College football TV guide: What to watch (or not) on this weekend’s menu of games

Break out the chips and cold drinks, but let Mike Hiserman handle the remote. The Times’ deputy sports editor handicaps what’s worth watching, and skipping, on this weekend’s menu of college football games.

FRIDAY

4:30 p.m.: No. 3 Clemson at Boston College, ESPN.

5 p.m.: Southern Methodist at Tulsa, ESPN2.

6 p.m.: No. 19 Boise State at New Mexico, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).

::

SATURDAY

Morning

Texas vs. No. 20 Oklahoma, at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, 9 a.m., FS1

This year’s edition of the Red River Shootout features teetering 2-2 teams. Oklahoma opened the season No. 3 in the rankings but lost to Houston and Ohio State, and barely escaped against Texas Christian last week. At Texas, university President Greg Fenves this week went public with his support of beleaguered Coach Charlie Strong, and we all know what that means. Yup, Strong is probably in trouble.

Other games

8:30 a.m.: Cincinnati at Connecticut, CBSSN.

9 a.m.: Texas Christian at Kansas, ESPNU; Iowa at Minnesota, ESPN2; East Carolina at South Florida, ESPNews; Notre Dame at North Carolina State, Channel 7; Maryland at Penn State, Big Ten Network (BTN); Auburn at Mississippi State, SEC Network (SEC).

9:30 a.m.: Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh, KDOC.

Afternoon

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Texas A&M, 12:30 p.m., Channel 2

Can the “Cardiac Kids” pull off another heart-stopping comeback? Four of Tennessee’s five wins this season have come after the Volunteers trailed by 10 points or more. Texas A&M is 5-0 but looking to reverse a trend. The Aggies started the same way the past two years only to lose five of their last eight games each season.

No. 21 Colorado at USC, 1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (Pac-12)

Remember when Colorado and Utah joined the Pac and all the experts said something along the lines of, “Watch out for Colorado. The Buffs have always recruited well in California, and this move will only make the rich richer.” Yeah, well, so much for that. But, so many years later, look which team is ranked here. Now we’ll see if it holds up.

No. 1 Alabama at No. 16 Arkansas, 4 p.m., ESPN

Arkansas typically plays Alabama tough in Fayetteville — well, except for that 52-0 pasting in 2012 — and the Razorbacks have the size to compete with the Crimson Tide physically. The key may be Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen, who is passing for an average of nearly 250 yards per game, with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. If he gets protection — Alabama has 17 sacks in five games — this could be a close one.

No. 5 Washington at Oregon, 4:30 p.m., Channel 11

This game could potentially answer two questions: Is Washington really as good as its 44-6 win over Stanford would indicate? And is Oregon really as bad as its 51-33 loss to Washington State?

Other games

Noon: No. 6 Houston at Navy, CBSSN.

12:30 p.m.: Brigham Young at Michigan State, Channel 7; Indiana at No. 2 Ohio State, ESPN; Iowa State at Oklahoma State, ESPNU; Purdue at Illinois, BTN; Army at Duke, Prime.

1 p.m.: Vanderbilt at Kentucky, SEC.

3:30 p.m.: Northern Illinois at Western Michigan, CBSSN.

4 p.m.: No. 4 Michigan at Rutgers, ESPN2; Texas Tech at Kansas State, ESPNU.

4:30 p.m.: Georgia at South Carolina, SEC.

Evening

No. 23 Florida State at No. 10 Miami, 5 p.m., Channel 7

Florida State’s defense, which is giving up an average of 7.0 yards per play, faces a quarterback who last season passed for more than 400 yards against the Seminoles. It could be raining on Florida State in more ways then one during this game.

UCLA at Arizona State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

Watching Arizona State against USC last week, it was hard to believe the Sun Devils entered that game 4-0. But that was at the Coliseum, and this one is in Tempe, Ariz., where the Devils are 3-0 this season and have won six of their last seven games.

Other games

6 p.m.: California at Oregon State, Pac-12.

7 p.m.: Arizona at No. 24 Utah, FS1; Utah State at Colorado State, CBSSN.

7:30 p.m.: Washington State at No. 15 Stanford, ESPN; Nevada Las Vegas at San Diego State, ESPNU.

mike.hiserman@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeHiserman