This is not a great weekend for college football. Below is a list of the best games I could find. These have potential to be decent games, but really it's more my wishful thinking that they're going to be decent games.

NC State at #7 Louisville (11:00 am, ABC, WatchESPN)

The Wolfpack are 4 – 2. They would have beaten Clemson, one of the most highly ranked teams in the nation, were it not for a last second miss of a field-goal. This is not a pushover game for Louisville. That and Lamar Jackson is one of the most dynamic players in the country.

It's a good option if the Wisconsin Iowa game gets out of hand.

#10 Wisconsin at Iowa (11:00am, ESPN, WatchESPN)

Maybe Iowa plays the badgers really well. More likely Wisconsin stomps the living snot out of the Hawkeyes and we have to hope that Nebraska wins against Wisconsin the following week.

How could Iowa pull off the upset?

By playing Ferentzball as always. Control the game tempo. Don't give up big plays. Run the ball effectively. Sparingly use the pass, and only on play action. Iowa's offense would be about 100 times more effective if they used a friggin' screen once in a while, and they will have to to beat Wisconsin.

#6 Texas A&M at #1 Alabama (2:30 pm, CBS, CBSSports.com)

Alabama faces the undefeated Aggies as double-digit favorites. The Crimson Tide has the Aggies, LSU, Mississippi State, Chattanooga, and Auburn left for the rest of the season. Of all of these teams LSU has the greatest shot at knocking off the Crimson Tide.

This is the biggest game of the weekend, but don't expect much. It would be nice if I was wrong but I think the Aggies are overrated and they will be crushed, not as badly as Tennessee was last weekend, but in brutal fashion.

Oh, yeah. One reason to watch this game? Myles Garrett, the second coming of Von Miller. The guy is incredible.

#17 Arkansas at #21 Auburn (5:00 pm, ESPN, WatchESPN)

I have not yet watched Auburn this season, mostly because they might be the most lost team in the nation. Nick Saban is right next door. It's like being in the NBA when Michael Jordan was winning championships - even if you were the second best player of all time, you are screwed because no one will notice with Jordan walking around killing everyone.

It's BERT vs Guz Malzahn. One of them will get a hotter seat after this game.

#2 Ohio State at Penn State (7:00 pm, ABC, WatchESPN)

The spread on this game is 19 or 20 points. I find that a little surprising given that it's at Penn State and it's a rivalry game. I've been very impressed by Ohio State this year but were I a betting person I might put some money on this game and take the points.

What I said above about Nick Saban? Take that and apply it to Penn State with James Franklin, who has to compete with Urban Meyer, Jim Fucking Harbaugh and what Jerry Sandusky did to all those kids. Franklin is screwed. If he could somehow knock off the Buckeyes in a game like this it would give the Nittany Lion faithful some hope, but, alas, their offense just won't be able to keep up and their defense will wear out over the course of the game.

Washington State at Arizona State (9:00 pm, Pac-12 Networks)

Mike Leach's offense is always fun to watch, and what else you gonna do with your late night Saturday except pass out?

NEWS

Eichorst Sees Nebraska as Training Center of America - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

“I think the things that we’ve done in football have opened the eyes of our other coaches and our other programs to make sure we’re doing everything we can to recruit at the highest level,” Eichorst told a Big Red Today Breakfast crowd here Thursday morning at Anthony’s Steakhouse.

“Nebraska is a great place to recruit,” Eichorst said. “This notion about Nebraska and cornfields and in the middle-of-nowhere, I can tell you that that’s not what we’re thinking about. We’re thinking about Nebraska as the Training Center of America!”

This is a great point made by Eichorst and one that deserves further examination.

Nebraska's perfect start and the role of analytics

Nebraska is one of a small group of remaining undefeated teams in CFB. It's also the only D-I school with a wide-ranging sports analytics department. Connection?

Undefeated Huskers Prepare for Purdue - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

Tickets remain for Nebraska's 2016 home finale and Senior Day against Maryland on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Memorial Stadium. The majority of the tickets are from the visiting team allotment and are available for $65 each at Huskers.com/tickets, or by calling 1-800-8-BIG RED. Game time for the Maryland contest will be announced six to 12 days in advance and will be either 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. CT.

Big Ten

Zander Diamont is a bandaid, not the cure - The Crimson Quarry

During Saturday’s Homecoming loss to Nebraska, Kevin Wilson returned to a two-quarterback system and Zander Diamont saw his first action of the year. Is that the answer for the Indiana offense?

Zander didn’t care much for this commentary, apparently.

Q&A: What to expect from Iowa’s offense vs. Wisconsin - Bucky's 5th Quarter

It will be a battle for the Heartland Trophy.

Penn State's inconsistent but explosive offense could be trouble for Ohio State - Land-Grant Holy Land

The Nittany Lions offense breaks big plays under new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. But it's possible that's still not enough.

Michigan State Football Preview: Game Seven — Maryland - The Only Colors

The Spartans face a must-win game against the improved and always colorfully dressed Terrapins

BEER AND LOATHING IN MADISON - Black Heart Gold Pants

Hey Badgers: we’re not so different, you and I.

Minnesota Football vs Rutgers: Q&A with On The Banks - The Daily Gopher

The managing editor of the Scarlet Knights’ SB Nation blog offers up the inside scoop on the Gophers’ next opponent

OTE Coffee Discussion: What’s Your Coffee Strategy? - Off Tackle Empire

Off Tackle Espresso, it seems. Let’s talk the wonders of coffee.

Elsewhere

Previewing Alabama vs. Texas A&M: The Aggie defense - Roll 'Bama Roll

Once the laughing stock of the SEC West, the influence of defensive guru John Chavis and a stockpiling of talent has turned the Aggie’s former weak spot into a strength

Arkansas vs. Auburn Advanced Stats Preview: Chess Match - Arkansas Fight

Gus Malzahn was as good as fired after the Tigers lost 29-16 to Texas A&M on September 17th. Now, a month later, the two teams Auburn lost to are 13-0, and the Tigers have won three straight, including a pair of SEC wins.

How sustainable is WSU's success? - CougCenter

A pair SB Nation's own discussed this very question Thursday.

Miami after losing to Jimbo Fisher’s FSU teams: Worse than the Detroit Lions - Tomahawk Nation

It’s all about the D.

Key Matchups: NC State Wolfpack - Card Chronicle

Jack Tocho has one of the best names in college football but he can also be torched deep.

NC State vs Louisville: 5 things to watch out for - Backing The Pack

Obviously this week’s game against the #7 team in the country is a big deal, here are some of the storylines you must know heading in to it

VIRGINIA TECH'S FULLBACK THREW A TOUCHDOWN PASS TO ANOTHER FULLBACK - SBNation.com

The Hokies have a fullback named Sam Rogers. He now owns the Miami Hurricanes.

Louisville’s Rick Pitino Claims Dominion, Except When Scandal Hits - The New York Times

Like any successful coach, Pitino has an obsessive attention to detail. Still, he insists, he had no knowledge of a staff member providing Louisville basketball recruits with stripteases and sex.

N.C.A.A. Charges Louisville’s Rick Pitino With Rules Violations in Sex Scandal - The New York Times

The charges against the coach and other staff in the men’s basketball program were related to a scandal in which a university employee provided prostitutes to players and recruits.

Then There's This

Garth Brooks to perform at TeamMates gala next weekend | Music | omaha.com

Garth Brooks is coming back. The country star, who played five sold-out shows in Omaha last year, will be a guest at next weekend's TeamMates gala. The Oct. 30 event will celebrate 25 years of the TeamMates Mentoring Program and serves as a fundraiser for the nonprofit.

I’m not a big Garth fan, but that’s not the point. The point is - how big of a get is this for Tom Osborne’s mentoring program?

You get the biggest country music star of... maybe ever.. (we could debate that - in fact, CN Staff had a short debate about it) for your charity?