Terrific Ten: "The Big Game" is the most terrific of the ten

Cal will try to slow down Stanford's Toby Gerhart in "The Big Game." (Icon SMI)

By Ken Cross, Lindyasports.com columnist

1.) @No. 17 Stanford 35, No. 25 Cal (+7) 31 - The Cardinal is thriving with an offense that has combined for 106 points the last two weeks in routs of Oregon and USC. The key for Cal is the same as any other Stanford opponent — stop running back Toby Gerhart. The Bears rushing defense is 19th in the nation as it gives up 104,1 yards per game. The Bears struggle defending the pass as they are 114th. Freshman Andrew Luck could have a big day in that case. He has thrown only three picks with 13 TD passes.

2.) @No. 3 Texas (-26½) 45, Kansas 17 - This is a bad week for the off-the-field issue that KU coach Mark Mangino has faced as anger issues have come to the forefront with players. The Longhorns are enough of a problem as they continue their stampede to a possible national championship game. The running back by committee approach seems to work for Mack Brown in allowing the Colt McCoy-to-Jordan Shipley combination to thrive. McCoy needs another receiver to step up beside Shipley. Meanwhile, KU's lack of a running game will cause quarterback Todd Reesing major problems as Texas has 28 sacks and 19 interceptions this season.

3.) No. 11 Oregon (-6) 38, @ Arizona 30 - The Ducks got well last week with a resounding win over Arizona State while the Wildcats lost hold of the Pac-10 lead in a 24-16 beating by Cal. Oregon continues its torrid running game behind LaMichael James out of the spread. He has five consecutive games over 100 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in those games. The Wildcats gave up 198 yards at Cal even though Jahvid Best remains injured. That is not a good indicator when facing Chip Kelly's spread offense.

4.) @Ole Miss (-3½) 28, No. 8 LSU 24 - With quarterback Jordan Jefferson injured, LSU could be in trouble as the Tigers’ passing game has been ineffective with Jarrett Lee. Charles Scott still only averages 60 yards rushing per game. Louisiana Tech led the Tigers at the half last week, so a good start is a must in Oxford. Dexter McCluster remind us of why he is one of the league's top players as he smashed a revered Tennessee defense for 283 yards on 25 carries and four touchdowns. The Tigers are at a +9 in turnover margin while the Rebels are at -8. If Ole Miss values the football and doesn't turn it over, the Rebels should pick up the win.

5.) @Nebraska 24, Kansas State (+16½) 10 - For the sake of the Big 12, Nebraska needs to win the North as they are the best team on the side of the league that is as weak as it has ever been. The Wildcats flirted with the North lead for a couple of weeks, but fell hard against Missouri. The Cornhuskers strength on defense is stopping the run, so KSU's Daniel Thomas could have a long afternoon if Grant Gregory cannot generate something through the air. The 'Huskers allow only 11 ppg. and give up only 280 yards. Offensively, they haven't hit 200 yards through the air in three weeks, so if Zac Lee finds his game, KSU will be in even more trouble.

6.) No. 4 TCU (-31) 41, @Wyoming 9 - The Horned Frogs' defense is in the same league with Florida, Alabama, Texas, or any of the BCS members. It is a crime that very probably Gary Patterson's squad is going to get locked out of playing for a national championship. Wyoming is improving under first-year coach Dave Christensen, but is still a mismatch for the bourgeoning Frogs. The Cowboys' offense is a work in progress and will be far inferior to TCU, who has given up only one 300-yard game this season and four touchdowns in the last six games.

7.) No. 14 Penn State (-3½) 31, Michigan State 24 - Kirk Cousins needs a good game through the air for the Spartans to have a shot. Blair White and B.J. Cunningham provide a good matchup against a Penn State secondary that has only 11 interceptions. The Lions know how to dial up pressure with 34 sacks with Jared Odrick and Jack Crawford leading the way with five each. Penn State will keep it on the ground with Evan Royster and eventually solidify the win. Royster has only 30 rushing attempts in the past two games.

8.) No. 5 Boise State 48, @Utah State 17 - The Broncos are in the same boat as TCU with the NCAA's dysfunctional way of deciding a national champion at the Division 1 level. It is an elitist joke to even suggest scheduling as a problem when the pundits judge the Broncos (or TCU or Cincinnati). Teams play the schedule in front of them, and Boise State has not only beaten its opponents, but has destroyed them in the way that a team would to have a claim to a national title. The Broncos have outscored opponents 43-16 on average and they have not gotten near the credit they deserve for a defense that allows only 295 yards per game, 13th in the country. Sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore has 32 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. Austin Pettis and Titus Young are two very efficient receivers that are complemented well by the running of Jeremy Avery. Utah State has no shot in this game. Robert Turbin leads the USU offense with 112 yards on the ground as he is the team's calling card.

9.) No. 10 Ohio State 33, @Michigan 14 - This rivalry has fallen off the map outside of the Big Ten area as the Wolverines are currently no match for the Buckeyes. Rich Rodriguez is once again under fire and the Wolverines need this game to finish 6-6 and be eligible for an inconsequential bowl. Michigan has lost four in a row and five out of six as it can't stop anybody. Terrell Pryor could have a huge day in this case. Ohio State is fourth in the nation against the run as the Bucks give up only 83 yards per game; meanwhile UM's pass offense is nil, so the Wolverines have to run behind Brandon Minor, who could be a gametime decision due to an injury, and Carlos Brown. The Wolverines are -8 in turnover ratio, which is a major reason why the mighty have fallen in Ann Arbor.

10.)@No. 23 Clemson (-19½) 42, Virginia 17 - A Tigers win and another mediocre ACC team will dash into the championship game and be outmanned against Georgia Tech, who seems to continue to get better every week. The Tigers offense is untracked after scoring 38 or more in each game of their five-game winning streak. C.J. Spiller is the most constant dynamic that Dabo Swinney puts on the field. He has 262 yards on 40 carries in the Tigers last two games. Virginia is playing out the string. There are numerous calls for Al Groh's scalp. Groh should have been gone three years ago, but his relationship with Virginia president John Casteen has prolonged his tenure in Charlottesville while dragging the program down to the bottom of the ACC. The Cavaliers' offense is 118th in the nation out of the 120 D-1 teams and the rushing defense gives up 165 yards per game, noteworthy news for a back like Spiller.

SEC:
@Arkansas (-10½) 30, Mississippi State 15
@No. 2 Alabama 55, Chattanooga 7
@No. 1 Florida 47, Florida International (+43½) 13
@Georgia (-8½) 30, Kentucky 19
@Tennessee (-17) 27, Vanderbilt 7

Pac-10:
@UCLA 17, Arizona State (+4½) 14
No. 19 Oregon State 44, @Washington State (+32½) 17

Big 12:
@Oklahoma State (-16½) 31, Colorado 14
@Missouri 27, Iowa State (+13) 22
Oklahoma 30, @Texas Tech (+6½) 27
Baylor (+7½) 26, @Texas A&M 24

WAC:
@Fresno State 33, Louisiana Tech (+10½) 31
@San Jose State (+3) 24, Hawaii 20
Nevada (-31½) 49, @New Mexico State 17

Mountain West Conference:
@No. 22 BYU 31, Air Force (+10) 27
@No. 21 Utah (-17½) 42, San Diego State 21
@New Mexico (+4½) 20, Colorado State 17

ACC:
@Florida State (-19) 30, Maryland 10
@Boston College (-3½) 17, North Carolina 13
@No. 20 Miami 31, Duke (+19½) 17
@No. 15 Virginia Tech (-21) 41, NC State 10

Big East:
@South Florida (-12) 24, Louisville 10
@Notre Dame (-6) 34, UConn 24
Rutgers (-8) 31, @Syracuse 19

Big Ten:
@No. 13 Iowa 27, Minnesota (+10) 20
No. 16 Wisconsin 23, @Northwestern (+7) 20
Purdue 24, @Indiana (+3½) 21

Conference USA:
@No. 24 Houston (-23½) 45, Memphis 10
@Central Florida 35, Tulane (+19½) 17
@East Carolina (-10) 34, UAB 16
@Marshall (-3½) 33, SMU 28
@Southern Miss 34, Tulsa (+7½) 27
UTEP 30 @Rice (+7) 26

Overall: 384-109 (35-12, last week); vs. spread, 250-212 (last week, 21-26)