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The new ESPN documentary "Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?" is a great piece of storytelling, especially for those of us who knew and loved the United States Football League back in the 1980s.

Jared Allen was so wild-eyed relentless with his pass rush against the Green Bay Packers four weeks ago that Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress later referred to it as a "feeding frenzy kind of deal."

With Packers rookie left tackle T.J. Lang set to possibly make his second career start Sunday, the Vikings Pro Bowl defensive end might smell blood in the water again.

Week 8 preview capsules around the NFL. All times Eastern.

SUNDAY:

Denver Broncos (6-0) at Baltimore Ravens (3-3), 1 p.m.

The Ravens have lost three in a row by a combined 11 points. This is the second of three consecutive games in which they play a team a week before the Steelers face them. There goes the unbeaten angle.

Prediction: Ravens, 27-24

The Southeastern Conference has won three consecutive national championships, and its long-term television hook-ups with CBS and ESPN are the envy of every conference in college football. So how much better could it get?

You should find out when the bowl bids are announced this December.

University of Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is not one to get flustered, whether it be with the game on the line or dealing with an early season slump or this Saturday's Halloween treat, No. 4 USC (6-1) visiting Autzen Stadium to face the No. 10 Ducks (6-1).

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

INDIANA (4-4) at No. 7 IOWA (8-0), Noon, ESPN.

FAVORITE: Iowa by 17.

COACHES: Bill Lynch (14-19 in third year at Indiana) and Kirk Ferentz (78-53 in 11th year at Iowa).

LAST WEEK: Indiana lost at Northwestern, 29-28. Iowa won at Michigan State, 15-13.

Ordinarily, I believe that an NFL player should never miss a game for any reason other than an injury or a life-threatening situation at home. The impending birth of a child? Play the game, then rush to the hospital. A death in the family? Unless there are children to comfort, schedule the funeral around the game.

What next for those heart-stopping Houdini Hawkeyes?

Survivors of four college football cliffhangers already, Iowa's master escape artists still have four more regular-season performances on tap. How in the world they're going to top their last act in East Lansing, Mich. is anybody's guess.

The first time Brett Favre faced the Green Bay Packers, he was as emotional as he has been before a game -- including his Super Bowl appearances.

And that was for a home game.

An October surprise has hit the Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll.

Just two weeks after Florida quarterback Tim Tebow appeared to be in charge of the race, Alabama running back Mark Ingram grabbed the lead in a jumbled vote that saw six different players receive first-place votes.