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Ohio State tries to stay unbeaten

NEW YORK, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- For the first time all season, the college football picture is clear.

Miami and Ohio State, the two remaining unbeaten teams, will play for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3 should they win their remaining games.

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Some potholes need to be avoided along the way, beginning Saturday when No. 2 Ohio State (11-0) plays its final road game of the season at defending Big Ten Conference champion Illinois.

Among those rooting for the Illini will be a cluster of one-loss teams such as No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Washington State, No. 5 Iowa and No. 6 Oklahoma. Should the Buckeyes falter, they will make their own claim at a Fiesta Bowl berth.

The latest BCS standings have Ohio State at No. 1, thanks to Oklahoma's surprising loss to unranked Texas A&M last week and the Buckeyes' 10-6 win over Purdue.

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"I'm proud of what this team has accomplished so far this year," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "We've won a number of tough games, and this week we have another very difficult challenge at Illinois. That is where our focus is."

Ohio State can clinch the first 12-win season in school history on Saturday. After Illinois, the focus shifts to the regular season finale against No. 10 Michigan on Nov. 23.

The strength of the Buckeyes has been on defense. Ohio State has allowed just one opponent to score more than 20 points and has given up a mere 16 points in the last 14 quarters.

Led by safety Michael Doss and linebacker Matt Wilhelm, Ohio State has not allowed a second-half touchdown in the last five games.

Given up for dead after a 1-5 start, Illinois (4-6) is no longer a pushover. The Illini have won three of their last four games, including a 37-20 win at Wisconsin last week in which they rolled up more than 450 yards of total offense. John Beutjer hooked up with Greg Lewis for a pair of touchdown passes.

Top-ranked Miami (9-0) is off this week before hosting No. 22 Pittsburgh (8-2) next Thursday. Washington State (9-1), which moved up to third behind Miami in the BCS, also is idle this week and will visit Washington on Nov. 23.

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Iowa (10-1) seeks a school-record 11th victory when it concludes its regular season against Minnesota. A win will enable Iowa to finish unbeaten in the Big Ten Conference for the first time in school history and keep the pressure on Ohio State.

Since Iowa (7-0 in conference play) and Ohio State do not meet, the possibility exists that two teams could finish 8-0 in the Big Ten, which also would be a first.

Texas (9-1) plays its final road game of the season when it visits Texas Tech and quarterback Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury is fifth place on the NCAA's all-time career passing list with 11,934 yards. But he has lost all three meetings against Texas.

Last season, Texas routed Texas Tech in Austin. Kingsbury completed 40 passes, a record for a Texas opponent, but averaged just 6.5 yards per completion and was held to 260 yards.

Following last week's loss at Texas A&M, Oklahoma (8-1) will try to take out its frustrations on Baylor, which has been shut out in three of its last five games.

Oklahoma still controls its own destiny in the race for the Big 12 South title. No. 18 Colorado (7-3) can clinch the North Division title and a second straight berth in the championship game with a victory over Iowa State on Saturday.

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A division title also can be secured in the Southeastern Conference on Saturday. No. 7 Georgia (9-1) can capture the East division title and a trip to the league title game Dec. 7 with a win at Auburn.

No. 14 Florida (7-3) can claim the East title if it defeats South Carolina and Georgia loses.

No. 8 Southern California (7-2) seeks its fifth straight victory and tries to keep its slim Pac-10 Conference title hopes alive Saturday when it welcomes Arizona State.

A loss by USC this week will clinch the Pac-10 title for Washington State, which handed the Trojans their only conference defeat.

No. 15 Florida State (7-3) remains the only unbeaten team in Atlantic Coast Conference play (6-0) and will try to move a step closer to its 10th ACC title in 11 years when it hosts North Carolina.

No. 19 Maryland (8-2) seeks its eighth straight win when it visits Clemson and No. 20 North Carolina State (9-2) tries to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 1997 when it visits Virginia.

In other games, No. 10 Michigan (8-2) hosts Wisconsin, No. 11 Kansas State (8-2) welcomes Nebraska, No. 12 Louisiana State (7-2) hosts Alabama, No. 16 Penn State (7-3) is at Indiana, No. 17 Colorado State (8-2) goes to San Diego State, No. 22 Oregon (7-3 hosts Washington, No. 23 Boise State (9-1) welcomes Louisiana Tech and No. 25 Bowling Green (8-1) is at South Florida.

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No. 9 Notre Dame (9-1), No. 13 Virginia Tech (8-2), Pittsburgh and No. 23 Texas Christian (8-1) are idle this week.

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