By JOHN LINDSAY, Scripps Howard News Service

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.GEORGIA TECH (5-1) at CLEMSON (3-3), Noon, ESPN.FAVORITE: Georgia Tech by 2-1/2.COACHES: Paul Johnson (first year at Ga. Tech) and Dabo Swinney (interim Clemson coach).

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:FLORIDA STATE (4-1) at N.C. STATE (2-4), 7:30, ESPN.FAVORITE: FSU by 11.COACHES: Bobby Bowden (304-88-4 in 33rd year at FSU) and Tom O'Brien (7-11 in second year at N.C. State).

Many in the college football intelligentsia have cooed over the rise this early season of schools that actually graduate their players.

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.No. 1 OKLAHOMA (5-0) vs. No. 5 TEXAS (5-0), in Dallas, Noon, ABC.FAVORITE: Oklahoma by 7.COACHES: Bob Stoops (102-22 in 10th year at Oklahoma) and Mack Brown (107-25 in 11th year at Texas).

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:CLEMSON (3-2) at NO. 21 WAKE FOREST (3-1), 7:30 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: Wake Forest by 3.COACHES: Tommy Bowden (72-44 in 10th year at Clemson) and Jim Grobe (49-40 in 8th year at Wake).

October means one thing around college football.It's time for national title contenders to get serious. Yes, September offered a one-weekend return to the tumult-filled 2007 season. But last Saturday saw eight of the top-10 teams all emerge victorious by an average of 24 points.

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:PITTSBURGH (3-1) at No. 10 SOUTH FLORIDA (5-0), 7:30, ESPN.FAVORITE: South Florida by 14COACHES: Dave Wannstedt (19-20 in fourth year at Pittsburgh) and Jim Leavitt (94-47 in 12th year at South Florida).

Well, that didn't take long.The ghosts of 2007, the zaniest, most unpredictable college football season ever, returned with vengeance last weekend. How else could you explain three of the nation's top four teams -- USC, Georgia and Florida -- all losing, two at home and two favored by 24 points or more?

Capsule previews for this Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.MICHIGAN STATE (3-1) at INDIANA (2-1), .Noon, ESPN.FAVORITE: Michigan State by 8-1/2.COACHES: Mark Dantonio (10-7 in second year at Michigan State) and Bill Lynch (9-7 in second year at Indiana).

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:No. 1 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (2-0) at OREGON STATE (1-2), 9, ESPN.FAVORITE: USC by 26.COACHES: Pete Carroll (78-14 in 8th year at USC) and Mike Riley (48-40 in 8th year at Oregon State).