By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Florida has a huge opportunity to shock the nation when it travels to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama.

Thursday

(5) Auburn 20, (20) Kansas State 14

Saturday

Troy at (13) Georgia (-41), 12 p.m. ET (SEC Network); Tom Hart and Matt Stinchcomb

Florida at (3) Alabama (-14.5), 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS); Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson

(6) Texas A&M (-33.5) at SMU, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC); Mike Patrick and Ed Cunningham

Indiana at (18) Missouri (-13.5), 4 p.m. ET (SEC Network); Dave Neal and Andre Ware

Mississippi State at (8) LSU (-9.5), 7 p.m. ET (ESPN); Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge

Northern Illinois at Arkansas (-13.5), 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU); Anish Shroff and Kelly Stouffer

(14) South Carolina (-22) at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network); Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer

Bye: Kentucky, (10) Ole Miss, Tennessee

Matchups to Watch

1. Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves III vs. Alabama WR Amari Cooper

There might not be a better one-on-one matchup in the SEC this season than what well see Saturday between the two All-American candidates. Hargreaves III gives up a few inches to Cooper, but his excellence in Floridas press coverage will make it difficult for the nations leader in receptions. The sophomore leads the SEC in passes defended. Expect Hargreaves III to do whatever is necessary early on to disrupt Coopers timing with quarterback Blake Sims, even if that includes conceding a penalty or two. Early flags could pay dividends later.

2. Mississippi State DT Chris Jones vs. LSU OG LaEl Collins

The Bulldogs are allowing just 80 yards per game on the ground, thanks in large part to the play of the Jones in the middle of the defensive line (and a soft schedule). Collins may be Jones toughest test of the season, as the senior makes his 29th start for the Tigers. Mississippi State has played LSU close the past few seasons, but has physically whittled away in the second halves. Its players like Jones who can match LSUs physicality and perhaps end the Bulldogs losing streak in the series that dates back to last century.

3. South Carolina LB Skai Moore vs. Vanderbilt RB Ralph Webb

Webb has been of the few bright spots for the Commodores this season, showing both the quickness and patience necessary to succeed in a zone-heavy rushing attack. Moore will be glad to see anyone other than Georgias Todd Gurley coming at him after last week. If Moore and the defensive front can contain Webb, theres little threat of a passing game from a Vanderbilt offense that was anemic until the second half of last weeks win over Massachusetts.

Quotable

cI probably wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for the opportunities he gave me early in my careerd 3 Florida head coach Will Muschamp on Alabama head coach and former boss Nick Saban

“We had to calm Dylan down. He never really did calm down the other night. Our entire bench was jumping around too much after Brandon [Wilds] had that touchdown run to put us up. I said, `Men there’s still 13 minutes left and you guys are acting like the game’s over, way too big a celebration’, and Dylan was part of it. 3 South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier on quarterback Dylan Thompsons emotions during last weeks win over Georgia.

“Just two-and-a-half years ago this program was winless in this league, so in that amount of time our kids and people around this program and our administration deserve a lot of credit for being recognized for that. Is it deserving of that? I don’t know, but we’ll find out with the games to come.” 3 Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze on the Rebels being ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll.

History Lesson

Even a casual college football fan is aware of the mystique of Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night.

Its often hot. Its always loud. And there are nearly 100,000 well-lubricated fans who transform Baton Rouge into a living hell for visiting teams. There is no tougher atmosphere in all of college football than after the sun has set in Baton Rouge on a fall Saturday.

But how did LSUs fascination with night games begin? For many years, college football was predominantly played by the light of day. But Louisiana has always marched to the beat of its own drum.

It was early in the Great Depression when one of college footballs grandest traditions was born.

LSU manager and future athletic director T.P. Heard first pitched the idea of playing football under the lights to best avoid the hot, humid temperature of afternoons on the Bayou. The powers that be were sold, and in 1931, LSU played its first night game in Tiger Stadium.

Attendance was strong, allowing those who worked during the day, primarily farmers, to attend games at night. In addition, the Tigers werent directly competing with the other in-state powers at the time, Loyola and Tulane, both located 80 miles down the road in New Orleans.

In the hard times of the Depression Era, Louisianans embraced the Tigers and the opportunity for celebration and entertainment on Saturday nights. 83 years later, little has changed in that regard.

Of the 562 games played at Tiger Stadium, 429 have been at night. LSU holds a 314-102-13 record in night games at Tiger Stadium a .750 winning percentage. In day games at home, the Tigers’ win percentage is only .665.

There was the cEarthquake Gamed in 1988, when the roar from the game-winning touchdown against Auburn registered on a seismograph in the LSU geology building. There was the cFourth Down Gamed in 2007 when the Tigers converted four fourth downs to spark a comeback over Tim Tebow and Florida. There was the 2012 defeat of No. 3 South Carolina, after which head coach Les Miles declared Tiger Stadium to be the place where copponents dreams go to die.d

LSU will go for its 315th win in night games at Tiger Stadium on Saturday against Mississippi State. Its a good thing September afternoons in southern Louisiana can be unbearably hot. If not, a great tradition may never have come to be.

Trivia Time (answers below)

1. Who was LSUs head coach the last time it lost to Mississippi State?

2. Who was the last team to defeat Alabama in September?

3. What is Texas A&Ms record against SMU since the Mustangs returned from the Death Penalty?

Two-Tweet (280 characters or less) Predictions:

Georgia 56, Troy 10

Someone is going to have to pay for the Bulldogs heartbreak a week ago in Columbia. Its going to be the Trojans, who appear to be one of the worst teams in the FBS after a loss to Abilene Christian. 10 carries for Todd Gurley should be plenty with Tennessee on deck.

Alabama 28, Florida 16

While Floridas offense is clearly much improved, the Gators struggled to finish drives last week against Kentucky. That cost West Virginia against the Crimson Tide, and its likely to do the same to Florida despite being on equal footing with Alabama for most of the day.

Texas A&M 48, SMU 14

The SMU campus is one of the prettiest around, but the scene in Gerald J. Ford Stadium Saturday afternoon will be anything but. Interim head coach Tom Mason takes over a team that was outscored 83-6 in its first two games. In come Kenny Hill and the Aggies. Yikes.

Missouri 52, Indiana 28

If this line remains under two touchdowns, bet your mortgage on the Tigers. Indiana lost to Bowling Green last week, and Missouri remains undervalued after a 3-0 start. Five Maty Mauk touchdowns will help send the Tigers flying high into the start of SEC play.

LSU 23, Mississippi State 20

The biggest mystery game comes Saturday night in Baton Rouge, as were not sure quite what we have in either the Bulldogs or Tigers. Mississippi State is good enough to defeat LSU for the first time since 1999, but until something changes, dont screw with a streak.

Arkansas 31, Northern Illinois 20

Jordan Lynch has left DeKalb, but sophomore Drew Hare has replaced the Heisman Trophy finalist admirably with three wins to open the season. The Huskies will battle hard in Fayetteville, but itll be a third straight win for the suddenly dangerous Razorbacks.

South Carolina 38, Vanderbilt 10

The Gamecocks wont be able to avoid a slow start after last weeks big win, but Vanderbilt wont be able to hold up for 60 minutes. A 17-10 game at halftime will turn ugly, as South Carolina vaults to the top of the SEC East standings ahead of next weeks visit from Missouri.

Three Non-SEC Predictions:

1. Florida State will struggle with Clemson, who many seem to forget was leading Georgia in Athens before Todd Gurleys kick return swung momentum in favor of the home team. The Seminoles will survive, but by much less than the three-touchdown spread would suggest.

2. One of the most intriguing games of the week is Utah at Michigan. Both coaches could desperately use a win to improve their falling stock. A week off will benefit the Utes, but the Wolverines will survive by a field goal and build at least a bit of confidence heading into Big Ten play.

3. Can East Carolina do it again? A week after knocking off Virginia Tech, the Pirates now host North Carolina under the lights of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, one of the most underrated stadiums in college football. Not even the Tar Heels extra week to prepare will prevent East Carolina from its fourth straight win over an ACC opponent.

Trivia Answers:

1. Gerry DiNardo, in 1999.

2. Florida State, in 2007.

3. 10-0-1