Texas A&M (4-5) at No. 1 Oklahoma (9-0)

Time: Noon.

Line: Oklahoma by 31.

Points: The Aggies hope to upset a top-ranked Sooners squad for a second consecutive year. The task seems more daunting this time with the Sooners at home and playing with tremendous focus. A&M's best chance to generate yardage rests with QB Reggie McNeal and WR Terrence Murphy. Oklahoma's smothering defense has another playmaker with DE Dan Cody healthy. Sooners RB Renaldo Works (bruised back) will miss the game, leaving the bulk of the carries to Kejuan Jones. The Aggies' defensive leader, S Jaxson Appel, needs his friends to make more plays in front of him. Oklahoma QB Jason White could make that difficult.

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No. 3 Florida State (8-1) at Clemson (5-4)

Time/TV: 7:45 p.m./ESPN2.

Line: Florida State by 17.

Points: Not that there's much suspense left in the Atlantic Coast Conference race, but Florida State can clinch the league title outright. The Seminoles' dominant defense gets even stronger as LB Kendyll Pope returns from a sprained knee. Tigers QB Charlie Whitehurst has solid WRs in Derrick Hamilton and Kevin Youngblood, but he might not have time to find them. Clemson's best hope is to keep FSU QB Chris Rix off balance. LB LeRoy Hill will lead that effort. RB Greg Jones, one of three starting Seminoles from South Carolina, is due for a breakout game.

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No. 5 Virginia Tech (7-1) at No. 25 Pittsburgh (6-2)

Time/TV: 7:45 p.m./ESPN.

Line: Virginia Tech by 4 1/2.

Points: The Hokies are back in the Big East and national title race but still must prove they can win on the road. The Panthers want to maintain the conference lead. While Tech's win against Miami was "Beamer Ball" at its finest with two defensive TDs, traditional points have been lacking. The Hokies hope to establish RB Kevin Jones, who will be checked by Panthers LB Lewis Moore. Tech QB Bryan Randall must find his passing touch again; Marcus Vick also will take snaps. Star Pittsburgh WR Larry Fitzgerald will try to make the most of the first-half suspension of Tech CB D'Angelo Hall. The Hokies will send DEs Nathaniel Adibi and Cols Colas after Panthers QB Rod Rutherford. Pittsburgh has struggled to run without RB Brandon Miree (leg); Jawan Walker must use his speed to avoid Hokies LB Vegas Robinson.

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No. 18 Tennessee (6-2) at No. 6 Miami (7-1)

Time: Noon.

Line: Miami by 12 1/2.

Points: No longer in control of its fate in the Sugar Bowl race, Miami hopes to get back on track at home. Tennessee might need this upset to enhance its reputation among its Southeastern Conference brethren if a tie-breaking vote is required to solve the East Division race. Several key Vols, including TB Cedric Houston (ankle, probable) and FS Rashad Baker (knee, doubtful), missed the lackluster win against Duke. QB Casey Clausen must provide a spark. Miami DT Vince Wilfork hopes to disrupt him. CB Antrel Rolle must sit out after his ejection from the Virginia Tech game, but FS Sean Taylor will be around to bother Tennessee WR James Banks. Miami QB Brock Berlin needs a strong start. He'll try to establish TE Kellen Winslow Jr. first, but WR Ryan Moore also must contribute.

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No. 10 Iowa (7-2) at No. 16 Purdue (7-2)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m./ESPN.

Line: Purdue by 2 1/2.

Points: The drama in the Big Ten continues as Purdue's efficient passing attack goes against Iowa's top-10 defense. Boilermakers QB Kyle Orton likes to use WRs John Standeford and Taylor Stubblefield to sustain drives, but he might need to send them deep to keep LB Chad Greenway and S Bob Sanders off the line of scrimmage. Purdue RB Jarod Void also must contribute. Iowa's most consistent weapon is RB Fred Russell, who will draw attention from LB Niko Koutouvides and S Stuart Schweigert. Hawkeyes QB Nathan Chandler must mix in enough completions to keep the running lanes open. Both kickers, the Boilermakers' Ben Jones and the Hawkeyes' Nate Kaeding, are Lou Groza Award semifinalists.

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No. 11 Texas (7-2) at No. 21 Oklahoma State (7-2)

Time: 7 p.m.

Line: Texas by 3 1/2.

Points: These members of the SVU - Sooners' Victims Unit - are playing for bowl position in the Big 12 South. The Cowboys could face more problems with the Longhorns' fast defense if QB Josh Fields doesn't get better protection. OSU RB Tatum Bell must stay clear of Texas LB Derrick Johnson, while WR Rashaun Woods takes on CB Nathan Vasher. The mobility of Texas QB Vince Young is creating cracks for RB Cedric Benson but leaves WR Roy Williams underutilized. Cowboys DE Greg Richmond will lead the pursuit against Young. OSU CB/PR Darrent Williams (calf) is expected to play and could make a difference in the game on either defense or special teams for the Cowboys.

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UCLA (6-3) at No. 12 Washington State (7-2)

Time: 7 p.m.

Line: WSU by 10.

Points: Both teams look to rebound from losses and maintain a share of the Pacific-10 lead. WSU QB Matt Kegel is battered but expects to play. He'll need optimal protection from UCLA DE Dave Ball, one of the league's top pass rushers. A solid running presence also would help, but the Cougars have been inconsistent there. The Bruins might have to contain WSU WR Devard Darling without CB Matt Ware (ankle, doubtful). UCLA ranks eighth in the conference in scoring, producing few big plays. RB Maurice Drew must provide a spark in place of Manuel White (shoulder), who is out for the year. QB Matt Moore must be careful around Cougars CB Jason David.

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Vanderbilt (1-8) at No. 17 Florida (6-3)

Time: 1 p.m.

Line: Florida by 24.

Points: The Gators should improve their homecoming record of 56-20-1.

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No. 19 Nebraska (7-2) at Kansas (5-4)

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Line: Nebraska by 18.

Points: The Jayhawks' prospects for ending their 34-year losing streak to the Cornhuskers took a severe hit when QB Bill Whittemore suffered a broken collarbone. Freshman Adam Barmann's four-TD debut at Texas A&M offered some hope, but Nebraska will come out angry after both lines were pushed around by Texas. Kansas WR Charles Gordon and RB Clark Green must help Barmann make plays against Nebraska LB Barrett Ruud and FS Josh Bullocks. KU isn't likely to hold the Cornhuskers to 53 rushing yards as the Longhorns did a week ago, but QB Jammal Lord must lead an early scoring drive to restore the unit's confidence. KU LB Nick Reid will have another busy day for the Jayhawks.

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No. 20 Mississippi (7-2) at Auburn (6-3)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m./Ch. 12, 7.

Line: Auburn by 7 1/2.

Points: Mississippi hits the road hoping to remain the only SEC team without a league loss. QB Eli Manning, picked off three times by the Tigers last season, must avoid DB Carlos Rogers. WR Chris Collins is Manning's go-to man. RB Tremaine Turner will try to lend ground support, but Auburn LB Karlos Dansby won't surrender much real estate. Expect to see DB Eric Oliver in the box often as the Rebels try to stop Auburn RB Carnell Williams. This will set up a classic "resistible-force-vs.-movable-object" confrontation between QB Jason Campbell and Auburn's aerial attack and the Mississippi pass defense, both ranked last in the SEC.

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No. 22 Missouri (6-2) at Colorado (3-6)

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Line: Missouri by 4.

Points: Tigers QB Brad Banks continues his impressive season against a struggling Colorado team.

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No. 23 No. Illinois (8-1) at Buffalo (1-9)

Time: 1 p.m.

Line: NIU by 22 1/2.

Points: Huskies need more help to win Mid-American West.

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Wisconsin (6-3) at No. 24 Minnesota (8-2)

Time/TV: Noon/ESPN.

Line: Minnesota by 8 1/2.

Points: Wisconsin is coming off a needed bye that should allow QB Jim Sorgi to return from arthroscopic knee surgery. RB Anthony Davis (ankle) remains out. It will be up to RBs Dwayne Smith and Booker Stanley to keep Minnesota S Eli Ward and LB Ben West busy as WR Lee Evans looks for deep openings. The Gophers will counter with their ground attack that averages almost 6 yards a carry. Badgers S Jim Leonhard will be needed to pursue RBs Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney, so Gophers QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq must find secondary gaps.

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Rest of the Top 25

No. 15 Bowling Green lost to Miami U. 33-10 Tuesday. No. 13 TCU beat Louisville 31-28 Wednesday. No. 2 Southern California, No. 4 LSU, No. 8 Michigan and No. 9 Georgia are idle.