On paper, there aren't a lot of big games this weekend. But that's when something crazy usually happens. So don't say you haven't been warned as we present our 10 Burning Questions:
1. Will the Ducks have a letdown? If any team is due to sag, it is Oregon. Oregon, now No. 8 in the BCS, put on one of the more impressive performances these old eyes have ever seen in trouncing USC 47-20, the worst loss Pete Carroll has ever suffered as Trojans coach. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was scary good in that game as the Ducks rolled up 613 yards of total offense. Masoli had 386 of them.
Now Oregon, 7-1 and unbeaten in the Pac-10, must maneuver through a tough four-game stretch if it wants to go to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1994 season. It will begin Saturday at Stanford (5-3), which will roll out the nation's No. 7 rusher in Toby Gerhart (124.25 ypg) and try to counter Oregon's speed with brute force.
2. Do you think T-Bob Hebert will sleep Friday night? LSU center T-Bob Hebert grew up around football because his dad, Bobby, was an NFL quarterback. But Bobby was never asked to move a mountain.
Of course, we're talking about Terrence "Mount" Cody, who checks in at 6-5, 354 pounds, while T-Bob is a mere slip of a lad at 6-3, 285.
Cody is the key to Nick Saban's defense. While he doesn't make a lot of tackles, he usually occupies two blockers and frees up the Alabama linebackers to make plays. That's why Alabama is giving up only 64.6 yards rushing per game. Handling Cody is a big key for any team that hopes to beat Alabama. Eight opponents have tried and none has succeeded. Now it is LSU's turn.
"Terrence Cody is a phenomenal player and a big load," LSU tackle Ciron Black told the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. "T-Bob's got a lot on his plate, but he's not going to be out there alone. We're going to help him whenever we need to."
3. Who makes more big plays, Christian Ponder or C.J. Spiller? Just moments after a 45-42 victory against N.C. State last Saturday, Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews was visiting with the media. It had not been a good night for Andrews, who announced this week he will be retiring after this season.
When Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder walked into the room, Andrews stopped talking to the media. He walked over to Ponder, who had stayed in the game and led Florida State to the victory despite bruised ribs. Andrews is as old school as they come, but he wanted Ponder to know how impressed he was.
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"I'd hug your neck but I don't want to embarrass you," Andrews told Ponder.
Ponder is the reason Florida State (4-4) has a chance to salvage this season. Two weeks ago against North Carolina, he completed 33 of 40 passes for 395 yards and rallied the Seminoles from an 18-point deficit to win 30-27. Ponder completed his final 16 passes. Last week, he played through the pain and completed 26 of 40 passes.
Let's see if Ponder can keep it going Saturday at Clemson, which features a human highlight reel in C.J. Spiller. He has returned three kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this season.
4. Does Notre Dame get eliminated from the BCS by Navy? Two years ago, Navy broke one of the most famous college football streaks when it knocked off Notre Dame in triple overtime. The Irish had beaten the Midshipmen 43 consecutive times.
Now Navy (6-3), which is coming off a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to Temple, has a chance to inflict a little more pain on Notre Dame (6-2). The Irish are No. 22 in the BCS, but if they run the table and finish in the top 14, a BCS at-large bid is not out of the question. In fact, it's more than likely. A loss to Navy would end that discussion.
Navy will get a pair of its best offensive players back. Quarterback Ricky Dobbs has 16 rushing touchdowns but played only seven plays against Temple because of injury. Slot back Marcus Curry has been out for a couple of weeks and is also expected to return.
5. Is Cincinnati ready for prime time? Cincinnati (8-0) is No. 5 in the BCS standings and needs to just keep its head down, continue to win, and then let the national-title chips fall where they may. The next step is Connecticut (4-4) in the first ABC prime-time game televised from Nippert Stadium.
The Bearcats are trying to match the best start in school history (9-0 in 1951). They might also see the return of starting quarterback Tony Pike, who had to leave the South Florida game on Oct. 15 when a surgically implanted plate in his left (non-throwing) arm shifted after a hit.
In Pike's absence, Zach Collaros took over and Cincinnati never slowed down, beating Louisville 41-10 and Syracuse 28-7. Since taking over, Collaros has completed 47 of 63 passes for 749 yards and nine touchdowns against only one interception. Collaros told the Cincinnati Enquirer that when Pike comes back this week -- or next week against West Virginia -- he'll be ready to step aside.
"These past few weeks have really helped with my confidence," said Collaros, who now has the inside track to be the starter in 2010.
In a side note, Cincinnati will honor UConn's Jasper Howard, who was stabbed to death in October, with a banner signed by the entire Bearcats team. The banner has the UC logo and the words: "Teammates For Life."
6. Oklahoma at Nebraska: Remember when this game mattered? A lot changed when the Big Eight expanded into the Big 12 in 1996. But whoever thought we would get to a time when Oklahoma and Nebraska didn't play every season? Now the two schools are in opposite divisions in the Big 12 and, due to the rotating schedule, they are on for two years and off for two.
Both teams have issues. Oklahoma, which has lost three games by a total of five points, is trying to salvage a season after saying goodbye to Sam Bradford (shoulder), the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner.
Nebraska's offense has been virtually non-existent since scoring 27 against Missouri in the fourth quarter in the rain on Oct. 8. That's why freshman Cody Green will get his second start.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops knows it won't be long before Nebraska (5-3) will be back in the hunt for the national championship. First of all, he said, it's still Nebraska. Second, he knows Bo Pelini, the Cornhuskers coach. Both men attended Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio. Pelini once worked for Stoops.
"It's always challenging going up to Nebraska," Stoops said. "I know Bo and his attention to detail. They will continue to build the program. I wonder if our freshmen and sophomores understand the true tradition and history and pride of that program. Playing them has always been tough."
7. Why are we not more excited about Ohio State at Penn State? I guess it's because neither is ranked in the Top 10, but both could still go to the Rose Bowl.
For all of the issues at Ohio State -- which include a home loss to USC and an inexplicable loss at Purdue -- if the Buckeyes win their last three games against Penn State, Iowa (at home) and Michigan, they will play on New Year's Day in Pasadena.
But in order to have any shot, Ohio State must get some production out of quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor, from Jeanette, Pa., does not expect to get a warm welcome when he returns home.
"They are going to tear me up," Pryor told reporters this week. "I'm sure they're going to be giving me a lot of stuff, maybe throwing stuff. ... I can't wait."
Pryor is gifted but has had an up-and-down sophomore season. Poise has been an issue. He'll need a lot of it just to survive against Penn State.
8. Does Wake Forest have a chance to upset Georgia Tech? The Deacons are 4-5 but a few points scattered around sure would have made a difference.
Wake Forest lost the opener on the road to Baylor and Robert Griffin, 24-21. They were inside the Boston College 5-yard line in overtime but fumbled and lost 27-24. They played in a driving rainstorm at Navy and lost 13-10. Last week, they took a 17-0 lead against Miami but could not hold it and lost late 28-27.
"We can compete with just about anybody but we don't have a big margin of error," coach Jim Grobe said.
Now the Deacons have to go on the road to play one of the hottest teams in football in Georgia Tech (8-1), which has won six in a row since losing to Miami on Sept. 17. Georgia Tech, No. 2 nationally in rushing (304.11 ypg), needs a victory against Wake Forest and another one Nov. 14 at Duke 14 to win the ACC Coastal Division.
Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner, who suffered a concussion against Miami, was cleared Friday to play.
"It's a tall order getting ready for Georgia Tech under the best of circumstances," Grobe said. "They run the option better than anybody has run it in a long, long time."
9. Is there any limit to what Case Keenum can do? The Houston quarterback is simply dazzling. Last week he completed 43 of 53 passes for 559 yards against Southern Mississippi. He led his team down the field and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left to give the Cougars a 50-43 victory.
He has the two best passing games in the nation this season. On Oct. 3, he threw for 536 yards in a 58-41 loss to UTEP, the only time Houston (7-1) has tasted defeat. For his efforts against Southern Miss, Keenum was named the Conference USA player of the week for the seventh time. That ties the record held by Tulane quarterback Shaun King and Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams. Keenum continues to be mentioned on some Heisman Trophy lists.
It will be interesting to see what happens Saturday at Tulsa, which will be out for a little revenge after the Cougars laid a 70-30 whipping on the Golden Hurricane last season. Houston, ranked No. 15 in the BCS standings, is looking to jump into the top 10 for the first time since 1991.
10. Can Iowa keep up these great escapes? You've got to give the Hawkeyes credit; they are a resilient bunch.
Last week, everything seemed to be crashing down when Indiana had a 24-14 lead going into the fourth quarter. But a catch in the end zone that was ruled an Indiana touchdown on the field was then overturned on review. In fact, the only person on planet Earth who thought it was not a catch was that guy in the replay booth. Iowa rallied and won the game going away, 42-24.
It was yet another great escape for an Iowa team that had to block field goals on the final two plays of the game to beat Northern Iowa. Two weeks ago, Iowa threw a touchdown pass on the last play of the game to beat Michigan State. Not many teams can overcome six turnovers (five interceptions, one fumble) and still win. But Iowa did at home against Indiana.
Now the Hawkeyes, who have already overcome so much, have to beat the Sports Illustrated jinx -- they were on the cover this week. "Isn't the World Series going on right now?" coach Kirk Ferentz asked reporters.
Northwestern (5-4) will come to Iowa City on Saturday. Next week, the Hawkeyes will go to Ohio State.
Watch The Tony Barnhart Show every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS College Sports Network.
