College weekend previews

Ohio at George Mason

MAC attack » The Bobcats (2-0), who beat the Patriots (4-1) last year in an ESPN Brackbusters game in Athens, are favorites to win the Mid-American Conference under first-year head coach John Groce, who arrived from Ohio State.

Taking flight » With Monday’s narrow win over Stony Brook, American (4-1) picked up its fourth consecutive victory and matched the program’s best start since the 1999-2000 season. Nick Hendra had a career-high 16 points against the Seawolves, who ended Garrison Carr’s streak of three straight games with at least 24 points. Garr continues to pace the Eagles with 20.4 points per contest.

Fairly tough tests for Fairfield » All of the losses for the Stags (2-3) have come against major conference teams — Memphis, Virginia Tech and Missouri. Forward Warren Edney (12.8 points per game) is from Vienna (James Madison High).

California at Maryland

Return of the King » Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski said he’s been trying to get senior Graham Zusi to channel the play of former midfielder Stephen King and make more central runs into the box. Zusi did just that in the Terps’ second round win over George Mason, his close-range header all but clinching Maryland’s victory.

“It was his first goal with his head in his career,” said Cirovski of Zusi. “So we all had a good laugh about that.”

(King, by the way, had a strong rookie season with Chicago and was picked up by Seattle in this week’s MLS expansion draft.)

Bears back in Terps’ sight » California (12-3-5) beat Maryland (19-3), 1-0, on Aug. 31, in the teams’ second game of the year at UCLA. Bears sophomore Servando Carrasco scored the game-winner.