Previewing Thursday night's college football TV game slate
Tonight's TV games
Georgia Tech (6-3) at No. 6 Clemson (8-1)
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET/ESPN. Surface: Grass.
Line: Clemson by 10½. Sagarin difference: Clemson by 8.85.
Synopsis: This is the final ACC contest for both teams. It won't have an impact on the conference race as far as Clemson is concerned — Florida State already has locked up the Atlantic Division — but the Tigers must protect their top-10 ranking to stay in position for an at-large BCS bowl invitation. The Coastal is quite a different story, with no team able to win the division on its own. A Georgia Tech loss at Clemson would change that, handing control of its own destiny to Duke. Yes, you read that right.
If the Yellow Jackets can pull off this upset they'd be in the clubhouse with a 6-2 league record, but they'd then need both Miami and Virginia Tech to lose in order to meet the Seminoles for the conference title. But first things first — the Ramblin' Wreck will have to run its ball-control option attack to near perfection to have a chance in Death Valley. QB Vad Lee's top producers are David Sims from the inside B-back position and Robert Godhigh from one of the A-back slots. They'll try to keep LB Stephone Anthony and the Clemson LB corps off-balance. But obvious passing situations for Georgia Tech would expose Lee to risk from Tigers' DE Vic Beasley. Clemson QB Tajh Boyd has the weapons to produce quick scores if needed. The most notable of these, of course, is WR Sammy Watkins, who will likely become well-acquainted with Georgia Tech CB Jemea Thomas. Boyd might also need TB Roderick McDowell to provide balance.
Marshall (6-3) at Tulsa (2-7)
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET/Fox Sports 1. Surface: Artificial.
Line: Marshall by 13½. Sagarin difference: Marshall by 15.38.
Synopsis: The Thundering Herd are two wins away from a season-ending collision with East Carolina that will likely determine the Conference USA East champion. Tulsa expected to be in a similar position in the West Division after claiming the league title a season ago. The Golden Hurricane have instead been one of 2013's most puzzling teams, with their current three-game skid officially eliminating them from the bowl picture. Tulsa's opening 34-7 thrashing at the hands of Bowling Green was perhaps an ill omen, and it hasn't helped that veteran QB Cody Green has taken a beating this season. If freshman Dane Evans is pressed into service again, he must count on senior TB Trey Watts, one of the Hurricane's few bright spots, to produce. Marshall is winless in four prior encounters with Tulsa and has looked vulnerable on the road at times, but QB Rakeem Cato is enjoying a solid senior campaign. His aerial threats include WR Tommy Shuler and TE Gator Hoskins.
Lines furnished by Glantz-Culver.
Jeff Sagarin's power ratings show the relative strength of teams; 3.91 points were added to the home team's rating to calculate the difference.
Eddie Timanus, a national colleges reporter and the poll editor for Paste BN Sports, is on Twitter @EddieTimanus.