These teams are comparable. What separates them in this scenario is . . .

These Mustangs have pulled off a remarkable achievement: back-to-back unbeaten league records in separate conferences . . .

With a home game for unbeaten hoops heavyweight Oklahoma against winless Alcorn from a lower level . . .

Concussed Trevor Lawrence has landed on injured reserve, leaving the Jags with pedestrian backup Mac Jones at the helm . . .

Most margins in New York's losses have been by a single score . . .

Only two weeks ago, these teams combined for 22 points . . .

Every year, one team gets covered almost head-to-toe by bite marks from the injury bug . . .

On Wednesday, Pop Isaacs was leading Creighton past top-ranked Kansas with a gem of a game highlighted by 27 points. Two days later, the team's No. 2 scorer learned that hip surgery would end his season. The Bluejays do not lack for other productive players, but Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth logged 38 minutes apiece against the Jayhawks after coming off recent injuries. Prior to the Wednesday surprise, Creighton was shaky, which raises the question if the win was an aberration. Should the Bluejays play to past form, the so-so Rebels should stay within single digits.

Both defenses have got it going big-time. Jax State's has yielded 54 points in the last five outings, with a high of 17. Southern's has allowed 33 points in its last three games. In the regular season meeting, the teams landed under this figure with 48 scored, and Southern was fortunate to tally 15. The Jaguars were limited to 198 yards on offense. With other sportsbooks listing the total in the 40s, this figure has value.

Odd as it might seem, this game is less important for one team than next week's. As much as Army would welcome an AAC title, given its druthers, it would prefer a win over Navy. Not that the Black Knights will take this lightly, but the motivational edge should side with Tulane. Additionally, the Green Wave has dealt with an option offense like Army's and pitched a shutout versus Navy. Army appears to have flattened out late in the season, scoring more than 21 points in just one of the past four games. While the Greenies did stumble against Memphis last week, its only other defeats were no-shamers to Oklahoma and Kansas State.

UConn has feasted on cupcakes, beating no-name opponents by 36, 39, 41, 35 and 54 points. The Huskies have had trouble digesting "name teams, going 0-3 straight-up, and they will miss injured leading scorer Alex Karaban. Baylor's only losses are to Gonzaga and Tennessee, both ranked among the top six by AP, and the Bears handled formidable foes Arkansas and St. John's. UConn's home-court prowess is documented, but Baylor enters as the more accomplished and healthier team for now.

You know the weather will be harsh in Buffalo when the Bills recruit volunteers to shovel snow in and around the stadium. The downfall is expected to be measured in feet, not inches. The 49ers have cleared QB Brock Purdy to play, which has propped up the total, but how effective can he be, especially with OT Trent Williams and OG Aaron Banks scratched? A concern is Buffalo QB Josh Allen's effectiveness in inclement conditions, yet this predicted amount of accumulation might be excessive enough to limit the league's Mr. Snowman.

Now that the Rams have regained their health, particularly with WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back onboard, a late-season surge is foreseeable. Nacua torched New Orleans last season with 11 catches for 164 yards. Coaches do not suit up, but Sean McVay versus interim Darren Rizzi seems one-sided. The schedule-makers tossed L.A. a break with a late kickoff time in the eastern time zone.

Rookie Drake Maye is an upgrade at QB for New England, but the team is nonetheless 2-5 straight-up with him starting. The Pats still rank dead-last in yards per game. Though Indy has gotten pounded by superior opponents, it has beaten four out of five foes with sub-.500 records. Let's compare ATS marks: the Colts are 8-4, the Pats 4-7-1. A 2.5-point spread against a weak foe can be a temptress, but any spot less than a field goal with the Pats involved is irresistible.

The Chargers' two recent points-filled games -- 61 and 53 -- are misleading. The opponents, Cincinnati and Baltimore, wield high-powered offenses. L.A.'s first eight outings all landed in the 20s and 30s, and they will miss injured RB J.K. Dobbins, who accounts for 60 percent of the team's ground yards and has eight TDs. Atlanta's offense started the season ablaze but has burned out, with 23 points produced in the past two games. The concern is that run-minded coach Jim Harbaugh might take to the air without Dobbins, but that would go against type.