This weekend is assured of containing the final regular-season game for Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel and the final one for South Carolina interim coach Shawn Elliott.
The biggest question in the Southeastern Conference is whether it's the swan song for LSU's Les Miles.
Such a scenario would have seemed ludicrous at the beginning of this month, when the Tigers were No. 2 in the college football playoff rankings, but then came the bottoming out with double-digit losses to Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss. It still seems strange, given that Miles is 110-32, won the 2007 national title, finished runner-up in 2011 and has a win percentage (.775) higher than those of predecessors such as Nick Saban (.750), Bill Arnsparger (.750), Charlie McClendon (.692) and Paul Dietzel (.651), who won LSU's first national title in 1958.
"I'm not going to look to defend or make a case," Miles said Wednesday on the final SEC teleconference of the season. "That's really not what I'm going to do. I love the place, and I'm going to work hard. I'm not going to get into what is my view. I'm fortunate to be the head coach here, and I've always felt that way."
LSU (7-3) hosts Texas A&M (8-3) on Saturday night.
Several media outlets in recent days have reported that LSU officials are prepared to buy Miles out at a cost of $15 million over several years, as well as another $2 million for his assistant coaches.
Those calling for his removal point to a 13-10 record in SEC games since the start of the 2013 season, which followed a 20-4 run in 2010-12. There has been an inability to develop quarterbacks and bad clock management during his tenure, and a fifth straight loss earlier this month to Saban and Alabama threw oil on the fire.
Miles won his national title with a slew of players Saban recruited, and his 13-0 team in 2011 was derailed 21-0 by Saban's Crimson Tide in New Orleans.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Les Miles and the job that he's done," Saban said when asked about the turbulence in Baton Rouge. "He's had a tremendous amount of success for a long time at LSU, but I think there is a little less patience at all levels now. You're seeing it happen in the NFL, because 20 years ago nobody got fired before the end of the season.
"Now it happens on occasion, and you have coordinators getting fired. There is a little less tolerance for people who don't seem to be having success for whatever reasons, and coaches are sometimes the culprits of what happens relative to all that."
Pasquali's Pix:
Missouri at Arkansas: Pinkel will try to win his final regular-season game. Bret Bielema will try to work off some Thanksgiving consumption. Razorbacks 21, Tigers 10.
Clemson at South Carolina: It's been quiet for a while as far as Steve Spurrier poking fun of Dabo Swinney. Tigers 35, Gamecocks 7.
Georgia at Georgia Tech: Bulldogs fans are torn over what to do with Mark Richt after an 8-3 start. Yellow Jackets fans are quite comfortable with Paul Johnson after a 3-8 start. Bulldogs 20, Jackets 13.
Fordham at UTC: You've got to give the Rams (Vince Lombardi) a solid edge over the Mocs (Terrell Owens) in terms of famous football alums. Mocs 31, Rams 22.
Alabama at Auburn: The only way this gets interesting is if Auburn honorary captain Cam Newton is allowed to suit up one more time. Crimson Tide 34, Tigers 13.
Vanderbilt at Tennessee: The Commodores are averaging 8.0 points per game over their last six contests, so three Aaron Medley field goals should just about do it. Volunteers 30, Commodores 10.
Ole Miss at Mississippi State: This Egg Bowl rivalry is pitting teams with at least eight victories for a second consecutive season, something no other prominent SEC rivalry can say. Rebels 27, Bullies 25.
Florida State at Florida: All the Gators need to overcome the erratic play of quarterback Treon Harris are a couple of defensive and special-teams scores. Seminoles 17, Gators 10.
Last week:
Winners..............20
Mad Hatters............5
Pasquali is now 233-67 overall (77.7 percent) this season.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.
OTHER PICKS
Louisville 28, Kentucky 21
LSU 31, Texas A&M 24
Pittsburgh 26, Miami 23
Virginia Tech 21, Virginia 14
Duke 27, Wake Forest 20
UNC 34, N.C. State 25
Navy 35, Houston 30
Nebraska 27, Iowa 24
Oregon 42, Oregon State 17
Baylor 35, TCU 28
Michigan 16, Ohio State 13
Memphis 45, SMU 28
Michigan St. 24, Penn St. 17
MTSU 30, UT-San Antonio 28
Stanford 23, Notre Dame 20
UCLA 31, Southern Cal 27
Oklahoma 38, Oklahoma St. 30