N.C. STATE (5-2) at MARYLAND (4-4)
Site: Byrd Stadium, College Park
Time: 7 p.m.
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM), WWRC (980 AM)
Series: Tied, 23-23-4
Line: N.C. State by 3
Outlook: The Terps (2-4 ACC) are trying to win three in a row for the first time since 1986, and they were last above .500 this late in the season in 1990. N.C. State (3-1 ACC) has the nation's ninth-rated defense, but it allowed 66 points in losses to Louisville and North Carolina. Injuries have affected the secondary. Maryland had five turnovers in a 44-21 loss in Raleigh last year, but is taking better care of the ball. QB Scott Milanovich (126-192, 1,389 yards, 11 TDs) has 111 passes without an interception. Sophomore WR Geroy Simon (53 catches, 652 yards, 3 TDs) is the ACC's most productive receiver, but N.C. State's Eddie Goines (32, 350, 3) might repeat as a first-team all-conference selection. QB Terry Harvey (73-127, 801 yards) has thrown for as many interceptions as touchdowns (five). The Wolfpack has won three straight in this series that began in 1909.
NAVY (1-7) at TULANE (1-7)
Site: Superdome, New Orleans
Time: 8 p.m.
Radio: WWLG (1360 AM), WNAV (1430 AM), WMAL (630 AM)
Series: Tulane leads, 6-1-1
Line: Tulane by 9 1/2
Outlook: Navy broke a 10-game losing streak by beating Lafayette three weeks ago, but was trounced by Notre Dame, 58-21, last Saturday. Now comes another opponent more to the fTC Midshipmen's liking, though Tulane defeated them last season, 27-25, on a field goal with no time left. Navy's ground game sputtered last week -- Will Smith was its leading rusher with 26 yards -- and Jim Kubiak continued to suffer from poor pass protection. He has been sacked 30 times. SE Damon Dixon, TE Kevin Hickman and TB Michael Jefferson are tied for the team lead in receptions with 33. The Midshipmen have 15 turnovers (10 interceptions, five fumbles), and opponents have scored 12 TDs off them. The home team has not lost in this series, and four of the eight meetings have been decided by three points or fewer. The Green Wave has lost six in a row since defeating Rice, 15-13, Sept. 10, but it came within 10 points of Alabama and two of TCU. Jerald Sowell again leads Tulane in rushing with 562 yards, and has 27 catches. Tulane quarterbacks amassed a season-high 260 yards passing last week in a 38-10 loss at Maryland.
SAMFORD (2-5-1) at MORGAN STATE (2-6)
Site: Hughes Stadium
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: WEAA (88.9 FM)
Outlook: Morgan State is coming off its biggest victory under fourth-year coach Ricky Diggs, a 24-20 win at Florida A&M; that marked the Bears' first road victory since rejoining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as a Division I program in 1984. QB Michael Moore and WR D'Anthony Cameron had their finest days in Morgan State uniforms. Moore passed for 286 yards and two TDs, one of them to Cameron, who caught four passes for 126 yards. Samford's record is deceptive. The Bulldogs have lost to Division I-A Southern Mississippi, while playing four other teams ranked in the Division I-AA Top 25. They tied Alcorn State and Steve McNair last week, 45-45. TBs Damian Hines and Anthony Jordan (more than 1,200 yards between them) lead Samford's offense. This is also a reunion of sorts. Morgan State offensive line coach Bubba Green and Samford offensive coordinator Roger Carr were former Baltimore Colts teammates.
KUTZTOWN (4-4) at TOWSON STATE (5-2)
Site: Minnegan Stadium
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: WITH (1230 AM), WTMD (89.7 FM)
Outlook: The Tigers are coming off the high point of their season, a 24-21 victory over then 20th-ranked Hofstra. QB Dan Crowley became the Tigers' all-time passing yardage king (8,801), and he figures to hook up often today with WR Mark Orlando (949 yards, 10 TDs), the top receiver in school history. RB Brian McCarty (559 yards rushing, 310 yards receiving, 11 TDs overall) continues to have a fine season, as Towson State's offense hums along with a 34-point, 434-yard average. The Tigers are also coming off a superb defensive effort. DB Chad Scott has five interceptions. LBs Mike Arbutina (70 tackles) and Marco Calise (six sacks) anchor a unit that must contain Kutztown RB Darrien Peoples (295 yards rushing, 235 yards receiving). The Division II Golden Bears are averaging only 16.8 points.
NEW HAVEN (6-2) at BOWIE STATE (2-6)
Site: Bulldog Stadium, Bowie
Time: 1 p.m.
Outlook: New Haven isn't as dominant as in recent years, although the Chargers are still a league above Bowie State, which they routed last year, 69-19, in the first meeting between the schools. QB Jim Weir (1,832 yards, 13 TDs), WRs Max Joyner-Brown and Joe Davis (1,050 yards, 14 TDs combined) and TB Roger Graham (1,373 yards, 16 TDs) lead a potent offense that is facing a struggling Bowie State defense. In their past four games, the Bulldogs have given up an average of 28.5 points. Their offense has struggled constantly, and remains last in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. QB Darrell Foote threw five interceptions in last week's 40-28 loss to Fayetteville State.
FROSTBURG STATE (7-0-1) at WAYNESBURG (3-5)
Site: College Field, Waynesburg, Pa.
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Radio: WFRB (560 AM)
Outlook: Waynesburg has spoiled two undefeated Frostburg State seasons in the previous four years, including a 24-22 victory at Bobcat Stadium late last season. Today, the Bobcats will try to bounce back from last week's scare, a 27-27 tie at Newport News. A loss would hurt their chances of returning to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Frostburg State needs to contain RB Mike Martinez (1,034 yards, 10 TDs). Behind QB Gilbert Telleria, Frostburg is ranked 20th in Division III in scoring offense (34.1 points per game).
SALISBURY STATE (2-5) at CATHOLIC (7-1)
Site: Dufour Stadium, Washington
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: WLVW (105.5 FM)
Outlook: Catholic is enjoying a remarkable turnaround from last year's 1-9 mark, thanks largely to QB Kevin Ricca and WR Steve Wilkerson (70 catches, 1,166 yards). Ricca is on a 2,000-yard passing pace. The Sea Gulls, after struggling to score early, have averaged 32 points a game over the past month. With two games left, QB Marc Thomas (1,572 yards, 9 TDs) needs 516 yards to break Salisbury's single-season passing record. RB Byron Pugh (763 yards, 11 TDs) has scored 10 TDs in his past
three games.
SWARTHMORE (3-5) at WESTERN MARYLAND (4-3)
Site: Bair Stadium, Westminster
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Outlook: Western Maryland can secure its first winning season since 1990. The Green Terror has beaten Swarthmore only twice in eight meetings at home, but Western Maryland has the hottest QB in the Centennial Conference in Brian Van Deusen (1,921 yards, 13 TDs), along with the league's best pair of receivers in Butch Schaffer and Alan Pietkiewicz (92 catches, 1,380 yards between them). Swarthmore has a fine group of running backs, led by TB Dave Reeser (490 yards, 5 TDs).
JOHNS HOPKINS (2-6) at FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (1-7)
Site: Williamson Field, Lancaster, Pa.
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Radio: WWLG (1360 AM)
Outlook: The Blue Jays will try to salvage a frustrating season, but they'll have to do it without QB Dan Redziniak, who left last week's 29-7 loss to Dickinson with a knee injury. Mike Bopp, whom Redziniak replaced in mid-September, will start. The Blue Jays will probably need another stellar effort from their defense to put away the Diplomats. DT Jelani Rucker (88 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) and LB Victor Carter-Bey (60 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) lead the unit.