Texas Christian focuses elsewhere in the state

Five things to watch for this week:

1 Thanksgiving dinner for fans of Texas Christian football will include raising turkey legs and rooting for Texas A&M to upset Texas in College Station. A Texas loss could set off a trigger that puts TCU in the BCS title game.

2 Time for Alabama to stop handing out helmet stickers for Chattanooga and focus on this week’s important Friday trip to Auburn for the annual Iron Bowl, a rivalry that is contested “365 days” in the state. Alabama has secured a date with Florida in the SEC title game, but a loss to Auburn and Florida would scramble the national title picture.

3 Undefeated Boise State faces its biggest test since the Oregon opener when the Broncos host WAC leader Nevada on Friday. Say what? That’s right. Nevada has won eight straight since starting 0-3 and is 7-0 in conference. Boise State (6-0) closes WAC play against New Mexico State on Dec. 5.

4 Florida State at Florida will not be Bobby Bowden’s last game, even if the 80-year-old coach decides to resign (not likely), because his 6-5 Seminoles became bowl-eligible with Saturday’s victory against Maryland. Florida can’t afford to look past this game to the Dec. 5 SEC title game against Alabama.

5 Injury-plagued Oklahoma is 6-5 and hurting after Saturday’s wipeout loss at Texas Tech but can still ruin a rival’s BCS at-large hopes by defeating Oklahoma State. Oklahoma is almost unbeatable in Norman, but one of Bob Stoops’ two home losses since taking over in 1999 was to Oklahoma State in 2001.