MAIN EVENT: LSU at Auburn

Auburn’s run to the BCS national championship game in 2013 came with only one blemish, a 35-21 loss at LSU on Sept. 21.

LSU rolled up 228 rushing yards in a rain-soaked victory. Now, LSU has a chance to pick up four straight wins in this SEC rivalry for the first time since the schools started playing every year in 1992. LSU took five in a row from Auburn from 1969-80.

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This battle of Tigers is the next marquee matchup on the SEC schedule, and the teams have split the last four meetings at Auburn.

Les Miles and Gus Malzahn bring two different styles of running the football. It’s power football vs. spread-and-shred, and the winner will have a leg up in the SEC West.

FROM THE PRESS BOX

“About last year’s game, even though that was a loss it turned out to be a pivotal game in Auburn’s season. The played so poorly in the first half but came back strong in the second half. If they had another 10 minutes on the clock, Auburn might have won the game. That response was the turning point for Auburn. “As far as this year is concerned, it’s typically the type of game that sets the tone in the (SEC) West early on. The team that comes out on top usually ends up vying for a division title and a trip to Atlanta at the end of the season. It’s always a close, exciting game almost every time. While most might not consider it a fierce rivalry game, and it probably isn’t, it’s probably one of the most underrated matchups of the year.”  — Auburn play-by-play announcer Rod Bramblett

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LINEMAKERS LEAN

There is a 1.5-point difference in the rating on this game between two prominent Las Vegas bookmakers, with the Golden Nugget opening Auburn as a 6.5-point favorite and the LVH posting -5 as its first line. The number on Auburn shows just how much respect it’s earned in Vegas — Auburn was a 17-, 18- and 21-point underdog to LSU over the last three seasons, covering the last two meetings in straight-up losses, including last season’s 35-21 defeat.

UNDERCARD: Baylor at Texas

Baylor could achieve another program first, and that is beat Texas for the fourth time in five years for the first time in school history. 

The Longhorns, meanwhile, could use this as a springboard into the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma the following week. Texas beat Baylor 56-50 in the last meeting in Austin, a game that seemingly featured a million big plays. 

THREE MORE

Florida at Tennessee: Can you name the last Tennessee quarterback to beat the Gators? The answer is Erik Ainge, and that was way back in 2004. Florida has a chance to win for the fifth straight time in Knoxville. Which coach — Butch Jones or Will Muschamp — needs this one more?

Nebraska at Michigan State: The Spartans get the primetime spotlight — where special moments such as “Little Giants” against Notre Dame and the Hail Mary against Wisconsin have been building blocks of Michigan State’s rise in the Big Ten. Bo Pelini is 2-1 in head-to-head matchups against Mark Dantonio.

Stanford at Notre Dame: Brian Kelly and David Shaw traded one-score wins in the last two meetings, but the Cardinal have won four of the last five. The lone loss — the last visit to South Bend — came with a controversial fourth-and-goal stand.  

SOCIAL BUZZ

“What’s up with these early Big Ten games? #SMH #YAWN”

Illinois and Purdue combined for one win in the Big Ten last season, and that was the Illini’s 20-16 win against the Boilermakers. Tickets are available on StubHub for this year’s game in Champaign for $13. That’s probably going to be a noon special on ESPN2. The Big Ten also will showcase Ohio State at Maryland and Michigan at Rutgers (7 p.m.). It’s not a coincidence that the conference’s two biggest name brands are playing on the East Coast on the same day.

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STAT THAT MATTERS

In the last five years, either Alabama or Auburn has been in the national championship game. LSU, however, which also represented the SEC in the 2012 BCS national championship game, is the state’s biggest roadblock. The Tigers are 6-5 against Alabama and Auburn the last five years.  Les Miles is 4-1 against Auburn and 2-4 against Alabama. Only two other BCS programs — Georgia and Arkansas — have three wins against those schools, and neither the Bulldogs nor the Razorbacks beat Alabama in the last five years.

PHOTOS: All BCS champions | Most iconic players | Best who didn’t play in NFL So it’s safe to say Alabama is the premier state in college football, but Les isn’t always impressed. Does that mean the Auburn faithful have it in for Miles?

“I don’t think it’s that type of deal, I really don’t,” Bramblett said. “I really think that when Auburn and LSU play, there is not that dislike and I don’t want to use the word hatred. It’s just a well-respected rivalry that the fans really, really enjoy.” 

REMOTE CONTROLLED

UCF-Houston is a nice get for ESPN on Thursday night. The Cougars were 7-1 before losing 19-14 at Central Florida last season, and John O’Korn quietly put up 3,117 yards and 28 TDs last season. … Times haven’t been set, but you almost have to believe Florida-Tennessee and LSU-Auburn will be played back-to-back, and Alabama-Ole Miss could spill into both games. … Stay up late for Boise State at Nevada at 10:30 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.

WEEK 6 TOP GAMES

Thursday, Oct. 2

UCF at Houston, TBD

Saturday, Oct. 4

LSU at Auburn, TBD

Miami, Fla. at Georgia Tech, TBD

Ohio State at Maryland, TBD

Alabama at Ole Miss, TBD

Virginia Tech at North Carolina, TBD

Baylor at Texas, TBD

Florida at Tennessee, TBD

Stanford at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.

Michigan at Rutgers, 7 p.m.

Nebraska at Michigan State, 8 p.m.