5 Things for Week 6: SEC pass rushers; Browning for Heisman

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The sixth weekend of college football will feature four games matching ranked teams, a couple of heated rivalries that have been one-sided lately and likely some severe weather to work around.

The threat of Hurricane Matthew has already convinced a few schools, including No. 18 Florida, to postpone games. Where football is being played in much of the Southeast, expect it to be wet and sloppy.

Five things to know heading into week six.

BEST GAME

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Texas A&M

The Volunteers’ schedule has been relentless, following up the emotional win against Florida and the stunning victory against Georgia with a trip to Kyle Field.

The Vols and Aggies are meeting for the first time since A&M joined the Southeastern Conference and both are looking like league championship contenders. The marquee players are pass rushers.

Aggies defensive end Myles Garrett is a force who could be the first overall pick in the next NFL draft. Vols defensive end Derek Barnett has four sacks and is also a future first-round draft pick.

Extra intrigue: With Florida postponing its game against LSU and no makeup date planned, it should be noted that according to SEC rules the Gators at 6-1 would be the East champions over Tennessee at 6-2 with a victory against the Gators. The Vols play No. 1 Alabama next week.

HEISMAN WATCH

Washington quarterback Jake Browning has the highest passer efficiency rating among Power Five quarterbacks, 17 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. The Huskies played some weak competition to open the season, but last week’s statement win against Stanford has people paying attention.

This week they’ll try to follow-up by snapping a 12-game losing streak to Oregon. The Ducks are a mess and have lost three straight. It’s a prime-time game on Fox and Browning can thrust himself in the Heisman conversation with some gaudy stats against a team giving up plenty of them.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

3.58 — Yards per play allowed by No. 10 Miami, second-best in FBS.

6.98 — Yards per play allowed by No. 23 Florida State, 125th in FBS.

6 — Consecutive wins by Florida State against Miami.

8 — No. 15 Stanford’s winning streak against Washington State. One more victory by the Cardinal will give them the longest winning streak in the history of the series.

88 — The Ohio State record for touchdowns accounted for in a career held by Braxton Miller. J.T. Barrett needs for more to match it. The second-ranked Buckeyes host Indiana.

UNDER THE RADAR

Air Force tries to go 5-0 for the first time since 2005 when it travels to Mountain West rival Wyoming, which is looking for its first 4-2 start since 2011.

The schools are located about 200 miles apart and have played 55 times, including 37 consecutive seasons. Things got testy back in 2012 when then-Wyoming coach Dave Christensen ranted and cursed at Air Force coach Troy Calhoun after the game because he believed the Falcons were faking injuries to slow the Cowboys’ offense.

Wyoming has won three of the last five but overall Air Force leads 28-23-3.

COACH IN NEED OF A WIN

Texas coach Charlie Strong is back in an uncomfortable place. Two-game losing streak. Demoted a coordinator. The president of the school felt compelled to tweet out support for Strong this week.

The Red River Rivalry against No. 20 Oklahoma provided Strong and the Longhorns some relief last season with a surprising victory. Strong could use another one to get things righted in Austin, but with former Longhorns grad assistant Tom Herman making a playoff run at Houston pretty good might not be good enough for Strong this season.

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAp

FILE – In this Oct. 31, 2015, file photo, Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett sacks Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles, left, during an NCAA college football game in Lexington, Ky. The matchup Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, between No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Tennessee potentially features two of the naton’s top pass rushers in the Aggies’ Myles Garrett and Barnett, assuming Garrett is healthy enough to play after sitting out last week’s victory over South Carolina. (Adam Lau/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, File)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/10/web1_112877831-cd02040e4c1844799b4c8dc89843cd1e.jpgFILE – In this Oct. 31, 2015, file photo, Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett sacks Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles, left, during an NCAA college football game in Lexington, Ky. The matchup Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, between No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Tennessee potentially features two of the naton’s top pass rushers in the Aggies’ Myles Garrett and Barnett, assuming Garrett is healthy enough to play after sitting out last week’s victory over South Carolina. (Adam Lau/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, File)

FILE – In this Sept. 30, 2016, file photo, Washington quarterback Jake Browning, left, celebrates with wide receiver Aaron Fuller after Fuller caught a pass from Browning for a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Seattle. The Huskies are coming off smashing Stanford and have a top-five ranking for the first time since the end of the 2001 season. They even get a little extra rest having played last Friday night. Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks are on their first three-game losing streak since 2007. This looks like a mismatch in the Huskies favor, despite what recent history suggests. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/10/web1_112877831-d9e33cb749004318b54692da62d6b025.jpgFILE – In this Sept. 30, 2016, file photo, Washington quarterback Jake Browning, left, celebrates with wide receiver Aaron Fuller after Fuller caught a pass from Browning for a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Seattle. The Huskies are coming off smashing Stanford and have a top-five ranking for the first time since the end of the 2001 season. They even get a little extra rest having played last Friday night. Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks are on their first three-game losing streak since 2007. This looks like a mismatch in the Huskies favor, despite what recent history suggests. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

By Ralph D. Russo

AP College Football Writer

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