Irish take No. 1 ranking to Southern Cal after defeating Wake Forest
No. 20 Michigan @ Ohio State, Saturday, noon, ABC
This meeting of Big 10 heavyweights is one of the most storied rivalries in college football, and this year both teams have something to play for. Ohio State is ineligible for the postseason but is one of only two undefeated teams left in the country. Michigan, with a 6-1 conference record, needs to win and hope for a Nebraska loss to win the Legends Division and earn a trip to the conference championship. The Wolverines demolished Iowa 42-17 last week behind backup quarterback Devin Gardner, who accounted for six touchdowns. Starter Denard Robinson was back on the field as a running back after missing two weeks with nerve damage in his elbow, and he finished the game with 98 rushing yards on 13 carries. The Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes last year for the first time since 2003.
No. 1 Notre Dame @ Southern Cal, Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC
The rivalry game between the Irish and the Trojans has been played every year since 1946 with the Jeweled Shillelagh, a war club, as the prize. Notre Dame was virtually handed its No. 1 ranking after losses by Kansas State and Oregon last week left it as the only undefeated team eligible for the national championship. The Irish dominated Wake Forest 38-0 last week to finish undefeated at home for the first time since 1998. Quarterback Everett Golson had 346 passing yards and three touchdowns to go along with 150 rushing yards by running back Cierre Wood. Southern Cal, the top-ranked team in the nation in the preseason, hosts Notre Dame after taking its fourth loss against UCLA. The Trojans were down 24-0 halfway through the second quarter and closed the gap to 31-28 before a touchdown with four minutes left sealed the win for the Bruins. Quarterback Matt Barkley left the game with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter after tallying 301 yards, and he will not play this week.
No. 5 Oregon @ No. 16 Oregon State, Saturday, 3 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Oregon holds an all-time series lead of 59-46-10 in the rivalry game, known as the Civil War, and it will look to extend its advantage after having its national championship hopes all but dashed with a 17-14 overtime loss to Stanford last week. The Ducks need a Stanford loss and a victory over the Beavers in their regular-season finale to win the Pac-12 North. Oregon has relied on its high-powered offense all season, particularly on a dominant running game with senior Kenjon Barner at its helm. But after racking up 321 rushing yards three weeks ago, the running back was limited to fewer than 70 for the second consecutive week. Oregon State enters this game riding momentum from a 62-14 win against California. The Beavers have one of the weakest running games in the nation but will rely on their defense and passing as they attempt to hand the Ducks a second loss.
No. 11 Stanford @ No. 15 UCLA, Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Fox
After an unlikely upset of Oregon last week, Stanford controls its own fate in the Pac-12. A win over UCLA this weekend will set up a rematch against the Bruins in the conference championship. Trailing Oregon by a touchdown after three quarters, the Cardinal tied the game with less than two minutes remaining on a 10-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman Kevin Hogan to junior tight end Zach Ertz. They won the game on a field goal after the Ducks missed a field goal attempt of their own. Stanford’s defense is 10th in the nation with fewer than 17 points allowed per game, and it will be tested again by a UCLA offense that averages nearly 38 points per contest. The Bruins clinched the Pac-12 South with their win over Southern Cal last week. Their offense was led by senior running back Johnathan Franklin, who finished the game with 171 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner.
No. 22 Oklahoma State @ No. 14 Oklahoma, Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Oklahoma State’s offense had another big day against Texas Tech last week, propelling the Cowboys to a 59-21 win. Senior wide receiver Isaiah Anderson had a career-best 174 receiving yards, catching three touchdown passes in the rout. Oklahoma is coming off a much narrower win, outlasting West Virginia 50-49 behind 554 passing yards and six touchdown passes from quarterback Landry Jones, including the game winner with 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Historically, this rivalry has been dominated by the Sooners, who hold an 82-17-7 lead all-time in the so-called Bedlam Series. But Oklahoma State won the matchup last year for the first time since 2002, dominating 44-10. Junior running back Joseph Randle led the offense with 151 yards and two touchdowns, and the defense forced five turnovers, including four by Jones. Randle has been the Cowboys’ rushing leader this season as well, averaging almost 100 yards per game. Both teams trail Kansas State in the Big 12 standings, but Oklahoma still has a chance for a BCS bowl bid.