Don’t you love football Saturdays like this?

You have an SEC showdown between two nationally ranked teams. You also have thousands of passionate fans who would rather be interrogated by Jack Bauer than lose this game.

So, in the words of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, get "fired up and focused" for what could be the biggest SEC game of the season: LSU vs. Auburn.

Sorry, I forgot my audience. That should have read: "UT vs. Florida."

But on a Saturday like this, it’s easy to confuse your football marquee. You have UT-Florida, LSU-Auburn, Michigan-Notre Dame, Louisville-Miami, Nebraska-Southern Cal, Oregon-Oklahoma and TCU-Texas Tech — seven games between nationally ranked teams.

Just think, two Saturdays ago, the most competitive game on afternoon television was Idaho-Michigan State. Next Saturday could be just as bleak. Based on the current Associated Press Top 25, the only possible nationally ranked match-ups would be No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 25 Penn State, and No. 21 Cal vs. No. 22 Arizona State.

The biggest game in the SEC next week: Alabama-Arkansas. The second biggest game: Florida-Kentucky.

I can’t wait.

UT 24, Florida 20: Florida coach Urban Meyer says the toughest team will win this game.

UT defensive tackle Justin Harrell is playing with a torn biceps muscle. How tough is that?

Too tough for the Gators.

Auburn 20, LSU 17: What sports streak is most likely to end this weekend?

That’s easy. It’s LSU’s 45-3 streak.

After 45-3 victories over Louisiana-Lafayette and Arizona, LSU will have to wait until Sept. 23 against Tulane to beat somebody else by 42 points.

Georgia 24, UAB 3: NFL draft geek Mel Kiper already has predicted Georgia freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford will be a No. 1 draft pick one day. "Write it down," Kiper said.

And you thought Ron Powlus was burdened with high expectations?

My prediction: Stafford will be drafted higher than injured Georgia quarterback Joe Tereshinksi.

Write it down.

South Carolina 34, Wofford 7: Forget the bird flu. SEC officials are concerned that the illness affecting Mississippi State’s offense might be contagious.

Look what happened to the Gamecocks. After coming into contact with Mississippi State in the season opener, they failed to score against Georgia.

If Auburn, which played Mississippi State last week, fails to score against LSU, look out. We might have a pandemic on our hands.

Kentucky 31, Ole Miss 30: Remember the glory days of the Ole Miss defense?

No, I don’t, either. But I do know they didn’t include the first two Saturdays of this season.

After giving up 59 points in two games, Ole Miss has pulled off the unthinkable. It has become an underdog to Kentucky.

In another early-season upset, Kentucky with former UT offensive coordinator Randy Sanders leads UT and new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe 69-66 after two games.

Arkansas 24, Vanderbilt 13: Can the Commodores win as many games without Jay Cutler as with him?

Surely, after two non-blowout losses to Michigan and Alabama, the question already has been raised by the 14 fans who follow the Vanderbilt program.

And if they e-mail me, I’ll give them an answer. There’s just not enough interest to warrant putting it in the paper.

Alabama 30, Louisiana-Monroe 10: The Tide obviously is determined to prove that its early-season schedule isn’t the easiest in the country.

It struggled to beat Hawaii by eight points. It struggled even more to beat Vanderbilt by three.

Another struggle against Louisiana-Monroe, and folks will start wondering if coach Mike Shula is taking advice from his brother, David, instead of his daddy, Don.

Mississippi State 24, Tulane 10: How many Bulldogs does it take to score a touchdown?

Answer: Nobody knows.

But after being shut out in its first two games for the first time since 1904, Mississippi State’s offense is due to bust loose.

For those planning ahead, the Bulldogs’ next touchdown is scheduled for Oct. 16 against Jacksonville State.

Top 25: Ohio State 42, Cincinnati 17; Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23; Southern Cal 38, Nebraska 23; Texas 41, Rice 13; Florida State 23, Clemson 20; Louisville 24, Miami 20; Virginia Tech 38, Duke 7; Oregon 24, Oklahoma 23; Iowa 27, Iowa State 13; Texas Tech 30, TCU 27; Cal 45, Portland State 7; Arizona State 27, Colorado 20; Boston College 34, BYU 30; Penn State 45, Youngstown State 17.

Record: 47-3 (.940) overall, 24-19 (.558) against the spread.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.