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Harrison Smith's five-year Notre Dame career ended with him ninth on the school's career tackles list (309) and as the Irish's lone captain in 2011. He is now getting ready for the draft and will play in the 63rd Senior Bowl on Saturday in Mobile, Ala.

The safety will suit up for the North team, coached by Leslie Frazier and the Minnesota Vikings' staff. The game kicks off at 4 p.m. and airs on the NFL Network.

After Monday's weigh-in for the game, Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay wrote that the 6-foot-2, 212-pound Smith passed the eyeball test with flying colors, something Smith said his brother texted him about. He joked that he's been getting feedback from plenty of sources -- Scouts Inc. thinks he's a potential Day 2 pick -- but he'll try to block it all out as he readies for the NFL.

You've been hearing so much from so many different people -- from media, from scouts. How do you take all that and put it aside and focus on the task at hand?

Harrison Smith: I think after playing at a place like Notre Dame, where the spotlight's always on you, the media's always there, people are watching you every weekend, you're always on TV -- I think it just becomes part of it. And that's something that, don't get me wrong, I'm nervous before all the games I play in, I'm nervous going out and playing in front of scouts and stuff like that, but it's not like a bad nervous. It's just part of it. And once you get used to it you don't realize that you focus on what you're doing and who you're looking at before the snap, and just the basics of football. All that other stuff isn't even in your mind until you walk off the field.

Can you take me a little bit through the process so far: Where you went after the bowl game, the process of choosing an agent, where you're training and what not?

HS: I ended up going with a guy named Brian Murphy, who's actually a Notre Dame grad, and he's got a lot of Notre Dame guys that I've played with. That's just a little bonus, but I liked him. I liked what he's about. So there was that process and then after that I start training, getting ready for playing in the Senior Bowl, going to the combine, pro day. So I worked out a couple weeks at home with Charles Petrone. He's a guy I've always worked out with, and he's always done me right. I've never seen a guy make improvements on all the guys that he trains as well as he does. There was never a question as to where I was training. I always knew I would train with him if I ever got lucky enough to pursue the NFL. And before the Senior Bowl I actually went out and worked out with some other players, a lot of guys who signed with the same agency as me, just to get a feel of other guys who were going to the game and get some camaraderie and stuff like that, and that kind of leads me to this point.

You mentioned having the same agent as some other Notre Dame guys. Who specifically in the league right now, either Notre Dame or non-Notre Dame players, has been advising you? Have you developed any relationships and have any mentors in the NFL right now?

HS: From those guys, I played with David Bruton and Kyle McCarthy. I had a year with Tom Zbikowksi but I didn't get to know him as well as I got to know David and Kyle. And Kyle, I actually played alongside Kyle. So that's a guy who's kind of helped me through the process. And also Sergio Brown's a guy who's up there, stayed in touch with him. He's gotta be happy right now. (Brown's Patriots are in the Super Bowl.) But those guys have all been great. And then on top of that, Chad Pennington's a guy who worked out with Charles Petrone when he was coming up, because he's from my same area. He went to my rival high school. He's just a great guy. If I've ever had a question or needed advice, he's a guy who's done it all and he's a smart guy who just cares about people and doesn't mind spending some of his time helping me out. So he's another guy that I'm fortunate to be in contact with.

With the Senior Bowl prep this past week, how much have you learned about yourself going up against some of the better guys in the country? How much of a measuring stick has this week been for you?

HS: I think it's been a good measuring stick, but at the same time I think when you turn on tape, that's when you really find out what a guy's about. Tape from tough games, that's when it really counts. That's when everything's on the line, this is just kind of a smaller snippet of that. At practices here everything's on the line, too, because you got all the scouts, all the coaches on the team watching you, and you've got to perform under the spotlight. So I think this is a small snippet of everyone's college career. I think it kind of gives those guys who are checking us out and grading us an increased level of the athletes around and just a higher talent pool to see us perform.

Is there anything specific you hope to accomplish this week? Is there any specific weakness or something that's been pointed out to you that you're trying to improve?

HS: No, not really. I'm just going out and doing what I know how to do and being the player that I pride myself on being: a guy that works hard, a guy that can do a lot of things for the team, a guy that's athletic and can definitely play special teams for you. So really just being a guy who can do what the coaches ask: understand the defense, make the calls, stuff like that.

What's the next step for you after this weekend? Are you going to go back home and continue to train, or do you have a next stop on your list?

HS: I'm going back to Knoxville and training with Petrone and just getting after it until the combine.

I'm sure it will be a little crazier when you get to the combine, but how has this whole experience measured up to what you expected going in?

HS: It's been pretty much what I expect. It's obviously going to be hectic and there's going to be a lot of eyes on you the whole process, and in the in-between time there's a lot of work to be done. You always got to get up and you just got to get after it every day, get ready for the next test. That's just what it's about. That's what being a football player's about. It's not any different than my past four or five years, it's kind of more intense and kind of just crammed into a couple months I guess.

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Alabama beat LSU for the national title, and both likely will enter 2012 as preseason top-five teams.

Not far behind them will be Arkansas, which has a legitimate argument as the nation's third-best team this season following an 11-2 campaign that featured losses to only the Crimson Tide and the Tigers.

Throw in the fact the Razorbacks get both finalists at home next season, and we might once again be looking at three top-five SEC West teams, meaning, at the very least, one will be in the BCS title game and give the conference a chance at a seventh straight national title.

When will this reign of dominance end? Probably not soon, as seven of ESPNU's current top 15 recruiting classes for 2012 belong to SEC schools. Notre Dame is there as well, at No. 13, but it would be unreasonable to expect the Irish to jump into national title contention, at least next season, with an unfavorable schedule and a big question mark at quarterback.

The best guess here is change atop the college football ranks won't come until change comes to the BCS as we know it, and even that does nothing more than provide a sliver of opportunity for everyone else.

Oklahoma State is in the title game this season if not for a double-overtime loss at Iowa State that came one day after the Cowboys' women's basketball coach and three others were killed in a plane crash. Whether the Cowboys would have beaten LSU is another matter entirely. And they're in the conversation now only because of a Fiesta Bowl that Stanford could not close out when given the chance in the waning seconds.

Things could have been different. In 2008, former Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe helped reject a proposed "plus one" that was being supported by the ACC and SEC. Yup, Mike Slive gave everyone a chance, and he got turned down. As they say, who's laughing now?

But change might be coming. Every conference better hope it is.

Six straight national titles by the SEC -- culminating with two of its schools in the title game Monday night -- gives the conference the benefit of the doubt. That means a one-loss Alabama team that already lost to LSU gets a rematch instead of a one-loss Oklahoma State team waiting for its shot, regardless of each's body of work this season. It's a no-win situation for champions of other conferences. It's the SEC champion and the next-best thing, which, this season, meant another SEC team. History favors it, and the Tide's performance Monday left little room for argument.

Which leads us to whatever changes come in 2014, when the next BCS contract will begin. Answers remain unclear, but if any semblance of a playo ... (er, "plus one") comes to fruition, schools from all over will have the chance to make their cases on the field.

That's all it is -- a chance. But in the same way an Iowa State can knock off an Oklahoma State, that chance might be all anyone tired of the SEC can hope for in trying to slow the dominance of college football's best conference.

Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene injured his ankle in the team's 27-13 victory over Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Friday, and had to be carted off the field with an air cast on.

Though the injury looked pretty gruesome on television, coach Greg Schiano said afterward that "our medical people think he's going to be OK. It's going to take a little while to heal."

Schiano did not detail the extent of the injury, but added, "One of the things we are going to do with Khaseem this spring, anyway, was kind of cut back on what he was going to do in spring football and all that. So we'll have a chance to develop him in areas and however long the healing takes, it takes."

You saw the preview and predictions. Now here are three keys for Rutgers in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Iowa State:

1. Establish the run. This is a lot easier said than done when you are at Rutgers, a program that has struggled to gain any consistency on the ground since the days of Ray Rice. Heading into this game, Rutgers is averaging 91.5 yards a game, good for No. 115 in the nation. The inconsistency has been particularly maddening to coach Greg Schiano, who has had some decent production out of Jawan Jamison. He is going to be the workhorse in this one, as backup Jeremy Deering is banged up along with true freshman Savon Huggins. Rutgers has a chance to run the ball in this game because Iowa State ranks No. 100 against the run. Iowa State has held only two opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing and has given up more than 200 yards on the ground six times this season.

2. Win the turnover battle. This is a key in every game, but this is of particular importance to a Rutgers team that does not have a high-powered offense. Rutgers was ranked near the top of the nation in this category midway through the season but has fallen back because it has been unable to take care of the football of late. In Big East play, Rutgers finished at minus-4 in this category. In three of its four losses this season, Rutgers lost the turnover battle. Still, Rutgers can force mistakes in bunches. The Scarlet Knights have forced at least four turnovers in five games this season, and Iowa State has given the ball away 32 times.

3. Be special on special teams. This is always a hallmark of a Schiano-coached team, and this season proved to be no exception. Rutgers has eight blocks on the season -- second behind Fresno State (10). Those eight blocks came in six games. The Scarlet Knights also have scored off a blocked punt, a kickoff return and a fumbled punt. They need to do well on special teams because, as stated above, there is plenty of uncertainty when it comes to the offense.

Rutgers (8-4) takes on Iowa State (6-6) in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Friday at 3:20 p.m. ET. Here is a quick preview:

WHO TO WATCH: All eyes are going to be on Rutgers receiver Mohamed Sanu, because this could be his last game in a Scarlet Knights uniform. Sanu had a record-breaking season, setting the school and Big East records with 109 receptions to rank No. 5 in the nation. He also ranked second in the Big East with 1,144 yards receiving and had seven touchdowns en route to first-team Big East honors. To truly understand how much of a go-to guy he has been for Rutgers, Quron Pratt is the second-leading receiver on the team with 31 catches. No matter how he does in this game, the big question is whether Sanu will leave school for the NFL draft. Sanu is not pegged as a first-round pick but could go anywhere in the second or third round, so it may be worth it for him to leave. He said he would not announce a decision until after the bowl game.

WHAT TO WATCH: Who starts at quarterback? If Greg Schiano already knows, he is keeping his lips sealed. Schiano says the world will find out when the game kicks off. Chas Dodd started the season before he was pulled in favor of true freshman Gary Nova. After Nova threw too many interceptions, Schiano went back to Dodd. But Dodd was pulled in the season finale against UConn. The truth is, neither quarterback has lit up the scoreboard this season. Nova has thrown for 1,533 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions; Dodd has thrown for 1,398 yards with nine touchdowns to seven interceptions. Neither is completing more than 55 percent of his passes.

WHY TO WATCH: It's always fun to watch football in a baseball stadium, right? That novelty might not hold much with Rutgers and Big East fans who already have seen the Scarlet Knights play in Yankee Stadium. But there are a few streaks on the line here. Rutgers has won four straight bowl games and is 4-1 in the postseason under Schiano. A win would give Schiano his third nine-win season, and the seventh in school history.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 27, Iowa State 20. From my predictions post Monday: The key for Rutgers in all its wins this season has been simple -- create turnovers, limit mistakes and allow defense and special teams to carry the day. Schiano always gets his team up for bowl games, and Iowa State has dropped two games in a row since beating Oklahoma State.

The time has come for me to make my can't-be-beat Big East bowl predictions. All year you guys wanted me to think outside the box and pick some upsets. I shall deliver today. The pick for the Orange Bowl comes later this week, so West Virginia fans have to wait a few more days.

Belk Bowl: Louisville (7-5) vs. NC State (7-5), Dec. 27, 8 p.m. Here comes Test 1 against the ACC. The Wolfpack will have the benefit of playing in front of a partisan crowd, but Louisville goes into the game on a bit of a hot streak, having closed the season with a 5-1 mark. The Cardinals have simply found their identity. This offense is not going to light up the scoreboard, but it has become more efficient and balanced since play-calling duties switched to Shawn Watson. The defense has been solid, and will be one of the best the Wolfpack have faced this season. Louisville ranks No. 10 nationally in rushing defense (103.5 ypg), No. 14 in scoring defense (19.2 ppg) and No. 23 in total defense (327.8 ypg). Here is the bottom line for me: You know what you are going to get out of the Cardinals. They have been exceptionally consistent in the second half of the season. You cannot say the same for NC State, one of the most inconsistent teams in the nation. Will we see the NC State team that beat Clemson or the one that lost to Boston College and nearly lost to Maryland? Louisville 24, NC State 20.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6), Dec. 30, 3:20 p.m. Once again, Rutgers is playing the quarterback shuffle game, and coach Greg Schiano has not announced whether Chas Dodd or Gary Nova will start in the bowl game. No matter who is behind center, you can bet one thing has been emphasized since Rutgers lost to UConn -- hold onto the football. Rutgers turned the ball over six times against the Huskies and simply never gave itself a chance to win. Iowa State has been solid at forcing turnovers, but the Cyclones have given the ball away too many times this season. Rutgers owned the turnover margin earlier this season but has fallen off lately. The key for Rutgers in all its wins this season has been simple -- create turnovers, limit mistakes and allow defense and special teams to carry the day. Schiano always gets his team up for bowl games, and Iowa State has dropped two games in a row since beating Oklahoma State. Rutgers 27, Iowa State 20.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6), Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. I have been outspoken on this game in the past week so you know where I am going with this one. Zach Collaros might be back at quarterback for the Bearcats, which should be a huge advantage. Still, these teams are very similar -- good running backs (Isaiah Pead, Zac Stacy) and good defenses (Vandy ranks No. 19 in the nation, Cincinnati ranks in the top 10 against the run and leads in sacks). The quarterback matchup between Jordan Rodgers and Collaros should be a good one as well, but I still give the advantage to the Bearcats. This is a team that was on pace to get to a BCS game before Collaros broke his ankle. Cincinnati has been terrific at getting after the quarterback and making tackles behind the line, and the secondary is much improved. The seniors are eager to win their first bowl game and eager to prove the naysayers wrong once again. Cincinnati 27, Vanderbilt 21.

BBVA Compass Bowl: Pitt (6-6) vs. SMU (7-5), Jan. 7, 1 p.m. The big question headed into this one is how Pitt responds with interim coach Keith Patterson leading the way. The Panthers played under an interim coach in this game last year against Kentucky and won, so clearly this is not a unique situation. Pitt has to do what has worked best this season -- establish the run and let quarterback Tino Sunseri manage the game. The defense has been much improved in the second half of the season, and SMU has struggled to put up points of late. The Mustangs also will be without leading rusher Zach Line, who played a big role in the offense. If the Panthers can continue to get after the quarterback and play well in the secondary, they should be able to win this game. Pitt 28, SMU 17.

Rutgers has accepted an invite to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Iowa State at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 30.

“It is a terrific situation when you can play your bowl game in the greatest city in the world,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said in a statement. “Getting an opportunity to play in a bowl game hosted by the New York Yankees is a great reward for our players.”

Rutgers (8-4, 4-3), which has won four consecutive bowls, is making its seventh bowl appearance in school history. The Scarlet Knights are 4-2 all-time in bowl games. Rutgers made just one bowl appearance in 135 years of football until Schiano guided the Scarlet Knights to six bowl appearances during his tenure.

“New York City is one of the best places in the world, especially over the holidays, so having the chance to play a bowl game at Yankee Stadium is going to be special for our players, coaches and fans,” athletics director Tim Pernetti said in a statement.

The matchup between Rutgers and Iowa State (6-6, 3-6 Big 12) is the first between the two schools. The Scarlet Knights are 1-3 all-time against the Big 12. The last time Rutgers played a school from the Big 12, the Scarlet Knights beat Kansas State 37-10 in the 2006 Texas Bowl -- the school’s first bowl victory.

Rutgers played once in Yankee Stadium this season, beating Army 27-12 in November. Iowa State already beat one Big East team this year, a 24-20 victory over UConn. The Cyclones pulled one of the biggest shockers of the season when they beat Oklahoma State 37-31 in double overtime.

» BCS standings reaction: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC | Non-AQ

College football fans who live north of the Mason-Dixon Line and west of the Mississippi River were already sick of hearing about the SEC’s dominance.

What are they going to do now?

After its teams won each of the sport's past five BCS national championships, the SEC now has the top three teams in the latest BCS standings, which were released Sunday night. With only two weeks to go in the regular season, an all-SEC rematch in the Jan. 9 Allstate BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans now seems like a strong possibility.

LSU remained No. 1 with a perfect BCS average of 1.000, followed by No. 2 Alabama (.9491) and No. 3 Arkansas (.8985).

Oklahoma State, which kicked off a chaotic weekend of football by losing to unranked Iowa State 37-31 in overtime on Friday night, fell from No. 2 to No. 4 with an .8408 average. Virginia Tech is No. 5 (.7842) and Stanford is No. 6 (.7711).

“It’s quite a lineup for us,” SEC commissioner Michael Slive said Sunday night. “It’s not over yet, though.”

LSU hosts Arkansas in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday, and if it wins would then play No. 13 Georgia in the Dec. 3 SEC championship game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. But if the Razorbacks upset the Tigers -- and if Alabama beats No. 24 Auburn on the road in Saturday’s Iron Bowl game -- the SEC West would be decided by a three-way tiebreaker.

In that case, the SEC West champion would be determined by the final BCS standings. The highest-rated team in the Nov. 27 BCS standings would be declared champion, unless the second-place team were within five spots and won the head-to-head matchup.

Alabama seems to be in better shape than Arkansas -- even if the Razorbacks upset LSU -- because of the Tide’s 38-14 victory over the Hogs in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Sept. 24. Because of that victory, it’s hard to imagine the Tide falling below the Razorbacks, as long as the Tide beat Auburn.

LSU has the tiebreaker over Alabama because of the Tigers’ 9-6 overtime win in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5.

Here’s a couple of other BCS notes:

• Houston is No. 8 in the BCS standings, one spot behind No. 7 Boise State. But as long as the Cougars defeat Tulsa on the road on Friday and win the Dec. 3 Conference USA championship game, they’ll receive a BCS at-large bid. That’s because the Cougars would be rated in the top 16 of the BCS standings and would be higher than the Big East champion. The Big East doesn’t have a single team included in the top 25 of the BCS standings.

Under that scenario, the Broncos would probably be eliminated from BCS at-large consideration, since BCS rules state that only one team from a non-AQ conference must be selected each season.

• Michigan is No. 15 in the BCS standings, but must finish in the top 14 to be considered for a BCS at-large spot. If the Wolverines defeat Ohio State on Saturday, there’s a good chance they’d be in line to receive an at-large bid. If the Wolverines are defeated, Kansas State might be next in line. The Wildcats are No. 11 in the BCS standings.

Anyone notice the Iowa State's uniforms look a lot like USC's if you squint your eyes just so?

No reason I'm making that observation, of course.

Oregon might want to make sure it takes care of business in Autzen Stadium this evening instead of thinking too much about moving up another notch in the race for the national title game.

After Iowa State dispatched No. 2 Oklahoma State on Friday night in double-overtime -- just like everyone saw coming, right? -- the Ducks likely will move up to No. 3 in the BCS standings on Sunday behind LSU and Alabama.

If they beat the Trojans.

And if they win impressively, their bid to become viewed as the "best one-loss" team would be bolstered.

The Cowboys loss sent a simple message that Yogi Berra would admire: It ain't over until it's over. There is NO team you can pencil into the national title game at this point, even top-ranked and impressive LSU.

LSU still has to play Arkansas, which only lost to Alabama, and the SEC title game, which we noted Friday leaves open plenty of complicated possibilities. Alabama has a visit to rival Auburn. Oregon has USC, Oregon State and then the Pac-12 championship game on Dec. 2.

And, really, Oklahoma is still lurking, though beating Oklahoma State won't have as much heft now. Or what about the Cowboys? Recall that the computers love them; they were tied with LSU for No. 1 with the computers last week.

But here's what you can say about Oregon's chances, without question: They are better today than the were just 24 hours ago.

By the way, Jon Wilner looks at what Oklahoma State's loss might mean for Stanford -- and Andrew Luck's Heisman Trophy chances -- here.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy talks about his team’s 37-31 double-overtime loss to Iowa State.

1. LSU head coach Les Miles awaits the decision of Baton Rouge police on whether or not to arrest Tigers' players for participating in a wee-hours brawl outside of a nightclub last week. The brawl sent four people to a hospital. The police say they will go where the investigation goes. Here’s my question: where is the senior leadership on a team that decides to celebrate the end of two-a-days by breaking curfew at a nightclub? One senior leader, quarterback Jordan Jefferson, is among the Tigers whom police want to interview.

2. Colorado coach Jon Embree released a depth chart Monday filled with surprises. The defense is lined up as a 3-4 for the first time since 1994, the last season that Embree’s mentor, Bill McCartney, coached the Buffs. There are 14 true freshmen on the three-deep, four of them starters. One of the latter, punter Darragh O’Neill, has never played football. He did make all-state in basketball at Fairview (Colo.) High. “He’s an athletic kid that’s good in those pressure situations,” special teams coach J.D. Brookhart said.

3. I read several days worth of tweets and headlines regarding the uproar in the state of Iowa over the new Cy-Hawk Trophy, awarded to the winner of the annual Iowa-Iowa State football game. I expected to see some grotesque combination of weather and predator. I finally clicked on a link for the the trophy. It’s a sculpture of a farm family at day’s end. It’s as sweet as an ear of Silver Queen. Iowans should be proud to win it.

It's time for a blogger debate! And it doesn't get much better than when we match the SEC and Pac-10.

Our topic: No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Auburn. Who's better and why?

Both are unbeaten, and if the season ended today, they'd play for the national title.

We've got lots of football left, and probably many more plot twists in the hunt for the national title, but there's no reason we can't engage in a hypothetical, is there?

So the Pac-10 blog -- Ted Miller -- and the SEC blog -- Chris Low -- have decided to meet for some civilized debate on Auburn versus Oregon.

Ted Miller: Chris, since things are so quiet in the sleepy SEC, I think we should spice things up with a Pac-10-SEC blogger debate! It seems like a long time since we last had a debate between our two conferences. How’d that one go? Let’s see I championed Taylor Mays and you celebrated Eric Berry. Wait. Why did I bring that up?

Anyway, our topic is Oregon and Auburn: Who’s better and why.

This is a potential national title game between the No. 1 Ducks and No. 2 Tigers, who are both unbeaten and feature Heisman Trophy candidates leading high-powered offenses.

You get first blood. Tell me about Auburn. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that Jay Jacobs was getting hounded for hiring Gene Chizik. Guessing that’s died down a wee-bit.

Chris Low: No doubt, Ted. I wonder where that obnoxious guy is now, the one yelling at Jacobs as he was leaving the airport after finalizing the deal with Chizik? Maybe Jacobs knew what he was doing after all. The guy with the 5-19 record at Iowa State has done all right by himself on the Plains. He has a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback and the SEC's leading rusher in Cam Newton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound freak of nature who runs like Bo Jackson and also has an NFL arm. Keep your eyes, too, on freshman running back Mike Dyer, who they haven't had to lean on much this season, but is oozing with talent and has fresh legs for this stretch run. The Tigers' defensive numbers are nothing to write home about, but they do have the kind of dominant interior defensive lineman, Nick Fairley, who can take over games. Georgia coach Mark Richt said Fairley's the closest thing he's seen to Warren Sapp. Auburn's calling card defensively has been making plays at key times in the fourth quarter. The Tigers have been a serviceable defense through three quarters this season, but they've been a championship-caliber defense in the fourth quarter -- which is why they're 10-0.

So tell me about Oregon?

Ted Miller: Speaking of coaches: How about Oregon’s Chip Kelly? How could he possibly expect to top winning the Pac-10 and playing in the Rose Bowl his first season? How about contending for a national title in his second? The Ducks, however, expected to be here when the 2009 season ended because just about everybody was coming back from the Pac-10 champions. That is until a guy you are now familiar with -- quarterback Jeremiah Masoli -- got caught up in some off-field issues and eventual got himself booted from the team. That seemingly left a void behind center, but sophomore Darron Thomas has not only filled Masoli’s shoes, he’s gone up a few sizes: He’s 15th in the nation in passing efficiency and 21st in the nation in total yardage. Meanwhile, speedy running back LaMichael James is the top Heisman alternative to your guy, Newton. As for the defense, it’s like the offense: Extremely fast. It ranks 13th in the nation in scoring defense and it has forced 28 turnovers, second-most in the nation. Folks often underestimate the Ducks' defense because it gives up some yards -- it ranks 29th in the nation in total defense -- but that’s because the offense scores so quickly: The nation’s No. 1 offense ranks 115th in the nation in time of possession. But the Ducks only give up 4.45 yards per play. Our factoid of the day is that number would rank No. 1 in ... wait for it ... the SEC!

Obviously, we're talking about two very good teams that have done impressive things on their way to remaining unbeaten. I know we both have Oregon ahead of Auburn in our power rankings, but give me the case for Auburn.

Chris Low: Ted, I think what separates Auburn is Newton. Nobody has been able to stop him. If you commit to taking away the run, he's proved he can beat people throwing the ball. And if you come after him and/or don't have enough people in the box, he's been magic running the ball. Keep in mind, too, that we're not talking about a 220-pound guy running the ball. We're talking about a 250-pound guy who's physical, tough and doesn't run out of bounds. In the red zone, he's the great equalizer, because he gains 3 yards when he falls forward and has the size and the strength to push the pile. On top of it all, he's always a threat to throw the ball. Similar to Oregon, Auburn doesn't flinch if somebody puts 30-plus points on the board, because the Tigers' mentality is that they're going to score 50. Their offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, will make you defend everything -- reverses, throwback passes, passes to the backs, even passes to Newton. He caught a touchdown pass two weeks ago against Ole Miss. The Tigers also play at a tempo on offense that has opposing defenses gasping for air in the fourth quarter. But when they have to, they can put teams away and finish games by running the ball. They're fourth nationally (one spot ahead of Oregon) this week in rushing offense with an average of 307.2 yards per game. Auburn's top four rushers -- Newton, Dyer, Onterio McCalebb and Mario Fannin -- are all averaging at least 6.4 yards per carry. Do the Ducks have any answers for that running game?

Ted Miller: That’s what’s so interesting about this as a potential national title game match -- there’s an odd familiarity that both teams will have with each other despite never crossing paths. My guess is Malzahn and Kelly already have studied each other, just in terms of mutual admiration. And both defenses will be familiar with up-tempo, no-huddle, spread-option offenses that can power you and finesse you and throw downfield. Further, the Ducks have played against a number of big, fast, capable quarterbacks with NFL futures: Washington’s Jake Locker, Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor and Stanford’s Andrew Luck. The results have been mixed. Last year, Luck and Pryor got them. Luck beat the Ducks with uncanny downfield accuracy, which is why he’ll go No. 1 in this spring’s NFL draft. Pryor shocked them with the best passing game of his career in the Rose Bowl. Locker missed this year’s game, but he’s never had much luck against Oregon. In general, Oregon has a good run defense: Opponents are averaging 3.38 yards per rush. But the Ducks are undersized. A physical Stanford team had some success, rushing for 177 yards. But one thing about Oregon on both sides of the ball: It is masterful with halftime adjustments. They shutout Stanford, owners of the nation’s No. 5 scoring offense, in the second half, and have given up just 48 points in the second half this year -- just seven in the fourth quarter!

Obviously, two very good teams that have done impressive things on their way to remaining unbeaten. I know we both have Oregon ahead of Auburn in our power rankings, but give me the case for Auburn if it played Oregon in the national title game. How do you see it going?

Chris Low: Well, if that happens, the first thing we all better make sure we have is a calculator. That and make sure there's no danger of a power surge to the scoreboard. You're right about Oregon. Nobody in the country has been better in the second half. The Ducks' ability to score points in bunches is amazing, but the Tigers are equally adept at going on head-spinning scoring sprees. Just ask Arkansas, which saw Auburn roll up 28 points in the fourth quarter in Xbox-like fashion. I have no doubt that an Auburn-Oregon matchup would be played in the 40s. I think the difference, though, would be Auburn's ability to put the breaks on the track meet and run the football in the fourth quarter, especially with Newton being so good at converting on third down. So I'm going Auburn 45, Oregon 41 in a game that rates up there with the Texas-USC classic to decide the 2005 national title.

Ted Miller: That's clearly something we can all agree on: This likely would be a highly entertaining, offensively driven national title game if these two teams manage to get themselves there. Further, I think, after never getting a USC-SEC title game, folks on both coasts would enjoy an SEC-Pac-10 matchup. No trash-talking there, right? And I do see a clear advantage for Auburn: It has been tested. It's played five games decided by eight points or fewer, and three decided by a field goal. The Ducks closest game? An 11-point win at Arizona State. But that's also why I'd pick Oregon in this one. Oregon beat the No. 6 team in the nation, Stanford, by 21 points. It shut Andrew Luck out in the second half. And I look at all of Auburn's close games: Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky and LSU, and think: None of them would be within 10 points of the Ducks. Maybe LSU, because any game Les Miles touches is surprising. And I think Vegas would agree with me. So if we ended up with an Oregon-Auburn national title game, my guess is the Tigers would go TD for TD with the Ducks in the first half, then the Ducks would pour it on late for a 50-35 win. But I reserve the right to change my mind, particularly because I think the Tigers' toughest test -- Alabama -- is ahead.

Moreover, both teams should be advised: You probably should get to the Jan. 10 date in Glendale before you start trash-talking each other. At least before you use your best stuff.

Andrea Adelson has Utah-Iowa State as her game of the week.

Kirk Ferentz doesn't have to do much to motivate Iowa's defensive line this week.

No words are needed. The Hawkeyes coach simply can press the play button and show last year's film of the Iowa State game.

Then he can sit back and watch the steam rise from his players' ears.

"I'm not sure I'll have to say a heck of a lot," Ferentz said. "Part of our film study is looking at last year's game. They'll get some reminders during the week."

Adrian Clayborn hasn't forgotten what happened last year in Ames as he prepares for Saturday's rivalry game against Iowa State (ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET).

Sure, the final score read: Iowa 35, Iowa State 3. But Clayborn and his linemates didn't like another number -- 190.

That's how many rushing yards Alexander Robinson and the Cyclones racked up against Iowa last year. Although Iowa allowed more rush yards to both Michigan (195) and Ohio State (229), Iowa State had a better average rush (5.59 yards per carry) against the Hawkeyes.

"We really stunk it up," Clayborn recently told me. "We weren't playing the way we play. We weren't reading our keys and weren't doing anything right. We weren't playing physical.

"We just looked like a bunch of tired dogs out there."

Tired dogs might be the last description typically used to describe Iowa's defensive line. All four starters return this season -- Clayborn and Broderick Binns at the end spots, Karl Klug and Christian Ballard inside -- after they combined for 252 tackles, 52 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, seven forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 2009.

Add in top reserve Mike Daniels, and it's easy to see why Iowa's front four has been branded by many as the nation's top defensive line.

Just don't tell them about it.

"I try to tune out the outside world as much as I can," Ballard said. "I talked to a couple players who have been in this same spot, like Aaron Kampman. He let me know that all the attention you'll get will go away immediately if you don't perform, so performance is the No. 1 thing on our minds as a defense.

"The expectations and what people are saying is great, but you can't just rely on your expectations."

No player on Iowa's team enters the season with higher expectations than Clayborn. Coaches around the Big Ten were shocked that he decided to return for his senior season after recording 11.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles as a junior. He earned numerous preseason All-America honors and is considered at least a fringe candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

While quarterback Ricky Stanzi has achieved folk-hero status among Iowa fans, there's little doubt that the dread-locked Clayborn is the team's biggest celebrity.

"I didn't realize how bad it was until we both went to coach K's house," said Klug, referring to D-line coach Rick Kaczenski. "We carpooled, and as we’re walking back to his car, this random guy yells out the window, ‘Adrian!’ I asked him, ‘Does that happen a lot?’ and he says, ‘Yeah.’

"I can go under cover a little bit better."

Clayborn is the big name, but his line mates certainly share the spotlight.

"Christian, he’s just an incredible athlete," Clayborn said. "He's 300 pounds but he can run like a gazelle. Broderick's got those long arms, he can bat down anything. And Karl, he’s got a motor out of this world. And Mike Daniels, he's a beast. He's going to be good this year.

"It's going to be tough for teams to just focus on me."

Despite Clayborn's VIP status, the defensive line lacks big egos or huge personalities.

Just like their defensive scheme, tried and tested by coordinator Norm Parker through the decades, the Hawkeyes' linemen are straightforward but extremely effective at what they do.

"We rely on every guy to do their job," Klug said. "One guy screws up, the whole defense is screwed up. We really focus on fundamentals. We just don’t go out there and run around.

"As a group, we're all business."

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads' players began trickling in for Day 7 of preseason camp before 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

By 6:30, they were hard at work -- the ones who could make it, anyway.

But instead of hitting the practice field, they worked to sandbag the Jacobson Athletic Building, which unlike their practice fields, basketball arena and soccer complex, hadn't been seriously damaged by flood waters from three consecutive nights of heavy rains.

"This is not an ISU athletics situation, this is a Central Iowa situation," said Tom Kroeschell, the school's associate athletics director for communications.

Roads were closed throughout Central Iowa, leaving the players who didn't make it in to practice early stranded at home. The sports administrative staff was sent home early Wednesday morning, but the players could be stranded on campus until flood waters are expected to crest on Wednesday afternoon. Kroeschell estimated that over 50 percent of the team's 105-man squad was on campus helping slow the flood waters.

"We're surrounded by water," Kroeschell said. "Where you are is where you are. ... You can't get in or out."

Jack Trice Stadium hasn't suffered any damage from the floods, but the practice fields were already under knee-deep water earlier this week.

"We were stretched to our capacity to keep things viable," Kroeschell said.

For now, practicing for the season opener against Northern Illinois has lost its importance while Iowa State tries to prevent further damage from Tuesday night's 90-minute downpour.

Rhoads and his players were unavailable for comment on Wednesday morning for obvious reasons: They're pretty busy -- and not with football.

"[Rhoads] knows that people can get on the Internet right now and take a look at all the challenges that a lot of different people are facing right now. That’s constantly on their minds," Kroeschell said. "We’re just a small part of a much bigger picture."

Getting preseason camp back on track will have to happen eventually. But for now, the Cyclones are busy with more important matters.

"What are we going to do about practice and so forth, that’s a good question once we’ve seen what happens with the water, but there’s really no way we could go somewhere else on campus here [because of the flood damage and road closings]," Kroeschell said. "We’re just waiting to see. We’re watching. We’re standing there watching the water. We’re sandbagging and just kind of watching."