Chris Dufresne’s Play It Forward

Five things to watch this week in college football:

1. Are you ready for Tuesday Night Football involving one of the nation’s top teams? Boise State, No.2 in the major polls, hosts Louisiana Tech on Tuesday in a made-for- ESPN event designed to tear viewers away from their bowling leagues.

2. Michigan State at 8-0 is off to its best start since 1966 but faces its stiffest test this week when it plays at No. 18 Iowa. The Spartans left the state of Michigan for the first time last Saturday and narrowly escaped with a victory at Northwestern.

3. ESPN GameDay will make only its 15th trip to a Pacific 10 venue since 1993 when it rolls trucks toward Los Angeles for Oregon at USC. The Trojans, back in the AP poll this week at No. 24, are out to avenge last year’s 47-20 loss to the Ducks in Eugene.

4. Missouri (7-0) doesn’t have long to savor Saturday night’s victory over BCS No. 1 Oklahoma as the Tigers must now turn around and play Nebraska in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers handed Oklahoma State its first loss Saturday in Stillwater.

5. Auburn escaped close calls this year against Clemson, Mississippi State and Kentucky and suddenly finds itself immersed in the national title race. The Tigers have a possibly tricky game this week at Mississippi before a previously scheduled homecoming win against Chattanooga.

— Chris Dufresne