Today’s select top 25 games at a glance

No. 9 South Carolina (6-1, 4-1 SEC) at No. 3 Florida (6-0, 5-0)

Time and TV: 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Line: Florida by 3.

Series record: Florida leads 23-6-3

What’s at stake: First place in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division. The Gators are sitting atop the division and would move a step closer to the SEC title game with a win. The Gamecocks would take command of the East with a win.

Key matchup: Florida LT Xavier Nixon vs. South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney. Nixon, who has been inconsistent most of the season, is coming off an “upper body” injury that knocked him out of last week’s game at Vanderbilt. Clowney, who is dealing with a foot problem, leads the Gamecocks with 6 1/2 sacks this season.

Players to watch: South Carolina — RB Marcus Lattimore missed practice this week with a bruised hip and might not start. The injury could be a huge setback for the Gamecocks. Lattimore is sixth in the league with 584 yards rushing and is tied for the SEC lead with 10 touchdowns. Florida — RB Mike Gillislee is second in the SEC with 615 yards on the ground and has seven TDs. The Gamecocks allowed 258 yards rushing in a loss at LSU.

No. 4 Kansas State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) at No. 17 West Virginia (5-1, 2-1)

Time and TV: 7 p.m. (FOX)

Line: West Virginia by 3.

Series record: Tied 1-1.

What’s at stake: WVU’s loss at Texas Tech last week took the luster off what would have been a huge game. Still, first place in the Big 12 and maybe in the Heisman Trophy chase, too, is on the line as WVU’s Geno Smith and Kansas State’s Collin Klein enter the game as the front-runners. Kansas State can remain alone atop the conference with a win. The Mountaineers would create a three-way tie if they beat the Wildcats.

Key matchup: Kansas DBs Ty Zimmerman and Nigel Malone against West Virginia WRs Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. Zimmerman leads the Wildcats with three interceptions this year while Malone has nine over the past two seasons. Bailey’s 14 TD receptions are a West Virginia single-season record, but he missed the second half of a 49-14 loss at Texas Tech with an ankle injury. Bailey tweeted this week that he’s fine.

Players to watch: WVU — Smith. Despite an off week by his standards last week in a loss to Texas Tech, Smith’s numbers this season remain impressive: 25 TDs, no interceptions, a completion percentage of 75, and 379 passing yards per game. He’s thrown 313 consecutive passes without a pick. Kansas State — Klein. The senior can’t match Smith’s gaudy throwing stats but adds a rushing element that’s hard to stop. He’s completing 67 percent of his passes.

Brigham Young (4-3) at No. 5 Notre Dame (6-0)

Time and TV: 3:40 p.m. (NBC)

Line: Notre Dame by 13.5

Series record: Notre Dame leads 4-2

What’s at stake: The Fighting Irish, off to their best start in a decade, are hoping to stay focused and not overlook Brigham Young and get caught looking ahead to the game at No. 10 Oklahoma next week. Brigham Young’s defense, which gave up 42 points in a loss last week against Oregon State after going three games without the defense giving up a touchdown, looks to regroup.

Key matchup: Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson against Brigham Young secondary. Golson has shown flashes of why coach Brian Kelly keeps him as the starter, but has struggled at times as well. He fumbled the ball away three times against Stanford and threw two interceptions against Michigan. BYU’s secondary gave up a season-high 332 yards passing last week to Oregon State backup junior quarterback Cody Vaz.

Players to watch: Brigham Young — LB Kyle Van Noy could make it a long day for Golson. He has 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and 26 tackles overall. He also has five pass breakups, eight QB hurries and he’s forced three fumbles. Notre Dame — WR TJ Jones made a great game-winning catch in OT against Stanford.

Purdue (3-3, 0-2) vs. No. 7 Ohio State (7-0, 3-0)

Time and TV: noon (ABC/ESPN2)

Line: Ohio State by 19.

Series record: Ohio State leads, 37-14-2.

What’s at stake: Ohio State’s defensive pride is on the line. The Buckeyes gave up 38 points two weeks ago to Nebraska and a startling 49 on Saturday at Indiana. Purdue’s defense also has a lot riding on the outcome after giving up 82 points the past two weeks in losses to Michigan and Wisconsin. They may have to put a third digit on the scoreboard for each team.

Key matchup: Purdue QBs Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve against Ohio State’s defense. Assailed by Buckeyes fans, the defense also got an extra coach this week — head man Urban Meyer made a rare appearance in the unit’s meeting room on Sunday to make it clear that things would have to change, and soon. TerBush started a year ago in the Boilermakers’ stunning 26-23 win over the Buckeyes, hitting 15 of 24 passes for 140 yards before giving way to Marve, who threw an interception in the final minute but ended up scoring on a decisive 1-yard keeper in overtime.

Players to watch: Purdue — DT Kawann Short will try to stymie Ohio State’s robust rushing game, led by RB Carlos Hyde who has run for 296 yards the last two games. CBs Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson figure to be busy trying to prevent big plays — and the Buckeyes have gained at least 20 yards on an offensive play an amazing 31 times. Ohio State — QB Braxton Miller hopes to burnish his Heisman Trophy credentials with another solid game. He’s averaging 130 yards on the ground (seventh best in the nation) and 182 passing. His top target is WR Corey Brown, who has 41 catches, while WR Devin Smith is next with six TDs on just 21 receptions.

Michigan State (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) at No. 23 Michigan (4-2, 2-0)

Time and TV: 3:30 p.m. (BTN)

Line: Michigan by 10.

Series record: Michigan leads 67-32-5.

What’s at stake: With a win, the Wolverines can avoid a school-record, five-game losing streak against the Spartans and stay at least tied for first in the Big Ten’s Legends Division. The Spartans are playing for pride in what has been a disappointing season and can boast that they made program history against college football’s winningest team if they pull off an upset.

Key matchup: Michigan State QB Andrew Maxwell vs the Wolverines’ D. Michigan will set up its defense to slow down RB Le’Veon Bell, who has ran for 900-plus yards and eight TDs, and force Michigan State’s first-year starting QB to make plays through the air.

Players to watch: Michigan — QB Denard Robinson. The speedy senior has accounted for 10,000 yards of total offense in his career, but has been shut down in two straight starts by Michigan State. Michigan State — DE William Gholston. The senior who twisted Robinson’s face mask last year and was suspended for a game for punching a Michigan lineman, will be one of the key players assigned to keep Robinson in the pocket.

Associated Press