Given the nature of this college football season, it should surprise no one that last night’s South Florida-Rutgers contest would have more to do with the national-title picture than historic rivalries such as USC-Notre Dame and Miami-Florida State. But with Notre Dame suffering through a miserable 1–6 campaign, USC looking more vulnerable than it has in years, and the traditional Florida powers struggling, the focus of the college football world will be elsewhere this weekend. Here’s a look at some of Saturday’s key games (all rankings BCS):

No. 15 FLORIDA (4–2, 2–2 SEC East) At No. 7 KENTUCKY (6–1, 2–1)
Saturday, 3:30 p.m., CBS

It doesn’t rank with Stanford-USC or Appalachian State-Michigan, but Kentucky provided the season’s latest stunning upset when it knocked off top-ranked LSU in triple overtime last week. With Florida visiting Saturday, the Wildcats have no time to celebrate and can only hope they’ve had a chance to heal up from their physical battle with the Tigers.

Florida’s biggest advantage in this game is its schedule. The Gators come into the contest rested off a bye week. With two losses, Florida won’t defend its national title, but the Gators can still get back to the SEC championship game by winning out and getting some help.

Kentucky and quarterback Andre Woodson will attack the shaky Florida corners (66th in the nation in pass defense) and should be able to score points. The key for the Gators will be for quarterback Tim Tebow to grind out drive-sustaining first downs and keep Woodson — and the Florida defense — sitting on the sidelines. Tebow is a one-man power rushing attack, and he’s big enough to punish a Kentucky defensive line that has to still be licking its wounds from last week.

A Kentucky win would put the Wildcats in excellent position to get to their first-ever SEC championship, as they would be tied for the East Division lead and through the toughest part of their schedule.

No. 25 MICHIGAN (5–2, 3–0 Big Ten) at ILLINOIS (5–2, 3–1)
Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC

With two losses apiece, neither of these teams will figure in the national-championship picture, but the winner of this contest will control its own destiny to win the Big Ten and ruin top-ranked Ohio State’s perfect season. The Illini and Wolverines face the Buckeyes on back-to-back November Saturdays.

Michigan has quietly put together a five-game winning streak after a brutal 0–2 start and is ranked this week for the first time since it was rated fifth in the AP preseason poll. The Wolverines have hardly looked dominant for much of their current streak, but finally played a complete game in routing Purdue last week to remain the only Big Ten team besides Ohio State with an unblemished conference record. Michigan tailback Mike Hart, who leads the nation with 154 yards rushing per game, left the Purdue contest at halftime with an apparent ankle injury. Michigan does not give out injury information, but all signs point towards Hart playing in Champaign. With his effectiveness in question, this game could come down to the play of senior quarterback Chad Henne. Illinois’s defense has surrendered some big passing days already this season, and Michigan would be wise to lean on an aggressive offensive game plan.

Illinois has the type of offense that typically gives Michigan fits — a spread with a mobile quarterback. The problem for Illinois is that starter Juice Williams is a very ineffective passer and has been relieved by Eddie McGee the last three weeks. No matter who is taking snaps, Illinois needs star tailback Rashard Mendenhall to be more effective than he was in an ugly 10–6 loss to Iowa last week.

No. 17 AUBURN (5–2, 3–1 SEC West) at No. 4 LSU (6–1, 3–1)
Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN

The second half of the SEC’s heavyweight doubleheader pits Auburn against LSU in a night game in Baton Rouge — where the Tigers are close to unbeatable. LSU has won 17 straight at home, but Auburn is looking for its ninth straight SEC road win, so something has to give.

LSU must get over the disappointment of last week’s loss. At no. 4 in the initial BCS standings, it still has an excellent chance to play for a national championship as long as South Florida and Boston College each lose a game. But Les Miles’s team can’t afford to take Auburn lightly. The Tigers of the Auburn variety have rallied from a miserable start (home losses to South Florida and Mississippi State in their first three games) behind the play of quarterback Brandon Cox and a stifling defense.

Cox was the key to Auburn’s win at Florida and has been taking much better care of the football during their current four-game winning streak. Auburn’s defense is nearly the equal of LSU and is coming off a game in which it completely shut down the high-powered Arkansas rushing attack. Miles has built his offense around the ground game. It worked two weeks ago in a nail-biter over Florida, but on fourth-and-short with the game on the line against Kentucky, Charles Scott was stuffed. Against Auburn, LSU may have to rely more on the vertical passing game.

The best news for LSU in that regard is that standout receiver Early Doucet should be close to full strength after missing much of the season with a groin injury. If he can help Matt Flynn and the LSU passing offense to a couple scores, that might be enough to win in a rivalry that has produced a series of very close, low-scoring affairs.

Mr. Levine is a writer for FootballOutsiders.com.