football team, better than Kentucky, and they will show that with a win going away on Saturday.

Missouri at Oklahoma State (Oct. 17, 9:15 p.m.)
It must have been an emotional win all around last Saturday as the Cowboys defeated Texas A&M in College Station. Oklahoma State, ranked 16th in the nation, had just lost one of the top wideouts in the nation when the NCAA ruled Dez Bryant ineligible due to his failure to disclose his relationship with Deion Sanders. Also out against A&M was running back Kendall Hunter, who missed his third straight game with a leg injury. To make matters worse, quarterback Zac Robinson had just lost his grandfather before the game. Still Mike Gundy's team fought and won to improve to 4-1 and 1-0 in the Big 12. Missouri (4-1, 0-1), on the other hand, was undefeated before losing its first game last Saturday against conference foe Nebraska. It was the Tigers' first real test and they failed it. Missouri comes in ranked 38th in the nation in total offense thanks in large part to a passing game that is ranked 18th with almost 275 yards per game on the arm of Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert, however, is currently questionable for Saturday with an ankle issue. The Cowboys are slightly better offensively but certainly will suffer without Bryant. They were able to overcome last week but Texas A&M is far worse against the pass than Mizzou. Hunter is another issue, but the team has gotten by just fine on the legs of Keith Toston and should that continue for another week, it won't likely slow them down much. If anything, Hunter's return could be a big boost should it occur.
Jeff's breakdown: There is no doubt that both of these teams can light up the scoreboard. Each are averaging over 30 points per game and the Cowboys are in the top 10 in scoring at 38.4 per. The Tigers will want to rebound from their first loss but their talent level just doesn't compete with Gundy's Cowboys. With the game in Stillwater, it just doesn't seem Missouri will be able to avoid starting 0-2 in the Big 12.

Ohio State at Purdue (Oct. 17, Noon)
Purdue (1-5, 0-2 Big Ten) has to feel fortunate to be getting No. 7 Ohio State at home. After winning their season opener over Toledo, not much has gone right for the Boilermakers. They've lost five straight games, including getting walloped last Saturday at Minnesota. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, just easily handled a good Wisconsin team to win their fourth straight and start the year 5-1 and 3-0 in conference. OSU won 16-3 the last time these teams met last season in Columbus. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor did nothing spectacular but managed the game that saw just one touchdown on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by the Buckeyes. Pryor, now in his second season at the helm, is a much more complete player this time around. Still, like last year's game, the Buckeyes expect to win with a defense that is ranked 11th in the nation and 7th in scoring allowing just 12 points per game. It will have to be good on the road against a Purdue team that can certainly gain some yards and ranks 37th in total offense with over 410 yards per game.
Jeff's breakdown: Unfortunately for the Boilers, their defense is dismal and their propensity to turn the ball over is great. This bodes quite well for the Buckeyes, who don't exactly rack up the yards. Did you know Ohio State's offense is ranked just 86th in the FBS? They manage to score almost 30 points per game and rely upon their defense to create those points. Coach Jim Tressel's team should be able to do that effectively on Saturday and continue on their quest for a Big Ten title and BCS berth.

South Carolina at Alabama (Oct. 17, TBA)
Just when the Gamecocks were getting comfortable in the AP rankings at No. 22, they have to travel to Tuscaloosa for a game against No. 2 Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC). These two teams meet for the first time since 2005 when the Crimson Tide beat USC handily, 37-14. The programs are much different nowadays and while Steve Spurrier has his team flying high with four straight wins, including an upset over then-No. 4 Mississippi, Nick Saban's Tide are rolling along themselves. 'Bama won at Virginia Tech in the season's opening week and most recently also crumbled an Ole Miss team that was ranked 22nd when the Tide beat them in Mississippi. If South Carolina (5-1, 2-1) does one thing really well it is stop the passing game. USC is ranked 6th in the nation in pass defense. Unfortunately for them, Alabama doesn't pass all that well anyway. They'll stick to a ground game ranked 11th in the nation with over 223 yards per contest. While South Carolina is among the top 15 defenses in the nation, they have trouble stopping the run. Speaking of defense, complimenting their top offense, Alabama is the second-best defense in the nation behind only Florida and is allowing under 13 points per game.
Jeff's breakdown: Running back Mark Ingram is among the best in the nation, Greg McElroy has been most efficient handling the passing game and wideout Julio Jones is an amazing talent. Those offensive standouts plus a defense that makes teams wilt are the difference for an Alabama team that likely won't be seriously tested again until they get to the SEC championship game. It just doesn't seem likely that USC can beat Alabama in their home stadium.

Texas Tech at Nebraska (Oct. 17, TBA)
Something has to give in Saturday's showdown in Lincoln between Texas Tech (4-2, 1-1 Big 12) and No. 15 Nebraska (4-1, 1-0). Texas Tech is ranked second in the entire nation in scoring but, guess what? The Huskers are also ranked second, in scoring defense. Tech is dropping 43 points per game on folks while Big Red is giving up just eight. Tech can't run but throws for over 443 yards per game, good enough for the second-best total in the nation, but once again, Nebraska has the answer as they rank 14th in pass defense and is allowing just 163 yards per contest. Nebraska lost in a close high-scoring affair last season in Lubbock. Graham Harrell threw two touchdown passes in that game, both to Michael Crabtree. Both of those players are gone now but with Tech's offensive scheme, it doesn't seem to matter who is throwing or catching the football. Case in point, Harrell's replacement, Taylor Potts, was among the best in the nation in the early going this season. He's since suffered a concussion and missed last week's game against Kansas State. His replacement, Steven Sheffield, threw for 490 yards and seven touchdowns. Sheffield would be a fine replacement if Potts can't go so the Raiders have no worries there. Nebraska could be missing RB Roy Helu, ranked 13th in the nation with over 110 yards per game on the ground, as he suffered a shoulder injury last week. He's questionable for the game but the Huskers expect to have him in tow.
Jeff's breakdown: You can expect another high-scoring affair like last year's contest. As we said, something has got to give and we think that will apply to both teams. The Nebraska defense that has held largely mediocre offenses in check will be tested to their limits and the Tech offense that has been so good will face their staunchest opponents yet. In the end, we feel that Nebraska, which does fine on the scoreboard themselves with almost 37 points per game, will make the important stops and limit the Raiders just enough to remain undefeated in the Big 12 and get vindication from last year's loss.

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (Oct. 17, 6:00 p.m.)
Virginia Tech beat the Yellow Jackets in Blacksburg last season in a closely-contested 20-17 game and you just know the Buzz is looking for some sweet vindication. Making it ever more sweet is the fact that the Hokies are ranked No. 4 in the nation. A win for Georgia Tech would put them back in the driver's seat in the ACC Coastal division and knock current leader, Virginia Tech, off the pedestal. Both teams come in on a roll as Georgia Tech (5-1, 3-1 ACC) is ranked 19th in the polls after consecutive wins over then-No. 22 North Carolina, at Mississippi State and at Florida State last Saturday. Virginia Tech hasn't lost since the first game of the season against No. 2 Alabama and just dismantled a decent Boston College team last week. Historically known for their defenses, these two teams have been putting up some points lately. Virginia Tech is averaging 34 points per game and the Jackets are right behind at 33. The Jackets, led by star RB Jonathan Dwyer, are No. 4 in the country in rushing with over 277 yards per game, but, once again, Tech, led by freshman Ryan Williams, isn't far behind at 208.5 yards per game and ranked 16th. On defense, the Hokies have the edge, though they aren't as dominant as they once were. Giving up 26 points to Duke will cause people to think they can score against you.
Jeff's breakdown: In front of the faithful in Atlanta, Georgia Tech, which needs this win badly to make up ground in the ACC standings, should pull the upset. These are two evenly matched teams but Dwyer and company might want it more. We expect this to be an entertaining high-scoring affair and, in the end, like the Yellow Jackets to run away with it, literally and figuratively.

Wake Forest at Clemson (Oct. 17, Noon)
This game features two ACC teams that aren't exactly exhibiting BCS-championship caliber potential. Wake Forest (4-2, 2-1 ACC) visits Death Valley and a Clemson team that is under .500 at 2-3, 1-2 in conference and is coming off a bye week after losing three of its last four games at then-No. 15 Georgia Tech, against then-No. 15 TCU and in their last game against a 2-4 Maryland team that had struggled to beat James Madison earlier this year. Both of Wake Forest's losses have come to mediocre teams as Baylor and Boston College have combined 7-4 record. They have solid wins over Stanford and N.C. State but have yet to face a Top 25 opponent. The last time these teams met was last season as Wake QB Riley Skinner directed a ranked Demon Deacons squad past Clemson in a defensive struggle, 12-7. Skinner is back for his senior season and is the captain of an offense that is 25th best in the FBS at 426 yards per game. Clemson RB C.J. Spiller has struggled this season and so has the Clemson offense.
Jeff's breakdown: While it sounds like all the advantages go to Wake, these teams are more evenly matched than you'd think. That is because of Clemson's 8th-ranked pass defense. The Tigers know Wake has trouble running the ball and has a pass-oriented offense and they have what it takes to keep Skinner in check. Clemson is craving a big win and home cooking is just what the doctor ordered for them to get one on Saturday.