GAMES OF THE WEEK
NO. 4 STANFORD AT NO. 20 USC
What we've learned about the Cardinal
The offense is in high gear, but don't forget about the defense. The unit ranks first in the Pac-12 against the rush (75.6 yards a game) as well as first in points (12.6) and yards (314.1) allowed.
What we've learned about the Trojans
They seem to have rediscovered their swagger. "We hear what people have said. We showed who we are," safety Jawanza Starling said after a 31--17 win at Notre Dame, their third straight.
What it will mean on Saturday
Expect this one to be a showcase for the Heisman front-runner. USC's 104th-ranked pass D should offer little resistance as Luck & Co. extend the nation's-best winning streak to 16 games.
• NO. 11 OKLAHOMA AT NO. 10 KANSAS STATE
What we've learned about the Sooners
They look all but out of the BCS title race. The preseason No. 1 team suffered a stunning 41--38 loss to Texas Tech as its defense allowed 19 plays of 10 or more yards.
What we've learned about the Wildcats
Their 7--0 start is the product of the Big 12's No. 1--ranked D, an offense that does just enough to win (five wins by seven points or fewer) and a little Bill Snyder magic.
What it will mean on Saturday
K-State has stayed unbeaten despite an offense that ranks 88th nationally, and it's unlikely to keep pace with an Oklahoma attack that averages 545.6 yards a game. The Wildcats' perfect season ends.
• NO. 9 MICHIGAN STATE AT NO. 13 NEBRASKA
What we've learned about the Spartans
The defense is for real. A week after bottling up Denard Robinson, State held the nation's highest-scoring offense 19 points below its season average in beating No. 4 Wisconsin 37--31.
What we've leaned about the Cornhuskers
Their running attack has regained its footing, piling up 578 yards the last two weeks behind Rex Burkhead (left), who had 119 against Ohio State and 117 against Minnesota.
What it will mean on Saturday
No Big Ten team is better against the run than the Spartans, who allow 88.8 yards a game, and Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez will not win the game with his arm. Michigan State wins.
• NO. 6 CLEMSON AT GEORGIA TECH
What we've learned about the Tigers
Sophomore QB Tajh Boyd and the offense have hit their groove. Clemson has scored 56 and 59 points the last two games, with Boyd, a first-year starter, accounting for 10 scores.
What we've learned about the Yellow Jackets
They are reeling as they head into the year's biggest game. They've dropped two straight, and the triple-option has gone flat, averaging 253.5 yards (300.0 less than in the first six games).
What it will mean on Saturday
Georgia Tech is 4--0 at home, where it's scoring 46.3 points a game, and could feast on the Tigers' 76th-ranked rush D. But the Jackets don't have enough firepower to match the class of the ACC.
• NO. 22 GEORGIA VS. FLORIDA (IN JACKSONVILLE)
What we've learned about the Bulldogs
After yielding 785 yards over the first two games, the defense has regrouped and moved up to sixth in the FBS (272.9 yards a game), helping the Dawgs rattle off five straight wins.
What we've learned about the Gators
They haven't been the same without John Brantley. Since losing their junior QB to an ankle injury on Oct. 1, Florida has dropped three straight and averaged just 9.0 points a game.
What it will mean on Saturday
There's a chance that Brantley plays in this one, but he's bound to be rusty, which doesn't bode well against a stingy pass D (171.0 yards a game). Georgia ends a three-game skid in this rivalry.
PHOTO
MARCUS SCHEER/CAL SPORT MEDIA