NORMAN, Okla., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- College football, which closed October with eight unbeaten teams in Division I-A, starts the beginning of November with its usual rush of important matchup.
It is the first time since 1971 that as many as seven schools finished October without tasting defeat. That year, the regular season finished with three major unbeatens -- Alabama, Michigan and Nebraska.
Proponents for a playoff will have plenty of fodder should more than two teams finish the season undefeated and left out of the national championship game in Arizona.
"If you are one of those teams (left out) you will be screaming bloody murder," said Notre Dame Coach Tyrone Willingham. "That's the way it is."
No. 6 Notre Dame (8-0) hosts Boston College Saturday, and will be among the schools trying to remain unbeaten and make BCS officials a little uneasy.
In other notable games, No. 2 Oklahoma (7-0) faces No. 12 Colorado (6-2) in what could be a preview of the Big 12 Conference championship game.
In Jacksonville, Fla., the latest edition of the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" has No. 5 Georgia (8-0) trying to overcome a series of injuries when it faces No. 22 Florida (5-3).
Oklahoma and Colorado lead their respective divisions in the Big 12 and appear on course to meet again in the conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Houston, which would be just fine with Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops.
"I don't know that it has to matter a whole lot," Stoops said. "Whoever plays in a championship game, you've got to be ready for a fight, regardless if it's the same team or someone different."
Oklahoma, which tops the BCS rankings, has its sights not only on a conference title, but a second national championship in three years. Of all the unbeatens, Oklahoma seems to be in the best position to control its own destiny and advance to the title game in the Fiesta Bowl should it win out.
However, the Buffaloes have won five straight games and feature Chris Brown, the nation's leading rusher.
Saturday marks the first meeting between the teams since 1999, when Colorado posted a 38-24 win. The Sooners are 0-8-1 in their last nine meetings against the Buffs, the most games Oklahoma ever has gone winless against one opponent.
Georgia will look to clinch the East Division in the SEC and a berth in that league's championship game when it faces Florida.
The latest player to go down for Georgia is wide receiver Damian Gary, who underwent surgery on his left leg Sunday and will be sidelined indefinitely. Gary is the Bulldogs' second-leading receiver with 27 receptions for 254 yards and four touchdowns.
Georgia was without offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb, running back Musa Smith and wide receiver Fred Gibson in last week's 52-24 decimation of Kentucky. Smith and Gibson are not expected back, and the status of Stinchcomb still is uncertain.
"I think these guys know that when somebody gets hurt, backups have to raise their level of play," said Coach Mark Richt. "I think everybody around those guys needs to raise their level of play, too."
The Gators (5-3) are enduring a disappointing season under first-year coach Ron Zook, but would love nothing better than to delay the Bulldogs' celebration.
Florida was off last week after snapping a two-game skid Oct. 19 with a 30-23 overtime victory over Auburn.
For the first time since 1992, Georgia enters the contest as the higher-ranked team. The Gators are 3-17 all-time against Georgia when the Bulldogs are ranked higher.
Notre Dame is flying high following last week's 34-24 victory at Florida State. While still third in the BCS standings, the Fighting Irish picked up ground on Miami, closing within .30 points of the Hurricanes.
Every Notre Dame fan knows what happened the week after the last victory over Florida State. Nine years ago, Boston College ended Notre Dame's hopes for an undefeated season and cost Lou Holtz a shot at a possible second national title by stunning the Fighting Irish, 41-39, on a field goal by David Gordon on the final play of the game.
In the Big Ten Conference, Maurice Clarett is expected to be in the lineup for No. 4 Ohio State (8-0) when it tries to stay undefeated against No. 19 Minnesota (7-1).
Clarett, a freshman who has rushed for 1,019 yards in only seven games, ran for 39 yards on four carries in a 13-7 win against Penn State before leaving with a sprained left shoulder six plays into the game last Saturday.
Minnesota, which has built its record against a relatively soft schedule, is coming off a bye week following a 28-7 road triumph over Michigan State on Oct. 19.
Sole possession of first place in the Pac-10 Conference will be on the line when No. 9 Washington State (7-1) hosts 17th-ranked Arizona State (7-2).
The Cougars, coming off a 10-win season, were expected to contend again this year, but Arizona State's emergence has been a major surprise. The Sun Devils were just 4-7 a year ago.
No. 1 Miami (7-0), third-ranked Virginia Tech (8-0), No. 8 North Carolina State (9-0), and No. 18 Bowling Green (7-0) are the other unbeatens in action this weekend.
Miami looks to set a school record with its 30th consecutive victory when it visits Rutgers in a Big East Conference contest involving teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Scarlet Knights are just 1-7 under former Hurricanes assistant Greg Schiano.
Virginia Tech dropped to sixth in the latest BCS rankings, and needs to keep winning to remain in the national championship picture. The Hokies will be out to avenge an embarrassing 38-7 loss to Pittsburgh at Heinz Field last year when they host the Panthers.
North Carolina State will try to reach 10 wins for the first time in school history when it hosts Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack, criticized for their soft schedule, which includes a pair of wins over Division I-AA teams, routed ACC rival Clemson, 38-6, last week.
No. 18 Bowling Green (7-0) has virtually no chance of qualifying for a BCS bowl since it plays in the Mid-American Conference, but the Falcons are enjoying a strong season. This week, they visit Kent State.
The MAC added another team to the national rankings this week in No. 25 Marshall (6-1), which visits Akron on Saturday.
On Thursday night, No. 24 Colorado State (8-2) posted a 31-12 Mountain West Conference rout of Air Force behind 132 yards and two touchdowns by tailback Cecil Sapp, the league's top rusher. The Rams improved to 4-0 in the MWC and took a one-half game lead over San Diego State, which hosts Colorado State on Nov. 16.
In other games, No. 10 Iowa (8-1) hosts Wisconsin, No. 13 Michigan (6-2) entertains Michigan State, No. 14 Kansas State (6-2) is at Kansas, No. 16 Oregon (6-2) welcomes Stanford, No. 20 Florida State (5-3) is at Wake Forest, No. 21 Penn State (5-3) hosts Illinois, and No. 23 Iowa State (6-3) plays Missouri.
No. 11 Southern California (7-2) and No. 15 Louisiana State (6-2) are idle this week.
