(A.J. McCarron will have to be on the lookout for LSU’S ATUTyrann Mathieu)

The matchup: No.1 LSU (8-0) @ No.2 Alabama (8-0)

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium (101,821)

Time: 7 PM

Network: CBS: Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and the “Wolf.” Always fun when the Wolf and Les Miles get together.

What’s at stake: The winner has the inside track on the national championship

The Teams:

Alabama

Running game:

Trent Richardson leads the Tide rushing game with 989 yards and 17 touchdowns. Eddie Lacy has rushed for 465 and 5 TDs. Jalston Fowler has run for 329 and three TDs.

Passing:

A.J. McCarron 134-200 (67%) 1,664 yards and 10 TDs with 3 ints

Receiving:

Marquis Maze 39-482, 1 TD; Darius Hanks 18-230, 1TD; Trent 18-212,1 TD; Brad Smelley 16-165,1 TD; Kenny Bell 13-167, 1 TD; DeAndrew White 11-130, 2 TDs; Michael Williams 10-152, 2.

Defense:

Dont’a Hightower: 48 tackles, 6 tackles for loss for 22 yards, 1 1/2 sacks

Courtney Upshaw: 11.5 TFL-54 yards, 4.5 sacks

Nico Johnson: 3.5 TFL, 13 yards

Mark Barron: 3.5 TFL, 6 yards

Nick Gentry: 2.5 sacks, 21 yards

DeQuan Menzie: 24 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 14 yards

Interceptions:

Dee Milliner 2-37

Nico Johnson 1, Dont’a 1, Barron, 1, DeQuan,1. Three others with one. 9 total ints.

Returns: Marquis Maze has one punt return for a touchdown of 83 yards against Arkansas, one of the most epic plays of the year in college football. One of the greatest returns I’ve ever seen. Look for Maze to be a factor.

LSU:

Running game:

Spencer Ware, 512 yards rushing 6 TDs; Michael Ford 441 yards rushing 6 TDs; Alfred Blue, 252 yards rushing, 4 TDs; and Kenny Hilliard 85 yards rushing (all against Auburn) 2 TDs.

Passing:

Jarrett Lee: 98-155-1 (63.2%) 13 TDs, 1,250 yards; Jordan Jefferson, 6-10-0 2 TDs

Receiving:

Rueben Randle: 33-638, 7 TDs, 19.3 yards per catch.

Defense:

Safety Brandon Taylor leads LSU with 48 tackles.

Cornerback Tyrann Mathieu: five tackles for loss for 32 yards; two fumble recoveries for touchdowns; 2 interceptions

Defensive end Sam Montgomery seven tackles for loss for 32 yards and four sacks.

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers 6.5 tackles for loss for 13 yards

Defensive end Barkevious Mingo 7.5 TFL for 48 yards; 4 sacks

Cornerback Morris Claiborne has three interceptions to lead the team; one for a 89 yards against Tennessee that set up a TD.

Backup cornerback Ron Brooks has a 28 yard interception return for a TD.

Analysis:

There is a lot to analyze here. Can A.J. McCarron throw the ball against LSU’s NFL secondary? The LSU defense will load up the box with seven or eight people to try and stop Trent, so A.J. will have to make some plays. He’s been terrific the last five weeks but hasn’t faced a secondary this good. Alabama’s offensive line will be tested by a stout LSU front four. Barrett Jones and company will have to play their best to open some holes for Trent and keep the LSU line and linebackers from getting to McCarron. ‘Bama of course will try to run the ball. Trent should get some yards. If he goes for 12o or better and scores a couple of times, Alabama should win. The most amazing stat I’ve seen is LSU’s turnover margin. They are plus 15 on turnovers against their opposition. They have 11 ints and seven fumble recoveries against just one int thrown and two fumbles lost. Alabama is plus six.

The Alabama defense will have to stop the stable of backs that LSU will throw at them and neutralize Jarrett Lee, who has become a fine passer this year. Rueben Randle is a threat on the long ball. He’s an excellent receiver and Alabama has been burned a couple of times deep this year, so they’ll have to be prepared for LSU to take some shots deep downfield. Jordan Jefferson’s running and throwing could play a role, too.

These are two of the best defenses you’ll ever see in college football with two incredibly bright d coordinators in Kirby Smart of Alabama and John Chavis of LSU. Nick Saban may be the brightest of them all in college football, so he will have major influence on this game. Which defense plays better will determine the outcome of this game along with which quarterback can make more plays downfield. Running game for both teams is good. Trent a little better than LSU’s committee of backs. Eddie pretty effective, too.

Another key factor as well will be the special teams play. Marquis Maze could break one in the punt return game as could Morris Claiborne for LSU. If one of those two goes the distance for their respective teams, that could be the difference in the game.

The field goal kickers could be the deciding factors as well. Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster of ‘Bama and Drew Alleman of LSU. Shelley is 11-13 on field goals this year with a long of 37. He’s 6-of-6 from 20-29 yards and four-of-five from 30-39 yards. Cade Foster, the long kicker, is 1-of-3 with the long one 45 yards. Alleman is 10-12 on kicks. He’s 3-3 from 20-29 yards, 3-4 from 30-39 yards and 3-of-3 from 40-49 with a long of 44.

Final thoughts and prediction:

Doesn’t get any better than this. While LSU has played a tougher schedule and may have been more impressive than the Tide this year in performance, I like that home crowd factor and I think Trent can get it going enough, A.J. will do enough, the defense will be able to handle LSU’s running game, which is good not great, and keep Lee and Randle under control. LSU may hit a couple of big plays, but the defense for ‘Bama should do well. I look for Maze to make a big play on returns, most likely a punt return.

This is a tough call, but going with the Tide to get by the Bengal Tigers and move closer to an SEC title. While there will be three games left for both teams and no guarantees after this, Alabama would be in the driver’s seat. But if it’s close, which it should be, and both teams win out., there’s a possible chance at a rematch for the national title given the two teams take care of business the rest of the way. Going with Tide to get it done in an intense, highly physical war. A Jeremy Shelley field goal wins it late.

‘Bama 23, LSU 20

Just a quick note on the World Series before I get into AU and the rest of the key SEC and national games tomorrow. Wow, what a game last night.  Cards win it in 11th, 10-9,  to force a  game 7 tonight in St. Louis at 7 PM on Fox. The Cards just never gave in. Showed a lot of character in coming back from a 7-5 deficit in the bottom of the eighth and 9-7 in the 10th. David Freese’s long ball won it in the 11th. Frese had dropped a pop fly earlier in the game that led to a Rangers’ run. Terrific series. Tonight almost a must see if you’re a sports fan and definitely a must see if you’re a baseball fan. Matt Harrison, who got hit pretty hard in his last outing in Series, goes tonight for the Rangers, while Chris Carpenter, one of the best pitchers in baseball, goes for the Cards. This series has been tough to predict. Two outstanding teams going at it. I’m going with the Rangers to get it done tonight and capture their first World Series in franchise history. Had them in seven to begin with so I’m sticking with it.
On to predictions.

Last week: 6-3; Overall: 55-21

Ole Miss (2-5) @Auburn (5-3); 6 PM, ESPNU: AU really needs to get back on track in this one. Ole Miss is not a bad team. They have some good players, and I really think Houston Nutt is a pretty good coach, though the record doesn’t show it this season. AU has some great athletes just needs better play from QB, offensive line, wrs and defense. I know that’s a lot of areas, but there is good talent that just hasn’t found their way yet. Clint Moseley should play better this week and Kiehl Frazier should get even more reps as those guys try to get the offense going. Not sure if Emory Blake will play. Another 50-50 shot for Emory. Dyer and McCalebb should have good days against a vulnerable Ole Miss defense. Ole Miss was better last week against Arkansas almost pulling off the upset, but I like AU at home to bounce back and move to 6-3 and try to make this a respectable, solid season and get ready for a lot better 2012 if Kiehl Frazier can develop his skills.

AU 28, Ole Miss 20

No.10 Arkansas  (6-1) @ Vanderbilt (4-3); 11:21 AM, SEC Network: Vandy playing inspired football under first year coach James Franklin. Franklin has his team believing they can win every game they play. He believes that and so do his players. That said, this is a huge challenge for VU. Arkansas is going to throw the ball all over the field and they’re now running it effectively with Dennis Johnson. The Vandy secondary will be under the gun to neutralize Tyler Wilson, Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs, the qb and three standout receivers for the Hogs. There are some more wrs the Hogs throw at you, too. Vandy needs to get a good push from their defensive line and apply good pressure on Wilson to help their dbs out. Vandy’s safeties have struggled lately, so they need to step up their play. The ‘Dores have found some offense with Jordan Rodgers under center. He makes some mistakes in the passing game at times, but he’s a pretty good quarterback and he’s getting better every week. Vandy’s receivers are getting better. They’re solid three star players. Young, but they have speed and pretty good hands. They need to run better routes though to help Rodgers out. Zac Stacy is on a roll for the ‘Dores after running for 198 yards and three TDs last Saturday against Army. He’s the total package. The Arkansas defense will be tested. I’m not going to make a prediction due to a vested interest in the game. I can’t be objective in this one. Vandy trying to go to a bowl game after back to back 2-10 seasons. This would be a huge step for the team and the program to get a victory. Arkansas trying to keep their SEC West title hopes alive along with a possible spot in a BCS bowl. Big game for both teams.

Georgia (5-2) @ Florida (4-3); Jacksonville, Fl., 2:30 PM, CBS: John Brantley is probable for Gators so that will really help them. Georgia trying to make its way to Atlanta, but so is Florida for that matter. A win here by the Gators would put them back in the hunt as South Carolina may have some issues now that Marcus Lattimore is out for the season with a devastating knee injury, especially for him, but also his team. Aaron Murray played very well against Vandy two weeks ago and running back Isaiah Crowell could be a big factor here. Georgia playing solid football, but the Gators are a lot more dangerous with Brantley. If Brantley plays, which it looks like he will, Florida has a good shot. And I’ll go with the Gators to knock off the ‘Dogs in an upset.

Gators 24, ‘Dogs 21

Mississippi State (3-4) @ Kentucky (3-4); 6 PM, ESPN Game Plan: State now just playing for pride and a possible bowl as are the Wildcats. Wildcats had a nice win over Jax State last week. State off last week after a tough loss to South Carolina two weeks ago. Think State will do enough to win this one, though Ky looks better.

State 31, Ky 27

No.13 South Carolina (6-1) @ Tennessee (3-4); 6: 15 PM, ESPN2: SC has a lot to play for even without the stellar Lattimore. They will miss him and it’s a tragedy for him personally. Hopefully, Marcus can recover and get back to his exceptional form next season. SC will have to run the ball by committee and Connor Shaw will have to play well. He needs to get that ball to Alshon Jeffery as much as possible. The SC defense will really have to raise their level of play in these last five games for the Gamecocks to get to Atlanta. UT still building under Derek Dooley. I think Derek will be a good coach for Tennessee. He’s just playing a lot of freshmen and sophomores right now and there are growing pains. Freshman Justin Worley will get the start at qb for the Vols. He threw for over 13,000 yards and 157 touchdowns in his high school career so he has a lot of talent. He will rely on receiver Da’Rick Rogers quite a bit and tight end Mychal Rivera. Running game with Tauren Poole and Marlin Lane needs to help. South Carolina defense playing well. Melvin Ingram is an All-American defensive end. He makes a lot of big plays. Should be a good battle, but think the Gamecocks will pull it out as they try to capture an SEC East title shorthanded.

SC 24, UT 20

UAB (1-6) @ Marshall (3-5); noon, CSS: After a huge victory over Central Florida last week, the Blazers try to keep it going. This is another one they can win as they try to rebound from a tough start. Jonathan Perry is the starter for the rest of the season at quarterback after an undisclosed injury to Bryan Ellis has knocked him out for the rest of the year. Perry is a quality player and can do a lot of good things both passing and running the football. Blazers without running back Pat Shed but Greg Franklin and a couple of others have played well. Neil Calloway needs every victory he can get. This one would help. Blazers a better team than they have been under the four previous seasons under Calloway despite their record. Need this one badly.

UAB 27, Marshall 24

National games:

Baylor (4-2) @ No.3 Oklahoma State (7-0); 2:30 PM, ABC : Oklahoma State is in another stratosphere offensively with Clemson. Just a very exciting team. Baylor is as well with the awesome Robert Griffin, III. Should be a wide open, exciting game to watch. Like the Cowboys to keep it going and keep their BCS title hopes alive. Brandon Weeden having an exceptional year. Not sure about Justin Blackmon’s status for the game. May be out. Still like OK State, but in a very good shootout.

OK State  45, Baylor 40

N0.5 Clemson (8-0) @ Georgia Tech (6-2); 7 PM, ABC: Clemson, like OK State, is a juggernaut offensively. Tajh Boyd is a terrific quarterback and has flourished under first year offensive coordinator Chad Morris. Boyd is in my top three for the Heisman, and, in my opinion, could win it if he keeps this up and Clemson wins out in the regular season and the ACC Championship game. Sammy Watkins is an electric player at wide receiver; just a thrill to watch. Tech has struggled offensively the last couple of weeks in losses to Virginia and Miami. Still believe Paul Johnson will right the ship. He’s too good of a coach. But like the Tigers to keep their majestic season going. Dabo doing a stellar job. This Clemson team reminds me of Auburn last year. Very explosive offensively and play enough defense. Not great defense, but enough. Tech should give the Tigers a pretty good battle though. Tech needs to get that running game going and not have to rely on Tevin Washington through the air. He’s a great runner, but he struggles passing at times. Clemson should prevail, but I think this game will be closer than some people think.

Clemson 38, Tech 35

No. 6 Stanford (7-0) @ USC (6-1); 7 PM, ABC: Andrew Luck is exceptional (145-202, 72%, 1,888 yards, 20 TDs, 3 ints). Can throw it in the pocket, off play action and run well also. Just an amazing player. USC has a pretty outstanding qb of their own in Matt Barkley (176-258- 68 %,2,006 yards, 19 TDs, four ints). This should be an epic game. Stanford runs the ball well led by Stepfan Taylor, who has rushed for 697 and six TDs. USC is led by running backs Marc Tyler (435 yards, two TDS) and Curtis McNeal (407, 3 TDs). USC pretty impressive against Notre Dame last week. They would like nothing better than to knock off their rival from the north. Should be terrific. Really looking forward to this one.

Stanford 41, USC 34

(Clint Moseley needs to be solid for AU tomorrow).

I could talk about Nov.5, which will be colossal, for a while.. I’ll try to capsulate as much of it as I can in this post.  I like the Tide by a point right now. Will have my final prediction on Monday. Defenses are pretty similar as are offenses. I would give LSU the edge in the secondary, Alabama a big edge at linebacker, with the best linebacking corps in the country, and I have it even on the defensive line. Don’t hear much about either defensive line though both units are solid. LSU has cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, who is returning from his “severe” punishment by Miles for smoking pot (synthetic, whatever that is, though it has killed a college basketball player so it’s serious) and db Morris Claiborne. They’re both excellent players, so I think the LSU secondary is a little better.
On offense, I’d give a slight edge to Alabama at full strength. But Cyrus going down, and Barrett Jones and Anthony Steen battling injuries hampers the Tide a little bit, though this bye week will help them heal up. It’s pretty much even. At the receiver position, ‘Bama has more playmakers, but LSU will have the best receiver on the field in Rueben Randle. Hanks, Maze, Michael Williams and guys like Kenny Bell are pretty good though. Running back it’s Trent for sure. Spencer Ware will be back from his tap on the wrist as well for taking bong hits, so that will help LSU. They’ve also had a new back emerge in Kenny Hilliard, who had a good game last week running for 65 yards and two TDs. He was a highly recruited player by LSU and is a stellar back. Not sure how much he’ll play though with Ware back. LSU will also throw Michael Ford and Alfred Blue in there. Ware’s run for 512 and six tds and Ford for 441 and six scores. But I like Trent and his 989 yards and 17 TDs. Eddie Lacy has run for 465 and five scores and third stringer Jalston Fowler has run for 329 and three TDs. Trent is averaging 6.6 yards per carry, Eddie 8.0 and Fowler 7.0. I’ll go with Tide there.

Quarterback is the most interesting matchup. A.J. has been outstanding lately. For the year, he’s completed 67% of his passes (134-200) for 10 TDs and three ints. He threw his first interception in 152 throws last Saturday against Tennessee. That’s pretty amazing. He is playing at a very high level and is a lot more a playmaker than a game manager. His last five games since Arkansas have been phenomenal. How he does against this fast, highly aggressive defense could be the key to the game. LSU might put two or three more people in the box, say have seven on the line of scrimmage, to stop Trent and make McCarron try to beat  them. They’ll play one on one against Maze, Hanks and company and challenge A.J. to throw it down field. A.J. will have to play smart and take care of the football in order to win this game. He may need to use some of his game management skills in this game throwing more screens and flare outs to Trent. That will be critical. Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson have been a tremendous one-two combo for LSU. Lee has been awesome. He’s 98-155 (63.2%) for 1,250 yards and 13 TDs. Jefferson has thrown for a pair of scores and run for two more in four games after kicking a guy in the head repeatedly during a preseason bar fight in which four guys were put in the hospital. Speaks to the high character shown in Miles’ program, but that seems to be the way big time football goes now. Coaches want to win and be famous and they’ll give their players every opportunity to succeed with rules or laws put on the backburner. S’s handling of Brent Calloway’s smoking synthetic pot is”internal” as well. Not sure if anything substantial will happen to him either. Doesn’t seem to matter to the coaches much. But I’ll get off that. It bothers me, I wish it would change, but I do enjoy college football, so I’m hopeful these players can get their acts together. A lot of them have their acts together.

I’ve got Alabama 28-27 at this point. Will have final prediction on Monday.

AU really struggling. Defense looks soft and quarterback looks pretty bad. I guess Kiehl Frazier is the quarterback of the future, unless incoming (2012) five star Zeke Pike becomes the man next year. Not sure how well Kiehl throws the ball. Hasn’t shown much in that area so far. Auburn going to try and get through this season with Moseley and Frazier. This Saturday is no guarantee. Ole Miss may have mailed it in, but they may want to knock off the Tigers after getting blasted last year by Cam and company. Don’t think Auburn will quit; at least I hope not. The defense is just not getting it done. At some point, Ted Roof needs to have a good defense. Last year the defense was good enough, but not great. This year, it’s really struggled. I know there are a lot of young players, but they should be better by now. There are some older guys like T’Sharvin Bell, Neiko Thorpe and Darren Bates who can’t seem to rally the guys. It’s not working right now. Not sure why. Maybe they need some better players, but a lot of the guys were four star recruits, so that shouldn’t be the issue. They just don’t play aggressively. The schemes they run don’t seem to work.  They don’t play disciplined not filling their gaps or containing. And they can’t cover receivers. It looks like a lack of talent, but there should be talent there. Roof is not getting it done at this point. Chizik isn’t either really. That book tour and all the offseason hoopla was nice for him, but it usually seems to come back and get you. Teams always seem to struggle after a national championship season. Auburn lost 24 seniors and a lot of them were key players. They lost four important offensive line starters and the line is just not there yet. It really struggled against LSU. Part of it was LSU, but I don’t think there’s much leadership there. I think youth has something to do with this. I know it does. I thought AU was going to be better this year. I know it’s frustrating for a lot of Auburn fans. Now, it’s just hope to scratch out some more wins starting this weekend, try to upset Georgia and hang on against ‘Bama, though that probably won’t be possible. Not sure about 2012 right now either. Thought 2012 might be a big year, and it could be, but Auburn’s defense has to take a look at themselves and decide if they want to be winners. Their quarterback situation will be an issue, too. I would think Malzahn and Chiz would go with Frazier. He just needs to be able to throw the ball down field. He is certainly an athlete and can make a lot happen.

Looked at some national games over the weekend, too. Clemson, Stanford, and Oklahoma State are all powerful teams offensively. Kansas State kind of an unusual team. They’re a little boring, but they somehow win. They win with special teams, some defense and a workable offense. Kansas State has Oklahoma this weekend and depending on if OU shows up after their upset loss to Tubby and Texas Tech, KState could lose this one. Quarterback Collin Klein has run for 670 yards and 14 TDs. He’s completed about 60 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns. Running back John Hubert has rushed for 637 yards and two scores.

Clemson looks like they have a shot to run the table in the ACC and go undefeated. They look like an Auburn of last year. Have Ga. Tech this weekend at Tech, so that will be a challenge though Tech has struggled lately. Quarterback Tajh Boyd is a Heisman candidate for sure. He’s completed 61 percent of his passes (172-278) for 2,379 yards and 24 touchdowns with only three ints. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is the most exciting player in college football in my opinion. The true freshman has caught 54 passes for 819 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s also run a kick back 89 yards for a touchdown and it was at a critical time in the Maryland game when Clemson came back from a deep hole and won big over the Terps. There are studs on offense at Clemson. Stanford and Oklahoma State are juggernauts on offense as well. Andrew Luck, who along with Boyd, Trent, Kellen Moore and Brandon Weeden are my top five for the Heisman right now, is 145-202 (72%) for 1,888 yards and 20 TDs. Stepfan Taylor is an excellent running back. He’s rushed for 697 yards and six TDs. Chris Owusu is their leading receiver with 30 catches for 349 and two TDs. They also have Griff Whalen who has 24 for 345 and one TD and Zach Ertz, a tight end, who has 22 for 308 and three TDs. Coby Fleener, also a tight end, has 17 for 384 with seven touchdowns. Luck loves to use his tight ends. I was looking at their recruiting the past three years and it has really improved every year. Got some four stars in 2008 including Luck who was a 6.0 four star, almost a five star. He is certainly a five star now.

For Oklahoma State it’s Weeden( 222-309, 72%, 19 TDs, 7 Ints), wr Justin Blackmon (61 recepts-662 yards and eight TDs) and rb Joseph Randle (121 rushes for 690 yards and 12 TDs) who are leading their offensive arsenal. They excel as well.

But none of these teams plays great defense like Alabama and LSU. Stanford probably is the best of the bunch, but they’ll be tested this weekend against Matt Barkley and USC. Barkley has thrown for 2006 yards and 19 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Woods has caught 72 passes for 902 and eight scores. They will severely test the Stanford defense this Saturday at the Coliseum. Should be a fun one there. It won’t be for David Shaw, Stanford’s coach. He’ll be sweating this one out hoping his team can survive the Trojans and stay in the national championship hunt. The Trojans have lost to Arizona State by a big margin but stand at 6-1.  After an impressive victory over Notre Dame, they could be primed for the upset. Stanford is a 7 1/2 point favorite. Seven PM, Saturday Night on ABC.

This brings me to my final point and this has already been talked about some. If Alabama and LSU were to play a thriller with one team barely securing the win, then both teams won out the rest of the way, should there be a rematch? This is my take on it:  If LSU wins barely, I don’t think there should be a rematch because the game is in Tuscaloosa, which is a big advantage for the Tide. If LSU beats Alabama at their place, they deserve to not to have to play Tide again. They would have proved they deserve a shot at a national title without playing ‘Bama again. If Alabama beats LSU barely and both teams win out, I think LSU, if they are impressive the rest of the way, should get another shot. These are the two most complete teams in the country by a pretty good margin. Clemson, Stanford and Ok. State have better offenses, but ‘Bama and LSU have solid offenses and epic defenses. I would be for a rematch if Alabama wins barely and both teams take care of business the rest of the way. If LSU wins, one of those other teams, provided they win out, should get a shot. If they don’t,  I would give the Tide another shot. Then there’s Boise State, a good football team, but a team  that just doesn’t play the level of competition worthy of  a BCS championship shot. It’s not totally their fault that they play in a non AQ conference and they’re trying to rectify it by merging with C-USA and the Big East, but as of right now, unless something drastic happens, they probably won’t get in. Kellen Moore is phenomenal and they are a mentally and physically tough team, but they need to play better competition to be included in the discussion. It’s not totally out of the question, and the Broncos are excellent, but they just don’t play the quality competition necessary to play for it all at the end.

I’ll have my analysis and predictions on Friday. More on ‘Bama-LSU on Monday.

(A.J. McCarron will be critical to the Tide’s chances of beating LSU. Maybe the most important piece.)

The Tide should take care of business tomorrow. Auburn, on the other hand, has their work cut out for them. Other SEC action. Some key national games. Here we go.
Last week: 7-1; Overall: 49-18

Tennessee @ No.2 Alabama; 6:15, ESPN2

Tide will be focused for this one. S won’t have it any other way. He is tired of the LSU talk. He has emphasized the importance of this rivalry and says the team can’t afford to focus on anything other than Tennessee. That being said, Tide should handle business even without Anthony Steen (starting o guard) and kicker Cade Foster, who are both out with concussions most likely. Barrett Jones been a little bit hurt, but he should be OK. Trent tries to improve his Heisman numbers. UT without starting quarterback Tyler Bray will have a tough time scoring against Dont’a, Mark and Courtney. Tide should be fine in this one if they are ready to play.

Alabama 35, Tennessee 10

No.20 Auburn @ No.1 LSU; 2:30 PM, CBS

This is going to be tough for Chiz, Clint Moseley and AU even with LSU not having the services of their All American corner Tyrann Mathieu, star running back Spencer Ware and backup corner Tharold Simon. Just don’t think AU Tigers can generate much offense against the remaining guys on the stout LSU defense, and LSU can do enough on offense with the highly capable Michael Ford and Alfred Blue at running back and Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson at qb. It’s in Death Valley, also, which makes it even tougher for the AU Tigers. Turnovers would help a lot along with a heavy dose of Michael Dyer. Emory Blake would help also. I think AU should throw it to Lutz as much as possible and get it to Benton, Carr on the outside on some deeper patterns and work Tre Mason on some power sweeps. Moseley needs to play within himself and avoid mistakes and maybe get the ball downfield. Kiehl Frazier could help the cause as well with his running ability. Just don’t think the AU Tigers can get it done in this one. Might keep it close for a while, and if they do keep it close going into the fourth quarter, you never know. Just don’t believe they can pull this one off though.

LSU 28, Auburn 17

N0.9 Arkansas @ Ole Miss; 11:21 AM, SEC Network:

The Hogs should have their way with the Rebels. Ryan Wilson will have a field day and Jarius Wright and the wrs will annihilate the Ole Miss secondary. Hogs not mathematically out of it in West. A lot left to play for.

Hogs 42, Ole Miss 14

Jacksonville State @Kentucky; 11 AM, ESPNU

Jax State has a real shot in this one. Kentucky is reeling. I’m going to go with the upset as Washaun Ealey and Jax State get it done.

Jax State 31, Ky 28

Army @ Vandy; 6 PM, ESPNU

The ‘Dores going with Jordan Rodgers this week at quarterback. That’s a good move. Army the number one rushing team in the country averaging 361 yards per game. Their quarterback, Steelman, is a good runner. Vandy will have to be ready to play. Army beat the ‘Dores two years ago at West Point. Vandy needs this to keep their bowl hopes alive. As a matter of fact, they have to have this for their program to keep taking steps forward under James Franklin who is recruiting exceptionally. I think the Rodgers move will pay off for Vandy.

VU 28, Army 17

Off: Florida, South Carolina, Georgia  and Mississippi State

National look:

No.4 Oklahoma State @Missouri, 11 AM. FX

The Cowboys better be careful in this one. I haven’t seen Mo. play, but I’ve read and seen some highlights and they’re pretty decent. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon need to step up for their team. James Franklin a good quarterback for the Tigers. Mo. at home could cause Ok. State some problems, but the Cowboys will pull it out at the end behind their stellar qb and wr, Weeden and Blackmon, respectively.

Ok. State 42, Mo.35

USC @ Notre Dame; 6:30 PM, NBC

Not the national implication game that these two programs used to play in, but always a big rivalry. Notre Dame has the better team. Tommy Reas a solid quarterback. USC has been hampered by the NCAA penalties. Matt Barkely is a very good quarterback for the Trojans, but outstanding linebacker Manti Te’o and the Notre Dame defense will do enough to lead the Fighting Irish to victory. The ND offense should be pretty good, too, but expecting a fairly competitive game for a while at least.

ND 35, USC 24

No.6 Wisconsin @No.16 Michigan State; 7 PM, ESPN

Huge game for the Badgers as they try to stay in the national title hunt. MSU defensive end William Gholston is suspended for this game after punching a Michigan offensive lineman last week. That hurts the Spartans’ cause, though their defense is a top five defense and controlled Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson last week. Just think with the offensive weapons the Badgers have, qb Russell Wilson, running backs Montee Ball and James White and wr Nick Toon, and an offensive line that is stellar, will  be too much for the Spartans. The Badgers keep moving forward in their quest for a possible BCS bowl berth and a chance at playing for the national title though they’ll need some help.

Wisconsin 35, MSU 28

No.25 Washington @ No.8 Stanford; 7 PM, ABC:

Another good matchup here. Huskies qb Keith Price is a player. Stanford’s defense is playing well, but hasn’t really been tested yet. Price and Huskies’ offense will do that. But like Andrew Luck to keep Stanford’s hopes of a Rose Bowl appearance, or even better, alive. Washington will give them a tough game, though. Luck will keep working on putting up Heisman numbers.

Stanford 42, Washington 38

Great win for the UAB Blazers last night. Get it done over a pretty good Central Florida team, 26-24. Congratulations to AD Brian Mackin and Coach Neal Callaway. Blazers play at Marshall at 11 AM central next week.  (Tide needs Barrett Jones healthy for this week and in two weeks; Clint Moseley will have to give a herculean effort against Bengal Tigers.)

It doesn’t get any bigger than this as No.4 Mountain Brook hosts No.2 Hoover tonight at Spartan Stadium at 7. This is the game of this century in Alabama high school football. Chris Yeager’s Mountain Brook Spartans and Josh Niblett’s Hoover Bucs have steamrolled through the competition this year and while Daphne and Clay Chalkville have been just as good, one of these two teams have a good shot at being at the Super Six in December in Tuscaloosa. They have to go through each other and possibly Clay in the playoffs. This is for the region crown and will give us a good gauge of who, at least, is one of the best teams if not the best team in the state. Ten to 12,000 are expected to attend this colossal showdown. The Hoover fans want to get there at 5:15 as do the Mountain Brook fans. This will be a classic, no doubt, with many of the best players this state has to offer.
I caught up with Mountain Brook Coach Chris Yeager and got his thoughts on the game. Coach Yeager is not downplaying the importance of this game. He embraces it as do his players. Josh Niblett feels the same way. Hoover has been the standard bearers for football in Alabama this century. Mountain Brook has its work cut out. But so do the Bucs. This Mountain Brook team could be their best in Chris Yeager’s six years at the helm and  they’ve had some very good football teams.Here’s my conversation with Coach Yeager:

DW: Coach, I know there is major anticipation heading into this game. How has your practice gone this week?

CY: “It’s been good. When you have a chance to play a game like this you kind of have a little more spring in your step. That’s the way it’s been this week.”

DW: How are the kids feeling about this week?

CY: “They’ve been really excited. A game like this here, we’ve talked about it a lot. When you’re a little boy playing touch football in your backyard you can just imagine playing in a game like this. In our region, there are six teams that don’t get to play in this. We consider ourselves real blessed to play in this game. And on the other end of this thing, it’s going to be a game you remember the rest of your life. Nobody wants to play in a game where nobody is going to attend. So we’re really excited about this opportunity.

DW: Coach, what are your concerns about Hoover?

CY: “They lost their quarterback, Sam Gilliken (broken collar bone), and the new quarterback actually compliments the team more. Sam was the guy who sort of carried everything on his shoulders. He carried the ball and threw the ball, so there was one guy and you could sort of  focus on him. He was the focal point for the defense. Now you have a guy (Connor Short, 6’0″, 184) whose forte is throwing the ball. He gets the ball out of his hands and now your focal point is 11 guys. They’re spreading the ball around more. The last game they had six different receivers catch passes. Their running back (Caleb Sims, 5’10”, 180) ran for 80 yards . They have balance now and it’s harder to defend. They have a fast defense that does an awesome job. They have great corners ( Nigel Cribbs, 5’11”, 175 and Marlon Humphrey, 6’1″, 172). Whoever they’re guarding,  you’re playing with nine offensive players now. That presents problems . Humphrey is a sophomore and he may be the best corner in the state. He’s a different kind of player. He can fly. He’s one of the best track runners in the state. Cribbs and Humphrey are dominant players.”

DW: So what are the keys to victory?

CY:”We can’t turn the ball over and we can’t have penalties. We feel like if we do those two things and we put a hat on hat and we’re in the right place on defense and withstand the Hoover surge. That’s what Hoover does, they come at you in waves. We know there will be one coming. We’re going to have to be mature and handle the highs and lows of the game. If we do those things we have a chance to win. That being said, I feel good about our kids being able to do that.”

DW: Coach, your quarterback, Edward Aldag, has been tremendous. Talk about what he brings to the table.

CY: “Last year, Edward threw for 26 touchdowns, 2,600 yards and only four interceptions. This year, he’s had the same kind of year (13 touchdowns, 1,400 yards and three ints-the Spartans run the ball more this year with outstanding tailback Mark Rector). He’s an unbelievable competitor. He has may have one of the best football IQ’s I’ve ever seen under center. He’s a Drew Brees kind of guy (Edward is six feet, 165). He elevates the play of everybody around him. It’s a lot of fun to watch him play.”

DW: Is he being courted by colleges?

CY:”There is a lot of interest. He threw 26 touchdown passes last year and I believe 14 or 15 of them were for 50 yards or more. The question these college recruiters have is about the intermediate ball. If he can throw the deep ball like that, he can throw the intermediate passes. If he isn’t taken by a Division One school, it would be the biggest miss in high school football history. Everybody talks about the Drew Brees factor based on his performance. He could probably have some opportunities  and if there were just two of them, they could be good offers. “

DW: Coach, some of your other key players on offense like Mark Rector (running back, 5’10, 155), Coates Doss (tight end, 6’3″, 175) and Gavin Golsan (wide receiver, 5’8″, 140) gives you a lot of versatility on offense don’t they?

CY: “All those guys are productive players. We feel like Reagan Alexander (tight end, 6’3″, 190) and Patrick Sullivan (wide receiver, 5’9″, 150) are excellent players, too.We try to have balance. A lot of our guys are productive and efficient.”

DW: Coach, how big is the home field advantage?

CY: “It’s awesome. We’ve played four out of the last five times at the Met. The lights at the Met are tough because some of them are in the end zone. And their turf is grass and we have artificial turf here. There should be 10,000 fans at the game maybe more. This game is going to be unbelievable. We played them twice at their place last year and twice in ’08 there. We played one and one in 2009. This game would mean a lot to us. We don’t worry about the history of the matchup (the Spartans haven’t won since 1984)–it means a lot more to the coaches as far as the history goes. For the kids it’s only the now that matters. They have a sophomore group of boys at their school that is bigger than our whole school. Their budget is five times ours, but that doesn’t matter right now. We’re excited to get this opportunity.”

Mountain Brook’s key defensive players are linebacker Hatton Smith (5’10, 165), noseguard Harry Reich (5’11, 215), linebacker Reeves Favrot (5’9″,160), linebacker Zach Gillen (5’11”, 150) and linebacker Win Cowden (5’11, 180). The Spartans run five linebacker sets.

Should be terrific. If you’re going, you should probably leave your work or house at 4:45 or five if you can get away at that time. This really is the game of the century. Can’t wait.

(Chris Yeager is preparing his kids for the game of their lives.)

S was classic yesterday in his press conference when he went off on the media about asking him questions he didn’t want to answer. He used one of his famous expletives to tell the media he didn’t want to answer questions about Trent’s Heisman candidacy or LSU or Missouri in the SEC. He wanted to talk about Tennessee and his football team and that’s all. He did say  “we aren’t thinking about the NFL either,” which really is not as accurate. His players do think about the NFL. It could be their livelihood, so yes, they do think about their futures. They’re a pretty focused group and S keeps them that way, but they want to make a living and football is the best opportunity for some of these guys, so they do think about it. But the talk about LSU and Trent’s Heisman candidacy is really irrelevant this week to S and it should be irrelevant. Tennessee is a big game. Alabama should win it, no doubt, but the last time the two teams played, it took a Mount Cody  blocked field goal to save the game and the season. So I don’t think S wants to talk about LSU with a big rivalry game coming up this Saturday. Another issue the media brought up was Missouri playing in the SEC. That set S off, too. He is just not interested in talking about that. What coach would be? They don’t care about those issues. S’s only goals are to beat Tennessee this week and win a national championship. That means you have to be perfect. If Alabama loses this Saturday, they’re not totally out of it, but it would severely hinder their chances of winning a national championship. Playing LSU is going to be epic, don’t get me wrong, but first things first.
As far as Trent’s Heisman campaign, he is certainly a major player in the race. But so is Andrew Luck, Landry Jones, Ryan Broyles, Kellen Moore and there are some others. So you can’t worry about that now. If Trent keeps this up and his team keeps this up, he very well could win it. But to talk about the “Heisman moment” sounds a little feminine, really. I don’t think that’s the way Trent wants to be described. That’s for the media to wax about in their quests to be clever with a sound bite. He’s one of the leaders, no doubt. I’d put him up on top right now. But there is a lot that can happen starting this Saturday, so it changes week to week. He’s a phenomenal player, for sure, but there are some other terrific players in college football. It’s week to week, just like the quest for a national title. There are no shortcuts.

‘Bama looked fantastic. There really are no weaknesses. The secondary will need to play better at the beginning of  the game and the kick coverage team had some breakdowns, but Trent, Jalston Fowler, Eddie and Blake Sims were terrific running the football. The oline is unreal. A.J. is a lot more than a game manager. He’s a playmaker. The receivers get better every week. What else can be said about the defense? Derek Dooley says it’s the best group he’s ever seen. Things look very good. Skip Bayless, the main analyst on ESPN’s First Take, thinks the secondary can be a little suspect at times. I don’t know. They’re pretty talented. Skip is an Oklahoma native and picked OU to win it all, so he thinks Landry Jones, Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills can exploit the ‘Bama secondary if given the opportunity. That would be an interesting game. OU is a great team without a doubt. ‘Bama, LSU and OU have separated themselves from the others. Ok. State is in the conversation and they have a shot. Boise State is probably a long shot though I’ve watched them and they’re a very good football team. Wisconsin and Clemson are others. Some people are talking about Kansas State and they’re pretty good. But, from the looks of things right now, the top three are the best teams and should decide who is the national champion.

Tennessee has backup Matt Simms starting this Saturday in place of injured Tyler Bray and I think he’ll have a lot of trouble with the Alabama defense. It would be interesting to see the prolific OU passing game against Alabama. Of course, there’s a little team called LSU to deal with as well. Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson are not Landry Jones, but they pose some problems and the LSU playmakers are pretty decent. And their defense will keep them in the game for sure. Should be epic. But ‘Bama and LSU have to take care of this week first. ‘Bama may be without guard Anthony Steen this week due to a concussion and that would be significant. They’ve got different guys, Alfred McCollough and John Michael Boswell, working at that position. Kicker Cade Foster also may have suffered a concussion, so that could be significant also. I know Jeremy Shelley is their short kicker. Not sure if punter Cody Mandell can kick. We’ll see how that develops.

AU has to go to LSU this Saturday. Got to watch the Florida game last night and was pretty impressed with how the defense has improved. They didn’t face the most potent offense though, so the jury is still out on how much better they are. It’s tough in Baton Rouge, tough on Saturday Night and tough on Saturday afternoon. This team with youth will be tested mightily by a tremendous defense and a decent offense. The defense needs to keep AU in the game. The front four has really come around led by defensive ends Corey Lemonier and Nosa Eguae. Those two guys played very well on Saturday Night. Linebackers, particularly Darren Bates, were active and T’Sharvin Bell had a nice interception. Need to create some turnovers against LSU to stay in the game and AU also needs to get good field position.

Sounds like Chiz could start Clint Moseley Saturday. That will be decided before practice today. I think Moseley is fine. He’s not great. He may be better than Trotter, but Chiz may stick with Trotter and Kiehl, so we’ll see later today. That’s an important decision. Chiz keeps it close to the vest, and I think he still likes Trotter, but Moseley had some nice throws on Saturday and seemed to make some things happen. It could be quarterback by committee though I think Chiz and Gus should settle on one guy and let Kiehl run his stuff.

It was good to see Onterio get a TD. He’s been running hard this year; just hasn’t gotten in the end zone. DeAngelo Benton made a nice catch in the first half for a score, but then dropped one in the second half. Not sure you can trust him totally. It would be nice if they could get Emory Blake back for this game. Chiz as usual is keeping his condition under wraps. Don’t think if he knows yet if Emory will be available. Emory would help. Lutz is a player. They need to throw it to him seven or eight times a game. He is a playmaker, a difference maker. Maybe Quindarius Carr can give them a deep threat. He made a nice catch on a deep , 42 yard throw by Moseley. It was a nice throw by Moseley and a real nice catch by Carr. Of course, you need to keep pounding the ball with the workhorse, terrific Michael Dyer.

So Gus Malzahn and Ted Roof have their work cut out for them to say the least; particularly Malzahn. AU has shown a lot of resilience this year. This is tough, but this is a strong minded team that is used to winning, so they’re not going to make it easy on LSU. Should be an interesting game. 2:30 PM on CBS. By the way it was just announced, Moseley will start on Saturday.

Hated to see Marcus Lattimore go down with a torn ligament and cartilage damage in his left knee. That is very tough for Marcus. He’s a fine player and his career may be a little bit in  jeopardy after this injury. With modern medicine and therapy, he could return to form, but knees are tough to recover from. I’m pulling for him that’s for sure. He’s been a total team player for the Gamecocks and a dedicated leader. Spurrier has it a lot tougher now. He’s got some decent backs behind Lattimore, but nobody that good. Not many in college football are. Trent and Dyer are, but that’s about it. That’s about it. SC is off this week then go to Arkansas. That’s going to be very tough for them to win that one. Georgia is looking better and better in the East.

That Georgia-Vandy game was a very good game, but the ending was even wilder. Vandy had blocked a punt with seven seconds to go and had it on the Ga. 25. But they couldn’t get it in and lost 33-28. The fireworks started after that. In the postgame handshake, it looked like Vandy coach James Franklin may have said something to a Ga. player. Ga. defensive coordinator Todd Grantham went crazy and started screaming at Franklin. It looked like a fight was about to happen. Both of those guys were college football players so it would have been a very intense fight. It was out of line on both their parts; shouldn’t have happened. If you saw the Detroit-San Francisco game, Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz got into it after the game after Harbaugh slapped Schwartz’s hand and hit him on the back pretty hard and Schwartz said Harbaugh said an obscenity. That was an intense situation as Schwartz went after Harbaugh. Those were two wild situations. That doesn’t need to happen, but at the same time, it is a tough game, with hard nosed people, so it probably will happen again. But the situations are over so everybody can move on. The NFL is not going to fine those two NFL coaches which is a little surprising. Not sure what if anything the SEC will do. We’ll see.

Will have more later this week.

(S and Chiz have some issues they are dealing with. S trying to win this week without distractions. Chiz trying to figure out whom his QB will be.)

‘Bama needs to be focused from the start and AU needs to somehow find a way to pass the football and control Florida’s speed. The AU defense has played better even though Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson completed 19 straight passes against them. I know that doesn’t sound good, but they look like they’re getting better. They’ve got to keep improving and need to put pressure on Florida’s young quarterbacks this week. That AU defensive line is impressive looking, they’ve just got to get better at stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback. Here’s a look at this week’s games:
Last week: 5-2; Overall: 42-17

No.2 Alabama (6-0) @ Ole Miss (2-3); 5 PM CT. ESPN2

Alabama’s defensive play has been well documented, but here are some numbers that help explain their performance this year further. The Tide is number one in the country in rush defense allowing 39.83 yards per game. They are fourth in the country in pass defense at 151 per game. And they are third in the country in total defense giving up 191 yards per game. The two teams ahead of them in total defense, Michigan State and Central Florida, have not played the level of competition Alabama has, so really, this is the best defense in the country outside of LSU. When the two teams collide on Nov.5, the best defense will be decided. In the meantime, both teams need to focus on their games at hand. This week for ‘Bama it’s Ole Miss. Houston Nutt had to suspend four players for this game, one of them being Brandon Bolden, their top running back. Nutt can’t catch a break. S is highly complimentary of what Nutt can do offensively. I do think Nutt is a good offensive coach. But he’ll struggle tomorrow. His quarterback play has been very inconsistent.

On the other side of the ball for ‘Bama, they are 73rd in the country in total offense. I’m sure S would like to see those numbers elevated though A.J. McCarron has played very well since the Penn State game. He’s completed 65% of his passes (98-150) with eight TDs and two ints. He’s been outstanding. He’s been a lot more than just a game manager. I’m surprised to be honest. I thought he might struggle. But with Marquis Maze and now with the emergence of DeAndrew White and the play of tight ends Michael Williams and Brad Smelley, the Tide has a pretty good passing game. Darius Hanks needs to keep getting back to his form from last year and the year before. They need him to perform to give them another weapon out wide. Maze has been tremendous. He is an All-SEC player and possibly an All-American. Trent has run for 729 yards on 115 carries with 11 TDSs. He’s averaging 121 yards per game. Eddie Lacy has added 396 with an 8.6 yard per carry average and five tds. Eddie is expected to be back from his turf toe injury.

C.J. Mosley is expected to play tomorrow. Ole Miss will rely on either Randall Mackey at quarterback. He was eight of 18 for 214 yards and a TD against Fresno State in Ole Miss’s 38-28 victory two weeks ago at Fresno. Boise State blew out Fresno and this is no Fresno State tomorrow Ole Miss is playing tomorrow. Jeff Scott ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns two weeks ago at Fresno and he’s a pretty good back, but he’s kind of like Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps in that he’s small in stature.

There’s just too much talent out there for the Tide. That’s a pretty trite statement, but that’s the story. This is a mismatch. S would like to see his team get off to a better start than they did against Vandy. He’d  like to see his team play better this week.

‘Bama 35, Ole Miss 3

Florida (4-2) @ No.24 Auburn (4-2); 6 PM, ESPN

AU back on ESPN hoping to get better results. Need to throw the ball better to give Michael Dyer a break and loosen up the defense for him. Barrett Trotter is not totally at fault for last week. DeAngelo Benton dropped three balls and there were some other drops. I’ve got a friend who commented that Trotter throws too hard a ball. It’s too fast and hard to catch. Could be some truth to that. Kiehl Frazier should see more and more action as the season progresses and he needs to get better throwing the ball. He threw it tentatively against Arkansas last week and paid the price with two interceptions. He’s a terrific runner, but has to get better throwing the ball if he wants to be the man this year and in the future. With Emory Blake doubtful, that puts more pressure on guys like Benton, Travante Stallworth and Quindarius Carr. Lutz needs to be a big part of the passing game. They need him to be a factor. I like freshman Tre Mason. Those rocket sweeps work with him. They need to use him in the offense more. There hasn’t been much talk about Onterio McCalebb this season, but he’s having a decent year with 312 yards and averaging 5.6 a carry. But he hasn’t gotten into the end zone. It would help if he broke a long one. Dyer has 679 on the year and eight TDs. He just needs some help.

The defense is getting better though Wilson had his way for a while last Saturday. He’s become a great quarterback though. To me, it’s the defensive line that has to improve. They need to disrupt more at the line of scrimmage and they need to put more pressure on the quarterback. With Florida starting one of their true freshmen this week, Jeff Driskel or Jacoby Brissett, at quarterback, they could have trouble moving the ball through the air. Chris Rainey and now Mike Gillislee are good backs.  Just not sure where Jeff Demps stands with his injury. Think he’s questionable, but may play. Rainey can break it any time and Gillislee gives them more of a power game at 205 pounds. So the Auburn defense will be tested. Driskel and Brissett both have talent, particularly Driskel, but I think Auburn is going to do enough to pull this game out. I look for more a lower scoring game in this one with the home field advantage pushing AU over the top.

Auburn 17, UF 14

No.15 South Carolina (5-1) @Mississippi State (3-3)

Both teams need this game badly, particularly South Carolina, as they are in a horse race with Georgia and possibly Florida for the Eastern Division title. Connor Shaw played well last week, but I’m not sold on him yet. He was 26-0f-39 for 311 yards and four touchdowns. But it was Kentucky. That’s not a great gauge on how good you are. This week, State will be charged up to knock the Gamecocks off and I think they’re going to give SC all they want. Dan Mullen looks like he’ll go with Tyler Russell, who played well last week against UAB in relief of Chris Relf. I like Russell; he’s a pretty good quarterback. But the Gamecock defense is playing pretty well right now. Melvin Ingram is awesome. He’s a game changer. Jadeveon Clowney has four sacks and Ingram has five and a half. They are excellent. Marcus Lattimore should play pretty well though he’s not been as good the last three games against Vandy, Auburn and even Kentucky. Not sure what’s going on with him, but he’ll probably be better tomorrow. Shaw can throw it up to Alshon Jeffery and let him make plays. With Lattimore carrying the ball and Jeffery having opportunities to catch the ball, they’ve got a pretty good shot against State. I think this will be a competitive game. Shaw won’t be as good, but his two teammates on offense, Lattimore and Jeffery, and a pretty good defense will push SC over the top. This was kind of a tough one, but think SC will get’er done.

South Carolina 28, State 24

No.1 LSU (6-0) @ Tennessee (3-2); 2:30 PM, CBS

Like LSU to keep on truckin’ in this one. Tennessee’s Tyler Bray looks to be out for the season, so senior Matt Simms takes over at quarterback tomorrow. LSU just too good on defense. Tauren Poole, UT’s top rb, is questionable for the game, and even if he plays he won’t be at full strength. The interesting part will be to see what Miles does with Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson. Look for Jefferson to play more; that’s my feeling. Miles might mess this up in the long run. Or he might get lucky like he has been since he’s been at LSU. This may work out, but I think it could cost Miles with Lee looking over his shoulder when he makes a mistake. It just puts Lee in a bad position, but then again, that’s competition. It may be costly for LSU against Alabama. We’ll see how things progress tomorrow.

LSU 31, UT 10

Georgia(4-2) @ Vandy (3-2); 6 PM Fox Sports South

‘Dawgs got it going. Isaiah Crowell is the real deal at running back. He’s run for 573 and four TDs, averaging 95 yards per game. His longest run is 29 yards, so Bulldog fans are hoping for some longer, take it to the house runs from Crowell. That should happen soon; quite possibly tomorrow. Even though Aaron Murray is not playing to last year’s standards yet, he’s still a very good quarterback and done pretty well. He has thrown for 13 TDs against six ints. Leading receiver Malcolm Mitchell is out, but Orson Charles, Tavarres King and Michael Bennett should play big roles. The defense for Georgia has come on. Linebacker Michael Gilliard has 40 tackles and LB Jarvis Jones has 4 sacks.Nose tackle Kwame Geathers, at 6’6″, 35o, can clog up the middle. Vandy may have trouble running the ball once again.

Vandy quarterback Larry Smith is probable for the game. He was doing pretty decently against Alabama last week until he made a mistake on third and one and ran right into ‘Bama nose tackle Josh Champman who buried him and hurt his ankle. But Smith will probably start. A lot of Vandy fans are hopeful that if Smith falters early, James Franklin will pull him for Jordan Rodgers. Rodgers just looks better out there, with a better command of the offense and a calmer presence and playmaking ability. The Vandy defense can intercept the ball; Casey Hayward leads the team and is tied for the SEC lead at four. But they need to get pressure on Murray. I think Vandy, if they can get decent quarterback play, can make this a good game. Franklin can’t be patient with Smith because when he starts going south, he doesn’t seem to recover. Rodgers will need to get in the game if Smith struggles. Georgia has a chance to win the East if they keep playing well and South Carolina stumbles, which they very well could. The Gamecocks have a road game at Arkansas in a couple of weeks, so that’ll be tough and if ‘Dawgs take care of business they could win the East. Georgia will take care of business tomorrow in Nashville.

‘Dawgs 28, Vandy 14

Kentucky off. vs Jacksonville State, 10/22

Arkansas off. @ Ole Miss, 10/22

UAB (0-5) @ Tulsa (2-3); 7 PM, CBS College Sports

Blazers and Neil Calloway have to start winning. Calloway trying to save his job and it’s getting pretty precarious for him right now. Thought Blazers had a shot with Ms. State last week, but costly turnovers that have plagued UAB teams throughout the years under Watson Brown and Calloway, prevented the Blazers from possibly winning. Bryan Ellis is a game time decision. He would help, but I like what I’ve seen for the most part out of Jonathan Perry at quarterback. Either way, Blazers can move the ball. Tulsa lost to Boise State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State by large margins, but those are three of the top six teams in the country. The teams’ one common opponent has been Tulane, which Tulsa defeated, 41-3. Tulane blasted UAB, 49-10. I wish I could pick the Blazers–always want to–but it’s at Tulsa and Tulsa is a pretty decent team. UAB will fight like they always do, but it won’t be enough.

Tulsa 44, UAB 17

Other games:

No.11 Michigan (6-0) @ No.23 Michigan State (4-1); 11 AM, ESPN

Michigan’s Denard Robinson is just too good for Mich. State defense, which is ranked No.1 in total defense, but the only test they’ve had was against Notre Dame and they lost that game, 31-13. Denard has thrown for 10 TDs and nine Ints, but has run for 720 yards and eight TDs. I say he does it again.

Michigan 35, MSU 28

No. 6 Oklahoma State (5-0) @ No.22 Texas (4-1); 2:30, ABC

Too much Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon for Texas to handle. Texas got wiped out by a veteran, talented OU team last week. Texas too young this year to be a serious contender in the Big 12 and nationally. Will see more of the same this week that they saw last week.

Ok. State 42, Texas 28

(A.J. McCarron needs to keep the momentum going.)

These were and are two special defenses. I would say the ’92 defense had a little more star power with Antonio Langham, George Teague, Eric Curry, John Copeland and Sam Shade, at least to this point. This year’s defense looks like it has more depth, though.Dont’a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw and Mark Barron are becoming pretty familiar household names just like those guys were. By star power, I’m talking about the interception Langham made against Florida that he returned for a score to seal the SEC Championship game and enable the Tide to play Miami for the National Championship. George Teague made one of the premier plays in Alabama football history when he stripped the ball from wide receiver Lamar Thomas of Miami who was running for a score on a long pass in the Sugar Bowl against Miami.Teague pulled off “the Strip” on the ‘Bama 10-yard line. It was an epic play and led to yet another national championship and another Daniel Moore. But there’s time for this 2011 group to make some memorable, historical plays. A lot of football left. Of course, one of the greatest lines to come out of an Alabama football game was in the 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State when Tide defensive end Marty Lyons told Penn State running back Mike Guman on fourth and goal at the one for Penn State, “You’d better pass.” Penn State tried to go over the top on a Guman leap and was stuffed by Lyons, Barry Krauss and Don McNeal. ‘Bama won the national title that year, too.
Barron has already made some major hits and Upshaw had a dominant performance against Michigan State last year and had a dominant performance against Florida two weeks. Hightower is back to his 2009 form, and guys like Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Dee Milliner and Robert Lester are all capable of big plays. Menzie made the play of the year so far on defense with his interception of a Tyler Wilson pass which he took in for a score that turned the momentum in that blowout of the Razorbacks. There’s a lot of football ahead and some great plays to ensue. Should be fun.

(George Teague made one of the most memorable plays in Tide history; Courtney Upshaw could do something like it this season.)

The Stephen Garcia dismissal is perplexing in its timing. Since Connor Shaw proved to be a capable quarterback, at least against Kentucky, Garcia was dismissed from the team for alcohol and drug use (marijuana) yesterday. They gave the guy six chances. That’s a lot. When he didn’t work out on the football field and he messed up once again off of it, he got booted. That’s tough for the kid, but he’s had plenty of opportunities to redeem himself. His grandfather passed away a week and a half ago and he got benched last Saturday, and he lost it once again testing positive for alcohol use and marijuana. He’s having a tough go right now. But did Spurrier check on Garcia’s alcohol and drug use this season while he was the starter? That’s what I’d like to know. It’s questionable. I know that Spurrier is taking a chance now that Shaw is their only guy with any game experience, so releasing Garcia has its risks on the field for Spurrier. If Shaw gets hurt, Spurrier may be in trouble. I saw where they gave Shaw’s backup some reps at the end of the game last week.
I wonder what Saban or Chizik would have done with Garcia. They are in winning situations and can afford to get rid of players who don’t act right. They have a lot of depth, so it’s not as hard to kick off a player who is a constant thorn in your side even though he is a quality player and the quarterback. If Saban or Chizik had these problems with A.J. or Kiehl Frazier, it would be interesting to see how they would handle it. S had his problems with some of Shula’s players early in his tenure, but he seemed to clean that up. Chizik had the problems with the four players in the winter and kicked them off the team. He had to do that.

Spurrier is still struggling trying to get South Carolina to be a big time winner. South Carolina just doesn’t have the appeal of Alabama and now Auburn and has always struggled in football. Spurrier is trying to take the program to a new level, competing for SEC titles and making a run at the national title. He’s recruited well recently landing the last three players of the year in the state and a three of the top players in the country the last three years in Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney. But he doesn’t have  the quality depth that Saban always has and Chizik is starting to establish. It would be interesting to see how S or Chiz would handle a situation like this. I think the guy got too many chances, but I do remember Gene Stallings giving David Palmer a second and third chance after two DUI’s in two weeks. So Saban and Chiz haven’t faced this type of situation with their starting quarterback. Chiz kicked off four players for stealing in the winter, but he was riding high, had just won a national championship and really, had no choice. Those guys had committed felonies. So I think Spurrier is in a different situation that S or Chiz are right now. it’s harder to win at South Carolina, so he gave Garcia every chance to succeed as a college football player and as a person. The kid just wouldn’t do his part. The timing is still very suspect; it looks bad for Spurrier and South Carolina. Coaches need to take a stand when a player misbehaves. I believe usually in second chances for players if their crimes aren’t egregious. Players misbehave a lot and there is such tight media coverage that it never slips under the cracks. Everything is reported and out there. That’s just the way it is these days. I’m not saying that’s good or bad. In some ways it’s good that players are responsible for their actions in public. It’s bad because there is no privacy. But the answer to that is just to act right and not go to bars at 2:30 in the morning and get in a fight like Jordan Jefferson did. That situation really is egregious. I don’t know the exact circumstances of that night, but it was so easy for him to get back on the team at LSU. Seems like a pretty loose ship that Les Miles is running. Could come back to haunt him if a guy like Jefferson messes up off the field or on in a critical situation. Again, I don’t know exactly what happened that night at a Baton Rouge bar, but four guys were sent to the hospital and Jefferson was allegedly seen kicking a guy in the head by an eyewitness. Very suspicious and disturbing, too, that Jefferson kind of praised God publicly for basically getting him off. There was no accountability on his part. It reeked of injustice and foul play. I don’t like it.

But I do see a little credence in Spurrier and SC trying to help Garcia turn his life around at first. But in retrospect, it seemed to be more of a football move than saving the kid from messing up his life. It looks pretty unethical. Spurrier is a pretty fun guy, I admit. I enjoy his interviews. Not sure about his personal integrity, now, though. This didn’t look like an ethical way to handle this kid’s situation. The kid acted like an idiot for a long time and they should have kicked him off the team after the third transgression. He just couldn’t get his life together. Maybe Garcia can learn from this, turn his life around, find a place where he can finish off his playing career, get a degree and make something of himself. I hope that’s the case.

For Spurrier, he has Connor Shaw to turn to now. I saw Shaw in the spring and even though he played well against Kentucky, I’m not convinced he’s the savior for the program. He looked to have a weak arm. We’ll know more this Saturday against Ms. State at State. He could be the answer. I just want to see him play a decent defense. State is a lot better than Ky on defense for sure. Not a great defense by any stretch, but certainly an upgrade from last week. They have a pretty good secondary, too, so Shaw will be tested.

It’s a shame that Garcia couldn’t get his life together. He struggled throughout his career both on and off the field.  Don’t think Spurrier showed much integrity in this matter, or the university for that matter. Spurrier may have finally done the right thing, but the timing seems pretty sleazy.

Sorry I’m just getting this out, but I had to think and reflect a little bit more on the past weekend before I posted. Here are my thoughts:
Alabama in terrific shape for a national championship title. Just no flaws. Some writers, including a Sports Illustrated writer, are calling this the best Alabama defense ever, even going as far as to say this might be the best defense ever in college football. That’s a big statement. Let’s just say these guys are phenomenal and let the season play out. They could very well be the best ever at Alabama and maybe the best ever in college football. That is a huge statement and almost impossible to quantify; but they could be one of the five or six best ever if they keep this up. I’ll go as far as say that. Nebraska had some great defenses as has Ohio State. Penn State, too. Miami. Florida State. So it’s hard to say that. But ‘Bama has had some amazing defenses through the years. Lee Roy Jordan’s defense in 1961 gave up 24 points all season. The ’78 and ’79 defenses were incredible. And, of course, 1992 with Eric Curry and Antonio Langham among others.

I read where seven of the 10 players on the defense are first or second round draft picks in 2012. I can see that. Know Hightower, Upshaw, Barron, Chapman, Nico and Jerrell are first or second round material. Maybe Damion Square. Not sure if Jesse Williams would come out after this year being a junior college transfer, but he’s certainly got the physique and mindset to be a very good defensive tackle in the NFL. And Nick Gentry. They just keep coming at you. Robert Lester is a junior as is Dre Kirkpatrick. They’re going pro for sure; probably in the top two rounds. Would like to see Lester start making his mark again like he did last year. He’s quite a player when he’s playing well.

That’s impressive, but they’ve all got some important college football left to play. They want an SEC championship and a national championship. It looks like a national championship elimination game will take place in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5 unless something highly unexpected happens in the next two weeks. LSU is for real as we know. So is Oklahoma. Wisconsin, Boise State and Oklahoma State are right behind them. Clemson and Georgia Tech are not out of it thought they’ll need to be perfect and get some help.

Back to the NFL, quickly. I’m also pretty sure the offense is going to have some first round picks. I think Barrett Jones and D.J. Fluker could go in the first round. William Vlachos should be picked in the first three or four rounds. Chance Warmack is a fantastic player. He should go in the first five rounds. The weakest link on the oline is probably Anthony Steen, but he’s getting better. Then there’s Trent. Probably a top five pick if he keeps this up. Maze should go in the first three or four rounds. Sure he’s not big at 5’10”, 180, but neither was Javy who is now playing for Kansas City and neither is Santonio Holmes (5’11”, 192), who is having a pretty good NFL career. Maze has that speed and playmaking ability. Hanks could get there if he improves and Michael Williams has got prototype size for a tight end at 6’6, 270; actually the ultimate size. He may come back another year to improve his pass catching and help improve his draft status.

That was just some NFL thoughts. It’s pretty exciting watching your colleges’ players play on the big stage. I’ve had a good time watching the Vandy guys, Jay Cutler and company, play for the Chicago Bears. It gets me a lot more interested in the pro game. Have enjoyed watching Mark Ingram so far. He is in a loaded backfield. Wow, that New Orleans offensive arsenal is something special. Apparently, Drew Brees had all of his offensive teammates working together during the lockout and that’s paid off. The Saints are going to have a big season. Possibly another Super Bowl year. With Mark, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles running and catching the ball out of the backfield and that passing game with Brees and his pass catching mates, this team will be right there at the end with the Packers. I’m hoping the Bears can get back in the hunt. They’ve got a lot of work to do, especially on the oline and on defense. Their defense was so good last year, everybody is back and they’re struggling. I have faith in’em though. Think Jay Cut and company can get it going.

OK, back to ‘Bama. Looked fine agains Vandy. First half was not too good and S was hot; you could tell. But the team really picked it up in the second half. A.J. was great in my opinion. Twenty three-of-30 for 237 yards and four touchdowns. Are you kiddin me? Those are exceptional numbers. He’s a lot more than a game manager in my book. He’s a playmaker. DeAndrew White could be the next Julio if he keeps this up. He’s built well, has great speed and has a very nice vertical. I’m not saying he IS the next Julio, but he could be pretty darn close. Made a couple of beautiful receptions for TDs against a pretty good Vandy secondary; at least they were good going into Alabama. C.J. Mosely was out injured, so Nico Johnson and Jerrell stepped up. I thought Nico played a terrific game and Jerrell seemed to be in on a lot of plays. Barron had a couple of nice hits and Dont’a was good. Courtney is an incredible player. Just an intimidator on the outside. He’s a game changer. ‘Bama has quite a few of those. Good to see the team get a couple of interceptions. Dee Milliner’s was a great individual play by Dee. Very athletic player. Nico got the other pick. It’s just athlete after athlete on defense. This defense has the exceptional physical talent, the desire and the leadership in Hightower, Upshaw and Barron. They have it all. Just need to get through these next two games at Ole Miss (Saturday, 5 P.M. CT ESPN2), and at home against Tennessee (6:15 CT, ESPN or ESPN2) to set up a colossal, epic matchup with the LSU Tigers. This will be the game of the millennium if both ‘Bama and LSU take care of business. LSU is at Tennessee this Saturday and hosts Auburn the following Saturday before both teams have a week off to prepare for each other. Both teams need to take care of the business at hand first. There are no guarantees. You’ve got to go out and earn it. I think that was S’s message to his team at halftime and after the game Saturday Night. Basically, there are no free lunches; everything must be earned. You can’t take a night off. If you do you’ll lose. He knows that as well as anyone. He’s been in the business for a long time and understands the level of focus and intensity it takes. Miles and Stoops are the same way. All three of these teams are national championship worthy, but they’ve got to get through their regular season schedules to get there. One team, LSU or ‘Bama, will probably be out of the picture after Nov.5, so there are no days off from now till early January for any of those three. Wisconsin, Boise and Ok. State are just chomping at the bit to get a shot at it. So if you let down, you’re sunk. S always has a sense of urgency. His team needs to follow suit every practice and every game. It’s October and there are no redos.

I thought AU would do better on Saturday; I really did. But losing Emory Blake and with the quarterback situation where it is right now, the Tigers are struggling. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to replace all those seniors, along with Cam and Fairley. It has taken its toll. By the way, Cam is doing very well in the NFL. He looks like he’s going to have a stellar career. Watched him the last two weeks against Chicago and New Orleans and he’s been sensational. Cam is proving the critics wrong again. They have some dynamic players in that Carolina offense with Cam , Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers have a bright future if they can build up their defense. Nick played some last night against Chicago. Looked pretty active. With him, the unblockable Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch, this Detroit dline looks unstoppable. The future is now for the Lions. They’re 5-0 and they’re for real. Nick is in a very good situation.

Back to the Tigers. It’s just a new group of players and there are some growing pains. Quarterback looks pretty suspect, but I think the best bet would be to go with Kiehl for the rest of the season and put him in good throwing situations. I hope he’s not the next Kodi throwing the ball. He looks like he’s got a decent arm, but his passing is not there yet. But he can really run. I’ve heard he was a great passer in high school, so we’ll see how he develops. Trotter just looks like his confidence is gone. I think he’s pretty lost out there. Not having Blake also hurts. Hopefully, Blake can make it back for Florida. He looks questionable. Travante Stallworth, DeAngelo Benton and Quindarius Carr have just not stepped up. The offense is just kind of a mess right now. But the Tigers are still 4-2 and have a shot to redeem themselves this Saturday against Florida ( 6 PM, ESPN). Then, AU goes to LSU. Tough. 2:30 PM on CBS, Oct. 22. Defense played better last Saturday, but it’s a work in progress as well. The whole team is. There is potential. I know it doesn’t look like it now, but it’ll get better. I just don’t understand why the defensive line isn’t any better. If you look at those guys, they’re physical specimens. Lemonier and Whitaker, Nosa, they’re stout guys physically. They look like they should dominate. Auburn just needs experience. I hope that’s the problem. If you remember, last year Alabama struggled with a relatively new defense and lost three games. So it happens with new players. Ted Roof needs to start getting better play out of his defense or people are going to really wonder about him. I have my concerns. Maybe Saturday will be better.

South Carolina kicked Stephen Garcia off the team. Looks like Connor Shaw can play now, so Garcia is expendable. He’s been a problem for a long time and should have been kicked off the team a while ago. Spurrier better hope Shaw doesn’t get hurt. It’s kind of unusual timing to kick Garcia off now after Shaw threw for 311 yards and four TDs. Spurrier wasn’t so quick on the trigger during the summer. Guess he was desperate then. But Shaw could be the answer for Spurrier and the offense. I saw him in the spring and wasn’t that impressed, but he threw all over Kentucky. That’s Kentucky. We’ll see how it goes against State this weekend. State has a pretty decent secondary though the defense has struggled overall. That game is on at 11:21 AM on the SEC Network.  State could really use this one, too, to try and salvage their season.

One more thing for the locals. Mountain Brook High School is playing stellar football right now. This program was amazing under Joey Jones and has kept it up under Chris Yeager. Made the state semis last year losing to perennial Achilles Heel Hoover, but looks to me to be even better this year. The Brook plays Hoover in a week and a half in what could be colossal. I’ve heard Hoover’s quarterback is hurt; maybe a broken collar bone. This is from my daughter, a Mountain Brook student, but she gets some pretty good inside information. Anyway, another fantastic season going so far for the Spartans. They’re just a bunch of smart, good athletes who are extremely well coached and want to excel. Maybe not the athletes of the Major Ogilvie, Richard Burg, Brombey, Cullom Walker teams, but a great group of kids who are underrated athletes and are in it to win a state championship. They will settle for nothing less. If you’re in B’ham, circle Oct. 21. Hoover at Mountain Brook at 7 PM. Epic.

I’ll have more later this week.

(Barrett Jones could be a first round selection; certainly one of the unquestioned leaders on this loaded Tide team.)