1. Oh, Atlanta: Top-ranked Florida already clinched a spot in the SEC championship game Dec. 5. No. 3 Alabama can join the Gators this week by beating No. 9 LSU. But the Tigers can steal the inside track if they can pull off the upset in Tuscaloosa. LB Kelvin Sheppard and the LSU back seven must devote much attention to Crimson Tide TB Mark Ingram, which means Alabama QB Greg McElroy must take advantage if the Tigers crowd the box. LSU lacks a consistent pass rush, and Tide WR Julio Jones can stretch the field.

2. Staying Alive: No. 12 Ohio State begins a rough November closing stretch with a trip to No. 10 Penn State in what amounts to a BCS elimination contest. The Nittany Lions have been rolling since an early loss to Iowa put them behind in the Big Ten race. QB Daryll Clark and TB Evan Royster have benefited from more cohesive line play, and LBs Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman are finally healthy and showing what they can do together. QB Terrelle Pryor has born the brunt of the criticism for that. But he hasn't been getting regular ground help.

3. Living on the Edge: Meanwhile, fans in Iowa City are ready for another wild ride as their No. 6 Hawkeyes try to stay on top of the Big Ten vs. visiting Northwestern. The Wildcats are a win from bowl eligibility and wouldn't mind getting there at Iowa's expense if the Hawkeyes' second-half magic desserts them. Northwestern QB Mike Kafka (hamstring) expects to play, and he'll be needed to manage the attack against the league's most opportunistic defense (25 takeaways).

4. Don't Look Back: No. 8 Oregon impressed the entire nation with its dismantling of Southern California last week. The Ducks must now avoid the dreaded letdown as they visit Stanford, a program on the rise looking for a signature win. The Cardinal defense might be overmatched if Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli and TB LaMichael James stay hot. But Stanford might generate enough points to keep up if TB Toby Gerhart can keep the chains moving.

5. Hit Me with Your Best Shot: No. 23 California and standout TB Jahvid Best have regained their footing with a three-game winning streak. The Golden Bears host what promises to be a highly entertaining Pac-10 tilt with Oregon State. Best and Beavers' TB Jacquizz Rodgers share the league scoring league with 15 TDs each. OSU QB Sean Canfield can go to Quizz's brother, WR James Rodgers, as well as WR Damola Adeniji. TB Shane Vereen is a more than capable change of pace for Cal.

6. Heartbreak Beat: As if off-field matters haven't been hard enough for Connecticut to handle, the Huskies' game results have also been draining. UConn, now without QB Cody Endres (shoulder) for the remainder of the season, will try to reverse its fourth-quarter fortunes at No. 7 Cincinnati, but the Bearcats figure to be all business as they continue their quest for a second consecutive Big East title. Cincinnati QB Tony Pike (non-throwing forearm) might be available after missing two games. But even if he is back, coach Brian Kelly might use Zach Collaros, who has been brilliant in Pike's absence, as a change of pace.

7. Glory Days: The series between Oklahoma and Nebraska has often carried national title implications. That will likely be the case again, but this season the 20th-ranked Sooners visit Lincoln with both teams playing catch-up in their respective Big 12 divisions. The Cornhuskers will send the DT duo of Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick after Sooners' QB Landry Jones, while OU DE Jeremy Beal and DT Gerald McCoy will try to extend the struggles of the Nebraska offense.

The secondary

Spotlight: No. 4 Villanova would figure to have its hands full in Saturday's trip to top-ranked and defending national champion Richmond. But the host Spiders shouldn't feel too comfortable. In 31 Colonial Athletic Association games to date this season, the road team holds a 16-15 edge.

Number of the Week: 21.5. Houston QB Case Keenum is at or near the top of several statistical categories. But the most important column he heads may be points responsible for. With his 28 total TDs (25 passing, three rushing), as well as a pair of two-point plays, he has produced 172 points, 21.5 a game. His Cougars are second in the nation in scoring at 41.63 a game heading into Saturday's contest at Tulsa.

Weekend TV games

Times p.m. Eastern. Lines by USA TODAY's Danny Sheridan. Jeff Sagarin's power ratings show the relative strength of teams; 3.31 points added to home team's rating to calculate the difference.

Enlarge By Matthew Emmons, US Presswire The loser in the matchup between Ohio State and Penn State is out of contention in the Big Ten title race.