The games just get bigger every week. Huge tilt between Auburn and LSU. Alabama has a game they should win comfortably, but this team needs to get itself back on track if it wants to get back into the national championship picture. Auburn and LSU very much alive in the national race. Here’s a look at the weekend ahead.
LSU @ Auburn 2:30 p.m., CBS: Classic matchup between strength versus strength. It’s the Auburn high powered offense led by the inimitable Cam Newton vs the LSU defense that leads the conference in run defense, pass defense and total defense.

Cam might have to throw the ball in this one. Kelvin Sheppard will be keying on him and linemen like Drake Nevis (five sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss) will be going hard after Newton. LSU’s pass defense is good with Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne (4 ints).

Auburn’s Nick Fairley is no slouch either. Five sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. The guy is dominant.

I see Cam, Darvin Adams, T-Zac, Lutzenkirchen and Emory Blake stepping up in the passing game in this one. Jarrett Lee has been pretty good throwing the ball lately and he has some good receivers led by Terrence Toliver. Stevan Ridley is a good running back. The Auburn secondary is banged up, so they’ll be tested. AU needs to get some pressure on Lee if he plays a lot. He’s a lot better than Jordan Jefferson throwing the ball.

But I like Cam, the receivers, and the defense to do enough along with a huge home field advantage to push the Tigers over the top. It should be a very physical game. Auburn is going to have to run the ball some. Fannin and Dyer need to do something.

Auburn 21, LSU 20

Alabama @ Tennessee 6 p.m., ESPN: Alabama shouldn’t have a big problem with the rebuilding Vols and they are really rebuilding; pretty much from scratch. There is talk that Tenn may use another quarterback though I’ve watched Matt Simms and think he’s pretty good. Alabama needs to run the football well and get Ingram and Richardson going.

The offensive line has to play better. They’ve been down the past couple of weeks. They were overpowered by South Carolina and just looked flat like the rest of the team against Ole Miss.

I’m not sure how great Alabama is. Maybe they can turn it around this week. If they can get through this game, they’ll have a much needed week off to heal up and regroup. That could be just what this team needs.

Alabama 35, Tennessee 14

Ole Miss @ Arkansas 11:21 a.m., SEC Network (WTTO-21 Bham):

I went to the Al-Ole Miss game last week and was not impressed with Jeremiah Masoli at all. They have scored some points, but they looked totally flat against Alabama. Looks like Ryan Mallett could play but that backup, Tyler Wilson, could be better in the long run than Mallett. He could do the job with those excellent wrs.

Arkansas 31, Ole Miss 24

South Carolina @ Vanderbilt 6 p.m., Fox Sports South: Always hate picking Vandy games because I usually have to go against them. Don’t see a lot of hope after last week’s terrible outing against Georgia. Just were pathetic in every aspect of the game. SC coming off a tough loss to Kentucky and needs this game badly to keep the lead in the SEC East. Marcus Lattimore is doubtful, but Maddox is a pretty decent back. Garcia will have to throw the ball, and while Vandy’s secondary is young and could be good in the future, they can’t get any pass rush and the qb can just sit back in the pocket and find an open receiver.

South Carolina 28, Vandy 14

UAB @ Miss. State 6 p.m., ESPNU: Like the way State is playing. Will be bowl eligible if they win this one and they should. With UAB, you just don’t know which team is going to show up. State playing solid offense with Chris Relf and Vic Ballard carrying the load in the running game and Relf doing some pretty decent passing. The Bulldogs defense has been very good.

Miss State 28, UAB 14

Georgia @ Kentucky 6:30 p.m, CSS: This could be the most exciting game of the day in the conference. Georgia playing a lot better on offense and the defense has started to pick it up. But Kentucky is an electric team offensively. Randall Cobb wrote an ill-advised tweet to the fans at UK so I don’t know how much they want to support him. I’m not sure how good Georgia is, they beat pretty bad Tn and Vandy teams, but they’re better no doubt and their defense is playing a lot better. A.J. Green and Aaron Murray should have a big day against the Ky defense, but this should be close.

Georgia 35, Kentucky 31

Other games:

Upset of the week:

Missouri 38, Oklahoma 35: Pretty even matchup. Could go either way. Just like Mizzou at home. They’re a pretty good football team and I’m not convinced Oklahoma is that great.

Other games:

Iowa 24, Wisconsin 17

Nebraska 31, Oklahoma State 24

Miami 28, North Carolina 24

Michigan State 31, Northwestern 28

(Gus Malzahn and AU offense tries to solve the LSU defense.)