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Three to watch
No. 15 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State
3:30 p.m., ESPN2
Big stakes, as usual, for these two giants. The loser is out of the Big Ten race as well as the at-large pool for a BCS bowl.
No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama
3:30 p.m., Ch. 3
Only one team can claim the SEC West (likely the winner of this matchup), and only one team can join Florida in the BCS pool. Oh, and then there's the whole, "Nick Saban coached here" thing.
No. 7 Oregon at Stanford
3:30 p.m., FOXSS
Classic letdown game for the seventh-ranked Ducks, who trounced Southern California last week and have won seven straight since the season-opening loss at Boise State.
Observations
Spike's no eyesore in Gainesville
Critics of Florida coach Urban Meyer spent time wringing their hands about his half-game suspension of Brandon Spikes, who was caught eye-gouging a Georgia player, before the star linebacker approached Meyer and requested that he be suspended for all of today's Vanderbilt game. Do you really think Meyer cares about a personal foul, especially one that occurs at the bottom of just about every pile-up? Somebody call Dick Butkus and tell him there's still eye-poking in football.
Irish still have a fighting chance
Notre Dame (6-2) enters today's game against Navy (6-3) 22nd in the BCS standings, but the Irish's closing stretch of four games against teams at .500 or better gives them an opportunity for improvement. Notre Dame needs to climb into the top 14 to qualify for an at-large BCS bowl bid, which is still likely if it runs the table.
The winner of the Ohio State-Penn State game, Miami and any other team with BCS aspirations will be rooting against the Irish. The way the BCS pool is shaping up, there's only going to be room for two at-large spots. Southern California, out of the Rose Bowl mix, figures to be the favorite for the Fiesta Bowl, leaving an opening in the Orange Bowl against the ACC champion. Notre Dame or the Ohio State/Penn State winner? That's a dilemma any bowl executive would love to have.
Heisman hopefuls
Does anybody want to win the Heisman Trophy? Last year's winner, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, has been knocked out by injury. The 2007 winner, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, has seen his production decline with injuries and the departure of his top two receivers to the NFL.
Logically, that leaves Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, last year's runner-up, but his numbers are off of last year's pace, also.
Alabama running back Mark Ingram, who has rushed for 1,004 yards in the first eight games, could emerge from the periphery because he has an opportunity to impress voters with today's showcase game against LSU and then, presumably, against Tebow and Florida in the SEC title game.
Numbers to know
8 Interceptions thrown by Texas quarterback Colt McCoy through eight games, equaling last year's total in 13 games.
18 Touchdowns, rushing and passing, for Florida quarterback Tim Tebow through eight games. He finished last year with 42 in 14 games.
44.4 Percentage of Iowa's wins (4 of 9) by three points or less.
Top 25
Thursday's result
No. 22 Virginia Tech 16, East Carolina 3
Friday's result
No. 5 Boise State at Louisiana Tech, late
Today's games
No. 1 Florida vs. Vanderbilt, 7:15 p.m.
No. 2 Texas vs. Central Florida, Noon
No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 9 LSU, 3:30 p.m.
No. 4 Cincinnati vs. Connecticut, 8 p.m.
No. 6 TCU at San Diego State, 4 p.m.
No. 7 Oregon at Stanford, 3:30 p.m.
No. 8 Iowa vs. Northwestern, Noon
No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m.
No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 15 Ohio State, 3:30 p.m.
No. 12 Southern Cal at Arizona State, 8 p.m.
No. 13 Houston at Tulsa, 7:30 p.m.
No. 14 Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse, Noon
No. 16 Miami vs. Virginia, Noon
No. 17 Utah vs. New Mexico, 6 p.m.
No. 18 Oklahoma State at Iowa State, 3:30 p.m.
No. 19 Notre Dame vs. Navy, 2:30 p.m.
No. 20 Oklahoma at Nebraska, 8 p.m.
No. 21 Arizona vs. Washington State, 3:30 p.m.
No. 23 California vs. Oregon State, 7p.m.
No. 24 Wisconsin at Indiana, Noon
No. 25 BYU at Wyoming, 2 p.m.
