ESPN College Football

Every Saturday during the 2007 season, the ESPN.com college football team will be blogging live from Bristol, bringing you inside information and commentary from our writers and analysts who are at the top games at stadiums across the country. Refresh this page often to keep track of all the entries throughout the afternoon.

Have a question or comment on today's action? E-mail us and let us know what you're thinking.

ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach will be tracking all of Saturday's games and providing insight on all of the day's action.

11:30 a.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach

Here's a look at 10 things to watch for today:

1. Is Arizona State for real?
The No. 4 Sun Devils took a big step toward legitimacy with a 31-20 win over California last week. But Arizona State faces its stiffest test in coach Dennis Erickson's first season with today's game at No. 5 Oregon. Sun Devils quarterback Rudy Carpenter has a sprained right thumb, but Erickson said the junior is ready to go. Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon can take another step in the Heisman Trophy race with another stellar performance in a big game. The Sun Devils won in their last two trips to noisy Autzen Stadium. Erickson is 8-4 against top-five ranked opponents.

2. Will Les Miles walk out of Nick Saban's shadow?
The pressure figures to be on No. 3 LSU when the Tigers play at No. 17 Alabama today. LSU was supposed to be in the driver's seat in the SEC West; Alabama wasn't supposed to be tied for first this late in Saban's first season. It will be LSU's first game against Saban, who led the Tigers to the 2004 BCS national championship. LSU has dominated the series recently, winning six of the last seven meetings and nine of the last 12 played in Alabama. LSU has outscored Alabama 37-0 in the second half of the last three contests.

3. Can Wisconsin win in the Horseshoe again?
The No. 21 Badgers have had remarkable success playing at Ohio Stadium, winning their last three games in Columbus. Wisconsin came from behind each time to win, rallying from 17-0 deficits in 1999 and 2001 and 10-0 in 2004. Wisconsin can't afford to fall behind if it's going to have a chance to win this time. Ohio State's defense has allowed five offensive touchdowns in nine games, an average of only 5.2 points per game. The Buckeyes have won 19 consecutive Big Ten games and can set a league record with its 20th straight win today.

4. Will Florida State be able to handle this Hurricane?
With the remnants of Hurricane Noel expected to hit the East Coast today, No. 2 Boston College and Florida State could play in tough conditions tonight at Alumni Stadium. Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan struggled throwing the football in a driving rain storm before throwing two touchdowns in the final 2:11 to win at Virginia Tech 14-10 last week. The Seminoles, who will try to avoid a 2-4 record in ACC play, lost the last time they faced a Hurricane, losing to Miami 37-29 in Tallahassee on Oct. 20. Boston College has won its last 16 home games; FSU was the last team to beat the Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Mass., in the Eagles' first ACC game in 2005.

5. Can Navy beat Notre Dame?
The Midshipmen haven't beaten the Fighting Irish since Roger Staubach's Heisman Trophy-winning season in 1963. Notre Dame has won 43 consecutive games in the series, the longest winning streak over one opponent in NCAA history. The Midshipmen are coming off a 59-52 loss to Division I-AA Delaware and have surrendered 38.1 points per game, the sixth-worst average in the country. The Irish have scored only 80 points in 10 games, second fewest in the country.

6. Will the SEC East race begin to shake out?
Four of the seven SEC teams in action today are playing nonconference lightweights: No. 10 Georgia hosts Troy (more like a middleweight); Northwestern State plays at Ole Miss; Tennessee Tech plays at Auburn; and Tennessee hosts Louisiana-Lafayette. But South Carolina and Florida will try to keep their fading hopes alive in the SEC. The Gamecocks have lost their last two games and host Arkansas, which has won four of its last five. The Gators, who have lost three of their last four games, host Vanderbilt, which has lost 16 in a row against Florida.

7. Can Dennis Franchione or Bill Callahan save their jobs?
Each coach might have to come up with a landmark upset victory to save their jobs, and both Nebraska and Texas A&M have such opportunities today. The Cornhuskers play at No. 8 Kansas, which has lost 37 of its last 38 games against Nebraska. The Jayhawks ended a 36-game losing streak against the Cornhuskers with a 40-15 win during Callahan's first season in 2005. Texas A&M has lost four games in a row against Oklahoma, including a 77-0 victory in 2003. The Aggies will try to reverse this unsightly trend: they've lost 21 of 27 games after Oct. 31 since 2000 (12 of 14 since 2002).

8. Can Connecticut stay in first place in the Big East? The No. 13 Huskies are the only unbeaten team left in Big East play and they'll have to beat Rutgers today to keep the unblemished mark. The Huskies have won each of their five home games this season. Two of the Big East's best tailbacks go head-to-head. Rutgers' Ray Rice went over 1,000 rushing yards for the third straight season in a 31-3 loss to West Virginia last week, and Connecticut's Andre Dixon has four 100-yard games this season.

9. Can John David Booty get USC back on track?
Booty, who missed the last three games with a broken finger, returns to the starting lineup as the No. 19 Trojans try to stay alive in the Pac-10 title race. USC has lost two of its last four games to fall two games behind Arizona State in the conference standings. The Trojans are 20-0 in November under coach Pete Carroll and hasn't lost to Oregon State at home since 1960.

10. Will Henne and Hart play for Michigan?
With the Ohio State game looming on the schedule Nov. 17, Michigan would probably like to get quarterback Chad Henne and tailback Mike Hart back into the lineup to get the rust off. Hart has been sidelined for the last two games with a sprained ankle; Henne has been banged up all season with a shoulder injury. The Wolverines have allowed 15 sacks this season; the Spartans have 32 sacks, fourth-most in the country. Michigan has won the last five meetings in the intrastate rivalry.

12:07 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Purdue's Dorian Bryant just returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to put the Boilermakers ahead 7-0 at Penn State. The Nittany Lions won 12-0 in West Lafayette, La., last season. Penn State leads the series 8-3-1. Bryant originally committed to play at Boston College before switching to Purdue. Do you think he would have been Matt Ryan's favorite target?

12:19 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Keep an eye on a couple of early Big 10 games. Indiana is hosting Ball State and the Hoosiers can become bowl eligible with six victories if they beat the Cardinals. The Hoosiers, who are seeking their first bowl appearance since 1993, have lost four of their last six games. The Indiana defense will have its hands full with Ball State quarterback Nate Davis. Ball State leads 3-0. Northwestern also can earn its sixth win by beating Iowa in Evanston, Ill., today. The Wildcats are up 7-0 after Tyrell Sutton's 2-yard touchdown run. He scored after an apparent touchdown was overturned by replay. … Meanwhile, it took Ohio State less than three minutes to go ahead of Wisconsin 7-0 at Ohio State. Todd Boeckman threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie with 12:15 left in the first. Boeckman completed five of six passes for 71 yards on the first drive.

12:23 p.m.: College GameDay on ESPN Radio is live on webcam from Oregon until 7 p.m. ET. Check it out here.

12:30 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Purdue's Dorien Bryant scored his third career kickoff return touchdown, tied for second-most among Division I-A players. Arkansas' Felix Jones leads with four.

12:32 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Duke goes ahead of Clemson 7-0 on Thaddeus Lewis' 7-yard touchdown to Eron Riley with about 7½ minutes to go in the first quarter. The Blue Devils are trying to end a 22-game losing streak against ACC opponents. Duke's last victory over a conference foe was against Clemson, 16-13 in 2003. Obviously, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden doesn't need to lose to the Blue Devils again if he wants to keep his job. Quarterback Cullen Harper and the Tigers are driving. … Elsewhere in the ACC, Miami leads NC State 3-0 in the Orange Bowl, where they honored the 1987 national championship team before kickoff. That team included NFL Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Steve Walsh. … Wake Forest and Virginia are tied 3-3 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va. The Wahoos are trying to keep pace with Virginia Tech in the Coastal Division; the Demon Deacons are only one game behind No. 2 Boston College in the Atlantic Division.

12:36 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema is pulling out all stops against No. 1 Ohio State today. After the Buckeyes scored a touchdown on their first possession, the Badgers ran a reverse on the kickoff return and then ran a fake punt for a first down at the Ohio State 22. Punter Ken DeBauche threw a 31-yard pass to Paul Standring. Wisconsin settled for Taylor Mehlhaff's 21-yard field goal to make it 7-3 late in the first quarter.

12:44 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Purdue was driving for a touchdown that would have put the Boilermakers ahead 17-3 in the first quarter. But tailback Kory Sheets fumbled while diving into the end zone on second-and-goal, and Nittany Lions linebacker Sean Lee recovered at the 1. Penn State is trailing 10-3, but driving down the field.

12:54 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
No hangover for Florida after its 42-30 loss to Georgia in Jacksonville last weekend. The Gators drove down the field on their first possession and scored on Tim Tebow's 2-yard touchdown run. It appeared Kestahn Moore had scored on a 2-yard run the play before, but it was reversed by replay. Nonetheless, the Gators go in front 7-0 with 8:22 to go in the first.

12:55 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Tim Tebow's rushing touchdown tied the SEC record for a quarterback at 13. He leads the nation in rushing TDs for a QB, two ahead of Navy's Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. Tebow also has a rushing touchdown in 10 consecutive games, the nation's longest streak. Oregon's Dennis Dixon and Kaheaku-Enhada have rushed for touchdown in eight straight games.

12:59 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Nice start for Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz, who is making his first start at No. 8 Kansas in place of Sam Keller, who will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Ganz completed 3 of 5 passes in the first drive and then scored on a 3-yard run to make it 7-0 with 9:04 left in the first quarter.

1:06 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Straight from the mailbag:
From Travis in Americus, Ga.: Does Troy really have a snowball's chance today against my Schlabach: Sure, if Georgia plays like it did against South Carolina or Tennessee, then the Trojans could keep it close. Troy is used to playing in these kind of games. We'll see how much Georgia has grown up this week. They're coming off a huge win over Florida and can't afford a let down. Can't be looking ahead to Auburn, either.

From Pey Dega: Will miss st beat alabama?
Schlabach: Let's see what happens against LSU today before we talk about next week. But, yes, State is playing very, very well. Carroll looks like a quarterback Croom can build his team around.

From Ron in Lexington, Ky: Do you think that Oklahoma can make it to the National Championship Game? What will it take due to them being a 1 loss team and if they win the BIG 12 Championship. Schlabach: I think it would take Ohio State, Arizona State or Boston College losing (two of the three must lose), plus LSU and Oregon losing. Oklahoma would have to win out and win rather convincingly along the way.

Have a question or comment on today's action? E-mail us and let us know what you're thinking.

1:12 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Well, looks like we've got a shootout in Lawrence, Kan. After Nebraska went ahead 7-0 on quarterback Joe Ganz's scramble for a touchdown, the Jayhawks answered with a quick scoring drive. Quarterback Todd Reesing threw a 13-yard touchdown to Kerry Meier, the former quarterback. But then Nebraska needed only three plays to go back in front 14-7. Tailback Marlon Lucky caught a short pass from Ganz and ran 62 yards for a touchdown.

1:22 p.m.: Purdue and Penn State are tied at 10. Here's a look at a few other scores from around the nation:

Ohio State 10, Wisconsin 3
Kansas 21, Nebraska 14
Florida 14, Vandy 0
Wake Forest 6, Virginia 3
Clemson 17, Duke 7

For all of the scores, click here.

1:27 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
No. 10 Georgia should consider itself very, very lucky. The Bulldogs have run five offensive plays against Troy and have lost two fumbles. Tailback Knowshown Moreno lost a fumble on the second play, then fullback Brannon Southerland lost a fumble on a swing pass two plays later. The Trojans kicked a 25-yard field goal to go ahead 3-0 after the first turnover. Troy couldn't convert the second miscue into points. Georgia took over at its 20 and Moreno took a pitch and raced 80 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 lead.

1:32 p.m.: From ESPN Research: NC State scored a touchdown in the second quarter. That is the first points allowed by Miami in the first half at home this season. Coming into Saturday, the Canes had outscored their opponents 71-0 through five games at the Orange Bowl.

1:39 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Ohio State got a late 27-yard field goal from Ryan Pretorius to go ahead of Wisconsin 10-3 at halftime. The Buckeyes moved inside the Badgers' 20-yard line on Todd Boeckman's 45-yard pass to Brian Hartline, then had first-and-goal at the 5 with 41 seconds to go in the half. But Kirk DeCremer sacked Boeckman on third-and-goal to force the field goal. Boeckman completed 14 of 21 passes for 149 yards with one touchdown in the half. The Buckeyes had 194 yards of offense in the first half, but the Badgers have done a pretty good job on Chris "Beanie" Wells, who ran seven times for 32 yards in the half. … Penn State scored twice in the final 3:11 of the first half to take a 13-10 lead over Purdue at the half. Nittany Lions quarterback Anthony Morrelli threw a five-yard touchdown to Derrick Williams to tie the score at 10-10, then Kevin Kelly kicked a 24-yard field goal on the final play of the half. Nice half for Penn State freshman Evan Royster, who ran 10 times for 58 yards in the half.

1:39 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Troy goes in front of Georgia 10-3 on quarterback Omar Haugabook's 32-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jerrel Jernigan. The Trojans had 160 yards in the first 11 minutes of the first quarter, including 146 passing. Haugabook has thrown for 129 yards and one touchdown.

1:53 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Miami QB Kirby Freeman was 1-of-7 in the first half against NC State, but he made the most of it. His one completion was an 84-yd TD pass to Darnell Jenkins. Freeman also had a completion to NC State.

1:57 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan has come out smoking against No. 1 Ohio State in the second half. On the Badgers' first drive of the second half, he completed a 50-yard pass to Paul Hubbard. Then Donovan fired a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Beckum to tie the score at 10-10. The touchdown came after a questionable chock-block penalty against receiver Marcus Randle El. Remember, the Badgers have won their last three games at Ohio Stadium. Can they make it four in a row?

2:01 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Who needs defense? No. 8 Kansas and Nebraska have combined to score 56 points -- with 8½ minutes to play in the first half. The Jayhawks already have 298 yards of offense and have taken a 35-21 lead. Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing has completed 16 of 22 passes for 237 yards with three touchdowns. How about that Blackskirt Defense?

2:05 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Defending national champion Florida is running all over Vanderbilt with a 28-7 lead in the final four minutes of the first half. Gators quarterback Tim Tebow recovered from a poor performance against Georgia, completing 12 of his first 13 passes for 183 yards with two touchdowns. The Gators also are getting sophomore receiver Percy Harvin more involved on offense. With less than four minutes to go in the second quarter, Harvin had run five times for 79 yards with one score and caught four passes for 62 yards.

2:10 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Wisconsin's touchdown was the first offensive TD given up by the Buckeyes in Columbus this season.

Kansas' record for points in a half is 49 (done three times), most recently against Toledo in 2004. Nebraska's record for most points allowed in a half is 42, to Colorado in 2001. It's currently 35-21 with 7 minutes left in the second half.

2:12 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wisconsin just took its first lead at Ohio State, 17-10 with 6:53 left in the third. Quarterback Tyler Donovan continues to play really, really well for the Badgers. He threw a 46-yard pass to tight end Travis Beckum for a first down at the OSU 4. On third-and-goal, Donovan fired a three-yard touchdown to fullback Chris Pressley.

2:17 p.m.: From ESPN Research: This is Tim Tebow's fourth career game with three touchdown passes (his career high is four). Andre Caldwell ties his career-high with eight catches; it's also his third career two-touchdown game.

2:21 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wisconsin's injuries are beginning to pile up as the Badgers attempt to hang on at No. 1 Ohio State (tied 17-17). The Badgers just lost starting right tackle Eric Vandenheuvel, who is out with a right foot injury. Wisconsin already is playing without start tailback P.J. Hill, who is out with a leg injury.

2:26 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Nebraska might fire coach Bill Callahan (or at least defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove). According to ESPN Research, Kansas just took a 48-21 lead over the Cornhuskers with 1:16 to go in the first half. It is the most points ever scored against Nebraska in a half (Colorado scored 42 in a half against the Cornhuskers in 2001). Jayhawks quarterback Todd Reesing is lighting up the defense, completing 20 of 28 passes for 273 yards with four touchdowns. Kansas already has 379 yards of offense.

2:27 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Most points in a half in Kansas history:

'04 vs Toledo -- 49
'98 vs Ilinois St -- 49
'12 vs St. Mary's -- 49
'07 vs Nebraska -- 48
'94 vs UAB -- 48

2:38 p.m.: Voice of the fans:
From John in Okinawa:
Why is a coach's recruiting ability not a standard topic when discussing job changes? I'm no Ron Zook fan, but one has to admire his recruiting prowess: "His" team won the national championship (albeit under Urban Meyer), and now "his" Illini are showing huge improvements from the previous 2 decades of Illini football.

From Lee in Baton Rouge:
Everyone thinks we really hate Nick Saban because he is now coaching a rival. The reason most people dislike Saban is because he lies. He told us (LSU fans) that he had no interest in the Miami. The next things we know, a plane is landing in Baton Rouge to pick him up. If Saban wouldn't lie, that issue at hand would be different! He will more then likely do that same at Bama!

For more opinions, read other fans' blogs, or create your own. Check out today's featured blog. Have a question or comment on today's action? E-mail us and let us know what you're thinking.

2:46 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Big finish to the first half for No. 10 Georgia, which scored two touchdowns in the final 43 seconds to go ahead 24-10 over Troy at the half. Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Stafford finally found some rhythm in the final two minutes, throwing a 28-yard pass to Mohmaed Massaquoi and then a 22-yard touchdown to tight end Tripp Chandler to make it 17-10 with 45 to go. The Trojans fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Georgia's Akeem Dent recovered with 43 seconds left. Stafford completed a couple of passes and then fired a 20-yard touchdown to senior Sean Bailey with eight seconds to play in the half. Stafford completed 11 of 21 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno ran 14 times for 149 yards and one score in the half..

2:54 p.m.: Notre Dame gets on the board early against visiting Navy, but Irish fans can't be confident about their next three (Air Force, Stanford, Duke) -- a stretch that in other years would be laughable..

2:57 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Ohio State has taken control against Wisconsin, taking a 31-17 lead on Todd Boeckman's eight-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie with 10:05 to go. The Buckeyes have scored 21 consecutive points after falling behind 17-10 early in the third quarter. The last touchdown came after Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema attempted a fake field goal for the second time in the game. The trick worked the first time -- and failed miserably the second time around. The Badgers were stuffed short of the first down at their own 25. Wisconsin just lost a fumble deep in their own terriory at the 16. OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis made the big stop on the second fake punt and forced the last fumble. Look's like this game is over …

3:10 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Is Virginia about to do it again? The Cavaliers trailed defending ACC champion Wake Forest for most of the second half, but the Cavs just went ahead on Mikell Simpson's two-yard touchdown run with 2:18 to go. Chris Gould's extra-point kick made the score 17-16. If the Cavaliers hang on, they would maintain pace with rival Virginia Tech in the ACC's Coastal Division with a 5-1 record in league play. It would be the fifth time this season Virginia won a game by five points or fewer.

3:16 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
It's almost over in Columbus, Ohio, where Ohio State just scored its fourth consecutive touchdown on Chris Wells' 23-yard run to take a 38-17 lead with 3:16 to go. Ohio State's defense has sacked Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan eight times; the last one resulted in a fumble that set up Wells' touchdown run.

3:18 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Tim Tebow set the SEC record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with his last score. 2007: Tim Tebow, Florida -- 14<<
1983: John Bond, Miss. State -- 13
1977 : Derrick Ramsay, Kentucky -- 13
1971: Andy Johnson, Georgia -- 13
>> two today

3:22 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
It's over in Charlottesville, where No. 23 Virginia hangs on for a 17-16 victory over No. 24 Wake Forest at Scott Stadium. Demon Deacons kicker Sam Swank, an All-ACC selection last year, missed a 48-yard field goal on the last play of the game. Swank missed another field goal earlier in the game when it bounced off the left upright.

3:22 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Troy has pulled to within 24-20 at No. 10 Georgia on Omar Haugabook's 44-yard touchdown pass to Kennard Burton late in the third quarter. Georgia seemed to be driving for a touchdown, but quarterback Matthew Stafford was intercepted at Troy's 20. The Trojans have outscored the Bulldogs 10-0 in the fourth quarter. Georgia has three turnovers in the game, after having six in its first eight games combined.

3:30 p.m. The afternoon games are under way. Follow along here.

3:48 p.m. From ESPN Research: Percy Harvin is the first Florida player with 100 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in same game (unofficially, he has 113 rush and 110 rec now).

3:53 p.m. From ESPN Research: Since the NCAA started keeping records in 1937, Virginia now has an all-time record five wins by two points or less. The Cavs' last three wins have been by one point each.

3:59 p.m. From ESPN Research: Todd Reesing threw his sixth touchdown pass against Nebraska -- that's a single-season school record (breaking Ralph Miller's record of five, which was set in 1938). KU currently leads the Huskers 76-31.

4:08 p.m. Straight from the mailbag:
From Jason in New York: Terrelle Pryor was at the Ohio State/Wisco game for a visit today. What do you think of the possibility that Tressel focused on the passing game in the first 2.5 quarters b/c Pryor was there? Would a coach ever tailor his gameplan for a top recruit like Pryor?

From Tommy in Pittsburg, Kansas: Is anyone going to take the Jayhawks for real!!! Did Reesing throw himself into heisman talks with his showing today and who would've thought that the Ku vs. Mu game in a couple weeks could be one of the biggest games of the year! Rock Chalk Jayhawk Baby!!!!!

From David in Columbus: Does this win solidify Ohio State as number 1 team? What are the chances of Beanie Wells or Boeckman getting Heisman consideration after their performances against Wisconsin?

Think you have the answers? Have a question or comment on today's action? E-mail us and let us know what you're thinking.

4:15 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
We're less than an hour away from the kickoff of LSU-Alabama. Here are the keys to the game for the Tide:

Get in Matt Flynn's face and stay there. The LSU senior quarterback hit a rough patch during the middle part of the season and wasn't playing particularly well. He also wasn't healthy with a bum ankle, but he's much closer to 100 percent now with the week off and coming off a career game in the win over Auburn. Still, LSU's running game is so good that pressuring Flynn and forcing him into mistakes will be Alabama's best chance. Kentucky found a way to sack him three times and hold him to 130 passing yards. Remember, too, that LSU's "changeup" at quarterback, Ryan Perrilloux, won't be available for this game after being suspended. So if Flynn is struggling or takes a few too many blows, there's not going to be the option of going to Perrilloux. Alabama senior defensive end Wallace Gilberry has had an All-SEC season. Now let's see if his cohorts up front can raise their game to that level.

The one thing that's given LSU's defense trouble this season has been a consistent passing game. That's where DJ Hall comes in. He's been arguably the best receiver in the nation the last few weeks, and Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson has played his best football in wins over Tennessee and Mississippi. But those two defenses pale in comparison to what Wilson and Hall will face today. Hall had a big game last season against the Tigers with eight catches for 142 yards  and that secondary included future NFL first-rounder LaRon Landry at safety. Wilson and Hall need to soften up the LSU defense with a few shots down the field, but Hall will also need some help from the likes of Matt Caddell and Keith Brown. Wilson was pretty ordinary in the Crimson Tide's first six games, completing 54 percent of his passes. He's completed 67.4 percent in his last two games, though, and that's the version of Wilson the Tide hopes shows up today at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Saban knows he can't play conservatively and win this game, which means the Tide will do whatever it has to do to get the ball to its best playmaker -- Hall.

Does anybody think Alabama is good enough offensively to just line up and drive the football consistently on LSU? Not even Alabama coach Nick Saban is buying that one. But here's the other (and potentially more serious) problem. The Tigers mash people running the football, and stopping the run has been Alabama's weakness all season. What this all means is that the Tide has to create some short fields, be it by forcing turnovers on defense or getting Javier Arenas going in the return game. Alabama is 11th nationally in turnover margin. Winning the turnover battle is a must if the Tide is going to have a chance in this game. Moreover, Arenas has four returns this season of 50 yards or longer (three punts and one kickoff). It's doubtful Saban will open the game with an onsides kick the way he did against Tennessee, but here's betting he takes a few chances somewhere along the way on special teams.

4:25 p.m.: It's halftime in South Bend, where a last-minute score gave the Irish a 21-14 lead at the end of the second quarter. Here's a look at other scores from around the nation:
Oklahoma State 21, Texas 0
Cincy 30, USF 14
Michigan 14, Michigan State 3
North Carolina 3, Maryland 0

For the full scoreboard, click here.

4:34 p.m.: From ESPN Research: How weird is this? Last year, during college basketball season, Kansas defeated Nebraska in its first game on Jan. 29, 76-56.
In the second meeting of the schools, on Feb. 17, Kansas won 92-39.
So, take the points scored by Kansas in the first game and take the points Nebraska scored in the second game, and you have today's football score: 76-39.

4:36 p.m.: From ESPN Research: South Florida has given up 31 points to Cincinnati and it's still the first quarter! The 31 points allowed is already a season-high. This is the same team that gave up just 13 to West Virginia.

4:39 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Notre Dame's 21 first-half points are a season-high. No no, not for a first half … FOR A GAME!

4:45 p.m.: ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel
We're counting down the minutes until Nick Saban faces his former team. Since Chris took care of what the Tide needs to do today, here are three keys to the game for LSU:

1. The LSU defensive line, with or without an effective Glenn Dorsey, has to be able to control the line of scrimmage. Alabama coach Nick Saban said what makes the Tigers' defensive front so effective is that they can stop the run with seven in the box and let the safeties focus on pass coverage. If LSU does that Saturday, it will gain a big advantage.

2. Tiger senior wide receiver Early Doucet has struggled to get healthy for most of the season. No one on the LSU team benefited more from having last week off. If Doucet can stretch the Alabama defense, he will make more room for Jacob Hester to blast those runs through the middle.

3. LSU may be fifth in the nation in scoring defense (15.4 points per game) but in the last three games, the Tigers have given up an average of 25 points per game in regulation (excluding Kentucky's 16 overtime points). Alabama has scored at least 21 first-half points in four of its five home games. LSU must come out of the tunnel playing good defense. The Tigers don't want to have to play catch-up on the road.

4:55 p.m.: ESPN.com's Pat Forde
The game to watch on the West Coast is Arizona State-Oregon (ESPN, 6:40 p.m. ET), where the No. 4 Sun Devils are trying to preserve their undefeated record. Here are the three biggest questions before kickoff in Autzen Stadium:

1. Rudy Carpenter's thumb.
If the ASU quarterback with the sprained thumb has any difficulty gripping the ball, taking snaps or throwing, the Sun Devils will have a hard time keeping pace with the high-octane Oregon offense.

2. Who handles the hype?
This is the biggest game of every player's college career. The Ducks have more experience up high in the rankings and are playing at home, so they should be more composed. But don't underestimate the confidence Dennis Erickson has transfused into ASU.

3. Dixon's time
If Dennis Dixon wants to make a hard run at Matt Ryan atop the Heisman Trophy polls, what better time to do it than in a matchup of top five teams on ESPN, where the nation can actually see you work? Dixon has run for at least one TD every game this year, and that dual-threat ability means ASU's pass rush must stay in its lanes to keep him from escaping and running for big yardage, converting thirs downs in the process.

5 p.m.: That's it from us in Bristol. Enjoy tonight's games and check back next week for more!