The SEC Rating Game

Associated Press photo by L.G. PATTERSONAlabama quarterback AJ McCarron, left, and offensive linesman D.J. Fluker, center, congratulate teammate Eddie Lacy on his 73-yard touchdown run against Missouri. The Crimson Tide has scored 26 red-zone touchdowns this season.

the RATING GAME

1. ALABAMA (8-0, 5-0 SEC)

Finally, state of Alabama has the NFL team it’s always craved.

2. LSU (7-1, 3-1)

Tigers embedding Kryptonite in turf along visitors’ sideline.

3. GEORGIA (7-1, 5-1)

Ole Miss, Auburn all that stand in ’Dogs path to SEC title game.

4. FLORIDA (7-1, 6-1)

Fun ‘N’ Gun? Gators Smoke ‘N’ Mirrors offense met its match.

5. S. CAROLINA (7-2, 5-2)

Open date gives Spurrier time to invent new ways to irritate Dabo.

6. texas a&m (6-2, 3-2)

The Aggies just scored another TD on Auburn. Make that two.

7. Miss. state (7-1, 3-1)

Seven straight wins to start, five straight losses to finish?

8. ole miss (5-3, 2-2)

Just one more win for a bowl, but it won’t be easy for the Rebels.

9. vANDERBILT (4-4, 2-3)

‘Dores split Electoral College, final four games for a bowl bid.

10. Missouri (4-4, 1-4)

No, Mizzou, you celebrate beating UK in basketball, not football.

11. tennessee (3-5, 0-5)

Dooley: What? Gruden wants to come in and measure my office?

12. arkansas (3-5, 2-3)

South escaped this week’s hurricane, but Hogs may not (Tulsa).

13. KENTUCKY (1-8, 0-6)

UK fans say wake them when there’s a coaching change.

14. Auburn (1-7, 0-6)

Chizik. Jacobs. Aubie. Tiger the Eagle. They may all get boot.

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

SATURDAY

No. 1 Alabama at No. 5 LSU, 7 p.m. (CBS)

No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 17 Miss. State, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Missouri at No. 8 Florida, 11 a.m. (ESPN)

Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)

Troy at Tennessee, 11 a.m. (FSNO)

Tulsa at Arkansas, 11:21 a.m. (WAFB)

New Mexico State at Auburn, 11:30 a.m. (CST)

Ole Miss at No. 7 Georgia, 2:30 p.m. (CBS)

IDLE: No. 11 South Carolina

All times Central

GAME OF THE WEEK

Alabama at LSU

7 p.m. Saturday, Tiger Stadium (CBS)

Not a “Game of the Century,” but still a huge showdown with SEC West, SEC and BCS implications. Alabama has steamed like a dreadnought through its first eight games, winning by no less than 19 points, never trailing more than 15 seconds. LSU is its close match on defense, but the Tigers’ 106th-ranked passing offense must improve if LSU is to extend its school-record and NCAA-best home winning streak to 23 games. This is the seventh meeting between LSU and Alabama since 2007, with one or both teams ranked in the top five each time. They have split their last six meetings 3-3.

AROUND THE SEC

• LSU defensive end and South Carolina native Sam Montgomery says he will wear a No. 21 on his sleeve the rest of the season in honor of South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore, who was lost for the season last Saturday with a serious knee injury against Tennessee. It was Lattimore’s second season-ending knee injury in the last two seasons.
• This will be the 17th matchup of top five-ranked SEC teams since 1980, the fourth involving the Tigers and Crimson Tide.
• The road team is a remarkable 22-8-1 in the LSU-Alabama series since 1981.
• CBS has put a six-day hold on two games for Nov. 10: Miss. State at LSU and Texas A&M at Alabama. One game will be at 2:30 p.m. on CBS, the other at night on ESPN.

Scott Rabalais