WHO TO WATCH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND

December 3-5

Oregon State (8-3) at Oregon (9-2); 9 PM ET Thursday; ESPN … There is probably no more heated in-state rivalry in college football than the annual Civil War out in Oregon between the Oregon State Beavers and the Oregon Ducks. Its just that few outside the state generally ever see the game. That will change this year, though, as the Pac-10 title and a spot in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State will both be on the line when the 13th ranked Beavers and the 7th rated Ducks meet in Eugene Thursday evening on ESPN. Both Oregon State and Oregon are fun to watch, although neither is likely to be major players at the 2010 draft. Indeed, the headliner for both teams is a young RB, in the case of Oregon State sophomore Jacquizz Rodgers (#1, 5-7, 195), while red shirt freshman LaMichael James (#21, 5-8, 180) carries the mail for the Ducks. Both backs have run for over 1,300 yards on the season with the Beavers’ Rodgers also chipping 67 pass receptions. In fact, no one will fault the Ducks if they think they are seeing double as Jacquizz’ older brother James Rodgers (#8, 5-7, 185) leads Oregon State with 77 receptions this fall. Meanwhile, Oregon’s James was thrust into the spotlight this fall back in September when RB LeGarrette Blount (#, 6-1, 240) was suspended for punching an opponent after the team’s season-opener. Blount will play against Oregon State, but only as a back-up. Meanwhile, other seniors pro scouts will b checking out Thursday evening include rising TE Ed Dickson (#83, 6-4, 245), DE Will Tukuafu (#39, 6-3, 275), and SS T.J. Ward (#2, 5-10, 205) of Oregon and QB Sean Canfield (#5, 6-3, 220), OLB Keaton Kristick (#32, 6-2, 230) and CB Tim Clark (#21, 5-11, 170) of Oregon State.

MAC Championship: Central Michigan (10-2) versus Ohio (9-3); 8 PM ET; Friday; ESPN2 … For pro scouts, Friday’s MAC title game is a final chance to check out CMU QB Dan Lefevour (#13, 6-3, 225), one of the most dual-threats in the country north of Florida. Indeed, Lefevour, who completed over 70% of his pass attempts this fall, passed for almost 3,000 yards this season, while rushing for another 650. Along the way, Lefevour accounted for 39 TDs including 25 through the air and 14 on the ground, while throwing only 5 picks. Lefevour has a pair of outstanding targets in WRs Bryan Anderson (#7, 6-4, 205) and junior Antonio Brown (#27, 5-9, 180) who had 50 and 89 receptions respectively this fall. The CMU defense lacks the star power of the offense, but has a couple of hard-working DEs in Frank Zombo (#98, 6-3, 270) and Larry Knight (#95, 6-3, 250), while CB Josh Gordy (#19, 5-10, 195) heads the secondary. Meanwhile, Ohio could be hard-pressed to make it three years in a row with at least one player drafted, but has an emerging sleeper in WR Taylor Price (#23, 6-0, 210) who has legit track speed, while RB Chris Garrett (#2, 5-8, 190) is a very good kick returner.

Cincinnati (11-0) at Pittsburgh (9-2); Noon ET Saturday; ABC … Cincinnati’s fairy tale run at an unbeaten season and a spot in a BCS bowl has one more obstacle when the Bearcats travel to Pitt to play the Panthers for the Big East conference title. Saturday’s game also offers Cincinnati QB Tony Pike (#15, 6-5, 225) a final chance to sow he belongs in the same mention as other top prospects for this year’s draft including McCoy and Tebow. Pike’s favorite target is WR Mardy Gilyard (#1, 6-0, 190) who has 149 receptions over the past couple of seasons and is one the best senior wideouts in the 2010 draft class; and for good measure, he’s also a terrific KO returner. At the same time, OT Jeff Linkenbach (#71, -5, 315), a strong run blocker with long arms and athletic feet, has evolved into a very good second-tier LT prospect. Meanwhile, other Bearcats pro scouts are watching include FS Aaron Webster (#17, 6-2, 205), CB Brad Jones (#25, 6-1, 205), LB Andre Revels (#50, 6-0, 220) and TE Kazeem Alli (#83, 6-2, 260). Pitt, though, should provide Cincinnati with its toughest test of the year, especially playing at home. The Panthers will look for pressure on QB Pike from junior DE Greg Romeus (#91, 6-4, 265), a former basketball star who didn’t start playing football until his senior year in high school and is still very raw, but is a rangy DE with potentially dominating athletic skills. Meanwhile, other veteran Panthers who might draw some later round or free agent interest this spring include TEs Dorin Dickerson (#2, 6-2, 230) and Nate Bynam (#80, 6-2, 250), feisty, albeit undersized DTs Mick Williams (#95, 6-1, 290) and Gus Mustakas (#93, 6-2, 280), QB Bill Stull (#11, 6-2, 220), WRs Oderick Taylor (#88, 6-2, 205) and Cedric McGee (#1, 6-0, 205), C Robb Houser (#64, 6-2, 285), OGs John Malecki (#74, 6-2, 280) and Joe Thomas (#56, 6-4, 290), LB Adam Gunn (#8, 6-1, 230) and CB Aaron Berry (#17, 5-10, 175). The stars of the show, though, are freshman RB Dion Lewis (#28, 5-8, 195) and super soph WR Jon Baldwin (#82, 6-5, 220).

SEC Championship; Alabama (12-0) versus Florida (12-0); 4 PM ET; Saturday; CBS … The game that everyone has been waiting for all year between the #1 ranked Gators and #2 Tide for the SEC title and a guaranteed spot in the BCS national title game. For good measure the SEC title game also features a ton of talent for the upcoming draft, including arguably the most interesting prospect of all in Florida QB Tim Tebow (#15, 6-3, 245). Tebow will almost assuredly go down as one of the great players in college football history, however, he still has more detractors than fans among NFL personnel people. Indeed, there are whispers that because of his less than text-book mechanics, more than one NFL team is actually looking at Tebow as a great athlete who will have to switch to another position such as FB, TE or even LB, although he is one of the most efficient passers in the country with a career completion rate of 66%.

In fact, it won’t be a total shock if Tebow isn’t even the first Gator off the board this coming April as MLB Brandon Spikes (#51, 6-2, 260), along with juniors Carlos Dunlap (#8, 6-5, 290), a full-sized DE with a burst off the edge, and CB Joe Haden (#12, 5-10, 180) each has top 15-20 potential themselves. Dunlap, though, put his name up for this year’s ‘Dumbsman Trophy’ when he was arrested for a DUI offense earlier in the week and won’t play Saturday. The Gators, though, still have a decent DE in tweener Jermaine Cunningham (#49, 6-3, 255), himself a late-first day prospect for this year’s draft, to give the Gators some kind of pass rush. And Florida could have several other first-day prospects this coming April if any of emerging juniors such as TE Aaron Hernandez (#81, 6-2, 255), C Maurkice Pouncey (#56, 6-4, 315), OG Mike Pouncey (#55, 64, 320), OT Carl Johnson (#6-5, 330), DT Lawrence Marsh (#90, 6-4, 305), or FS Major Wright (#21, 6-0, 205) opt to enter leave school early this winter. Meanwhile, veteran Gators who will get later round or free-agent interest include the WRs Riley Cooper (#11, 6-2, 215), a big-play threat who also has baseball options, LBs Ryan Stamper (#41, 6-1, 230) and Dustin Doe (#32, 6-0, 230), PK Jonathan Phillips (#38, 5-10, 220) and KR Brandon James (#25, 5-7, 185).

For its part, Alabama, may have this year’s ‘biggest’ prospect in DT Terrence ‘Mount‘ Cody (#62, 6-4, 365) a massive fire hydrant with top 20 potential for the upcoming draft. And Alabama could have a second possible opening round pick for 2010 in junior MLB Rolando McClain (#25, 6-3, 255) a full-sized tackling machine with quickness and smarts, while athletic OG Mike Johnson (#78, 6-5, 300) should be one of the first 2-3 players off the board at the position this coming April. Meanwhile, other top Tide veterans to watch include CB Javier Arenas (#28, 5-9, 195), who doubles as one of the most dangerous punt returners in the country with 6 TD returns in his career, physical FS Justin Woodall (#27, 6-1, 220), TE Colin Peek (#84, 6-6, 255), a rangy transfer from Georgia Tech with soft hands, RT Drew Davis (#79, 6-6, 300), DEs Brandon Deadrick (#95, 6-3, 290) and Lorenzo Washingon (#97, 6-4, 285), CB Marquis Johnson (#24, 5-10, 190), PK Leigh Tiffin (#99, 6-1, 200) and P P.J. Fitzgerald (97, 5-10, 195).

ACC Championship: Clemson (8-4) versus Georgia Tech (10-2); 8 PM ET; Saturday; ESPN … The ACC title game could come down to a battle between arguably the top two RB prospects for the 2010 draft in Clemson senior C.J. Spiller (#28, 5-10, 195), the ACC player of the year and Georgia Tech junior Jonathan Dwyer (#21, 5-11, 235). In fact, Georgia Tech has a number of quality juniors who could impact the upcoming draft including DE Derrick Morgan (#91, 6-3, 275), WR DemaryiusThomas (#8, 6-2, 230) and DB Morgan Burnett (#1, 6-0, 210). That’s good for Yellow Jackets as the program really doesn’t have much in the way of seniors prospects this year. Pro scouts, though, will be focused in on a number of very good Clemson veterans along with RB Spiller including speedy WR Jacoby Ford (#6, 5-9, 185), OLB Ricky Sapp (#7, 6-3, 240), C/G Thomas Austin (#65, 6-3, 315), TE Michael Palmer (#86, 6-4, 250), Bs Chris Chancellor (#38, 5-9, 165) and Crezdon Butler (#18, 5-11, 185) and LB Kavell Conner (#33, 6-0, 225).

Big XII Championship: Texas (12-0) versus Nebraska (9-3); 8 PM ET; Saturday; ABC … The Cornhuskers are the final hurdle for Texas to overcome to finally make it to a national title game in the Colt McCoy era. McCoy (#12, 6-3, 210), the top-rated senior QB in the 2010 draft class, has done just about everything for the Longhorns except lead them to the promised land. And while Nebraska likely won’t go down without a fight, Texas has surrounded McCoy with so much supporting talent that a Huskers win would go down as one of the biggest upsets in conference championship game history. WR Jordan Shipley (#8, 5-11, 195), the all-time leading receiver in Texas high school history who was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA after he missed two full seasons with knee and hamstring injuries, is one catch away from cracking the 100 mark for the season. Meanwhile, DE Sergio Kindle (#2, 6-3, 255), struggled a bit this fall after moving up from SSLB, but is still a dynamic edge rusher who has racked up 17 tackles for loss, while veteran OT Adam Ulatoski (#74, 6-6, 310) is a top 100 prospect, although junior OT Kyle Hix (#64, 6-6, 320) is probably the better prospect. Other Texas players to watch include OLB Roddrick Muckelroy (#38, 6-1, 235), C Chris Hall (#71, 6-3, 300), DT Lamarr Houston (#33, 6-2, 290), OG Charlie Tanner (#52, 6-3, 305) and PK Hunter Lawrence (#15, 6-0, 190). The player pro scouts want to see in this game though is Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh (#93, 6-3, 305) who could very well be the first player taken overall at the 2010 draft after camping out in opposing Big XII backfields all year. Suh anchors a swarming defense which also includes veterans such as SS Larry Asante (#, 6-0, 210), opportunistic FS Matt O’Hanlon (#33, 5-10, 195), OLB Phillip Dillard (#52, 6-0, 240), and DE Barry Turner (#99, 6-2, 270). If the Huskers are to stay with Texas, they will need some kind of productivity from a very young offense. Indeed, junior RB Roy Helu (#10, 5-11, 215) is the unit’s only solid future pro prospect.

Have a great weekend!

If you have comments or suggestions e-mail: The editor.

Great Blue North Draft Report Privacy Policy.

The GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT is a division of SQUITERLAND ENTERPRISES, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada