NCAA Football south carolina Gamecocks

Georgia vs. Auburn.

It doesn't get any better, or older, than this for these two schools. Known as the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, the series began in 1892 and is the seventh-most played in the country. The mutual disdain has been passed down through the generations, and the 113th meeting Saturday isn't expected to be any different.

"Everybody has their team," Georgia coach Mark Richt said.

When it comes to debating rankings, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is a fuddy-duddy.

So there's no need to waste your time, even if the Crimson Tide leapfrogged SEC rival Florida into the top spot of this week's Associated Press poll. Of course, Alabama is also ranked second behind the Gators in the initial installment of the weekly BCS poll that will determine national title invites by early December.

Saban doesn't mean to be a killjoy -- or does he? -- but his game-at-a-time mantra is focused on Saturday's showdown against visiting Tennessee.

Alabama coach Nick Saban certainly likes the Crimson Tide's offensive efficiency.

Alabama has stepped it up through the first five games this year, compared to the first give games in 2008. Alabama is averaging three points more points per game more and 86 more total yards per game above last season. The passing offense is where the major improvement has been, with the Tide throwing for 1,173 yards and nine touchdowns compared to 808 yards and six scores last season.

That's not all. For the first time since 1979, and just the third time in school history, No. 3 Alabama has opened the season with five straight games of 30 points or more. The Tide looks to extend that streak to six games on Saturday at No. 20 Mississippi.

Will the real LSU please stand up?

Fourth-ranked LSU is between the hedges Saturday at No. 18 Georgia in a pivotal SEC showdown. Not only are the Tigers looking for their first victory in Athens, Ga., since 1986, they are facing their first ranked opponent of the season. Both challenges expect to test a LSU team still in search of its identity a month into the season.

"We're fortunate to be 4-0; we'd like to be 5-0, and only the next opponent stands between us and that goal," said LSU coach Les Miles, who will be making his first trip to Athens.

This is where Steve Spurrier would've stopped to take a team photo, or cracked a one-liner with the same brutal intent as Eric Norwood hunting Jevan Snead Thursday night, assuming the coach wasn't busy writing his name in the sky, challenging the opposing mascot to a duel, or something else larger than life but not larger than the Ol' Ball Coach.

In previous years, this is where Spurrier's head would've swollen so big it would've popped the visor right off his skull like a broken rubber band.

But, on Saturday night, in the wake of his biggest win at South Carolina, a 16-10 upset of No. 4 Ole Miss, there was as little trace of that Spurrier churlishness as there was Snead's Heisman hype.

South Carolina had the honors of getting college football's fourth week off in high fashion, toppling preseason darling Mississippi 16-10 Thursday. Coming on the heels of Miami topping Georgia Tech last week, Thursday is fast becoming college football's version of Halloween, where underdogs dress up like contenders and make weird and wild things happen.

The win didn't come easy for South Carolina, however. Gamecock coach Steve Spurrier was the picture of agonized helplessness in the game's final period, alternating between shrugs, uncomfortable grins and palms-to-the-face while nursing a 16-3 lead. Relief finally came after his defense repelled Ole Miss' final charge at the Gamecocks' 41 yard line.

(Not to brag, but we told you so. Sort of. Ole Miss was ripe for an upset, with our only error being the assumption that they'd get through a few more weeks of play before reality set in. Apologies for that.)

The biggest, best, and most intriguing game of the college football weekend is tonight -- Ole Miss at South Carolina. There are storylines aplenty, and we'll dive in to them all in a moment, but first, let's consider just how big of a game this is for Houston Nutt's Ole Miss, the stealthy No. 4 team in the country.

Let me repeat that, Ole Miss is now the No. 4 team in the country! You're shocked, right?

That's because the Rebels have only played twice, an opener on Sunday -- followed by the always frustrating second week bye -- and then last week against Southeast Louisiana. Chances are you didn't notice either game. So this game represents Ole Miss's debut on the national stage. Will it wilt or will it prove that Ole Miss can be known for something more than women in sundresses and the civil rights movement?

Many are skeptical of Mississippi's No. 4 ranking in the AP Top-25 poll because its wins so far have been against Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana. For trivia buffs, however, the Rebels last reached No. 4 in the rankings on Oct. 12, 1970.

Of course, the country will get a better idea about Ole Miss on Thursday night when it visits the Ol' Ball Coach and South Carolina in its SEC opener on national television.

Week 1 was the flu. Week 2 was shoulder soreness. OK, what's going on in Week 3?

The health of Georgia quarterback Joe Cox has been discussed, dissected and debated so much this young season that he could be a regular on General Hospital. Despite a jammed finger on his left non-throwing hand this week, Cox is in one piece -- and in good spirits. The rumors were so rampant last week that some believed Cox wouldn't start against South Carolina.

"It's definitely been interesting to see how crazy it can get just based off of what somebody says, but it hasn't been something that has been a distraction," said Cox, who injured his finger on an attempted tackle following an interception in the Bulldogs' win over South Carolina last Saturday.

"It's honestly something that we've all kind of laughed about."

As is the case at college football games across the country, state troopers were on the sidelines when South Carolina played at Georgia Saturday night. But the officers from the Georgia Department of Public Safety who were on hand to get South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier off the field safely didn't just stand by to keep the peace: They also celebrated on the South Carolina sideline when Georgia clinched its 41-37 victory.