The week of rivalry is there, which means intense matches with playoff implications for college football or bragging rights.

In some cases, both are true.

The best illustration of this week is the Michigan No. 4 Tour in Ohio State No. 10. The Wolverines are hoping to get closer to their first playoff run, while imposing on Columbus for the first time since 2000. But their sworn enemy is holding them back.

The Buckeyes, however, did not play well in the second half of the season, including last week's tight win over Maryland. Their fortunes can change in 60 minutes, as a win would prevent Michigan from playing for the first time in the Big Ten title game and give them the opportunity to play Northwestern with their still-alive playoff hopes.

The three undefeated of the Power Five must also face problems of rivalry. The Alabama No. 1 hosts Auburn. No. 2 Clemson is visited by South Carolina. And No. 3 Notre Dame goes to Southern California. The three look like manageable games. However, sometimes these showdowns do not go as planned.

Elsewhere, Oklahoma No. 6 and No. 12 West Virginia meet in Morgantown with a spot in the Big 12 Championship game on the line. The Sooners are still hoping for playoffs, as the Mountaineers hope to recover from the loss to Oklahoma State last week, knocking them out of action.

The Apple Cup has taken on a new dimension this year while the number 7 Washington State targets more than the title Pac-12. The Cougars may remain in the playoff race, but must reverse their series of disappointments against 16th Washington. The Huskies have won the last five meetings in a dominant way and have the motivation to deny their rivals their first trip to the title game of the conference, but also to progress.

In the last game between the opponents in the standings, Utah State No. 15 and Boise State No. 22 meet for the Mountain Division title in Mountain West. The One-Loss Aggies also have six aspirations for the New Year if Central Florida slipped.