No. 4 Stanford (7-0, 5-0 Pac-12) at No. 20 USC (6-1, 3-1)@@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fbs/associated_press and http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ (Saturday, 5 p.m., ABC) @@http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule@@

Last time the Cardinal visited USC, Stanford romped 55-21@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/usc-m-footbl-sched-2009.html@@, prompting the now infamous “What’s Your Deal?”@@http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/10/19/bennett-smith-whats-your-deal-harbaugh-lives-on/@@ exchange between Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh@@CE names in previous link@@. USC’s best shot at ending a two-game losing streak to the Cardinal will likely lie in the Trojans’ potent passing game. Quarterback Matt Barkley@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/barkley_matt00.html@@ is one of the nation’s best, and Robert Woods@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/woods_robert00.html@@ is nearly uncoverable. Stanford’s already suspect secondary might be further weakened by the loss of star strong safety Delano Howell@@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/howell_delano00.html@@, who is unlikely to play with a hand injury. But Stanford is the nation’s fourth-ranked team for a reason, and Andrew Luck@@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/luck_andrew00.html@@ and the Cardinal rushing attack are a tough matchup for any team. Stanford is tied second in the nation in points scored@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1028@@ and fourth in points allowed@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1043@@. They Cardinal is also the first team in the poll era (since 1936) to win 10 straight games by at least 25 points@@http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/28048/pac-12-did-you-know-8@@.
Colorado (1-7, 0-4)@@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ at No. 23 (5-2, 3-1) Arizona State@@changed from No. 21: http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fbs@@ (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)@@http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule@@
When Colorado, easily the worst team in the Pac-12’s South Division@@changed from North: http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@, visits Arizona State, the second best in the Southern Division@@added “second”: http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@, only one outcome is likely to occur — another Buffalo blowout. Since a narrow loss to Washington State on Oct. 1, the Buffaloes have lost three straight games by 32 or more points@@http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=255&SPSID=3850&DB_OEM_ID=600@@. After a quick glance at their season statistics, Colorado’s struggles come as no surprise – the Buffaloes rank 117 out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in points allowed and 107th in points scored@@http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/38/colorado-buffaloes@@. And although losses to Illinois and Oregon preclude Arizona State from consideration among the elite national powers, the Sun Devils possess a potent offense (quarterback Brock Osweiler@@http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/osweiler_brock00.html@@ is an NFL talent responsible for the nation’s 16th-ranked passing attack@@changed from 21st: http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/1002@@) and a defense loaded with playmakers.
California (4-3, 1-3) at UCLA (3-4, 2-2)@@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ (Saturday, 4 p.m.) @@http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule@@

An already-mediocre UCLA team will be shorthanded against Cal as a result of six suspensions@@http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/27/suspensions-give-jerry-rice-jr-a-shot-for-ucla/@@ handed down by the Pac-12 following a brawl in the Bruins’ last game against Arizona. Even with a full roster, however, UCLA would face a strong challenge in a Cal team that’s better than its conference record indicates. The Bears are coming off a 34-10 beatdown of Utah@@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/cal-m-footbl-sched.html@@, and rank higher than UCLA in nearly every meaningful statistical category@@idk what’s considered “meaningful”@@. Quarterback Zach Maynard@@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/maynard_zach00.html@@ leads the Bears’ 19th-ranked passing attack@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1026@@, combining with stud receiver Keenan Allen@@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/allen_keenan00.html@@ and solid senior Marvin Jones@@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jones_marvin00.html@@ to form a strong tandem. While ranked only 60th nationally in points allowed@@http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/25/california-golden-bears@@, Cal’s defense has a formidable front four, which should trouble UCLA’s strong rushing attack — perhaps the only identifiable strength of a mediocre team.
Oregon State (2-5, 2-2) at Utah (3-4, 0-4)@@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ (Saturday, 5 p.m.) @@http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule@@

Year after year, Oregon State’s football season tends to follow the same script, and this one is no exception. After a miserable start, the Beavers have won two of their last three games@@http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/orst-m-footbl-sched.html@@ and seem to be clicking on all cylinders. In last weekend’s 44-21 blowout of Washington State@@see previous@@, Oregon State amassed 551 yards of total offense, including 376 yards passing and four touchdowns by quarterback Sean Mannion@@see previous@@. Utah’s defense should do a better job of containing Mannion and Co. – the Utes have the nation’s 36th-ranked scoring defense@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1043@@. Whether their offense can score enough points to topple the Beavers is another story. With starting quarterback Jordan Wynn@@http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wynn_jordan00.html@@ out for the year with a shoulder injury, backup Jon Hays@@http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hays_jon00.html@@ has led the Utes offense, and it hasn’t been pretty. Utah is 1-3 in games with Hays as starter@@http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/utah-m-footbl-sched.html@@ and has yet to exceed 200 yards passing.
Arizona (2-5, 1-4) at Washington (5-2, 3-1)@@both: http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)@@http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule@@
On paper, the Huskies would be heavy favorites over the Wildcats, thanks to a statistical advantage in several major categories and a superior record. But after their head coach was fired, the Wildcats were a different team in a 48-12 thumping of UCLA last week@@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/ariz-m-footbl-sched.html@@. Nick Foles@@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/foles_nick00.html@@, who quarterbacks Arizona’s sixth-ranked pass offense@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1026@@, was brilliant, throwing for 291 yards and three scores@@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/102111aaa.html@@. Perhaps more encouragingly, the Wildcats’ much-maligned running game gained 254 yards@@see previous@@. Conversely, Washington failed to live up to its top-25 ranking@@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fbs@@ in a 65-21 blowout loss at Stanford on Saturday@@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/wash-m-footbl-sched.html@@. The Huskies allowed the Cardinal to amass a school-record 446 yards rushing@@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/stanfb07.html@@ and couldn’t get their offense on track in the second half. Quarterback Keith Price@@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/price_keith00.html@@ is a dynamic weapon, however, and could pose problems for Arizona’s 106th-ranked scoring defense@@http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/12/arizona-wildcats@@.