Stanford vs USC
7 p.m. CST on ABC
Stanford (8-1) is a loss at Utah away from being in the national title conversation. Ranked number four in the latest BCS standings, the Cardinal heads south to take on the USC Trojans (7-3). Just a week ago, Stanford shocked college football by holding the high-powered Oregon offense to just 20 points. With one of the best defenses in the country, Stanford head coach Brian Shaw loves to play smash mouth football and try to out-physical teams on both sides of the ball. While the Trojans have some of the most talented players in the country, and are 3-0 since firing Lane Kiffin, I still say the Cardinal leaves LA with a 20-point win.
Georgia vs Auburn
2:30 CST on CBS
The Auburn Tigers (9-1) are seeing resurgence from last year’s awful season. Gus Malzahn has his team peaking at the right time, and could make serious headway in their fight for a BCS Bowl bid with a win at home against Georgia on Saturday afternoon. Auburn, as a team, is better than Georgia. However, the Bulldogs have senior quarterback Aaron Murray, who enters the contest with 115 career touchdown passes and over 12,000 career yards. Head coach Mark Richt is again in the hot seat, but a road victory against a top-10 team could ease the pressure. It will be a tight game, but I say Murray leads a fourth quarter drive that clinches the win 35-31.
Michigan St. vs Nebraska
2:30 CST on ABC
Michigan State (8-1) is underrated on the national scene. Sparty’s only loss came on the road to then-No. 22 Notre Dame, and since then, they have been nearly flawless. In their last three contests, MSU has given up nine total points, and held a ranked Michigan team to 168 total yards and negative-48 yards rushing. Nebraska is good, but Bo Pelini has a knack for flopping when all eyes are on him, and he will likely do it again. Even at home, the Cornhuskers won’t be prepared for Michigan State’s firepower. Spartans leave Lincoln with a 24-3 win.
Houston vs. Louisville
6 p.m. CST on ESPNU
The Cardinals (8-1) are fighting for an American Conference championship, and need a home win against Houston (7-2) to move closer to making that dream a reality. I expect this to be one of the highest scoring affairs in college football all season. Houston and Louisville both have box score stuffing quarterbacks, with junior Teddy Bridgewater being a household name at this point in his career, and John O’Korn impressing everyone as a freshman. There won’t be much defense, but I think Louisville gets a big stop when they need it most. Cardinals win 52-45.
Oregon St. vs Arizona St.
8:30 p.m. CST on Pac-12 Network
Oregon State (6-3) hits the road to face Arizona State (7-2) for a Pac-12 game with bowl implications. Depending on final standings, either team could possibly be a K-State foe when bowl selections are announced. The Beavers are second in the country, averaging over 400 yards passing per game and have shown flashes of offensive brilliance at times this season. The Sun Devils have won four straight and are in control of the Pac-12 south thus far. With dreams of a conference championship beginning to take shape, I see no way Arizona State flops against the Beavers. The Sun Devils bend, but don’t break, winning 27-21.