Ten hyper-specific predictions.

• Sylvester Croom is good for one stunner per year. So even though Alabama scores its first offensive touchdown against Mississippi State since 2004 in the first quarter, the Tide offense quickly goes into a shell and finds itself trailing the Bulldogs late, forcing a time-consuming drive that ends with a game-winning kick by Leigh Tiffin. Neither offense cracks 275 yards total offense.

• Notre Dame struggles again with Navy's misdirection offense and trails at the half with a massive deficit in time of possession before the Irish running game takes over in the second half. Armando Allen goes over 100 yards, Jimmy Clausen eludes 2007 hero Ram Vela to throw the go-ahead touchdown and Notre Dame pulls away to win by double digits.

• Michigan delivers a second straight week of competent offense against Northwestern and shuts down the Wildcats' shorthanded running game to establish some sense of coherence going into Ohio State. Mike Kafka carries 25 times for Northwestern, to little effect; the Wolverines rely mainly on Brandon Minor in the running game, but Nick Sheridan is efficient enough at quarterback to keep ailing Steven Threet on the bench.

• Kansas guns with Texas for most of the first half, but loses serve with a turnover just before the half that allows the Longhorns to go up two scores at the break and open the floodgates in the second half. Colt McCoy throws three touchdown passes and Todd Reesing is caught by cameras limping off the field at least once.

• Auburn starts fast behind a rowdy crowd, converting an early Georgia fumble into a 3-0 lead before yielding to the Bulldogs' suddenly explosive passing game and falling behind by two touchdowns before halftime. The Tiger offense scores only one touchdown, Knowshon Moreno tops 100 yards and Matt Stafford delivers the first back-to-back 300-yard passing games of his career in an easy Georgia win. Far from the enthusiastic first quarter, a late decision by Tommy Tuberville to punt after yet another Auburn three-and-out brings down a hail of boos.

• South Carolina's outstanding defense holds Florida in check for a little more than a quarter, until a big special teams play kicks the Gators into gear, opening up another three-score win for the most dominant outfit in the SEC. The Tebow Child finishes with another efficient but modest statistical effort, but Steve Spurrier waffles on Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley at least twice, to little effect.

• Air Force runs for 250 yards and pushes BYU to the brink in Colorado Springs, forcing Max Hall to bring the Cougars from behind in the fourth quarter to beat an underdog for the third time in the last four weeks. Hall finishes with three touchdown passes and a 200-plus passer rating for the third week in a row.

• Maryland holds North Carolina to less than 300 yards total offense but struggles to move the ball, commits three turnovers and suffers a special teams disaster that breaks the Terps', uh, shell, keeping Carolina at the top of the Coastal Division. UNC scores or sets up a very easy score on both defense and on special teams.

• Jacquizz Rodgers carries 30 times for over 150 yards in a close Oregon State win over Cal, despite failing to break a run longer than 15 yards. Lyle Moevao doesn't commit a turnover and the Beavers win time of possession by at least six minutes.

• USC shuts out Stanford but doesn't budge in Sunday's BCS rankings.