Five Intriguing Games This Weekend – From the Bird’s Nest

It's hard to believe this is the halfway point of the college football season.  We still have 15 unbeaten teams from seven different conferences.  Obviously, that number will dwindle we could lose as many as four or five from that list this weekend.  Here are some of the games to keep an eye on.

(18) UCLA (4-1, 1-1) at (15) STANFORD (4-1, 3-0) (-6.5)  TONIGHT 9:30, ESPN -- Neither team is unbeaten but both are fighting for division titles in the second best conference in America.  The Bruins stumbled last week and this could be an elimination game for them as far as the Pac-12 title is concerned.  After Northwestern's big loss to Michigan, that loss Stanford suffered to the WIldcats doesn't look nearly as impressive.  Stanford has been more consistent and they're playing at home....but.....

(13) OLE MISS (5--1) at MEMPHIS (5-0) (+10) Saturday, 11am, ESPN -- The Tigers are one of three unbeatens in the American Conference (Houston, Temple) but they are the only one of the three still unranked.  That changes if they can pull the upset here.  Memphis gets the Rebels at home and anything is possible here. Should Memphis get it done, they should be unbeaten going into back to back road games with the aforementioned conference rivals November 14 and 21.  This is the American's chance to make a BIG statement.

(10) ALABAMA (5-1, 2-1) at (9) TEXAS A&M (5-0, 2-0) (+4.5) -- Saturday, 2:30 CBS -- Bama got their win over Arkansas last week, which was a good win after the emotional drubbing of Georgia.  Now they've got three tough ones in a row, starting in College Station.  The Aggies had last week off to prepare and now try to prove they belong among the league's elite.  Kyle Field will be rockin.'

(7) MICHIGAN STATE (6-0, 2-0) at (12) MICHIGAN (5-1, 2-0) (-8) Saturday, 2:30 ESPN -- The biggest game these two have played in years.  Sparty has won six of the last eight, but there's a new sheriff in Ann Arbor.  The Wolverines have pitched shutouts in their last three contests and have allowed more than seven points only once all year. This line opened at 3 and jumped up in a hurry.  Michigan State hasn't covered in a game this year.  And 41 is a pretty big number for the over/under.

(8) FLORIDA (6-0, 4-0) at (-6) LSU (5-0, 3-0) (-9.5) --Saturday 6pm ESPN -- The surprise team of the SEC is still rolling along and they've now got a leg up on the Eastern Division.  The Gators can play some defense and they'll get to meet the best player in college football in Death Valley.  Brandon Harris showed he can generate offense with a passing attack last week.  It will be interesting to see if he has to do it again this week.  Tough chore for Florida without WIll Grier.