But if Penn State can get the win at home, then the fun and games might be over. All Iowa would have to do is win two of its last three to go to the Rose Bowl, but the Nittany Lions will be holding out hope for two Hawkeye losses to help pave the way to Cali for the second year in a row. But even if Penn State doesn't end up winning the Big Ten title outright and doesn't end up going to the Rose Bowl, this game is still important for BCS hopes. An 11-1 Nittany Lion team would be a slam-dunk to get an at-large bid to one of the big games, and a win would finally prove that this season is for real.

Penn State has faced one good team so far, Iowa, and lost at home. Yeah, Temple might end up winning the MAC and wiping up Minnesota was nice, but with no Wisconsin on the schedule and with Michigan State struggling, taking the luster off the regular season ender, this is it. This is the chance to show that the team can play a little bit and can be compared to last year's tremendous powerhouse. But to pull off the win, the hit-or-miss offense needs to come up with its best performance of the year, and the defense has to prove it can play against a team with athletes.

For Stanford, this could be the biggest game it's played since Jim Harbaugh took over a couple of years ago. Not only can the Cardinal pull to within a game of the Pac-10 leaders, it can also become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2001. Two weeks removed from a blowout of Arizona State, Stanford is well-rested and thirsty for a statement win.

Everything is clicking in Eugene. QB Jeremiah Masoli is healthy again, teaming up with freshman sensation LaMichael James to give the Ducks one of the most potent running games in the country. Heck, they just slapped around USC for 391 yards on the ground, which cannot bode well for a Stanford D that ranks in the bottom half of the league in every major category.

If there's been a hint of a crack in the Oregon D, it's been in run defense. Bruising 235-pound RB Toby Gerhart is liable to turn that crack into a full-blown opening. Ranked No. 7 nationally in rushing, he's used the last two weeks to get his ankle healthy, which was nagging before the break. He has a budding complement on offense in redshirt freshman QB Andrew Luck, who is no longer playing like a rookie. Having tossed five touchdown passes and one pick over the last three games, he now leads the Pac-10 in passing efficiency.

Now, it's just another game on the schedule, and while fans of each program still hold on to their ire for one another, it's not the same.

However, while this might not be the super-power matchup of 1987, it's still big for the Big 12 title discussion. Nebraska has played like a steaming pile of garbage over the last several weeks, but it's still in the North title hunt with three division games to close things out. Oklahoma needs a miracle to even dream of tying for the South championship, much less win it, but it can position itself for a great bowl, and if everything breaks right, an at-large BCS game by being impressive against a rough schedule.

Nebraska might be the easiest game left on the Sooner slate. The Huskers had the North for the taking after a win at Missouri, and then the offense quit playing in ugly losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State at home. A 20-10 win over Baylor last week didn't answer any questions. For all the problems and all the issues, the season can take a big left turn toward the positive with a win before going to Kansas next week.

Oklahoma State has to pick itself up off the mat after getting obliterated at home by Texas in a 41-14, nationally televised loss. This still might be the second-best team in the Big 12, and an at-large BCS bid isn't out of the question, but it has to start rolling and it needs to start this week. This has been a disappointing season overall, considering this was supposed to be a national title contender, but 6-2 isn't bad and this can still be a wildly successful campaign.

This is a bad matchup for Iowa State. OSU QB Zac Robinson struggled against Texas, but he's been efficient throughout this season and he has played at times like the Big 12's best quarterback. If he gets time, he's a killer, and he'll get ten days to throw against the Cyclones. OSU leads the nation in sacks allowed, giving up just four sacks so far, and Iowa State has no pass rush whatsoever.

The Beavers played well in October, beating Arizona State, Stanford, and UCLA, and giving USC all it could handle in Los Angeles. A win would guarantee the school a postseason bid for the fourth consecutive year.

Although no one appears to be paying attention outside Strawberry Canyon, the Bears are playing their best ball of the season, winning three straight over UCLA, Washington State, and Arizona State. The win in Tempe wasn't without its frightful moments, but this weekend's visit from Oregon State will be Cal's toughest test since getting humbled by Oregon and USC. Jahvid Best vs. Jacquizz Rodgers is one of the best running back battles you'll see all season.

Ever since QB Kevin Riley started playing with more consistency, the Bears have been a totally different team on offense. His ability to spread defenses out and get the ball to athletic WR Marvin Jones have opened the field for Best and Shane Vereen to bust through seams and quickly get into the secondary.

It's a contrast in styles with Notre Dame ranking eighth in the nation in passing and Navy third in the country running it. Coming off a rough loss to Temple, Navy could go on a big-time run of wins if it can pull off the upset with Delaware, Hawaii, and Army left to play.

If Notre Dame really is BCS worthy, it should be able to come up with a big performance and win easily, but Navy is Navy and it's getting healthier at the right time. Notre Dame's biggest problem is its mediocre pass defense, but the run defense isn't anything special. The stats are fine, but teams like USC and Purdue were too busy throwing the ball to bother with the ground attack. Meanwhile, the Navy secondary has been solid when the ground game is working and the defense is less exposed.