Column: College football on TV this Saturday

Each week our national college football writer describes how he would handle the television remote Saturday, handicapping what’s worth watching, and skipping:

MORNING

Tennessee (2-1) at No. 12 Georgia (2-1)

9 a.m., ESPN

Missouri’s shocking home loss to Big Ten Conference doormat Indiana last week proved the Southeastern Conference East is anyone’s division to win. Georgia is the more desperate team here. The Bulldogs are 0-1 in SEC play after losing to South Carolina. Georgia rebounded last week with a 66-0 nonconference win over Troy. Tennessee begins SEC play two weeks after a 34-10 loss at Oklahoma, which revealed Tennessee is not quite back under second-year Coach Butch Jones.

Northwestern (1-2) at Penn State (4-0)

9 a.m., Big Ten Network (BTN)

Penn State’s redemption tour has been one of college football’s best stories. It started with an opening win over Central Florida in Ireland and continued when the NCAA lifted most of the penalties it imposed after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. The question now: Can Penn State actually win the Big Ten? The Nittany Lions can improve to 2-0 in the East Division with a win over Northwestern, which has already lost at home to California.

9 a.m.: Wyoming at Michigan State, ESPN2; Texas El Paso at Kent State, FS West; Tulane at Rutgers, ESPNews; Texas Christian at Southern Methodist, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN); South Florida at Wisconsin, ESPNU; Vanderbilt at Kentucky, SEC Network (SEC).

9:30 a.m.: Western Michigan at Virginia Tech, KDOC; Colorado State at Boston College, Prime.

AFTERNOON

No. 1 Florida State (3-0) at North Carolina State (4-0)

12:30 p.m. Channel 7

OK, Jameis Winston, now you can put your uniform on. It will be interesting to see how Florida State responds after last week’s bizarre and emotional overtime win over Clemson, accomplished without Winston, who was suspended for his actions in an on-campus incident. Florida State has not played like a defending national champion. North Carolina State seeks its first 5-0 start since 2002, when the Wolfpack was led by quarterback Philip Rivers. Two years ago, North Carolina State defeated second-ranked Florida State at home, but this marks the first time the Wolfpack has hosted a No. 1 team.

Arkansas (3-1) vs. No. 6 Texas A&M (4-0)

12:30 p.m., Channel 2

The SEC footprint now extends deep into Texas as the league’s marquee game features rivals from the defunct Southwest Conference. The game is being played in Arlington, at the stadium built by Jerry Jones, who attended Arkansas. This is Texas A&M’s first test since dismantling South Carolina on the Thursday before Labor Day. Arkansas seeks its first SEC win since 2012.

Stanford (2-1) at Washington (4-0)

1 p.m., Channel 11

This has been an emotional, tough matchup in the Pac-12 Conference North Division. Two years ago, Washington shocked Stanford, 17-13, and last year’s game in Palo Alto ended in a screaming match between programs. Stanford won the game, but was accused by then-Washington coach Steve Sarkisian of faking injuries. Washington is now led by former Boise State coach Chris Petersen.

Cincinnati (2-0) at No. 22 Ohio State (2-1)

3 p.m., BTN

Ohio State has not lost to a school from the state of Ohio since a 1921 defeat to Oberlin. Cincinnati, led by quarterback Gunner Kiel, gives the Bearcats a decent chance to end the steak. Kiel is a top-shelf talent who landed in Cincinnati after breaking previous commitments to Indiana, Notre Dame and Louisiana State. Coach Les Miles said Kiel didn’t have “the chest” to compete at LSU, but Kiel has been a nice fit at Cincinnati. Cincinnati is the alma mater of Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer.

Missouri (3-1) at No.13 South Carolina (3-1)

4 p.m. ESPN

Missouri is coming off an awful home loss to Indiana; South Carolina is coming off an awful win on the road at Vanderbilt. South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier staged an epic postgame news conference after Vanderbilt ran two kickoffs back for touchdowns. Spurrier called the 48-34 win “one of the worst I’ve had, no question.”

Noon: Maryland at Indiana (tape from 10:30 a.m.), BTN.

12:30 p.m.: Minnesota at Michigan, ESPN2; Western Kentucky at Navy, CBSSN; Wake Forest at Louisville, ESPNU.

1 p.m.: Temple at Connecticut, ESPNews; Texas at Kansas, FS1; Colorado at California, Pac-12 Networks; Louisiana Tech at Auburn, SEC.

4 p.m.: North Carolina at Clemson, ESPNU; Boise State at Air Force, CBSSN.

4:30 p.m.: Duke at Miami, ESPN2; Memphis at Mississippi, Prime; New Mexico State at LSU, SEC.

EVENING

Oregon State (3-0) at No. 18 USC (2-1)

7:30 p.m. ESPN

Where were you in 1960 when…? Oregon State Coach Mike Riley said he was a third-grader living in Oregon the last time the Beavers defeated USC at the Coliseum. USC has won 33 of the last 37 games in the series, but the schools have split the last six.

5 p.m.: Texas State at Tulsa, ESPNews; Washington State at Utah, Pac-12; Notre Dame vs. Syracuse, Channel 7; Baylor at Iowa State, Channel 11.

6 p.m.: Illinois at Nebraska, BTN.

7 p.m.: Southern at Alcorn State (tape delay), ESPNU.