A preview of next week's best games, the best teams in the land and who might be the best player in the land.
Heisman candidate LaMichael James will lead Oregon into Saturday's game against Southern California with the Ducks closing in on a BCS title game berth.• Auburn, Oregon sit atop this week's BCS rankings
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A preview of next week's best games, the best teams in the land and who might be the best player in the land.
THIS WEEK'S BEST NATIONAL GAMES
(Teams listed with BCS rankings)
1. No. 2 Oregon at USC, Saturday, 8, ESPN3: This could be all that is standing between Oregon and the BCS title game. For the Trojans, who are on probation, this is their bowl game.
2. No. 6 Missouri at No. 14 Nebraska, Saturday, 3:30, ESPN: Toughest regular-season game left for the Tigers, fresh off beating No. 1 Oklahoma, and the guess is that the Cornhuskers will trim the list of unbeatens even more.
3. Louisiana Tech at No. 3 Boise State, Tuesday, 8, ESPN2: Boise is a great, veteran team and deserves every consideration for the national title game, but a college power playing Louisiana Tech on a Tuesday feels odd.
THIS WEEK'S BEST BIG TEN GAMES
1. No. 5 Michigan State at No. 18 Iowa, Saturday, 3:30, ABC: Hawkeyes have to get right back up after their clock debacle against Wisconsin, and the Badgers and the Buckeyes will be rooting hard for Iowa.
2. Michigan at Penn State, Saturday, 8, ESPN: Penn State freshman starting QB Rob Bolden left Saturday's game after taking a blow to the head. The Nittany Lions, whose best win this season is over Temple, would be in more trouble if he can't go.
3. No. 11 Ohio State at Minnesota, Saturday, 8, ABC: It's the Buckeyes' first trip to second-year TCF Bank Stadium, where the Golden Gophers are 4-7, including 0-4 this year.
HEISMAN WATCH
1. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn, Jr., Odds: 2-1, at Mississippi: Only threw for 86 yards against LSU, but with a big win and 200 rushing yards, he secured his spot at the top.
2. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, Soph., Odds: 4-1, at USC: Nation's leading rusher ran for 123 yards as Ducks ran up 60 points on UCLA.
3. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, Soph., Odds: 6-1, at Penn State: Primetime at Penn State, could use another 200 pass, 200 rush game to recapture some of Newton's hype.
4. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State, Jr., Odds: 8-1, vs. Louisiana Tech: Threw for a season-high 354 yards against La Tech last season, and needs those kind of huge numbers again.
5. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State, Jr., Odds: 10-1, at Minnesota: Tied for eighth in the nation and leads the Big Ten with 18 touchdown passes.
6. Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor, Soph., Odds: 25-1, vs. Texas: Has accounted for 400 yards of offense in three different games, including Saturday's win over Kansas State that moved Bears into top 25.
7. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri, Jr., Odds: 50-1, vs. Missouri: Second straight 300-yard passing game led the undefeated Tigers over BCS No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday.
Dropped out: Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez
DOUG'S TOP 25
1. Auburn; 2. Oregon; 3. Boise State; 4. Missouri; 5. TCU; 6. Michigan State; 7. Wisconsin; 8. Alabama; 9. Oklahoma; 10. Ohio State; 11. LSU; 12. Stanford; 13. Utah; 14. Arizona; 15. Nebraska; 16. Florida State; 17. South Carolina; 18. Arkansas; 19. Mississippi State; 20. Miami; 21. Virginia Tech; 22. Oklahoma State; 23. Iowa; 24. USC; 25. Baylor
Explaining my ballot
• Auburn becomes the fifth team to get my No. 1 vote, joining Alabama, Ohio State, Boise State and Oregon, after beating LSU in an undefeated showdown. Oregon was my No. 1 a week ago and put up 60 on UCLA, but Auburn's resume, with wins over LSU, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Clemson, is stronger. Still, the Tigers got only 12 of 233 first-place votes in the three major polls.
• Missouri is No. 4 after beating Oklahoma, which is their highest ranking in the AP poll. Some voters have them as low as No. 12.
• After adding a road win at Iowa to a home victory over Ohio State, Wisconsin is clearly the most deserving one-loss team in my mind, which is why the Badgers are No. 7. In all three polls, they are the second-ranked one-loss team, behind Alabama.
• Utah, No. 13 on my ballot, continues to stick in my craw. The Utes are No. 7 in both the coaches and Harris polls and No. 8 in the AP. Yes, the Utes are undefeated, but the combined record of their opponents is 14-39 and their best win is in OT over mediocre Pitt.