GAMES OF THE WEEK:

NO. 3 OKLAHOMA (4-0) AT COLORADO (2-2)

Panic set in at this time last season in Boulder, Colo., when the Buffaloes were 0-4 and looked destined to go winless all season. The mood in Boulder this year is much better because Colorado has been competitive in every game.

That could change Saturday when one of the nation’s best teams, Oklahoma, goes to Folsom Field. The Sooners have been dominant through four games with 33 plays gaining more than 20 yards and four running backs with rushes of more than 40 yards.

Sooner running backs Allen Patrick and DeMarco Murray average 7.8 yards per carry. Colorado senior middle linebacker Jordon Dizon leads the nation with nearly 14 tackles per game. He can make tackles anywhere on the field by utilizing his quickness. He’ll also blitz frequently early in the game in an attempt to rattle OU freshman quarterback Sam Bradford.

KANSAS STATE (2-1) AT NO. 7 TEXAS (4-0)

The Wildcats threw a knockout punch at the Longhorns national title defense last season with one of the year’s biggest upsets. Kansas State beat Texas by attacking its secondary and gaining 323 yards through the air.

This year, the Wildcats passing offense is better and the Longhorns passing defense is worse. Texas lost almost its entire defensive backfield and has given up 223 passing yards per game against teams like Arkansas State and Rice.

Meanwhile, Wildcat sophomore quarterback Josh Freeman is getting progressively better. He’s averaging 275 yards of total offense per game but still has an interception problem. Through three games, Freeman has thrown four interceptions as opposed to only two touchdowns.

But the Longhorns know first-hand how dangerous he can be and that’s why Longhorn senior strong safety Marcus Griffin must prepare his young defensive backfield teammates for an afternoon full of deep pass attempts.

NO. 5 WEST VIRGINIA (4-0) AT NO. 18 SOUTH FLORIDA (3-0)

The Mountaineers have simply toyed with their four opponents so far this year. West Virginia has proven total athletic superiority by exhausting defenses for 357 rushing yards per game. The Bulls aren’t going to let that happen.

South Florida showed it was not afraid of West Virginia last year by limiting it to a season-low 132 rushing yards and winning in Morgantown, W.Va. Blessed with a talented and experienced defensive line, the Bulls defense has been even better this year and is ranked seventh in the nation.

Massive nose tackle Allen Cray drives offensive linemen into the backfield to disrupt the running game and speedy defensive end Patrick Selvie is one of the nation’s best pass rushers.

The Mountaineers will still try to run on the defense with Steve Slaton and Pat White but will have to get creative if they want to get big plays.

NO. 6 CALIFORNIA (4-0) AT NO. 11 OREGON (4-0)

The 54,000 fans that will fill Autzen Stadium need to stock up on concessions before the game kicks off or else they’re going to miss a touchdown — or two.

The Golden Bears and the Ducks are scoring a combined 90 points per game. The offensive fireworks should be set to explode again Saturday because the team that loses this game is all but eliminated in the contest for a Pac-10 championship.

Duck quarterback Dennis Dixon is averaging 233 yards passing per game and 72 yards rushing per game. Not to mention he has fifteen total touchdowns and no interceptions.

Golden Bear receiver DeSean Jackson has been a disappointment in the passing game with only four catches per game but is undoubtedly the nation’s most dangerous kick returner.

NO. 22 ALABAMA (3-1) VS. FLORIDA STATE (2-1)

In 1986, the Alabama football program narrowed its search for a new head coach down to two candidates: Bobby Bowden or Bill Curry. The Crimson Tide selected Curry and the consensus since has been that it was the wrong choice.

Bowden grew up an avid Crimson Tide fan and played college football at Alabama. But Florida State has been the site for his two national championships and rise to become the all-time winningest coach. For the first time since Alabama passed on Bowden, the two schools will meet at a neutral site, in Jacksonville, Fla.

Both teams boast great defenses. Alabama coach Nick Saban’s prized recruit, freshman middle linebacker Rolando McClain, leads the team with eight tackles per game. The Seminoles have a similar hard-hitter at the position, junior Derek Nicholson.

OTHER GAMES:

Baylor (3-1) at Texas A&M (3-1)

The new and improved Bears look to improve upon their miserable 2-42 all-time mark in Big 12 road games.

Iowa State (1-3) at No. 25 Nebraska (3-1)

Both Cyclone senior quarterback Bret Meyer and Cornhusker senior quarterback Sam Keller are completing more than 65 percent of their passes but are throwing too many interceptions.

Northwestern State (2-1) at Texas Tech (3-1)

Red Raider defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich stepped down after his unit gave up 610 yards and 49 points last week. The defense will try to get back on track this week against the Demons, an FCS opponent.

Sam Houston State (2-1) at Oklahoma State (2-2)

Two of Oklahoma’s most infamous football faces meet in this game. Sam Houston State quarterback Rhett Bomar lost his Oklahoma scholarship after violating NCAA rules last season, and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy lashed out at members of the media last week after a defamatory column.

No. 1 USC (3-0) at Washington (2-2)

The Trojans were only 3-2 in Pac-10 road games last year. The Huskies want to make it 0-1 in 2007.

No. 2 Louisiana State (4-0) at Tulane (1-2)

Golden Wave linemen Troy Kropog and Michael Parenton are going to have to double team the Tiger’s pass-rushing, run-stopping extraordinaire defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

Auburn (2-2) at No. 4 Florida (4-0)

The only hiccup from the Gators’ national championship season last year was a 27-17 loss to Auburn. The Tigers need to turn around a disastrous start to their season in Gainesville, Fla.

No. 8 Ohio State (4-0) at Minnesota (1-3)

The Golden Gophers offense has piled up season yards this season but their 109th ranked defense has looked helpless.

Michigan State (4-0) at No. 9 Wisconsin (4-0)

Badger quarterback Tyler Donovan will face a fierce pass-rush from Spartan defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic and linebacker Greg Jones.

Massachusetts (4-0) at No. 12 Boston College (4-0)

Minuteman quarterback Liam Coen has been one of the Colonial Athletic Association’s best this season. Eagle quarterback Matt Ryan has been the Atlantic Coast Conference’s best quarterback this season.

No. 13 Clemson (4-0) at Georgia Tech (2-2)

The Tigers seem to have one of the nation’s most potent offensive trios in quarterback Cullen Harper and running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller, who have combined to score 17 touchdowns.

Florida Atlantic (3-1) at No. 14 Kentucky (4-0)

Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s Owls are off to a great start, but can they slow down the red-hot Wildcats?

Mississippi (1-3) at No. 15 Georgia (3-1)

The Rebels pose a classic “trap game” scenario for the Bulldogs, a team coming off an overtime victory against Alabama and facing rival Tennessee next week.

Mississippi State (3-1) at No. 16 South Carolina (3-1)

South Carolina will play its first game with Chris Smelley starting at quarterback and its first without standout linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

North Carolina (1-3) atNo. 17 Virginia Tech (3-1)

Tarheel freshman quarterback T.J. Yates looked promising before throwing four interceptions last week.

No. 21 Penn State (3-1) at Illinois (3-1)

The Illini’s fifth-ranked rushing offense squares off with the sixth-ranked rushing defense of the Nittany Lions.

— Edited by Tara Smith