Top 25 picks
As if there weren’t enough big games in the Southeastern Conference, three interdivisional matchups that might not have been circled on many calendars back in the summer have turned out to be important and intriguing.
Kentucky, coming off a huge win over rival Louisville, visits Arkansas today, with the Razorbacks trying to rebound from a heartbreaking loss at Alabama.
A 0-2 league start is no way for Darren McFadden and the Hogs to defend their Western Division title.
Alabama is trying to start 3-0 in the conference in its first season under coach Nick Saban. Georgia comes to Tuscaloosa, having lost its SEC opener to South Carolina.
In Baton Rouge, La., the coach who used to dominate the league tries to pull off a big upset. Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks could take a huge leap with a victory over LSU. The Tigers, however, have been as dominant a team as any in the country, allowing only seven points in three games.
The picks:
| Matchup | Time | TV |
| Washington St. (plus 24 1/2 ) at (1) USC | ||
| USC 42-14 | 5 p.m. | ABC |
| (12) S. Carolina (plus 16 1/2 ) at (2) LSU | ||
| LSU 35-14 | 12:30 | CBS |
| (3) Florida (minus 21) at Mississippi | ||
| Florida 46-14 | 9:30 a.m. | |
| E. Carolina (24 1/2 ) at (5) West Virginia | ||
| West Virginia 41-20 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 |
| Arizona (plus 16) at (6) California | ||
| Cal 44-17 | 3 p.m. | Versus |
| Rice (plus 38 1/2 ) at (7) Texas | ||
| Texas 50-10 | 4 p.m. | FSN |
| N’western (plus 22) at (8) Ohio State | ||
| Ohio State 38-14 | 12:30 | ESPN |
| Iowa (plus 7 1/2 ) at (9) Wisconsin | ||
| Wisconsin 27-21 | 5 p.m. | |
| (10) Penn State (minus 3) at Michigan | ||
| Michigan 28-24 | 12:30 | ABC |
| (13) Oregon (minus 16 1/2 ) at Stanford | ||
| Oregon 55-17 | 7 p.m. | |
| Army (plus 28 1/2 ) at (14) BC | ||
| Boston College 35-3 | 10 a.m. | |
| (15) Clemson (minus 7) at N.C. State | ||
| Clemson 26-20 | 9 a.m. | |
| (22) Ga. (plus 3 1/2 ) at (16) Alabama | ||
| Georgia 27-26 | 4:45 p.m. | ESPN |
| William-Mary (NL) at (17) Va. Tech | ||
| Virginia Tech 44-6 | 10:30 am | |
| Syracuse (plus 36 1/2 ) at (18) Louisville | ||
| Louisville 58-10 | 9 a.m. | |
| Charleston Southern (NL) at (19) Hawaii | ||
| Hawaii 50-10 | 9 p.m. | |
| (21) Kentucky (plus 6 1/2 ) at Arkansas | ||
| Arkansas 71-63 | 3 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| N. Carolina (plus 13 1/2 ) at (23) S. Florida | ||
| South Florida 34-17 | 9 a.m. | ESPN |
| Ball State (plus 22) at (24) Nebraska | ||
| Nebraska 48-21 | ||
| Illinois State (NL) at (25) Missouri | ||
| Missouri 50-14 | 11 a.m. | |
Last week’s record: 19-3 (straight); 9-7-1 (vs. points).
Season: 63-4 (straight); 28-25-1 (vs. points).