When: Thursday, Nov. 26; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: UCF held South Florida to five rushing yards in a 16-0 road win last November.

What to watch for

South Florida (7-4, 5-2 American) has won three in a row and six of seven, sitting a game behind Temple in the East standings. The Bulls can win the division title with a victory and a Temple loss, though just getting to eight victories is significant enough for a program that was 6-18 in Willie Taggart’s first two seasons and hasn’t been bowl-eligible since 2010.

Quinton Flowers has made major improvements since the season began, going from a run-first quarterback who couldn’t throw to one that has eight touchdown passes in his last three games.

UCF (0-11, 0-7) has lost 12 in a row and most of them haven’t been close. The Knights last went winless in 2004, the first season of the George O’Leary era that came to an end in October when he resigned.

Moving this game to Thanksgiving seemed weird when it was first announced and now is even more awkward, though it does mean UCF can get an early start on the long offseason.

Prediction: South Florida 33, UCF 14

When: Thursday, Nov. 26; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Malcolm Brown ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns in Texas’ 34-13 win at Texas Tech last November.

What to watch for

Texas Tech (6-5, 3-5 Big 12) topped 50 points for the sixth time in its last game, beating Kansas State in its home finale to lock up bowl eligibility. The Red Raiders average 46.5 points and 588.1 yards per game, both of which are in the top three in the country, but their defense does them no favors by allowing 42.4 points and 546.8 yards per game.

Patrick Mahomes II averages 355.5 passing yards per game and has 31 TD tosses, but he’s also been picked off 13 times. That’s still an improvement from 2014, when he and Davis Webb led an offense that gave the ball away 28 times in 12 games.

Texas (4-6, 3-4) has to win out to avoid missing out on a bowl for the first time since 2010 and just the second time in the last 18 seasons. Charlie Strong’s second year has shown some progress but also plenty of regression, the product of his young players meshing with the remnants of what Mack Brown left behind.

That turmoil has prompted the rumor mill to churn the notion that Strong would want to jump ship and take the vacant Miami opening.

“I never run from anything,” Strong said earlier this week, per Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News. “You just grind it out.”

Texas would also need to win at Baylor next week to get a bowl bid, which seems unlikely. It will at least be in position for that to happen with a solid holiday win.

Prediction: Texas 37, Texas Tech 26

When: Friday, Nov. 27; noon ET

Last meeting: Chad Voytik threw a touchdown pass and ran for another in Pittsburgh’s 35-23 win at Miami last November.

What to watch for

Miami (7-4, 4-3 ACC) is 3-1 under interim coach Larry Scott after beating Georgia Tech 38-21 last week. The Hurricanes have averaged 29 points since Scott replaced the fired Al Golden, doing so despite averaging less than 383 yards per game.

Brad Kaaya has thrown only four interceptions in 10 games this season after he was picked off 12 times as a true freshman, and he’s upped his completion rate from 58.5 to 61.9 percent.

Pittsburgh (8-3, 6-1) has losses to unbeaten Iowa and one-loss North Carolina and Notre Dame, falling by a combined 22 points. Pat Narduzzi’s first year has resulted in the most regular-season victories since 2010.

The Panthers have gotten by despite losing 2014 ACC rushing leader James Conner to a knee injury in the first game, with Qadree Ollison providing 1,011 yards and 10 TDs. Nate Peterman, a Tennessee transfer, has 18 TDs and only four interceptions since taking over the starting quarterback job.

Pitt will get to nine wins for the first time since 2009.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 28, Miami 22

Last meeting: Brandon Doughty threw eight touchdown passes, including one in overtime, then hit Willie McNeal for a two-point pass to give Western Kentucky a 67-66 win at Marshall last November.

What to watch for

Marshall (9-2, 6-1 Conference USA) is the defending East Division and conference champion, but the Thundering Herd aren’t built the same as last season. They no longer have prolific quarterback Rakeem Cato to rely on, though freshman Chase Litton has come on of late with nine TD passes and just one interception in his last four games.

The Thundering Herd have held all but one C-USA opponent under 20 points, the exception being the triple-overtime loss at Middle Tennessee that was tied at 17 after regulation. They allow only 47.6 percent of passes to be completed with 14 interceptions and just 10 TDs, though most of their foes weren’t anywhere near as adept with the pass as the upcoming one.

Western Kentucky (9-2, 7-0) has won its last 10 conference games, the only losses this season coming at Indiana and LSU. Doughty is playing even better than in 2014, when he led FBS in passing yards and TDs, as he leads the nation with a 72.8 percent completion rate and is second with 37 TDs.

Taywan Taylor is the Hilltoppers’ top receiving threat, with 1,151 yards and 14 TDs, but four other players have caught at least 30 passes.

Western Kentucky has scored at least 50 points five times this season. It probably won’t get there again, but it will still take the East and host next week’s C-USA title game.

Prediction: Western Kentucky 38, Marshall 30

When: Friday, Nov. 27; noon ET

Last meeting: Houston posted a 35-0 win over Navy in the 1980 Garden State Bowl.

What to watch for

Navy (9-1, 7-0 American) moved up another spot in the playoff rankings, sitting nine places ahead of Toledo for the Group of Five bid to a major bowl game. First things first, though, the Midshipmen need to win to clinch the West title in their first season playing in a conference.

If they achieve that it will be through the option-run game, which is second-best in the country at 348.4 yards per game and is anchored by Keenan Reynolds. The senior quarterback has 82 career touchdown runs, the most in FBS history, and he’s one behind former Wisconsin star Montee Ball’s all-time mark of 83 total TDs scored.

Houston (10-1, 6-1) can also win the West, but first it has to recover from its worst performance of the season. The Cougars were without star Greg Ward for most of last week’s 20-17 setback at Connecticut, but they’d managed to come back against Memphis without him in the previous game. Kyle Postma had looked great in that comeback but then he was hurt last week.

Both quarterbacks are questionable for this game, so the Cougars may have to lean heavy on running back Kenneth Farrow. He has a team-best 949 rushing yards and 12 TDs.

Navy plays just as well on the road as at home and has plenty of momentum. It has won by 23.6 points per game since losing to Notre Dame and will make the American title game with this victory.

Prediction: Navy 28, Houston 20

When: Friday, Nov. 27; noon ET

Last meeting: Toledo pulled out a 20-19 overtime win at Western Michigan in October 2014 when Western Michigan missed the extra point after its final touchdown.

What to watch for

Western Michigan (6-5, 5-2 Mid-American) lost two in a row to fall out of contention in the West Division race, but those losses came to East Division champion Bowling Green and West contender Northern Illinois. The Broncos have already played seven bowl-eligible teams, going 2-5 in those matchups.

Toledo (9-1, 6-1) is the only MAC team ranked in the playoff standings, but to get the Group of Five bowl bid it would have to be a conference champ. That seemed out of play after the Rockets lost to Northern Illinois earlier this month, but Northern Illinois’ loss to Ohio on Tuesday reopened the door.

The Rockets win the West Division with a victory, while a loss would create either a three- or four-way tie (depending on whether Central Michigan wins Friday) that would give the title to Northern Illinois.

Prediction: Toledo 34, Western Michigan 24

When: Friday, Nov. 27; noon ET

Last meeting: Colin Reardon threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Chris Humphrey with one minute left to give Kent State a 27-24 home win over Akron last November.

What to watch for

Kent State (3-8, 2-5 Mid-American) played in the 2012 conference title game and it’s been all downhill since. The Golden Flashes won 11 games that year and have had nine victories in the ensuing three seasons, with this year’s team currently riding a four-game losing streak.

Akron (6-5, 4-3) is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2005, beating Buffalo at home last week to clinch the sixth victory. The Zips have won three straight and scored 79 points in their last two games after averaging 21 during the first nine.

The Zips will match their most wins since joining the FBS level in 1987.

Prediction: Akron 24, Kent State 14

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 1 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Devon Spalding and Saylor Lavallii each scored two rushing touchdowns in Central Michigan’s 38-7 win at Eastern Michigan last November.

What to watch for

Eastern Michigan (1-10, 0-7 Mid-American) has lost its last 13 conference games, its only win in 2015 coming at Wyoming in September. That was one of just four games this season that the Eagles didn’t allow 30 or more points, as they rank sixth-worst in FBS in scoring defense at 42.7 points allowed per game.

Central Michigan (6-5, 5-2) won at Kent State last Wednesday to lock up bowl eligibility, and not long after first-year coach John Bonamego announced he was cancer-free. Quarterback Cooper Rush has topped 3,000 passing yards for the second year in a row, and his 65 career TD passes are second-most in school history.

The Chippewas win for the sixth time in seven years against their in-state rival, who will lose its most games since going winless in 2009.

Prediction: Central Michigan 51, Eastern Michigan 20

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 2 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Brandon Silvers threw a touchdown pass and ran for another in Troy’s 45-21 home win over Georgia State last November.

What to watch for

Troy (3-7, 2-4 Sun Belt) will miss out on a bowl for the fifth year in a row after losing by 35 at home to Georgia Southern last week. The Trojans have been up and down in Neal Brown’s first season, though Silvers has thrown 10 TD passes since returning from injury four games ago.

Georgia State (4-6, 3-3) has won two straight for the first time in three seasons of FBS play, keeping itself alive for a bowl bid thanks to victories over Texas State and South Alabama. The Panthers would need to win out, though, including next week at in-state foe Georgia Southern.

To even be in such a position at this point didn’t seem possible for Georgia State, but senior quarterback Nick Arbuckle—who is fifth in the FBS at 344.6 passing yards per game—has been having a strong year.

Prediction: Georgia State 37, Troy 30

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 2:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Marcus Murphy scored on a 12-yard run with 4:38 left in Missouri’s 21-14 home win over Arkansas last November.

What to watch for

Missouri (5-6, 1-6 SEC) could be playing its final game under Gary Pinkel if it can’t win and secure a bowl bid. The longtime coach is retiring to focus on his health, after being diagnosed with lymphoma earlier this year.

The Tigers have lost five of six, their lone win coming against BYU in Kansas City two weeks ago. That was also the only game during that stretch in which they’ve scored more than one touchdown, as their 14.5 points per game are third-worst in the country.

Arkansas (6-5, 4-3) lost 51-50 at home to Mississippi State last week, snapping a four-game winning streak. The Razorbacks have become an offensive juggernaut during the second half of the season, averaging 50.2 points over the last five games, with quarterback Brandon Allen turning into a star in front of our eyes.

Allen tied an SEC record with seven TD passes against MSU, and he also caught a two-point pass. He’s responsible for 30 TDs this season.

A team that can’t score (but has a strong defense) against one that’s been scoring in bunches (but not defending well) will battle for the newly created Battle Line trophy. It will stay in Fayetteville.

Prediction: Arkansas 30, Missouri 23

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Marcus Mariota had 406 yards of total offense and six total touchdowns in Oregon’s 47-19 win at Oregon State last November.

What to watch for

Oregon State (2-9, 0-8 Pac-12) has lost 10 straight conference games and would need to pull a major upset to avoid its first winless record in league play since 1995. Gary Andersen’s surprise departure from Wisconsin to take over this program has been hard to watch, though he’s playing with one of the youngest rosters in the country.

Andersen took over a team that graduated Sean Mannion, the most prolific passer in Pac-12 history, and he’s had to shuffle through three quarterbacks (all freshmen) who have combined to complete less than 47 percent of their passes.

Oregon (8-3, 6-2) has been a different team since sorting out its QB situation, though its problem was a matter of health instead of performance. Vernon Adams Jr., the well-regarded transfer from Eastern Washington, broke a finger on his throwing hand and missed all or parts of four games. Since he’s come back he’s averaged 299.8 passing yards with 18 TD passes in five starts.

The Ducks have won all of those, including at North Division champ Stanford and by 20 last week against potential South champion USC.

The Civil War has had plenty of tight games, but Oregon has won the last seven. This could be one of the most lopsided results in series history.

Prediction: Oregon 55, Oregon State 14

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Dwayne Washington ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s 31-13 win at Washington State last November.

What to watch for

Washington State (8-3, 6-2 Pac-12) is having its best season since 2003, with a lot of factors coming into play. But none has been more key to the turnaround from 3-9 a year ago than the performance of sophomore quarterback Luke Falk, the FBS leader in passing yards per game (387.8) with a school-record 36 TDs.

But Falk was carted off on a stretcher and strapped down during the second half of last week’s home win over Colorado after sustaining a head injury. After the game, Mike Leach told reporters Falk is “healthy as can be. Rested him in the second half.” Several in the media, including the Seattle Times‘ Matt Calkins, were disappointed with Leach’s lack of empathy for what could be a serious injury. 

Backup Peyton Bender has thrown TD passes in relief of Falk in WSU’s past two games, and he’d get the call if Falk isn’t cleared.

Washington (5-6, 3-5) would be in serious trouble if its quarterback went down. Freshman Jake Browning has 14 of his 17 total TDs in the Huskies’ wins, so when he struggles so does the entire team.

Freshman Myles Gaskin has been a pleasant surprise at running back, with 983 yards and eight TDs, though he’s been hot and cold at times.

The Huskies have made a bowl game five straight seasons, a streak Chris Petersen doesn’t want coming to an end in his second year. Even if Falk plays, Washington pulls this one out.

Prediction: Washington 27, Washington State 23

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Kenny Bell caught a nine-yard touchdown pass in overtime to give Nebraska a 37-34 win at Iowa last November.

Iowa (11-0, 7-0 Big Ten) is a playoff team if the season ended today. Just let that sink in for a minute.

Sure, there’s still two games left (including the Big Ten title game) to be played, but the fact the Hawkeyes are even in this position is arguably the biggest surprise of the 2015 season. They were picked to finish fourth in the West Division but clinched that title last week at home against Purdue.

“This is indeed a brave new world,” Bleacher Report’s Adam Kramer wrote.

Iowa hasn’t played a team with a winning record since Oct. 17 and lucked out by avoiding the East Division’s four bowl-eligible teams, so its spot in the playoff rankings continues to be questioned. It doesn’t help that Iowa isn’t explosive on offense, ranking 53rd in total offense.

Nebraska (5-6, 3-4) fired a coach that won at least nine games for seven straight seasons last winter, and unless Mike Riley can get the Cornhuskers to pull off a major upset, he’ll be starting his tenure off with the program’s third losing record in 54 years.

Nebraska has dropped several games in the final moments, losing on a Hail Mary to BYU, in overtime to Miami and on last-minute scores by Illinois and Wisconsin. But Nebraska has also had a very shoddy defense, one that is fourth-worst in the FBS against the pass.

Iowa hasn’t looked particularly impressive over the past month but has avoided slipping along the way. None of those opponents had as much to play for as Nebraska does, though.

Prediction: Nebraska 31, Iowa 28

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Kellen Moore threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-16 passing in Boise State’s 48-0 win at San Jose State in October 2010, when both teams were in the Western Athletic Conference.

What to watch for

Boise State (7-4, 4-3 Mountain West) has lost its past two games, both at home, the first time that has happened since 1989. The most recent setback, to Air Force, was the only one this season where the Broncos weren’t victimized by turnovers. Instead they allowed 607 yards, and their last three opponents have averaged 31.7 points.

San Jose State (5-6, 4-3) last made a bowl game in 2012, but to end that skid it will need to beat Boise for the first time in school history. The Spartans won at Hawaii last week behind their most points in two months, with quarterback Kenny Potter continuing his strong recent play. He has tossed eight TD passes without an interception over the last four games.

Without a division title to play for, Boise has little motivation in this game. It could actually help its cause by losing, since an additional bowl qualifier from the Mountain West means more revenue split among the league’s teams.

Prediction: San Jose State 27, Boise State 22

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 4:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Anthone Taylor ran for 237 yards and two touchdowns in Buffalo’s 41-21 win at Massachusetts last November.

What to watch for

Massachusetts (2-9, 1-6 Mid-American) plays its final game as a MAC member, having gone 6-25 in four seasons. The Minutemen were booted from the conference after declining the option to join in all sports and thus will be an independent in 2016.

Buffalo (5-6, 3-4) can earn its second bowl bid in three years with a victory, which would snap a two-game skid. The Bulls went 5-6 last season with one of their home games wiped out by snow; otherwise they could be pushing for a third straight invite.

The Bulls have lost three times at home, but those were all to bowl-eligible teams.

Prediction: Buffalo 38, Massachusetts 16

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Baylor scored 24 points in the final 10:39, winning 61-58 at home against TCU in October 2014 on Chris Callahan’s 28-yard field goal as time expired.

What to watch for

Baylor (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) has weathered the fallout from losing at home to Oklahoma two weeks ago, as it’s within reach of a playoff spot as long as it wins out (and gets some help from within and outside the league). However, the Bears may not have escaped the injury bug that’s ravaged all of college football.

Jarrett Stidham, the true freshman quarterback who replaced Seth Russell three games ago, didn’t play during the second half last week in the Oklahoma State win with a leg injury. The school confirmed Wednesday (h/t ESPN.com) that Stidham broke a bone in his ankle and is out until the team’s bowl game.

Chris Johnson, who had been moved to receiver at the start of the season, looked great in place of Stidham with three total touchdowns, but leading rusher Shock Linwood (1,240 yards, 10 TDs) may not be available because of injury.

TCU (9-2, 6-2) has no sympathy but quite a bit of empathy. Horned Frogs players have been dropping like flies since the preseason. They managed to start 8-0, but injuries to their two best offensive players have been too much to overcome. Josh Doctson (1,327 receiving yards, 14 TDs) is done for the regular season, and quarterback Trevone Boykin (FBS-leading 402.3 yards per game of total offense) didn’t play in last week’s loss at Oklahoma.

Billed as the Game of the Year in the Big 12 before the season began, it’s still a big one for Baylor since the playoffs aren’t out of the question. TCU only has pride at this point, but not enough healthy bodies for that to matter.

Prediction: Baylor 45, TCU 31

When: Friday, Nov. 27; 8 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Dane Evans threw an eight-yard touchdown to Conner Floyd in the second overtime to give Tulsa a 38-31 home win over Tulane in August 2014.

What to watch for

Tulsa (5-6, 2-5 American) has lost two in a row since getting within a victory of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2012. The Golden Hurricane lead the nation in plays per game at 85.1, but they’re only 41st in yards per play since Evans has thrown 150 incomplete passes and the run game has been held under four yards per game seven times this season.

Tulane (3-8, 1-6) is playing only its third home game since early October, having lost both of those while managing a total of 10 points. The Green Wave have failed to top 14 points on seven occasions this season and rank fifth-to-last in the FBS in total offense.

All but one of Tulsa’s losses are to teams that have already clinched bowls. It might as well join them.

Prediction: Tulsa 29, Tulane 23

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Gunner Kiel threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns in Cincinnati’s 54-46 home win over East Carolina last November.

What to watch for

Cincinnati (6-5, 3-4 American) finishes the season on a two-game road trip, and it can’t go much worse than the first half. The Bearcats fell behind 34-0 and lost 65-27 at South Florida, meaning the team picked to win the East will finish no better than third.

Quarterbacks Kiel and Hayden Moore have combined to throw for 380.9 passing yards per game but have been intercepted 18 times.

East Carolina (5-6, 3-4) has shuffled through a pair of quarterbacks this season as well, with Blake Kemp and James Summers combining for 12 picks thrown. Kemp completes 69.8 percent of his throws, though, and last week he had career highs with 465 yards and four TDs in a blowout of winless UCF.

The Pirates will lock up a fourth straight bowl bid.

Prediction: East Carolina 40, Cincinnati 33

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Paxton Lynch threw for 307 yards and a touchdown in Memphis’ 48-10 win at SMU in October 2014.

What to watch for

SMU (2-9, 1-6 American) ended an eight-game losing streak by rolling to a season-high 49 points against Tulane. The Mustangs have doubled last year’s win total, but they are still atrocious on defense, allowing 44.1 points per game and more than seven yards per play.

Memphis (8-3, 4-3) sat 13th in the initial playoff rankings, but after three consecutive losses the Tigers are on a major downswing. Last week’s 31-12 loss at Temple marked their lowest point total since falling 24-3 at Ole Miss in 2014.

Lynch remains one of the best quarterback prospects in the country despite Memphis’ skid, with a 69 percent completion rate and only three interceptions. After three straight weeks facing tough opponents, he’ll break loose for a big game in the regular-season finale.

Prediction: Memphis 48, SMU 19

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Skyler Howard threw three touchdown passes in West Virginia’s 37-24 win at Iowa State last November.

What to watch for

Iowa State (3-8, 2-6 Big 12) will be playing its final game under Paul Rhoads, the seventh-year coach who was fired Monday but allowed to finish out the season. The Cyclones went to three bowls under Rhoads in his first four years, but he had only one winning season overall.

The final straw was blowing a big lead at Kansas State last week, falling 38-35 despite being up by 21 in the third quarter.

West Virginia (6-4, 3-4) has won three in a row against the bottom half of the Big 12, bouncing back very well from an 0-4 start to the league against the top end. Last week’s 49-0 win at Kansas was the Mountaineers’ second shutout of the season.

The Mountaineers have gotten as far away from the run as possible, and that’s paid off. Wendell Smallwood is second in the conference with 123.4 rushing yards per game, averaging 6.62 yards per carry over the last four games.

If this game were in Ames, Rhoads’ players might be capable of sending him out a winner, but ISU has lost nine in a row on the road.

Prediction: West Virginia 44, Iowa State 13

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Zander Diamont scored on a one-yard run with 27 seconds left to give Indiana a 23-16 home win over Purdue last November.

What to watch for

Indiana (5-6, 1-6 Big Ten) lost its first six conference games and seemed well on its way to a seventh setback, trailing 21-3 after 10 minutes at Maryland last week. Then the Hoosiers scored 27 unanswered points and ended up winning 47-28 to stay alive for their first bowl bid since 2007.

This is actually the first time in eight years Indiana has been in position to go bowling on the final week of the regular season—like it needed more on the line when playing its rival for the Old Oaken Bucket.

Purdue (2-9, 1-6) last went bowling in 2012, the season before Darrell Hazell arrived as head coach. Since then it has gone 6-29 overall and 2-21 in the Big Ten, yet the overabundance of FBS jobs that have already opened up this year makes his seem safe.

It would be safer with the Boilermakers’ first win in the series since 2012, but in their last home game they lost by 34 to Illinois.

Prediction: Indiana 38, Purdue 30

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Rutgers rallied from a 25-point deficit to win 41-38 at Maryland last November.

What to watch for

The Big Ten’s Eastern expansion in 2014 was a money grab, plain and simple. It was an attempt to pull in lucrative TV markets in New York/New Jersey and Baltimore/Washington, D.C. The first year went OK, with both Maryland and Rutgers making bowl games, but the second go-around has been a disaster.

This gets enhanced by having the league’s newest members meeting in the only Big Ten matchup this weekend that doesn’t include at least one potential bowl team.

Maryland (2-9, 0-7 Big Ten) has lost eight in a row overall, the last five since interim head coach Mike Locksley replaced the fired Randy Edsall. This team somehow beat South Florida—which could win the American Athletic Conference’s East Division—in September but since then has been its own worst enemy.

The Terrapins have an FBS-worst 35 turnovers, including 28 interceptions. That means their opponents have caught more of their passes than their own second-leading receiver, freshman D.J. Moore, who has 21 catches.

Rutgers (4-7, 1-6) won at Indiana in October thanks to a massive comeback, or it would be facing going winless in conference play for the first time since 2002 in the Big East. The Scarlet Knights’ other wins were last week at Army and against FCS Norfolk State and winless Kansas.

The school suspended head coach Kyle Flood for three games for meddling in academic matters, and top receiver Leonte Carroo has missed time both because of suspension and injury. Another loss matches the worst record in the past 13 years, but Rutgers will claim the stupor bowl.

Prediction: Rutgers 33, Maryland 23

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Cody Sokol threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns in Louisiana Tech’s 31-20 win at Southern Mississippi in October 2014.

What to watch for

Southern Mississippi (8-3, 6-1 Conference USA) is one of the biggest surprises in the country, especially outside of the power conferences. The Golden Eagles went 3-9 last year and had won just four games in the previous three seasons, but head coach Todd Monken has this team in position to win the West Division for the second time in five years.

The Eagles’ losses have come to Mississippi State, Nebraska and defending C-USA champ Marshall.

Quarterback Nick Mullens passed Brett Favre for second on the school’s career passing list last week, registering his eighth 300-yard passing game of 2015 in a comeback win over Old Dominion. He’s 10th in FBS at 325.3 passing yards per game.

Louisiana Tech (8-3, 6-1) is the defending West Division champs, its only league loss coming by three at East leader Western Kentucky. The Bulldogs’ other losses were in triple-overtime at Kansas State and at Mississippi State, but in Ruston they’ve won nine straight.

Kenneth Dixon has 81 career TDs, third most in FBS history and just two behind all-time leader Montee Ball. He’s scored 17 times on the ground this season and also has three receiving TDs, a weapon Louisiana Tech makes the most of.

Prediction: Louisiana Tech 40, Southern Mississippi 31

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: J.T. Barrett ran for two touchdowns and threw another before suffering a broken ankle in Ohio State’s 42-28 home win over Michigan last November.

What to watch for

The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) have gone from the hunted to the wounded, the defending national champions having their 23-game winning streak snapped at home by Michigan State last week. And that was only the start of the attack on the Buckeyes—and not just externally.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott called out the play selection in the minutes after the loss while speaking to reporters, something coach Urban Meyer since criticized but also defended in a press conference. Elliott and quarterback Cardale Jones both made comments indicating they planned to turn pro, putting into question their commitment to OSU when both the East Division title and a playoff bid are still in play.

Oh yeah, and now comes the biggest game on the schedule, the annual rivalry with “that school up north,” which just happens to be part of the three-game tie for first in the East with Michigan State.

Michigan (9-2, 6-1) was not supposed to be this good in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season, but here the Wolverines are after 12 weeks. They win the division with a victory and an MSU loss, and though unlikely, if enough chaos happens above them, they could sneak into the playoff.

Michigan has gotten this far without having nearly as many big-name players as OSU, instead getting the most out of every player. That’s included having Iowa transfer Jake Rudock become incredibly dependable as a passer and maximizing freshman Jabrill Peppers’ skill set.

“Over the course of the season, the New Jersey native’s role on offense has evolved from wideout to Wildcat quarterback to running back—all while maintaining his spots as a starting safety and No. 1 punt returner,” Bleacher Report’s Ben Axelrod wrote.

Peppers has been making the kind of contributions most expected OSU’s long list of playmakers to display, but those performances have been infrequent at best. Imagine what he’ll do against a rival on the ropes.

Prediction: Michigan 23, Ohio State 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Satchel Ziffer kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give Old Dominion a 31-28 win at Florida Atlantic last November.

What to watch for

Florida Atlantic (2-9, 2-5 Conference USA) took SEC East champion Florida to overtime last week before losing, an effort that would make the uninformed think it was a much better team. But the Owls have lost 14 of 16 and will be missing out on a bowl for the seventh consecutive season.

Old Dominion (5-6, 3-4) blew a 10-point second-half lead at West co-leader Southern Mississippi last week but can still clinch its first-ever bowl bid at home. The Monarchs were 6-6 last season but were not eligible for the postseason as a transitioning FBS member.

Four straight games with at least 30 points have Old Dominion trending up on offense. It will get to celebrate a milestone after this one.

Prediction: Old Dominion 33, Florida Atlantic 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Deshaun Watson accounted for four touchdowns despite torn ligaments in his knee to give Clemson a 35-17 home win over South Carolina last November.

What to watch for

Clemson (11-0, 8-0 ACC) remains in the same position it has been in since the selection committee released its first playoff rankings earlier this month, and the Tigers figure to stay at No. 1 as long as they keep winning. They could slip to second, and it wouldn’t matter. Since there’s no difference between the top two spots, they’d be playing in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Eve either way.

The Tigers just have to navigate past their third straight sub-.500 opponent without looking bad in the process; then they will get a quality North Carolina team in the ACC title game next week.

South Carolina (3-8, 1-7 SEC) only provides a challenge because it is Clemson’s rival, a team that had won five straight in the series before last season. But the Gamecocks are coming off one of the most embarrassing performances in school history, losing at home to FCS team The Citadel. It was their fourth straight loss since interim head coach Shawn Elliott won his debut against Vanderbilt.

A loss here would be the epitome of the term “Clemsoning” that coach Dabo Swinney declared officially dead while speaking with the media. Don’t expect a resurrection.

Prediction: Clemson 31, South Carolina 16

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Bucky Hodges caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Michael Brewer with 1:48 left to give Virginia Tech a 24-20 home win over Virginia last November.

What to watch for

Virginia Tech (5-6, 3-4 ACC) will have a new head coach for the first time since the mid-1980s quite soon, but it’s not ready for the Frank Beamer era to come to an end. The Hokies need one more win to extend their bowl streak to 23 years—something they could have accomplished at home last week—but after rallying late to force overtime, they fell to Coastal Division champion North Carolina.

Tech has won its last two road games, and it’s won the last five games in this series held in Charlottesville.

Virginia (4-7, 3-4) is wrapping up a fourth straight losing season, unable to win enough games in the ACC to counter a difficult nonconference slate. Losses to UCLA, Notre Dame and Boise State in September set the course for an uphill climb, one that wasn’t helped by quarterback Matt Johns throwing 15 interceptions.

A win for Virginia might not be enough for head coach Mike London’s job to be saved another year. Anyway, it’s a better story for Beamer to get one more bowl trip before retiring.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 25, Virginia 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Zach Laskey scored on a two-yard run in overtime to give Georgia Tech a 30-24 win at Georgia last November.

What to watch for

Georgia (8-3, 5-3 SEC) might have been better off warming up against its rival last week in preparation for facing Georgia Southern this week rather than the other way around. The Bulldogs needed to go to overtime to beat the Eagles at home, despite doing fairly well defending the option.

Two straight games dealing with that style of offense would make most teams’ heads spin, but Georgia has annually finished the regular season against the option since Paul Johnson came to Atlanta as head coach in 2008. Georgia has won five of the last seven games in the rivalry known as Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate, but those previous teams weren’t nearly as sluggish on offense as the current version.

The midseason loss of running back Nick Chubb has exposed how poor Georgia’s pass attack is, and though Sony Michel has had some good efforts, he’s understandably been unable to match what Chubb did on the ground.

Georgia Tech (3-8, 1-7 ACC) started 2-0, but since then its lone victory came against Florida State. And that only came because the Yellow Jackets blocked a field goal and returned it for the winning score as time expired. That was one of the few games in 2015 that their option has been truly productive, and though they rank seventh in FBS at 261.8 rushing yards per game, that’s 80 yards fewer than last year’s division-title team.

Johnson hasn’t been able to find a reliable set of ball-carriers, and quarterback Justin Thomas isn’t a good enough passer to compensate for the dip in run production.

It’s quite often that one of the teams in this game comes stumbling in, but now they both are. Georgia needs this game much more than Tech does.

Prediction: Georgia 26, Georgia Tech 19

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; noon ET

Last meeting: Kyle Bolin threw for 381 yards and three touchdowns in Louisville’s 44-38 home win over Kentucky last November.

What to watch for

Louisville (6-5, 5-3 ACC) gave up 45 points in a loss at Pittsburgh last week, snapping a four-game win streak. The numbers from that game were even more troubling, as the Cardinals allowed a season-high 244 yards while they finished with minus-one on the ground as the offensive line fell apart.

The Cardinals have allowed 43 sacks this season, most in FBS.

Kentucky (5-6, 2-6 SEC) romped over FBS newcomer Charlotte last time out to put itself in position to make a bowl game for the first time since 2010. This will be the seventh such “win-and-it’s-in” game in the past two seasons, with the Wildcats losing six straight last year after a 5-1 start.

Freshman Drew Barker didn’t throw a TD in his first career start last week, but he also wasn’t intercepted. Instead, Kentucky stuck mostly to the ground and ran for 415 yards with six TDs, an approach that could work again.

Prediction: Kentucky 24, Louisville 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 12:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Tyler Murphy threw for 160 yards and a touchdown in Boston College’s 28-7 home win over Syracuse last November.

What to watch for

Boston College (3-8, 0-7 ACC) had arguably its best performance of the season in last week’s 19-16 loss to Notre Dame and not just because it scored more points than in six other games in 2015. The Eagles forced five turnovers and allowed only two TDs on seven red-zone possessions.

A lethargic offense produces 278.9 yards per game, but its defense is No. 1 in FBS, giving up 255.6 yards.

Syracuse (3-8, 1-6) has lost eight in a row, and that skid cost head coach Scott Shafer his job. He’ll still be on the sidelines for the finale, hoping to go out with the kind of performance that had the Orange play both LSU and Clemson within 10 points this season but also includes their first win since edging Central Michigan in overtime in September.

The Orange have made too many mistakes to win most of their games, but they have some talent. They will come through here—just too late to save Shafer’s job.

Prediction: Syracuse 21, Boston College 13

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 12:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Anthony Boone threw for 275 yards and a touchdown in Duke’s 41-21 home win over Wake Forest last November.

What to watch for

Duke (6-5, 3-4 ACC) has lost four straight games, its worst skid since losing five in a row to end the 2012 season. The Blue Devils also made a bowl that year. But it was the first in 17 years, so the late-season slide wasn’t as big a deal.

That’s not the case this time around, as Duke seemed to have reached a level of consistency under head coach David Cutcliffe that’s slowly slipping away. The controversial end to its home loss to Miami (Florida) at the start of the streak has taken all of the life out of this team.

Wake Forest (3-8, 1-6) has lost five in a row, and if not for a 3-0 win at Boston College, that streak would be at eight games. Coach Dave Clawson’s second Demon Deacons team isn’t as bad on offense as his first, but it’s close, as it hasn’t hit 20 points since late September.

Duke is still the better team but is lacking in confidence. It has enough to beat the Deacons for the fourth time in a row.

Prediction: Duke 27, Wake Forest 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 2 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Marcus Cox ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Appalachian State’s 35-16 win at Louisiana-Lafayette last November.

What to watch for

Louisiana-Lafayette (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) is having a season to forget on the cusp of missing out on a bowl bid for the first time in head coach Mark Hudspeth’s five years after losing at home to New Mexico State last week. The Ragin’ Cajuns are giving up 31.3 points per game and are 1-4 on the road in 2015.

Appalachian State (8-2, 5-1) is tied for second in the Sun Belt, a game behind Arkansas State, but it would need to win out and have Arkansas State lose twice to claim the conference title. Getting to 10 wins in the Mountaineers’ second season of FBS play would still be a major achievement.

Ranked sixth in FBS in rushing at 269.5 yards per game, Appalachian State has four players with at least 300 rushing yards this season. That includes quarterback Taylor Lamb, who also has 26 TD passes.

Prediction: Appalachian State 39, Louisiana-Lafayette 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 2 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Brett Smith threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns in Wyoming’s 28-23 win at UNLV in November 2012.

What to watch for

UNLV (3-8, 2-5 Mountain West) has lost at least eight games for the fifth time in six seasons, but it’s seen some progress under first-year head coach Tony Sanchez. The Runnin’ Rebels have actually played better away from Las Vegas in conference play, including winning at rival Nevada.

Wyoming (1-10, 1-6) has matched the most losses in one season in school history, a disastrous year that has seen the Cowboys score fewer than 20 points seven times. That includes just 10 points over the last two games, with prolific running back Brian Hill held under 100 rushing yards in consecutive games for the first time in 2015.

Hill can also bust loose, though, with three 200-yard games, and UNLV has allowed 30 rushing TDs this season.

Prediction: Wyoming 27, UNLV 23

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 2 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Matt Breida ran for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Georgia Southern’s 28-6 win at South Alabama in September 2014.

What to watch for

South Alabama (5-5, 3-3 Sun Belt) lost 24-10 at Georgia State last week, taking away its best remaining chance to become bowl-eligible. The Jaguars finish against two of the top three teams in the conference, so to grab a second straight bowl bid, they’ll need to tap into the mojo that led to a mid-September win at Mountain West title entrant San Diego State.

Georgia Southern (7-3, 5-1) is tied for second place in the Sun Belt but will likely finish in third place unless Appalachian State or Arkansas State collapses over the final two weeks. The Eagles went to overtime at Georgia last week before falling because they couldn’t get a first down in the extra session.

The Eagles remain first in FBS in rushing offense at 364.3 yards per game, but they had only one rushing score last week after going for 39 in their previous nine games. Expect far better success on the ground.

Prediction: Georgia Southern 38, South Alabama 17

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 2:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: None

What to watch for

Middle Tennessee (6-5, 5-2 Conference USA) won its third straight last week to lock up bowl eligibility, and the Blue Raiders appear headed to the Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 24, per ESPN’s Brett McMurphy. That would make for a nice finish to a tremendous first season for quarterback Brent Stockstill, whose 311 passing yards per game are tops among freshmen in FBS.

UTSA (3-8, 3-4) has won two straight after a 1-8 start, finishing strong as its young team becomes more experienced. The Roadrunners have averaged 31.7 points over the last three games.

Middle Tennessee wants to take a long win streak with it on the holiday vacation to the islands.

Prediction: Middle Tennessee 31, UTSA 24

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 2:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Dominique Hatfield’s 20-yard interception return in overtime gave Utah a 40-34 win at Colorado last November.

What to watch for

Colorado (4-8, 1-7 Pac-12) managed only three points at Washington State last week, its fourth straight loss. The Buffaloes have four one-score losses, three to bowl-bound teams in the conference, but they continue to lack the ability to close out games.

The loss of quarterback Sefo Liufau to a season-ending injury hasn’t had as much of an impact as a run game that’s averaged 2.36 yards per carry the last three games.

Utah (8-3, 5-3) has lost two in a row and three of five, the most recent a 17-9 home setback to UCLA that knocked it out of the South Division race. That game didn’t feature workhorse running back Devontae Booker, out for the season with a knee injury, and without him, the Utes don’t have many other options.

Quarterback Travis Wilson is more than enough for this game, though, and then Utah can spend the weeks leading up to a bowl figuring out how to move the ball without its best player.

Prediction: Utah 29, Colorado 14

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Jacoby Brissett threw three touchdown passes and also ran for 167 yards and a TD in North Carolina State’s 35-7 win at North Carolina last November.

What to watch for

North Carolina (10-1, 7-0 ACC) will be playing in the conference title game next week in Charlotte against top-ranked Clemson, but even a win there probably won’t be enough to boost the Tar Heels into the playoff. The committee has made it clear the nonconference slate, which featured two FCS opponents and a loss to South Carolina, is too much to overlook.

The Heels have won 10 in a row, the third-longest streak in the country, but last week at Virginia Tech they had to go to overtime after blowing a late lead. The much-improved defense has showed some cracks lately, but quarterback Marquise Williams and running back Elijah Hood have continued to excel.

North Carolina State (7-4, 3-4) is 0-3 against opponents with winning records, losing by 17 at Florida State and by 15 to Clemson despite looking good early on. The Wolfpack had 511 yards last week in a win over Syracuse, but their offense hasn’t been the same since top running back Matt Dayes went down with a season-ending foot injury.

Brissett is still a dangerous foe to deal with, a mobile quarterback who scrambles more to buy time for receivers to get open than to pick up yards. He only has three interceptions on 330 attempts.

UNC’s defense gets to practice against a better version of Brissett, so it will be prepared.

Prediction: North Carolina 33, North Carolina State 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Amari Cooper caught 13 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 55-44 win over Auburn last November.

What to watch for

Alabama (10-1, 6-1 SEC) is in the position it seems to find itself in every year since head coach Nick Saban established himself in Tuscaloosa: win the Iron Bowl and then head to the conference title game, the first step toward another push for a national title.

A championship is a realistic goal each season with the Crimson Tide, regardless of if there are stumbles along the way. The thought that this year’s Alabama team wasn’t as good—exacerbated by five turnovers contributing to a home loss to Ole Miss in September—has been pushed aside several times over the last two months via a growing list of impressive victories.

Particularly, the ones not played at home.

“Most of Alabama’s big wins have been away from Bryant-Denny Stadium, which is a little unusual, but Nick Saban said earlier this season that might have to do with fewer distractions,” Bleacher Report’s Christopher Walsh wrote.

According to Walsh, Alabama never trailed in wins this season against Wisconsin (in Texas) and at Georgia, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, all of whom were ranked at the time.

Auburn (6-5, 2-5) would qualify as the worst team Alabama has faced away from home by a wide margin. The Tigers didn’t become bowl-eligible until beating Idaho last week, and they gave up 34 points in the process.

Little has gone right for Auburn this season, certainly not its quarterback play or its much-hyped defensive improvements. It’s allowing 5.49 yards per play, only slightly better than the 5.67 yielded last season.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Auburn is able to suddenly rise up and win this game, save for Alabama doing nothing but attempting long field goals that are returned for TDs. The Iron Bowl has a storied history, but it’s still grounded in reality.

Prediction: Alabama 41, Auburn 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: None

What to watch for

Charlotte (2-9, 0-7 Conference USA) has lost nine straight since winning the first two games of its FBS debut. The 49ers lost 58-10 at Kentucky last week after committing three more turnovers, giving them 35 this season.

Rice (4-7, 2-5) won’t be making a fourth straight bowl appearance after losing to UTSA last week. The Owls have lost four in a row, their worst in-season skid in three years.

Charlotte won its first-ever road game but since then has allowed 54 points per game.

Prediction: Rice 50, Charlotte 23

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Jeremy Langford ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan State’s 34-10 win at Penn State last November.

What to watch for

Penn State (7-4, 4-3 Big Ten) seems to have taken Iowa’s spot as the team in the conference that’s good enough to beat the bad teams but doesn’t have enough to reach the next level. The Nittany Lions’ only victories this season against winning teams were at home against Buffalo and San Diego State back in September.

They have lost to Temple, Ohio State, Northwestern and Michigan, the last at home when the inability to finish in the red zone prevented the possibility of an upset.

Michigan State (10-1, 6-1) has assumed the role of a team that plays up or down to the level of its opponent. This explains how the Spartans’ best performances in 2015 have come against Oregon, Michigan and last week’s 17-14 defeat of defending national champion Ohio State. That last one was the most impressive, since senior quarterback Connor Cook wasn’t available because of injury.

The Spartans had to instead rely on a defense that blew a big lead in a loss at Nebraska and struggled with other sub-.500 teams yet held OSU to 132 yards.

Cook is likely a game-day decision. Head coach Mark Dantonio told ESPN.com’s Dan Murphy, “It hinges on very small things.” Without him, MSU’s division-clinching victory just might not be as dominant.

Prediction: Michigan State 27, Penn State 16

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Melvin Gordon ran for 151 yards and a touchdown in Wisconsin’s 34-24 home win over Minnesota last November.

What to watch for

Wisconsin (8-3, 5-2 Big Ten) has played three games against winning teams in 2015, and each one has resulted in the Badgers looking listless on offense in a loss. The Alabama loss in Texas to start the season was understandable—maybe even the October home loss to unbeaten Iowa as well. But last week they lost 13-7 at home to Northwestern, turning it over five times and giving up six sacks.

Joel Stave has looked good at times in 2015, but the senior quarterback isn’t steady enough to be a one-man team. Wisconsin’s lack of a go-to rusher, which is a major anomaly for this program, has been noticeable.

Minnesota (5-6, 2-5) snapped a four-game skid by beating Illinois last week, keeping alive the chance to reach a bowl for the fourth straight season. The Golden Gophers have played seven games decided by 10 or fewer points, going 4-3, but they haven’t beaten Wisconsin since 2003.

Paul Bunyan’s Axe has gone to the Badgers 18 of the past 20 years. Maybe Minnesota will bring it on the trip to a bowl game.

Prediction: Minnesota 23, Wisconsin 19

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Aaron Jones ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns in UTEP’s 35-17 home win over North Texas last November.

What to watch for

UTEP (4-7, 2-5 Conference USA) held West Division co-leader Louisiana Tech to a season-low 17 points but still lost because its own offense couldn’t convert in the red zone. The Miners have scored TDs on 44.83 percent of their red-zone possessions, which is tied for 119th in FBS.

North Texas (1-10, 1-6) has scored 20 total points during a three-game losing streak since its lone victory of 2015. The Mean Green have been held under 20 points eight times this season.

Both teams are listless on offense but also rank among the bottom 10 nationally in yards allowed per play. Combine that with it being the finale of a disappointing season for each, and this could get wild.

Prediction: North Texas 44, UTEP 38

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Brett Hundley threw for 326 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in UCLA’s 38-20 home win over USC last November.

What to watch for

UCLA (8-3, 5-3 Pac-12) has won 14 of the last 15 games it has played outside of the Rose Bowl, its iconic stadium that seems to bring out the best in others and the worst in the Bruins. This season they’ve lost to Arizona State and Washington State at home, but after beating Utah on the road last week, they’re still in position to win the South Division.

All UCLA has to do is continue its recent dominance of the crosstown rivalry, winning for the fourth straight time. Those victories under fourth-year head coach Jim Mora have “put this program on the national platform,” athletic director Dan Guerrero told Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times.

Another step in that ascension was landing quarterback Josh Rosen, the freshman who has started every game and who has thrown for 3,123 yards with 19 TDs. He’s on pace to be as good as the passers USC (7-4, 5-3) usually has in stock on a regular basis.

Senior Cody Kessler is one of the least heralded of USC’s quarterbacks in the past 20 years, though his numbers are among the best. Kessler is completing more than 69 percent of his passes for a second straight season, but a key to the Trojans getting back on track since Steve Sarkisian was fired as head coach has been a rededication to the run game.

Freshman Ronald Jones II is averaging 6.78 yards per carry, but he’s been held in check the last two games, including USC’s 48-28 loss at Oregon. Despite that setback, USC can still win the South by downing the Bruins for the first time since 2011.

Prediction: USC 30, UCLA 27

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Reilly O’Toole threw three touchdown passes and ran for 147 yards in Illinois’ 47-34 win at Northwestern last November.

What to watch for

Northwestern (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) forced five turnovers—and benefited from three Wisconsin touchdowns that were called back—to win a fourth straight game last week. All four victories were by seven points or fewer, the result of just enough offense to get by as well as a defense that’s 11th nationally in yards allowed per game.

Running back Justin Jackson is the only consistent part of the Wildcats’ attack, with 1,172 rushing yards, but he’s only scored three times. Northwestern has scored TDs on just 12 of 34 red-zone possessions, the second-worst rate in FBS.

Illinois (5-6, 3-5) has lost five of six, wedging a blowout win over Purdue in the middle of a second-half slide. The Fighting Illini were at their best earlier in the season, when interim head coach Bill Cubit provided a great alternative to Tim Beckman, but reality has set in.

This game is being played at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, which would make for a great environment in which to clinch a bowl bid. Or to prevent a team from doing so…

Prediction: Northwestern 26, Illinois 16

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 3:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Darell Garretson threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in Utah State’s 35-20 win at BYU in October 2014.

What to watch for

BYU (8-3) blew out Fresno State in its home finale to finish off a perfect slate in Provo and secure a fifth straight season of at least eight victories. The Cougars are going to play in either in Las Vegas or Honolulu for their bowl game, per a deal arranged before the season, but there’s still something to play for by finishing with an in-state rival.

Utah State (6-5, 5-3 Mountain West) locked up a fifth straight bowl bid by rallying to beat Nevada at home last week. The Aggies have won 14 straight games in Logan dating back to October 2013.

The winner of this game lays claim to the Old Wagon Wheel, but this is the first time the teams are meeting in November since 1990. BYU has lost three of its last four outside of the state and will fall for the second time in a row to the Aggies.

Prediction: Utah State 21, BYU 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 4 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Arkansas State had three 100-yard rushers in a 68-35 home win over New Mexico State last November.

What to watch for

Arkansas State (7-3, 6-0 Sun Belt) can clinch the conference title with a win here, which would be its seventh straight victory. The Red Wolves have averaged 47 points during the win streak.

New Mexico State (3-7, 3-3) has won three consecutive games, its longest win streak since 2006-07, and this has come after the Aggies dropped 17 in a row. Running back Larry Rose III has averaged 203.3 yards per game during the win streak and now ranks second in FBS at 148.1 rushing yards per game.

As convincing as NMSU has played the past month, that’s come against opponents who are a combined 10-20.

Prediction: Arkansas State 38, New Mexico State 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 4 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Jake Waters threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in Kansas State’s 51-13 home win over Kansas last November.

What to watch for

Kansas State (4-6, 1-6 Big 12) rallied to win at home against Iowa State last week, avoiding its first seven-game losing streak since 1989. The Wildcats still have the faintest of hopes to make a bowl game but would need to beat both their rival and then West Virginia next week.

Joe Hubener has thrown for 505 yards with three TDs the last two weeks, his best performances of the season, but he’s only completing 48.3 percent of his passes for the season.

Kansas (0-11, 0-8) has the nation’s longest losing streak at 14 games, and it’s on the cusp of the program’s first winless season. The chances have been few, such as at home against Texas Tech in October and two weeks ago at TCU, but the Jayhawks don’t have enough to finish the job.

More often they’ve just been obliterated—like last week’s 49-0 home loss to West Virginia, their sixth defeat of 30-plus points in 2015.

Prediction: Kansas State 33, Kansas 17

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 4 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Joshua Dobbs scored two rushing touchdowns in Tennessee’s 24-17 win at Vanderbilt last November.

What to watch for

Vanderbilt (4-7, 2-5 SEC) was shut out at home last week by Texas A&M, the second time it’s been blanked this season. The Commodores have failed to top 10 points in five of their last six games, and they rank last in FBS at 14 points per game.

They’re a respectable fifth in the SEC in total defense, which is the only reason the Commodores have had six games decided by single digits.

Tennessee (7-4, 4-3) is hitting a late-season surge that’s similar to last season with one major difference: It’s not just Dobbs doing the work. The quarterback has been good but not great; instead the Volunteers have built their offense around running backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara.

An improved defense has allowed 14.4 points per game over the last five, including holding Alabama to a season-low 19.

One more win gives Tennessee its best regular-season record since 2007.

Prediction: Tennessee 26, Vanderbilt 13

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 5 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Terrence Franks ran for 284 yards and three touchdowns in Texas State’s 35-30 home win over Idaho in October 2014.

What to watch for

Texas State (3-7, 2-4 Sun Belt) allowed only three points in a home win over Louisiana-Monroe last Thursday, its best performance since shutting out FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff to start the 2014 season. The Bobcats had allowed 41.6 points per game this season before that.

Idaho (3-8, 2-5) has lost four in a row as its hellacious travel schedule has worn this team down. The Vandals’ six road games—including last week’s 56-34 loss at Auburn—saw them go to Alabama three times as well as to Arkansas, New Mexico and Southern California.

The Vandals allow 43.1 points per game, including 50-plus in three of the last four. Expect defense to be only a suggestion.

Prediction: Idaho 43, Texas State 36

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 7 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Temple scored two defensive touchdowns in a 36-10 win at Connecticut in September 2014.

What to watch for

Connecticut (6-5, 4-3 American) is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2010 after upsetting previously unbeaten Houston at home last week. The Huskies held one of the top offenses in the country to 17 points, which has been their approach this season.

The Huskies have scored 20 or fewer points eight times in 2015, but during a three-game win streak, they’ve allowed 11 points per game.

Temple (9-2, 6-1) clinches the East Division title, its first of any kind since 2009, with a win or a loss by South Florida (to winless UCF) on Thanksgiving. The Owls are likely going to have to do it themselves, and after shutting down potent Memphis at home last week, they’re back on track following a 1-2 skid.

A win by the Owls would not only earn them a spot in the American title game, but also help Notre Dame’s playoff resume since that’s one of Temple’s two losses.

Prediction: Temple 26, Connecticut 14

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 7:15 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Jaylen Walton ran for 148 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown, in Ole Miss’ 31-17 home win over Mississippi State last November.

What to watch for

Ole Miss (8-3, 5-2 SEC) will know either right before or not long after kickoff whether it’s playing for a spot in the conference title game, since the Iron Bowl will be wrapping up around then. The Rebels’ win over Alabama in September has kept them in the hunt for the West Division despite some uneven results since, including a loss to Memphis that’s looking worse by the week.

Quarterback Chad Kelly has 34 total TDs, including nine on the ground, breaking Eli Manning’s single-season school TD record in last week’s dominant win over LSU. The former Clemson player had 11 interceptions in a six-game span, but he’s been mistake-free the past two games.

Mississippi State (8-3, 4-3) continues to be Dak Prescott and his band of merry men. The senior quarterback is by far the most important player to his team in the country, and if the Bulldogs were better overall, he’d be right up there in the Heisman Trophy talk.

Prescott had 554 yards of total offense in last week’s 51-50 win at Arkansas, accounting for all seven of MSU’s TDs. He’s contributed 32 TDs this year and has thrown just three interceptions in 393 attempts; in 2014 Prescott had 11 picks in 396 attempts.

The Egg Bowl tends not to get as much attention as other rivalry games, last year’s edition being an exception. But it’s regularly one of the better clashes of this final weekend.

“Don’t be fooled by the lack of buzz…this one should be a classic,” Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee wrote.

MSU has won four of six in the series and hasn’t lost at home to Ole Miss since 2003.

Prediction: Mississippi State 41, Ole Miss 34

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Ben Koyack caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Everett Golson with 1:01 left in Notre Dame’s 17-14 home win over Stanford in October 2014.

What to watch for

Notre Dame (10-1) slipped in the playoff rankings, falling out of the Top Four on the heels of a shaky 19-16 win over Boston College on Saturday. The Fighting Irish turned the ball over five times, including a few in the red zone, and came away with two TDs in seven trips inside the 20-yard line.

Paired with a lackluster win over Wake Forest the week before, the Irish aren’t playing their best at the right time. That could be the competition but also a result of mounting injuries, the latest shelving key cornerback KeiVarae Russell with a broken leg.

“Really, we’re not thinking about style points,” linebacker Joe Schmidt told Bleacher Report’s Mike Monaco.

Stanford (9-2) has won the Pac-12’s North Division and will be playing UCLA or USC next week for the conference title. That victory combined with beating Notre Dame could be enough to negate the Cardinal’s two losses for them to climb into the playoff.

The Cardinal have their most explosive and diverse offense in years, with Kevin Hogan winning more games than any previous quarterback in program history and sophomore Christian McCaffrey the most versatile weapon in FBS. McCaffrey averages 255.2 all-purpose yards per game as a running back, receiver and return specialist.

Notre Dame has someone like that in C.J. Prosise, but a concussion and then a leg injury have slowed him down. The Irish are running out of players to hang in there, and the run ends out West.

Prediction: Stanford 34, Notre Dame 24

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Nick O’Leary caught two touchdown passes in Florida State’s 24-19 home win over Florida last November.

What to watch for

Florida State (9-2) won’t be using the Florida game as a pre-ACC title game dry run since it finished second in the Atlantic Division behind Clemson. That might be a good thing from an overall standpoint, since the Seminoles won’t be looking ahead and can focus on correcting some uneven performances on the road in 2015.

As is common with young teams, the ‘Noles play much better in Tallahassee, winning by an average of 24 points. They’re 2-2 on the road, losing to Clemson and Georgia Tech and averaging 16.8 points per game.

Florida (10-1) hasn’t played well regardless of the venue during much of the second half of this season, save for the win over Georgia in Jacksonville. Losing quarterback Will Grier to a season-long drug suspension can’t be solely to blame, but it has had an impact.

Instead, there’s an aura about the Gators as if the games haven’t been important of late, even more so once they clinched the SEC East Division. But to be able to win that conference final, as well as Saturday’s clash, the effort has to improve dramatically.

First-year coach Jim McElwain motivated this undermanned team to a 6-0 start, and he’ll find a way to light a fire to down FSU for the first time since 2012.

Prediction: Florida 21, Florida State 19

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 7:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Leonard Fournette ran for 146 yards and a touchdown in LSU’s 23-17 win at Texas A&M last November.

What to watch for

Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3 SEC) has won three of four to keep this season from falling apart, but it still has to figure out how to get the offense to play at a more consistent and productive level. The quarterback shuffling—we’re back to sophomore Kyle Allen for those scoring at home—has contributed to 19 turnovers and a 55 percent TD rate in the red zone.

Last week saw the Aggies post their first shutout since 2004, and while it was against Vanderbilt, it was still impressive. The 148 yards allowed were the fewest in head coach Kevin Sumlin’s four seasons.

LSU (7-3, 4-3) has seen its season come crashing down, and all signs point to head coach Les Miles being the sacrifice to get things turned around. Despite 110 wins and a national championship in 11 seasons, Miles is probably out after this game win or lose.

“An announcement on LSU coach Les Miles’ future with the program will ‘most likely’ come sometime after the Tigers’ final regular-season game Saturday,” ESPN.com’s Joe Schad reported.

Three straight losses have caused LSU to go from second to unranked (in the playoff committee’s eyes) because it can’t do anything without Fournette dominating. Brandon Harris can’t make up for the run game getting shut down, and the Tigers defense has allowed 99 points in the last three games.

The outcome probably won’t change the future, but Miles winning his final game before getting fired—similar to Bo Pelini at Nebraska last November—will add to the drama.

Prediction: LSU 30, Texas A&M 24

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 8 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Tyreek Hill’s 92-yard punt return with 45 seconds left forced overtime; then Ben Grogan hit a 21-yard field goal to give Oklahoma State a 38-35 win at Oklahoma last December.

What to watch for

Bedlam is one of the most lopsided rivalry games in the country since its inception, with Oklahoma holding an 84-18-7 edge. But this will be the sixth time in the last eight years that both teams are ranked coming in, and the added wrinkle of a playoff bid in play means this game has never been more important.

Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) has distanced itself enough from the October loss to Texas to be the conference’s best hope to play for a national title. The Sooners have already beat Baylor (on the road) and TCU, though the latter was closer than expected after Baker Mayfield missed the second half with a head injury. One more high-profile victory and the Big 12’s lack of title game could prove moot.

Mayfield being at 100 percent will be key, however. He pulled himself from the TCU game after complaining of a headache, though he’s on track to play, per ESPN.com’s Chris Low.

Oklahoma State (10-1, 7-1) lost 45-35 at home to Baylor last week, unable to keep pace with a team that had to turn to its third-string quarterback in the second half. The Cowboys aren’t very dependent on the run. But they do like to stay balanced, and gaining eight yards on the ground spelled doom.

The QB duo of pro-style Mason Rudolph (326.5 yards per game) and dual-threat J.W. Walsh (11 passing TDs, 11 rushing TDs) had been difficult for most teams to solve, yet a season’s worth of film is at Oklahoma’s disposal.

The last three Bedlam games have either gone to overtime or been decided in the final minute, and this one probably will as well. The road team has also won the last two.

Prediction: Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 31

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 9 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Derek Carr threw four touchdown passes in Fresno State’s 28-7 win at Colorado State in October 2012.

What to watch for

Colorado State (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) won at New Mexico last week to become bowl-eligible, but at the same time that handed the Mountain Division title to in-state rival Air Force. The Rams have won three straight and four of five, turning the corner in head coach Mike Bobo’s first season as the run game has 258 yards per game during the last three.

Fresno State (3-8, 2-5) has matched last year’s loss total, though in 2014, the Bulldogs played 14 games and won the West Division. They started the 2013 season at 10-0 and have gone 11-18 since then.

The Bulldogs have allowed 30 points seven times this year, and their run defense is 118th in the country.

Prediction: Colorado State 27, Fresno State 23

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 10 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Taylor Kelly threw three touchdown passes in Arizona State’s 27-17 win at California in September 2012.

What to watch for

Arizona State (6-5, 4-4 Pac-12) beat rival Arizona last week to lock up a fourth straight bowl bid, but overall this season has been a disappointment. The Sun Devils were a trendy sleeper pick to make the playoffs this year—just ask ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit (h/t Andrew Joseph of AZCentral.com)—but they’ve yet to win more than two straight games.

An aggressive defense has produced 44 sacks, which is tied for the most in FBS, and 98 tackles for loss. However, it’s also resulted in opponents gaining 40 or more yards on 22 plays.

California (6-5, 3-5) is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2011, though this achievement has come without any notable victories. The Golden Bears opened 5-0, and their only win since then was against 2-9 Oregon State.

Quarterback Jared Goff could be the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft if he turns pro early, and last week he topped 11,000 career passing yards. But last week was only the third time he’s gone without an interception.

The final #Pac12AfterDark of the regular season doesn’t have anything on the line, which means there’s no excuse for it not to be wild and no-holds-barred.

Prediction: California 45, Arizona State 42

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 10:15 p.m. ET

Last meeting: D.J. Johnson had three rushing touchdowns in Air Force’s 35-31 home win over New Mexico in October 2014.

What to watch for

Air Force (8-3, 6-1 Mountain West) officially clinched the Mountain Division on Saturday after New Mexico lost at home to Colorado, but its 37-30 win the night before at Boise State helped just as much. The Falcons have won five straight, and while the run game remains their speciality—it ranks third in FBS at 332.7 yards per game—they’ve also become a passing juggernaut of late.

The 550 yards that quarterback Karson Roberts has thrown for in the last two games is fourth-most in school history over a two-game span, per Air Force associate athletic director for communications Troy Garnhart.

New Mexico (6-5, 4-3) is 13th nationally in rushing at 234.7 yards per game, and it has only lost seven fumbles on 513 carries. The Lobos have had three main rushers get the yards, including quarterback Lamar Jordan, though all three have more than 600 yards and average better than five yards per carry.

The Lobos won at Boise State but then fell to Colorado State last week, missing out on a chance to play for the Mountain title this week. That might have taken the air out of their approach to this game, since they know a bowl bid (likely in their home stadium) is still coming no matter what.

Prediction: Air Force 33, New Mexico 20

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 10:45 p.m. ET

Last meeting: James Butler and Don Jackson each ran for 100-plus yards and a touchdown in Nevada’s 30-14 home win over San Diego State last November.

What to watch for

Nevada (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) led 27-7 early in the second half at Utah State and then gave up 24 unanswered to fall to 2-3 on the road this season. Despite the loss, the Wolf Pack again got strong rushing efforts from Butler and Jackson, a tandem that has combined for 2,133 yards, 16 TDs and 11 combined 100-yard games.

San Diego State (8-3, 7-0) clinched the West Division last week with a 52-14 win at UNLV, its seventh consecutive triumph. Since giving up 30-plus points in three consecutive losses in September, the Aztecs have allowed 76 points to their last 10 opponents.

The Aztecs’ run attack is more one-dimensional, but it’s a very good individual in junior Donnel Pumphrey. During the win streak, he’s averaged 143.6 yards with 11 TDs.

Prediction: San Diego State 30, Nevada 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 28; 11 p.m. ET

Last meeting: Louisiana-Monroe posted a 23-20 overtime win against Hawaii in November 1997.

What to watch for

Louisiana-Monroe (1-10) managed only three points last Thursday at Texas State, its ninth straight loss and first since coach Todd Berry was fired. The Warhawks’ only win this season came against FCS Nicholls State, with just two victories in their last 19 games after starting last year 3-1.

Hawaii (2-10) is also on a nine-game losing streak, the last three under interim coach Chris Naeole. He has tried to mix things up to turn around an offense that scores 16.8 points per game and has been shut out three times, with Paul Harris rushing for 495 yards the past three weeks after gaining 471 during the first nine games.

Considering how disastrous Monroe’s season has been, getting to play in Hawaii will feel like a bowl game. It hasn’t had a real one of those since 2012.

Prediction: Hawaii 24, Louisiana-Monroe 20