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Thursday, September 9
 
Passing grade for quarterbacks nationwide

Associated Press

Want plenty of passing? Then sit back this weekend and watch.

When No. 10 Georgia Tech plays at No. 1 Florida State on Saturday, Tech's Joe Hamilton and the Seminoles' Chris Weinke should be heaving footballs all over Doak Campbell Stadium.

Antwaan Randle El
Indiana's Antwaan Randle El is the NCAA's all-time career rushing leader for QBs.

And drop in on Notre Dame's visit to Purdue (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) and its whiz kid Drew Brees. The Irish (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) feature the passing -- and running -- of Jarious Jackson.

There's also a matchup of unranked teams to keep an eye on in Bloomington, Ind., where North Carolina, with sophomore quarterback Ronald Curry, plays Indiana, with its sophomore star Antwaan Randle El.

After a week off, Weinke's arm is ready to go again after he was 20 of 32 for 242 yards and two TDs in a 41-7 win over Louisiana Tech on Aug. 28. It was Weinke's first game since he had surgery on his spine last November.

Hamilton, who has not fared well against Florida State, opened the season last week with 139 yards passing and three TDs -- two throwing, one running -- in a 49-14 win over Navy.

Last season, Tech trailed the Seminoles 10-7 late in the third quarter when Hamilton left with an injury. Florida State won 34-7.

Quarterbacks aside, note that Florida State is 7-0 vs. Georgia Tech since joining the ACC in 1992; the 'Noles are 50-1-1 at home in the '90s and are riding a 41-game home unbeaten streak.

Brees, who hit 24 of 36 passes for 261 yards and two TDs in last season's final-minute 31-30 loss at Notre Dame, opened '99 by completing 26 of 43 for 273 yards and four TDs in a 47-13 rout of Central Florida.

Jackson, meanwhile, was a thrill-a-minute in the Irish's 26-22 loss at Michigan last week. He threw for a career-best 302 yards and had two TDs -- one passing, one running. But he also had five errant pitchouts, was sacked four times and intercepted once.

Asked to compare the two, Purdue coach Joe Tiller kidded: "They are significantly different. Jackson is bigger, stronger, faster -- and prettier than Brees ... as long as Drew didn't hear me. On a serious note, Drew is probably the better thrower, but Jarious has improved tremendously from last year."

Randle El is another in a line of top option quarterbacks. In the Hoosiers' season-opening 21-9 win over Ball State, he threw for 154 yards and two TDs and ran for 118 yards and another score.

Curry likes to take off, too. In the Tar Heels' 20-17 loss to Virginia, he was 10 of 28 for 147 yards and a TD, and also ran 16 times for 55 yards.





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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Michigan vs. Notre Dame
Notre Dame QB Jarious Jackson finds a wide-open Jabari Holloway for the easy score.
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 Weinke hits Warrick for the TD bomb
Chris Weinke connects with Peter Warrick for this 44-yard-TD against Georgia Tech in '98.
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 Akron vs. Penn State
Penn State's Rashard Casey runs the bootleg to perfection for the score.
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 Nebraska vs. Iowa
Eric Crouch keeps it on the option and runs it in 28 yards for the TD.
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 Nebraska vs. Iowa
Bobby Newcombe finds Sean Applegate wide open for the 47-yard TD.
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 Miami Fla 57, Florida A&M 3
Kenny Kelly hits James Jackson for a Hurricane touchdown.
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