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UNDATED (AP) — All eyes are on LSU-Alabama this week. It's the first matchup of Nos. 1 and 2 teams in The Associated Press Top 25 since the Tigers and Crimson Tide met in 2011. The loser still has a path to the playoff if it wins out and a one-loss Georgia falls in the Southeastern Conference championship game. The other big game Saturday is in Minneapolis, where fifth-ranked Penn State plays No. 13 Minnesota in another battle of unbeatens. No. 18 Iowa visits No. 16 Wisconsin in a key Big Ten West game.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A high-stakes tilt between LSU and Alabama could prove as pivotal in Heisman Trophy voting as it is in providing the winner an inside track to the College Football Playoff. It's the second time in five seasons that the rivals have produced top Heisman candidates at the same position. In 2015 Derrick Henry became the front runner and ultimately won it after his big game in a 30-16 victory over the Tigers. Now Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and LSU QB Joe Burrow are in the spotlight.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Forget the Heisman, maybe quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa can settle the question of who has the better wide receivers. No. 1 LSU's Burrow and No. 2 Alabama's Tagovailoa both could make a strong case going into Saturday's game.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida's chances of winning the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division are slim. The 10th-ranked Gators need to win their final two conference games and have No. 6 Georgia lose twice in the next three weeks. No one in Gainesville is counting on that scenario. So Florida is focused on winning 10 games and making another "New Year's Six" bowl. It's a realistic outlook if Florida can avoid another "Cocktail Party" hangover.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia and Ohio State have scheduled a home-and-home series in 2030 and 2031. The Bulldogs will play a home game against the Buckeyes in 2030 and will travel to Ohio State the following season. It is another attractive nonconference addition to Georgia's future schedules, joining recent announcements of series with Clemson and Oklahoma.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State is spending its off week looking to maintain the momentum it picked up by ending a four-game skid in convincing fashion. The Bulldogs ended their losing streak last week with a 54-24 blowout of struggling Arkansas. They face a much tougher challenge next as they prepare to host No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 16.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason says quarterback Deuce Wallace will start when the Commodores visit No. 10 Florida. Mason said Thursday on Nashville radio that Wallace will get his first career start. Redshirt freshman Allan Walters will back up Wallace. Mason says Riley Neal remains in the concussion protocol after being knocked out of last week's loss in South Carolina but will travel with the Commodores.
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