Hokies visit Syracuse while Pac-10 matchups highlight weekend

By Swapnil Patel

For the Daily

This weekend's matchups around the top 25 feature several Pac-10 rivalries.

No. 2 Virginia Tech (4-0 Big East, 6-0) at Syracuse (1-1, 3-3): Virginia Tech, setting itself up for a second- straight appearance in the national championship game, looks to destroy Syracuse once again.

The Hokies stomped the Orangemen 62-0 last year, handing Syracuse its worst loss since 1912.

For the Orangemen to have any chance of victory, they must contain Michael Vick and running back Lee Suggs, who lead the potent Hokies offense.

Riding a 17-game regular-season win streak and having scored at least 35 points in every game this season, the Hokies are for real.

They rank seventh in the nation in total offense, averaging 458 yards per game and are third in scoring average (46.17 points per game).

Virginia Tech 56, Syracuse 10

No. 20 Arizona (3-0 Pac-10, 5-1) at No. 11 Oregon (3-0, 5-1): Oregon, which is surprisingly off to its best conference start in 43 years, faces a surging Arizona team.

The impressive performances of running back Leo Mills and quarterback Ortege Jenkins have helped the Wildcats win their last four games.

Mills looks to build on his two-touchdown, 129-yard rushing performance last week against Washington State. After having some early-season troubles, Jenkins is completing 50 percent of his passes this season.

At stake is the Ducks' 18-game home-win streak, the second-longest current run in the nation behind Florida State.

With bowl eligibility up for grabs and the inside track to the Rose Bowl, both teams should be hungry for a win.

Considering the Ducks 44-41 victory last year, expect another shootout Saturday.

Oregon 42, Arizona 35

No. 18 Oregon State (2-1 Pac-10, 5-2) at No. 24 UCLA (1-2, 4-2): Oregon State, having won five of its first six games for the first time since 1964, invades Pasadena for a crucial showdown with the Bruins.

The upstart Beavers hope to continue their balanced attack.

Quarterback Jonathan Smith leads the productive passing offense while Ken Simonton ranks fourth nationally rushing with an average of 149 yards per game.

UCLA, an early-season national championship contender after beating both Michigan and Alabama, can only play the role of spoiler, having lost two of its last three games.

The Bruins, already last in the conference in rushing, will again be shorthanded as DeShaun Foster continues to sit out with a broken right hand.

UCLA, led by potential All-America wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, seeks to avenge its 55-7 loss last season against the Beavers.

Oregon State 31, UCLA 21

No. 22 Notre Dame (4-2) at West Virginia (2-2 Big East, 4-2): The Fighting Irish, once again resurfacing in the top 25, visit Morgantown for the first time in Notre Dame's 111-plus seasons of football.

Notre Dame's 45-14 trouncing of Navy last week helped freshman quarterback Matt LoVecchio become more familiar with the starting role. In his two career starts, LoVecchio has looked impressive, completing 24-of-39 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns.

West Virginia faces a ranked opponent for the second straight week. Coach Don Nehlen will once again go for his 200th career win after an unsuccessful attempt last week in a 48-20 loss at the hands of Virginia Tech.

Interestingly, the Irish have not won a road game since 1998, when they defeated Navy 30-0. Look for the trend to stop this week.

Notre Dame 24, West Virginia 21

AP PHOTO

Sophomore quarterback Michael Vick leads No.2 Virginia Tech into upstate New York this week for a battle against Syracuse.