The search is on in college football this weekend: Notre Dame is looking for an offense, Maryland for its first win over Florida State, and Nebraska for a happy return to Happy Valley.

The 20th-ranked Fighting Irish (2-0) try to score their first offensive touchdown of the season Saturday when No. 7 Michigan (2-0) visits Notre Dame Stadium in the rivals’ first meeting since 1999.

Maryland (1-1) is 0-12 against No. 5 Florida State (2-0), including a 52-31 loss last year in Tallahassee. The defeat, however, did not prevent the Terrapins from winning their first ACC title since 1985.

And then there’s No. 8 Nebraska. The Cornhuskers (3-0) visit Penn State (1-0) for the first time since 1982, a year they’d like to forget.

The Nittany Lions, helped by a last-minute ruling of a reception near the Huskers’ goal line, won 27-24 in the early season game and went on to become national champions. Nebraska won the rest of its games, but ended up No. 3 in the final AP poll.

Notre Dame receiver Arnaz Battle says coach Tyrone Willingham’s West Coast approach is due to break through.

“We’re very close to being an explosive offense,” Battle says. “We can go out and put points up against Michigan or any team. It’s not defenses that are stopping us, it’s ourselves. You’ve got to limit mistakes to be successful in this offense.”

In wins over Maryland (22-0) and Purdue (24-17), Notre Dame has kicked six field goals, scored twice on fumble recoveries, once on a punt return and once on an interception return.

The Wolverines aren’t hurting for TDs, just field goals. Michigan has missed five of six attempts, but Philip Brabbs made the one that counted a 44-yarder as time expired in a 31-29 win over Washington on Aug. 31.

Every point is likely to count in this matchup of college football’s two winningest programs. Five of their last six games have been decided by seven points or fewer.

Florida State tries to get its ACC title drive back in gear at College Park, where close to 50,000 fans are expected to pack Byrd Stadium.

“They won the ACC last year and not us, and I’ll probably remind my players of that a few times this week,” Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden says.

Terps coach Ralph Friedgen says his players are set for a street fight.

“You’ve got to be able to hit them in the mouth and expect to get hit, too,” he says. “I think our guys are ready for that. They know it’s going to be a street brawl.”

Washington State and Ohio State will meet for the first time since 1991, when quarterback Drew Bledsoe’s Cougars lost to quarterback (and current ESPN analyst) Kirk Herbstreit’s Buckeyes.

Also, Texas coach Mack Brown returns to Chapel Hill for the first time since leaving North Carolina in 1997. He was not a popular man when he departed, even after turning the hapless Tar Heels into winners.

The picks:

No. 1 Miami (minus 37) at Temple:

‘Canes QB Dorsey will not throw three interceptions this week … MIAMI, 59-7.

UTEP (plus 43) at No. 2 Oklahoma:

UTEP allowed 77 points to unranked Kentucky last week … OKLAHOMA, 59-0.

No. 3 Texas (minus 13) at North Carolina:

‘Heels capable of giving ‘Horns a scare … TEXAS, 31-20.

No. 5 Florida State (minus 14) at Maryland:

Terps try to avenge ’01’s only regular-season loss … FLORIDA STATE, 38-21.

No. 10 Washington State (plus 8) at No. 6 Ohio State:

Cougs’ QB Gesser has chance to state his Heisman case … OHIO STATE, 30-27.

No. 7 Michigan (minus 31â2) at No. 20 Notre Dame:

Can the Irish offense score a TD? … NOTRE DAME, 28-27.

No. 8 Nebraska (minus 51â2) at Penn State:

Huskers QB Lord faces first tough test … PENN STATE, 27-24.

No. 9 Georgia (minus 5) at South Carolina:

Gamecocks primed to top ‘Dawgs a third straight year … SOUTH CAROLINA, 21-20.

No. 16 Marshall (plus 111â2) at No. 11 Virginia Tech (tonight):

With QB Leftwich at controls, Herd look for upset … VIRGINIA TECH, 34-21.

Ohio (plus 41) at No. 12 Florida:

Gators breeze in tuneup for Tennessee next week … FLORIDA, 52-7.

Idaho (plus 32) at No. 13 Oregon:

Ducks have 21-game win streak over Vandals … OREGON, 49-10.

California (plus 131â2) at No. 15 Michigan State:

Bears QB Boller throws a few surprises at Spartans … CALIFORNIA, 28-27.

No. 17 Southern California (plus 21â2) at No. 18 Colorado:

Buffaloes run game wears down Trojans … COLORADO, 27-21.

Wake Forest (plus 131â2) at No. 19 North Carolina State:

Wolfpack QB Rivers is nation’s top-rated passer … NORTH CAROLINA STATE, 41-24.

Northern Illinois (plus 22) at No. 22 Wisconsin:

Badgers RB Davis gets a workout this week … WISCONSIN, 37-13.

No. 23 UCLA (minus 7) at Oklahoma State:

Bruins won’t need last-minute scoring spree against Cowboys … UCLA, 31-17.

Miami, Ohio (plus 12) at No. 24 LSU:

RedHawks unable to handle Death Valley … LSU, 31-17.

Louisville (plus 2) at No. 25 Colorado State

Rams defense ready for pass-happy Cards’ QB Ragone … COLORADO STATE 31-27.