2012 Heisman Trophy Preview and Prediction

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, Texas  A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein are the 2012 Heisman Trophy finalists. (Joe Raymond, Dave Marin and Charlie Riedel)

2012 Heisman Trophy Finalists

Collin Klein: The Kansas State senior quarterback has accounted for 37 of the Wildcats' 56 offensive touchdowns this season. According to ESPN.com, he became the first quarterback from a BCS AQ school in the BCS era with 20 rushing touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns in multiple seasons. Klein's best game of the season was on October 20 at West Virginia. He completed 19 of 21 passes for 323 yards and seven total (three passing and four rushing) touchdowns. Klein's 55 career rushing touchdowns rank second among all active players, and are the fourth-most in Big 12 history. He also threw for at least 200 yards in six of his 12 games this season.

Johnny Manziel: The Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback has already made a name for himself in households around the country. "Johnny Football," as the call him rushed for a freshman quarterback record 1,181 yards. Manziel's 4,600 yards of total offense are a school record and another national record for freshmen. He became just the fifth player, and first freshman, in FBS history to pass for at least 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000. Manziel accomplished all of this while leading Texas A&M to a 10-2 mark in their first season in the SEC. His best game of the season came in the biggest one of all. He had 345 total yards and two touchdowns to lead the Aggies to the upset of previously undefeated Alabama.

Manti Te'o: The senior linebacker has anchored a rock solid Notre Dame defense (allowed 10.3 points per game) that lead the Irish to the BCS National Championship Game. He lead the unit in tackles for the third straight yeah a team-high 103 tackles. Teo's seven interceptions are the most ever for a Notre Dame linebacker and rank him second nationally among all players. His best game of the season came back in Semptember against Michigan when he accounted for eight tackles and two interceptions.

Prediction: I loved Klein early in the season. His effort was remarkable and enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately for him, his stock dropped as Kansas State's stock dropped. I would consider Klein a long-shot to win and expect him to finish third in the final voting. Te'o was the next player to grab my attention. He seemed to be everywhere on the field making plays from his linebacker position. Te'o is true leader at Notre Dame and is respected as one both on and off the field. But then, it was the freshman who stepped his game up to take the hearts of America captive. Manziel put up numbers week after week. When he led Texas A&M to the upset of previously undefeated Alabama, he was thrust into the forefront of the Heisman race.

There has never been a freshman Heisman winner and some voters will like to keep it that way, so that will cost Manziel some votes. However, I don't believe it will be enough. Te'o has put up great numbers, but Johnny Football has been special. I predict that Manziel will win the Heisman Trophy by a comfortable margin, but I still think it will still be closer than some expect.

College Football Week 11 Preview and Predictions

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel will have to play the best game of his young career if the Aggies hope of upsetting Alabama. (Brett Davis)

5. #2 Kansas State (9-0) @ TCU (6-3) - 7:00 PM EST, FOX

Kansas State continues to roll through their schedule raking up big win time and time again. However, they may be without their Heisman favorite quarterback when the travel to Fort Worth to take on TCU. Collin Klein suffered an apparent head injury during the third quarter of the Wildcats' 44-30 win over Oklahoma State last week. Head coach Bill Snyder has been mum on Klein's status, but he will certainly have his team well-prepared and ready to play. TCU has had their ups and downs this season, but come into Saturday's showdown off their best win of the season. The Horned Frogs went into Morgantown and beat West Virginia 39-38 in double overtime. Freshman quarterback Trevone Boykin came up with big throws junior wide receiver Josh Boyce and senior tight end Corey Fuller when he need to. TCU will need another big game out of Boykin and his offense if they hope to upset Kansas State.

Prediction: Kansas State 38 TCU 27

4. #21 Mississippi State (7-2) @ #7 LSU (7-2) - 7:00 EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Mississippi State used a cupcake schedule to start the season 7-2. Their last two games have exposed this reality as the Bulldogs got blown out by Alabama and Texas A&M. Junior quarterback Tyler Russell had 15 touchdown passes to only one interception in the first seven wins, but had only own touchdown and two interceptions in the two losses. The Bulldogs defense has struggled as well. They gave up 38 points in each of the loss and a combined 1,107 yards. LSU comes into this game off an emotional loss to rival Alabama. The Tigers need to put the loss behind them because they are still in the BCS picture. On offense, LSU has began to find its identity. Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger has steadily imporved and freshman tailback Jeremy Hill has emerged as the team's top back. The Tigers defense continues to be their foundation.

Prediction: LSU 24 Mississippi State 10

3. Penn State (6-3) @ #16 Nebraska (7-2) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2

Penn State doesn't have a postseason to play for, but they can play spoiler to some conference rivals. The Nittany Lions have gotten much better from the start of the season having won six of seven. Senior quarterback Matt McGloin has surprisingly emerged as one of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks. Freshman tight end Kyle Carter has been his top target, but is questionable to play after missing last week's game due to injury. Junior wide receiver Brandon Moseby-Felder stepped up to fill the void and may need to do so again this week. Nebraska is in the Big Ten Legends division driver seat, but was lucky to beat Michigan State last week. Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez is one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the country. In the win over the Spartans, he had four combined touchdowns, but also three interceptions. Sophomore running back Ameer Abdullah has had three straight 100-yard rushing games.

Prediction: Penn State 27 Nebraska 24

2. #11 Oregon State (7-1) @ #14 Stanford (7-2) - 3:00 PM EST, FOX

These are very similar teams. Both have strong, physical defenses and have had surprising replacement quarterbacks emerge to play well. Oregon State surprisingly started the season 6-0. Last week, the Beavers rebounded from a tough loss at Washington to beat Arizona State at home. Junior quarterback Cody Vaz was called into duty when Sean Mannion was injured. This big game will be just the fourth start of his collegiate career. Similarly, Stanford freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan will make his first career start in this game. He played well last week coming in for Josh Nunes, but that was against Colorado's defense.

Prediction: Stanford 20 Oregon State 17

1. #15 Texas A&M (7-2) @ #1 Alabama (9-0) - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

Alabama is coming off a physical, emotional win over rival LSU. Now, they must focus on not having a letdown against one of the SEC's best offenses. Texas A&M has a solid first year in the SEC largely due to the phenomenal play of freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. His 2,527 passing yards are second most in the SEC, and he leads the conference in rushing with 922 yards. His 31 total touchdowns tops the league as well. However, Manziel did only rush for 27 yards and had three interceptions in the Aggies loss to LSU. He will have to play much better if they hope to had top ranked and undefeated Alabama. The Crimson Tide's defense is vicious, and they have a Heisman caliber quarterback as well in AJ McCarron.

Prediction: Alabama 27 Texas A&M 24

College Football Week 8 Preview and Predictions

Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel will look to continue his success in Saturday's game against South Carolina. (Frederick Breedon)

5. #15 Rutgers (6-0) @ Temple (3-2) - 12:00 PM EST, Big East Network/ESPN3

At 6-0, Rutgers is off to their best start in six years. With two other Big East teams ranked and undefeated as well, the Scarlett Knights know that they need to keep winning if they hope to win the conference title and BCS bid. A big reason for their success has been their rock solid defense. The unit is anchored by senior linebacker Khaseem Greene. In last week's win over Syracuse, Greene had 14 tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception, and 1 1/2 sacks. Offensively, junior running back Jawan Jamison leads the Big East in rushing yards with 665 yards on 158 carries.

Temple is actually a very similar team to Rutgers with a strong defense and rushing attack. Freshman linebacker Tyler Matakevich has burst on the scene with 27.5 tackles the past two weeks. On the other side of the football, senior running back Montel Harris is looking like his old self. In his last two games, he has rushed for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

Prediction: Rutgers 23 Temple 13

4. #17 Texas Tech (5-1) @ #23 TCU (5-1) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2

Heading into last week, neither of these teams would have been on anyone radar for best games. However, Texas Tech destroyed West Virginia 49-14 and TCU routed Baylor 49-21. Suddenly, both teams are ranked and in the hunt for the Big 12 title. For the Red Raiders, it was quarterback Seth Doege who outshined Heisman frontrunner Geno Smith. Doege threw for 504 yards and six touchdowns in the game. It is important to note that one of his favorite targets, sophomore tight end Jace Amaro, is questionable. He will have an impact in the game one way or the other.

TCU has had to move forward after starting quarterback Casey Pachall withdrew from the school following his arrest for drinking and driving. His replacement, Trevone Boykin, played very well last week. He threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns. On the defensive side of the football, look for freshman defensive tackle Devonte Fields to have an impact on the game. He already has 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery on the season.

Prediction: Texas Tech 31 TCU 27

3. #6 LSU (6-1) @ #18 Texas A&M (5-1) - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN 3D

LSU's staple continues to be its stellar defenses. This season is no exception. While there are many standouts from the unit, junior linebacker Kevin Minter has a combined 29 tackles the past two weeks. Offensively, the Tigers rely on their deep running back core. Last week, their main man was freshman Jeremy Hill, who rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Texas A&M is having a great season, but is still looking for that signature SEC win to make a statement that they are in the conference to compete. They have great opportunity on Saturday when they host LSU. When talking about the Aggies success this season, it is impossible to overlook the play of freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. He is a true dual threat quarterback with the talent to take over any game. One of his favorite targets is fellow freshman Mike Evans. Evans has broken on to the scene in a big way as well.

Prediction: Texas A&M 20 LSU 16

2. #4 Kansas State (6-0) @ #13 West Virginia (5-1) - 7:00 PM EST, FOX

Kansas State keeps winning and moving up the rankings. When all is said and done though, the Wildcats go as senior quarterback Collin Klein goes. So far this season, he has been very good. Klein is a very balanced dual threat quarterback. He has over 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season thus far. In a close game, special teams could play a significant role. Kansas State sophomore kick returner Tyler Lockett is one of the best in college football. He averages over 30 yards a return and has one touchdown.

West Virginia's offense looked unstoppable. That is until last week when they looked just plain ugly in a blowout loss to Texas Tech. However, even when he struggles, senior quarterback Geno Smith plays quite well and doesn't make many mistakes. He still hasn't thrown an interception all season. Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are playmakers. They are going to have to play like it for the Mountaineers to have success. Being at home, does give WVU a huge advantage.

Prediction: West Virginia 52 Kansas State 48

1. #7 South Carolina (6-1) @ #2 Florida (6-0) - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

South Carolina's schedule doesn't get an easier Saturday. Coming off a win over Georgia and their first loss of the season to LSU, the Gamecocks will look to keep their high level of play going against Florida on Saturday. However, they might have to do it without one of their best players. Running back Marcus Lattimore is questionable for the game with a bruised hip. That means that even more of the pressure might fall on quarterback Connor Shaw. He must be willing to step up as he is needed to in order for the Gamecocks to find success.

Florida has to be on an emotional high after the BCS rankings came out with them ranked #2 in the polls. The Gators have a very balanced offense. Senior running back Mike Gillieslee is as consistent a back as they come and is very good in the redzone. Sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel is coming off a record-setting game against Vanderbilt. He is a dual threat danger at any time.

Prediction: Florida 20 South Carolina 17

College Football Week 7 Preview and Predictions

South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw dissected the Georgia defense and will look to do the same to the LSU unit Saturday. (AP Photo)

5. #10 Oregon State (4-0) @ BYU (4-2) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN3

Oregon State has experienced its share of good news and bad news this past week. The good news is that they are off to a 4-0 start and have their highest ranking since 2001. The bad news is that in last week's win over Washington State, quarterback Sean Mannion injured his left knee and is expected to miss anywhere from two to four weeks.

The Beavers will travel to Provo to take on BYU. The Cougars have had their share of question marks at quarterback as well. Senior quarterback Riley Nelson has been out with a back injury. Freshman Taysom Hill had been playing his place, but injured his left knee in their win over Utah State. He has been ruled out for the season. Nelson is expected to return as the starter, but the Cougars could be in trouble if he is unable to go.

In place of Mannion, Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz is making his collegiate starting debut. He has a difficult task set before him with having to play on the road against a tough BYU defense at home. Vaz will benefit from his pair of playmakers at wide receiver, Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks. Speaking of the Cougars defense, they will need to play very well, especially as they are lead by linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

Prediction: BYU 13 Oregon State 12

4. #15 Texas (4-1) vs. #13 Oklahoma (3-1) - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN

This is still one of the biggest rivarlies in college football. It just has a bit of a different feel this year. Rather than battling for control of the Big 12 race, both teams are simply trying not to fall farther behind #5 West Virginia and #6 Kansas State in the standings. Neither team is ranked in the top ten of the polls for the first time since 1999. The loser will have two losses just two weeks into October.

Oklahoma is finally starting to play better football. Starting quarterback Landry Jones is beginning to play better and is able to lead his team to victory. His wide receivers are finally finding some continuity with him as  well. Freshman Trey Metoyer and juniors Kenny Stills and Justin Brown have emerged as Jones' top targets. Defensively, the Sooners pieced together their best performance of the season last week in a win at Texas Tech.

Texas will look to contain Jones with their solid defense. The defense is anchored by defensive ends Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat. On offense, the Longhorns will look to control the line of scrimmage to create rushing lanes for their deep backfield. When playing up to their potential, they can control the ball and clock very well.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31 Texas 27

3. #17 Stanford (4-1) @ #7 Notre Dame (5-0) - 3:30 PM EST, NBC

Even without former star quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford hasn't really missed a beat offensively. The main reason why is the consistency of running back Stepfan Taylor. He is a workhorse who isn't afraid to get  into the trenches and pick up tough yardage. Quarterback Josh Nunes has improved over the course of the season. The Cardinal might see just how far along he is developed if the score is close near the end of the game.

Notre Dame is undefeated on the season, but has yet to receive some of the accolades of other teams in similar positions. One of the reasons might be that they aren't blowing teams out of the water, expect for last week's 41-3 blowout of Miami (FL). They grinded out their wins over Purdue, Michigan State and Michigan. However, wins are wins and that's what the Fighting Irish have been getting this season.

The Fighting Irish defense has been rock solid this season. They are led by linebacker Manti Te'o, who is having a fabulous season. If he and the rest of the defense can contain Taylor, they should be in good shape. The other aspect of Notre Dame's game that is starting to emerge is their rushing attack. Senior Cierre Wood just needed to get himself going after missing the first two games of the season due to suspension. Last week against the Hurricanes, he rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 Stanford 17

2. #22 Texas A&M @ #23 Louisiana Tech - 9:00 PM EST, ESPNU/WatchESPN

Texas A&M was supposed to open their season at Louisiana Tech. However, Hurricane Isaac came through and postponed the game until now. When it originally happened, no one probably thought anything of it. But now both teams are ranked and the game has been thrust into the national spotlight. Both teams boast big time offenses, so this one has shootout written all over it.

The Aggies have improved drastically since their loss to Florida. Quarterback Johnny Manziel's emergence as one of the most exciting players in the SSC is a major reason why. His dual threat nature has kept opposing defense off guard and guessing all season long. Another Aggie who is starting to shine is freshman wide receiver Mike Evans. He has 32 catches for 412 yards on the season. Evans' size could create a matchup problem for Louisiana Tech.

With an undefeated record, including wins over Houston, Illinois, and Virginia, Louisiana Tech has rightfully broken into the polls and national spotlight. The Bulldogs have legitimate BCS buster power. This makes the game against Texas A&M even more important. Quarterback Colby Cameron runs an efficient offense. His completion percentage of 68.3 and the fact that he hasn't thrown an interception are quite impressive. The other Bulldog to take note of is senior wide receiver Quinton Patton. He already has 34 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Prediction: Louisiana Tech 45 Texas A&M 42

1. #3 South Carolina @ #9 LSU - 8:00 PM EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Steve Spurrier finally looks like he has a South Carolina team good enough to win the school's first ever SEC title. Last week, the Gamecocks slammed then-No. 5 Georgia 35-7. Life doesn't get an easier for them though as they have to travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers rarely lose at home and even more rarely lose two in a row, coming off a loss at Florida.

South Carolina is a balanced team from top to bottom. Offensively, they are led by two of the best players in the SEC. Quarterback Connor Shaw is a dual threat danger that is capable of taking over at anytime. His ability to read defenses and analyze what is taking place is another strength of his game. The other star player is running back Marcus Lattimore. He already has nine rushing touchdowns this season.

LSU is still in control of their own fate in the SEC schedule. The Tigers defense has been as solid as years past. Linebacker Kevin Minter has been doing it all for the Tigers. Last week, he set a new school-record with 17 solo tackles. The difference in this year's LSU team is that the offense continues to struggle. In two SEC games so far this season, they have only managed score a combined 18 points.

Prediction: South Carolina 17 LSU 9

College Football Week 2 Preview and Predictions

Missouri quarterback James Frankiin is set to for his first real battle against an SEC defense Saturday. (Getty Images)

Since I have had a super busy week, I am only giving a short preview before my predictions. Additionally, this is about as weak of a slate of games as I can remember in a long time. Therefore, they do not merit as thorough of an anylsis as my other ones.

5. #24 Florida @ Texas A&M - 3:30 PM EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Texas A&M's debut against Louisiana Tech this season was postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Isaac. Now instead, their opening game will be against new conference rival Florida. The Aggies will look to get the season off on the right foot in their first game as a SEC member. Meanwhile, the Gators will look to continue their success from their 27-14 win over Bowling Green last weekend. They will be looking for continued growth out of newly named starting quarterback Jeff Driskel.

Prediction: Florida 24 Texas A&M 20                                              

4. Air Force @ #19 Michigan - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2

The Michigan Wolverines must look to bounce back quickly from their disappointing 41-14 loss to Alabama. They can't afford to be hungover going into their home opener against a dangerous Air Force team. The Falcons rushed for an amazing 484 yards last week in a win over Idaho State. They will look to use their option offense to control the tempo against Michigan. The Wolverines will look for a bounce back game from quarterback Denard Robinson. They will also be the beneficiaries of getting starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint back from suspension.

Prediction: Michigan 38 Air Force 24

3. #16 Nebraska @ UCLA - 7:30 PM EST, FOX

Nebraska travels across the country to take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The Cornhuskers hope that this is the first of two trips this season. If that is going to be the case, they must win games such as this one. Nebraska star quarterback Taylor Martinez had a huge game last week. The one potential blow to the Cornhuskers offense is that star running back Rex Burkhead is questionable for the game. UCLA kicked off the Jim Mora era with a solid win over Rice. They look to keep their momentum going this weekend.

Prediction: Nebraska 30 UCLA 24

2. Purdue @ #22 Notre Dame - 3:30 PM EST, NBC

Notre Dame's dominance of Navy in Ireland was one of the big stories from last week. This Saturday should show the affect that jet lag has on their ability to play football. For the Fighting Irish, the man at the center of it all is sophomore quarterback Everett Golson. Golson shined last week against the Midshipmen. Purdue will undoubtedly be excited to travel and play their in-state rivals this weekend. Their three-quarterback attack should cause the Irish defense to stay on their toes.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34 Purdue 20

1. #7 Georgia @ Missouri - 7:45 PM EST, ESPN2/WatchESPN

This is Missouri's first SEC game since joining the conference. With it being at home, the home crowd will certainly be stoked for this one. One clear advantage that the Tigers have is that they have the element of surprise. Their spread offense led by quarterback James Franklin is something that Georgia will not be as familiar with. Georgia is the heavy favorite in the game. However, I have some concerns. On defense, the Bulldogs have six starters suspended for the game. Additionally, they looked suspect at times against Buffalo last week.

Prediction: Missouri 34 Georgia 31

College Football Week 10 Preview & Predictions

I know that this is the first one, but starting today, I will spend Thursdays blogging about the Top 5 college football games for each week. My previews will include some pregame analysis and my predictions.

5. #15 Michigan @ Iowa (or any Big Ten game for that matter) - 12 PM EST, ESPN

With the exception of Penn State (bye this week), all of the Big Ten contenders are heavy favorites this Saturday. Nebraska hosts Northwestern, Michigan State hosts Minnesota, Wisconsin hosts Purdue, and Ohio State hosts Indiana. The Big Ten game that intrigues me the most is Michigan against Iowa. Michigan has looked solid this season behind the play of quarterback Denard Robinson and runningback Fitz Toussaint. However, the Wolverines have lost two times in a row to Iowa. Additionally, they should face an angry Hawkeyes team that lost 22-21 to lowly Minnesota last week. What will happen in this game (or any of these games), who knows? It is the Big Ten after all. Prediction: Michigan 24 Iowa 17

4. Texas A&M @ #6 Oklahoma - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN 2

Last year, Texas A&M pulled a stunning upset of Oklahoma 33-19. Many people think that they will do it again this year, but I am not one of those people. Last week, Texas A&M blew a second-half lead for the third time this season. If that wasn't bad enough, the Aggies' pass defense ranks dead last among FBS teams, allowing 318.3 yards per game. Oklahoma will be without leading rusher Dominique Whaley, but should focus on airing it out with quartback Landry Jones, who only threw for a school-record 505 yards and five touchdowns last week against a then undefeated Kansas State team. Prediction: Oklahoma 48 Texas A&M 24

3. #9 South Carolina @ #7 Arkansas - 7:15 PM EST, ESPN

Wait a second. There is another SEC Top 10 matchup this Saturday. I know that all of the media is focusing on the other big SEC game (don't worry I am getting there), but it's true. While South Carolina hasn't looked pretty in many wins this season (14-12 & 14-3 the past two weeks), on thing they've done a lot of this season is winning (only loss was by 3 to Auburn). Arkansas' only loss was a manhandling at Alabama. The Razorbacks have some solid wins (Texas A&M & Auburn), but haven't looked to strong the past two weeks having to come up with come-from- behind victories, after facing double-digits deficits. The storyline of the game might be the Hogs ability to protect quarterback Tyler Wilson, who has been sacked 15 times in eight games so far. Wilson is the SEC's leader in passing yards, but will need time to throw. South Carolina is No. 14 in the country in scoring defense (17.1 points per game).The Gamecocks' d-line will look to get after Wilson. Prediction: South Carolina 17 Arkansas 16

2. #14 Kansas State @ #3 Oklahoma State - 8PM EST, ABC/ESPN 2

Kansas State (who was then undefeated) was exposed in a 58-17 loss to Oklahoma last week. The Sooners exploded for 690 total yards of offense, including 505 passing yards and five touchdowns by quarterback Landry Jones. It won't get any easier for the Wildcats who head to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have the #2 scoring (49.9 ppg) and #4 passing (373.3 ypg) offense. Quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon have been been one of the best dynamic duos in all of college football. Additionally, running back Joseph Randle has ran for 290 yards in the past two games combined. Unless the Wildcats took some miracle drug this week, this game should look like a repeat of their last game. Prediction: Oklahoma State 48 Kansas State 28

1. #1 LSU @ #2 Alabama - 8PM EST, CBS

Could this game be any bigger? #1 against #2. The two SEC West rivals are nose-to-nose in almost every way. Both teams crushed their first eight opponents in double-digit wins. They both annihilated East Division foes Florida and Tennessee by a combined 61 (LSU) and 59 (Alabama) points. LSU has the #13 scoring offense and #2 scoring defense. Alabama has the #12 scoring offense and #1 scoring defense. The winner clearly has inside track to play for both the SEC Championship and National Title. If this kind of matchup doesn't make you want to watch college football, I don't know what kind will. Prediction: Alabama 45 LSU 43 (3OT)