South Florida at Rutgers

Today, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Scarlet Knights won this game on the road in ’06. A repeat would have much greater consequences for the Bulls.

Louisville at Connecticut

Friday, 8 p.m., ESPN

Cardinals are nation’s most disappointing team, but they started salvaging season with win at Cincinnati.

Iowa at Purdue

Saturday, Noon, ESPN2

Third-tier bowl hopes hang in the balance.

USC at Notre Dame

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Channel 6

Is there some sort of CBB/Commander-In-Chief type trophy Stanford can win over these two?

Florida at Kentucky

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Channel 13

Wildcats playing third straight huge game that doesn’t involve Dick Vitale.

Kansas at Colorado

Saturday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Somebody, please, punish the Jayhawks for feasting on a month of cream puffs.

Michigan at Illinois

Saturday, 8 p.m., Channel 8

Lloyd Carr is going to make it tough to fire him when Wolverines finish 11-2.

Virginia at Maryland

Saturday, 8 p.m., ESPN2

If this were the Big Ten, there’d be some obscure Civil War trinket up for grabs.

Auburn at LSU

Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN

Les Miles says he’ll coach better. He’ll have to wake up early to outsmart Tommy Tuberville.

1. Ohio State 7-0 (Last week: 2)

No. 2 and No. 3 are still better, far as I’m concerned, but what can you do?

2. LSU 6-1 (1)

LSU beats Kentucky at home or a neutral site by two touchdowns, minimum.

3. Oklahoma 6-1 (4)

Sooners turning into huge Rutgers fans, all of a sudden.

4. South Florida 6-0 (5)

Single-handedly busting that myth about the BCS stiffing the little guys. No. 2? No way.

5. West Virginia 6-1 (6)

Mountaineers still the best team in the Big East, but hard to feel sorry for ’em when they schedule Mississippi State.

6. Florida 4-2 (7)

Gators go to Kentucky. Three straight losses are a distinct possibility.

7. South Carolina 6-1 (8)

QB Chris Smelley is new captain of the All-Name Team.

8. Boston College 7-0 (9)

Eagles get a bye week before first real test of season at Virginia Tech.

9. Kentucky 6-1 (14)

The true surprise of the college football season thus far.

10. California 6-1 (3)

And another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust.

11. Virginia Tech 6-1; 12. Arizona State 7-0; 13. Oregon 6-1; 14. Auburn 5-2; 15. Southern Cal 5-1; 16. Texas 5-2; 17. Georgia 5-2; 18. Kansas 6-0; 19. Tennessee 4-2; 20. Missouri 5-1; 21. Penn State 5-2; 22. Michigan 5-2; 23. Hawaii 7-0; 24. Cincinnati 6-1; 25. Texas Tech 6-1.

Dropping out of Top 25: Florida State, Illinois, Wisconsin.

Flatline Five

5. North Texas – Got into the win column with an instant classic over … Louisiana-Monroe.

4. Colorado State – They’re better than this, but 0-6 is 0-6.

3. Marshall – Could probably beat the post-plane crash team in the movie, but that’s about it.

2. Utah State – Aren’t they supposed to get a boost from all those 25-year-old seniors?

1. Florida International – Even the leftovers in that state ought to win a game eventually.