No. 24 Oregon State at No. 3 Boise State
(5:00 p.m. Saturday) ABC
The ESPN GameDay crew will visit Boise for a WAC/Pac-10 showdown between two ranked teams. Star quarterback Kellen Moore has led the Broncos to a 2-0 start, with victories over then-No. 10 Virginia Tech and Wyoming.  Although 20 starters return from last year’s Fiesta Bowl champion, questions remain about the Boise State’s soft schedule, especially in light of Virginia Tech’s loss to FCS team James Madison.
Oregon State, alternatively, has faced one of the toughest non-conference slates in the nation. After a close loss to national power TCU to open the season, the Beavers edged Louisville 35-28 last weekend to even their record at 1-1.  If Oregon State is to improve on that mark, first-year starting quarterback Ryan Katz will need to have a breakout game.  Katz has great potential, but has only completed 47.1 percent of his passes this season. James and Jacquizz Rodgers have been solid as always (the brothers have combined for 351 yards of total offense this season), but will need help to notch the road upset.
Key Fact: Boise has won 56 straight home games on its famed blue turf.
No. 16 Stanford at Notre Dame
(12:30 p.m. Saturday) NBC
Although Stanford hasn’t beaten Notre Dame in South Bend since 1992, the Cardinal enters Saturday’s contest as a slight favorite, and with good reason. The the Irish have struggled to a 1-2 start to its season while Stanford is 3-0 after defeating Sacramento State, UCLA and Wake Forest, each by at least 35 points. Led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford’s potent offense is averaging more than 51 points a game, while its defense ranks 15th in the nation in points allowed.
That’s not to say the Cardinal is in for a cakewalk. Despite close, early-season losses to Michigan and Michigan State, Notre Dame seems re-energized under new head coach Brian Kelly, and the trio of quarterback Dayne Crist, wide receiver Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph comprise a potent passing attack ranked No. 8 in the nation. That could pose problems for a Stanford secondary that has yet to truly be tested in 2010, but ranked eighth in the Pac-10 last season.
Key Stat: Luck has 10 touchdowns and no interceptions this year, and has only thrown four picks during his 15-game college career.
No. 20 USC at Washington State
(12:00 p.m. Saturday)
After a 3-0 start against less-than-stellar competition, USC has an opportunity to win its fourth game of the season against another abysmal opponent. The Trojans have wins against Hawaii, Virginia and Minnesota, and travel to Pullman to take on a Washington State team firmly entrenched in the Pac-10 cellar. The Cougars are 1-2 on the young season with losses to Oklahoma State (65-17) and Southern Methodist (35-21) sandwiched around a 23-22 win over FCS Montana State.
Quarterback Jeff Tuel has been somewhat of a bright spot for Washington State, with five touchdowns against one interception and a 54.9 percent completion rate. Running back James Montgomery, a Cal transfer, averages 4.8 yards per carry, but the Cougars will have their hands full against a high-powered USC offense with quarterback Matt Barkley at the reins and a powerful running attack that averages 196.7 yards per game.
Key Stat: USC has won its past seven games against Washington State
UCLA at No. 7 Texas
(12:30 p.m. Saturday) ABC
After dropping their first two games to Kansas State and Stanford, UCLA rebounded in a big way with a 31-13 win over then No. 23 Houston last weekend. The Bruins’ next game against a team from the Lone Star State might not be as easy.
The No. 7 Texas Longhorns are stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. The defense is ranked ninth in the country in points allowed and should have the advantage against UCLA’s new pistol offense that ranks 118th in the country in passing and averages only 17.7 points per game. The Bruins’ chance for an upset may lie in the inexperience of Texas sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert, who has only made three career starts. Gilbert, who replaced NCAA all-time winningest signal caller Colt McCoy, has only thrown three touchdowns against three interceptions while completing 60.6 percent of his passes.
Key Stat: In 1997, the last time UCLA traveled to Austin, Texas annihilated the Bruins 66-3
California at No. 14 Arizona
7:00 p.m. Saturday
On the surface, Saturday’s contest between Cal and Arizona in Tucson looks like a matchup between two teams heading in different directions.
After two easy victories over UC Davis and Colorado to open its season, Cal was upset 52-31 at Nevada last weekend.. The next day, the Wildcats moved to 3-0 by earning one of its biggest victories in recent history, a 34-27 decision over then No. 9 ranked Iowa. Arizona quarterback Nick Foles has been the catalyst for his team’s hot start, completing a gaudy 78.6 percent of his passes with five touchdowns so far this season. A strong running game (running back Nic Grigsby is back averaging 5.7 yards per carry after an injury plagued 2009 season) and a defense ranked seventh nationally in points allowed complement the Wildcats’ passing attack (ranked sixth nationally).
Cal’s offense is also capable of putting up points in bunches (52 against UC Davis and Colorado) but it’s uncertain how the Bears will respond to their Nevada embarrassment. After getting destroyed 42-3 by Oregon last year, the Bears fell flat on their faces against a mediocre USC team the next weekend. Will this year’s Cal team have more resolve?
Key Stat: Cal surrendered 497 yards of total offense in its loss to Nevada last weekend.
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