5 things to watch in college football

Five things to watch this week in college football:

1: Nationally-ranked Florida State makes a Friday night visit to Boston College, which thought it was prudent to prepare by scheduling lowly Howard last weekend. That game was so lopsided at the half, 62-0, the schools agreed to shorten the second half to a pair of 10-minute quarters.

2: California at Texas is more than a mediocre matchup featuring Pac-12 and Big 12 schools. It’s an ugly reminder of the 2004 season in which Texas earned a Rose Bowl bid after out-lobbying Cal for the No. 4 spot in the BCS standings. Cal is still bitter and still hasn’t been to the Rose Bowl since 1959.

3: Auburn doesn’t have time to wallow over its woeful home performance against Jacksonville State. The Tigers of Auburn must regroup quickly in advance of their trip to Louisiana State in a game with huge ramifications in the SEC West.

4: It will be big news if Mississippi is able to score 70 or more points for a third straight week. Ole Miss plays this weekend at Alabama, which will be itching to avenge last year’s loss in Oxford after which fans tore down the goal posts and paraded them through town.

5: Nebraska at Miami is more of a brand-name trip down memory lane than it is a game with national consequences. They might have to pump life into this game at Sun Life Stadium by showing video highlights of the programs during their championship primes.