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Can't miss games

• OREGON AT ARIZONA: This duel in the desert will go a long way toward determining the Pacific-10 champion and Rose Bowl opponent for Ohio State. The winner takes control of the race.

Oregon is the lone Pac-10 team with one conference loss, and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is the leader. He's become a better player through the season by doing less, getting others involved in the offense.

But Tucson has been a rough destination for Ducks quarterbacks.

Oregon returned from its previous two visits to Arizona with season-ending injuries — Kellen Clemens in 2005 and Dennis Dixon in 2007.

Wildcats quarterback Nick Foles has come on strong since becoming the starter in late September. He's completing 70 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Entering last year, Arizona coach Mike Stoops was on thin ice. But a bowl season was a lifeline, and this season has strengthened his long-term security.

• OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN: The titanic clash between undefeated No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan three years ago seems like a lifetime ago, at least for the Wolverines.

The Buckeyes held off Michigan in a thriller that day and have remained nationally relevant.

The Wolverines? After a 4-0 start they've fallen apart, and at 5-6, they're facing a second straight losing season under Rich Rodriguez.

A loss today means successive losing seasons for the first time since 1962-63 and no bowl game for a second straight season.

Will Rich-Rod survive? We'll know soon. By the way, this game moves to the Saturday after Thanksgiving beginning next year.

• LSU AT MISSISSIPPI: The Rebels will do no worse than tie for second in the SEC West with a victory, and that would be a nice save in a season that started with high hopes. It also could land the Rebels in a solid bowl game. A victory could make them at worst fourth choice in the pecking order.

• SMU AT MARSHALL: One of the nice stories of the season is developing at University Park, Texas.

SMU is in first place in the West Division of Conference USA, and the Mustangs at 6-4 are eligible to play in their first bowl game in 25 years, the pre-death penalty days.

Two years ago SMU went 1-11 when the school hired June Jones from Hawaii. He posted the same record last season but returned 16 starters who now have experience in the Jones' system.

The payoff? Fans rushed the field after last week's victory over Texas-El Paso.

If the Mustangs win out, at Marshall and home to Tulane, they'll be host to the Conference USA championship game Dec. 5.

On the horizon

Texas at Texas A&M (Thursday): Aggies will be ready for Thanksgiving Night dessert;

Alabama at Auburn (Friday): Can the Tigers derail Bama's national title hopes?

Pittsburgh at West Virginia (Friday): Next in series of Big East title clashes;

Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (Nov. 28): Fiesta Bowl could be on the line for Cowboys;

Missouri-Kansas (Nov. 28): Two years ago seems like an eternity.

Heisman vote

1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, running back; 2. Colt McCoy, Texas, quarterback; 3. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, running back.

Bowl projections

• BCS national championship game: Florida-Texas; Rose: Oregon-Ohio State; Fiesta: Oklahoma State-TCU; Orange: Penn State-Georgia Tech; Sugar: Alabama-Pittsburgh; Cotton: Nebraska-LSU; Holiday: Oklahoma-Stanford; Alamo: Texas Tech-Michigan State; Sun: Missouri-USC; Independence: Iowa State-South Carolina; Insight: Texas A&M-Minnesota.

— BLAIR KERKHOFF/McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS