COLLEGE FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Best game
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 15 NC State, 12:30 p.m., ESPN Line: Clemson by 17.5 Series record: Clemson leads 57-28-1. Key matchup: Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence vs. Wolfpack pass defense. The Tigers are at their best when they have a mobile quarterback. That's what made them so tough to beat with Deshaun Watson, who was dangerous passing or rushing. Clemson opened the season with the combo of Lawrence (strong passer) and Kelly Bryant (excellent runner). Bryant's decision to transfer after four games, leaves the Tigers down a weapon, which could be a problem against the NC State defense that ranks eighth nationally in fewest yards allowed per game.
Facts and figures: Clemson and NC State enter the game a combined 11-0 on the season .... The series between Clemson and NC State is known as the Textile Bowl...Clemson won 38-31 in Raleigh last year and has won the last six games... The teams have played annually since 1971...The teams played to a scoreless tie in 1906.
Pac-12 game of the week
No. 11 Oregon at No. 23 Washington State, 4:30 p.m., FOX Line: Oregon by 3.
Series record: Oregon leads 49-41-7 Key matchup: Oregon QB Justin Herbert vs. Washington State secondary. The Ducks could be in for a big passing game or their biggest test of the season. Washington State leads the Pac-12 in passing defense, allowing just 165.5 yards per game. However, the Cougars hasn't faced many teams that throw the ball. Only two of their first six opponents rank in the top 50 teams in passing offense. Herbert has the tools to make it a big day. This season he's tallied 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Facts and figures: Washington State has won the last three meetings .... the largest margin of victory by either team is the Ducks 63-14 win in 2008... Oregon also owns the largest winning streak of the series (8 games) from 2007-2014 .... Neither team has ever won a national championship .... Oregon's Marcus Mariota is the only player from either team to win the Heisman Trophy.
Heisman watch
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama The rash of Week 7 upsets appears to have shrunk the field of Heisman contenders. Tagovailoa continues to hold a comfortable lead, however, have an injury scare in Saturday’s outing against Missouri. He left the game in the third quarter with an apparent knee injury, but Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said afterward it was not serious.
Numbers to know
5: Games involving two ranked teams: No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 15 NC State; No. 5 LSU vs. No. 22 Mississippi State; No. 7 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State; No. 11 Oregon at No. 23 Washington State; No. 14 Washington vs. No. 25 Colorado.
8: Number of ranked teams that enter the weekend unbeaten: UCF (6-0), Ohio State (7-0), Notre Dame (7-0), Alabama (7-0), Clemson, (6-0), NC State (5-0), South Florida (6-0), Cincinnati (6-0).
Top 25 games this week
No. 1 Alabama at Tennessee, 12:30 p.m. No. 2 Ohio State at Purdue, 4:30 p.m. No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 15 NC State, 12:30 p.m.
No. 5 LSU vs. No. 22 Mississippi State, 4 p.m.
No. 7 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State, 9 a.m.
No. 9 UCF at East Carolina, 4 p.m. No. 10 Oklahoma at TCU, 9 a.m.
No. 11 Oregon at No. 23 Washington State, 4:30 p.m.
No. 14 Washington vs. No. 25 Colorado, 12:30 p.m.
No. 16 Penn State at Indiana, 12:30 p.m. No. 17 Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt, 4:30 p.m.
No. 19 Wisconsin vs. Illinois, 9 a.m. No. 20 South Florida vs. UConn, 4 p.m. No. 21 Cincinnati at Temple, 9 a.m. No. 22 Iowa vs. Maryland, 9 a.m.
Pac-12 games this week
No. 11 Oregon at No. 23 Washington State, 4:30 p.m.
No. 14 Washington vs. No. 25 Colorado, 12:30 p.m. Editor’s note: Rankings are from the USA TODAY Sports Amway coaches poll.