College football on TV: Big games include ‘Bama-Mississippi, Ohio St.-Oklahoma, USC-Stanford

Break out the chips and cold drinks but let Lindsey Thiry handle the remote. Each Friday, The Times’ college football writer handicaps what’s worth watching, and skipping, on the weekend’s menu of games.

FRIDAY

5 p.m.: No. 21 Baylor at Rice, ESPN.

6 p.m.: Arkansas State at Utah State, CBSSN.

6:30 p.m.: Arizona State at Texas San Antonio, ESPN2.

SATURDAY

Morning

No. 2 Florida State at No. 10 Louisville, 9 a.m., Channel 7

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson burst onto the scene to break several Atlantic Coast Conference records on his way to passing for 697 yards and seven touchdowns and rushing for 318 yards and six touchdowns in two games. Florida State has managed come-from-behind victories over Louisville the past two seasons.

Other games:

9 a.m.: Ohio at No. 15 Tennessee, SEC Network; Temple at Penn State, Big Ten Network; Iowa State at Texas Christian, FS1; Akron at Marshall, CBSSN; New Mexico at Rutgers, ESPNews; Kansas at Memphis, ESPNU; North Dakota State at No. 13 Iowa, ESPN2; No. 25 Miami at Appalachian State, ESPN.

9:30 a.m.: Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech, KDOC.

11 a.m.: Idaho at Washington State, Pac-12 Networks.

Afternoon

No. 1 Alabama at No. 19 Mississippi, 12:30 p.m., Channel 2

Mississippi has won two consecutive games against Alabama, but no team has ever defeated a Nick Saban-coached Crimson Tide team three times in a row. The Rebels lost a season opener at Florida State; the Tide has rolled to 2-0.

No. 22 Oregon at Nebraska, 12:30 p.m., Channel 7

These programs haven’t played since 1986, but Nebraska Coach Mike Riley is all too familiar with Oregon after coaching rival Oregon State for 14 seasons. Riley is 4-10 against the Ducks, but perhaps his corn-fed Huskers are better suited to slow down the Pac-12 Conference’s fastest offense.

No. 17 Texas A&M at Auburn, 4 p.m., ESPN

Texas A&M is 2-0 entering a Southeastern Conference opener against Auburn, whose 1-1 record includes a six-point season-opening loss to Clemson. If recent history is any indication, Texas A&M will win this one. The teams have split the last four games, with the visiting team winning each.

No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m., Channel 4

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly settled on DeShone Kizer as starting quarterback and the Irish showed some fight by defeating Nevada a week after a heartbreaking overtime loss to Texas. Notre Dame has a three-game winning streak against Michigan State, but the Spartans had extra time to prepare with an open date last Saturday.

No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Oklahoma, 4:30 p.m., Channel 11

It’s early in the season, but this game could have College Football Playoff implications as the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences face off. A win over Oklahoma, which should contend for the Big 12 championship, would be a boost for Ohio State. Oklahoma is in need of a signature win after falling to Houston in a season opener.

Other games:

12:30 p.m.: San Diego State at Northern Illinois, CBSSN; Colorado at No. 4 Michigan, BTN; Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State, ESPN; Boston College at Virginia Tech, ESPNU.

1 p.m.: Western Michigan at Illinois, ESPNews; New Mexico State at Kentucky or East Carolina at South Carolina, SEC Network.

2 p.m.: Idaho State at Oregon State, Pac-12.

4 p.m.: Maryland at Central Florida, CBSSN; Mississippi State at No. 20 Louisiana State, ESPN2.

4:30 p.m.: No. 16 Georgia at Missouri, SEC; North Texas at No. 23 Florida, ESPNU.

Evening

USC at No. 7 Stanford, 5 p.m., Channel 7

Clay Helton is looking for his first signature win as USC’s coach and a victory against Stanford would fit the bill. Cardinal back Christian McCaffrey threw USC’s staff into a loud fit last season when he lit up the Trojans defense and special teams, but perhaps Helton’s new staff has an answer for the Heisman hopeful. The Cardinal have fresh legs after an open date last Saturday.

UCLA at Brigham Young, 7:15 p.m., ESPN2

Brigham Young is 1-1 heading into its home opener. UCLA bounced back from a Week 1 loss at Texas A&M to defeat Nevada Las Vegas. Last season, the Bruins rallied from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cougars.

Other games:

5 p.m.: Duke at Northwestern, BTN; Portland State at No. 8 Washington, Pac-12.

7:30 p.m.: Utah at San Jose State, CBSSN; No. 11 Texas at California, ESPN.

7:45 p.m.: Hawaii at Arizona, Pac-12.

lindsey.thiry@latimes.com

Twitter: @LindseyThiry