Don't have time for a more complete breakdown of each game, given all the craziness in what was already an election week to begin with. However, with most of the games on this week's schedule, it's not like there's a lot to say.
WHEN BOTH TEAMS HAVE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
5 Alabama at 12 LSU / 3:30 p.m. ET / CBS
Yet again, Alabama faces a team that gets the benefit of having a bye week just before ...
I'm sorry? Oh, Alabama is coming off of a bye week as well? Well, but this still counted as one of those 27 teams that the Tide was facing after a week of rest? Oh. Hmm.
In any case, the annual Saban Bowl is once again here for the viewing, though I don't know that this game is quite the SABAN Bowl that it used to be. This is his fourth season in Tuscaloosa. It's a fair question how many of the Baton Rouge faithful have inadvertently wiped his tenure at Death Valley out of their minds with the eraser known as bourbon, and how much the remaining fans who do know who Saban is actually care.
As for the game itself, you all know the drill on this one by now. LSU's offense is epically bad. I know that Gary Crowton is their offensive coordinator, but I'm saying that it's even bad by his standards. No, I'm also not sure exactly how that's possible, but it is.
Alabama's offense is notably better, and while some fans aren't pleased with some of the underlying fundamentals of the defense, it's solid in statistical terms. Then again, so is LSU's.
Alabama 20, LSU 14
'POINTS!' GAME OF THE WEEK
19 Arkansas at 18 South Carolina / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN
This is not a meaningless game for either of these teams, despite the fact that Arkansas has no chance at making the SEC Championship Game and only an unlikely Vanderbilt win against Florida would give the Gamecocks the SEC East. However, both teams are still on the very fringe of the bubble for an at-large BCS berth if LSU goes into a tailspin and a few other things go their way, and a win here is almost a requirement to get to the place in the polls they would need to get there.
It should be one of those games in which we invoke Year2's "if everyone thinks it's going to be a blowout rule" -- but, really. South Carolina's secondary is absolutely dreadful and banged-up this week to boot. That might not matter against, say, any team in a certain division in the SEC (coughcoughEastcoughcough). But against Arkansas ... Meanwhile, Arkansas' last game against a quality SEC team featured a lot of defenders watching the backs of Auburn players as they ran toward the end zone.
I know Vegas is apparently giving this one to South Carolina based on home-field advantage, but look at the calendar. Until South Carolina proves it can defeat a solid SEC team in November, something that hasn't happened since 2005, there's no reason to think they're going to start doing so now.
Arkansas 44, South Carolina 40
IF I ONLY HAD AN OFFENSE (EITHER TEAM)
Florida at Vanderbilt / 12:21 p.m. ET / SEC Network
One of the Florida teams of old -- say, all the way back in 2009 -- would have absolutely destroyed a Vanderbilt team with no offense, even taking into account that the Commodores once again have at least some defense to back it up. The problem, of course, is that the other team can beat you with a few points as long as you can't score any.
Florida will probably try mightily to test that theory. It's not going to be the best game in the world, but Florida will do just enough to ensure that the game in Columbia won't take away the value of the game in Gainesville.
Florida 20, Vanderbilt 3
ALSO PLAYING
Idaho State at Georgia / 12:30 p.m. ET / ESPN3.com Well, at least Georgia gets a win this week. Georgia 43, Idaho State 7
Charleston Southern at Kentucky / 12:30 p.m. ET / ESPN3.com If it's a nonconference opponent for Kentucky and it's not the first week, there's no reason to watch the game. Kentucky 32, Charleston Southern 0
Chattanooga at 2 Auburn / 1 p.m. ET / ESPN3.com An actual opponent might be a challenge for what is likely a distracted Auburn team. Auburn 53, Chattanooga 21
Louisiana-Lafayette at Ole Miss / 7 p.m. ET / ESPNU The Cajuns are quite bad this year on offense, and that's what makes the difference in this game -- but not by much. Ole Miss 47, Louisiana-Lafayette 30
Tennessee at Memphis / 8 p.m. ET / CBS College Sports This game is going to be absolutely unwatchable. Tennessee 9, Memphis 3