Today’s Top 25 college football previews

Associated Press

All Hawaii times

No. 13 Mississippi St. (7-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Line: Alabama by 24.

Series Record: Alabama leads 74-18-3 (including a forfeit and a vacated win).

KEY MATCHUP

Alabama QB AJ McCarron, the nation’s highest rated passer, versus the Mississippi State secondary. McCarron carries a school-record string of 239 passes without an interception against a veteran starting defensive backfield with a collective 39 career picks and eight touchdown returns. Shutdown CB Johnthan Banks has four interceptions and hasn’t allowed a touchdown catch.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mississippi St.: QB Tyler Russell. He has directed a balanced offense and been very efficient like McCarron, with 15 touchdown passes against one interception. Russell has made big strides since Alabama held him to 110 passing yards last season. He’ll face the nation’s top defense and a strong secondary, led by CB Dee Milliner.

Alabama: RB Eddie Lacy. Lacy and backfield mate T.J. Yeldon have combined for three 100-yard rushing performances in the last two games. He has a slight edge over Yeldon of 5 yards and one touchdown on the season, and had two touchdowns and 96 yards playing behind Trent Richardson in the last meeting.

FACTS & FIGURES

This will be the 97th meeting in a series that dates back to 1896. Alabama has more games and wins against Mississippi State than against any other opponent. The Bulldogs did beat a top-ranked Crimson Tide team, 6-3, in 1980 to end a 22-game skid in the series. … The Bulldogs are off to their best start since 1999, the only other time they’ve won their first seven games. … Alabama has trailed only 15 seconds all season (to MSU rival Mississippi). Mississippi State has been behind 16:11, behind only Bama, Oregon (2:14) and Oregon State (15:30). … Alabama’s 11-game win streak is the nation’s longest, and the Bulldogs’ nine games ranks third, with Oregon in between. … Mississippi State has rushed for at least 140 yards in every game but nobody has gained more than 80 against the Tide.

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Colorado (1-6, 1-3) at No. 2 Oregon ( 7-0, 4-0 Pac-12), 9 a.m. (Pac-12 Network)

Line: Oregon by 45 ½.

Series Record: Tied 8-8.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

After the game at Autzen Stadium against the Buffaloes, the Ducks play three of their final four games on the road, including the big game on Nov. 3 against Pac-12 South leader USC in Los Angeles. Oregon has won 10 straight games, second only to Alabama with 11 straight victories. The Ducks have scored at least 42 points in those 10 games. Colorado has lost three straight and might be the worst team in a BCS automatic qualifying conference.

KEY MATCHUP

Oregon’s high-scoring, speedy-spread offense against Colorado’s defense. One look at the line should show where this game is headed. Oregon is ranked No. 8 in total offense, averaging 529.6 yards, while Colorado’s overall defense is ranked 112th nationally, allowing an average of 489 yards. As for scoring, Oregon is averaging 51 points per game, while Colorado is allowing 42.6 points per game. The Buffaloes have allowed at least 50 points in back-to-back games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Colorado: QB Jordan Webb. The junior struggled last week when he threw three interceptions in a 50-6 loss to No. 11 USC, but coach Jon Embree says he’s sticking with his starter for now. Webb has thrown for 1,351 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, and has a 5-23 record overall as a starter with CU and Kansas. Webb was replaced by backup Connor Wood against the Trojans.

Oregon: RB Kenjon Barner. The senior, who for the past two years has played in the shadow of LaMichael James, is increasingly getting Heisman buzz this season. Barner is averaging 124.3 yards rushing per game, 10th in the nation. He needs 130 yards rushing to become the 15th Oregon player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

FACTS & FIGURES

Colorado is 2-5 all-time in the state of Oregon, with both wins coming in Eugene. … Oregon has started 7-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Ducks were undefeated in 2010 before falling to Auburn in the BCS championship game. Last season the Ducks lost their opener to LSU. … Colorado senior DE Will Pericak has started every game of his career, a string of 44 games dating back to the Buffs’ opener in 2009. … The Ducks lead the nation in red zone defense, allowing opponents just 15 scores in 29 trips, and only four touchdowns.

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No. 3 Florida (7-0, 6-0 SEC) vs. No. 12 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) at Jacksonville, Fla., 9:30 a.m. (CBS)

Line: Florida by 6 ½.

Series Record: Debatable. Florida says Georgia leads 47-40-2. The Bulldogs claim the series is 48-40-2, which includes a 1904 victory in Macon. The Gators insist that doesn’t count because they didn’t field a varsity team until 1906.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

First place in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division. The Gators sit atop the division and can clinch a spot in the SEC title game with a victory. The Bulldogs would take command of the East with a win, likely needing to win remaining league games against Mississippi and Auburn to wrap up the division.

KEY MATCHUP

Florida LT Xavier Nixon vs. Georgia LB Jarvis Jones. Nixon struggled last week against South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and now faces Jones, who leads the Bulldogs with 5 ½ sacks. Jones had four sacks in last year’s 24-20 win over Florida, most of them against Nixon.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Florida: CB Loucheiz Purifoy can be found on offense, defense and special teams. The sophomore ranks fourth on the team with 27 tackles and forced a huge fumble on the opening play of last week’s win against South Carolina. He also lines up at receiver in some packages and is one of the main gunners on punts and kickoffs.

Georgia: S Shawn Williams leads the team with 51 tackles, and that doesn’t include him sacking teammates this week. Williams called out his defensive mates for “playing too soft.” The Bulldogs have allowed at least 20 points in five of seven games this season. So Williams may have a valid point, but it wouldn’t hurt if he backed up his talk on the field.

FACTS & FIGURES

Florida has won 18 of the last 22 games in the series. … The Gators are 3-0 against ranked opponents this season, joining Notre Dame as the only teams in the nation with that on their resumes. … Florida has outscored SEC opponents 57-8 in the third quarter and 51-13 in the fourth, a significant turnaround from last season. … The Gators are plus-11 in turnover margin this season. Georgia is even. … In last year’s game, Georgia scored two of its three TDs on fourth downs — plays that still haunt the Gators. “It’s like you’re going to watch a video clip of you getting punched in your face over and over again,” defensive end Dominique Easley said. “You’re going to get mad every time you watch it.” … Georgia has at least one sack in every game this season. … Florida coach Will Muschamp graduated from Georgia and played four seasons for the Bulldogs (1991-94), and is now 0-5 as a player and coach in the Florida-Georgia series. … Georgia’s Mark Richt is 3-8 in the rivalry.

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No. 15 Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) at No. 4 Kansas State (7-0, 4-0), 9:30 a.m. (FOX)

Line: Kansas State by 8

Series Record: Texas Tech leads 8-4

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Wildcats are No. 3 in the latest BCS standings, and Florida and Alabama — the two teams ahead of them — are likely to play each other in the SEC championship if both teams finish the regular season unbeaten. That means Kansas State simply needs to keep winning to have a good shot at playing for the national title. But the Red Raiders will be trying to win their third straight against a ranked team after dispatching West Virginia and TCU the last two weeks.

KEY MATCHUP

Texas Tech QB Seth Doege vs. Kansas State’s defensive backfield. Doege has joined the Heisman Trophy picture after sterling performances the last two weeks, throwing for six TDs against West Virginia and seven against TCU. He’s going up against a Kansas State defense that may have knocked the Mountaineers’ Geno Smith out of the Heisman race by holding him to 143 yards passing and picking him off twice.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas Tech: LaAdrian Waddle and the rest of his buddies on the OL. They’ve done a good job of protecting Doege the past few weeks, and Kansas State understands it needs to create some pressure to have any chance of slowing down the Red Raiders.

Kansas State: QB Collin Klein is the Heisman Trophy front-runner for a reason. He had seven total TDs against the Mountaineers, breaking the school record for career rushing touchdowns (47) held by Darren Sproles. Klein also threw for a career-high 323 in the game.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Wildcats are coming off their school-record fourth straight win on the road over a ranked opponent. … Klein is 18-4 as a starter and 12-3 against Big 12 teams. … Kansas State RB John Hubert is second in the Big 12 with 94 yards rushing per game. Klein is fifth at just under 79 yards per game. … The Wildcats have forced 16 turnovers in seven games for a Big 12-best plus-12 turnover margin. … Kansas State hasn’t started 5-0 in league play since 1999. It hasn’t started 8-0 overall since 1998. … Texas Tech had won five straight in the series until losing last season. … The Red Raiders are off to their best start since 2008. … Texas Tech ranks seventh nationally in total defense and No. 11 in total offense. Florida State is the only other school to rank in the top 12 in both.

No. 5 Notre Dame (7-0) at No. 8 Oklahoma (5-1), 2 p.m. (ABC)

Line: Oklahoma by 10

Series Record: Notre Dame leads 8-1

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Notre Dame will attempt to get to 8-0 for the first time in 10 years and stay right in the thick of the national championship dialogue. The Sooners will try to stay on the fringes of the race and firm up their status as one of the top one-loss teams in the country.

KEY MATCHUP

Notre Dame LB Manti Te’o vs. Oklahoma FB Trey Millard. One of the tasks for perhaps the Sooners’ most versatile player will be tracking down the Fighting Irish’s Heisman Trophy candidate to block him on running plays, while Te’o could have to chase him around in the passing game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Notre Dame: RBs Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood. Riddick had a career-high 143 yards rushing and Wood contributed 114 as the Irish ran for 270 yards last week against BYU. Notre Dame has rushed for 796 yards in its last three games.

Oklahoma: DT Stacy McGee. A part-time starter a year ago, McGee was reinstated this week after being suspended for the first six games. He’ll help the Sooners’ front line try to slow Riddick and Wood.

FACTS & FIGURES

It’s the first meeting between the tradition-rich programs since the Irish won 34-30 in South Bend in 1999, Bob Stoops’ first year as Oklahoma’s coach. … Notre Dame hasn’t played in Norman since 1966. … The Sooners’ only win in the series came exactly 56 years earlier, during the school’s NCAA-record 47-game winning streak. The Irish snapped that streak the following year in Norman. … Notre Dame hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in nine games. Oklahoma has 20 rush TDs this season.

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No. 7 Oregon State (6-0, 4-0 Pac-12) at Washington (3-4, 1-3), 4:15 p.m. (Pac-12)

Line: Oregon State by 4½

Series Record: Washington leads 58-34-4.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Now the schedule gets really difficult for the biggest surprise in the Pac-12. Oregon State is looking for the first 7-0 start in school history. After facing the Huskies, the Beavers play three of the next four at home, but those are against Arizona State, California and rival Oregon, with a road trip to Stanford thrown in. The combined record of those four is 19-9. Washington can quiet the rumblings of discontent with an upset of the Beavers. The Huskies are trying to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 2009, the first season of coach Steve Sarkisian.

KEY MATCHUP

Wide receivers vs. Cornerbacks. The most important matchup is likely Washington’s offensive line against Oregon State’s defensive front. But the most fun matchups will be watching Oregon State star CB Jordan Poyer on Washington WR Kasen Williams and Beavers WR Markus Wheaton against Washington CB Desmond Trufant. Those one-on-one matchups feature four of the best players in the conference.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Oregon State: QB Sean Mannion. Mannion returns after missing the last two games following left knee surgery. He was suited up and able to play last weekend against Utah, but coach Mike Riley gave Mannion another week of rest. Before getting injured, Mannion was having an all-Pac-12 season and had twice set new career highs in yards passing. Now he returns against a Washington secondary that gave up four passing TDs last week to Arizona.

Washington: QB Keith Price. The poor play of Price continues to be one of the biggest head scratchers in Seattle this season. Price has committed 10 turnovers in the past three games and Sarkisian spoke after the loss to Arizona of trust issues between Price and the head coach. The biggest problem is an offensive line decimated by injuries and Price regularly running for his safety.

FACTS & FIGURES

Oregon State has won seven of eight in the series, the only Washington win a 35-34 double overtime victory in 2010. … The Beavers have never started conference play 5-0. … Washington has yet to score more than 21 points against an FBS opponent this season. … Washington TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins had eight receptions for a career-best 110 yards at Arizona. He leads all FBS tight ends, averaging 5.3 receptions per game.

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No. 9 Ohio State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) at Penn State (5-2, 3-0), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)

Line: Pick’em.

Series Record: Tied 13-13.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Maybe the unofficial Big Ten title. Neither team can play in the postseason thanks to NCAA sanctions. It hasn’t kept either from putting together impressive first seasons under new coaches. For Bill O’Brien’s Nittany Lions, this would be the biggest victory of what has been a remarkable turnaround.

KEY MATCHUP

Penn State QB Matt McGloin vs. Ohio State’s secondary. McGloin has developed into one of the best passers in the Big Ten, a testament to O’Brien’s system and coaching. McGloin is second in the Big Ten in yards passing (1,788) and touchdown passes (14). The Ohio State defense has given up lots of big plays, but cornerbacks Travis Howard and Bradley Roby have talent and have combined for five interceptions.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ohio State: QBs Braxton Miller and/or Kenny Guiton. Miller left the Purdue game last week with a head injury but he’s been practicing and both he and coach Urban Meyer say he’s ready to go. Still, Meyer said Guiton, who led the Buckeyes’ to an overtime victory, is ready to play.

Penn State: RB Bill Belton. Injuries and the departure of Silas Redd have forced the Nittany Lions to shuffle running backs. Belton, who missed three games with a sprained ankle, seems to be the best of the bunch. He ran for 103 yards and three TDs last week against Iowa.

FACTS & FIGURES Penn State has outscored opponents 66-0 in the first quarter. … Penn State has the second-ranked passing offense in the Big Ten. Ohio State is No. 2 in rushing in the conference … Ohio State RB Carlos Hyde has run for 545 yards and nine touchdowns, despite missing nearly three games with a knee injury. … The Buckeyes have won their last two trips to State College by a combined 61-24. … Penn State LBs Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti are finalists for the Butkus Award.

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No. 10 Southern California (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12) at Arizona (4-3, 1-3), 9:30 a.m. (ABC)

Line: USC by 6 1-2.

Series Record: USC leads 28-7.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

USC moved into the Pac-12 South Division lead with its 50-6 rout over Colorado, a game ahead of Arizona State. The Trojans still have a tough road ahead to earn a spot in the conference championship game on Nov. 30, starting with the Wildcats, who are hoping to build some momentum after rolling over Washington last week to end a three-game losing streak.

KEY MATCHUP

USC WRs Robert Woods and Marqise Lee against Arizona’s secondary. The Wildcat are thin on defense and haven’t had a whole lot of luck against the pass, ranking 111th out of 120 teams, allowing over 291 yards per game. Woods and Lee are arguably the most dynamic pair of receivers in the nation, combining for 104 catches, 1,276 yards and 17 TDs this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

USC: QB Matt Barkley. USC’s senior may not have much of a shot at the Heisman Trophy anymore, but he’s still one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. Barkley had a memorable day against Colorado last week, matching his own record with six touchdown passes while setting USC’s career mark, and threw for a school-record 468 yards against Arizona in a 48-41 win last season.

Arizona: QB Matt Scott. Arizona’s fifth-year season could be the player to watch every game and for good reason. Scott leads the Pac-12 and is fourth nationally with 374.29 yards of offense per game. He gets his first crack at USC after watching Nick Foles threw for 425 yards and four TDs at the Coliseum.

FACTS & FIGURES

Arizona is facing a ranked opponent for the fourth time in its last five games. The Wildcats lost the three previous games to ranked opponents. … USC is seeking victory No. 800 as a program in its final regular-season game outside of Southern California this season. … Arizona hasn’t beaten the Trojans in Tucson since 1999, losing five straight. USC has won nine of the last 10 meetings overall. … Last year’s game between these two teams featured 1,136 combined yards of offense.

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Duke (6-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) at No. 11 Florida St (7-1, 4-1), 9:30 a.m. (ESPNU)

Line: Florida State by 28.

Series record: Florida State leads 17-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Florida State can’t slip again and keep its hopes of winning the ACC’s Atlantic Division since North Carolina State, which plays at North Carolina on Saturday, controls its destiny in the division. Duke sits atop the Coastal Division of the ACC and must keep winning to stay ahead of a jumbled field in that battle for a spot in the league’s title game in December. The Blue Devils, who have never defeated Florida State, still have Clemson, Georgia Tech and Miami remaining.

KEY MATCHUP

Florida State’s league-leading defense led by pass rushers Bjoern Werner and Cornellius Carradine against Duke’s pass-first offense that averages 289.4 yards a game in the air, led by QB Mike Renfree. The Seminole defense, which leads the ACC in all major defensive categories, has allowed 157.4 yards passing a game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Duke: WR Conner Vernon, who needs 94 receiving yards to break former Seminole Peter Warrick’s ACC record of 3,517 yards. Vernon is already the ACC’s career leader with 249 catches. Vernon has caught at least one pass in 43 straight games. Vernon and sophomore Jamison Crowder each have 51 catches and five touchdowns this season for Duke.

Florida State: FB Lonnie Pryor, recruited out of high school as a running back, has spent most of his career blocking for quarterback EJ Manuel and other running backs but could become a bigger part of the Seminoles offense with Chris Thompson out for the year with a knee injury. In limited carries this season, the 220-pound Pryor averages 6.8 yards and is also a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

FACTS & FIGURES

Duke came into the 1994 game at Tallahassee undefeated and ranked 13th nationally but couldn’t handle Florida State’s offense that racked up 653 yards in a 59-20 victory … That game played on Oct. 29 was almost exactly 18 years ago … it’s also been 18 years since Duke played in a bowl while Florida State is bowl eligible for the 31st consecutive year … Seminoles K Dustin Hopkins keeps extending his school and ACC scoring mark (417 points) and is now on the verge of breaking former Maryland kicker Nick Novak’s league mark of 80 field goals … Hopkins has 79 career field goals as he moves closer to the NCAA marks in both made field goals and total kicking points.

Tennessee (3-4, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) at No. 17 South Carolina (6-2, 4-2), 6 a.m. (ESPN)

Line: South Carolina by 14.

Series Record: Tennessee leads 22-6-2.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

South Carolina is looking to get back to its winning ways after dropping a pair of top-10 matchups at LSU and Florida. The Gamecocks also hope to win their ninth straight at home. Tennessee has lost its past three games, all to top-25 opponents.

KEY MATCHUP

South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore against Tennessee’s defense. Lattimore has rushed for just 48 yards on 16 carries the past two games. The Vols are dead last in SEC rushing defense, giving up 246 yards a game on the ground in their four league losses.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tennessee: QB Tyler Bray has struggled against SEC opponents. He’s had eight interceptions and only six touchdowns in the Vols four league games. Bray’s breakout showing came in relief as a freshman against South Carolina when he threw for two touchdowns and 159 yards in a 38-24 victory.

South Carolina: DE Jadeveon Clowney is second in the SEC with 7.5 sacks and has led a Gamecocks defense that tops the conference with 29 sacks. Tennessee has given up just three sacks, tops in the league.

FACTS & FIGURES

South Carolina is shooting for its third straight win over Tennessee, something that’s never happened since the series began in 1903. … Tennessee is looking to avoid its second straight 0-5 SEC start under coach Derek Dooley. … The Gamecocks have won their past eight games at Williams-Brice Stadium. … The Volunteers have rushed for over 168 yards a game this season, an increase of nearly 80 yards a game over last year’s average. … Spurrier, who grew up in Tennessee, was 1-1 against the Vols as coach at Duke, 8-4 against them while at Florida and 4-3 against them as Gamecocks coach.

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Kent State (6-1) at No. 18 Rutgers (7-0), 9:30 a.m.

Line: Rutgers by 13.

Series Record: Rutgers leads 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Rutgers will be looking for its fourth 8-0 start in 143 years of college football. It would be the third since 1976 and the second since joining the Big East in 1991. In easily its toughest game of the season, Kent State will be looking for its sixth straight win for the first time since 1940.

KEY MATCHUP

Rutgers defense, which is ranked third nationally in scoring (11.3) against a Golden Flashes’ offense that has scored 41 points four times this season. Coming off a four touchdown performance against Temple, Scarlet Knights QB Gary Nova against a Kent State defense that is ranked 71st nationally in total defense (401.4 yards), 62nd in rushing defense (156.3 yards) and 79th in pass defense (245.1).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kent State: RB-KR Dri Archer leads the nation in kick return average (47.0), all-purpose yards (213) and is tied for third in the nation with 14 touchdowns. LB Luke Batton made 14 tackles, contributed to three turnovers and scored a touchdown against Western Michigan. In his last two games, he has made 30 tackles.

.Rutgers: RB Jawan Jamison ranks 20th nationally and first in the conference, averaging 111.3 yards. LB Khaseem Greene has a team-high 67 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, 5 1/2 tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks and six quarterback hurries. He scored his first touchdown since high school with a 20-yard fumble return last week.

FACTS & FIGURES

Kent State and Rutgers both have a plus-14 turnover margin. ..Kent State coach Darrell Hazell served on Greg Schiano’s staff at Rutgers from 2001-03. …TB Trayion Durham ran for a career-high 124 yards against Western Michigan and scored his sixth TD in his last four games. QB Spencer Keith has thrown 39 touchdowns and for more than 7,000 yards in his career. … Rutgers has blocked 28 kicks since 2009, tops in the nation. …Rutgers is third nationally in run defense (69.1). …The Scarlet Knights’ 13 interceptions are tied for sixth in the nation. …. There are 11 undefeated teams in the nation. Rutgers Kyle Flood and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer are the only coaches in their first year with their current teams in that group.

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Washington State (2-5, 0-4 Pac-12) at No. 19 Stanford (5-2, 3-1), 12:15 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)

Line: Stanford by 24 ½.

Series Record: Stanford leads 36-25-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Stanford is trying to stay on the heels of Oregon and Oregon State and stay in control of Pac-12 North Division title hopes. Washington State is still searching for its first conference victory under new coach Mike Leach.

KEY MATCHUP

Stanford offensive line vs. Washington State defensive line. The Cardinal racked up 252 yards rushing in a 21-3 win at rival California last week behind a blossoming young offensive line blocking for senior Stepfan Taylor, who ran for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown. The Cougars rank second-to-last in the conference in rushing defense, allowing 175.1 yards on the ground per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Washington State LB Travis Long. The senior has been one of the few consistent bright spots for the Cougars this season. He has 10 tackles for loss and his 7 ½ sacks are third-best in the Pac-12 and tied for eighth nationally.

Stanford backup QB Kevin Hogan. The redshirt freshman has led a surprising change-of-pace package to Stanford’s typical power game. His role running mostly options and read-options has increased each week, and he tossed his first collegiate pass against Cal for a 9-yard touchdown to tight end Levine Toilolo last Saturday.

FACTS & FIGURES

Stanford has won four straight over the Cougars with an average margin of victory of 31 points. … Taylor (3,616 yards) is 417 yards shy of breaking Darrin Nelson’s Stanford career record. … Washington State has lost four straight games. … Leach has never faced Stanford. … A Stanford tight end has led the team in yards receiving in six straight games. … Stanford has won six straight at home and 17 of its last 18, with the lone loss coming against Oregon last season.

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No. 20 Michigan (5-2, 3-0 Big Ten) at Nebraska (5-2, 2-1), 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

Line: Nebraska by 2 ½.

Series Record: Michigan leads 4-2-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The winner gains the inside track to the Legends Division championship. With a win, division leader Michigan would hold a two-game lead over Nebraska. A Michigan loss would leave the Wolverines no worse than tied for first. The Huskers, with a win, would move into a first-place tie and own the tiebreaker over the Wolverines. A Nebraska loss would leave the Huskers needing to win out and having the Wolverines lose three of their last four.

KEY MATCHUP

Michigan defense against Nebraska offense. The Wolverines are allowing 9.8 points the past five games and given up three touchdowns. They haven’t given up a rushing TD since Sept. 22 against Notre Dame. Nebraska has the Big Ten’s best offense when it’s not turning over the ball. The Huskers struggled against Michigan’s varying defensive-line looks in last year’s 45-17 loss in Ann Arbor.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michigan: RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. Nebraska will sell out to keep Denard Robinson under control. That’s the smart play, given that Robinson accounts for two-thirds of his team’s offense. But when the Huskers have faced dual-threat QBs, they’ve struggled to keep the tailback in check. Toussaint, averaging 47 yards a game, ran for a career-high 138 and two TDs against the Huskers last year.

Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez. The third-year starter was brilliant in the fourth quarter last year, throwing two TD passes in the last six minutes to erase a 12-point deficit against Northwestern. Martinez was equally good leading the Huskers’ comeback from 17 points down against Wisconsin. But Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison surely will have something special planned.

FACTS & FIGURES

Nebraska will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its NCAA-record sellout streak. This will be the Huskers’ 323rd in a row. … Michigan, with its win over Michigan State last week, became the first program in NCAA history to reach 900 victories. … The Wolverines have lost four of their past seven games away from Michigan Stadium. … Michigan is 15-0 under Brady Hoke when scoring 20 or more points. … Nebraska’s 13 lost fumbles are most in the nation. … The Huskers has rushed for 200-plus yards in their first seven games for the first time since 2000. … Nebraska is 36-5 in night games in Lincoln since 1986.

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No. 21 Boise State (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) at Wyoming (1-6, 0-3), 9:30 a.m. (CBS Sports Network)

Line: Boise State by 16 1/2.

Series Record: Boise State leads 6-0

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Wyoming is looking for anything positive in a season gone sour on the field and now with the one-week suspension of its head coach Dave Christensen for his profanity-laden outburst against Air Force coach Troy Calhoun. The confrontation occurred two weeks ago but Wyoming didn’t suspend and fine Christensen until this week, meaning he will not be on the sideline against Boise State. Boise State has won six in a row .

KEY MATCHUP

Wyoming QB Brett Smith vs. Boise State’s front seven. Smith is the engine that makes Wyoming’s offense go. Smith is averaging 301.8 yards per game total offense but has missed two games and part of another because of concussions. Boise State’s defense is ranked in the top 10 for pass defense (158 yards per game), pass efficiency defense (95.6) and points allowed (13.5). It has held opponents scoreless in the first half in each of the last five games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Wyoming: LB Ghaali Muhammad leads the Cowboys in tackles this season, with 64 total tackles, including 41 solo. He ranks third in the Mountain West in tackles, averaging 9.3 per game.

Boise State: RB D.J. Harper has 32 career touchdowns and needs one more to rank him fifth in school history. Harper ranks ninth all-time at Boise State in career rushing yards (2,250), and needs 19 more to move up to seventh on the list.

FACTS & FIGURES

Boise State sophomore WR Matt Miller is three receptions shy of 100 for his career. …The Broncos defense has held four of this season’s seven opponents to their lowest-scoring game of the season. …Boise State has not lost a game in October since 2001 when it fell to Rice 45-14 on Oct. 6. … Wyoming is looking for its first home win of the season. UW lost its first three home games by one (27-28 to Air Force), two (22-24 to Cal Poly) and three (31-34 to Toledo). …The Cowboys have had five of their first seven games decided by a touchdown or less but have won only one of the close games — a 3-point overtime win at Idaho.

No. 22 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Auburn (1-6, 0-5), 1 p.m. (ESPNU)

Line: Texas A&M by 14.

Series Record: Texas A&M leads 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The Aggies can get a nice start on a three-game SEC road swing that includes visits to No. 13 Mississippi State and No. 1 Alabama. It also presents a good chance for QB Johnny Manziel to rebound from a three-interception game against LSU. Auburn has only three more chances to avoid going 0-8 in the league and will be a heavy underdog each time.

KEY MATCHUP

An aggressive Texas A&M defense against an offense prone to running backward. The Aggies have racked up 21 sacks and Damontre Moore leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss. With a young offensive line and hesitant quarterback play, Auburn has allowed a league-worst 24 sacks and has also had plenty of other negative plays — often at the worst times.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas A&M: Manziel. The redshirt freshman proved he was mortal against LSU. He’s still averaging 100-plus total yards more than Auburn’s offense and goes against a defense that has been vulnerable to dual-threat quarterbacks. Manziel is second in the SEC in both rushing and passing.

Auburn: RB Tre Mason. Mason leads the team with 474 yards but has wondered aloud why he’s not getting 20 or more rushes. The slippery sophomore has oddly almost disappeared from Auburn’s offense at times in the second half of tight games, but the Tigers need to stick with him more to keep the Aggies’ fast-paced offense on the sideline for as long as it’s close.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Aggies lead the SEC in total, rushing and scoring offense. The Tigers rank last in scoring and total offense — and in the bottom three nationally in both. … The Aggies won both previous meetings, 16-0 in 1911 and 36-16 in the 1986 Cotton Bowl against the Bo Jackson-led Tigers. … Auburn has scored 60 points in five SEC games; Texas A&M has produced at least 58 three times in seven games this season. … Manziel has accounted for more than twice as many touchdowns as Auburn’s offense, 24-11.

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No. 23 Ohio (7-0, 3-0 MAC) at Miami, Ohio (3-4, 2-1), 9:30 a.m. (ESPN3)

Line: Ohio by 7

Series Record: Miami leads 51-35-2

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Ohio is playing as a ranked team for the first time since it moved into the Top 25 two weeks ago, followed by a bye week. The Bobcats hadn’t been ranked since 1968, when they finished the season at No. 20. They’re trying to go 8-0 for the first time since that season and only the sixth time in school history.

KEY MATCHUP

Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton against Miami’s struggling defense. The RedHawks are giving up an average of 37.6 points per game, having allowed 56, 39, 49, 52 and 37 points. They’ve also given up an average of 500 yards per game, ranking 115th nationally. Tettleton has run Ohio’s balanced offense flawlessly, throwing only one interception with 12 TD passes. He’s already the school’s career leader with 40 career TD passes.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ohio: RB Beau Blankenship. The junior has run for more than 100 yards in six of Ohio’s seven games this season and ranks third nationally at 135.8 per game. He ran for 269 yards in a win at Massachusetts on Sept. 29, the third-highest total in school history. The Bobcats have run for 200 yards in three of their wins this season.

Miami: Zac Dysert. The RedHawks need a good day from their senior quarterback in order to keep up with the Bobcats. Miami has the MAC’s second-best passing game, but hasn’t scored a lot of points the last two games, a 52-14 loss at Cincinnati and a 37-12 loss at Bowling Green. Dysert has thrown five interceptions in those two games, his worst stretch since 2010.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Bobcats have won the last six games in the series. … Ohio is one of only 11 unbeaten teams in the FBS. … The Bobcats are No. 24 in the BCS, the first time they’ve been listed in the ranking. … The Bobcats have won eight straight since last season, tied for the fourth-longest winning streak in school history. … Ohio has scored 44, 37, 38 and 34 points in its last four games. … Tettleton threw for three TDs and accounted for 314 yards overall in Ohio’s 21-14 win over Miami in Athens last season. .. Dysert ranks 61st in NCAA history with 10,444 yards passing. He has 16 career 300-yard games. … Miami’s run defense has been a big problem, allowing 243.9 yards per game.