CNNSI.com college football writer Stewart Mandel weighs in with his forecast of the weekend's biggest games each Friday during the season.
Week 4
Sat., 3:30 p.m. EDT | ABC
No. 10 Washington St. (2-0) at No. 6 Ohio St. (2-0)
With rankings like these, you’d think the game was the Rose Bowl. But the Cougars will find out real quick they’re not in Pasadena when, instead of a parade, they’re greeted by 100,000 red-clad Ohioans drinking Hudy Delight and singing Hang on Sloopy in seven different keys.
Ohio State 31, Washington State 16
Sat., 2:30 p.m. EDT | NBC
No. 7 Michigan (2-0) at No. 20 Notre Dame (2-0)
Will the Irish score an offensive touchdown this week? Absolutely. Will it matter? Not likely. Michigan will be able to run the ball with Chris Perry, and just when he finally lulls ND’s secondary to sleep, it’s to the air and stud WR Braylon Edwards.
Michigan 23, Notre Dame 13
Sat., 8 p.m. EDT | ABC
No. 8 Nebraska (3-0) at Penn State (1-0)
The Nittany Lions have been in full-fledged “big game” mode this week, saying all the right things about what they perceive as an even matchup. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell them this is not 1974, 1994 or any other time when Penn State didn’t have to sweat teams like Central Florida.
Nebraska 34, Penn State 9
Sat., 3:30 p.m. EDT ABC
No. 17 USC (1-0) at No. 18 Colorado (1-1)
The gut reaction is to write off the Buffs because they’ll be missing QB Craig Ochs. Truth is, they don’t need him in this one. Just run, run, run, the way Auburn was doing to the Trojans before Carnell Williams cramped up. And, oh yeah, have a defender look at Carson Palmer the wrong way -- he might just throw it to him.
Colorado 27, USC 23
Sat., 3:30 p.m. EDT | ABC
Ole Miss (2-0) at Texas Tech (1-1)
In terms of the Heisman race, it’s a battle between the pseudo candidate and the silent candidate. But in these kind of big games, Eli Manning’s performance usually does all the speaking he needs. (Same with Kliff Kingsbury, just not the right kind.)
Ole Miss 27, Texas Tech 20
Sat., Noon EDT | ESPN
Georgia Tech (2-0) at Clemson (1-1)
Last week, Tech played at Connecticut’s 16,000-seat stadium -- you can fit five of those inside Clemson’s Memorial Stadium! Guaranteed to be the most exciting game of the day; these teams’ last six meetings have been decided by exactly three points each.
Clemson 24, Georgia Tech 21
Sat., 6 p.m. EDT | ESPN2
Iowa State (2-1) at Iowa (2-0) I tell ya, the Iowa State Cyclones get no respect. They’ve beaten the rival Hawkeyes four straight years. They took the No. 5 team in the country, Florida State, to the wire and have won their past two games by a combined 104-9. Yet they’re the underdogs?? I tell ya …
Iowa State 31, Iowa 28
Sat., 1 p.m. EDT
This week's upset special
Duke (1-1) at Northwestern (0-2)
Admittedly, this one’s only an upset if you’re hung up on that whole Duke 23-game losing streak thing. Folks -- that’s history. The Wildcats’ skid has reached eight, they’ve lost their first two this season 52-3 and 48-24, and their most productive QB last week won’t play again until 2003.
Duke 21, Northwestern 13
