FRANKIE AND MIKE BEGIN TO WORRY THAT AXL'S CHANCES OF GETTING A COLLEGE SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP HAVE PASSED HIM BY, AND SUE IS DETERMINED TO PROVE THAT SMILING IS CONTAGIOUS FOR A SCHOOL SCIENCE PROJECT, ON ABC'S "THE MIDDLE"

"The Smile" - While other kids begin receiving college acceptance letters and Axl still hasn't, Frankie and Mike begin to worry that their son's chances for a sports scholarship have passed him by. Meanwhile, Sue is determined to prove that smiling is contagious as a hypothesis for a school science project, and a relentless Brick begins pestering his parents for an iPad, on "The Middle," WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"The Middle" stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick.

Guest starring are Roger Rees as Mr. Glover, Beau Wirick as Sean Donahue, John Gammon as Darrin, Brock Ciarlelli as Brad Bottig, Adam Kulbersh as mailman, Heather Moiseve as waitress, Jordyn Barber as Lauren Moore, Kevin Joy as Ted Reid, G. Maximilian Zarou as manager and Shad Hart as soldier.

"The Smile" was written by Tim Hobert and directed by Elliot Hegarty.

"The Middle" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format with a 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.

For more information on "The Middle," visit ABC.com/TheMiddle