UNDATED — This week in the Southeastern Conference, Ole Miss faces Oklahoma in a key matchup. Oklahoma recently defeated South Carolina, with quarterback John Mateer showing strong performance after a hand injury.
In another game, Missouri takes on Vanderbilt. Both teams aim to strengthen their College Football Playoff resumes. Vanderbilt recently beat LSU, while Missouri secured an overtime win against Auburn. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is currently favored to win the Heisman Trophy.
UNDATED — Oklahoma is installing padding around Owen Field after receiver Keontez Lewis ran headfirst into a brick wall three weeks ago. A school spokesman confirmed padding will be added to both end-zone walls and the sideline walls outside the team bench areas in time for Saturday’s game between No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 8 Ole Miss. The OU Daily, the school’s student newspaper, was first to report the change. Lewis was injured in the first quarter of Oklahoma’s 44-0 win over Kent State on Oct. 4. A pass by Michael Hawkins Jr. was a bit overthrown, and Lewis’ momentum took him into an unpadded section of the wall behind the end zone.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former University of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron is running for lieutenant governor of Alabama. McCarron made the announcement in a video released Thursday. McCarron was the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback for their championship teams in the 2011 and 2012 seasons and was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. McCarron describes himself as a political outsider inspired to run by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last month. McCarron is seeking to be the latest figure to channel sports fame into a political win. Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 and is running for governor of Alabama.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Unbeaten and third-ranked Texas A&M has a chance this week to break a long cycle of losing at LSU. The Aggies’ 7-0 start is their best since 1994. That also happens to be the last time they won at Tiger Stadium. If they can beat No. 20 LSU on Saturday night, it’ll be another accomplishment under second-year coach Mike Elko. Texas A&M beat a top-10 ranked team on the road for the first time since 2014 when the Aggies outlasted then-No. 8 Notre Dame, 41-40, on Sept. 13. Last week’s 45-42 victory at Arkansas marked the Aggies’ first SEC road win since the 2021 season. A&M has dropped six straight at LSU since joining the SEC in 2012.
UNDATED — Alabama has climbed to No. 4 in the nation after four straight wins against ranked SEC opponents. The Crimson Tide now are eyeing a run at a potential national championship. On Saturday, Alabama faces disappointing South Carolina. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is having a standout year, completing more than 70% of his passes and throwing for 18 touchdowns. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers hasn’t met expectations, struggling behind a weak offensive line. The Crimson Tide made SEC history by defeating four AP Top 25 opponents in consecutive weeks without a bye. Alabama’s defense is prepared for the challenge.
NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma’s defensive expert Brent Venables and Ole Miss’s offensive mastermind Lane Kiffin are set for a big showdown on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference. Venables, known for his defensive prowess, has Oklahoma leading in total defense and sacks. The Sooners allow just 9.4 points per game. Kiffin, whose Rebels average 37.4 points per game, praises Venables’ preparation. Oklahoma’s defense has been strong against mobile quarterbacks, while Ole Miss’s offense, led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, is potent. Oklahoma’s Tory Blaylock and Ole Miss’s Kewan Lacy are key players to watch in this matchup.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Commodores are doing exactly what they talked about last January when starting to prepare for this season. So the stakes keep rising each week, with none of the Commodores happy just being bowl eligible now that they are ranked No. 10 in the country for the first time since 1947. It’s why ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in town for the first time since 2008 when another sellout crowd is on hand Saturday. Coach Clark Lea says this is what they expected and all this is what comes with it. Vanderbilt hosts No. 15 Missouri in one of the Southeastern Conference’s marquee games Saturday.
UNDATED — The NCAA has approved a rule change that will allow athletes and athletic department staff members to bet on professional sports. Two weeks after the Division I cabinet approved the change, Division II and III management councils signed off on it on Wednesday, allowing the new rule to go into effect Nov. 1. This doesn’t change the NCAA rule which forbids athletes from betting on college sports. The NCAA also prohibits sharing information about college competitions with bettors. The institution also doesn’t accept advertising or sponsorships of NCAA championships by betting sites.
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