* Baylor at Oklahoma (-3 ½), 3 p.m. (ESPN-Plus) – Both teams are 5-3, although Baylor is 3-2 in Big 12 play to 2-3 for the host Sooners. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 28-4, although Baylor won 27-14 las year. A loss would probably knock defending Big 12 champion Baylor out of contention for the conference title game. When healthy, OU QB Dillon Gabriel has been tough to stop with 14 TD passes and 1 INT in conference play. Both teams have righted the ship recently with two-game winning streaks coming in. Hmmm. Oklahoma at home gets it done. Oklahoma 34-28
* Michigan State at Illinois (-17), 3:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network) – MSU has won 12 of the teams’ last 15 meetings, but Illinois won the last one at MSU in 2019 (37-34). Illinois has a one-game lead in the Big Ten West over Purdue and those two will meet next week. The Illini are 7-1 overall with six straight wins. MSU is 3-5 with losses in five of its last six games. The Spartans had more fight in the tunnel in the postgame than they showed in a 29-7 loss at Michigan last week. Illinois cruised to a 26-9 win at Nebraska last week. Illinois RB Chase Brown has already rushed for 1,208 yards and could have a big game here. Illinois’ defense is allowing just 8.9 points per game. Illinois 22-9
* Penn State (-14) at Indiana, 3:30 p.m. (ABC) – Penn State is 23-2 all-time vs. Indiana and avenged a 2020 loss (36-35 in overtime) with last year’s 24-0 win at home. Indiana was idle this past week. The Hoosiers have lost five straight games after opening the year 3-0. Penn State is 6-2 with losses to top-five powers Michigan and Ohio State. Indiana could go with regular starter Connor Bazelak or backup Jack Tuttle at quarterback. I’m not sure it will matter. Penn State 38-21
* Tennessee at Georgia (-8), 3:30 p.m. (CBS) – The Game of the Year in the SEC with Tennessee, No. 1 in the CFB Playoff rankings, visiting Georgia, which is No. 1 in the AP poll and third in the playoff rankings. Vivid Seats currently lists a “get in price” of $458 for this one. Georgia leads the all-time series 26-23-2 with wins in the last five meetings, including a 41-17 win last year in Knoxville. The winner figures to the the No. 1 seed for the playoff if they can go on and win the rest of its games, including the SEC championship presumably over Alabama. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker will try and make his claim for the Heisman Trophy as the Vols’ offense (No. 1 nationally in scoring at 49.4 ppg and total offense at 553 ypg) will go against a Georgia defense second nationally in points allowed (10.5 ppg). Tennessee leads the nation with five wins over ranked teams. UT’s last win over a team ranked No. 1 in the AP poll was against Auburn (and Bo Jackson, no less) in 1985. A shootout would favor the Vols and Hooker as Georgia is more of a ball control team with Stetson Bennett at quarterback. Georgia has won 23 consecutive regular-season games, including 16 straight in SEC play. Georgia is 35-4 at Sanford Stadium since Kirby Smart became the UGa. head coach in 2016. Should be one heck of a game. Georgia 36-33
* Oregon (-31 ½) at Colorado, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) – Oregon 43-17
* Oklahoma State at Kansas (-1), 3:30 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) – Remember when Kansas was 5-0 and the talk of college football? So do we. The Jayhawks have dropped three straight. This is an intriguing game because Oklahoma State came apart at the seams with last week’s 48-0 loss at Kansas State. The Cowboys are back on the road this week with this trip to Lawrence. A third Big 12 loss could take Oklahoma State out of the conference championship picture. Both teams are averaging just shy of 40 points per game so it could be another one of those. Flip a coin … give me Kansas 34-31
* Syracuse at Pittsburgh (-4), 3:30 p.m. (ACC Network) – After a 6-0 start, Syracuse has dropped back-to-back games at Clemson and at home to Notre Dame. Pitt is 4-4 after back-to-back road losses at Louisville and North Carolina. Syracuse will be looking for its first win in Pittsburgh in 21 years. Pitt has won 17 of the last 20 meetings with Syracuse as well. OK, then. Syracuse is due. Syracuse 27-20
* Central Florida (-3 ½) at Memphis, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2) – Central Florida 31-23
* Liberty at Arkansas (-14 ½), 4 p.m. (SEC Network) – Arkansas 33-25
* Navy at Cincinnati (-18 ½), 4 p.m. (ESPNU) – UC suffered its first AAC loss with last week’s 25-21 heartbreaker at Central Florida. That snapped a six-game winning streak for the Bearcats. Navy had lost three of its last four games before last week’s home win over Temple (27-20, overtime). UC edged Navy 27-20 last year in Annapolis. Cincinnati 35-23
