When: Thursday, Dec. 4; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Blake Bortles had 331 yards of total offense with a passing and rushing touchdown in UCF’s 40-20 home win over East Carolina in October 2012, when both teams were in Conference USA.

What to watch for

UCF (8-3, 6-1 American) can earn a piece of the conference title, which it won outright last season, with a win here. Memphis is already at 7-1 and is done with its regular season, and the teams didn’t face each other because of the AAC’s eight-game schedule in an 11-team league. Cincinnati, also at 6-1, can force a three-way tie on Saturday with a victory over Houston.

The Knights have won three straight since a 37-29 upset loss at Connecticut, their only setback in two seasons of American play. That was also one of the few times their defense wasn’t rock solid, as that unit ranks fourth nationally in yards allowed (271.2) and is tied for fourth in points allowed (16.8).

East Carolina (8-3, 5-2) came into conference play as the presumptive favorite after a strong non-league effort that included wins over North Carolina and Virginia Tech, but the Pirates have played uneven at times. That includes falling at Temple in a turnover-plagued game and losing a shootout to Cincinnati.

ECU ranks third nationally in total offense thanks to the potent passing attack led by senior quarterback Shane Carden and veteran receivers Justin Hardy and Isaiah Jones. Hardy, with 98 receptions for 1,194 yards this season, is the FBS all-time catches leader with 364.

Look for ECU to take this one at home, with the scoring being on the higher side.

Prediction: East Carolina 34, UCF 26

When: Friday, Dec. 5; 7 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Matt Johnson threw for 393 yards and five touchdowns as Bowling Green knocked off previously unbeaten Northern Illinois, 47-27, to win the MAC title game in December 2013.

What to watch for

This is a rematch of last year’s MAC title game, but without the intrigue of a team trying to sneak into a major bowl from this often overlooked conference.

Northern Illinois (10-2) is in the conference final for the fifth straight season, winning the title in 2011 and 2012. Despite the departure of do-everything quarterback Jordan Lynch, the Huskies have been able to do nearly as well as last season because of a more balanced approach on offense. Quarterback Drew Hare has thrown for 1,879 yards and 15 touchdowns while also running for a team-high 790 yards, but Cameron Stingily’s 779 yards and 11 TDs has paced a rushing offense that ranks 18th in the country at 246.2 yards per game.

Bowling Green (7-5) was a defense-driven team under coach Dave Clawson in 2013, but new head coach Dino Babers has shifted the Falcons into an uptempo scoring machine. There have been bumps along the way, though, with the loss of standout quarterback Matt Johnson early in the season to injury, plus a defense that ranks 118th in yards allowed and has given up more than 40 points on four occasions.

The Falcons have lost two straight since clinching the East Division title, including at home to Ball State in their regular-season finale. NIU is coming off a big road win over Western Michigan to lock up the West and is playing with more momentum.

Prediction: Northern Illinois 37, Bowling Green 30

When: Friday, Dec. 5; 9 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Arizona sacked Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota seven times, and Scooby Wright’s strip of Mariota in the fourth quarter sewed up a 31-24 Wildcats win in Eugene in October.

What to watch for

Arizona (10-2) won the South Division by knocking off Arizona State and seeing UCLA lose badly at home, which sets up a very intriguing rematch with Oregon. The Wildcats are the only team to beat the Ducks this season, doing so in Eugene in early October.

And with Arizona jumping to seventh in the playoff rankings, a second non-home win against a team of Oregon’s caliber could very well spring it into the final four.

Using a similar offense to Oregon’s—coach Rich Rodriguez is one of the pioneers of the spread offense—Arizona has averaged 36.7 points per game with a balance of passing and running. Most of its production has come from underclassmen, as quarterback Anu Solomon and leading rusher Nick Wilson are both freshmen.

The Wildcats also feature arguably the best individual defensive player in the country: linebacker Scooby Wright, who leads FBS in both tackles for loss (28) and forced fumbles (six).

Oregon (11-1) knows all about what Arizona—and Wright—can do, as quarterback Marcus Mariota was sacked seven times and had Wright strip him late in the 31-24 loss. It’s a trend that stretches back to Mariota’s redshirt freshman season in 2012.

“The Wildcats have intercepted [Mariota] three times and forced him to fumble three times over the past three seasons,” according to the Associated Press (h/t Fox News).

Since then, however, the Ducks offense has operated on another level, averaging 47.6 points per game during a seven-game win streak.

Mariota looks to be the front-runner for the Heisman, and a strong effort here will cinch it. He’s thrown 36 touchdown passes with only two interceptions and has run for 636 yards and 11 scores. He also has a TD catch, which came against Arizona.

The Ducks also have a superb freshman running back in Royce Freeman, who has 1,185 yards and 16 TDs on the ground.

Arizona has had the answer for Mariota and Oregon the past two outings, but Oregon looks too good to be beaten by the Wildcats again.

Prediction: Oregon 38, Arizona 33

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; noon ET

Last meeting: Louisiana Tech beat Marshall, 26-0, in the school’s lone meeting in October 1942.

What to watch for

Louisiana Tech (8-4) has reversed its record from a year ago, when it went 4-8 and averaged 19.2 points per game. This season, the Bulldogs score 38.8 per contest, and last week they piled up 76 in a win over defending Conference USA champ Rice to claim the West Division title.

Cody Sokol has thrown for 3,117 yards and 29 touchdowns, while running back Kenneth Dixon has scored 18 times on the ground this season and has 49 career TDs.

Marshall (11-1) lost for the first time last week in a barnburner, falling 67-66 in overtime at home to Western Kentucky. The loss virtually eliminated the Thundering Herd from consideration for the College Football Playoff’s automatic bid awarded to a non-Power Five school.

The Herd’s defense had been mostly solid prior to last week’s display, but what hasn’t slacked at any point has been their offense. Senior quarterback Rakeem Cato has thrown a touchdown pass in 44 straight games, an FBS record. His 13,490 career passing yards rank ninth all-time, while his 126 career TD passes rank fifth-best.

Marshall also has the seventh-ranked rushing offense, averaging 288.5 yards per game, and despite 1,600-yard rusher Devon Johnson injuring his shoulder early last week, it still got 233 yards from Steward Butler.

Cato threw some costly interceptions last week that put Marshall in a big hole. Tech ranks second in the country in pickoffs with 24, and with its own explosive offense, we could see another scoreboard-destroying score. But Marshall won’t drop two straight at home.

Prediction: Marshall 47, Louisiana Tech 40

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; noon ET

Last meeting: Brendon Kay threw for 406 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing score in Cincinnati’s 24-17 win at Houston in November 2013.

What to watch for

Houston (7-4, 5-2 American) has won five of six games to keep itself in position for a high finish in the conference, though twice this season the Cougars have had losses which saw them look completely flat. Greg Ward Jr. has looked good since replacing John O’Korn at quarterback, and the offense has responded by averaging 30.5 points per game over the last six.

It’s defense that powers Houston, though, as the team ranks 13th in yards allowed, and its 17.8 scoring defense is 10th-best nationally.

Cincinnati (8-3, 6-1) has also kicked it up on defense over the past two months. Aside from a 54-46 shootout win against East Carolina, the Bearcats’ other victories during a six-game win streak have seen them allow only eight points per game. Pair that with a passing attack that features a prolific passer in Gunner Kiel (2,820 yards and 28 touchdowns), and Cincinnati has been rolling of late.

The Bearcats can tie Memphis’s record at the top of the American Athletic Conference, but their loss to the Tigers earlier this season means Cincy wouldn’t be declared the conference champion. Still, matching the conference champion is more than enough motivation to extend the win streak.

Prediction: Cincinnati 29, Houston 23

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; noon ET

Last meeting: Garrett Gilbert threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns in SMU’s 38-21 home win over Connecticut in November 2013.

What to watch for

SMU (0-11, 0-7 American) has endured a season of despair as the only winless team in the country, losers of 13 straight and a program without a full-time head coach since June Jones resigned after two games. But the Mustangs already have their future leader in place, with Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris taking the job Monday.

Morris’ influence won’t be able to help SMU improve offensively in its finale, though. The Mustangs average 9.6 points per game and have been outscored 88-16 in the last two contests. Seven of their 11 games this season have seen them score in single digits or get shut out.

Connecticut (2-9, 1-6) hasn’t done much better, heading into the final game of coach Bob Diaco’s first season with a chance to equal last year’s win total. The Huskies have wins over an FCS team and, surprisingly, defending American champ UCF, but since that last victory they’ve been outscored 117-31 in three games.

SMU had its chances to get a win in November, losing by 10 at Tulsa and falling at home to South Florida by a point in the final seconds. The Huskies get this one in a game on which only the most diehard of fans will be keeping close tabs.

Prediction: Connecticut 24, SMU 20

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; noon ET

Last meeting: Trevone Boykin scored on a one-yard run with 38 seconds remaining to give TCU a 21-17 win at Iowa State in November 2013.

What to watch for

Iowa State (2-9, 0-8 Big 12) is wrapping up a fifth straight losing season and likely its first without a win in conference play since 2008, yet coach Paul Rhoads’ job appears safe after he earned a vote of confidence from athletic director Jamie Pollard on Monday.

“I look forward to continuing that journey with coach Rhoads,” Pollard said on a weekly radio show, per Tommy Berch of The Des Moines Register.

The Cyclones’ victories are against a pair of bowl-bound teams, winning at Iowa State and beating Toledo. In Big 12 play, though, they’ve given up at least 32 points in every game yet have three losses by four points or less.

TCU (10-1, 7-1) earns a piece of the Big 12 title with a win here, sharing it with the winner of the Kansas State-Baylor game, but more important to the Horned Frogs is where they end up in the final playoff standings. Now sitting third in those rankings, it’s looking like win-and-in for them even with such a weak opponent.

TCU was dominant in a win at Texas on Thanksgiving, its final real test. Now it’s just about making sure it doesn’t slip in any way against an inferior opponent like Baylor did in the second half against Texas Tech. That being said, expect an extremely lopsided result.

Prediction: TCU 58, Iowa State 17

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Jalen Saunders caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bell with 19 seconds left, then Oklahoma scored on a fumble return as time expired to win 33-24 at Oklahoma State in December 2013.

What to watch for

Oklahoma State (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) has made a bowl game in eight straight seasons, but a five-game losing skid has that streak in serious jeopardy. The Cowboys’ offense has fallen apart in the past two months, averaging 13.6 points per game during the losing streak after scoring at least 27 in every game during their 5-1 start.

Oklahoma (8-3, 5-3) heads into the Bedlam game without much of anything on the line. The Sooners are locked into fourth place in the Big 12, win or lose, with its future bowl destination more dependent on which teams from the conference get selected for bowls associated with the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Trevor Knight, who suffered a neck injury against Baylor in early November, will miss his third straight game.

Besides OSU’s bowl-eligibility hopes, the only other thing worth watching in this game is to see how Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perine follows up his FBS-record 427-yard performance against Kansas. Perine needs 242 yards to have the most yards ever in a two-game span.

Prediction: Oklahoma 34, Oklahoma State 20

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 4 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon combined for 321 rushing yards and five touchdowns in Alabama’s 42-10 win at Missouri in October 2012.

What to watch for

Alabama (11-1) has everything in its control when it comes to the playoffs. Win this game, and the Crimson Tide will no doubt be a semifinal entrant, and likely the No. 1 seed. Lose, though, and things get murky, because there are plenty of teams lurking just outside the top four.

“Only a highly unlikely beatdown by the newly installed, inch-high speed bump that is Missouri stands in the way of mighty Alabama representing the conference in a national-title competition, as is its birthright,” wrote Pete Bland of the Columbia Daily Tribune.

The Tide just showed it can win a shootout, something it hadn’t had to do this season, by racing past Auburn in the second half of last week’s Iron Bowl to win 55-44. The likely scenario in the championship game, though, is one that’s based more on defensive stops and third-down conversions.

Alabama ranks 11th nationally in yards allowed, and at 52.6 percent, it’s fifth-best in the country in converting on third down.

Missouri (10-2) has won the East Division for the second straight season, but unlike last season’s more impressive group, the 2014 Tigers did so with a mostly inconsistent offense, despite getting shut out at home by Georgia and losing to a 4-8 Indiana team. Their defensive line has been the savior, particularly in games when quarterback Maty Mauk and the offense have struggled to move the ball.

Markus Golden and Shane Ray have combined for 36.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks, but they’ve yet to face an offensive line as impressive as Alabama’s. The Tide have allowed only 11 sacks and 53 tackles for loss.

Missouri is too far outside the top four to have a realistic chance to make the playoffs with a win here, but downing Alabama could cause the SEC to miss out despite being the most dominant league in the country this season. Tide don’t roll, but they do win, to lock up a place in the Sugar Bowl.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Missouri 17

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Tulane beat Temple 20-14 to win the 1935 Sugar Bowl.

What to watch for

Temple (5-6, 3-4 American) has lost three straight and five of six, putting into serious jeopardy what earlier in the season looked to be a certain bowl bid. The Owls have had some big wins this season, as they opened with a blowout victory at Vanderbilt and also knocked off East Carolina. But in their last three contests, they’ve managed 32 total points and haven’t surpassed 20 in a game since mid-October.

Tulane (3-8, 2-5) has regressed back to its old losing standards after winning seven games and making a bowl for the first time in more than a decade last season. The Green Wave have received little boost from their new on-campus stadium, going 2-3 there, as their offense has managed more than 14 points only once in the last eight games.

Unless Temple make some quick fixes in practice this week, it’s going to miss out on a bowl. Tulane will be glad to make that happen.

Prediction: Tulane 24, Temple 19

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 7:45 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Tevin Reese’s 54-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Petty early in the fourth quarter gave Baylor the go-ahead score in a 35-25 win at Kansas State in October 2013.

What to watch for

Devoid of an official conference championship game, this well-timed matchup of two of the three schools tied atop the Big 12 standings serves as a de facto title tilt. Whether it’s looked that way in the eyes of the selection committee, though, is uncertain.

The politicking is certainly in full force, with Baylor hiring a public relations firm to beef up its national image, and its AD declaring that a win in this game makes the Bears an obvious choice for a playoff spot despite potentially being behind TCU in the rankings (and that despite a head-to-head win).

“Baylor’s job is to do everything it can to make sure it’s one of those four teams—and by any means necessary, apparently,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Ben Kercheval. “It owes absolutely nothing to TCU, the committee or anyone else.”

Kansas State (9-2, 7-1 Big 12) has managed to win at Oklahoma and West Virginia but was overmatched in its lone conference loss to TCU and shot itself in the foot too many times to be able to beat Auburn back in September. The Wildcats’ offense lacks consistency in the run game, with quarterback Jake Waters forced to freelance more than he should have to.

Baylor (10-1, 7-1) leads the nation in scoring (49.8), total offense (581.1) and, it seems, scrutiny. Its soft nonconference schedule has made many discount its in-the-standings advantage over TCU, by virtue of its massive comeback to win, 61-58, at home back in October. Whenever the Bears fall short of destroying an opponent, the criticism comes out, such as last week when they went from a 42-17 lead to sacking Texas Tech’s quarterback on a game-tying two-point try late in a 48-46 win.

As a result, the Bears sit in sixth in the playoff rankings, needing to win and get a lot of help from above.

Winning this game will go a long way toward helping Baylor’s playoff cause, particularly if it can do so in convincing fashion, since TCU beat the Wildcats by 21 four weeks ago. Though backup Seth Russell didn’t miss a beat when he got a start over Bryce Petty back in September (due to Petty suffering cracked vertebrae the week before), Baylor will need Petty at full strength in this one.

Petty suffered a concussion in the second half of the Texas Tech win, though a picture tweeted by the team on Tuesday showed the quarterback back at practice.

He’s the main X-factor in the overall strength of Baylor’s win, which won’t be an easy one but will help the Bears’ playoff outlook.

Prediction: Baylor 40, Kansas State 24

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 8 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Florida State jumped out to a 21-3 lead and then held on to beat Georgia Tech 21-15 and win the ACC title game in December 2012.

What to watch for

Florida State (12-0) has played with fire all season, falling behind early and often and usually waiting until very late to make its comeback. This has been against a schedule that, looking back on it, only featured two teams that made it to nine victories.

“Survive and advance; that’s what we did,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher told the Associated Press (h/t Los Angeles Times) after holding off Florida last week, but that quote could have come following several games this season as the win streak has somehow climbed to 28.

The selection committee hasn’t felt it’s been just a matter of needing to win, as FSU has now slipped to the edge of the playoffs at fourth despite being the only unbeaten team left in FBS.

The Seminoles have been far less explosive this year than during their national championship run, and while injuries and youth at the skill positions have factored into this equation, the main issue has been quarterback Jameis Winston. He’s thrown 17 interceptions this year, compared to 10 in 14 games during his Heisman-winning season, while throwing just 21 touchdowns (he had 40 in 2013).

Winston has usually woken up and thrived during the second half when forced to perform at a high level, while FSU’s defense usually comes through with some big plays. The Seminoles have also managed to benefit from opponent gaffes throughout the year.

Georgia Tech (10-2) has been one of the more mistake-free teams in the country, sitting with a plus-11 turnover margin thanks to 27 takeaways. The Yellow Jackets do have 12 lost fumbles, but that’s not many for an option-based offense that has been run 670 times and ranks fourth in FBS with 333.8 yards per game.

Tech has won five straight, including in overtime at Georgia last week, and they’ve scored at least 25 points in every game. Ranked third in time of possession, it has the kind of offense that can control the game and force FSU to gamble.

Many people have been predicting the end of Florida State’s run for some time now, and you’d think after so many close calls the assumption would be that this team is bulletproof. But there’s been too much vulnerability shown, and now, against the best team they’ll have faced, the Seminoles will finally tumble.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Florida State 27

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 8:17 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Braxton Miller threw four touchdown passes and added 83 rushing yards in Ohio State’s 31-24 home win over Wisconsin in September 2013.

What to watch for

As the only power conference that doesn’t have a team that would currently make the playoffs, the Big Ten got the best matchup it could hope for in its title game. Whether it will be enough to lift Ohio State (11-1) into the playoffs, assuming a Buckeyes victory, remains to be seen.

The rankings didn’t reflect the impact that missing J.T. Barrett would have on OSU’s outlook, but how Cardale Jones fares in that role against Wisconsin could change things.

“Jeff Long says at this point J.T. Barrett’s injury not impacting OSU ranking but his replacement will be evaluated,” tweeted ESPN’s Joe Schad. “No pressure there.”

Barrett had accounted for more than 3,700 yards and 45 touchdowns in replacing Braxton Miller at quarterback, so his loss is huge. The Buckeyes have relied heavily on him, though their run game has been improving behind Ezekiel Elliott. Big-play defenders like Joey Bosa have made their plays as well but now face the nation’s leading rusher in Melvin Gordon.

Wisconsin (10-2) ranks third in rushing, at 334.3 yards per game, buoyed by Gordon’s 2,260 yards and 26 touchdowns. He’s rushed for at least 122 yards against every FBS opponent and needs 369 yards to surpass Barry Sanders’ single-season record.

That’s entirely possible, because he ran for 408 against Nebraska—which was the single-game record for one week—and because OSU has allowed 200-plus on the ground in each of the three games against run-heavy teams.

This game will determine whether OSU is more than just one player, as it’s seemed at times in 2014. The verdict here: the Buckeyes don’t have enough, without Barrett, to win.

Prediction: Wisconsin 24, Ohio State 20

When: Saturday, Dec. 6; 10 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Quarterback Grant Hedrick caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Sperbeck with 9:11 left to help Boise State beat visiting Fresno State 37-27 in October.

What to watch for

Fresno State (6-6) looked like one of the worst teams in the country during an 0-3 start, losing by an average of 35.7 points, albeit to three teams that went on to go 25-11 this season. Now the Bulldogs are two-time West Division champs, though that means having to play at Boise since the Mountain West doesn’t do a neutral site for its title game.

FSU’s season has been very up and down, with two three-game win streaks each coming after a pair of three-game skids. Quarterback Brian Burrell has settled into his role, but the Bulldogs defense has helped provide a spark during the most recent three-game win streak.

Boise State (10-2) has won seven straight, and during that stretch it has scored at least 37 in every game and 50 or more five times. First-year coach Bryan Harsin has the Broncos looking even more explosive than under previous coach Chris Petersen, with both quarterback Grant Hedrick and running back Jay Ajayi clicking on all cylinders. This has propelled Boise into the prime position of likely getting the at-large spot in a major bowl game with the Mountain West title.

Teams need to win at least six games and have a winning record to be bowl-eligible, but the Mountain West has a provision that guarantees each division champion a bowl bid regardless of their record. That should take some of the pressure off the Bulldogs, since they won’t be able to win this one.

Prediction: Boise State 45, Fresno State 23

When: Saturday, Dec. 13; 3 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Keenan Reynolds ran for three touchdowns, setting the FBS single-season record for rushing TDs by a quarterback, in Navy’s 34-7 win over Army in Philadelphia in December 2013.

What to watch for

Army (4-7) has shown marked improvement on the field under first-year coach Jeff Monken, but that has only translated into a one-game uptick in victories. The Black Knights rank sixth in the country in rushing, averaging 305.45 yards per game, but have only thrown three touchdown passes all season and thus don’t have the ability to play catch-up when their defense (ranked 109th, at 34.4 points allowed per game) struggles.

Navy (6-5) hung on at South Alabama last week to lock up bowl eligibility, which ensured an already prearranged bid to play in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. The Midshipmen have won four of five after a disappointing start, the only loss a shootout to Notre Dame. Keenan Reynolds has missed time for two separate injuries, but the junior quarterback has still managed to run for 1,082 yards and 20 touchdowns as part of Navy’s second-ranked rushing offense.

Navy has won 12 straight in the series, though the games are still a treat to watch because of the dedication shown by these teams full of future soldiers. Expect another Midshipmen victory.

Prediction: Navy 37, Army 17

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.