West Virginia (6-1) at USF (5-2), 8 p.m., ESPN2
THE BUZZ: USF has lost two in a row -- both in Big East play -- and the Bulls seem to be fading the same way they did in each of the past two seasons. WVU leads the league in rushing, and USF has had trouble stopping the run of late.
THE LINE: West Virginia by 3. THE PICK: West Virginia 23-17.

Indiana (4-4) at Iowa (8-0), noon, ESPN
THE BUZZ: As with numerous other unbeatens this season, Iowa makes just enough plays -- especially defensively -- to stay perfect. The Hawkeyes are 8-0 for the first time in school history.
THE LINE: Iowa by 17.5. THE PICK: Iowa 24-10.

Purdue (3-5) at Wisconsin (5-2), noon, ESPN2
THE BUZZ: Wisconsin is in good position to earn a New Year's Day bowl berth -- assuming the Badgers can get to nine wins. Purdue has won two in a row.
THE LINE: Wisconsin by 6.5. THE PICK: Wisconsin 28-17.

Cincinnati (7-0) at Syracuse (3-4), noon, ESPNU
THE BUZZ: Cincinnati has won four in a row in the series. This is the last of six consecutive home games for the Orange.
THE LINE: Cincinnati by 15. THE PICK: Cincinnati 41-17.

New Mexico State (3-5) at Ohio State (6-2), noon, Big Ten Network
THE BUZZ: New Mexico State is last in the nation in total offense and 119th in scoring offense. In other words, an intrasquad scrimmage may have been more beneficial to the Buckeyes.
THE LINE: Ohio State by 43. THE PICK: Ohio State 55-7.

Rutgers (5-2) at Connecticut (4-3), noon, Big East syndication/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Both teams are extreme long shots to win the Big East title, but this is an important "pecking order game" nonetheless. UConn's three losses have been by a combined nine points.
THE LINE: Connecticut by 7. THE PICK: Connecticut 24-20.

N.C. State (3-4) at Florida State (3-4), noon, ACC syndication/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Florida State's come-from-behind victory last week over North Carolina keeps alive the Seminoles' faint ACC Atlantic Division title hopes. Both quarterbacks should put up big numbers in this one.
THE LINE: Florida State by 9. THE PICK: Florida State 38-27.

Akron (1-6) at Northern Illinois (4-3), noon, ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: NIU still has a shot at the MAC West title and can't afford a loss to the Zips, who haven't scored more than 21 points against an FBS opponent this season.
THE LINE: Northern Illinois by 11. THE PICK: Northern Illinois 30-17.

Ohio (5-3) at Ball State (1-7), noon
THE BUZZ: Ohio leads the nation in turnovers forced with 27. Frank Solich's Bobcats still are in the hunt in the MAC East, making a game against a 1-7 team a must-win affair.
THE LINE: Ohio by 6.5. THE PICK: Ohio 29-20.

Louisiana-Lafayette (4-3) at Florida International (1-6), noon
THE BUZZ: This is the first of three consecutive road games for the Ragin' Cajuns, who still are in the running for the Sun Belt title.
THE LINE: FIU by 3.5. THE PICK: Louisiana-Lafayette 28-26.

Ole Miss (5-2) at Auburn (5-3), 12:20 p.m., SEC syndication/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Ole Miss seems to have hit its stride, while Auburn has lost three in a row. Neither team is going to win the SEC West, but the winner of this one has a shot at second and should finish no worse than third.
THE LINE: Ole Miss by 4. THE PICK: Ole Miss 24-16.

Nebraska (4-3) at Baylor (3-4), 12:30 p.m., Versus
THE BUZZ: You figure this would be an easy Huskers victory; then again, last week's game against Iowa State should've been an easy Huskers victory, but eight turnovers led to a shocking loss.
THE LINE: Nebraska by 13. THE PICK: Nebraska 24-7.

Southern Miss (5-3) at Houston (6-1), 1 p.m., Comcast-Charter Sports Southeast
THE BUZZ: Houston leads the nation in total offense at 536.6 yards per game, and Southern Miss leads the league and is 25th nationally in total defense at 313.6 yards per game. Something to ponder, though: Southern Miss has a good offense (second in the league) and Houston's defense is mediocre at best (ninth in the league).
THE LINE: Houston by 6.5. THE PICK: Houston 38-28.

Missouri (4-3) at Colorado (2-5), 1:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net
THE BUZZ: Mizzou is going for its fourth consecutive victory in the series; that would be the first time that happened since the Tigers won six in a row from 1979-84. This is Colorado's homecoming; Mizzou had Texas for homecoming last week and lost.
THE LINE: Missouri by 4. THE PICK: Missouri 27-17.

Coastal Carolina (3-3) at Clemson (4-3), 1:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Clemson had a huge victory over Miami last week. Coastal Carolina? It was losing to Stony Brook.
THE LINE: No line. THE PICK: Clemson 44-13.

SMU (3-4) at Tulsa (4-3), 2 p.m.
THE BUZZ: SMU is one of two teams in the C-USA West to control its destiny in the division race (UTEP is the other). SMU may be without starting QB Bo Levi Mitchell, who has an injured shoulder.
THE LINE: Tulsa by 16.5. THE PICK: Tulsa 31-20.

Western Michigan (4-4) at Kent State (4-4), 2 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Kent State is a surprise contender in the MAC East; the Golden Flashes have started 3-1 in conference play for just the second time since 1986. WMU's Tim Hiller has 91 career TD passes, nine behind all-time MAC leader Chad Pennington.
THE LINE: Kent State by 2. THE PICK: Western Michigan 31-23.

San Jose State (1-5) at Boise State (7-0), 3 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Boise has won 52 consecutive regular-season home games and 22 home games in a row overall. Plus, the Broncos are 9-0 against the Spartans all-time. This is the first game of the season outside of California for San Jose State.
THE LINE: Boise State by 35. THE PICK: Boise State 49-10.

UAB (2-5) at UTEP (3-4), 3 p.m.
THE BUZZ: As we mentioned a bit earlier, UTEP is one of the two teams in C-USA West to control its destiny in the division race. UAB's Joe Webb is the nation's leading rusher among quarterbacks, and he has rushed for at least 100 yards in three consecutive games.
THE LINE: UTEP by 7. THE PICK: UTEP 35-30.

California (5-2) at Arizona State (4-3), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: An important "pecking order game" in the Pac-10. Cal leads the league in rushing offense, while Arizona State is second in rushing defense.
THE LINE: California by 6.5. THE PICK: California 24-14.

Florida (7-0) vs. Georgia (4-3) in Jacksonville, Fla., 3:30 p.m., CBS
THE BUZZ: The Gators have won a nation's-best 17 in a row entering "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." Florida has won 16 of the past 19 in the series, but the Gators' offensive issues would seem to give the Bulldogs a shot in this one.
THE LINE: Florida by 15. THE PICK: Florida 23-13.

Miami (5-2) at Wake Forest (4-4), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Wake hasn't beaten Miami since 1944. The Demon Deacons have to find a way to run the ball if they're to pull the upset.
THE LINE: Miami by 7. THE PICK: Miami 26-17.

Michigan (5-3) at Illinois (1-6), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN2
THE BUZZ: Man, nothing like an ABC regional affair in which the teams have combined to lose eight of their past nine games. What did announcers Mike Patrick and Craig James do to get stuck with this?
THE LINE: Michigan by 7.5. THE PICK: Michigan 34-21.

Kansas (5-2) at Texas Tech (5-3), 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Texas Tech is toast in the Big 12 South race, but KU -- despite two league losses -- remains very much alive in the Big 12 North title chase. But the Jayhawks have to win this, of course. Tech has won six of the past seven in the series.
THE LINE: Texas Tech by 6.5. THE PICK: Kansas 40-35.

Temple (5-2) at Navy (6-2), 3:30 p.m., CBS College Sports
THE BUZZ: Navy did not attempt a pass in last week's victory over Wake Forest. Temple has won five in a row -- the Owls' longest winning streak since 1985 -- and is 15th in the nation in rushing defense. Stopping the run obviously is the highest priority when playing Navy.
THE LINE: Navy by 7. THE PICK: Navy 31-21.

Central Michigan (7-1) at Boston College (5-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
THE BUZZ: This is the second MAC opponent of the season for BC, which rolled past Kent State 34-7 on Sept. 12. This is the third Big Six opponent for Central Michigan, which lost to Arizona but beat Michigan State. BC's pass defense has struggled at times, and CMU is quite effective throwing the ball.
THE LINE: Boston College by 5. THE PICK: Boston College 27-24.

Arkansas State (2-4) at Louisville (2-5), 3:30 p.m., Big East syndication/SNY
THE BUZZ: This is the third Big Six opponent of the season for Arkansas State, which lost by 29 at Nebraska and by three at Iowa. Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe might occupy the hottest seat in the nation.
THE LINE: Louisville by 4. THE PICK: Louisville 20-17.

Toledo (4-4) at Miami University (0-8), 3:30 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Toledo leads the MAC in total offense but is last in the league in total defense. Miami is last in the league in scoring offense and next-to-last in scoring defense.
THE LINE: Toledo by 5. THE PICK: Toledo 31-16.

Duke (4-3) at Virginia (3-4), 3:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: The Cavs have won 17 of the past 20 in the series, which began in 1890. The teams have met every season since 1963, and Duke hasn't won in Charlottesville since 1999.
THE LINE: Virginia by 7. THE PICK: Virginia 24-20.

Iowa State (5-3) at Texas A&M (4-3), 3:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: A few weeks ago, you would've looked at this matchup and said, "Who cares?" Now, though, both are squarely in the bowl hunt -- and Iowa State actually has a shot at the Big 12 North title.
THE LINE: Texas A&M by 7. THE PICK: Texas A&M 35-24.

UNLV (3-5) at TCU (7-0), 4 p.m., Versus
THE BUZZ: The Horned Frogs, who have won 53 of their past 59 home games, have won five in a row over UNLV. The average victory margin in those wins is 25 points.
THE LINE: TCU by 35. THE PICK: TCU 42-17.

Air Force (4-4) at Colorado State (3-5), 4 p.m., The mtn.
THE BUZZ: Air Force has won four of the past five meetings in the series between schools about two hours apart. Colorado State started 3-0 but has fallen apart defensively.
THE LINE: Air Force by 4. THE PICK: Air Force 26-19.

UCLA (3-4) at Oregon State (4-3), 4 p.m.
THE BUZZ: UCLA still is looking for its first Pac-10 victory of the season. The Bruins' offense has been a major problem. Oregon State averages 29.9 points per game; the Bruins have scored that much in a game just once this season.
THE LINE: Oregon State by 10. THE PICK: Oregon State 23-10.

Middle Tennessee State (4-3) at Florida Atlantic (2-4), 4 p.m.
THE BUZZ: FAU has won two in a row after back-to-back two-point losses. Senior QB Rusty Smith is beginning to heat up. MTSU needs to be able to effectively run the ball if it is to win.
THE LINE: FAU by 1. THE PICK: Middle Tennessee 30-25.

Hawaii (2-5) at Nevada (4-3), 4 p.m.
THE BUZZ: These teams are headed in opposite directions; Hawaii has lost five in a row and Nevada has won four in a row. Nevada leads the nation in rushing offense, and Hawaii is 110th against the run.
THE LINE: Nevada by 26.5. THE PICK: Nevada 56-23.

Western Kentucky (0-7) at North Texas (1-6), 4:15 p.m., Sun Belt syndication/Comcast-Charter Sports Southeast
THE BUZZ: The hounds make their way to the Dallas Metroplex. This is the dog of the week.
THE LINE: North Texas by 10.5. THE PICK: North Texas 37-24.

Penn State (7-1) at Northwestern (5-3), 4:30 p.m., ESPN
THE BUZZ: Northwestern still needs one more win for bowl eligibility, and the Wildcats are hoping Penn State is looking ahead to next week's showdown with Ohio State.
THE LINE: Penn State by 14.5. THE PICK: Penn State 27-10.

Utah State (2-5) at Fresno State (4-3), 5 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Utah State has lost 10 consecutive road games. Weird stat for Fresno: It is 2-0 vs. teams nicknamed "Aggies" this season (UC Davis, New Mexico State), and this should make it 3-0.
THE LINE: Fresno State by 15. THE PICK: Fresno State 38-21.

Louisiana Tech (3-4) at Idaho (6-2), 5 p.m., Altitude2/MASN/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: Idaho, perhaps the nation's biggest surprise this season, has three of its final four games at home. Louisiana Tech gets Boise State and LSU in its next two games.
THE LINE: Idaho by 3. THE PICK: Idaho 28-20.

Kansas State (5-3) at Oklahoma (4-3), 7 p.m., Fox Sports Net
THE BUZZ: K-State is in the driver's seat in the Big 12 North title race. But look for OU's defense to throw up a roadblock this week. The Sooners have held their opponents scoreless in the first quarter in nine consecutive games.
THE LINE: Oklahoma by 28. THE PICK: Oklahoma 38-7.

Eastern Michigan (0-7) at Arkansas (3-4), 7 p.m., ESPNU
THE BUZZ: Hogs QB Ryan Mallett may be able to rest his arm in this one, as Eastern Michigan is last in the nation in rush defense. This is just the fourth home game of the season for Arkansas, and one of those was in Little Rock.
THE LINE: Arkansas by 38. THE PICK: Arkansas 55-14.

Mississippi State (3-5) at Kentucky (4-3), 7 p.m., Fox Sports South/Sun Sports/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: This is important for both teams' bowl hopes. Mississippi State barely has a bowl pulse, and this essentially is a must-win game for the Bulldogs. UK can nail down a bid by winning its next three: this one, Eastern Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
THE LINE: Kentucky by 3.5. THE PICK: Kentucky 26-20.

Louisiana-Monroe (4-3) at Troy (5-2), 7 p.m.
THE BUZZ: This matches the only teams unbeaten in Sun Belt Conference play. Troy has won seven league games in a row. The last loss? To Louisiana-Monroe, on Nov. 1 of last season.
THE LINE: Troy by 16.5. THE PICK: Troy 31-17.

Washington State (1-6) at Notre Dame (5-2), 7:30 p.m., NBC
THE BUZZ: Washington State has been abysmal on both sides of the ball, ranking last in the Pac-10 in total offense and total defense. The Cougars' offense could have some success against a bad Irish defense. But the Irish offense should put up big numbers against the Cougars' defense.
THE LINE: Notre Dame by 28. THE PICK: Notre Dame 49-19.

New Mexico (0-7) at San Diego State (3-4), 7:30 p.m., CBS College Sports
THE BUZZ: Despite its record, San Diego State actually has a legit chance at a bowl bid. While New Mexico is pitiful this season, the Lobos have beaten the Aztecs eight consecutive times. SDSU defensive coordinator Rocky Long is New Mexico's former coach.
THE LINE: San Diego State by 16. THE PICK: San Diego State 40-21.

Georgia Tech (7-1) at Vanderbilt (2-6), 7:30 p.m., Comcast-Charter Sports Southeast/ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: This is the 37th game in the history of the series, which began in 1892. Vandy's last win came in -- ahem -- 1941. Vandy's run defense has struggled, and that bodes ill against the Yellow Jackets.
THE LINE: Georgia Tech by 12. THE PICK: Georgia Tech 28-13.

South Carolina (6-2) at Tennessee (3-4), 7:45 p.m., ESPN
THE BUZZ: The Gamecocks still are in the hunt for a New Year's Day bowl bid but need to win this one against the Vols. Tennessee leads the series 21-4-2, including 13-1 in Knoxville. The loss in Knoxville came in 2005, in Steve Spurrier's first trip to Neyland Stadium as South Carolina's coach.
THE LINE: Tennessee by 5.5. THE PICK: South Carolina 16-13.

Wyoming (4-3) at Utah (6-1), 8 p.m., The mtn.
THE BUZZ: In its three losses, Wyoming has scored a total of 10 points. Utah hammered the Cowboys last season, scoring touchdowns in five ways: run, pass, blocked punt, interception return and fumble return.
THE LINE: Utah by 17. THE PICK: Utah 28-10.

USC (6-1) at Oregon (6-1), 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN2
THE BUZZ: This is the only game this weekend matching teams in the BCS top 10 -- USC is fifth, Oregon 10th. The Ducks have allowed just three TDs in four Pac-10 games this season. The Trojans have lost their past three games played in the state of Oregon.
THE LINE: USC by 3.5. THE PICK: Oregon 24-20.

Texas (7-0) at Oklahoma State (6-1), 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN2
THE BUZZ: Texas is 21-2 all-time against Oklahoma State, including 6-1 in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has to run effectively to win, but the Longhorns have held their past five opponents to a total of 103 rushing yards.
THE LINE: Texas by 9. THE PICK: Texas 20-13.

Michigan State (4-4) at Minnesota (4-4), 8 p.m., Big Ten Network
THE BUZZ: An important game in the Big Ten's bowl pecking order. The Golden Gophers have scored a combined seven points in their past two games.
THE LINE: Michigan State by 3.5. THE PICK: Michigan State 24-16.

Tulane (2-5) at LSU (6-1), 8 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
THE BUZZ: LSU has won 17 in a row in the series -- Tulane's last win came in 1982 -- and the lopsided nature of the "rivalry" may be why the schools mutually agreed in September to cancel the rest of what was a scheduled 10-game series (this is the fourth game under that contract).
THE LINE: LSU by 35. THE PICK: LSU 45-6.

Marshall (5-3) at UCF (4-3), 8:15 p.m., ESPN
THE BUZZ: Because of Conference USA's numerous tie-ins, both these teams are in good position to nab a bowl bid. UCF's offense appears to be coming around; the Knights have six scoring drives of at least 80 yards in the past four games after having just four such drives all of last season.
THE LINE: UCF by 4. THE PICK: UCF 20-17.

Bowling Green (3-5) at Buffalo (3-5), 7 p.m., ESPN2
THE BUZZ: Mirror image? Both won their opener. Both then lost four in a row. Both then won two in a row. Both are coming off a loss.
THE LINE: TBD. THE PICK: Bowling Green 27-22.

43-13 straight up, 27-28-1 against the spread.

375-109 straight up, 186-208-3 against the spread.