NORMAN, Okla. -- Ohio State and Oklahoma, the top two teams in the AP's all-time rankings, will meet today with the high stakes one might expect in such a matchup.
Ohio State (2-0), which topped the all-time chart, is ranked No. 3 nationally this season. A strong non-conference victory would strengthen the Buckeyes' case for a spot in the College Football Playoff, should they be in position to be considered at season's end.
Oklahoma (1-1), No. 2 in the all-time rankings, is No. 14 this season after losing its season opener to Houston. The Sooners need a boost to get back near the top of this season's poll and earn a chance to possibly return to the Playoff. A loss would likely knock the Sooners out of contention.
"You talk about the playoff picture," Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "This is a big game for later on down the road. We're not focusing on that, but it does have the potential to affect later on in the season."
Then there's the Heisman race. Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, the fifth-place finisher in 2014, matches up against Mayfield, the fourth-place finisher in 2015. Both are in position to vault into the forefront of the conversation.
That's not all. Two of the best coaches in the business, Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, will match wits.
NO. 17 TEXAS A&M AT AUBURN
AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 17 Texas A&M and Auburn have each faced a tough nonconference test and another one that wasn't so challenging.
Now, they get a chance to discover whether they've made some progress in the SEC West. The Tigers (1-1) and Aggies (2-0) open league play tonight at Jordan-Hare Stadium in a matchup of two teams who haven't fared so well in the league the past couple of seasons.
Auburn has lost three consecutive against Power 5 conference teams since beating Texas A&M last season. The Aggies, meanwhile, get another chance to prove that they've made progress both with quarterback Trevor Knight and as a defense after ranking among the SEC's worst at stopping the run in 2015.
With a victory, Texas A&M will have started 3-0 in three consecutive seasons for the first time since 1939-41.
NO. 2 FLORIDA STATE AT NO. 10 LOUISVILLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 10th-ranked Louisville Cardinals insist they're preparing for No. 2 Florida State like any other opponent. That doesn't mean they're downplaying the importance of their biggest test to date.
Louisville (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) hosts the Seminoles (2-0, 0-0) today in one of the program's biggest games. More challenges remain for both schools -- including games against defending ACC champion and preseason favorite No. 5 Clemson -- but the winner of this nationally televised showdown can take a major step in the Atlantic Division.
Louisville's dual-threat sophomore Lamar Jackson has shown he can win with his arm and legs with 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns (seven passing) in the nation's top offense (754 yards per game). He's coming off an ACC-record 610-yard offensive performance at Syracuse that included a highlight-reel leap over a defender for a TD along with 72-yard scores running and passing.
Florida State's offense is just as explosive (509 yards) and features redshirt freshman Deondre Francois, who has passed for 681 yards and five TDs. Francois' 419 yards passing and two scores helped the Seminoles erase a 28-6 first quarter deficit with 33 unanswered points that beat then-No. 11 Mississippi 45-34 on Labor Day.
NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE AT NO. 18 NOTRE DAME
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The 12th-ranked Spartans (1-0) and 18th-ranked Fighting Irish (1-1) play tonight, ending a two-year gap in the series that dates to 1897 and has been played regularly since 1948. Both teams have something to prove.
The Spartans, who have finished ranked in the top six the past three seasons, are looking to show they are ready to be playoff contenders after an unimpressive 28-13 victory over Furman. The Irish are looking to stay alive in the playoff race following a season-opening loss at No. 11 Texas.
NO. 22 OREGON AT NEBRASKA
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The first game of Nebraska's home-and-home series with No. 22 Oregon is today at Memorial Stadium, and Coach Mike Riley said he's excited about it -- maybe because he figures he can be more competitive now that he's at Nebraska.
He came to Lincoln from Oregon State.
Riley lost his last seven meetings against the Ducks, who went 80-14, won four conference titles and played in two national championship games from 2008-14.
The Oregon team his Huskers will face is not quite as imposing. The Ducks (2-0) are coming off a 9-4 season, and while their offense has continued to ring up big numbers, their defense was one of the nation's worst in 2015 and has been shaky so far under new coordinator Brady Hoke.
Nebraska needs a victory to show it's on the rise under Riley, who went 6-7 in his first season with a bunch of close losses and has pulled away in the second halves of blowout wins over Fresno State and Wyoming.
Sports on 09/17/2016