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College Football Playoff

Five critical matchups for today's biggest college football games

Erick Smith
USA TODAY Sports

The final full weekend of the regular season means the stakes and emotions will be higher than ever, with games having College Football Playoff implications and bragging rights on the line.

Stanford wide receiver Devon Cajuste misses a catch as Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate in 2014.

In some cases, both will be on the line. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will decide who is champion of the Big 12. Stanford and Notre Dame both harbor playoff hopes, but only one will emerge victorious on Saturday night.

Here is a look at the decisive factors in those two games and the rest of Saturday's biggest contests (all times Eastern):

Stanford secondary vs. Notre Dame receivers

TIME/TV: 7:30 p.m., Fox

Oregon caused big problems for the Cardinal defensive backs two weeks ago, with Vernon Adams throwing for 200 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 attempts. The Irish can have similar big-play success with their talented group of wideouts, led by Will Fuller. The junior, along with Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle, will be tough to keep under control.

The Ducks' ability to make big plays in the passing game was aided by their ability to establish the run. Irish will try to follow that blueprint. Josh Adams will likely bear the responsibility of the being the lead ball carrier with C.J. Prosise expected to miss the game. If Stanford can't slow Adams and make Notre Dame one-dimensional, that will really put its defensive backs in a bind against the Irish receivers, especially because Stanford's defensive front is not great rushing the passer.

Urban Meyer vs. Michigan defense

TIME/TV: Noon, ABC

Ohio State's offense is stuck in neutral, and Meyer is the one taking responsibility for fixing things in the week after the loss to Michigan State. The Buckeyes coach said he will be even more involved in calling plays against the Wolverines, who are second in the nation in total defense and have allowed just 57 points in six home games.

It will be critical for Meyer to build his team's confidence early, because Ohio State appears emotionally fragile. Ezekiel Elliott went public with his frustrations about not receiving enough carries, so expect him to see a busy workload. That, however, plays into the strength of Michigan's front seven.

Meyer is going to have to be creative and use quarterback J.T. Barrett to pass and set up the run. If he can't, the game will evolve into a the type of physically line-of-scrimmage battle that that favors counterpart Jim Harbaugh.

Oklahoma State lines vs. Oklahoma lines

TIME/TV: 8 p.m., ABC

As if Bedlam didn't need any more reason to be emotionally charged, Baylor's loss to TCU has effectively made this the Big 12 title game.

The Cowboys gave up 303 yards on the ground to Baylor last week and only rushed for eight yards. That's a worrisome trend with Oklahoma leading the Big 12 in rushing defense and averaging almost 100 more yards on the ground than Oklahoma State.

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook runs over a Florida defender in 2014.

The Sooners will be at full strength on offense with their talented backfield of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon and quarterback Baker Mayfield all being cleared to play after injuries against TCU. So how do the Cowboys deal with the challenge of running the ball and stopping the run? It starts with drawing inspiration from the crowd. Playing relentlessly on defense and swarming the ball will help the defense. The offensive line will have to execute its assignments and at least give the Cowboys a running threat. It seems easier said than done, but unless they want to see their rival celebrate on their field, they have to find a way to accomplish the tasks.

Dalvin Cook vs. Florida front seven

TIME/TV: 7:30 p.m., ESPN

There are several concerns about the Gators despite their surprising 9-1 record. Stopping the run is not one of them. That strength will serve Florida well with Cook coming to town.

The Florida State running back is third in the country in rushing yards per game and averages almost eight yards per carry. A hamstring injury and a close loss to Clemson are the main reasons Cook isn't mentioned as a Heisman favorite. His combination of speed, strength and low center of gravity has not been solved his season.

He will have to deliver against possibly his toughest opponent as the Seminoles need him to provide the offense balance. Otherwise, Sean Maguire will be forced to throw in predictable situations against a difficult secondary. That plays into the Gators hands, especially with a home crowd behind them. Maguire throwing interceptions might be the best shot for Florida create easy scores with its offense struggling.

What each top team needs to make the College Football Playoff

Dak Prescott vs. Chad Kelly

TIME/TV: 7:15 p.m. ESPN2

The Egg Bowl is going to come down which quarterback plays better.

Prescott and Kelly both are putting up big numbers without much help of a running game. The script should be the same this week with Mississippi State and Mississippi both having their strength on defense up front.

If there is an edge for Prescott, it is his experience in this game. His previous three appearances include a memorable showing in 2013 when he came off the bench to lead the Bulldogs to a bowl game in overtime. Though his overall numbers are down this season, Prescott has been a better player because his supporting cast isn't as strong and he has limited turnovers with three interceptions in 393 attempts.

Kelly leads the SEC in passing with 3,504 yards in his first season with the Rebels. He is also second in the conference with 12 interceptions because he is willing to take chances. Those kinds of mistakes must be avoided in a rivalry game where emotions are high and momentum can turn on a single play.

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