1. Pittsburgh at Michigan State
11 a.m., ESPN
Some Sparty fans are getting cocky, predicting a 4-0 start with a visit to Notre Dame next week. First comes a Dave Wannstedt-led team that Michigan State trounced last season.
2. Notre Dame at Michigan
2:30 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7
Michigan’s Mike Hart guaranteed a victory. He’s right: Thanks to the overtime rule, one of these teams has to win. And one will fall to an unsightly 0-3.
3. No. 22 Tennessee at No. 5 Florida
2:30 p.m., WBBM-Ch. 2
Hard for me not to believe Urban Meyer could beat Phil Fulmer with either set of players.
4. No. 10 Ohio State at Washington
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Finally, the Buckeyes play a team from a BCS conference. I was beginning to wonder if Cleveland State had a football team.
5. No. 9 Louisville at Kentucky
6:30 p.m., ESPN Classic
The bluegrass brothers are touchdown lovers. Louisville is averaging 65.5 points per game, and Kentucky is at 53 per. And to think, Rick Pitino and former UK coach Tubby Smith preach defense.
6. No. 1 USC at No. 14 Nebraska
7 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7
Not exactly an equal playing field, with USC coming off a week off and Nebraska returning from a doozy at Wake Forest. OK, there is an equalizer: The game will be played in Lincoln, where a top-ranked opponent hasn’t visited in 29 years.
