Three of the four Big Ten teams in line to make the College Football Playoff — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State — are favorites by 14 to 29½ points this week. If you’re looking for tighter games, check out a slate that has three five-win teams and five four-win squads battling for bowl positioning or eligibility. (All games Saturday unless designated).
Big Ten picks: Is Wisconsin the team that finally hands Oregon its first loss?
The No. 1 Ducks will be in Madison, where the Badgers are rested coming off a bye week. Meanwhile, USC and Nebraska square off at the L.A. Coliseum.
Three with intrigue
No. 1 Oregon at Wisconsin, 6:30 p.m., NBC
• The Ducks will clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game with a win over the Badgers. Wisconsin had a bye week to address their slumping offense. It won’t be enough. Oregon 34, Wisconsin 14
Nebraska at USC, 3 p.m., Fox
• The Huskers moved former Houston and West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen into the play-calling role to get the offense going. The Trojans benched turnover-prone Miller Moss to get the offense going. The home team is just a bit more desperate for a win. USC 23, Nebraska 21
UCLA at Washington, 8 p.m. Friday, Fox
• The Bruins need two wins to reach a bowl game, while the Huskies need one. Washington is 5-1 at home, and that’s the difference. Washington 24, UCLA 17
Keep an eye on
No. 2 Ohio State vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field, 11 a.m., BTN
• The Wildcats have beaten the Buckeyes once in their past 35 meetings. That streak will continue. Ohio State 42, Northwestern 20
No. 4 Penn State at Purdue, 2:30 p.m., CBS
• The Nittany Lions keep rolling toward the playoff against a Boilermakers team looking for the season to end. Penn State 38, Purdue 10
And the rest
Michigan State at Illinois, 1:30 p.m., FS1
• The Fighting Illini had a week off to stew over their loss to the Gophers. They’ll take it out on the Spartans. Illinois 27, Michigan State 21
Rutgers at Maryland, 5 p.m., FS1
• Riding a three-game skid against the Terrapins, the Scarlet Knights continue the solid play they discovered in beating the Gophers last week. Rutgers 24, Maryland 14
The fifth set required extra points to settle the clash of top-20 teams.