1) No. 1 Alabama at No. 15 LSU
So, here we are again. This will be the sixth(!) game of the year the Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) have played against a ranked foe. The previous five opponents didn’t do so well. Last week’s 19-point win over Texas A&M was, unbelievably, the closest game of the bunch. So what could make LSU different? Well, the Tigers (5-2, 3-1) will have the best player on the field in RB Leonard Fournette. He’s been hurt most of the season but came back to torch Mississippi last week for 284 yards. The LSU defense is almost as good as Alabama’s, which is saying something. The Tigers allow only 15 points per game. The problem comes on offense, where they average 14 fewer points than the Tide. 8 p.m., WTKR
2) No. 9 Nebraska at No. 6 Ohio State
Has there been a less impressive one-loss team than Ohio State? The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) were touted as a potential juggernaut, but something has been … off with them this year. But even after losing to Penn State and almost losing to Northwestern, Ohio State still has a narrow path to the playoff. Step one is Saturday against a suprising Nebraska team that is 7-1 overall, 4-1 in the league and proved its mettle in an overtime loss at Wisconsin a week ago. 8 p.m., WVEC
3) No. 22 Oklahoma State at Kansas State
These are dark days for the Big 12: The conference is not represented in the top 10 and won’t be represented in the playoff. Oklahoma State (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) is the team of the moment after dominating West Virginia last week, but this is exactly the kind of game the Cowboys lose – on the road against a well-coached team that plays good defense. 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
4) Iowa at No. 20 Penn State
It’s too soon to say Penn State (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) is back, but the trend line is very encouraging. After years of NCAA sanctions and general malaise, the young Nittany Lions scored a huge upset of Ohio State and made it look legitimate by dominating Purdue. Iowa (5-3, 3-2) represents the toughest game left on the schedule and, suddenly, a 10-win season is within reach. Penn State will have the best player on the field – and one of the best in the country – in RB Saquon Barkley. 7:30 p.m., Big 10 Network
5) Georgia Tech at No. 18 UNC
There’s still plenty of time for chaos in the ACC’s Coastal division. Virginia Tech is in the best position to advance to the title game, but the Tar Heels (6-2, 4-1 ACC) are lurking. That makes this a must-win for UNC, but the Yellow Jackets (5-3, 2-3) are always dangerous with the triple option. 12:30 p.m., WGNT
Also on the air
Navy vs. Notre Dame, 11:30 a.m., WTKR, 102.1FM
No. 8 Wisconsin at Northwestern, noon, WVEC
Indiana at Rutgers, noon, BTN
Air Force at Army, noon, CBSSN
No. 5 Louisville at Boston College, noon, ESPN2
No. 7 Texas A&M at Mississippi St., noon, SEC
Vanderbilt at No. 11 Auburn, noon, ESPN
Michigan State at Illinois, noon, ESPNEWS
Georgia Southern at Mississippi, noon, ESPNU
Texas at Texas Tech, noon, FS1
Penn at Princeton, noon, CSN
Gardner-Webb at Chas. Southern, noon, WTVZ
Georgia Tech at North Carolina, 12:30 p.m., WGNT
VMI at Western Carolina, 2 p.m., 1650AM
Virginia at Wake Forest, 3 p.m., 850AM
Virginia Tech at Duke, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU, 790AM
Syracuse at No. 3 Clemson, 3:30 p.m., WVEC
Maryland at Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Purdue at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m., BTN
No. 10 Florida at Arkansas, 3:30 p.m., WTKR
BYU at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., CBSSN
TCU at No. 13 Baylor, 3:30 p.m., WVBT
Oregon State at Stanford, 3:30 p.m., FS1
James Madison at Richmond, 3:30 p.m., CSN
Charlotte at Southern Miss, 3:30 p.m., WTVZ
Memphis at SMU, 4 p.m., ESPNEWS
Missouri at South Carolina, 4 p.m., SEC
Norfolk State at Savannah State, 5 p.m., 1310AM, 91.1FM
Marshall at ODU, 7 p.m., WTVZ, 94.1FM
Hawaii at San Diego State, 7 p.m., CBSSN
No. 19 Florida St. at N.C. State, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Iowa at Penn State, 7:30 p.m., BTN
Georgia at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m., SEC
Kansas at No. 14 West Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Nebraska at Ohio State, 8 p.m., WVEC
Alabama at LSU, 8 p.m., WTKR
East Carolina at Tulsa, 8 p.m., ESPNEWS
Nevada at New Mexico, 10:15 p.m., ESPNU
Utah State at Wyoming, 10:15 p.m., ESPN2
No. 4 Washington at Cal, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Also in the top 25
No. 25 Washington State vs. Arizona, 4 p.m.
?Brian Root, 757-446-2368, brian.root@pilotonline.com
