What's the Fuss?

Here’s the docket for this week’s SEC games.

All Times Central

Game to watch:
Alabama at LSU, 2:30 p.m., CBS - Although the Tigers aren’t in the hunt for the national title, Nick Saban’s return to Baton Rouge, La., may overshadow everything else about this game — including the Crimson Tide’s bid to keep their No. 1 ranking.

The rest:
Georgia at Kentucky, 11:30 p.m. CST, Raycom - The Bulldogs need to keep winning to not give up the East.

Arkansas at South Carolina, noon CST - Will Spurrier see a better game out of quarterback Stephen Garcia? Or will the Hogs keep getting better?

Wyoming at Tennessee, noon CST, PPV-Vol Network - The Vols need to win in the first game after Fulmer announced he’s leaving UT after this season.

Tennessee-Martin at Auburn, 1:30 p.m. - The Tigers need this win more than they think.

Florida at Vanderbilt, 7 p.m., ESPN2 - The Gators can use this game to prove why they’re national championship game worhty. While the Commodores can do what they did in 2006, the last time UF came to Nashville — almost win.

Here’s the docket for this week’s SEC games. My picks for Games of the Week are bolded.

All Times Central

Saturday, Sept. 13
UAB at Tennessee, 11:30 a.m., Raycom - The Volunteers are coming off an upset by UCLA, with a bye week to boot. They have something to prove. Watch out Blazers.

Georgia at South Carolina, 2:30 p.m., CBS - The Bulldogs’ first real test this season. The Gamecocks can’t find a rhythm at quarterback. Georgia is going to try to prove why it should still be No. 1.

Arkansas at Texas, 2:30 p.m., ABC - Postponed until Sept. 27. Thanks, Ike.

Auburn at Mississippi State, 6 p.m., ESPN2 - National title talk is going through Auburn and Mississippi State is already considered a fluke from after last season’s bowl appearance. This could be make or break for the Bulldogs, while the Tigers continue to run a new spread offense to near domination.

Middle Tennessee at Kentucky, 6 p.m. - The Blue Raiders are coming off an upset of Maryland, but the Wildcats’ defense — the only one in the SEC to not allow a TD this season — will quiet all suspects of a BCS crasher.

Samford at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. - The Rebels are mad after losing to Wake Forest Sat-urday in a game they should have won.

Rice at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m. - The Commodores are riding high at 2-0 and an upset of then-No. 24 South Carolina. Let’s just hope they don’t play down to their opponent this week.

Western Kentucky at Alabama, 6:07 p.m., PPV - The Crimson Tide keep on rolling up the polls and will give the Hilltoppers a true welcome to the Bowl Subdivision.

North Texas at LSU, 7 p.m. - The Tigers haven’t played in two weeks and this week’s game nearly got postponed too because of Hurricane Ike. They’re hungry.

First thing, first. The Southeastern Conference has five teams in the Top 11 of this week’s Associated Press Top 25.
That means everywhere you look there’s an SEC team. Or, just every 2.2 places.

Georgia, which didn’t drop any more after defeating Central Michigan 56-17, is No. 2. Florida’s 26-3 win over Miami, coupled with Ohio State’s poor showing against Ohio, propelled the Gators to No. 4. LSU remained No. 7 this week, although its game against Troy was postponed because of the effects of Hurri-cane Gustav.

Auburn remained No. 9, defeating Southern Mississippi 27-13 on Saturday.

The Alabama Crimson Tide moved up two spots to No. 11 after a 20-6 win over Tulane.

Welcome: Two schools made their season debut in the polls.

Cal went from unranked to No. 23 thanks to a 66-3 pounding on Washington State. The last time the Golden Bears were ranked was the week of Nov. 4, 2007 when they were No. 24.

The other team to enter the polls this week was the story of college football this past weekend.

East Carolina entered the rankings at No. 14 after back-to-back wins over ranked teams. The Pirates de-feated No. 8 West Virginia, 24-3, a week after taking care of then-No. 17 Virginia Tech in Week 1.

Don’t look down: West Virginia’s loss to unranked East Carolina last weekend sent the Mountaineers packing down the polls.

At No. 8 before the game, West Virginia is now No. 25, the largest fall in this week’s Top 25.

The next largest drop was two spots by a handful of teams.

Former No. 23 UCLA and No. 24 South Carolina both fell from the rankings after losses.

Another Georgia: A week after knocking off Tennessee in overtime, the UCLA Bruins went from No. 23 to unranked. During a bye week. This has got to stop, pollsters. The Bruins win over the Volunteers was more impressive than Cal’s blowout of Wazzu.

Ohio State fell two spots after defeating Ohio, but the Buckeyes looked terrible. Somewhat deserved.

The points: The fourth-ranked Florida Gators were 20 points from third place (1,458-1,438) behind Oklahoma.

Fifth through seventh places were closer.

Ohio State, which received 1,347 points was nine more than Missouri (1,336), which was five better than LSU.

Twenty points separated No. 11 Alabama and No. 13 Kansas.

No. 16 Oregon’s 616 points was nine better than No. 17 Penn State. Illinois remained at No. 24 with 164 points, one better than No. 25 West Virginia’s 163.

UCLA which fell out of this week’s Top 25 received 150 points, 77 better than the next highest, Clemson with 73.

Here’s the docket for this week’s SEC games. My picks for Games of the Week are bolded.

All Times Central

Thursday, Sept. 4
South Carolina at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m., ESPN - The Gamecocks are back on Thursday night for the second straight week. Vandy is coming off a nice win over Miami (OH)

Saturday, Sept. 6
Tulane at Alabama, 6:07 p.m., PPV - Can the Crimson Tide keep up their winning ways a week after defeating a Top 10 team?

Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas (in Little Rock), 6 p.m. - The Razorbacks were scared last week by Western Illinois and ULM upset Alabama last year.

Southern Mississippi at Auburn, 11:30 a.m., Raycom - Auburn rolls out a new quarterback.

Miami (FL) at Florida, 7 p.m., ESPN - Florida hasn’t defeated Miami since 1985.

Central Michigan at Georgia, 2:30 p.m, FSNS - The Bulldogs won and dropped from the polls’ top spot.

Norfolk State at Kentucky, 5 p.m. - This has got to be a joke? Watch out for Kentucky’s defense.

Troy at LSU, 7 p.m. - Postponed until Nov. 15. Thanks, Gustav.

Ole Miss at Wake Forest, 2:30 p.m., ABC - Good early SEC-ACC matchup.

Southeastern Louisiana at Mississippi State, 6 p.m. - Perfect chance for the Bulldogs to win their first game of the season.

Georgia football Mark Richt has invited the entire student body at the University of Georgia to join him on the lanes.

The Coach Richt Bowling Challenge, which begins Thursday, was designed to be “an evening of competitioon and fun in a non-alcoholic environment,” a university-issued press release stated. Open to all Georgia students with a valid ID, the challenge is a 12-week event pitting 32 five-man teams against each other every Thursday through the first semester.

Including Richt.

“I’ve always enjoyed bowling and am looking forward to this opportunity for student to a night of fun in a non-alcohol environment,” Richt said. “I think it will be a lot of fun with some exciting competition all through the fall. I have my own bowling balls, shoes and even a shirt.”