College football viewers’ guide: Top conference positions up for grabs this weekend

It’s another weekend of college football, which means it’s time to cancel your other Saturday plans to binge-watch games from morning until late night. The Times’ Eduardo Gonzalez lets us know what will be on our televisions and computer screens this weekend:

FRIDAY

Colorado State (3-4) at Boise State (4-2), 6 p.m., ESPN2

The winner will be only a game behind Utah State in the Mountain Division of the West Mountain Conference. Boise State held off Nevada last week 31-27 thanks to Brett Rypien, who passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Colorado State’s K.J. Carta-Samuels passed for 311 yards and a touchdown in a victory over New Mexico.

7 p.m.: Air Force at Nevada Las Vegas, CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).

SATURDAY MORNING

No. 6 Michigan (6-1) at No. 24 Michigan State (4-2), 9 a.m., Channel 11

Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones escapes the tackle of Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards during a first half punt return on Oct. 13 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

Not only is the Paul Bunyan Trophy up for grabs in this year’s edition of the Big Brother-Little Brother rivalry. So is a chance to sit atop the Big Ten East Division with Ohio State. Michigan routed Wisconsin 38-13 last week behind quarterback Shea Patterson, who passed for 124 yards and ran for 90 yards and a touchdown. In Michigan State’s victory over Penn State, Brian Lewerke passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown with 19 seconds to play.

9 a.m.: No. 9 Oklahoma at Texas Christian, Channel 7; Maryland at No. 19 Iowa, ESPN2; No. 20 Cincinnati at Temple, ESPNU; Illinois at No. 23 Wisconsin, FS1; Tulsa at Arkansas, SEC Network (SEC); Auburn at Mississippi, ESPN; Northwestern at Rutgers, Big Ten Network (Big Ten); Miami (Ohio) at Army, CBSSN.

9:20 a.m.: North Carolina at Syracuse, KDOC.

9:30 a.m.: Virginia at Duke; Prime Ticket.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

No. 16 North Carolina State (5-0) at No. 3 Clemson (6-0), 12:30 p.m., ESPN

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence looks to pass against Wake Forest during the first half on Oct. 6.

(Chuck Burton / Associated Press)

Who predicted that these teams would both be undefeated when they met, with the winner taking control of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division? Both teams were idle last weekend. North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley has passed for more than 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clemson has given up only 14.5 points a game.

Colorado (5-1) at No. 15 Washington (5-2), 12:30 p.m., Channel 11

Both teams are coming back to reality after losing to intra-division opponents. The loser of this game will be in a difficult position in the Pac-12 race. Colorado’s Steven Montez has passed for 1,590 yards and 11 touchdowns while Washington’s Jake Browning has passed for 1,751 yards and 10 touchdowns.

No. 22 Mississippi State (4-2) at No. 5 Louisiana State (6-1), 4 p.m., ESPN

LSU, which has a bye next weekend, will try not to look ahead to its Nov. 3 showdown against Alabama when it takes on a rejuvenated Mississippi State team that defeated then-No. 8 Auburn two weeks ago behind running back Nick Fitzgerald, who ran for 195 yards and two touchdowns. LSU took advantage of four turnovers in its win over Georgia last week.

No. 12 Oregon (4-1) at No. 25 Washington State (5-1), 4:30 p.m., Channel 11

Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II looks to pass during the second half against Utah on Sept. 29.

(Young Kwak / Associated Press)

Oregon finds itself in another pivotal Pac-12 North Division matchup, with the winner taking control of the division. Justin Herbert passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns last week in the Ducks’ victory over Washington. Washington State’s Gardner Minshew passed for 430 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-37 win over Oregon State.

12:30 p.m.: No. 1 Alabama at Tennessee, Channel 2; No. 18 Penn State at Indiana, Channel 7; Houston at Navy, CBSSN; Southern Methodist at Tulane, ESPNU; Wake Forest at Florida State, ESPN2; Minnesota at Nebraska, Big Ten; Kansas at Texas Tech, FS1.

1 p.m.: Memphis at Missouri, SEC; California at Oregon State, Pac-12.

4 p.m.: No. 10 Central Florida at East Carolina, ESPN2; Connecticut at No. 21 South Florida, CBSSN.

4:30 p.m.: No. 2 Ohio State at Purdue, Channel 7; Vanderbilt at No. 14 Kentucky, SEC; Fresno State at New Mexico, ESPNU.

5 p.m.: USC at Utah, Pac-12 Networks.

SATURDAY EVENING

Arizona (3-4) at UCLA (1-5), 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

UCLA’s Joshua Kelley (27) runs with the ball against California at California Memorial Stadium on Oct. 13 in Berkeley.

(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)

UCLA is no longer winless under Chip Kelly after last week’s victory over Cal. The Bruins defense forced five turnovers and running back Joshua Kelley ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns. The Bruins won’t have to deal with Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate, who was sidelined early in last week’s loss against Utah because of an ankle injury. Instead, they’ll face sophomore quarterback Rhett Rodriguez.

7:30 p.m.: San Jose State at San Diego State, CBSSN.

Twitter: @edmgonzalez

eduardo.gonzalez@latimes.com