By JOHN LINDSAY, Scripps Howard News Service

In life, timing is everything. Unfortunately, that means college football, too.If you think you're not seeing as much football as last season, you're right. Last spring, the NCAA powers-that-be decided that we were all getting too much of the sport we love.

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.No. 15 EAST CAROLINA (3-0) at N.C. STATE (1-2), Noon, ESPN.FAVORITE: East Carolina by 7-1/2.COACHES: Skip Holtz (23-17 in fourth year at East Carolina) and Tom O'Brien (6-9 in second year at N.C. State).

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:No. 21 WEST VIRGINIA (1-1) at COLORADO (2-0), 8:30 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: West Virginia by 3.COACHES: Bill Stewart (2-1 in first full year at West Virginia) and Dan Hawkins (10-17 in third year at Colorado).

Capsule preview of Wednesday night's Kansas State-Louisville game.KANSAS STATE (2-0) at LOUISVILLE (1-1), 8 p.m. (Eastern), ESPN2.FAVORITE: Kansas State by 4.COACHES: Ron Prince (14-13 in third year at K-State) and Steve Kragthorpe (7-7 in second year at Louisville).

A few numbers to ponder as college football winds its way through September:

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.EDITORS: Due to Hurricane Ike, Saturday's Arkansas-Texas game has been rescheduled to Sept. 27.No. 23 CALIFORNIA (2-0) at MARYLAND (1-1), Noon, ESPN.FAVORITE: Cal by 15.

Capsule previews for Thursday and Friday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:NORTH CAROLINA (1-0) at RUTGERS (0-1), 7:30 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: Rutgers by 5-1/2.COACHES: Butch Davis (5-8 in second year at North Carolina) and Greg Schiano (38-47 in 8th year at Rutgers).

Anytime college football royalty from different powerhouse conferences square off, it's time to get excited.And so we get No. 5 Ohio State (2-0) at top-ranked Southern California (1-0) Saturday night at the venerable Coliseum in Los Angeles. This might be a lot more fun to watch than Georgia-Central Michigan.

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.OHIO (0-1) at No. 3 OHIO STATE (1-0), Noon, ESPN.FAVORITE: Ohio State by 31.COACHES: Frank Solich (19-19 in fourth year at Ohio) and Jim Tressel (74-16 in 8th year at Ohio State).

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:SOUTH CAROLINA (1-0) at VANDERBILT (1-0), 8:30 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: South Carolina by 11.COACHES: Steve Spurrier (22-16 in fourth year at South Carolina) and Bobby Johnson (21-50 in 7th year at Vandy).