While it was good to kick my two-game losing streak, you sure hate to see someone lose their job in the process. However, there was simply no way coach Tommy Bowden could continue at Clemson after consistently failing to live up to expectations.

The 12-7 loss last Thursday night to Wake Forest was just another example of a game that the Tigers had no reason to lose, yet came out on the short end. In the big business of college football these days – especially at a school with high expectations like Clemson – it doesn’t take many games like that to put a coach in hot water.

With that said, I’m not going to lose too much sleep over coach Bowden’s fate. After all, due to the generosity of Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips, Bowden will get paid for the rest of this season plus receive a very nice parting gift: a $3.5 million buyout. Not too shabby considering the tough economic times we’re in.

With a mini one-game winning streak in hand, it’s time to turn the page to this Thursday and get ready for a double-header. Instead of focusing on one game, I’m going to touch on both and have a play on each game available in my pick pack.

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Florida State (4-1, 1-1 ACC) at N.C. State (2-4, 0-2 ACC)
Thursday, October 16
7:30 PM ESPN
Carter-Finley Stadium (Natural Grass)
Sports.com Line: Florida State -11, O/U 48

Certainly a strange feeling for the Florida State coaches leading up to this one. Not only do you have the aforementioned drama with coach Bobby Bowden’s son getting fired but there is also the return of Chuck Amato to Raleigh.

As you probably remember, Amato was the long-time assistant at FSU who was finally lured back to his alma mater, N.C. State, to take over as the head coach in 2000.

With Amato at the helm, the Wolfpack – usually in the role of the underdog – had some classic games against the ‘Noles and often came out on top, winning three times, including twice in Tallahassee.

But success against FSU alone couldn’t keep Amato employed and a 3-9 season in 2006 – one that included a 24-20 win over the Seminoles - spelled doom for the coach.

Florida State quickly brought him back to Tallahassee as the linebackers coach and this Thursday will be his trip back to Raleigh since he was fired from N.C. State.

The question is, can the Wolfpack revive some of that magic they often conjured up against the Seminoles with Amato on the sideline?

They certainly couldn’t last season as the Seminoles thumped N.C. State 27-10 at home, reversing a trend that had seen FSU drop four of the last six to the Wolfpack.

Florida St. comes into this game with momentum on its side after a hard fought 41-39 win against Miami in a driving rainstorm. The Seminoles are hopeful the victory was a sign of things to come from an offense that has struggled at times this season.

If QB Christian Ponder and RB Antone Smith are on top of their game, FSU will be hard to beat.

To keep FSU’s offense in check, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien is hoping LB Nate Irving will be able to play. Irving – one of the ACC’s premier playmakers - has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and will likely be a game-time decision.

Of course, defense is just half of the equation and as such, the Wolfpack know they must be productive on offense to have a chance. That responsibility will likely fall to a pair of RBs, Jamelle Eugene and Andre Brown, in addition to freshman QB Russell Wilson. That trio will definitely be tested by the speed of the FSU defense.

The Seminoles are 2-1 ATS to date, while the Wolfpack are 3-2.

#9 BYU (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) at Texas Christian (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West)
Thursday, October 16
8:00 PM ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Natural Grass)

Sports.com Line: PK, O/U 45

It’s been quite a while since BYU tasted defeat. The Cougars’ win last weekend against New Mexico extended the longest winning streak in the nation to 16 games, giving BYU a chance to move to 7-0 for the first time since 2001.

To do so, the ninth-ranked Cougars will have to win on the road and against one of the top defenses in the nation. TCU is No. 1 in the nation in total defense at 207.4 yards per game and is only allowing a ridiculously low 20.7 ypg on the ground so far. The Horned Frogs have held five of its seven opponents thus far in 2008 to seven points or fewer. The Oklahoma Sooners were the only team to score more than 14 points against TCU.

However, if any team has the offense to put a dent in the Horned Frogs, it’s BYU. Under the direction of QB Max Hall, the Cougars are averaging 38 points a game. Hall is 17-2 as a starter and has thrown at least two TDs in each of his last eight games while racking up 1,852 passing yards and 20 touchdowns so far in 2008. There is little doubt that Hall will look early and often to Austin Collie, a junior receiver who has eight is touchdowns in his last five games.

Coach Gary Patterson and TCU can’t match that type of talent on offense but hope that their stingy defense and the return of QB Andy Dalton will spell success. Dalton hasn't played since his right knee injury on September 27 against Oklahoma but has returned to practice and is hoping to suit up this Thursday night.

The two teams have squared off seven times over the years with BYU walking away a winner in five of those games, including three of four at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

BYU is just 2-3 so far this season against the spread while the Horned Frogs have been much more profitable for players with a 4-2 mark against the number.