A total of 37 games will have a direct impact on conference title races, bowl eligibility and/or College Football Playoff selection this week. Here's your chronological guide to what matters in the FBS.
• Ball State at Miami (Ohio) (Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Miami (5-6, 5-2) needs a win over Ball State (4-7, 3-4) in order to become bowl-eligible. The RedHawks could also end up in a three-way tie atop the MAC East Division with a win, a loss for Buffalo (at Bowling Green on Friday) and a win for Ohio U. (vs. Akron on Friday). If that happens, Miami heads to the MAC title game to face Northern Illinois.
UPDATE: Miami (6-6, 6-2) secured bowl eligibility and remained in play for the MAC title with a 42-21 win over Ball State.
• Texas at Kansas (Friday, 12 p.m., FS1)
Texas (8-3, 6-2) advances to the Big 12 title game with a win over the Jayhawks (3-8, 1-7), playing the final game of the David Beaty era. A loss does not eliminate the Longhorns from Big 12 championship contention, but they'd need West Virginia (vs. Oklahoma) to lose and Iowa State (vs. Kansas State) to win in order to create a three-way tie at 6-3 that Texas would win via tiebreaker.
• Houston at Memphis (Friday, 12 p.m., ESPN)
The right to face UCF in the American title game comes down to this one, with Memphis (7-4, 4-3) trying to hold serve at home against Houston (8-3, 5-2).
• Buffalo at Bowling Green (Friday, 12 p.m., ESPNU)
The Bulls (9-2, 6-1) win the MAC East with a victory here over the Falcons (3-8, 2-5). A loss could open the door for Miami (Ohio) to win a three-way tiebreaker in the division -- which would also require an Ohio U. win over Akron.
• Akron at Ohio (Friday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)
Akron (4-6, 2-5) needs a win here to remain in play for a bowl, a quest that would then come down to a meeting with South Carolina in Columbia on Dec. 1. Ohio (7-4, 5-2) was eliminated from MAC East title contention with a Miami (Ohio) win on Tuesday night.
• Coastal Carolina at South Alabama (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Coastal (5-6, 2-5 Sun Belt) needs a win over the 2-9 Jaguars in order to be bowl-eligible.
• Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
The Hokies (4-6, 3-4) need to beat the Cavs (7-4, 4-3) in order to keep their season alive. If Tech wins, they'll play Marshall on Dec. 1 for a chance to get to 6-6 and a 26th straight season of bowl eligibility. Lose to Virginia, and the Hokies' season is over.
• UCF at South Florida (Friday, 4:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
UCF (10-0, 7-0) has clinched a berth in the American title game against Houston or Memphis, but beating the rival Bulls (7-4, 3-4) could move the Knights up the playoff rankings.
• Oklahoma at West Virginia (Friday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
This matchup in Morgantown is being presented as win-and-in for Big 12 title game purposes -- and that's accurate -- but the loser won't necessarily be eliminated from the title picture. In fact, in the unlikely event that Kansas beats Texas earlier in the day, OU (10-1, 7-1) could already have a berth locked up before they set foot in Milan Puskar Stadium. That said, College Football Playoff implications ensure that the Sooners will put their best foot forward. If Texas and West Virginia both lose Friday, WVU can still reach the Big 12 title game with an Iowa State loss vs. Kansas State on Saturday.
• Washington at Washington State (Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
The winner of the Apple Cup takes the Pac-12 North and earns the right to face Utah in the league title game. The Cougars (10-1, 7-1) also have outside College Football Playoff prospects to consider here.
• Michigan at Ohio State (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, Fox)
Another high-stakes classic is in store here. Either Michigan (10-1, 8-0) or Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) takes the Big Ten East, earns a conference title game meeting with Northwestern, and gets to keep talking about the College Football Playoff.
• Florida at Florida State (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, ABC)
This one's bigger for the Seminoles (5-6, 3-5 ACC), who need to beat the Gators (8-3, 5-3) or will watch their bowl streak end at 36.
• Baylor vs. Texas Tech -- Arlington (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, FS1)
The Bears (5-6, 3-5) and Red Raiders (5-6, 3-5) square off at Jerryworld for the right to keep playing.
• Georgia Tech at Georgia (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
The Bulldogs (10-1, 7-1) are already in the SEC title game, but a loss to the Yellow Jackets (7-4, 5-3) would put a significant damper on their College Football Playoff hopes.
• Navy at Tulane (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
The Green Wave (5-6, 4-3) must beat the Mids (3-8, 2-5) to retain bowl eligibility. Tulane could end up in a tie atop the American's West Division, but cannot win any of the tiebreaking scenarios that would send them to the league title game.
• Marshall at Florida International (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET)
With a win, FIU (8-3, 6-1) claims the Conference USA East title, and a date with UAB in the league championship game. A loss for FIU sends Middle Tennessee (7-4, 6-1) to the championship. Marshall (7-3, 5-2) could finish in a tie atop the C-USA East standings with a win and a Middle Tennessee loss to UAB, but the Thundering Herd can't win a tiebreaker in the division.
• Purdue at Indiana (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Bowl eligibility will come down to this one for the Boilermakers (5-6, 4-4) and Hoosiers (5-6, 2-6).
• Wake Forest at Duke (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
The Deacs (5-6, 2-5) need to beat the Blue Devils (7-4, 3-4) in order to secure bowl eligibility.
• Wyoming at New Mexico (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET)
The Cowboys (5-6, 3-4) are a road win in Albuquerque away from earning bowl eligibility. Beating the Lobos (3-8, 1-6) would extend Wyoming's regular-season-ending win streak to four games.
• Troy at Appalachian State (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
The winner of this meeting between the Trojans (9-2, 7-0) and Mountaineers (8-2, 6-1) claims the Sun Belt East title and a berth in the conference title game.
• Southern Mississippi at UTEP (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Southern Miss (5-5, 4-3) needs a win at UTEP (1-10, 1-6) to become bowl-eligible.
• Louisiana at UL Monroe (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Louisiana (6-5, 4-3) wins the Sun Belt West with a victory in Monroe. ULM (6-5, 4-3), meanwhile, needs a win and some help in the form of an Arkansas State loss to Texas State in order to advance to the league title game.
• Auburn at Alabama (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
This is not one of the most stakes-heavy editions of this rivalry -- the Tide are already in the SEC title game and both teams are bowl-eligible -- though certainly Alabama (11-0, 7-0) would see its College Football Playoff resume' take a hit with a loss to Auburn (7-4, 3-4).
• Maryland at Penn State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Fresh off back-to-back heartbreaks against Indiana and Ohio State, the Terps (5-6, 3-5) get a final crack at bowl eligibility against the heavily favored Nittany Lions (8-3, 5-3).
• Minnesota at Wisconsin (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Winning Paul Bunyan's Axe would also mean bowl eligibility for Minnesota (5-6, 2-6), while Wisconsin (7-4, 5-3) would have to settle for beating a rival.
• Arizona State at Arizona (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
The Sun Devils (6-5, 4-4) can deny the hated Wildcats (5-6, 4-4) bowl eligibility in the UA's first season under Kevin Sumlin.
• SMU at Tulsa (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)
The Mustangs (5-6, 4-3) need a road win over the Golden Hurricane (2-9, 1-7) to earn bowl eligibility. SMU could end up in a tie atop the American's West division, but cannot win any of the tiebreaking scenarios that would send them to the American title game.
• Arkansas State at Texas State (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3)
In order to win their division and reach the Sun Belt title game, ASU (7-4, 5-3) needs a win at Texas State (3-8, 1-6) and some help in the form of a UL Monroe win over Louisiana. The latter game starts an hour earlier than this one, so Arkansas State will likely be doing some scoreboard-watching.
• Tennessee at Vanderbilt (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
The Vols (5-6, 2-5) and Commodores (5-6, 2-5) will try to secure a trip to the postseason, and keep their longtime in-state rivals out.
• Charlotte at Florida Atlantic (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET)
Lane Kiffin and the Owls (5-6, 3-4) need a win over Charlotte (4-7, 3-4) in order to participate in the bowl season.
• South Carolina at Clemson (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Clemson (11-0, 8-0 ACC) will need to take down the Gamecocks (6-4, 4-4 SEC) in order to keep their piece of high ground in the College Football Playoff race.
• Kansas State at Iowa State (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, FS1)
K-State (5-6, 3-5) needs a win to extend its bowl streak to nine consecutive years. Iowa State (7-4, 5-3) has been eliminated from Big 12 title game contention, as it can't win a 6-3 tiebreaker against Texas and West Virginia.
• Colorado at Cal (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network)
The free-falling Buffs (5-6, 2-6), who fired coach Mike MacIntyre on Sunday, can preserve their bowl eligibility with a win over the Bears (6-4, 3-4) in Berkeley.
• LSU at Texas A&M (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
The two-loss Tigers (9-2, 5-2) are going to need a lot of help to sniff the College Football Playoff, but failing to beat Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3) will make LSU an unworthy conversation topic.
• Notre Dame at USC (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC)
Notre Dame (11-0) can make its final statement ahead of the College Football Playoff selection, but there are also plenty of stakes for USC (5-6, 4-5 Pac-12), which must win to reach the postseason.
• Oklahoma State at TCU (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox)
The Horned Frogs (5-6, 3-5) need to beat the Cowboys (6-5, 3-5) to preserve bowl eligibility.
• Utah State at Boise State (Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
The Aggies (10-1, 7-0) have the unenviable task of traveling to Boise and trying to beat the Broncos (9-2, 6-1) on the blue turf, with the Mountain West Mountain division title on the line. The winner here meets Fresno State in the MW title game.