Saturday

USC at Oregon, 6:30 p.m. ET

Last meeting:1997 -- USC 24, Oregon 22
Series: USC leads 33-11-2

Without injured running back Reuben Droughns and freshman backup Herman Ho-Ching, Oregon will have to rely on tailback by committee. But the Ducks will run just to keep the USC defense honest.

What they're really going to do is rely on Akili Smith to throw the football, scramble when he has to, and make a lot of plays. USC has a solid defense. Trojan defensive coordinator Bill Young, who has done a good job, will fashion a game plan to stop Smith. The Trojans will blitz and try to take away receivers Damon Griffin and Tony Hartley.

This will be a great football game, probably one of the best of the day. What it will come down to is if USC can get its ball-control offense going with running back Chad Morton and company. But I would not bet against Akili Smith. I think Smith will find a way to win this game. It might not be by a big margin because I think emotionally the Ducks are still down about what happened against UCLA. But coming home and playing USC will get their attention. I think Oregon will win this game, but only by about a field goal.

Florida State at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

Last meeting: 1997 -- Florida State 38, Georgia Tech 0
Series: Georgia Tech leads 7-6-1

Georgia Tech's defense has had a hard time this year slowing people down. The Yellow Jackets are last in the ACC in total defense, but they've done a good job of creating turnovers. That's why they're on a five-game winning streak. They've been able to come up with turnovers. They're tied for sixth in the nation in turnover margin at plus-10.

The Yellow Jackets have also been opportunistic because they've set an NCAA record with five returned fumbles for touchdowns, and they're scoring off special teams. When you mix in an explosive offense that scores more than 40 points a game, that's why they're playing so well.

The problem is they're taking on Florida State, which is beginning to peak at the right time. I know a lot of us expected Florida State to be the dominating team that we've seen the last couple of weeks all season long. The Seminoles have gone through some growing pains with a first-year starring quarterback.

I was in Tallahassee on Tuesday and got to know Chris Weinke a little bit better. He's a very confident individual. I don't know too many quarterbacks who in their second career start can throw six interceptions and have the confidence to bounce back and maintain their composure the way he has. He hasn't thrown an interception since.

The difference in this game will be Florida State's speed on defense stopping or slowing down Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton. The Seminoles are going to pressure him a lot with blitzes. And you're going to see Weinke continue to execute that offense.

Georgia Tech is going to have to make a decision. Do they play zone defense to prevent Peter Warrick and Laveranues Coles from making big plays, or do they try to take away Travis Minor and Jeff Chaney and the running game? Whichever one the Yellow Jackets focus on stopping, the 'Noles are going to attack them in the other direction.