ESPN College Football

ATHENS, Ga. – As an SEC West school, LSU is hardly a fixture on Georgia's annual football schedule. But when the Tigers and Bulldogs do get together, the results are almost always memorable.

Just think back over the past decade. Two meetings in the SEC championship game – one won by each school. The phantom celebration penalty against Georgia receiver A.J. Green in 2009, helping pave the way for LSU's comeback victory. Georgia putting huge point totals on LSU's defending BCS champion teams in 2004 and 2008.

There's a lot to remember – and just like in Saturday's meeting between No. 6 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC) and No. 9 Georgia (2-1, 1-0) – there are often major SEC and BCS implications in play.

“[I told the younger players] any game can go down to the last second, but what kind of fight that they're going to have to be ready for,” said Georgia fifth-year senior receiver Rantavious Wooten, one of the few Bulldogs who were on the team when LSU last visited Athens in 2009. “They've got aspirations just like we do. They want a championship and we want a championship and this game right here, this is the game for it. So I just let them know what to expect and how it's going to be and just to get ready for it.”

Georgia coach Mark Richt is 3-4 against LSU since arriving at UGA in 2001 and Tigers coach Les Miles is 2-2 against the Bulldogs. Let's take a look at the last five times their programs squared off:

2011 SEC Championship Game (Atlanta): No. 1 LSU 42, No. 16 Georgia 10
In one of the most bizarre games of Richt's tenure, Georgia's defense thoroughly dominated the first half. LSU didn't muster a single first down and was in danger of falling down by a big margin, but Georgia receivers dropped a pair of potential first-half touchdown passes and LSU punt returner Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu took a kick back for a touchdown to make it 10-7 Georgia at halftime. The second half was a completely different story, as the Bulldogs committed a couple of turnovers, LSU's pounding rushing attack began to have its intended effect and Todd Grantham's defense seemed helpless as the Tigers rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns after intermission, turning the game into a rout.

Oct. 3, 2009 (Athens): No. 4 LSU 20, No. 18 Georgia 13
This one will forever be remembered among Georgia fans for a referee's questionable decision to penalize Georgia superstar Green for excessive celebration following his leaping, go-ahead touchdown catch with 1:09 to play, giving Georgia its first lead at 13-12. The penalty forced the Bulldogs to kick off from their own 15 and LSU return specialist Trindon Holliday made them pay by returning the kickoff to the Georgia 43, with a 5-yard penalty against the Bulldogs on the kickoff moving LSU even closer to the UGA end zone. Two plays later, Charles Scott rushed for his second touchdown of the fourth quarter, a 33-yard run with 46 seconds to play allowing LSU to improve to 5-0.

Oct. 25, 2008 (Baton Rouge): No. 7 Georgia 52, No. 13 LSU 38
As wild as the ending of the 2009 game was, this one was crazy from the very beginning. Georgia linebacker Darryl Gamble returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and added a 53-yard pick six in the game's closing minutes as the Bulldogs hung half-a-hundred on LSU's porous defense. The Tigers surrendered 50-plus twice that season – the first time in school history that had happened – leading Miles to dump co-defensive coordinators Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto after the season in favor of former Tennessee coordinator John Chavis, who has been in Baton Rouge ever since.

2005 SEC Championship Game (Atlanta): No. 13 Georgia 34, No. 3 LSU 14
Although fellow receiver Sean Bailey caught a pair of first-quarter touchdowns from D.J. Shockley that got Georgia off on the right foot, Bulldogs senior Bryan McClendon – now the team's running backs coach – might have delivered the play of the game when he blocked a punt midway through the second quarter deep in LSU territory. That helped Georgia score to take a commanding 21-7 halftime lead which LSU never threatened. The Bulldogs' defense also did its job that day, limiting an LSU rushing attack that dominated in their 2003 meeting in Atlanta to just 74 rushing yards.

Oct. 2, 2004 (Athens): No. 3 Georgia 45, No. 13 LSU 16
Nick Saban's final game against Georgia while at LSU ended with a humiliating loss, as the Tigers surrendered the most points allowed by an LSU defense since Florida hung 56 on them in 1996. Georgia quarterback David Greene threw only 19 passes, but set a school record by completing five of them for touchdowns. The Bulldogs had lost twice to Saban's Tigers in 2003 – 17-10 in Baton Rouge and 34-13 in the SEC Championship Game – but they quickly exacted a degree of revenge by jumping out to a 24-0 lead before LSU could answer. The Bulldogs also generated three turnovers and sacked LSU quarterbacks Marcus Randall and JaMarcus Russell five times.

Both teams have been ranked in the top-20 in all seven of their meetings in the Richt era, and this will be the second time they've both been in the top-10. While not every meeting between the two has produced a close contest, they've all been memorable – and almost always impacted their respective championship chases.

“They've been great games. ... Just about every one of them, both teams are ranked teams and at least in the Top 25,” Richt said. “It is a cross-conference rival, so it doesn't hold quite the weight of an Eastern Division [game] when it comes to who plays in Atlanta. We could lose the game and still control our destiny, and they could lose the game and still control their destiny, so it's not do-or-die as far as league play, but it's very important for any national title hopes.”

We’re a quarter of the way into the college football season, and two-time defending national champion Alabama is right where it started -- No. 1 in the polls.

In fact, Alabama is the only one of the five SEC teams that opened the season in the top 10 that hasn’t lost a game. So everybody’s still chasing the Crimson Tide, but it’s a race that could still go any number of ways, especially with some of the offensive numbers being generated. If the first four weeks taught us anything, you better be ready to score some points if you’re going to win a title this season.

Here’s a quick recap:

Best game: Take your pick. There have been some dandies to this point. The very first SEC game between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on a Thursday night produced a thrilling ending in Nashville with the Rebels pulling out a 39-35 win. Both of Georgia’s first two games were incredibly entertaining, their 38-35 loss at Clemson and then their 41-30 win over South Carolina the next week. But nothing tops Alabama’s wild 49-42 win at Texas A&M in Week 3. The two teams combined for 1,196 total yards and 62 first downs. The Aggies jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the Crimson Tide answered with 35 unanswered points only to have the Aggies come roaring back with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was so much fun that maybe we’ll see them go at it again in the VIZIO BCS National Championship Game if everything falls right. Wouldn’t the rest of college football just love that?

Best player: Even though he caused an uproar with some of his antics and a 15-yard taunting penalty in the opener against Rice, the real news surrounding Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is that he’s even better than he was a year ago. All he did a year ago was win the Heisman Trophy and set the SEC record for total offense. Manziel’s arm strength has improved. He’s spreading the ball around, and he’s still carving defenses apart with his ability to make something out of nothing. Manziel is averaging 370.8 yards of total offense per game, completing 70 percent of his passes and has already accounted for 15 touchdowns. Honorable mention goes to Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews and LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

Best performance: Once again, Johnny Football takes top honors. Yes, it came in a loss, but he was brilliant in passing for five touchdowns and rolling up 562 yards of total offense (the most ever in an SEC game) in the 49-42 setback to Alabama. The guy Manziel was throwing to that day, sophomore receiver Mike Evans, comes in a close second with his seven catches for 279 yards. And let’s also not forget about how good Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was in that game. He finished 20-of-29 for 334 yards and four touchdowns, completing passes to 10 different players. Sticking with Alabama, Christion Jones returned a kickoff for a touchdown, returned a punt for a touchdown and also caught a touchdown pass in the season-opening win over Virginia Tech. Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray deserves a shout-out for his four-touchdown outing in the win over South Carolina, and the same goes for Ole Miss running back Jeff Scott and his 243 all-purpose yards in the win at Texas. Scott rushed for a career-high 164 yards and a touchdown and also scored on a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Best surprise: It has to be LSU’s passing game and how balanced the Tigers have been offensively through four games. In the offseason, Les Miles talked about the need to throw the ball better, and that’s exactly what the Tigers have done under first-year coordinator Cam Cameron. The days of loading up against LSU's running game and not worrying about the passing game are over. Mettenberger has 10 touchdown passes and only one interception. The receiving duo of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham has been dynamite with 11 combined touchdowns, and then there’s also Jeremy Hill trucking everything in sight in the running game. This has the makings of Miles’ best and most explosive offense since he has been in Baton Rouge.

Biggest disappointment: Granted, the expectations were through the roof, but South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been a mere mortal in the Gamecocks’ first three games. He has been solid, but hasn’t been that consistent of a disruptive force so many people were anticipating to start his junior season. To be fair, he’s dealing with a foot injury that sounds like it will plague him for the rest of the season, and teams have done their best to run away from him and make him chase. Clowney still has two sacks, and at this point a year ago, he had only three and finished the season with 13. The Heisman Trophy chatter may have quieted, but you can bet that No. 7 won’t stay this quiet on the field all season.

ATHENS, Ga. -- For all the ink spilled over the numerous defensive holes that Georgia had to fill before this season, perhaps no defense in the country suffered greater losses than LSU.

Just as Georgia had 12 key defensive players to replace this fall, LSU actually set an NFL draft record with six defensive players selected in the 2013 draft's first two days. And just as the Bulldogs have discovered, it has been difficult for LSU to pick up exactly where it left off without players like Barkevious Mingo, Kevin Minter, Eric Reid, Sam Montgomery, Tharold Simon and Bennie Logan.

So as No. 9 Georgia (2-1) and No. 6 LSU (4-0) prepare to meet on Saturday, they do so with young in places defenses that have delivered uneven results. Neither group lack potential, but they both have dealt with the understandable lapses that typically arise when new players take over for established stars.

“I think our players are as talented as we've ever had and I think there's a maturity that needs to take place so they can play with their cleats headed north and south and ready to make a tackle and show the style of confidence, if you will, that other defenses that have played in this uniform have shown,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “I think that's coming. I see it, in last week, better in certain spots and certainly that's got to continue.”

In Saturday's win against Auburn, Miles' Tigers could not have been more impressive early. They limited Auburn to just 41 yards of offense in the first quarter in jumping out to a quick 21-0 lead. However, Auburn made it a more competitive game -- LSU still won 35-21 -- by generating 333 yards in the second half and running a whopping 85 plays against a suddenly reeling LSU defense that was facing its first legitimate test.

“Everybody probably mentally may have gotten a little bit down. We had a couple of calls that were questionable, but we've got to be able to shrug that off,” LSU defensive end Jordan Allen said. “We have a couple things happening and not sure what's going on and we're not communicating on some things and we'll get it straight.”

LSU's early schedule was much more generous toward its defensive rebuilding effort than was Georgia's. The Tigers played TCU, UAB, Kent State and Auburn in the first four games, with only the TCU game -- it was held at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Arlington, Texas -- being played away from Tiger Stadium.

Their defensive statistics reflect that advantage, as LSU is tied for third in the SEC in total defense (310 yards per game), is second against the pass (173.8 ypg), seventh against the run (136.2) and fifth in scoring (19.5 points per game).

Because its first two opponents were top-10 teams with impressive skill talent, Georgia's defense looks much worse on paper. The Bulldogs are 13^th in the league in scoring defense (29.7 ppg), 11^th in total defense (388.7 ypg), eighth against the run (143.3) and ninth against the pass (245.3 ypg).

However, they actually enter the LSU game after their best performance yet. In Saturday's 45-21 win against North Texas, Georgia surrendered just 7 rushing yards and 245 total yards -- nearly 400 fewer than the Bulldogs' offense generated that afternoon. Further, the Mean Green scored just one offensive touchdown -- the other two came on special-teams plays -- and otherwise sputtered on offense .

“I feel like we really stepped up this game,” Georgia sophomore safety Josh Harvey-Clemons said. “We had the off week to kind of get everybody in the right spot or whatever, and I feel like we're really jelling together and really getting that chemistry that we're going to need next week against LSU.”

It was still far from a perfect effort, but Georgia has now allowed opponents to score just 13 points in their last 18 drives, dating back to halftime of the South Carolina game when the score was tied at 24-24 before the Bulldogs pulled away for a 41-30 win.

“You want to have confidence,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said of his defense after the North Texas win. “I don't think this bunch is going to be overconfident after this game. I think they did begin to play well together and I think they can be proud of what happened. It was a very good performance. But LSU's a good team, and we want them as confident as possible, but we don't want them to think they've arrived, that's for sure, because we've got a long way to go.”

Miles' coaching staff can certainly empathize with that sentiment, particularly as it prepares to face a Georgia team that ranks sixth nationally in total offense at 574 ypg -- in the Tigers' first true road game of the season, no less.

Inconsistency has characterized both defenses over the first month of the season, but they realize that excuses over inexperience have nearly lost their shelf life. The defense that is better at minimizing its mistakes on Saturday will almost certainly win what should be one of the most impactful games either team will play this fall.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Shaquille O’Neal -- make that Dr. Shaquille O’Neal -- was in the house Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.

His diagnosis had a decided purple-and-gold tinge to it.

“We’re coming after you, Alabama,” O’Neal proclaimed.

Make that LSU and everybody else in college football.

But after the monsoon Jeremy Hill and LSU unleashed on Auburn in the kind of rainy, windy night on the Bayou that only a duck would have loved, maybe Shaq is on to something.

Why not LSU?

The No. 6 Tigers weren’t real thrilled with themselves over the way they slopped around in the second half of their 35-21 win, and Auburn’s fight and grit had something to do with that. But this is clearly an LSU team that nobody should discount in the SEC race.

“One thing about it is that we’re capable of a lot more,” said Hill, who romped for 184 yards and three touchdowns, 152 of those yards coming in the first half. “We just need to make sure we don’t let off the gas. You’ve got to do that for four quarters, the way we came out to start the game.

“That’s what it’s going to take to keep this thing going.”

LSU (4-0) led 21-0 at the half and had a chance to go up by four touchdowns midway through the third quarter, but bogged down inside the Auburn 20 and then came up short on fourth down when Les Miles called for a fake field goal.

It didn’t help that LSU’s defense gave up 333 yards of total offense in the second half, and Auburn ran 85 offensive plays in the game.

“The reason they had the ball as much as they did is that we kept giving it back to them,” Miles said. “We’re pleased, but not satisfied. We’ve got to play better. We’ve got to finish the game.”

Still, for a team that lost seven underclassmen a year ago to the NFL draft -- including six defensive starters -- it hardly has the feel of rebuilding.

Reloading is more like it.

Lost in the uproar over LSU’s collapse against Clemson last season in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and then the mass exodus of juniors leaving early for the NFL draft was that this is a program that’s stockpiled talent and developed that talent as well as anybody in the country over the last few years.

Maybe that’s why Miles squinted his eyes ever so confidently this offseason anytime somebody quizzed him about the challenge of overcoming the loss of so many key players and keeping pace with the other kingpins in the league.

Five SEC teams opened the season ranked ahead of LSU in the polls. But four weeks in -- and having some actual games to use as fodder -- it’s difficult to point to four teams in this league that are better than the Tigers.

Florida was dealt a huge blow Saturday with the season-ending injury to quarterback Jeff Driskel, while Georgia, South Carolina and Texas A&M have all already lost games.

It’s true that LSU is playing a slew of young guys on defense and has given up too many big plays this season, but defensive coordinator John Chavis knew it would be imperative to build some depth before LSU hit the teeth of its SEC schedule. Plus, the Tigers have two future pros in the middle in defensive tackles Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson.

So while the defense is a ways from being a finished product, the biggest difference with the Tigers is how explosive and balanced they are on offense.

First-year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has made an obvious difference, and the pieces are in place to give more than a few defenses in this league fits. The Tigers have scored 35 or more points and racked up more than 400 yards in total offense in all four of their games this season.

“We know what we can be. You saw it in the first half,” said Hill, whose 49-yard touchdown run came on the Tigers’ first possession. “That’s the way it needs to be for the whole game.”

So how good are these Tigers?

We'll find out a lot more next week when they visit No. 9 Georgia in what will be the second top-10 matchup of the month involving SEC teams.

It was Alabama versus Texas A&M last week in College Station, and that game turned into a 49-42 shootout won by the Crimson Tide.

We could be in for another wild ride next week in Athens, especially with the way Georgia and LSU are scoring points.

In the past, it would have been difficult to imagine the Tigers being equipped to win an Xbox-type score-a-thon. But not so much anymore.

“We have shown flashes of breaking the mold of that old LSU team,” Zach Mettenberger said. “We do have explosive playmakers on offense, and we can make plays. We just need to learn to focus on every play and for four quarters.

“We’ve shown that we can still be a very effective offense even when we’re not playing our best. I’m just really anxious to see what this offense can be when we play four quarters and execute on every play.”

Les Miles released a statement commenting on the allegations that he de-emphasized education to his players while coaching at Oklahoma State.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Zach Mettenberger was too quick on his first pass attempt Saturday night.

LSU's senior quarterback spun quickly to his right and rushed to plant his foot as he attempted to fire a pass to Odell Beckham Jr. on the outside. The ball skipped carelessly at the receiver's feet. Mettenberger shook his head, kicking himself for the mistake. With the UAB defender playing off-coverage, it would have been an easy pickup of 5 or more yards and, more importantly, a first down. Instead, it was now third down and 5 yards to go with the punter waiting impatiently on the sidelines. A familiar groan swept through Tiger Stadium -- not again.

It was a snapshot of the old Zach Mettenberger, another über-talented quarterback leaving too many opportunities wasted on the football field. He had all the tools -- good height, good size, a good arm -- but inconsistency plagued his career from Georgia to Butler Community College to LSU. Les Miles and the coaching staff had seen it before, flip-flopping between similarly troubled quarterbacks Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee from 2010-11. They thought Mettenberger would be the one to break the chain last season, but he was too inaccurate and too careless with the football. His 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions wound up placing him 12th out of 13 passers in the SEC in ESPN's Adjusted Quarterback Rating, which accounts for key factors like down, distance, field position, as well as the time and score of the game.

But that was 2012, Mettenberger's first full season starting and Greg Strudawa's second year as LSU's play-caller and quarterbacks coach. That combination failed as the Tigers offense floundered, punctuated by a disappointing 25-24 loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

This is 2013. After failing to complete his first pass against UAB, Mettenberger went back to work the very next play, stepping into a throw that whistled 13 yards over the middle to Tarvin Dural for a first down. The crowd cheered and Tiger Stadium settled in for what would be the best passing night of Mettenberger's career. If last season is what it took for Mettenberger to get to this, then everyone could accept that. He's now 18th nationally in QBR and No. 1 in the SEC.

"If you watch Zach throw the football, he's throwing it with so much confidence," Miles said after the 56-17 win. "He knows where it's supposed to go."

Mettenberger showed all the tell-tale signs of confidence against UAB: He made quick decisions, stepped into passes and didn't mind throwing the ball into coverage. He wound up passing for 282 yards and set a school record with five touchdowns, the first three of which went into double coverage. On his first touchdown, he threw the ball before Beckham broke on his route and fit it narrowly between two defensive backs for the score. He did the same exact thing with Beckham for his second touchdown, and on the third scoring pass he inched the ball just over a leaping safety's hands and into the outstretched arms of Jarvis Landry. They were risky throws, but they were thrown perfectly.

For so long LSU's offense has been risk averse, opting to run the football even in passing situations. The Tigers were 92nd nationally in passing a season ago and have not ranked higher than 71st since 2008.

But this year appears to be different. New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has Mettenberger and the offense going a new direction: vertical. And it wasn't just against an overmatched UAB squad. LSU did the same thing to 20th-ranked TCU in the season opener two weeks ago. Mettenberger was 16 of 32 passing for 251 yards and a touchdown against the Horned Frogs, which in itself wasn't overly impressive. But a closer inspection saw the Tigers push the ball downfield with 19 plays of 10 or more yards, compared to the 11.46 it averaged a season ago.

Through two games, an even odder trend has formed, though: LSU is passing to set up the run, not the other way around.

"Here in the past couple of years we've been very good at the run," Mettenberger said. "Teams are coming in trying to load the box on us, and this year when we take our shots we're hitting them. That's something we've all been working on."

Mettenberger said he couldn't remember a specific time where he realized this year would be different, but it could have been the first time he met his new offensive coordinator.

"Meeting [Cameron] got me really excited about the potential because I knew what talent we had," he said. "When he first told me about the X's and O's and everything, I got really excited because potentially this can be one of the best offenses LSU has had in recent years."

Beckham, who had a career night against UAB with five catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns, has been thrilled with the trio he, Landry and Mettenberger have formed, calling it a "dream come true." Together they've combined for 23 receptions, 434 yards and six touchdowns through the air, already only one touchdown off last year's total.

And Beckham said the first two games are only the start.

"Zach is going to be a great quarterback," he said. "As the year develops, he's going to develop.

"I'm looking forward to being a part of it. It's a great start for him."

ARLINGTON, Texas -- As he walked off the postgame podium, Les Miles spotted Missy Cameron at the back of the room.

“Way to go Mrs. Cameron,” Miles hollered across the room to the wife of his offensive coordinator before flashing the thumbs up.

Forgive Miles his excitement. The LSU coach has won many different ways during his tenure in Baton Rouge. Crazy trick plays. Unconventional clock management. Powerful running games. And, above all, tough defense.

But Miles is not accustomed to winning the way his Tigers did in its opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas -- through the air on the arm of a cool, collected quarterback, which is precisely how LSU defeated TCU 37-27 Saturday night.

Miles was pumped afterward, but hardly surprised. After all, this is what he envisioned when he brought in his longtime buddy Cam Cameron to call plays and tutor Zach Mettenberger, who unleashed perhaps his finest performance as the Tigers’ quarterback.

“Exactly right,” Miles said.

“And I think that Zach will have nights like that pretty routinely from this point forward.”

If so, LSU could be one compelling team to watch this season. And, just maybe, a dark horse contender in the SEC and beyond.

“Tonight we wanted to come out and send a message that LSU is still here,” said Alfred Blue, who along with Terrence Magee showed that the Tigers have running backs other than suspended teammate Jeremy Hill. “And that we’re a dominant football team.”

Dominating Big 12 defenses has hardly been any way for an offense to send a message to anyone. But TCU coach Gary Patterson has been fielding top-notch defenses for more than a decade, and the Frogs appeared formidable again on that side of the ball, with or without All-American defensive end Devonte Fields, who like Hill sat out the game with a suspension.

Patterson had his defense selling out to stop LSU’s run, which in the past would force Miles to turn the game into a slugfest in the trenches.

Miles didn’t have to resort to that Saturday.

With Cameron pulling the strings and Mettenberger putting pass after pass into the chests of receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., TCU couldn’t get its defense off the field.

“TCU does a great job stopping the run because they commit so many people to the run,” Miles said. “They’ll walk safeties down and place people indiscriminately and back out and again -- it’s a very good concept.

“So the plan was to see if they can cover the pass, and certainly we did move the ball through the air very well.”

Mettenberger looked at ease in Cameron’s scheme, completing 16 of 32 passes for 251 yards. With TCU crowding the box, the Tigers took shots downfield early and often, contributing to the low completion percentage. Mettenberger completed seven passes of 14 yards or longer, including a 44-yard strike to Beckham that set up the Tigers’ first touchdown.

“Cam opening up this system,” Beckham said. “I’m just excited to see it.”

When LSU needed a completion, Mettenberger stood in the pocket and delivered there, too. As a result, the Tigers converted 13-of-19 third-down attempts to effectively wear out the Horned Frogs’ defense in the second half.

“Those were the major differences,” Miles said. “We’re throwing the ball for bigger plays. We’re being able to convert on third downs. I think that’s one of the real successes of the offense at this point.”

The biggest success of Cameron’s offense seemed to manifest itself in Mettenberger’s game. In 2012, Mettenberger had the second-worst quarterback rating in the red zone in the country, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The Tigers continued to struggle in the red zone early Saturday, settling for three short field goals when they could have jumped to a big lead. But when the game was on the line, Mettenberger had the chops and the precision to put it away. Facing third-and-5 with just over six minutes left, Mettenberger tossed a first-down strike to Jarvis Landry, who shed his defender and dashed 20 yards for the game-clinching touchdown.

“Coach Cameron has done a great job with the offense,” Mettenberger said, “and he has a game plan to make sure that we get our playmakers the ball.”

Mettenberger got the ball to Beckham and Landry, and he avoiding committing turnovers. He also took only two sacks, and calmly threw the ball away when he needed to.

“I feel like it’s a weight off his shoulders,” Beckham said. “He’s more like himself right now and he’s comfortable. He knows he’s going to make some amazing plays.”

In Johnny Manziel, AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray, the SEC is chock-full of quarterbacks who can make such plays. But in Cameron’s system, the Tigers found they just might have one, too.

“Zach’s come a long way,” Blue said. “He’s developing into a great quarterback, a great leader on this offense.

“It’s why I think we’re going to have a great year.”

Well, it's that time again. With the start of the college football season, which literally kicks off in a few hours, we are back to our weekly SEC predictions.

I mean, it's no big deal or anything, but I completely dominated the picks last year. The ATL Kid showed no mercy. Chris just didn't have the focus that you'd expect from a veteran. He started covering this league when I still had training wheels on my bike and chocolate stains on my shirts. (OK, those are still there.)

I spent the entire offseason gloating over how my beautiful 107-15 (.877) record looked down at Chris' 100-22 (.820) record and scoffed. But I also did some homework. I studied film. I might have had the championship belt around my waist, but today is a new day -- a new season.

Last year's picks mean nothing (except in the realm of blogger pride), so I have to start over. I'll starting lifting and running more in the mornings in order to get my mind and body right for the days ahead.

One championship was nice, but I'm looking for more rings and more bragging rights, and that all starts with a strong Week 1.

Let's get onto the picks:

THURSDAY

NORTH CAROLINA AT SOUTH CAROLINA

Chris Low: It’s the Battle of the Carolinas, or as the Head Ball Coach would say, South Carolina vs. “Dabo’s Carolina.” Not sure Dabo’s Carolina will be able to block Mr. Clowney. Then again, can anybody? ... South Carolina 30, North Carolina 17

Edward Aschoff: This could be the team that gets Steve Spurrier back to the SEC championship game. Jadeveon Clowney and that talented defensive line will make things miserable for UNC's offense all night. ... South Carolina 31, North Carolina 17

OLE MISS AT VANDERBILT

Chris Low: There’s no getting around the rape case and how it will impact the Commodores, especially with junior receiver Chris Boyd being suspended. The Rebels are for real and will finally figure out a way to beat the Commodores after losing five of the last six in this series. ... Ole Miss 24, Vanderbilt 20

Edward Aschoff: Both of these teams are on the rise in the SEC and have higher expectations than usual entering the season. While the Rebels have struggled recently with the Commodores, there's more pressure on Vandy, and Ole Miss will claim its redemption. ... Ole Miss 27, Vanderbilt 24

SATURDAY

WESTERN KENTUCKY VS KENTUCKY (in Nashville, Tenn.)

Chris Low: OK, no jokes about Bobby Petrino riding his motorcycle to the game. He gets his first of two straight chances to take down SEC teams, but the Wildcats will stand their ground in Mark Stoops’ debut. ... Kentucky 28, Western Kentucky 21

Edward Aschoff: Mark Stoops doesn't get a cupcake for his first game as Kentucky's new coach. I think it actually benefits him because he'll have a better idea of what he really has. And what he'll have is an opening-day winner. ... Kentucky 24, Western Kentucky 20

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE AT ARKANSAS

Chris Low: Louisiana-Monroe sent the Hogs reeling last season. Now, it’s Louisiana (the Ragin’ Cajuns) who’d like to get a little slice of Pig Sooie. Arkansas is too strong up front defensively to stumble in this one. ... Arkansas 27, Louisiana 17

Edward Aschoff: Bret Bielema and his Hogs are dealing with a lot of injuries, but he'll still have more talent on the field Saturday. We won't know a ton about this team, but starting off 1-0 ain't bad. ... Arkansas 27, Louisiana-Lafayette 17

AUSTIN PEAY AT TENNESSEE

Chris Low: There won’t be many breathers for Butch Jones in his first season at Tennessee, but the only drama in this one will be whether or not the Pride of the Southland Band has enough stamina to still be playing “Rocky Top” in the fourth quarter. ... Tennessee 45, Austin Peay 7

Edward Aschoff: Another new coach makes his debut with a team shrouded in mystery. Jones has a lot of inexperience to work with on offense and it'll be interesting to see how that up-tempo offense looks. ... Tennessee 31, Austin Peay 14

MURRAY STATE AT MISSOURI

Chris Low: It sounds like Henry Josey is healthy again, and all those SEC fans who didn’t get a chance to see him last season while he was sidelined are in for a treat. It won’t be a lot of fun for Murray State trying to tackle him. ... Missouri 38, Murray State 14

Edward Aschoff: The Tigers are healthier and carrying a big chip on their shoulders this season. A more complete Missouri team should take the field this weekend. ... Missouri 41, Murray State 13

WASHINGTON STATE at AUBURN

Chris Low: We know that Mike Leach thinks the bottom half of the Pac-12 is better than the bottom half of the SEC. Here’s his chance to prove it, although the Tigers should be greatly improved this season. ... Auburn 34, Washington State 21

Edward Aschoff: The Tigers have no choice but to get better with Gus Malzahn back on the Plains and Ellis Johnson taking over the defense. You should see lots of points in Malzahn's debut as the head coach. ... Auburn 38, Washington State 20

TOLEDO AT FLORIDA

Chris Low: The latest blow to the Gators was offensive tackle Chaz Green going down for the season, joining already injured running back Matt Jones and guard Jon Halapio. But when you don’t give up any touchdowns, it’s hard to lose. ... Florida 24, Toledo 6

Edward Aschoff: The Gators enter with a banged-up offense that already had a lot of questions. Toledo is far from a pushover, but Florida has the muscle to get by a tricky opening opponent. ... Florida 27, Toledo 10

RICE AT TEXAS A&M

Chris Low: By order of Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman, I will not make any comments concerning a certain Aggies’ quarterback. What I will say is that the Aggies will roll despite No. 2 being on the bench for a half. ... Texas A&M 48, Rice 10

Edward Aschoff: Johnny Football might be sitting out a half, but it wouldn't matter if he were sitting out the entire game. It's finally time for A&M to get back on the playing field. ... Texas A&M 48, Rice 17

MISSISSIPPI STATE VS OKLAHOMA STATE (Houston, Texas)

Chris Low: The Bulldogs want to bring more pressure on defense this season. They’re going to need to in this one, but they will have a hard time scoring with the Cowboys. ... Oklahoma State 37, Mississippi State 24

Edward Aschoff: A lot of questions remain for the Bulldogs, and it won't be easy for this defense to slow down Oklahoma State's high-powered passing game. ... Oklahoma State 34, Mississippi State 21

LSU VS TCU (in Arlington, Texas)

Chris Low: Les Miles isn’t saying whether Jeremy Hill will play in the opener. He’s “withholding” that information. Something else that will be withheld is TCU touchdowns. This LSU defense might be young, but it’s not lacking talent. ... LSU 28, TCU 16

Edward Aschoff: The Tigers might be the must undervalued team in the SEC. Miles always has his teams prepared for these out-of-conference games, and you'll see a more explosive offense that's fast and athletic and will overpower the Horned Frogs. ... LSU 31, TCU 17

ALABAMA VS VIRGINIA TECH (in Atlanta)

Chris Low: This is not your father’s Virginia Tech team. The Hokies simply don’t have enough firepower to keep it close against the two-time defending national champions. ... Alabama 35, Virginia Tech 10

Edward Aschoff: Alabama likes these big openers. The process is strong with Crimson Tide players and Virginia Tech is hurting. Alabama comes in more talented, and the Hokies just don't have the horses to keep up in Atlanta. ... Alabama 38, Virginia Tech 13

GEORGIA AT CLEMSON

Chris Low: It’s the most compelling opener of the season and should also be the most entertaining. If you like points, sit back and enjoy. The Dawgs will hold up a little better in the secondary and sneak out with a win. ... Georgia 35, Clemson 31

Edward Aschoff: This is the main event. Both teams have high-octane offenses and both have defenses littered with questions. Georgia has a lot of talent on defense, but it's young. This game is going to come down to which defense makes a play late -- and home-field advantage. ... Clemson 34, Georgia 31

Mark Schlabach sounds off on LSU coach Les Miles and his decision of whether or not to allow star running back Jeremy Hill to play in the team's opener against TCU.

Big 12 blogger Jake Trotter reacts to TCU coach Gary Patterson's critical comments of LSU coach Les Miles for reinstating running back Jeremy Hill after his teammates voted to allow him to return to the team.

LSU running back Jeremy Hill got a reprieve from the legal system Monday when he didn’t have his probation revoked and avoided jail time.

His next reprieve could come from LSU coach Les Miles, who now has a clear opening to reinstate Hill to the team and is expected to address the subject following practice Monday evening.

Miles has been consistent in saying that he would allow the legal system to run its course before making any decision on Hill, who was caught on video punching a man outside a bar in April and then high-fiving and celebrating with another man.

Hill was already on probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile in 2012. Hill and another high school student were arrested and charged with engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old girl in the school’s locker room in 2010.

For some time now, the feeling in and around the LSU football program has been that Hill would be back with the team this season as long as the judge didn’t throw the book at him.

State District Judge Bonnie Jackson chided Hill in court Monday for his “arrogance,” but she didn’t exactly throw the book at him. Some would argue that she instead threw him an olive branch in terms of salvaging his LSU football career.

Either way, the most pressing question now is if Miles will suspend Hill for any games, and if so, how many.

The Tigers face No. 20 TCU right out of the gate, and even though they’re deep at running back, the 233-pound Hill offers the kind of power/speed mix that’s a game-changer.

He had a 50-yard touchdown run against South Carolina and a 47-yard touchdown run against Texas A&M, both in the fourth quarter, that solidified both of those wins last season.

From a pure talent standpoint, Hill is easily one of the premier backs in the league.

But when you survey some of the discipline problems LSU has faced with players over the past few years (and watch that video of Hill running up on the victim and cold-cocking him), it’s hard to imagine that Hill would or should skate without at least missing a game or two.

That’s a call Miles will have to make, and “The Hat” is a stickler for standing behind his players, which is a big reason they swear by him.

Assuming Hill does indeed get another chance, the onus is now on him to repay the entire LSU football community with his best season yet, and most importantly, to exhibit as much class off the field as he wreaks havoc on it.

Part of the surprise about Bret Bielema's sudden departure from Wisconsin to Arkansas in December stemmed from the fact that Bielema seemed like such a Big Ten guy.

Other than perhaps Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, Bielema was the most "Big Ten" of the 2012 Big Ten head coaches. Born in Illinois, played at Iowa, spent his first eight years as a coach at his alma mater, left Big Ten country for two years to coordinate Kansas State's defense, returned as Wisconsin's defensive coordinator and then was elevated to head coach after the 2005 season.

But three days after coaching Wisconsin to a Big Ten championship game victory, Bielema bolted for the spotlight and scrutiny of the SEC. And he's not alone.

From today's Grantland story on Bielema at Arkansas:

Although SEC football has long been a vessel for expressions of Southern exceptionalism, many of the conference's most successful coaches come from the Midwest. Les Miles, Nick Saban, and Urban Meyer all have roots in Ohio. Mark Richt is from Nebraska. In fact, among the league's 14 current coaches, eight were born in states with Big Ten programs, while only five hail from SEC country.

I've joked that if you don't know where a college football coach grew up, just say Ohio and you'll probably be right. But the percentage of SEC coaches with Big Ten roots is notable. The SEC coaching ranks used to be filled with homegrown coaches like Vince Dooley, Pat Dye, Johnny Majors, Paul Bryant and Phillip Fulmer. Former Florida quarterback and head coach Steve Spurrier is still in SEC territory at South Carolina, but he's no longer the norm.

Here's a quick look at SEC coaches with roots in the Big Ten footprint:

• Bret Bielema, Arkansas: Born in Illinois, played and coached at Iowa, assistant coach and head coach at Wisconsin
• James Franklin, Vanderbilt: Born in Pennsylvania, played college ball in Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg
• Butch Jones, Tennessee: Born in Michigan, played college ball in Michigan at Ferris State, head coach at Central Michigan and Cincinnati
• Les Miles, LSU: Born in Ohio, played at Michigan and served as an assistant coach at Michigan from 1987-94
• Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: Born in Pennsylvania (attended high school in New Hampshire)
• Gary Pinkel, Missouri: Born in Ohio, played college ball in Ohio at Kent State, coached at two MAC schools (Kent State and Bowling Green)
• Mark Richt, Georgia: Born in Nebraska (attended high school in Florida)
• Nick Saban, Alabama: Played in Ohio at Kent State, assistant at Ohio State and Michigan State, head coach at Michigan State from 1995-99
• Mark Stoops, Kentucky: Born and raised in Ohio, played at Iowa
• Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: Played high school football in Indiana, played college football at Purdue, assistant at Minnesota and Purdue

The Big Ten has more of a homegrown flavor in its current coaching ranks, as seven leading men grew up in Big Ten states: Illinois' Tim Beckman (Ohio), Iowa's Kirk Ferentz (Pennsylvania, born in Michigan), Michigan's Brady Hoke (Ohio), Michigan State's Mark Dantonio (Ohio), Nebraska's Bo Pelini (Ohio), Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald (Illinois) and Ohio State's Urban Meyer (Ohio). Purdue coach Darrell Hazell hails from a future Big Ten state (New Jersey).

Although homegrown players are the biggest reason for the SEC's run of dominance, coaches from Big Ten country also have played a role.

In keeping with the theme of peering into our crystal balls to see what's in store for the future of college football, it's time to look at how all 14 SEC teams will do over the next few years.

To come up with our future rankings, we looked at coaching, current players, depth, recruiting and the current state of each program.

It was a very tough process, but someone had to do it. This shouldn't cause much of a stir at all:

1. Alabama: So Alabama is equipped with the sport's best coach, has some of the best facilities in the country and is still recruiting better than anyone else? Yeah, I think Alabama will be just fine over the next few years and will continue to look down at the rest of the SEC. It'll be interesting to see what happens when AJ McCarron leaves, but Nick Saban might have his quarterback of the future in David Cornwell and appears to have plenty to work with on both sides of the ball for years to come.

2. LSU: The Tigers will always be able to recruit with the best of them. Les Miles has a strong group of younger players, and many will get some valuable time this fall, especially on defense. With John Chavis around, LSU's defense will be fine. It's the offense that people wonder about. But the addition of Cam Cameron as offensive coordinator should definitely help. The plan is to become more explosive in the passing game, and a good start in 2013 would go a long way toward securing more passing deep threats.

3. Florida: Will Muschamp has seen both the good and bad during his two years with the Gators, but he's building his program the right way. Florida could miss out on another trip to the SEC championship game this year, but the Gators are built for the long run with the recruiting job Muschamp has done. He has a handful of young offensive players already on campus to build around and appears to have his quarterback of the future -- 2014 recruit Will Grier. Florida's future on defense looks extremely bright as well with the foundation being built up front.

4. Texas A&M: Johnny Manziel will soon be gone, but Kevin Sumlin has done a great job of recruiting since his arrival in College Station. As long he's around, the Aggies should be fine. Last year, he brought in highly touted pass-catchers Ricky Seals-Jones and Sebastian LaRue. Both could see good time this year and will eventually help Manziel's replacement, who could be 2014 commit Kyle Allen. There are some holes to fill this year, but the good news is that a lot of younger players will get valuable experience, which will only make this team stronger in the years to come.

5. Georgia: Like the top SEC teams, Georgia won't have any trouble recruiting over the next few years. It's all about development and breaking through in the big games. Mark Richt doesn't always get the credit he deserves, but he's made back-to-back SEC championships. The Bulldogs are young on defense, but that won't matter over the next couple of years, as those players get all those game reps. The future of the offense looks bright with the players signed this year and how the 2014 class is shaping up.

6. South Carolina: As long as Steve Spurrier is around, the Gamecocks will compete for an SEC East title. South Carolina has held its own in the recruiting world since Spurrier arrived, and while it's going to get tougher with schools like Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt recruiting at a much higher level these days, don't expect Spurrier to miss much of a beat. It helps that the Gamecocks have a good base of young players to work with now.

7. Ole Miss: Hugh Freeze has totally changed the perception of this program, and he's recruiting like no other Rebels coach in recent history has. Ole Miss has depth issues, but that historic 2013 recruiting class will be the foundation of Freeze's first few years in Oxford. If it lives up to the hype, watch out. Ole Miss surprised many with its play last year, and expect that to improve as the talent continues to roll in thanks to Freeze's recruiting efforts.

8. Auburn: Gus Malzahn hopes to have the right recipe for turning Auburn around. He was around when the Tigers won the national championship in 2010, and the hope is that his spread offense rejuvenates a team that took too many steps backward last year. He has his type of players on his roster now, and after closing strong on the recruiting front with his first class, Malzahn isn't missing a beat this year. He'll make sure the Tigers are more competitive in the SEC West.

9. Vanderbilt: James Franklin has done a tremendous job transforming pretty much everything at Vandy, and he doesn't look like he's going to stop any time soon. The Commodores are recruiting at a very high level, and this team is looking for more than just bowl victories. The Commodores want an SEC title, and Franklin believes he can get his team there. If that attitude remains and the recruiting momentum keeps chugging along, the Commodores will stay around the eight- or nine-win mark.

10. Tennessee: There's no question that Butch Jones has brought much more excitement to Knoxville since his arrival -- and he hasn't even coached a game yet. The Vols aren't built to win the SEC East right now, but if Jones can keep his current 2014 class intact, Tennessee will have a great foundation to work with. But we've seen that before with the Vols. This new staff has to make sure it's developing all that talent the right way as well.

11. Arkansas: The success that Bret Bielema had at Wisconsin has Arkansas' fan base extremely excited about the future. Right now, he just doesn't have the players he needs to compete at the high level that he wants to. Bielema did a good job of closing his first class with the types of players he wants in order to have the big, physical team he wants. It'll be tough enough competing in the West, which will only get stronger, so Bielema has to make sure that his recruiting efforts improve and that he builds more evenly on both sides of the ball.

12. Mississippi State: There's no question that Dan Mullen has done a great job during his time at Mississippi State, but the emergence of Ole Miss could hold the Bulldogs back when it comes to recruiting. The best players in and around Mississippi are now more interested in the Rebels, which certainly doesn't help. The Bulldogs also have to play much better in big games. Last year, Mississippi State waltzed through a very soft nonconference slate before ending the season with a 1-5 record, including four losses to ranked teams.

13. Kentucky: Mark Stoops has one of the country's best recruiting classes, which bodes well for the future of this program. But can this staff develop this talent once it arrives? That's yet to be seen, as Stoops hasn't even coached a game at his new school. The good news is that the Wildcats will be built on a more defensive foundation. We know how important that is, but Kentucky is behind most of its conference counterparts when it comes to immediate talent as a whole.

14. Missouri: We learned last year that the Tigers just weren't properly built to immediately compete in the SEC. Sure, injuries really hurt this team, but Mizzou has to get tougher all around and bigger up front if it wants to really compete in the SEC. It also has to start recruiting at a much higher level. With Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt currently outpacing Mizzou on the recruiting trail, the Tigers have a lot of ground to make up. And they have to start getting more SEC-ready players or they'll dig themselves into a deeper hole.

Everyone who knows anything about college football knows that one major thing that separates the SEC from all the other conferences is the play -- and talent -- along the defensive lines.

Ask any coach out there to describe the biggest difference and "defensive line" is bound to be one of the first things that slip out of his mouth. It truly is all about the trenches in the SEC, both defensively and offensively. The offensive lines deserve some love for just putting up with their burly counterparts, but the defensive lines really do get all the attention.

So it should come as no surprise that when Phil Steele ranked his top 15 defensive lines in college football that the SEC was represented by five teams -- the most of any conference.

While none ranked first or second -- that was reserved for Notre Dame (No. 1) and USC (No. 2) -- South Carolina topped the SEC lines at No. 3 on Steele's list. Florida ranked sixth, Ole Miss was 12th, Alabama was 13th and LSU was 14th.

That's pretty good when you consider that Florida lost first-rounder Sharrif Floyd and Mr. Solid Omar Hunter in the middle, while LSU pretty much lost its entire starting defensive line from a year ago.

The SEC truly does just reload up front.

South Carolina's ranking isn't surprising because there's more than just Jadeveon Clowney to work with. Sure, Clowney might be the best player in the country, but he has help from Kelcy Quarles and J.T. Surratt inside and Chaz Sutton on the other side of him. Quarles was pretty consistent for the Gamecocks last year, while Sutton grabbed five sacks as a backup. The departure of starters Devin Taylor and Byron Jerideau shouldn't shake this lineup too much.

Getting Ronald Powell back should help the Gators with Lerentee McCray gone on the outside. Powell will play that hybrid linebacker/defensive end "Buck" position, where he'll get help from freshman All-SEC player Dante Fowler Jr. Dominique Easley is moving back to defensive tackle, where he was very disruptive during his first two years on campus. He can still move outside if needed. End Jonathan Bullard is coming off of a solid freshman season, while more is expected out of tackle Damien Jacobs, who came from the junior college ranks last year.

Ole Miss still has depth issues at defensive tackle, but has plenty to work with at end. C.J. Johnson should be healed from the leg injury he suffered this spring, while Cameron Whigham is coming off of a season in which he started 11 games. Rising sophomore Channing Ward should be fun to watch, and top recruit Robert Nkemdiche is expected to see the field very early. Tackle Issac Gross should be back from his groin injury this fall and he'll get help from juco transfer Lavon Hooks, who had a very good spring.

Alabama might not have the elite players it's had in the past up front, but defensive ends Jeoffrey Pagan and Ed Stinson could have big years. Pagan has a lot of potential, while Stinson recorded 30 tackles last season, including 8.5 for loss and three sacks. Stinson is versatile enough to play both inside and out. Then there's Brandon Ivory at noseguard, who has to replace the talented Jesse Williams. Alabama still needs players to step up more as starters and reserves because the line as a whole has a ways to go before the season starts.

You can tell how well Les Miles has recruited along the defensive line when the Tigers can lose so much but still have a line that's considered one of the nation's best. Tackle Anthony Johnson has so much potential and it sounds like he's ready to unleash his talents on the rest of the league. Miles raved about end Jermauria Rasco this spring and doesn't think the Tigers will miss much of a beat with him outside. True freshman Christian LeCouture played his way into the two-deep at defensive tackle this spring, while Miles expects to get more from tackle Ego Ferguson and ends Danielle Hunter and Jordan Allen.

LSU’s Les Miles has some support on doing away with permanent cross-divisional foes in the SEC, and his ally is starting to speak up … loudly.

Steve Spurrier says the scheduling mess in the SEC is just that -- a mess -- and he agrees with Miles that the league schedule has been imbalanced.

“I think we’ve all seen how much it pays off when you don’t have to play the top teams from the other division,” said Spurrier, who has voiced his concerns to several in the media this week.

The Head Ball Coach also talked to Matt Hayes of The Sporting News and said he “should have spoken up a while ago.”

Spurrier said it’s no coincidence that Alabama and Georgia were the two teams playing in the SEC championship game last season, and that the combined league records of their cross-divisional opponents was 6-26.

The league schedule a year ago and the 2013 league schedule were both “bridge” schedules and not part of any regular rotation. They were put into place to accommodate the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M.

The hot debate now is whether to go to nine conference games in 2016, as well as what to do with permanent cross-divisional games such as Florida-LSU, Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said last week at the SEC spring meetings that figuring out what to do with those rivalry games had been one of the “knots” in trying to sort out the scheduling format going forward. The SEC will continue to play eight conference games with a 6-1-1 format through 2015, then reassess the scheduling format beginning with the 2016 season. Most in and around the league think it's inevitable that the SEC will go to nine conference games.

“We try one, and there’s a knot, then try another one and there’s a big knot, whether it’s permanents, whether it’s traditional games or whether it’s too many games,” Slive said. “At some point in time, we’re going to have to unravel one of those knots and just make a decision.”

Spurrier has a solution if Slive and others are dead-set on maintaining the Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia rivalries on an annual basis.

“They can still play every year. Just let it be a nonconference game in those years when it’s not in the rotation,” said Spurrier, who wants to keep it at eight conference games with a 6-0-2 format (a straight rotation of cross-divisional foes and no permanent foes).

“That way, Alabama and Tennessee can keep on playing every year. They don’t have big in-state rivals out of conference like some of us do. If the commissioner or anybody else doesn’t think Clemson-South Carolina and FSU-Florida are big games, they ought to come watch them.

“I’m all for Alabama and Tennessee playing every year. We can still play eight, and that would be their ninth game every year. It just won’t count in their conference records unless that’s the year they’re supposed to play in the league. I’m sure Tennessee would love that.”

Alabama has won six in a row against Tennessee and has yet to lose to the Vols since Nick Saban arrived in 2007.

Saban is the only SEC coach advocating that the league go to nine conference games, and he would also like to see all teams play 10 BCS games.

Spurrier points out that’s exactly what the Gamecocks are doing in 2013. In addition to their eight league games, they’re playing North Carolina to open the season and then their annual season-ending contest with Clemson.

“Coach Saban doesn’t have a big rival out of conference he plays every year, and I understand it’s hard for them to get (nonconference) games,” Spurrier said. “So let them and Tennessee play every year. That’s what we ought to do.

“Maybe Alabama can pick a fight with Texas. Texas doesn’t play Texas A&M anymore, and they need somebody to play out of conference.”

Alabama has gone out and played a marquee nonconference game every year since Saban’s been there. The Crimson Tide open the 2013 season against Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, and they also have West Virginia, Wisconsin and Michigan State coming up on the schedule in future years.

The overriding argument for keeping the Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia rivalries on an annual basis is that they’re such a part of the SEC’s fabric. Auburn-Georgia is the Deep South’s oldest rivalry, and Alabama and Tennessee first met in 1901.

Spurrier concedes that tradition is important, but that it’s not the end-all in today’s world of college football.

“College football’s changing, and it’s going to keep changing,” Spurrier said. “Missouri’s in the SEC now. West Virginia’s in the Big 12. Heck, we’ve got 14 teams now in the SEC. I guess everybody’s definition of tradition is a little different.”