Ohio State can say all the right things about being fired up for a rivalry that was the best in all of sports just a few short years ago, but the reality is that none of the players know what it's like to lose to the Wolverines, and the big game was last week with an overtime win over Iowa to get to the Rose Bowl for the first time under Jim Tressel. Of course, Tressel hasn't taken a team to Pasadena because he was too busy leading the way to national championship games, and while getting the Big Ten's BCS bid is fantastic by itself, in so many ways this has been a special season for other reasons.

The Wildcats stumbled in Berkeley, 24-16, their first loss in over a month. They'll need to regroup in a hurry, delivering some of that November magic that's become customary since Mike Stoops was hired. The Ducks got back on track following their loss to Stanford two weeks ago, routing Arizona State in Eugene, 44-21. The last remaining team with just one conference loss, Oregon will carry a target on its chest until someone can replace it at the top of the pile.

Against some of the better offenses on the docket, Arizona has wilted, yielding an average of 37 points in consecutive games with Oregon State, Washington, and Stanford. Only when the likes of UCLA and Washington State came up on the schedule did the situation stabilize. The Ducks will provide no such breather, cranking out a league-high 237 yards a game on the ground and scoring at least 40 points in each of the last four games.

But LSU isn't going to go down easily. This is a flawed team in several ways, but it has managed to keep on winning. The two losses came to Florida and Alabama, and there's no shame there. If there wasn't the silly rule about only two teams from a conference being allowed in the BCS, LSU would be a lock for one of the games, but as is, it will either be in the Cotton Bowl or in a premier Florida bowl against a Big Ten team with a win in the final two games.

The Tigers are coming off a shaky performance against Louisiana Tech, and while they're bruised and beaten up, they need to play far better than they have over the first ten games of the season to get by Ole Miss. The regular season finale against Arkansas won't be a layup, either, for a team that struggles to put points on the board and might be in trouble against QB Ryan Mallett and the Hog passing game. Even though it's late November, the two teams are trying to figure out who they are and what they do best. This game will likely define each team's season.

The Longhorns can wrap up the South with a win over Kansas, but they're obviously thinking about bigger goals with the rivalry date at Texas A&M on Thanksgiving to follow, and an almost certain Big 12 championship showdown against Nebraska or Kansas State. That would set up a date with the Florida-Alabama winner (most likely) for the whole ball of wax. But this game counts as the embodiment of the one-game-at-a-time cliché with a wounded and desperate Jayhawk team in the midst of a five-game losing streak and off-the-field issues to add salt to the wounds.

Kansas officials this week confirmed that the school is investigating allegations of verbal and emotional abuse by Mangino. Against that backdrop, the Jayhawks will try to snap a five-game losing streak. The Kansas offense that was supposed to be unstoppable has had a nightmare of a time putting points on the board, and now, after a 5-0 start, it'll take a win over the Longhorns this week or against Missouri in the regular season finale just to get to a bowl game. But many of the problems could be swept away with a win to ruin the Texas national title dream.

The clock is ticking on Duke's quest of becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 1994. After getting outclassed by Carolina and Georgia Tech in consecutive weeks, the Blue Devils are now down to two chances to pick up that coveted sixth win. A third loss in a row could put the program in a tailspin and create a colossal amount of pressure for the regular-season finale with Wake Forest.

Over the last month, the Miami defense has gotten exposed, allowing at least 27 points three times and struggling with quality quarterbacks. Thaddeus Lewis, who's returning to his native Florida, is capable of keeping the 'Canes reeling. Against better competition, Duke has wilted, especially on defense. The Blue Devils have had some moments, but the Hurricanes aren't Maryland or Virginia with the ball.

Missouri or Iowa State could technically tie for the title, but KSU and Nebraska win all the tie-breakers. For the Huskers, a win would mean a trip back to the Big 12 title game for the first time since 2006, and it would be a tremendous next step in the Bo Pelini era. Thanks to a stifling defense, the Huskers are on a three-game winning streak, with the D playing well in a loss to Iowa State before the run of wins.

Because of Pelini and the D, Nebraska has a shot at giving Texas a hard time in the championship game, but first comes the must-win game against Bill Snyder's resilient squad. The Huskers still have to play Colorado next Friday, but that game will only impact the bowl pecking order.