College Basketball: This Weekend's 5 Best Matchups

As teams are fighting for an identity and preparing for conference play, quality non-conference games go a long way toward rankings, seedings and whether the bubble will lift a team up or burst, killing its dreams.

This weekend presents a few very good matchups and, as if it were a gift from the basketball gods, they are all on Saturday, so no one has to chose between the NFL and college basketball.

As a general rule, early season rankings don't necessarily tell the tale of how good or bad a team will be. (The real indicator is the Vegas line, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that column.) This Saturday's games should create some separation from the haves and have-nots.

Here's the slate.

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 13 Kansas

Saturday, Dec. 10, 3:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) travel to Allen Fieldhouse to take on the Kansas Jayhawks (6-2).

Ohio State's sophomore sensation, Jared Sullinger, missed his team's last game due to back spasms, but expects to be ready for the Jayhawks. His team will need his presence to keep strong-rebounding Kansas off the glass.

This is the first road game for the Buckeyes and should let us know just how deserved that No. 2 ranking is.

Cincinnati at No. 8 Xavier

Saturday, Dec. 10, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

This is a great rivalry game between two of Ohio's finest, known as the Crosstown Shootout.

Cincinnati (5-2) bounced back from its overtime loss to a gritty Marshall team with back-to-back wins against Miami-Ohio and Georgia. Xavier (8-0) should prove to be a much tougher challenge.

Unbeaten Xavier's last three games were victories against Vanderbilt, Purdue and Butler, and the Musketeers are looking hungrier with each game.

It will be interesting to see if Cincinnati can rise to the occasion, especially with the daunting Big East season just around the corner.

No. 1 Kentucky at Indiana

Saturday, Dec. 10, 5:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

While the Indiana Hoosiers (8-0) are undefeated, they haven't exactly been tested. With NC State and Butler being the only name-brand opponents so far, Indiana has been blowing teams out with over 50 percent shooting and a scoring average of over 85 points per game.

The Kentucky Wildcats (8-0) have already managed wins against Kansas and North Carolina and look like world beaters.

Indiana students are camping out for this game and for the first time in a decade, the Hoosier faithful believe they are on the track back to national prominence, thanks to Tom Crean.

Contrary to the common-sense opinion, this doesn't have to be an easy win for Kentucky. With Indiana's ability to take (and make) quality shots, this could be a very interesting game.

Michigan State at No. 22 Gonzaga

Saturday, Dec. 10, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Michigan State opened its season with back-to-back losses to No. 1 North Carolina and No. 6 Duke. For some reason, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo needs to schedule the toughest teams in the nation early and often, but you can't argue with his results.

Michigan State has rolled off seven consecutive wins since its opening setbacks and looks to make it eight against the Gonzaga Bulldogs (5-1).

Gonzaga is coming off its first loss of the season, a seven-point loss to Illinois. Gonzaga's schedule hasn't blown anyone over yet with its only quality win coming against a very average Notre Dame team.

This could be the last we see of the Zags in the rankings for a little while.

UNLV at No. 16 Wisconsin

Saturday, Dec. 10, 2 p.m. ET

UNLV (9-1) shocked the world with its 10-point victory over the North Carolina Tarheels. It followed that win up, two games later, with a stinker against Wichita State. Saturday's game against the Wisconsin Badgers (7-2) should let us know which UNLV is the real Running Rebs.

All seven of Wisconsin's wins are blow-out victories and its two losses were close games against No. 5 North Carolina and No. 16 Marquette.

This game should separate the contender from the pretender.