Michigan, Ohio State in key showdown

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- It is Rivalry Weekend in college football, and nowhere are the stakes higher than in the annual showdown between Ohio State and Michigan.

Second-ranked Ohio State likely can lock up a berth in the Fiesta Bowl and will play for its first national title since 1968 if it can get by the ninth-ranked Wolverines.

The noon Eastern time contest will kick off a big Saturday filled with traditional matchups, including UCLA-USC, Alabama-Auburn, and Stanford-California.

Ohio State (12-0) is undefeated entering its final regular season game with visions of a national championship, just as it was in 1993, '95, and 1996.

Each time, Ohio State lost, setbacks that went a long way toward costing former coach John Cooper his job. Now the task falls to Jim Tressel, who arrived in Columbus knowing that one of his goals was to beat Michigan.

Tressel delivered in his first try when the Buckeyes won at Ann Arbor, 26-20, last season. The job will be even tougher this time around.

"When you coach at Ohio State, when you coach at Michigan, when you coach at USC or UCLA, you know (the rivalry game) is pending and you're excited about it," Tressel said. "Why do people decided to go to Ohio State or Michigan? It's to play in this game."

Ohio State has stayed in the national title chase with close wins over Purdue and Illinois the last two weeks. Star tailback Maurice Clarett continues to be bothered by a shoulder injury that kept him on the sidelines last week. The Youngstown, Ohio freshman hope to play on Saturday.

A loss not only will knock Ohio State out of the Fiesta Bowl, but the Rose Bowl and possibly the entire Bowl Championship Series as well. No. 4 Iowa (11-1) finished its season undefeated in Big Ten play and would earn at least a Rose Bowl berth should the Buckeyes fall.

Michigan (9-2) has won three straight games, and Wolverines Coach Lloyd Carr is 11-2 against top-10 teams.

Top-ranked Miami and Ohio State, who occupy the top two spots in the latest BCS standings, are the only teams that control their postseason destiny.

The Big East kicked off the long weekend Wednesday night when West Virginia stunned No. 12 Virginia Tech (8-3), 21-18. The Hokies, once a national title contender, have lost three in a row for the first time since 1992.

Another team still entertaining national title hopes is No. 3 Washington State (9-1), which hosts arch-rival Washington in the annual battle for the Apple Cup.

The Cougars, also third in the BCS standings, can clinch the Pac-10 title and at least a Rose Bowl berth with a win over the Huskies.

Washington State will be well rested after a bye week, but will be facing an opponent that seems to have found its way with back-to-back wins over Oregon State and Oregon.

"I thought they really looked good," said Washington State Coach Mike Price. "It gives them a lot of momentum going into this game."

Price has a record of only 3-10 in the rivalry. The last win for the Cougars in the series was a 41-35 decision in 1997 that sent them to the Rose Bowl.

Another big rivalry game takes place at Pasadena, where No. 24 UCLA (7-3) hosts No. 7 Southern California (8-2).

USC seeks its fourth straight win over the Bruins, and tries to stay alive in the Pac-10 race. The Trojans must win this week and hope Washington State loses its last two games to advance to the Rose Bowl.

UCLA also has an outside chance of playing on its home field on New Year's Day. The Bruins will play in the Rose Bowl if they win their last two games and Washington State loses twice. The Bruins and Cougars meet on Dec. 7.

The Trojans have won five straight games behind the right arm of Carson Palmer, who has emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

In his last four games, Palmer has thrown for 1,327 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has a touchdown pass in every game this season, and at least two on seven occasions.

In the Big 12, fifth-ranked Oklahoma (9-1) hosts No. 23 Texas Tech (8-4) with the winner clinching the South Division title and a date against Colorado in the league title game on Dec. 7.

The Red Raiders moved into the national polls with an impressive 42-38 win over Texas last week.

Texas Tech has built a high-octane offense under Coach Mike Leach, who was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 1999 under Bob Stoops before heading to Lubbock.

Another title is at stake in the ACC, where 14th-ranked Florida State (8-3) can clinch the outright league crown and a BCS berth with a win over struggling North Carolina State.

Last season, the Wolfpack became the first ACC team to win at Florida State, a defeat that helped end the Seminoles' nine-year reign as league champions.

No. 18 Maryland (9-2), last year's champion, can clinch a tie for the title if it beats Virginia and Florida State loses.

The 2002 version of the Iron Bowl takes place in Tuscaloosa when Alabama meets Auburn. The Crimson Tide have never beaten the Tigers in Tuscaloosa, and have been shut out in all three games.

Alabama (9-2), routed LSU, 31-0, last week, but is ineligible for the SEC West Division title because of NCAA probation.

No. 20 LSU (7-3) still controls its own fate, and will win the division crown if it wins its last two games, including Saturday against Mississippi.

On Monday, California (6-5) lost its chance to play in a bowl game when the NCAA refused to lift its one-year postseason ban for rules violations. The Golden Bears will conclude their season Saturday against Stanford, almost 20 years to the day after they won "The Big Game" on a miraculous five-lateral kickoff return.

In other games, No. 8 Notre Dame (9-1) hosts Rutgers, No. 10 Kansas State (9-2) visits Missouri, No. 15 Colorado State (9-2) hosts New Mexico, No. 16 Penn State (8-3) entertains Michigan State, No. 21 Boise State (10-1) is at Nevada, No. 22 TCU (8-1) is at East Carolina, and No. 25 Hawaii (8-2), playing its first game as a ranked team since 1992, hosts Cincinnati.

No. 6 Georgia (10-1), No. 11 Texas (9-2), and No. 17 Colorado (8-3) are idle.

Thursday night, a late rally by Pittsburgh came up short, and Miami escaped with a 28-21 victory as the Hurricanes ran their winning streak to 32 games, the sixth-longest in college football history.