Furman (0-2) at No. 11 Clemson (2-0), 3:09 p.m. (Fox SportsNet)

Line: No line.

Series Record: Clemson leads 41-10-2

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Clemson is looking to start 3-0 for just the eighth time since 1960. Last year's Tigers started 8-0 before losing three of their final four regular-season games. Furman is hoping to avoid its first 0-3 start since 1979.

KEY MATCHUP

Clemson QB Tajh Boyd against Furman's secondary. The Tigers junior led the team to five touchdowns in the team's first six possessions in a 52-27 win against Ball State last week. Boyd was 19 of 23 for 229 yards and threw three TD passes to DeAndre Hopkins.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Furman: QB Reese Hannon is making his first start for injured passer Dakota Derrick. Hannon came in midway through Furman's loss, 47-45, triple overtime loss to Coastal Carolina and threw for 255 yards and four TDs. He'll be the first freshman to start at quarterback since 1997 when his cousin, Justin Hill, did it.

Clemson: WR Sammy Watkins is back in the lineup for the first time this season after serving a two-game suspension for his drug arrest in May. Watkins had an All-American season as a freshman with school single-season marks of 1,219 yards and 12 TDs receiving.

FACTS & FIGURES

Clemson has won 29 straight against Furman. The Paladins last win in the series came in 1936. ... Furman was Clemson's first football opponent in 1896. ... Clemson RB Andre Ellington leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with almost 135 yards rushing a game. ... Furman has lost its last 11 games against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision. It fell 55-32 against Florida last season. ... Furman and Clemson share a bizarre uniform story. In 1960, the teams shared the same waterproof uniform pants in games played on the same day. Clemson wore them in the afternoon to beat Virginia, then shipped them to Furman to wear in a victory over William & Mary.

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California (1-1) vs. No. 12 Ohio State (2-0), noon (ABC)

Line: Ohio State by 17.

Series Record: Ohio State leads, 5-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Coach Urban Meyer has blasted several areas of his team despite opening with two victories. There has been very little spark on offense except when QB Braxton Miller runs it (44 carries, 302 yards) and the defense, although picking off five passes, has given up a lot of big plays and hasn't gotten to the quarterback. Meyer is demanding improvement. The Golden Bears, on the other hand, begin an arduous two-game road trip that concludes next week at No. 2 Southern California.

KEY MATCHUP

Ohio State's running game against Cal's press defense in the secondary and frequent 46 alignment (similar to the '86 Chicago Bears). With starting TB Carlos Hyde out (sprained knee ligament) and Jordan Hall returning after missing the past two months (severed foot tendon), the Buckeyes have had to run Miller far more than they would like. If Hall is able to play meaningful minutes and contribute, or if unproven TBs Bri'onte Dunn or Rod Smith finally break through, it'll ease a huge burden on Miller. Cal's D has racked up 20 TFL so far, sixth in the nation.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

California: WR Keenan Allen is considered a top draft pick next spring. He and frosh WRs Chris Harper and Bryce Triggs need to have a big day on the receiving end for the Bears to move the ball. Of course, QB Zach Maynard must deliver it, handle Ohio State's increased number of blitzes and be cool for the Golden Bears to spring the upset.

Ohio State: DE John Simon, considered one of the best pass-rushers in the Big Ten, has no sacks and half of a tackle for a loss. Look for LBs Ryan Shazier and Curtis Grant to blitz more to help the line get to Maynard.

FACTS & FIGURES

The teams are playing for the first time in 40 years. ... The teams meet next Sept. 14 at Cal's newly renovated Memorial Stadium. ... Coaches Meyer (106-23) and Jeff Tedford (80-49) are each in their 11th year as a head coach. Both are also good friends. ... Ohio State will honor 12 new inductees into its athletics hall of fame at halftime. The honorees include former Buckeyes players Mike Vrabel (now the DL coach) and Bob Knight, a sub on the 1960 national championship men's basketball team (which beat Cal in the title game) who went on to a stellar coaching career at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech. ... Meyer coaches the punt-block team which he has dubbed "The Freak Show." Cal has its own freak in Allen, who returned a punt 69 yards last week in a 50-31 win over Southern Utah. ... The teams have split wins in the Rose Bowl, the Bears winning 28-0 in 1921 and the Buckeyes taking a 17-14 verdict in 1950.

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No. 13 Virginia Tech (2-0) at Pitt (0-2), 12 p.m. (ESPNU)

Line: Virginia Tech by 10 1-2.

Series Record: Virginia Tech leads 7-4

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Consider this Pitt's preview of what life will be like in the ACC. The Panthers need something to build on following a pair of anemic performances to start the Paul Chryst era. The Hokies have been impressive if not dominant during a pair of season-opening victories. A win over Pitt on the road would help Virginia Tech continue to build momentum and send a message of what awaits the Panthers when they join the ACC's Coastal Division in 2013.

KEY MATCHUP: Pitt's defensive line vs. Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas. Thomas has yet to have a breakout performance, particularly with his legs. Still, the Panthers haven't stopped anybody, giving up an average of 422.5 yards per game through the season's first two weeks. Pitt's secondary is its strength, but the defensive line has produced little pressure and the Panthers are still looking for their first turnover.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Virginia Tech: LB Jack Tyler. The junior linebacker has been a missile on defense. His 25 tackles include 1.5 tackles for a loss and he'll likely be the one charged with trying to track down Pitt running back Ray Graham, who appears fully recovered from knee surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Pitt: RB Rushel Shell. The most prolific running back in Pennsylvania high school history had a so-so collegiate debut, rushing for 31 yards on eight carries in a loss to Cincinnati last week. There are still some maturity issues to iron out — he was suspended from the season opener for a violation of team rules — but his presence takes some of the pressure off Graham. And with Pitt's passing game unable to generate much downfield, Shell and Graham are the offense's two best — and sometimes only — options.

FACTS & FIGURES: This is the first meeting between the programs since a 31-28 Pitt win over then fifth-ranked Virginia Tech in 2003 ... Pitt hasn't started a season 0-3 since 2005 ... The Hokies have won 13 straight true road games, the longest current road winning streak in the country ... Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer is the winningest active coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision ... Pitt and Virginia Tech played each other annually while both were members of the Big East from 1993-2003 ... The Hokies haven't won in Pittsburgh since 1999 ... Pitt is 63-67-2 all-time against current members of the ACC.

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No. 14 Texas (2-0) at Mississippi (2-0), 9:15 p.m. (ESPN)

Line: Texas by 10.

Series Record: Texas leads 5-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

It's a rare matchup for two programs that haven't met since 1966. Texas is trying to prove its revival is for real after two easy home victories over Wyoming and New Mexico. Ole Miss has also won its first two games this season — matching the program's win total from an abysmal 2011 campaign — and a victory (or even a close game) would do wonders for first-year coach Hugh Freeze.

KEY MATCHUP

The Texas defense against Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace. The Longhorns were dominant in a 45-0 win last week against New Mexico. LB Jordan Hicks and DE Jackson Jeffcoat have both been in the backfield constantly and would love nothing more than to knock Wallace around early. The Rebels have a quick-strike passing offense that's helped produce more than 500 total yards in each of the first two games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas: QB David Ash. The sophomore has progressed nicely in his second season with the Longhorns. The 6-foot-3, 223-pounder has completed 36 of 49 passes (73.5 percent) for 377 yards, three touchdowns and — maybe most importantly — no interceptions.

Mississippi: RB Randall Mackey. The converted quarterback is usually in the backfield as the primary tailback, but the senior will do a little bit of everything in the Ole Miss offense. He's second on the team with 116 rushing yards, has caught four passes for 20 yards and also completed 2 of 2 passes for 34 yards.

FACTS & FIGURES

It's the first time Texas has played against Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss ... The Rebels have won just once in the series — 39-7 in the 1958 Sugar Bowl ... Texas sophomore Joe Bergeron leads the Longhorns with 159 rushing yards and three touchdowns ... The Rebels are 2-0 for the first time since 2009 ... Wallace has thrown for 438 yards, five touchdowns and one interception this season. He also leads the team in rushing with 135 yards and two touchdowns.

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North Texas (1-1) at No. 15 Kansas State (2-0), 7 p.m. (FSN)

Line: Kansas State by 28½

Series Record: Kansas State leads 5-1

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The Wildcats are coming off a 52-13 blowout of Miami and are trying to keep momentum rolling into next Saturday's showdown at No. 5 Oklahoma, a game that should help decide the Big 12. The Mean Green, who lost 41-14 loss to No. 3 LSU in their opener, will be preparing for Sun Belt play.

KEY MATCHUP

North Texas coach Dan McCarney against Kansas State coach Bill Snyder. McCarney is in his second year trying to build North Texas, where Snyder was an assistant in the late 1970s. The two are no strangers, though: McCarney beat Kansas State twice when he was coaching Iowa State.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

North Texas: RB Antoinne Jimmerson had 139 yards rushing on just 15 carries in the Mean Green's 34-7 win over Texas Southern last week. The freshman helped the team pile up 352 yards rushing in the game.

Kansas State: RB John Hubert is often overshadowed by QB Collin Klein, but he's gone over 100 yards rushing each of the first two weeks, and is averaging better than 8 yards per carry. He'll face a North Texas defense that allowed LSU's Kenny Hilliard (141 yards) and Alfred Blue (123) to have big days.

FACTS & FIGURES

McCarney will face a Big 12 team for the first time since Iowa State fired him in 2006. He spent time as an assistant at South Florida and Florida before taking over North Texas. ... The Mean Green hasn't started 2-1 since 1994, when the program was still in the Football Championship Subdivision. ... Klein was Big 12 offensive player of the week after accounting for touchdowns against the Hurricanes. ... The Wildcats had 498 yards of total offense against Miami. ... Since 1990, Kansas State is 64-7 against regular-season nonconference opponents. ... The Wildcats didn't allow a TD for seven straight corners. The Hurricanes' lone TD was set up by a 77-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. ... Kansas State has scored 87 points in its last five quarters.