Top 25 college football preview capsules

Associated Press

No. 23 Washington (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) at No. 2 Oregon (5-0, 2-0) 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Line: Oregon by 24

Series Record: Washington leads 58-41-5

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Washington proved its mettle in its last game, a 17-13 victory over then-No. 8 Stanford. But the Huskies have lost the last eight against the Ducks in the heated northwest rivalry. Oregon’s winning streak is the longest for either side in the history of the series, which dates back to 1900. The Ducks also have won eight straight overall.

KEY MATCHUP

Washington’s defense against Oregon’s hyper drive offense. The Huskies are ranked second in the Pac-12 in total defense, allowing opponents an average of about 315 yards and 19.8 points a game. The Ducks, meanwhile, average more than 52 points and 550 yards in total offense each game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Washington: RB Bishop Sankey. The emerging first-year starter ran for 144 yards on 20 carries in the Huskies’ victory over Stanford, including a 61-yard touchdown run. The week before the sophomore rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries, with two touchdowns against Portland State.

Oregon: RB Kenjon Barner. The senior running back ran for 195 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon’s victory over Washington State last weekend. He also caught a TD pass. His yards on the ground were the second-most of his career behind the 201 yards he had against Fresno State earlier this season. Barner is averaging 121 yards rushing per game.

FACTS & FIGURES

Washington has faced three teams ranked in the top 10 this season. … In 2010, Washington QB Keith Price made the first start of his career at Autzen Stadium when Jake Locker was injured. Price completed 14-of-28 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the 53-16 loss to the Ducks. He did not throw an interception. … Oregon has scored 30 or more points in 18 straight games, second only to Oklahoma State with 19 straight. … The Ducks have returned three interceptions for touchdown this season, second-most in the nation, and all three have come in their last two games. … Oregon is 11-5 against ranked teams under coach Chip Kelly. … Last season the Ducks defeated Washington 34-17 in the final game played at the old Husky Stadium.

No. 3 Florida State (5-0, 2-0 ACC) vs. N.C. State (3-2, 0-1), 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

Line: Florida State by 14½.

Series Record: Florida State leads 22-10.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Florida State’s first ACC road game could end with the Seminoles having an even firmer hold on the Atlantic Division. They’ve already beaten Clemson, so a win against the Wolfpack would give them victories against the two teams projected to be their biggest challengers. As for N.C. State, a loss would put Tom O’Brien’s squad at 0-2 in the league and essentially end its preseason goal of contending for the ACC crown.

KEY MATCHUP

The Wolfpack’s offensive line against the Seminoles past rush. N.C. State is expected to start its fourth different combination in front of QB Mike Glennon this season due to injuries. N.C. State has given up an ACC-worst 16 sacks this season, and those protection issues have played at least some part in N.C. State’s mistake-prone performances this year. Florida State won’t make things any easier, entering the game with a league-best 15 sacks — seven coming from DE Cornellius Carradine.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Florida State: RB Chris Thompson. Thompson missed much of last year with a back injury, but the senior is second in the ACC with 431 yards rushing. He’s averaging nearly 9 yards per carry and has scored five touchdowns, providing the Seminoles with a strong ground game to go with QB EJ Manuel’s run-or-throw ability that has FSU averaging a league-best 51 points and 544 yards per game.

N.C. State: CB David Amerson. Amerson is having a bumpy junior year after setting an ACC record with 13 interceptions last year. The cornerback was in primary coverage on three of Miami’s five touchdown passes last week, got beat on another long TD toss when he thought the play was dead on an offside call and was the last defender with a desperation chance to run down the Hurricanes’ Phillip Dorsett on the go-ahead 62-yard scoring pass late in the 44-37 loss. He’ll have to regroup quickly against the Seminoles to provide some stability in the secondary.

FACTS & FIGURES

The game will mark the first time a top-five opponent has visited N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium since 1998, when the Wolfpack upset the second-ranked Seminoles 24-7. … Florida State won last year’s meeting 34-0 in Tallahassee, and has beaten the Wolfpack in four of the past five seasons. … N.C. State has allowed 52 points in the first quarter this year, but just 55 in the other three quarters combined. … The Seminoles rank in the top 10 nationally in both scoring and total offense, as well as scoring and total defense.

No. 5 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 6 South Carolina (5-0, 3-0), 1 p.m. (ESPN)

Line: South Carolina by 2½.

Series Record: Georgia leads 46-15-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Georgia-South Carolina winner remains on track for the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division while the loser would need outside help to makes its way to the Georgia Dome for the league title game in December. The Bulldogs showed last year it was possible to rebound, though, winning the East despite starting SEC play with a 45-42 home loss to the Gamecocks.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia’s freshman runners vs. South Carolina’s defense. Georgia first-year TBs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall combined for 294 yards and five touchdowns in a 51-44 victory last week against Tennessee. The Gamecocks have allowed only 388 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in five games this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia: QB Aaron Murray is seeking his first victory over the Gamecocks. He was an untested freshman playing his first SEC game in 2010 when the Bulldogs fell to South Carolina 17-6. Murray passed for four TDs in last season’s rematch, but the Gamecocks prevailed in a 45-42 shootout.

South Carolina: DE Jadeveon Clowney sacked Murray and forced a fumble returned for a touchdown in the Gamecocks’ 2011 victory over Georgia. Clowney was named the SEC defensive lineman of the week for his sack and four tackles in a win at Kentucky.

FACTS & FIGURES

It’s the first time Georgia and South Carolina have played when both teams were ranked in the top 10. … The Gamecocks have never won three straight games against Georgia. … South Carolina matched a school record last week by winning its ninth straight game. The 1984 team opened the year 9-0 before the run ended with a loss to Navy. … Georgia’s Murray is only one TD pass away from tying the school mark of 72 set by David Greene from 2001-04. … South Carolina TB Marcus Lattimore made a splashy SEC debut two years ago against Georgia when he ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-6 victory. … Georgia LB Jarvis Jones is third in SEC tackles for loss with 8 and fourth in league sacks at 4½. … Seven of the past 10 games between Georgia and South Carolina have been decided by 7 points or less. The Bulldogs have won six of those games. … Steve Spurrier is seeking his 250th coaching victory, counting his time in the USFL and NFL. Earlier this year, he won his 200th college victory.

Kansas (1-3, 0-1 Big 12) at No. 7 Kansas State (4-0, 1-0), 6 a.m. (FX)

Line: Kansas State by 24.

Series Record: Kansas leads 65-39-5.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Both teams have had a week off to prepare for the Sunflower Showdown. The Wildcats, who beat then-No. 6 Oklahoma their last time out, have won three straight in the series. Kansas has lost its last three after a fourth-quarter collapse at Northern Illinois on Sept. 22.

KEY MATCHUP

Kansas coach Charlie Weis against Kansas State coach Bill Snyder. The new coach of the Jayhawks wasn’t shy in his praise of Snyder, who took over a program in worse shape than Kansas more than two decades ago and turned it into a perennial winner. When asked to compare the two teams, Weis said, “Start with the head coach. That might be their biggest advantage.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kansas: QB Dayne Crist remains the starter despite a miserable start to his final season of college football. After transferring from Notre Dame, the senior has completed less than 50 percent of his passes for 763 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Kansas State: DT Adam Davis could make life miserable for Crist, a traditional drop-back passer. The second-year starter, a former transfer from Hutchinson Community College, leads the Wildcats with three sacks. Kansas State already has 10 sacks on the season.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Wildcats are the Big 12’s least-penalized team, and the second-least in the nation, getting dinged for just 16.5 yards per game. …. K-State QB Collin Klein is 9-3 as a starter in the Big 12. He is 15-4 overall. … Wisconsin RB Montee Ball (39) is the only player in the nation with more rushing TDs over the past two seasons than Klein (32). … Kansas State has 84 non-offensive touchdowns since 1999, one more than Virginia Tech for the most in the country. … The Jayhawks would fall to .500 in school history with a loss. They are currently 573-572-58. … Kansas has forced 13 turnovers through four games, leading the Big 12 and tied for fifth nationally. … S Bradley McDougald leads Kansas in tackles (34), tackles for loss (three), forced fumbles (two) and interceptions (two). … Kansas has 24 in-state players on its roster while Kansas State has 56. … Kansas AD Sheahon Zenger was part of Snyder’s coaching staff early on in his tenure.

No. 4 LSU (5-0, 1-0 SEC) at No. 10 Florida (4-0, 3-0), 9:30 a.m. (CBS)

Line: LSU by 2 ½

Series Record: Florida leads 30-25-3

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Perfect record, top-10 ranking and a spot atop the division. Other than that, not much. Regardless of the outcome, both teams have much bigger games ahead. LSU still plays top-ranked Alabama in a game that could decide the Western Division, and Florida faces Eastern Division rivals No. 5 South Carolina and No. 6 Georgia later this month.

KEY MATCHUP

Florida’s offensive line vs. LSU’s defensive front. The Gators have a chance to back up all that talk about the O-line being the strength of the team. Few outsiders believe the hype, and LSU’s D-line surely will provide the ultimate test. The Tigers are big, strong and furious up front, led by potential first-round NFL draft picks Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LSU: RB Spencer Ware ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s 41-11 victory over Florida. The Tigers ended up with 238 yards on the ground. They also ran for 161 in a 33-29 victory in 2010. Stopping Ware and the run will be paramount to Florida’s success.

Florida: QB Jeff Driskel has made progress with every start, creating plays with his arm and feet. He has been efficient and decisive, and has just one turnover in four games. He will need to continue that trend against LSU for the Gators to have a chance.

FACTS & FIGURES

LSU has won five of the last eight meetings, including two in a row. … LSU sputtered on offense the last two weeks, staving off Auburn 12-10 and then coming from behind to beat Towson 38-22. But Florida coach Will Muschamp believes those were more or a fluke than a trend. “We won’t see the same LSU football team,” Muschamp said. … Gators expect to have LB Jelani Jenkins, DE Dominique Easley and versatile FB Trey Burton back this week. Jenkins missed the last two games with a broken right thumb. Easley (knee) and Burton (back) sat out Florida’s last game. … Florida had thousands of empty seats for home games against Bowling Green and Kentucky earlier this season, but expects a sellout crowd for this one.

No. 8 West Virginia (4-0, 1-0) at No. 11 Texas (4-0, 1-0), 1 p.m., (Fox)

Line: Texas by 6 ½.

Series: West Virginia leads 1-0.

WHAT’S A STAKE

The winner gets the early label as favorite to win the Big 12. West Virginia QB Geno Smith can really fire up the Heisman Trophy talk with another big game passing and another win in the Mountaineer’s first Big 12 road game in front of 100,000 screaming fans and a national TV audience.

KEY MATCHUP

Smith vs. Texas DEs Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor. The Texas defense is struggling but still has playmakers galore, starting with a pair of outstanding rush ends. Texas thinks Smith is too comfortable in the pocket and hasn’t been tested under pressure. If the Longhorns can hit Smith, or at least disrupt his timing and force a few incompletions and punts, the Longhorns should be able to keep up. If Smith has time to pick apart the secondary, watch out.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Virginia: Smith. First down, second down, or third down. If he’s connecting with wide receivers Stedman Baily and Tavon Auston, it’s going to be a long night for the Longhorns.

Texas: RBs Joe Bergeron and Johnathan Gray. Texas wants to control the tempo. If they can grab a lead, look for the Longhorns to turn to Bergeron the battering ram. Gray, a freshman who set a national high school record with 205 career touchdowns, had a big fourth quarter last week at Oklahoma State.

FACT & FIGURES

The Longhorns have surrendered five touchdowns of 44 yards or longer this season. Smith had four touchdown passes of 39 yards or longer against Baylor just in the second half … West Virginia beat Texas 7-6 in their only previous meeting in 1956. Texas coach Mack Brown joked it may take only a minute or two to top that score Saturday night … Texas is just 2-6 at home in Big 12 play since 2010.

Miami (4-1) at No. 9 Notre Dame (4-0) in Chicago, 1:39 p.m. (NBC)

Line: Notre Dame by 13

Series Record: Notre Dame leads 16-7-1

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Fighting Irish are looking to take another step in showing they are legitimate contenders for a national championship, trying to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2002. Miami, which also is looking to move its program back among the college football elite, is looking for its biggest victory since a 21-20 win over No. 8 Oklahoma three years ago.

KEY MATCHUP

Stephen Morris, who threw for a school- and Atlantic Coast Conference-record 566 yards last week against North Carolina State, leads the Hurricanes’ 15th-ranked passing offense. Notre Dame is rated ninth in the country in pass efficiency defense and 15th in total defense. Notre Dame’s inexperienced secondary, with three first-year starters, hasn’t faced as dynamic a passing offense this season. Morris had seven passes of at least 40 yards against North Carolina State. Notre Dame has only given up one pass of more than 40 yards all season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Miami: Freshman RB Duke Johnson leads the Hurricanes in rushing with 359 yards and 6.9 yards a carry. He will be facing a Notre Dame defense that is giving up just 112.5 yards a game, 3.3 yards a rush, and has yet to give up a rushing touchdown this season. Johnson is fifth in the nation in all-purpose yards at 184 yards a game.

Notre Dame: LB Mani Te’o has had two standout games following the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend and says his trip home to Hawaii during the bye week has him feeling stronger than ever. He has played a role in seven of the 13 turnovers forced by the Irish, including three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He leads the Irish with 38 tackles.

FACTS & FIGURES

Notre Dame is the only FBS team that has not yet trailed this season. … Whichever team wins will have the longest winning streak under their current coaches. Notre Dame has won four straight, Miami has won three straight. … Miami has scored at least 38 points in each of its four victories. Notre Dame has given up 36 points all season. … Notre Dame is 9-0-2 all-time at Soldier Field, including 3-0 during the 1929 national championship season when Notre Dame Stadium was being built. … Miami’s defense is giving up 17.2 yards per catch. … Both teams are among the leaders nationwide in turnovers gained. Notre Dame has 13, Miami 12.

No. 21 Nebraska (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) at No. 12 Ohio State (5-0, 1-0), 2 p.m. (ABC)

Line: Ohio State by 3½.

Series Record: Ohio State leads, 2-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The inside track to a division championship. The Cornhuskers share first place in the Legends Division with Northwestern and Iowa; Ohio State is tied for first with Penn State in the Leaders Division. Nebraska would get to 2-0 heading into its bye week, giving it extra time to prepare for a big divisional battle against Northwestern. About all Ohio State has to play for is the trophy for winning its division, since the Buckeyes can’t play in the Big Ten title game or a bowl because of NCAA sanctions.

KEY MATCHUP

The Cornhuskers’ front seven led by DT Baker Steinkuhler and MLB Will Compton against Ohio State’s running attack. The Buckeyes do not want to have QB Braxton Miller subjected to a lot of hard hits and starting RB Jordan Hall is doubtful (partially torn ligament in his right knee). They’d prefer to hand the ball to RBs Carlos Hyde, Rod Smith and Bri’onte Dunn. If Nebraska shuts down the backs, Ohio State will be forced to lean even more on Miller.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez is similar in many ways to Ohio State’s Miller, an excellent runner capable of breaking a long run at any time. Martinez will mix up zone reads with handoffs to I-back Rex Burkhead while trying to keep the Buckeyes’ defense honest with passes.

Ohio State: There’ll be a lot of pressure on Ohio State’s LBs — Ryan Shazier, Storm Klein and Etienne Sabino — to not only support the run-stopping line but also to drop into coverage.

FACTS & FIGURES

This is the first meeting when both teams are ranked. … Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is a 1990 graduate of Ohio State, where he was a starting safety and a captain. … A year ago, Ohio State rolled to a 27-6 lead in the third quarter in Lincoln, Neb., before Miller was hurt. The Cornhuskers ran off the final 28 points to win 34-27. … Nebraska is 4-10 in road or neutral-site games against Top 25 opponents under Pelini, who is in his fifth season at Nebraska. … The Huskers have lost five of their past six against Top 25 foes away from home. … Nebraska (850) and Ohio State (830) are two of only seven FBS programs with 800 all-time victories.

No. 14 Oregon State (3-0, 2-0) vs. Washington State (2-3, 02) noon (Pac-12 Networks)

Line: Oregon State by 15

Series Record: Washington State leads by 48-45-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Oregon State has won three straight games to open the season for the first time since 2002, when the team won four straight. The three victories match the Beavers’ win total for all of last season. Oregon State has won eight of the last 12 games against Washington State, including a 44-21 victory last season at Century Link Field.

KEY MATCHUP

Washington State’s “Air Raid” attack under coach Mike Leach against Oregon State’s defense. The Cougars are averaging 333.3 passing yards a game and quarterback Connor Halliday passed for 348 last week in a loss to No. 2 Oregon. While the Beavers are only allowing opponents an average of 83 yards rushing a game, they’re allowing 315.7 yards passing — last in the Pac-12.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Washington State: WR Marquess Wilson. The junior had 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown last week against Oregon. Wilson leads the conference with 499 yards receiving, averaging nearly 100 ypg.

Oregon State: Mannion. The sophomore threw for a career-high 433 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 9-yard TD pass with 1:09 to go, in a 38-35 win over Arizona last weekend to earn Pac-12 player of the week honors. The week before Mannion threw for 379 yards against UCLA.

FACTS & FIGURES

Mannion has thrown for 812 yards in the last two games, a record for back-to-back games for an Oregon State quarterback. … Beavers’ mascot Benny Beaver turns 60 on Saturday. He has turned down all interview requests because he doesn’t speak. … Washington State ranks next-to-last nationally with an average of only 45.6 rushing yards a game. … Leach has never faced an Oregon State team in his career. He said this week he doesn’t know Oregon State coach Mike Riley personally, but at one point the two coaches shared the same agent. … The victory over Arizona last week was Riley’s 75th as head coach of the Beavers, making him the winningest coach in school history.

Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-3 ACC) at No. 15 Clemson (4-1, 1-1), 9:30 a.m. (ESPN)

Line: Clemson by 10.

Series Record: Georgia Tech leads 50-25-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Clemson’s looking to head to its bye week with a second straight victory, along with giving the Yellow Jackets a bit of payback for 2011’s 31-17 defeat that ended the Tigers 8-0 start. Georgia Tech is hoping to avoid a three-game losing streak after losing to Miami two weeks ago and to Middle Tennessee of the Sun Belt Conference last Saturday.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia Tech QB Tevin Washington vs. Clemson’s defense. Washington ran for a 176 yards — the most ever for a Yellow Jackets QB — and two touchdowns in last year’s win over the Tigers. Clemson is eighth in the ACC and 81st nationally at stopping the run.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia Tech: LB Jeremiah Attouchu was among the ACC’s top pass rushers a year ago with six sacks. He’s got a half a sack so far and will need to put pressure on a Clemson offensive line that’s given up two sacks its past three games.

Clemson: WR DeAndre Hopkins has been particularly spectacular in games when Tigers star receiver Sammy Watkins is not on the field. Hopkins had a school-record 13 catches against Auburn, then tied the Clemson mark with three TD catches a week later against Ball State. He had 11 catches for 197 yards — another school mark — in last week’s win at Boston College. Watkins did not play in those three contests.

FACTS & FIGURES

Clemson is 1-4 against Georgia Tech since Dabo Swinney became coach midway through the 2008 season, including a 39-34 loss in the 2009 ACC championship game. … The Yellow Jackets have lost two straight at home on consecutive weekends for the first time since 1988 … Clemson WR Watkins missed last week’s game with an abdominal virus, the third game he’s missed this season. He has 10 catches for 76 yards and no touchdown grabs. … Washington leads the ACC with 11 touchdowns. He’s second nationally to Nevada RB Stephon Jefferson (12). … Famed Georgia Tech coach John Heisman coached at Clemson from 1900 to 1903 before moving on to join the Yellow Jackets.

Iowa State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) at No. 15 TCU (4-0, 1-0), 9:30 a.m. (Fox Sports Net)

Line: TCU by 10 (before Pachall suspension).

Series Record: TCU leads 3-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

TCU, which has won an FBS-best 12 games in a row, plays its first Big 12 home game. The Horned Frogs won their first Big 12 game at Kansas three weeks ago, extending their nation-best conference winning streak to 25, including the last three Mountain West Conference titles. Iowa State is going for its first 4-1 start since 2002, when the Cyclones followed a season-opening loss with six wins in a row.

KEY MATCHUP

Frogs backup QB Trevone Boykin against an Iowa State defense led by senior LBs A.J. Klein and Jake Knott, both preparing for their 30th consecutive start. Boykin steps in for Casey Pachall, who was suspended after an arrest on suspicion of DWI. Klein matched an NCAA record for defensive TDs scored with his fourth interception return for a score last week. Knott has forced nine fumbles in his career. Pachall has completed two-thirds of his passes (64 of 97) for 948 yards with 10 TDs and one interception.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Iowa State: P Kirby Van Der Kamp has already punted 25 times this season, putting 15 inside the opponent’s 20 and nine inside the 10. He had four 50-yard punts against Texas Tech last week.

TCU: Safety Elisha Olabode has been involved in a takeaway in each of the team’s four games so far, including two of TCU’s nine interceptions. Freshman DE Devonte Fields has five sacks and 8½ tackles for losses.

FACTS & FIGURES

TCU has scored at least 20 points in 30 consecutive games, matching Oklahoma State for the longest such streak in the nation. … Iowa State is 6-56 against Top 25 teams since 1996. Three of those wins came the last two years. … The Cyclones and Frogs last played in the Houston Bowl on Dec. 31, 2005, a game TCU won 27-24. … TCU has its third winning streak of at least 12 games in the past four seasons. … Over the past eight seasons, TCU is 72-5 playing on Saturdays and 40-3 at home. … The Frogs have played 15 freshmen, tied with LSU and Ohio State for the most this season.

No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1, 0-1 Big 12) at Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0), 9:30 a.m. (ABC/ESPN2)

Line: Oklahoma by 5.

Series Record: Oklahoma 13-6.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Sooners have one loss (24-19 to then-No. 15 Kansas State two weeks ago) along with four other Big 12 teams, and though it’s still early, OU needs a win in Lubbock to stay in conference contention. The Sooners seek to avenge a loss to the Red Raiders last season that broke their 39-game win streak in Norman. A win for Texas Tech, No. 1 nationally in total defense (167.5 ypg), would make it four straight victories in Lubbock.

KEY MATCHUP

Oklahoma: WR Kenny Stills. The junior had an off day in OU’s loss to Kansas State two weeks ago, getting 60 yards receiving. He’ll take a per game average of 100 yards receiving into the contest against the Red Raiders who boast the nation’s best pass defense (82 ypg) and includes DB Cornelius Douglas, who had two picks last week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Oklahoma: QB Landry Jones has struggled this season. The senior and four-year starter admitted playing “dumb football” after the loss to Kansas State, fumbling at the Sooners 5 to give the Wildcats a defensive TD and throwing a momentum-killing interception on another drive.

Texas Tech: QB Seth Doege chewed up the Sooners last season, throwing four touchdowns and 441 yards. In last week’s 24-13 win, Doege threw for three touchdowns and 331 yards with two interceptions.

FACTS & FIGURES

Oklahoma is 8-5 against Texas Tech under Bob Stoops, including 6-1 at home and 2-4 in Lubbock… . The Red Raiders win in Ames, Iowa, last week snapped a five-game Big 12 skid going back to last season… . OU has forced two or more turnovers against the Red Raiders in nine of their 13 Big 12 games… . Texas Tech has a daunting stretch of games after facing the Sooners; following the OU game, the Red Raiders host No. 8 West Virginia, play at No. 15 TCU and No. 7 Kansas State and come home against No. 11 Texas… . Oklahoma last beat the Red Raiders in Lubbock in 2003 when the Sooners upended Texas Tech 56-25.

Arizona (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) at No. 18 Stanford (3-1, 1-1), 9 a.m. (Fox)

Line: Stanford by 9.

Series Record: Arizona leads 14-13.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Stanford is coming off a 17-13 loss at Washington that ended its undefeated run and has no more room for error to stay in contention for the Pac-12 North title. Arizona has lost two straight after a strong start to Rich Rodriguez’s tenure, including a 59-38 win over Oklahoma State.

KEY MATCHUP

Stanford QB Josh Nunes against Arizona’s secondary. The redshirt junior had his worst game of the season against Washington, completing 18 of 37 passes for 170 yards and an interception, often underthrowing receivers or misfiring completely. That allowed the Huskies to stack the line of scrimmage and hold Stanford’s usually stout running game to only 68 yards and never let the offense score a touchdown.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arizona: RB Ka’Deem Carey. The sophomore is averaging 107.6 yards rushing, ranking third in the Pac-12 and 18th in the country, to go with eight total touchdowns. Stanford has the No. 1 run defense in the conference and third best in the nation, allowing 65.2 yards rushing per game.

Stanford: WR Ty Montgomery. The sophomore is easily Stanford’s most athletic and talented offensive player but has little to show for it this season. Montgomery has missed several catchable balls, including one on the final possession against Washington that would’ve at least put the Cardinal in the red zone. He’s tied with tight end Zach Ertz (259 yards) for the team lead with 15 catches but for only 139 yards.

FACTS & FIGURES

Stanford has won after its last six losses. … The last time the Cardinal lost consecutive games came in 2009, when it lost against Oregon State on Oct. 10 and then Arizona on Oct. 17. … Arizona’s hurry-up offense averages 88 plays per game, behind only Marshall for most in the nation. … Stanford will be the third ranked opponent the Wildcats have played, losing to Oregon and Oregon State in the last two. … Stanford will hold its homecoming festivities this weekend.

No. 20 Mississippi State (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Kentucky (1-4, 0-2), 6:21 a.m. (ESPNU)

Line: Mississippi State by 14.

Series Record: Kentucky leads 21-18.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Bulldogs come off a bye seeking their first Southeastern Conference road victory. They beat Auburn 28-10 on Sept. 8. The Wildcats aim to end a three-game losing streak and earn their first SEC victory after consecutive losses to Florida and South Carolina.

KEY MATCHUP

Kentucky QBs Jalen Whitlow and Patrick Towles vs. Mississippi State defense. Maxwell Smith’s ankle injury has forced both freshmen into action and they will alternate against a Bulldogs defense leading the nation in turnover margin ((plus-12), including nine interceptions. They’re 40th in total defense, allowing 350 ypg.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mississippi State: CBs Darius Slay and Johnthan Banks. The seniors have combined for seven interceptions with Slay returning one of his team-high four for a touchdown. Banks needs one more to tie Walt Harris’ school record of 16.

Kentucky: LB Avery Williamson. Tied for second in the SEC at 10.2 tackles per game, the junior has reached double digits in three of five contests, including a career-best 14 against Western Kentucky.

FACTS & FIGURES

Mississippi State seeks its first 5-0 start since 1999 and fourth overall in 112 seasons. … The Bulldogs have won four of the past five in the series including the last three. They’ve also won the past three at Commonwealth Stadium. … Kentucky is facing its third consecutive unbeaten and ranked team. Its last win against a ranked team was in 2010, 31-28 over then-No. 10 South Carolina. … Raymond Sanders leads the Wildcats with 260 rushing yards on 40 carries with two touchdowns.

Connecticut (3-2, 0-0 Big East) at No. 22 Rutgers (4-0, 1-0), 6 a.m. (ESPNU)

Line: Rutgers by 10.

Series Record: Rutgers leads 21-10.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

With a victory in its first game as a ranked team since 2009, Rutgers would improve to 5-0 for the seventh time in 143 seasons of college football. Kyle Flood would become the second coach in school history to start 5-0. An upset by Connecticut would give it consecutive wins for the first time since winning five in a row at the end of the 2010 season, and two in a row over Scarlet Knights.

KEY MATCHUP

Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison against Connecticut’s run defense, which is yielding an average of 74.2 yards, sixth best in the nation. Jamison has rushed for at least 100 yards in five straight games. His last non-100-yarder came in a loss to the Huskies late last season. The Huskies’ offense (106th overall) has been anemic this season and it will be facing a Khaseem Greene-led Rutgers defense that ranks 20th nationally in total defense (310.0 yards per game), 10th in scoring defense (12.8 points per game), and first in rushing defense (62.5 yards per game).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Connecticut: LB Yawin Smallwood leads the conference in tackles per game (10.6 per game) and tackles-for-loss per game (2.0). He ranks in the top 15 nationally in both categories.

Rutgers: QB Gary Nova set career highs in passing yards (397), completions (25) and passing touchdowns (five) in win over Arkansas two weeks ago. WR Brandon Coleman has 11 career TD catches in 17 games, including eight of 30 yards or more.

FACTS & FIGURES

Six times since 2001, this matchup has been decided by seven points or less. Rutgers has won three of the last four games by four points or less and five of seven overall. Connecticut’s 40-22 win last season deprived Rutgers of a share of the conference title. ..The Huskies have 12 New Jersey players on their roster. …Rutgers hasn’t won a game as a ranked team since 2007. …The Scarlet Knights are looking for their second straight 2-0 start in the league. …Rutgers was the only team in the nation to win three road games in September. …Rutgers will debut its new black uniforms.

No. 24 Northwestern (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at Penn State (3-2, 1-0), 6 a.m. (ESPN)

Line: Penn State by 2 ½.

Series Record: Penn State leads 12-3.

WHAT’S AT STAKE:

Back in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2008, Northwestern is trying for its first 6-0 start since 1962. Beat a streaking Penn State team on the road and the Wildcats might need to be taken more seriously as a Legends Division title contender. Penn State is trying to reel off their fourth straight win under new coach Bill O’Brien. A homecoming weekend victory against Northwestern’s tricky offense would give O’Brien’s Lions a confidence boost heading into their bye week.

KEY MATCHUP:

Northwestern front seven vs. Penn State running game. The Wildcats can move the ball. That’s a given. Defense is another story. Northwestern is last in the Big Ten against the pass but first against the run, albeit against some questionable competition. With their running game finding its stride behind bruising 6-foot-1 sophomore Zach Zwinak, the Nittany Lions might try to play keep-away from the Wildcats’ exhausting offense with their own long, sustained drives.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Northwestern: QB Kain Colter. The “slash” is back for the Northwestern offense. After playing strictly quarterback over the season’s first four games, Colter returned to the quarterback-receiver role he played in 2011 in last week’s 44-29 win over Indiana. The result? Nearly 300 all-purpose yards and four rushing touchdowns. Penn State defensive coordinator Ted Roof and his players will have to keep close watch on where Colter is lined up at all times.

Penn State: OLBs Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti. Northwestern’s spread offense forces defenders to make open-field stops in space. The athletic Hodges and the fiery, heady Mauti are two of the top linebackers in the Big Ten and play nearly every down. They’ll be counted on to keep up with Colter and again spark Penn State’s opportunistic defense (11 turnovers).

FACTS & FIGURES

The unstoppable force meets the immovable object: Northwestern leads the Big Ten in red zone offense with a 92 percent conversion rate (13 touchdowns); Penn State leads the league in red zone defense (61 percent, six touchdowns). … The Wildcats had a school-record 704 yards of total offense last week against the Hoosiers. … Northwestern had first-half leads over Penn State in the teams’ previous three meetings before being turned away late by the NIittany Lions. … Penn State has outscored opponents 49-0 in the first quarter this season and 76-9 in the first half. … QB Matt McGloin leads the Big Ten in passing (243 yards per game). He’s also scored on four quarterback sneaks to lead the team in rushing touchdowns.

No. 25 UCLA (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) at California (1-4, 0-2), 1 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

Line: UCLA by 2½

Series Record: UCLA leads 50-31-1

WHAT’S AT STAKE

UCLA is back in the poll after a one-week hiatus and looking to close ground on idle Arizona State in the Pac-12 South standings. The Bruins have won their first two road games of the season under new coach Jim Mora for the first time since 2005 when they won three straight on the road and finished 10-2. Cal needs to win five of its final seven games just to be eligible for a bowl. That won’t be an easy task as the Golden Bears have five games left against teams currently ranked in the top 25.

KEY MATCHUP

Cal defense vs. UCLA QB Brett Hundley. The Bears have struggled against quarterbacks running the spread offense this season and Hundley has done it extremely well so far. He is completing 66.1 percent of his passes for 296 ypg with 11 TDs and only three INTs. He is also capable running the ball with four TDs on the ground.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UCLA: RB Johnathan Franklin. Franklin ranks fourth in the nation in rushing with 139.4 ypg, and is first among rushers from a team from one of the six major conferences. Franklin has 200 yards on 37 carries with three TDs in three previous meetings against Cal.

California: WR Keenan Allen. Despite an inconsistent passing game, Allen remains one of the most dangerous receivers in the country while often facing double or triple coverage. Allen has 33 catches for 388 yards and two TDs so far and ranks in the top 10 in school history in career catches and yardage.

FACTS & FIGURES

UCLA has lost six straight games at Cal and has not won at Memorial Stadium since 1998. … The Bruins lead the conference in total offense with 560.4 per game and are third in scoring at 36.8 ppg. … … UCLA CB Sheldon Price leads the nation with five INTs. … The Bruins lead the Pac-12 and rank fourth nationally with 14 turnovers gained. … Cal QB Zach Maynard has completed just 27 of 61 passes for 299 yards, one TD and two INTs the past two weeks. … All five of Cal’s games have been within one score in the fourth quarter. … RB Brendan Bigelow, who had four carries for 160 yards and two TDs vs. Ohio State, did not touch the ball for Cal last week against Arizona State.