College Football Corner: Thanks, Texas Tech

No. 20 Georgia Tech (7-2) (+4) at No. 19 North Carolina (6-2), noon EST, (Raycom): The Tar Heels have seen a big turnaround in 2008, thanks to the leadership of former Miami head coach Butch Davis. After going 23-48 from 2002 to 2007, the team is not only bowl eligible after eight games, it's now looking for a division title and an ACC Championship.

Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer

Georgia Tech, comes off last Saturday's emotional 31-28 victory over Florida State that featured two long touchdown runs by running back Jonathan Dwyer and a game-ending turnover by the Yellow Jackets that ended the Seminoles' 12-game win streak in the series. Along with Dwyer's running, Georgia Tech will keep the ball on the ground with quarterback Josh Nesbitt still working to understand the spread offense being installed by first-year Head Coach Paul Johnson. the new head coach. Dwyer and Nesbitt have produced a tandem that is the top rushing offense in the ACC and ninth-best in the nation.

A heavy ground game may be the best strategy for the Yellow Jackets considering North Carolina's defense leads the nation in interceptions, including four returned for touchdowns. Corner's choice: North Carolina 29, Georgia Tech 24. -- Edison Sanon

Kansas (6-3) (+1) at Nebraska (5-4), 2:30 EST (FSN): Normally, being the sixth-best team in the Big 12 isn't much to shout about, but this year is an exception. The Jayhawks returned 15 players, including junior quarterback Todd Reesing, from a squad that went 12-1 in 2007, but the rest of the conference has improved that much more. The intrigue here is whether Kansas can follow Missouri's lead earlier this year by ending a long winless streak in Lincoln. Kansas lost at Nebraska in overtime two years ago, keeping intact a drought that goes back to 1968. The Jayhawks aren't quite as good on both sides of the ball as last year, but Reesing and wide receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier can still put up points. Running back Jake Sharp scored four times in last weekend's blitz of Kansas State.

Kansas WR Kerry Meier

With a win Saturday, first-year Cornhusker Coach Bo Pellini has an excellent chance to finish 8-4 and give the Memorial Stadium faithful hope that the program has rid itself of the relative mediocrity of the Bill Calahan era, and is on its way to restoring the program to its lofty past. Nebraska hasn't finished in the Associated Press Top 10 since 2001. Work still needs to be done, as the team just hasn't matched up against the league's "Power 5," but one of the worst BCS defenses of 2007 has improved significantly, led by senior defensive end Zach Potter. Corner's Choice: Kansas 34, Nebraska 28.

Corner kicks: Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer's 17th season will be his last. The Volunteers' head man has "agreed" to step down following season's end. Fulmer was a victim of his own early success, going 63-11 in his first six seasons and winning the national championship in 1998. After that, SEC East rivals Florida and Georgia got the better of him, and the possibility of a second losing season in four years sealed his fate. ... Besides the job in Knoxville, high-profile vacancies are open, or are likely to be, in Washington, Clemson, Syracuse and Auburn. Former Oakland Raider Head Coach Lane Kiffin, a former offensive coordinator at USC, and Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp are getting a lot of early buzz as the Next Big Things in coaching. ... Ron Prince, who was headed toward a second straight losing year at Kansas State, is out as coach after three seasons. Prince forgot the Cardinal Rule: Never follow the guy who has the stadium named after him. Bill Snyder led the Wildcats to 10 AP Top 20 finishes in 11 seasons from 1993-2003. ... With most teams having two or three games remaining, the schedule makers have a big say in determining winning or losing seasons. Stanford (5-4) has a tough hand, with games at Oregon, vs. USC and at Cal. On the brighter side of things, Wisconsin (4-5) should get to 7 wins as it closes out against Indiana, Minnesota (at home) and Cal Poly.

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