Welcome back to the College Football Weekly Buffet here at SB Nation.
Every week, I'll be breaking down the weekend schedule, separating the tasty morsels from the leftovers with the help of SB Nation's college bloggers. By the time you wake up Saturday morning, grab your plate and head for the food line, you'll already know exactly what you're going to chow down on.
So let's find out what looks tasty and what might be worth pushing to the side of your plate in this weekend's college football buffet. (All times are Eastern.)
GIVE ME A HEAPING HELPING
2 Alabama @ 20 Penn State (3:30 ABC) - To quote Roll Bama Roll, "Outside of Charles Robinson reserving a hotel room near your campus, there can be no greater recipe for disaster than placing an inexperienced quarterback in a hostile environment, handing him a wet football, and telling him to put the offense on his shoulders and win the game through the air against a sound defense." Penn State is in the same boat, so this one's all about the QB play.
I'LL HAVE A SCOOP OF THAT, PLEASE
19 Missouri @ 23 Arizona State (Friday, 10:30 ESPN) - The weather forecast is a high of 102 degrees, and the Sun Devils had major issues last week with dehydration and cramping. Missouri is fighting against injuries, let alone the heat, before this one.
17 Mississippi State @ 22 Auburn (Noon SECN) - Auburn has no time to dwell on last week's close call...it's SEC time. Mississippi State will try to take advantage of a Tigers squad with tons of talent but little experience.
Cincinnati @ Tennessee (3:30 ESPN2) - The Tennessee football program is expected to beat the Cincinnati football program, but that doesn't mean they will. This game might come down to the match-up between the Bearcats DBs and Vol wide receivers.
Brigham Young @ 21 Texas (7PM ESPN2) - BYU's offense won them the game against Ole Miss last week. They'll need a lot more of it this week to top the Horns. Meanwhile, Texas is starting to think a little like BYU, especially if they end up going the independent route.
I'LL TASTE IT FIRST...
Iowa @ Iowa State (Noon FSN) - Could this be the last time the Hawkeyes play the Cyclones in Ames for a long time? The Cyclones are ready to take home the Cy-Hawk Trophy, whatever it might end up looking like.
12 South Carolina @ Georgia (4:30 ESPN) - Coming off a demoralizing loss to Boise, it's time for Georgia to lead. Recently-captainized Stephen Garcia and the Gamecocks have other plans.
Utah @ USC (7:30 VS) - This is a heck of a way for Utah to kick off it's Pac-12 membership. Especially now that USC has reinstated RB Marc Tyler.
I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR THE NEXT TRIP
Oregon State @ 9 Wisconsin (Noon ESPN) - After blowing out UNLV and with games against NIU and Nebraska still looming on the schedule, it would be easy for the Badgers to overlook Oregon State. Oregon State running back Malcolm Agnew is officially "out" for the game.
Rutgers @ North Carolina (12:30 ACCN) - Both of these squads won big last week over cupcakes. It's tough to say what we really know about either squad. We'll know more by Sunday.
Nevada @ 14 Oregon (3:30 FX) - Oregon's looking to turn the Wolfpack into a slumpbuster, but that might be easier said than done.
11 Virginia Tech @ East Carolina (3:30 FSN) - The Hokies hit the road to East Carolina's Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, where several ACC teams have gone and been sent home with their tails between their legs.
25 TCU @ Air Force (3:30 VS) - TCU doesn't have much in terms of historical rivals, but they do have a strong rivalry with Air Force.
Hawaii @ Washington (3:30 ROOT Northwest) - Don't assume this one is a gimme for the Huskies. Washington barely survived FCS Eastern Washington and Hawaii steam-rolled Pac-12 team Colorado. The passing game will determine who wins this one.
Connecticut at Vanderbilt (7:30 PM SNY/CSN-MidAtlantic+/CST/GamePlan/ESPN3) - According to UConn fans, tt's Vanderbilt's fault that Randy Edsall left and Paul Pasqualoni is now the head coach. Each side will be putting new head coaches to the test against BCS talent for the first time.
Notre Dame @ Michigan (8PM ESPN) - This is one of those games that sounds great on paper until you remember it's 2011 and not 1991. Michigan needs to sort out its backfield and the Irish, who are already in panic mode, need this win bad.
Boston College @ Central Florida (8PM CBS Sports Net) - The Eagles probably need to worry less about attendance and more about taking care of business.
I DON'T KNOW...SMELLS FUNNY...
Florida International @ Louisville (Friday, 7PM ESPN) - A lot of folks are predicting upset here. There's a reason Louisville fans didn't want to schedule this game in the first place.
Toledo @ 15 Ohio State (Noon BTN) - Last week, the 2011 Ohio State defense picked up right where Jim Heacock defenses have all decade long--controlling the opposition.
California at Colorado (3:30PM CSN-CA/FCS-Pacific) - Cal fans got the chance to salivate as they watched Hawaii carve up the Colorado defense last week. It's going to be anouther tough year in Boulder but, hey, at least Dan Hawkins is gone, right?
6 Stanford @ Duke (3:30 ESPNU) - Duke lost to Richmond last week. They play Andrew Luck and Stanford this week. This will not end well.
North Carolina State @ Wake Forest (3:30 ACCN) - Lucky for Wake, QB Tanner Price will be back against the Wolfpack after suffering an injury last week. They'll need to recover from that heart-breaking loss in order to get back on the right foot in ACC play.
Northern Illinois @ Kansas (7PM FOX College) - Don't assume the BCS team here is the clear favorite. Northern Illinois has the overall advantage from a numbers standpoint, though neither team played a quality team in week one.
Fresno State @ 10 Nebraska (7PM BTN) - Fresno State isn't going to sit back and throw the ball 40 times - doing so will get their quarterback, Derek Carr, killed. Expect that the Bulldogs run Robbie Rouse at every opportunity. Virginia @ Indiana (7PM BTN) - IU and UVa last met in 2009 when a bad Virginia team pulled it together, winning 47-7. They'll need to rely on the run if they want repeat of that performance.
NO THANKS, PLATE'S FULL
Florida Atlantic @ 16 Michigan State (Noon ESPN2) - Statistically-speaking, the Spartans had a field day last week against Youngstown State. Considering the state of FAU, they should have another one this weekend.
Central Michigan @ Kentucky (Noon ESPNU) - This one is a surprisingly big game for Kentucky after a fairly close call against the Western Kentucky. Maybe no more directional schools for a while...
South Dakota State @ Illinois (Noon BTN) - Based on last week's result (one point victory in a game that saw 800 yards of total offense, six total turnovers, and was decided on a failed two point conversion attempt), Illinois should expect to see a lot of Ugly from SDSU on Saturday.
Norfolk State @ 24 West Virginia (1PM Big East Net) - There is a critical issue that the Mountaineers are going to have to answer as soon as possible...what uniforms will they wear for this blowout?
Maine @ Pittsburgh (1PM ESPN) - Pitt continues to work out the kinks with its easy opening schedule. Kicker Kevin Harper will simply need to get better, as he missed two field goals against Buffalo
Eastern Illinois @ Northwestern (3:30 BTN) - After beating Boston College last week, Wildcats fans are getting cocky.
New Mexico State @ Minnesota (3:30 BTN) - Don't think the Gophers are taking NMSU lightly. Head coach Jerry Kill is treating this game like "the Super Bowl." Okay maybe that's taking things a little too seriously.
Purdue @ Rice (3:30 PM CBS Sports Network) - This game completes a home-and-home series that started all the way back in 1998. Drew Brees was Purdue's QB that day.
Wofford @ Clemson (3:30 PM ESPN3) - The last time the Tigers played Wofford, they found themselves in an early hole and had to dig their way out. They don't want to repeat history.
Rhode Island at Syracuse (4:30PM SNY/Cox/TWC-NY/GamePlan/ESPN3) - The Orange have a recent history of letting FCS opponents hang around. They'll try to get off to a fast start this time.
Charleston Southern at No. 4 Florida State (6PM ESPN3) - Charleston Southern was dismantled by UCF on opening weekend by a score of 62-0. They'll be lucky to escape with that score this weekend. They should probably stop scheduling Florida teams.
Southern Illinois at Mississippi (6PM CSS-PPV/GamePlan/ESPN3) - After last week's loss to BYU, expect Ole Miss to take out its frustrations on the Salukis.
New Mexico @ 13 Arkansas (7PM ESPNU) - It's possible that no coach has ever failed more successfully than the Lobos' Mike Locksley. His downward spiral continues this weekend...
UAB @ 18 Florida (7PM SECN) - The Florida defense and special teams played so well last week, they could probably go it without the offense this week and still win.
Georgia Tech at Middle Tennessee State (7 PM ESPN3) - Tech looks to match last year's 42-14 victory over the Blue Raiders in front of 30,000-plus screaming blue fans in a place known as The Skillet.
Ball State @ South Florida (7PM Big East Net) - USF will surely honor Lee Roy Selmon at the game.
Northwestern State at No. 3 LSU (8PM PPV/GamePlan/ESPN3) - After a huge, program-affirming win over Oregon, the Tigers get to relax this weekend.
San Jose State at UCLA (10PM FSN-West/FCS-Pacific) - Rick Neuheisel can't be the only one who cares, especially since SJSU's defense is capable of making some stops.
Here’s this week’s college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.