College Football Corner: Conference Kings

Although it looks like the BCS is pretty much settled -- either No. 1 Florida or No. 2 Alabama will play No. 3 Texas -- there is still plenty of conference business to settle.

Possibly one of the biggest games in Mountain West Conference history is on tap Saturday as No. 4 TCU hosts No. 16 Utah. The Horned Frogs supplanted Cincinnati at No. 4 this week and still have longshot dreams of a BCS title berth. The Utes, who finished No. 2 last season, have lost only one game, 31-24, to Oregon in September.

Over in Columbus, Ohio, the never-out-of-Big Ten-fashion Ohio State Buckeyes, ranked 11th, are looking to make a horror story out of No. 10 Iowa's recently tarnished, fantastic season. The Hawkeyes, having averted disaster in just about every game they've played this season, ran out of luck at home against Northwestern last week. The winner of this Big Ten tilt will wear the conference crown.

Enough with the pleasantries, let's get to the Corner's menu this week. -- William Hennelly

No. 25 West Virginia (7-2) at No. 5 Cincinnati (9-0), Friday , ESPN2, 8 p.m. EST: Can the Bearcats run the table in the Big East? They have a couple of tough customers coming up, after having escaped UConn, 47-45, last Saturday night at home and dropping a spot in the polls. Pollsters probably didn't like that defensive effort from a national championship-contending team. But Cincy still can have an incredible season if it takes care of its own business.

Noel Devine, West Virginia

Quarterback Tony Pike will return to the team after going out a month ago with a wrist injury. But his fill-in, Zach Collaros, not only has shown a slingshot arm, he also runs like a deer and gives Cincy's offense more dimension. Collaros will start. The Mountaineers are always dangerous and can strike from anywhere on the field with quarterback Jarrett Brown and halfback Noel Devine. Corner's choice: Cincinnati 35, West Virginia 28 -- William Hennelly