SEC
Southeastern Conference• 1. Mississippi State (9-0, 5-0; at Alabama, 3:30 p.m.): How crazy is the new playoff system? Well, it means that everyone in the SEC West now has to root for Mississippi State to lose to Darth Saban and the Empire. There's a madhouse on the line if MSU stumbles this week, and there are even some possibilities of the SEC not getting a team in, depending on how things happen. Which begs the question, if there's a college football championship and the SEC is not invited, did it really happen?
• 2. Alabama (8-1, 5-1; vs. Mississippi State, 3:30 p.m.): Does anyone believe more strongly that they are going to win than the Crimson Tide? We say no, and that's a credit to the foundation and leadership of the program. You can think Nick Saban is the bees' knees or the devil himself, but unless you were related to Les Miles, you knew in your heart when Saturday's game went to overtime, Alabama was going to win. In fact, we have reached a point where Alabama losing is a shock, even in the SEC. (We're not expecting to get shocked Saturday, either.)
• 3. Auburn (7-2, 4-2; at Georgia, 7:15 p.m.): Will Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson find himself on the hot seat come January? We think so, considering the Tigers and an experienced defensive front have struggled mightily. And yes, Johnson's 4-2-5 format is designed to have success against the spread, but with five defensive backs on the field, the Tigers still are getting torched through the air.
• 4. Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2; off): Does any team in the country need an off week as much as the Rebels? Probably not, considering the run Ole Miss concluded with a cakewalk over Presbyterian last week. Ole Miss and Auburn -- teams that have lived on the edge the last few weeks with mixed results -- are now left in a difficult conundrum. Each has had very impressive seasons, and each can't help but be supremely disappointed.
• 5. Georgia (7-2, 5-2; vs. Auburn, 7:15 p.m.): What's the over/under for a rested Todd Gurley against a bad Auburn defense? We'll put it at 180 rushing yards and two TDs. And we'll gladly take the over.
• 6. LSU (7-3, 3-3; at Arkansas, 8 p.m.): What does Vegas know that makes Arkansas a favorite this week? Yes, the 0-for-the-SEC-under-Bielema Arkansas Razorbacks are 2.5-point favorites over LSU. Yes, we know they have fancy buildings and give four-star buffets for $4.99 because of the money they rake in from gamblers, but something's amiss here. That line is cracked.
• 7. Texas A&M (7-3, 3-3; vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m.): Is there a better freshman in the country than defensive end Myles Garrett? Dude is 19 and has 11 sacks -- three more than the SEC freshman record set by some guy named Jadeveon Clowney. Garrett also made the biggest play in the Aggies' stunning 41-38 win over Auburn. Sure, the Auburn self-inflicted fumbles late were painful, but Garrett blocked the Tigers' field-goal try right before halftime that became a 65-yard touchdown return to give A&M a 35-17 halftime lead. If that kick clears the line, Auburn likely would have won the game by two touchdowns.
• 8. Missouri (7-2, 4-1; at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m.): How much do the anti-SEC camps across America love Missouri right now? If the Tigers win out, they get to the SEC title game. And with that loss to Indiana hanging over their heads, the Tigers in the title game would be fun fodder for the other Power 5 conferences.
• 9. Florida (5-3, 4-3; vs. South Carolina, noon): Is Jeff Driskel's career in Florida done? Yes. Yes, it is. Freshman quarterback Treon Harris was solid in the shocking win over Georgia, and he was SEC co-freshman of the week in the Gators' easy win over Vanderbilt.
• 10. Tennessee (4-5, 1-4; vs. Kentucky, 4 p.m.): What's the magnitude of this game, the orange version? It means a ton, because, to borrow from Coach Butch Jones' vernacular, if the Vols are to be building brick by brick, then they need to add win to win and put some back to back. A loss at home to Kentucky would all but erase the rally in Columbia, S.C. Side question: If Butch is going to call the Vols "Team 118" etc., can the Vols call him Coach 23 (and that's counting General Neyland only as one)? We think probably not.
• 11. Kentucky (5-5, 2-5; at Tennessee, 4 p.m.): What's the magnitude of this game, the blue version? It means a ton, because there is a real possibility the Wildcats could finish 5-7 after being 5-1. That's a Wild start and the mildest of Mild finishes. So if UK wants to avoid the Mildcat label, a win -- any win -- is paramount. Plus, if UK gets swept into the offseason -- dates with UT and rival Louisville remain -- without a bowl, all that hope and promise of mid-October becomes just another cold, bowl-less winter.
• 12. South Carolina (4-5, 2-5; at Florida, noon): Does the Ol' Ball Coach have one more trick under his visor? The Gamecocks are the nation's most disappointing team. They opened the season in the top 10 and now are scrambling to find a postseason ticket. Now comes the annual reunion with Spurrier's alma mater, and the Gators have found a little swagger.
• 13. Arkansas (4-5, 0-5; vs. LSU, 8 p.m.): How is Arkansas favored in this game? Yes, we know we asked this earlier, but we're still puzzled. We're also puzzled how Florida State is less than a three-point favorite at Miami this week. There feels like some craziness on the horizon this week, you know?
• 14. Vanderbilt (3-7, 0-6; off): Speaking of crazy points spread, did you see Vegas has Vandy a slight 2.5-point favorite over BYE this weekend? We think it could be close, but there simply is no way Vandy loses this weekend. None.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter at @jgreesontfp. Listen to Jay and David Paschall on Press Row every weekday from 3-6 on ESPN 105.1 FM and timesfreepress.com.