National Picks: Taking a look around the country at some of Saturday's most interesting games

Here are five games to get you primed for your football-watching escapade this weekend (All kickoff times are Central).

No. 8 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers (2:30 pm Central on CBS)

The Aggies jumped out to a 5-0 record for the third straight year behind the veteran leadership of fifth-year quarterback Trevor Knight, but Kevin Sumlin and company haven't been able to make it six consecutive wins to start the season in either of the last two years. This could be the year they get that monkey off their backs, but Tennessee and their three comeback wins in 2016 may have something to say about that. Josh Dobbs and the Volunteers know a little something about overcoming adversity, which makes this one of Saturday's most unpredictable matchups.

Prediction: Vols come back again, erasing a thirteen-point deficit to take down the Aggies. Tennessee 31, Texas A&M 27.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (11:30 am on ACC Network)

A battle of "who can stop the run" will rage fiercely at Heinz Field, as the Panthers' keep their hopes of an ACC Coastal Championship (which is still somewhat wide open) alive. It will be the prerogative of a Pat Narduzzi-coached defense, ranked fourth in country in rushing yards allowed per game (69.8) to shut down the Yellow Jackets' tough-to-defend triple-option style of offense. However, Paul Johnson has not lost at Pittsburgh (2-0 all-time) and Justin Thomas hasn't been as turnover-prone as he was in 2015. Then again, Thomas hasn't been asked to pass much either.

Prediction: Pitt QB Nathan Peterman keeps Jackets' "back seven" on its heels, allowing Panthers more room to run. Pittsburgh 27, Georgia Tech 16.

Texas Longhorns vs. No. 20 Oklahoma Sooners (11:00 am on Fox Sports 1)

There is a coach's job on the line this weekend, and it might not be Charlie Strong's. After he was relieved of defensive play-calling duties in the wake of giving up 50 and 47 points in the Horns' last two games, Vance Bedford is coaching in the Red River Shootout this weekend for a chance to stay in Austin for the foreseeable future. Strong now calls the defense, and he'll need to be on his game if he expects to put on an encore performance of last year's 24-17 upset victory. Baker Mayfield and the Sooner offense are anxious to redeem themselves after tough losses to Ohio State and Houston early in the season, while the OU defense needs to patch some holes courtesy of TCU in Week 5.

Prediction: Throw out the records ‘cause this one will be a doozy! Oklahoma 35, Texas 17.

Maryland Terrapins vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (11:00 am on Big Ten Network)

You can ramble on and on about the bombastic nature of Jim Harbaugh or the unequaled consistency of Urban Meyer, but no one is talking about Maryland's new sheriff in town. D.J. Durkin, the former Stanford and Michigan assistant, has started his rookie year in College Park an unblemished 4-0. He has a chance to make it five wins in the Terps' rubber match with a slumping Penn State team who seems to have lost its identity. Saquon Barkley has cooled off after a hot start (Barkley has failed to reach 100 yards rushing since the Lions' Week 1 romp of Kent State). And the Terps have a hot hand of their own in the backfield in running back Ty Johnson, who accounted for over half of Maryland's total offensive output (7 carries, 204 yards, two touchdowns) in a 50-7 blowout of Purdue.

Prediction: These Turtles aren't the least bit slow. Maryland 41, Penn State 20.

USC Trojans vs. No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes (3:00 pm on Pac-12 Network)

Clay Helton's hot seat could come to a rolling boil if the Trojans manage to lose to a Buffalo squad who has been the laughingstock of the Pac-12 since they were given conference membership. Colorado found its way into the AP Poll for the first time in over ten years, and fill-in signal-caller Steven Montez now runs the state of Oregon. Montez came in for injured starter Sefo Liufau against Michigan and had a combined 626 yards and six passing scores in wins over Oregon State and a surprise upset of the Ducks in the last two weeks. It will be interesting to see how the ninth-ranked Buffalo pass defense (just a tad under 150 pass yards allowed) plays against USC quarterback Sam Darnold.

Prediction: Run Ralphie Run, All the Way to 5-1! Colorado 38, USC 24.