2008 RANKINGS: Wolverines: offense 105th (11th Big Ten), pass 106th (10th), run 60th (8th); defense 66th (8th), pass 89th (10th), run 45th (6th); Buckeyes: offense 84th (10th Big Ten), pass 107th (11th), run 29th (3rd); defense 13th (2nd), pass 13th (2nd), run 26th (3rd)

POLLS: Ohio State (10th AP, 10th coaches)

PREDICTION: Ohio State 20-7

KEYS TO THE GAME: Two seasons after these teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2, this might be the least-anticipated game in the history of the series. Michigan's woeful 3-8 record has peeled some of the shine off what is considered the greatest rivalry in college football. This year, it's not even the best game in the league this weekend. That distinction would go to Michigan State and Penn State. The Buckeyes have struggled stopping spread teams in the past, but Michigan has been awful on offense all season. The problem is compounded this week with the loss of QB Steven Threet, who is expected to sit out with a shoulder injury. Nick Sheridan would start if Threet can't play, but Sheridan completed just 8 of 29 passes last week against Northwestern. For Michigan to have any chance, it can't turn the ball over, something it has struggled with all season. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in turnovers with 30, while the Bucks rank second in takeaways with 26. Giving OSU a short field will be deadly in a game that is already a huge mismatch. The Bucks enter as 19-point favorites, which equals the biggest spread in the history of the series. The Buckeyes have never won five in a row over Michigan, something they'll do for the first time with a victory in this one.

FAST FACTS: Buckeyes — The defense has forced a three-and-out 45 times this year, an average of 4.1 per game. ... RB Beanie Wells needs 59 yards to pass Keith Byars for fourth place on the career rushing list. ... LB James Laurinaitis has 354 career tackles, ranking seventh on the school's all-time list. Wolverines — LB Obi Ezeh needs four more tackles to reach 100 for the season. ... Michigan coaches in their first year are 10-1-1 against Ohio State. ... Michigan has lost four of its past five at Ohio Stadium.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Wolverines

QB Nick Sheridan — Completed just 8 of 29 passes for 61 yards last week while subbing for Steven Threet. Sheridan will likely be in the same role, but has to produce much more to give Michigan a shot at the upset.

RB Brandon Minor — Carlos Brown filled in nicely last week, but Minor was just starting to hit his stride before a shoulder injury sidelined him. Minor is the most consistent weapon on an otherwise dreary offense. If Michigan is going to score, Minor will lead them there.

DL Brandon Graham — Defenses that have enjoyed success against the Bucks have done so with strong pressure up front. Graham leads Michigan with nine sacks. If Graham and his line teammates can keep from getting pushed around, thereby closing lanes for the runners, Michigan will have a chance.

Buckeyes

RB Beanie Wells — Set a career high last season against Michigan with 222 yards. He hasn't put up the totals expected of him this season, but another big game against Michigan could change all of that.

QB Terrelle Pryor — His college decision came down to Ohio State or Michigan. He chose the Bucks, and the rest is history. Now he'll face Rich Rodriguez and the school he almost selected for the first time.

LB James Laurinaitis — He never seems to make the bone-jarring hits, but Laurinaitis is always in the right spot at the right time. Now he should get to tee off on backup quarterback Nick Sheridan.

INJURY WATCH:

Wolverines

QB Steven Threet is doubtful with a shoulder injury. If he can't go, Nick Sheridan will start in his place.

RB Sam McGuffie is questionable following a death in the family. He is expected to return to Texas this week.

RB Brandon Minor (shoulder) is expected to play after missing the game against Northwestern.

Buckeyes

DB Jermale Hines is doubtful for the second straight week with an undisclosed injury suffered Nov. 8 against Northwestern. He is the only regular Jim Tressel is concerned won't be available. If Hines can't play, Tyler Moeller would again get the bulk of the work as the nickel back. Moeller forced a fumble last week against Illinois.

RB Beanie Wells injured his hamstring against Illinois, but it's not expected to hinder him against the Wolverines.

DE Lawrence Wilson (knee) is out for the season.

North Carolina State at North Carolina

KICKOFF: Saturday, 12 ET

SERIES: North Carolina leads 63-28-6

2008 RANKINGS: Wolfpack: offense 104th (11th ACC), pass 78th (8th), run 102nd (10th); defense 97th (12th), pass 101st (12th), run 77th (12th); Tar Heels: offense 93rd (6th ACC), pass 74th (5th), run 85th (7th); defense 57th (9th ACC), pass 61st (9th), run 66th (8th)

POLLS: North Carolina (25th AP)

PREDICTION: North Carolina 30-17

KEYS TO THE GAME: North Carolina's offense is in flux after rushing for only 75 yards in the rain last week against Maryland. That came after putting up 186 rushing yards against Georgia Tech the week before. Consistency from the tailback position is important because of the uncertainty surrounding quarterbacks T.J. Yates and Cam Sexton. Neither has been able to distance himself from the other. That makes it difficult to get the ball to Hakeem Nicks, clearly the best talent on the field for the Tar Heels. N.C. State has its own woes, particularly on defense, but the Pack can make a game of it by running the ball as successfully as Maryland did last week. An N.C. State victory would not only keep alive its flickering bowl hopes for another week, it would also give it a sweep of the four in-state teams on the schedule.

FAST FACTS: Wolfpack — Last season's victory against UNC snapped a three-game skid in the series. ... The defense ranks last in the ACC in nearly every category, allowing 405 yards and 28 points per game. ... QB Russell Wilson has one interception in 201 attempts this season. Tar Heels — The only three-year player in ACC history with more receiving yards than Hakeem Nicks is former Georgia Tech first-team All-American Calvin Johnson. ... The three losses have been by a combined 8 points. ... Nicks needs 80 yards to break the school's single-season record of 990 set by Sam Aiken in 2003.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Wolfpack

DT Markus Kuhn — Kuhn moves back into the starting lineup in place of the injured Shea McKeen. The sophomore is still raw, but has shown the ability to pressure the quarterback despite his lack of experience with American football. His only experience before signing with the Wolfpack was with a club team in his native Germany.

QB Russell Wilson — The redshirt freshman extended his streak to 175 pass attempts without an interception last week. That's four shy of Jamie Barnette's school record. He also scored one touchdown on the ground and threw four two more, but he can expect to face a fired-up UNC defense that picks off more than its share of passes.

LB Nate Irving — The sophomore again led the team in tackles against Wake Forest, and makes everyone around him better. As he goes, so goes the State defense.

Tar Heels

WR Hakeem Nicks — Nicks leads the ACC in receiving yards per game (91.1) needs just one more touchdown catch to tie the school record currently held by Marcus Wall at nine. He also needs 12 more catches to set the school record for receptions in a career (Jaworski Pollock 177).

SS Trimane Goddard — Goddard is in a tie for first with six others for the national lead in interceptions with six. He also has broken up four other passes and has forced and recovered a fumble. Twice this season he has come up with turnovers on an opponent's final play to end the game (interception against Miami, fumble recovery against Notre Dame).

DE Robert Quinn — A true freshman, Quinn has had a tremendous impact on Carolina's defensive front. He has 23 tackles, five of them for losses (one sack), forced two fumbles, and broken up a pass. He had six stops in the win over Georgia Tech.

INJURY WATCH:

Wolfpack

DE Shea McKeen broke his ankle in the Wake Forest game, and is out for the season. Markus Kuhn will get the start in his place, with Audi Augustin serving as his backup.

Tar Heels

Sophomore DE Darius Powell has been dismissed from the team because of violation of team rules. He had four tackles in a backup role.

Citadel at Florida

KICKOFF: Saturday, 1:30 ET

SERIES: Florida leads 13-0

2008 RANKINGS: Bulldogs: n/a; Gators: offense 25th (2nd SEC), pass 66th (5th), run 15th (1st); defense 6th (2nd), pass 14th (4th), run 11th (2nd)

POLLS: Florida (3rd AP, 3rd coaches)

PREDICTION: Florida 56-7

KEYS TO THE GAME: If some of the best teams in the SEC can't slow down the red-hot Gators, The Citadel has no chance of doing it. Florida is playing better than any team in the country — including the two unbeaten ahead of it in the rankings. The Gators are averaging 49.8 points per game during this six-game winning streak. They have excelled in the red zone, scoring 93 percent of the time (40 of 43 trips) inside the 20-yard line. How balanced have the Gators been? Florida's rushing yardage (2,134) and passing yardage (2,052) are nearly identical. The offense will pose real problems for a Bulldog defense that simply isn't fast enough to keep up. The Citadel has some offensive weapons, namely WR Andre Roberts. But sophomore quarterback Bart Blanchard is facing an opportunistic defense that has already returned five interceptions for touchdowns this season. Don't be surprised if they add another before the day is through.

FAST FACTS: Bulldogs — Have lost 19 straight to FBS (formerly I-A) teams, with the last victory coming over Army in 1992. ... Have lost four straight on the road this season. ... The offense has scored on just 37 of 46 red zone opportunities (80.4 percent), including touchdowns on 26 possessions (56.5 percent). Gators — The defense has 17 interceptions, including eight against ranked teams. The eight picks are the most for any team against ranked opponents this year. ... WR Percy Harvin was named SEC offensive player of the week following a career-high 167 yards rushing and two rushing TDs. ... Florida's plus-15 margin in turnovers is second-best in the country.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Bulldogs

WR Andre Roberts — Became the school's new single-season leader in receiving yards last week and now has 1,268 for the season. He has seven games this year of 100 yards or more receiving.

QB Bart Blanchard — Only a sophomore, Blanchard averages 220 passing yards per game to rank second in the Southern Conference. He has thrown 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season.

LB Jordon Gilmore — Easily the team leader in tackles (89), Gilmore had 16 tackles earlier this year against Elon. He also has three forced fumbles, a pair of sacks and six quarterback hurries.

Gators

WR Deonte Thompson — Thompson is becoming a more dangerous playmaker in the offense as the season progresses. "He's doing a heck of a job," coach Urban Meyer said. "He's got the 'I should be getting 20 to 40 catches,' out of his mind. Now he's working on acceleration off the ball and making plays down the field."

LB Brandon Hicks — Hicks was disruptive as a pass rusher last week against South Carolina, forcing two interceptions with a quarterback pressure and a tipped pass. Look for Hicks to continue to provide pressure on the outside.

QB Tim Tebow — Tebow should get another chance to pad some statistics in his effort to get back into the Heisman Trophy race.

S Will Hill — A sure tackler, Hill is excelling on special teams and is working into a nice three-safety rotation with Ahmad Black and Major Wright.

INJURY WATCH:

Bulldogs

n/a

Gators

OT Jason Watkins (concussion) is probable to play.

OG Carl Johnson (sprained knee) is questionable.

DT Matt Patchan was limited against South Carolina due to a hip pointer but is expected to play.

DT Torrey Davis remained on the bench for South Carolina because he "didn't meet expectations to play," Meyer said. His status for this week is unknown.

Michigan State at Penn State

KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 ET

SERIES: Tied 12-12-1

2008 RANKINGS: Spartans: offense 66th (7th Big Ten), pass 65th (6th), run 64th (9th); defense 48th (5th), pass 39th (3rd), run 73rd (8th); Nittany Lions: offense 18th (2nd Big Ten), pass 51st (4th), run 64th (9th); defense 48th (5th), pass 39th (3rd), run 73rd (8th)

POLLS: Michigan State (17th AP, 15th coaches); Penn State (7th AP, 8th coaches)

PREDICTION: Penn State 28-24

KEYS TO THE GAME: The winner gets a share of the Big Ten championship, while the loser should still land a New Year's Day bowl. Michigan State hasn't won in Beaver Stadium since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993, but the Spartans had two weeks to prepare for this game and the Nittany Lions have appeared vulnerable in November after dominating the first two months. Michigan State must get a big day from Javon Ringer in order to win. Penn State's defense went 1-for-2 against the other big backs in the conference, limiting Ohio State's Beanie Wells to 55 rushing yards, while Iowa's Shonn Greene went for more than 100. Not surprising, then, that Penn State beat OSU and lost to Iowa. Penn State's offense has scuffled in recent weeks. Quarterback Daryll Clark has struggled to remain consistent playing in the wind (two weeks ago) and rain (last week vs. Indiana). The Nittany Lions are hoping he can return to his early-season form in what has been forecast to be cold but dry conditions Saturday. The Nittany Lions made an effort to keep tailback Evan Royster rested, giving him just 12 carries against Indiana. His workload against the Spartans figures to increase.

FAST FACTS: Spartans — This is the 10th time in history MSU has won nine games in a season, and the first since 1999. ... Mark Dantonio's 16 wins are the most for any coach through his first two seasons in East Lansing. ... RB Javon Ringer ranks second on the school's all-time yardage list with 4,309 yards. Nittany Lions — The next victory will be the 800th in school history. Penn State will become the sixth program to reach 800 victories, and the second to do it this year (Ohio State). Its all-time record is 799-348-42. ... WR Deon Butler is Penn State's all-time receptions leader with 172. ... Penn State has produced 20 seasons of 10 wins or more and 13 seasons of at least 11 wins in the 43 years under Joe Paterno.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Spartans

RB Javon Ringer — His 1,548 rushing yards rank third in the country, and he has also scored 20 touchdowns. As Ringer goes, so will the Spartans.

S Otis Wiley — The big playmaker on defense will have to come up with one, either from his safety position or on special teams. Wiley leads the defense with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

WR Mark Dell — A knee injury has limited him in recent weeks, but when healthy, he's a difficult matchup. He's had two weeks now to rest a knee injury, and might be good for a touchdown catch after missing the past two games.

Nittany Lions

LB Navorro Bowman — The sophomore linebacker will lead the charge against Javon Ringer, and his third-down blitzes in passing situations could make things rough on quarterback Brian Hoyer.

RB Evan Royster — Penn State doesn't want to put too much pressure on quarterback Daryll Clark, and the best way to take it off is to get Royster and the ground game going early against a Spartan defense that has been merely OK against the run.

PK Kevin Kelly — The senior has made at least one field goal in 31 straight games and has hit 19 of his 23 attempts this season. He could be big in a game that should be a lot closer than the 14-point spread.

INJURY WATCH:

Spartans

WRs Mark Dell (knee) and Keshawn Martin (shoulder) and cornerback Chris L. Rucker should all be healthy after missing the last game before the open week. The extra rest, Mark Dantonio said, has everyone healthy and ready for the finale.

Nittany Lions

DE Josh Gaines, who missed the fourth quarter of the game at Iowa and all but the first series of last week's game against Indiana with a sprained left ankle, practiced briefly Monday and should be "OK" for this week's game against Michigan State.

RB Evan Royster had limited carries (12) against Indiana not because of any injury, Joe Paterno said yesterday (even though Royster walked off the field gingerly twice in the game), but because the Nittany Lions wanted to keep Royster fresh and give backup Stephfon Green (10 carries) extended work.

Air Force at TCU

KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 ET

SERIES: TCU leads 4-2-1

2008 RANKINGS: Falcons: offense 54th (5th MWC), pass 117th (9th), run 4th (1st); defense 35th (3rd), pass 28th (2nd), run 53rd (4th); Horned Frogs: offense 31st (2nd MWC), pass 80th (6th), run 11th (2nd); defense 1st (1st), pass 24th (1st), run 1st (1st)

POLLS: TCU (15th AP, 17th coaches)

PREDICTION: TCU 20-17

KEYS TO THE GAME: TCU still has a shot at part of the Mountain West championship, if BYU beats Utah. Plus, the Frogs have some redemption to claim after losing to Air Force last season in overtime. Air Force brings its powerful option attack against the top-ranked run defense in the country. The Frogs are allowing less than 40 yards per game on the ground, while the Falcons rank fourth nationally in rushing yards at 280 per game. The unit that wins the battle will likely win the game. TCU must take care of the ball on offense, since the Falcons have forced two or more turnovers in all but one game this season. As an aside, Air Force has never won in Forth Worth.

FAST FACTS: Falcons — At 5-0 on the road, this could be the second team in program history and the first since 1958 to go unbeaten away from home. ... Air Force's win against TCU last season ended a four-game skid and was the first in the series since 1987. ... This is the third ranked opponent this season. Previously, Air Force lost to Utah and BYU. Horned Frogs — A victory will make three 10 win seasons in the past four years. ... A victory would give this senior class 40 wins, tying it with the 1935 class for the most wins in school history. The '35 team won a national championship. ... DE Jerry Hughes' 14 sacks lead the nation and are a new Mountain West record.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Falcons

QB Tim Jefferson — The freshman, who suffered his first defeat in six starts last weekend against BYU, will have the most difficult test of his short career as TCU owns the nation's top defense. Jefferson, who has rushed for 370 yards, will face a defense that allows just 1.5 yards per carry, by far the fewest in the country.

TE Travis Dekker — One of Air Force's top offensive weapons, he's caught just five passes for 20 yards in the past four games. But as the Falcons likely will have to throw the ball more, he could be a big factor. In last season's upset victory over the Horned Frogs, Dekker caught a 50-yard pass that set up a touchdown.

SS Chris Thomas — Air Force's top defensive play-maker will need to make some big plays against TCU for the Falcons to have a chance. Thomas, who made a career-high 17 tackles against BYU, ranks second on the team in sacks (4.0) and first in fumble recoveries (three). He's also forced a pair of fumbles.

Horned Frogs

TB Aaron Brown — The senior really came on last game, rushing for 106 yards. He didn't play last season against Air Force because of injury.

DE Jerry Hughes — He didn't make a whole lot of noise against Utah since teams are starting to really pay close attention to him. But Hughes still leads the nation with 14 sacks.

PK Ross Evans — The freshman has had 16 days to think about missing two field goals in the last six minutes against Utah, so it'll be interesting to see how he responds if the Frogs are in a situation where they need him against Air Force.

INJURY WATCH:

Falcons

Senior receiver Spencer Armstrong (leg) practiced for the second straight week and is questionable.

Junior right guard Peter Lusk did not practice Monday. Lusk, who had a boot on his injured ankle, went through some conditioning drills and was expected to return to practice later in the week.

Sophomore outside linebacker Patrick Hennessey (shoulder), who did not play against BYU, is questionable for Saturday's game.

Horned Frogs

OL Tyler Marrou will not play in the game with an undisclosed injury.

Mississippi at LSU

KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 ET

SERIES: LSU leads 55-37-4

2008 RANKINGS: Rebels: offense 41st (4th SEC), pass 68th (6th), run 30th (3rd); defense 41st (11th), pass 84th (12th), run 13th (3rd); Tigers: offense 39th (3rd SEC), pass 59th (4th), run 33rd (4th); defense 27th (8th), pass 63rd (10th), run 15th (5th

POLLS: LSU (18th AP, 18th coaches)

PREDICTION: LSU 30-28

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Tigers have won six in a row in the series, but the last three games in Baton Rouge have been decided by three points or less. Look for Ole Miss, which put up 59 points last week, to move the ball effectively against an LSU defense that has fallen well short of expectations. Three times this season, the Tigers have given up more than 30 points in a game, though they did manage to win one of them. That was in their last outing, when they rallied for a 40-31 victory over Troy. The Tigers are surrendering about 311 yards per game (eighth in the league) and have six interceptions, matching Mississippi State for the league low. Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead ranks third in the league in passing, throwing for about 198 yards a game. Six games this year, Ole Miss has turned the ball over two or fewer times. The Rebels have won all six games. This series has recently been dubbed the "Magnolia Bowl" by the student governments of the respective teams, with a trophy going to the winner. More importantly, the winner will assume second place in the SEC Western Division, as both teams are 3-3 in league play.

FAST FACTS: Rebels — The three game winning streak is the longest since 2003, which is also the last time the Rebels were bowl eligible. ... Three tailbacks have at least 400 rushing yards, led by Cordera Eason's 545 yards. ... QB Jevan Snead has thrown for 1,983 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Tigers — The next victory will be the 700th in school history. ... Les Miles' 41-9 record ties him with Tennessee's Phil Fulmer and Mississippi State's Allyn McKeen for the most in after a coach's first 50 games in the league. ... LSU has won at least eight games every year since 2000.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Rebels

LT Michael Oher — The senior is the reigning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after making eight finishing blocks and one knockdown in the 59-0 win over ULM.

QB Jevan Snead — The sophomore ranks second in the SEC in TD passes (17) and third in passing average (198.3 ypg) and pass efficiency (132.5).

RB Cordera Eason — The junior is averaging 97 rushing yards over the past three games and posted his first two 100-yard rushing performances the last couple of weeks.

Tigers

WR Brandon LaFell — LaFell is coming off a career night against Troy, when he had 12 catches for 126 yards, both single-game highs for the junior. His 55 receptions lead the SEC, and his 772 yards receiving rank second in the league. He has seven touchdown receptions.

TB Charles Scott — Scott is averaging 107 yards a game rushing, third in the league. He has 14 touchdowns to rank second in that category. He has gone 271 carries without losing a fumble. In fact, the last time an LSU tailback lost a fumble was in 2006 against Arkansas.

DE Rahim Alem — Alem is tied for second in the league in sacks with six. Overall, he has eight and a half tackles for loss, a team high, even though he has started only one game (Alabama).

INJURY WATCH:

Rebels

WR Shay Hodge has a bruised heel but should play Saturday.

FB Jason Cook is back at full speed after a concussion.

Tigers

QB Andrew Hatch (leg) remains questionable. Freshman Jordan Jefferson has taken over the role as backup quarterback behind Jarrett Lee. Hatch has missed the past three games and four overall.

Boise State at Nevada

KICKOFF: Saturday, 4 ET

SERIES: Boise State leads 22-12

2008 RANKINGS: Broncos: offense 15th (2nd WAC), pass 13th (2nd), run 46th (4th); defense 12th (1st), pass 27th (3rd), run 12th (2nd); Wolf Pack: offense 5th (1st WAC), pass 71st (5th), run 1st (1st); defense 84th (5th WAC), pass 119th (9th), run 2nd (1st)

POLLS: Boise State (9th AP, 9th coaches)

PREDICTION: Boise State 49-35

KEYS TO THE GAME: There is plenty of history between these two. Boise State clinched its unbeaten season and Fiesta Bowl berth in 2006 at Nevada, then last year these two staged one of the most thrilling games of the season. The Broncos won, 69-67 in four overtimes. This year, these are the two stingiest teams against the run in the WAC. Nevada allows 64 rushing yards per game, while the Broncos are second at 103. Only two teams have scored more than 10 points against Boise State all season, Oregon and Utah State. Missed tackles have become a problem of late, though, allowing both Utah State and Idaho to score long touchdowns. Missed tackles against Nevada's pistol will end the Broncos' perfect season. A victory, though, and Boise State clinches another outright WAC title.

FAST FACTS: Broncos — The defense is surrendering 10.3 points per game, second-lowest in the nation. ... Ian Johnson and Jeremy Avery are separated for the team lead by just two rushing yards. They have combined for 1,076 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. ... QB Kellen Moore has thrown for 2,637 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Wolf Pack — Sophomore QB Colin Kaepernick is one of 32 players in college football history to rush for 1,000 yards and throw for 1,000 in the same season. He needs 159 passing yards to become the fifth FBS player to rush for 1,000 and throw for 2,000. ... The offense set a new record for rushing yards in a season. The total is up to 3,250 yards through 10 games, breaking the 30-year-old mark of 3,096 yards in 12 games. ... Sophomores Dontay Moch (8.5) and Kevin Basped (7.0) have combined for 15.5 sacks this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Broncos

Jeremy Avery is coming off a big game for Boise State. (Dean Hare / Associated Press)

TB Jeremy Avery — He rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns last week at Idaho, the first 100-yard rushing performance by a Bronco this season.

WR Jeremy Childs — He has 43 catches in the past six games, including 11 for 99 yards last week. The junior likely will finish the season at No. 2 on the school's all-time receptions list.

DE Byron Hout — He had five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble last week against Idaho. The true freshman has been elevated by injury to the No. 3 defensive end, so he will be a key player the rest of the way.

Wolf Pack

QB Colin Kaepernick — Kaepernick, a sophomore, leads the WAC in total offense at 285.8 yards per game. Kaepernick, the reigning WAC Freshman of the Year, is second in the league in rushing with 1,017 yards. He is tops in the league with 16 rushing touchdowns. Kaepernick has thrown 14 touchdowns (against just four interceptions).

RB Vai Taua — The sophomore is the WAC leader in rushing yards with 128.4 per game, despite not starting the season as the starter. Taua replaced injured starter Luke Lippincott and is poised to be an All-WAC first-team selection. Taua has 12 rushing touchdowns.

DE Kevin Basped — Basped is third in the league in sacks (7.0) and third in the league in tackles for loss (14.0). Basped had his best game of the year last week, with five tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and two forced fumbles.

INJURY WATCH:

Broncos

DE Shea McClellin will miss at least one week and perhaps the rest of the season with a leg injury.

C Thomas Byrd (leg) is questionable this week.

C/G Cory Yriarte (knee) is probable after missing three games.

Wolf Pack

LB Joshua Mauga (bruised chest) started at outside linebacker against San Jose State. Mauga, the starting middle linebacker for much of the season, played at outside linebacker. Mauga is expected to be back at middle linebacker.

CB Mo Harvey, who began the season at safety, earned his first start at cornerback against Fresno State.

BYU at Utah

KICKOFF: Saturday, 6 ET

SERIES: Utah leads 49-30-4

2008 RANKINGS: Cougars: offense 17th (1st MWC), pass 7th (1st), run 81st (7th); defense 54th (6th), pass 53rd (6th), run 71st (6th); Utes: offense 35th (3rd MWC), pass 44th (3rd), run 37th (5th); defense 11th (2nd), pass 35th (4th), run 7th (2nd)

POLLS: BYU (16th AP, 14th coaches); Utah (8th AP, 8th coaches)

PREDICTION: Utah 28-20

KEYS TO THE GAME: A Utah victory would complete its second unbeaten regular season in school history, and all but clinches the program's second BCS bid in five seasons. The Utes also have the last two seasons of heartbreaking losses to the Cougars to provide motivation. This is just the second time both rivals enter ranked. The first time was 1994, when both were in the 20s. Now $14 million and a BCS bid are at stake. In order to get there, Utah will have to continue the offensive hot streak it discovered last week. After two sluggish weeks, the Utes scored seven offensive touchdowns at San Diego State. If there was one game film Utah coaches paid particular attention to, it had to be BYU's 42-35 victory over UNLV, when the Rebels' similar spread-option had success with an athletic quarterback. Utah has tried to curb QB Brian Johnson's running as much as possible but there are no limits this week. BYU's biggest questions centers around tight end Dennis Pitta. He ranks 14th nationally with nearly seven catches per game, but he sprained his MCL near the end of the win against Air Force. Pitta wasn't expected to practice much and would likely be considered questionable, but his teammate and brother-in-law, quarterback Max Hall, insisted Pitta will play.

FAST FACTS: Cougars — WR Austin Collie needs 35 yards to become the school's all-time leading receiver in yardage. He stands at 3,066. ... Through 11 games, QB Max Hall is completing 72 percent of his passes and has thrown just eight interceptions. Both rank as the best in school history for any quarterback through 11 games. ... BYU has won 17 of its past 18 when ranked. Utes — Have clinched at least a share of the Mountain West title, their fourth since the league formed in 1999. ... The 12-game winning streak is tied with Texas Tech and Alabama for the longest in the nation. ... Utah is 5-0 when both it and its opponent enter ranked.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Cougars

RB Harvey Unga — The sophomore needs just 55 yards to get past the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive year. He's well shy of his 1,225-yard college debut in 2007, but for all the injuries he's battled it's been a valiant effort. Unga doesn't practice much these days because of knee and shoulder injuries, plus neck stingers that have bugged him for about a month. No one's looking forward to the postseason rest, before the bowl game, more than Unga. But he's also looking forward to this game. He once committed to Utah before changing his mind, and this will be his first college trip Salt Lake City's Rice-Eccles Stadium.

QB Max Hall — He needs to keep his head and play within himself, something the junior admits he struggled with during the heat of the moment against the Utes last year.

TE Andrew George — The junior will have to be ready, just in case fellow tight end Dennis Pitta (sprained MCL) can't go. George is fifth on BYU in catches (21), a whopping 55 behind Dennis Pitta. At least George knows how to get the most points for his work. He has five touchdowns, just one shy of Pitta. George and Pitta are often on the field together. Taking away Pitta, however, would drastically change the Cougars' attack. George would have a much tougher time sneaking free.

Utes

RB Matt Asiata could become the X-factor in Utah's fight against the Cougars. Asiata can help the home team eat clock and keep BYU's potent offense on the sidelines. If he and Darrell Mack can churn yards all game, BYU has to be more aggressive, which leaves the Cougars' secondary vulnerable to Utah's misdirection and gadget plays.

DE Paul Kruger — His mission is to force BYU Max Hall out of the pocket and entice him to throw on the run. Kruger has 17 tackles for a loss this season and has to get pressure on Hall, who can pick defenses apart if given time.

CB Brice McCain — Could be the defender that has to contain Cougars WR Austin Collie most of the game. His ability to drop Collie as soon as he catches the ball is a must.

INJURY WATCH:

Cougars

None

Utes

DE Koa Misi, who was held out of the second half last week against SDSU for precautionary reasons associated with various ailments, should be ready to play on Saturday.

DT Kenape Eliapo played close to 30 snaps last week and looks to play even more, now three weeks removed from a broken foot.

Oregon State at Arizona

KICKOFF: Saturday, 7 ET

SERIES: Arizona leads 20-10-1

2008 RANKINGS: Beavers: offense 26th (3rd Pac-10), pass 27th (1st), run 42nd (5th); defense 15th (2nd), pass 21st (4th), run 22nd (2nd); Wildcats: offense 28th (4th Pac-10), pass 35th (4th), run 41st (4th); defense 23rd (3rd), pass 11th (3rd), run 59th (6th)

POLLS: Oregon State (21st AP, 21st coaches)

PREDICTION: Oregon State 21-14

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Beavers will attempt to take their Rose Bowl dream to the final game of the season by making the Wildcats the sixth consecutive victim of this patented late-season rush. The Beavers are 20-4 in the months of October, November and December over the past three seasons, but they go against an Arizona team that has knocked off a ranked opponent in Tucson in each of the previous four seasons. Arizona's offense is starting to show how explosive it can be when quarterback Willie Tuitama doesn't force the action and the running game brings balance. Arizona has scored 59 and 45 points in the past two games. But there are problems: Tuitama has a tendency to panic in the pocket and force passes into traffic, and starting tailback Nic Grigsby has been benched twice because of fumbling issues. The Beavers sacked Tuitama eight times last season, and they'll be after him again. Arizona has done a better job of protecting the quarterback this season, but OSU has turned up the heat recently, with 19 sacks in the past five games, including five against California. The focus for the Beavers will be limiting the catches of tight end Rob Gronkowski, "a beast" as described by coach Mike Riley.

FAST FACTS: Beavers — Since losing to Utah, Oregon State has won five in a row by an average of 24 points ... RB Quizz Rodgers leads the Pac-10 with 1,233 rushing yards. He has scored 11 rushing touchdowns. ... The defense ranks second in the league, behind USC, in points allowed. OSU is giving up 21.8 points per game. Wildcats — Are trying to reach seven victories for the first time in a decade. ... TE Rob Gronkowski, just a sophomore, is already the school's single-season leader for receptions by a tight end with 34. ... The offense is converting 94 percent of the time in the red zone (46 of 49). Two of the possessions that didn't end in scores came when the 'Cats were simply running the clock out at the end of the game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Beavers

RB Quizz Rodgers — The Pac-10's leading rusher is up to 1,234 yards, and the only league rusher averaging in triple figures at 123.3 per game. He's ninth in the nation in rushing, and a strong finish should earn him some attention on All-America teams. The Wildcats have given up big rushing games to New Mexico, Arizona and Oregon in three of their four losses, so a big game from Rodgers should portend an OSU victory.

S Al Afalava — OSU's biggest hitter in the secondary will be one of the Beavers with the assignment of taking on UA tight end Rob Gronkowski. What Afalava, and any other defenders on Gronkowski, will need to remember is the Arizona sophomore isn't going down on a big hit; he'll just bounce off. This will require wrapping up Gronkowski's legs, and helping each other out in the secondary.

K Justin Kahut — The games get closer and three points matters more. Kahut needs to be on the mark. He missed a 29-yard attempt against California that could have helped wrap up the game earlier, and the OSU coaches have seemed hesitant in recent weeks to let him try anything over 40 yards. He needs to regain their confidence.

QB Lyle Moevao — He again started against Cal after missing the previous game, but his arm wasn't at full strength, based on a couple of deep throws. He said it's almost 100 percent this week, but Arizona will need to see that or the secondary can keep the zone packed in close to the line, and limit openings. Moevao needs to stretch the UA defense, to get the OSU running game open and fully utilize the speed of OSU receivers James Rodgers and Sammie Stroughter.

Wildcats

QB Willie Tuitama — The Wildcats went to true freshman Matt Scott last week in the third quarter in a rotation system. That wouldn't have happened if the senior played more consistently in the pocket. Despite throwing for over 300 yards, two interceptions were thrown. His mistakes have been critical is losses.

TB Keola Antolin — Don't be surprised if the true freshman gets the starting nod over Nic Grigsby. Antolin had four touchdowns after Grigsby was pulled because of fumbling issues. Antolin has nine touchdowns despite being a backup all season.

TE Rob Gronkowski — Get him the ball, period. The sophomore may be the most physical offensive player in the country. He is a massive load to bring down. He has eight touchdowns among his 34 receptions and a 14.7-yard average per catch.

INJURY WATCH:

Beavers

None

Wildcats

Arizona starting linebacker Sterling Lewis is expected to play after missing the past two games with a sprained ankle. The junior college transfer has been the leading tackler most of the season with 58 stops.

DT Kaniela Tuipulotu is closer to getting back into the starting lineup after battling a turf toe issue the past several weeks. Donald Horton has been given the starting nod.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

KICKOFF: Saturday, 7:15 ET

SERIES: Pitt leads 7-0

2008 RANKINGS: Panthers: offense 45th (2nd Big East), pass 49th (4th), run 53rd (5th); defense 32nd (4th), pass 55th (4th), run 30th (5th); Bearcats: offense 48th (3rd Big East), pass 22nd (1st), run 90th (7th); defense 42nd (6th), pass 78th (7th), run 25th (3rd)

POLLS: Pittsburgh (20th AP, 19th coaches); Cincinnati (19th AP, 20th coaches)

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 27-20

KEYS TO THE GAME: Nippert Stadium should be rocking Saturday night. This has become the game of the year in the Big East — unless Pitt and West Virginia win this week, then next week's Backyard Brawl will hold that title. Pitt will be facing a red-hot Cincinnati team that has an experienced defense with 10 starters back, dangerous returners on special teams, the league's best punter, and an offense that is wide open and willing to gamble. Pitt has not lost this "River City Rivalry," owning a 7-0 record against the Bearcats and will not be intimidated at Nippert; the Panthers have won five straight road games. Cincinnati comes in having won seven of eight and has given up more than 20 points only twice this season. Cincinnati's quarterback situation will be closely watched this week. With the Big East title on the line, the condition of junior QB Tony Pike, and status of senior Dustin Grutza will be a focus in practice. Pike left in the fourth quarter of Friday night's win at Louisville with a bruised sternum. Grutza, who had not played since fracturing his fibula Sept. 6 at Oklahoma, finished the game. Regardless of who plays, the Bearcats will not need to alter their offense. Grutza, who still has pins in his leg, might have limited mobility.

FAST FACTS: Panthers — Have blocked seven kicks (three extra points, two field goals, two punts) in nine games this season. ... Pitt has scored on 35 of 37 trips to the red zone. Of the 35 scores, 23 have been touchdowns. ... Pitt is giving up 32.9 yards per game in penalties, the fifth-lowest total in the country. Bearcats — Will wear red jerseys for the first time since 2003. ... CB Mike Mickens is the career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296). ... The offense has used five quarterbacks this year, but still leads the league in both passing yards (253.9) and passing efficiency (137.5).

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Bearcats

PK Jake Rogers — Has missed three consecutive field goals since ending his streak of 13 straight makes. Rogers, who was benched earlier this season, missed a 34-yard attempt on the final play of the first half at Louisville. His kickoff to begin the second half sailed out of bounds. Then, after having a 39-yard attempt carom off the right upright in the third quarter, Rogers missed a 44-yard attempt with 2:19 left.

WR Dominick Goodman — His diving TD reception Friday at Louisville tied him with Jim O'Brien ('67-'69) for the school-record with 21 TD receptions. Goodman has 63 catches this season for 802 yards and 6 touchdowns.

WR/KR Mardy Gilyard — Provides big plays both on offense and special teams. Gilyard, who has 48 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns, averages 30.3 yards on kick returns with two returns for TDs.

Panthers

Pittsburgh must give the ball to LeSean McCoy against Cincinnati. (Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images)

RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy is the unchallenged leader of the offense and must bounce back from an off-game against Louisville when he gained a career-low 38 rushing yards. Cincinnati's run defense is stout, as it showed shutting down West Virginia.

QB Bill Stull faces probably his toughest challenge as he goes against a pair of All-America-quality CBs in the Bearcats' Mike Mikens and DeAngelo Smith. Mikens has four interceptions and Smith, who tied for the national lead last year with eight, has two.

If this comes down to a game of field goals, K Conor Lee gives the Panthers an edge as he has hit 18 of 20 field goals this year and is a spectacular 85.7 percent for his career, hitting on 48 of 56.

INJURY WATCH:

Bearcats

Senior QB Dustin Grutza, out since Sept. 6 when he fractured his fibula in a loss at Oklahoma, made his first appearance last Friday in the fourth quarter after starter Tony Pike left with a bruised sternum. Grutza, who started UC's first two games prior to the injury, completed a 24-yard pass to Dominick Goodman on third down helping set up a touchdown. Grutza played the rest of the game.

Junior LB Andre Revels did not play against Louisville because of a knee injury.

Junior C Chris Jurek, who did not start at West Virginia because of a sprained ankle, returned to the starting lineup against Louisville.

Panthers

With QB Bill Stull now fully recovered from a concussion, the Panthers are at full strength for the Cincinnati game.

Florida State at Maryland

KICKOFF: Saturday, 7:45 ET

SERIES: Florida State leads 16-2

2008 RANKINGS: Seminoles: offense 43rd (1st ACC), pass 77th (7th), run 28th (2nd); defense 5th (1st), pass 9th (2nd), run 23rd (4th); Terrapins: offense 71st (3rd ACC), pass 73rd (4th), run 57th (5th); defense 64th (11th), pass 76th (11th), run 67th (9th)

POLLS: Maryland (22nd AP, 23rd coaches)

PREDICTION: Florida State 17-10

KEYS TO THE GAME: It's one of the biggest home games of the Ralph Friedgen era, and for once this season the Terrapins shouldn't have a rainy day to depress fan turnout. With a possible spot in the ACC title game on the line, a national television crew in the house, and no more home games on the schedule, Byrd Stadium should be packed for the showdown with the Seminoles. But there's a bit of bad news for the Terrapins; Florida State isn't in the Top 25, and Maryland always plays its best against ranked teams. The Seminoles have got to hope they can rediscover their running game. Their inability to create any kind of space or consistent rushes against BC was damaging. It led to quarterback Christian Ponder forcing throws. The issue will be whether Ponder has more of his top receivers available for this game after the team's flurry of suspensions last week.

FAST FACTS: Seminoles — Rover Myron Rolle will not be with the team Friday night, since he will be in Alabama interviewing for a Rhodes Scholarship. FSU received permission to charter a flight that will take Rolle from Alabama to College Park, Md. on Saturday when a decision has been reached. ... Since 2000, FSU is 14-16 against ranked opponents. ... Florida State has scored more touchdowns in 10 games (40) than it did in 13 games last season (32). Terrapins — Have won all four of their games against ranked opponents this season. ... WR Darrius Heyward-Bey leads the team in catches with 35, and he's averaging 15.4 yards per reception. ... Maryland has allowed more than 30 points just once this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Seminoles

DE Everette Brown — Is tied for ninth nationally this week and second in the ACC in QB sacks. Brown also ranks sixth nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 1.6 per game.

QB Christian Ponder — He is coming off his worst game of the season in many respects. He had similar stats in a loss to Wake Forest, but Ponder had been progressing. The Seminoles absolutely need him to make better choices on downfield throws and manage the offense like he did in previous games.

K Graham Gano — Continues to be the team's MVP, leading the nation in field goal kicks and none too shabby as a punter either.

Terrapins

C Edwin Williams — Williams was named the ACC's Offensive Lineman of the Week after Maryland dominated the line of scrimmage, held the ball for more than 40 minutes, and ran all over North Carolina. Of course, the previous game the line got blown off the ball in the previous game against Virginia Tech. To beat Florida State, the Terrapins need to get the performance the line showed against the Tar Heels instead of what it did against the Hokies.

QB Chris Turner — It's going to come down to decision-making this week. Turner has developed a comfort zone with certain players in certain spots, but Florida State will look to make him try his backup options, watching the screen passes to Darrius Heyward-Bey and the third-down looks to Danny Oquendo or Dan Gronkowski. He'll need to make effective reads at the line of scrimmage this Saturday, something he struggled with at times against UNC but did very well on the key final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

K Ogi Egekeze — This game is one of those that could easily come down to a field goal in the final seconds. Egekeze missed his first five kicks early in the season and nearly lost his job, but has been money ever since. The senior has had two game-winning kicks in the past three games, putting the dagger into North Carolina State and North Carolina.

INJURY WATCH:

Seminoles

SS Darius McClure (knee) might be lost for the season. McClure injured his knee against Boston College while celebrating his first interception. McClure slipped and landed wrong following his celebration jump with Toddrick Verdell.

McClure's absence is further pronounced when considering starting SS Myron Rolle is interviewing for a Rhodes Scholarship on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala., and may miss part of or all of the game depending on travel problems.

Terrapins

CB Nolan Carroll's ankle is still bothering him, but he expects to play this week.

LB Rick Costa is still on the sidelines. He was suspended for an off-campus incident.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma

KICKOFF: Saturday, 8 ET

SERIES: Oklahoma leads 11-4

2008 RANKINGS: Red Raiders: offense 2nd (1st Big 12), pass 1st (1st), run 73rd (9th); defense 60th (3rd), pass 98th (6th), run 20th (2nd); Sooners: offense 4th (2nd Big 12), pass 3rd (2nd), run 24th (2nd); defense 55th (1st), pass 98th (6th), run 21st (3rd)

POLLS: Texas Tech (2nd AP, 2nd coaches); Oklahoma (5th AP, 5th coaches)

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 42-38

KEYS TO THE GAME: The biggest game in the nation, the Red Raiders are playing to reach the Big 12 championship game and possibly the national championship game, while an Oklahoma victory can throw the Big 12 South division into a tiebreaker scenario that would involve Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma. The Sooners have never been more explosive on offense than they are right now, gaining 674, 528, 508 and 653 yards, respectively, against Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas A&M. The biggest difference has been a running game that's taken off behind a line that's once again living up to its preseason expectations. Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray have combined for 1,623 yards from the tailback position. At Texas Tech, everything seems to be fine-tuned in coach Mike Leach's "Air Raid" offense. QB Graham Harrell is quickly approaching the 5,000-yard mark, WR Mike Crabtree is playing better than his Biletnikoff Award-winning season a year ago and the running game has never been stronger under Leach. Tech is averaging 132.6 yards per game (No. 73 in the nation). First won to 50 wins? Perhaps.

FAST FACTS: Red Raiders — The offensive line has yielded 15 sacks in a whopping 622 pass attempts. ... The Raiders are one of five teams in the league with at least 20 sacks. ... The offense is 48 of 58 on trips to the red zone. Of the 48 scores, 43 are touchdowns. Sooners — Lead the nation in scoring, averaging 51.4 points per game. ... LB Travis Lewis ranks 10th nationally in tackles, registering 10.5 per game. ... OU is 9-9 under Bob Stoops when playing higher ranked teams at home.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Red Raiders

QB Graham Harrell — Harrell is on a mission to lead this team to the BCS championship but must first get through defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma, then Baylor and possibly Missouri — who he is 0-2 against. Harrell shredded Oklahoma for 420 yards and two touchdowns last year against the Sooners.

WR Mike Crabtree — As his Heisman campaign motto goes, without Crabtree, "balls would just hit the ground; nobody wants to see that." Harrell's favorite target is over the 1,000-yard mark and has 13 consecutive games with at least five receptions and a touchdown and is one shy of tying Larry Fitzgerald's record of 14. Crabtree was a menace against OU last year in the 34-27 win in Lubbock, racking up 154 yards and a touchdown on 12 catches.

DE Brandon Williams — Williams has emerged as a serious NFL draft possibility and candidate for the Ted Hendricks award for the top defensive end. Williams had two sacks against Texas and has 10 on the season — tied for sixth place nationally. He will have to get pressure on Sam Bradford for the defense to have a chance at shutting down the Sooners' passing game. This will be the first time Tech could see Bradford in a full game after he went out following the second drive of the game for the Sooners with a concussion last year against Tech.

Sooners

QB Sam Bradford — For a change, the Sooner will share the field with another quarterback of similar credentials in Tech's Graham Harrell. Still, Bradford has a case as the nation's best quarterback, having completed 67.9 percent of his passes, 38 for touchdowns against six interceptions. He is averaging 340 yards through the air each game and, maybe his most impressive number, more than 10 yards per attempt: 330 attempts, 3,406 yards.

DE Frank Alexander and DE Alan Beal — Alexander and Beal are the two remaining defensive ends from the Sooners' basic four-man rotation at the two spots. That means they'll be playing more snaps than usual in game their effectiveness as pass rusher will be of paramount importance. DE Auston English, the Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year, is still nursing a sprained knee suffered against Nebraska, while Alan Davis is nursing the same injury, suffered against Texas A&M.

FS Lendy Holmes and SS Nic Harris — Really, any defender could be mentioned this week as a player to watch, because Tech just puts so much pressure on every defense it faces, yet one of the oldest ideas about slowing the Red Raiders down is not allowing yards after the catch. That's where the Sooner safeties must come in. Graham Harrell may go down the field more than his predecessors, but Tech's offense is still built around high-percentage short passes that sometimes go for huge gains. Somebody has to keep that from happening and Holmes and Harris must be more than a last line of defense. They must be an immediate line of defense after the catch.

INJURY WATCH:

Red Raiders

None

Sooners

TE/FB Brody Eldridge is a big part of the Sooners' blocking schemes, particularly in the run game, and his ankle is healthy again.

WR Manny Johnson is nominally healthy, but his effectiveness remains a question. Against Nebraska and Texas A&M, Johnson played, but not very much and without much explosiveness. When he originally dislocated an elbow against Kansas Oct. 18, he was OU's most productive receiver in both yards and points.

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