By RALPH D. RUSSO
The first sort’em out Saturday of the college football season is here and no team is facing more pressure than No. 13 Alabama. The Crimson Tide risks being sorted right out of the College Football Playoff race by Georgia.
Five games match ranked teams Saturday, including the Tide visiting No. 8 Georgia. Three more games match an undefeated team against a ranked team, including No. 1 Ohio State at Indiana.
Most of the teams involved in the feature games have yet to lose, so they have a little slack if they slip up. Then there’s Alabama.
Two weeks removed from getting beaten at home by Mississippi, another loss would put the Tide’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff for the second straight season in critical condition.
Yes, Georgia fans will not be pleased if the Tide beats the Bulldogs between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, but the SEC East should still be theirs for the taking.
A similar story can be told for No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 12 Clemson. Huge game in Death Valley, but not an elimination game. Still, the margin between who is in and who gets left out could be determined this weekend. And we should get a better idea of which teams are truly playoff contenders.
The picks:
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
No. 3 Mississippi (minus 7 1/2) at No. 25 Florida
Rebels Land Shark D could be doing the chomping against the Gators … OLE MISS 31-13.
No. 6 Notre Dame (pick’em) at No. 12 Clemson
Irish cannot win the ACC, but they could do some serious damage to its playoff hopes … NOTRE DAME 27-24.
No. 13 Alabama (plus 2) at No. 8 Georgia
For those who find spread football appalling, Tide’s defensive line vs. Bulldogs offensive line is old-school fun … GEORGIA 24-21.
No. 21 Mississippi State (plus 6 1/2) at No. 14 Texas A&M
Neither team has been able to run it much so it’s likely Dak Prescott vs. Kyle Allen for the win … TEXAS A&M 38-28.
No. 23 West Virginia (plus 7) at No. 15 Oklahoma
Sooners QB Baker Mayfield against maybe the best secondary in the Big 12 … OKLAHOMA 31-23.