College football on TV: What to watch on Saturday

Break out the chips and cold drinks, but let Chris Dufresne handle the remote. Each Friday, the Times’ national college football writer handicaps what’s worth watching, and skipping, on Saturday’s menu of games:

MORNING

No. 9 Michigan State (6-1) at No. 13 Nebraska (6-1)

9 a.m., ESPN

Best we can gather from the score, Nebraska’s 48-17 loss to Wisconsin this year didn’t come down to a Hail Mary pass. This might be the perfect time, however, for Nebraska to pounce on the Spartans’ post-Wisconsin, back-slap, you-guys-are-awesome party hangover. Classic letdown scenario.

Missouri (3-4) at No. 16 Texas A&M (5-2)

9 a.m., FX

College Station would be the perfect place for Commissioner Mike Slive to formally invite Missouri to the Southeastern Conference with this promise to the two incoming schools: “You’ll never play at 9 a.m. on FX again.”

9 a.m.: Arkansas at Vanderbilt, KDOC; Purdue at Michigan, ESPN2; North Carolina State at Florida State, ESPNU; Northwestern at Indiana, BTN; Lehigh at Colgate, CBSSN.

9:30 a.m.: Virginia Tech at Duke, Channel 13.

MIDDAY

Baylor (4-2) at No. 3 Oklahoma State (7-0)

12:30 p.m., Channel 7

Baylor just gave up 55 at Texas A&M, so what do you think the Bears might allow in Stillwater against one of the nation’s top offenses? The quarterbacks in this game, Robert Griffin III and Brandon Weeden, have combined for 41 touchdowns and 4,386 yards passing.

No. 22 Georgia (5-2) vs. Florida (4-3)

12:30 p.m. Channel 2

This cocktail party is so big they added seats to the stadium just used by the NFL franchises Baltimore and Jacksonville. These may look like ordinary SEC teams, but the opponents responsible for the five total losses are a combined 34-4.

Noon: Washington State at Oregon, Prime.

12:30 p.m.: Navy at Notre Dame, Channel 4; Oklahoma at Kansas State, ESPN; Illinois at Penn State, ESPN2; Wake Forest at North Carolina, ESPNU; Southern Methodist at Tulsa, FS West; Iowa at Minnesota, BTN; Fordham at Army, CBSSN.

AFTERNOON

California (4-3) at UCLA (3-4)

4 p.m., Prime

Follow this week’s “Perils of Pauley” as Rick Neuheisel tries to save his job with the nation’s 106th-ranked defense, an injury-prone quarterback, six players sitting out because of suspensions and two receivers named “Jerry.”

4 p.m.: Mississippi at Auburn, ESPNU.

4:15 p.m.: South Carolina at Tennessee, ESPN2.

EVENING

No. 4 Stanford (7-0) at No. 20 USC (6-1)

5 p.m., Channel 7

Four years ago, Stanford defeated USC at the Coliseum as a 41-point underdog with Tavita Pritchard starting at quarterback.

This year Stanford is favored by seven points with Andrew Luck at quarterback.

No. 12 Wisconsin (6-1) at Ohio State (4-3)

5 p.m., ESPN

Podiatrist Bowl: Wisconsin goes from half-a-foot from remaining undefeated at Michigan State straight to The Shoe in Columbus. If the game drags, you can listen to this week’s release of former coach Jim Tressel’s five-hour audio interview with the NCAA.

Iowa State (3-4) at Texas Tech (5-2)

8:30 p.m., FS West (delayed)

See the team that shocked Texas last year in Austin face the team that shocked Oklahoma last week in Norman. It is just presumed this Big 12 game will be delayed by lightning — aren’t they all?

5 p.m.: Southern Mississippi at Texas El Paso, CBSSN.

7:30 p.m.: Arizona at Washington, Prime; Alabama State at Alabama A&M, ESPNU (delayed).