All of this scoring can be fun, but after a while it’s just not as impressive when it seems like everyone is doing it. After West Virginia dismantled Clemson 70-33 last night, the whole bowl system looks even more ridiculous. Perhaps if these games meant something we’d see some more defense.

I think it’s a joke that Alabama gets a rematch with LSU in the National Championship game, but at least those teams know something about how to play defense.

An annual tradition in the south is the second-to-last week of the regular season, where many SEC teams get another filling of cupcakes. Why this happens, I’m not sure. But it does, and since the SEC conference slate is so challenging, nobody ever says anything about it.

The fact that the SEC teams usually romp their foes also helps in keeping any national attention off of them. Today, however, wasn’t the SEC’s finest day. Even though none of their teams were upset, none looked all that great against teams you normally only hear about in the first two weeks of September.

Florida defeated Furman 54-32, but needed a 17-0 fourth quarter to do so. Alabama and its vaunted defense gave up more points than it had all season (21) to Georgia Southern, and had a 24-14 halftime lead. Auburn clung to a 14-10 halftime lead against Samford before winning 35-16.

These results shouldn’t be considered high crimes, as every team should be afforded a bad day throughout the season as long as it can hold on and win. But one has to wonder what the national conversation would be if any of the other automatic qualifier conferences would have had a similar day. My guess is there would have been plenty of bashing.

It certainly would have hurt the case for any of those leagues to possibly have two teams in the national championship game. Not the SEC, however, which will come out of this completely unscathed.

And while we’re here, the idea of a rematch for the national title is absurd for several reasons. First off, Alabama’s loss to LSU will essentially mean nothing. The Crimson Tide can get to the title game despite not winning their division, having a loss at home, and possibly owning a single win against a ranked opponent (Arkansas) if Penn State can’t remain in the top 25.

Do I think Alabama and LSU are the country’s top two teams? Yes, actually, I do. But I — and a lot of others — thought Ohio State and Michigan were the top two teams in 2006, and that didn’t turn out so well. The point is, we’ll never know thanks to the absence of a playoff and weak schedules (outside of LSU) that don’t give us an idea how the conferences stack up against each other.

Go ahead, tell me a team that wants to play Alabama right now.

The Crimson Tide destroyed Arkansas 38-14 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, announcing to the nation — if it didn’t know already — that they were once again a serious national title contender.

But it wasn’t just the score, it was the way the Tide dominated every facet of the game to pick up the blowout victory. Trent Richardson ran wild, accumulating 126 yards on 17 carries, and 85 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. A.J. McCarron was pretty near perfect, going 15-of-20 for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

And the defense. Oh, the defense.

Arkansas finished with 226 total yards, almost all of which came through the air. The Razorbacks run game managed just 17 (!) yards on 19 carries. Yes, math majors, that’s less than one yard per carry. The ‘Bama defense/special teams also chipped in offensively with an interception return for a touchdown and a beautiful punt return for a score by Marquis Maze. On the return, Maze cut back across about half of the Arkansas coverage team (that might be a slight exaggeration), and then cut back on the final guy just for the heck of it. It was as if he wanted the Arkansas trainers to have one more set of ankles to tape this week.

Alabama has another test next week against Florida. The Gators have the type of speed on offense that can score on anyone if given room, but something tells me Nick Saban will outwit Charlie Weis and figure out how to not give those guys room. The big matchup, of course, is Nov. 5 at home against LSU. That will very likely be for the SEC West title, which essentially means a trip to the national title game. Both defenses are outstanding, but at this point you’d have to give a major edge to the Tide offensively.

Some other thoughts from today’s daytime games:

- Ohio State has found its quarterback, and I think a lot of people knew it was going to happen. Braxton Miller didn’t have eye-popping passing numbers by any stretch (5-of-13, 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns), but he used his feet to gain 83 more yards. With either quarterback, Ohio State is going to have to go through some growing pains in the passing game, so it makes the most sense to stick with the youngster who adds an extra dimension to the game.

- Oklahoma State did its part to make sure Texas A&M doesn’t leave the Big 12 with a conference title. The Cowboys rallied to beat A&M 30-29 at Kyle Field, in what is likely the last conference meeting between the two schools. The Aggies, who look to be headed to the SEC next season, jumped out to a 20-3 lead before surrendering 27 straight points to the Cowboys. A&M can still win the Big 12, but it will need some help, and a win against No. 1 Oklahoma. Good luck with that.

- Tommy Rees was horrible for most of Notre Dame’s game against Pitt, but the sophomore found a way to come up bit when it mattered, going 8-of-8 on the Irish’s final touchdown drive to give his team a 15-12 win. On the touchdown, Rees fit a pass through a tiny hole to tight end Tyler Eifert. It was the kind of crisp, decisive pass he hadn’t made all game. His ability to bounce back must be what keeps him in games, because Brian Kelly has certainly had a lot longer leash with Rees than he did with Dayne Crist.

Here’s a quick and dirty look at how I see things playing out in the SEC this season:

#1 Alabama
Led by head coach Nick Saban and Heisman winner Mark Ingram, this is by far the best team in the country. While they don’t come weakness-free, the Tide have the best combination of talent and coaching in all of college football. They play in the nation’s toughest conference so there’s always a chance that they could lose a game during the season, but this is your clear national title favorite. Their defense might be even better than it was a year ago.

#2 Florida
The Gators lost Tim Tebow, Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez, Maurkice Pouncey, Carlos Dunlap, Jermaine Cunningham, Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper, Joe Haden and Major Wright from their squad last season. In one word: Ouch. Outside of running back Jeff Demps, they lost their top player at nearly every position, which would usually destroy a program’s chances of competing the next year. But this is Florida – they reload every year. This year’s crop of starters has seen time in either part-time action or spot starts over the last couple of years, so the Gators will compete. Are they a top 5 team? We’ll find out soon.

#3 Arkansas
All right, so I might be drinking too much of the Ryan Mallett Kool-Aid by ranking the Razorbacks ahead of Georgia and LSU. But even though Bobby Petrino is a turd, the man knows how to run an offense (a college football offense, that is) and Arkansas will be explosive on that side of the ball again this year. The question is whether or not their defense will step up so that this team can reach its full potential. As it stands now, it’s probably safe to say that Arkansas is going to have issues slowing teams down this year, but I just can’t stop starring at that offense. It’s like a tractor beam of hotness.

#4 Georgia
Of any team in the conference, the Dawgs may have the best chance to surprise in the SEC. They’re coming off a disappointing 2009 season, but with players like A.J. Green, Washuan Easley, Brandon Boykin and Blair Walsh coming back, they have plenty of talent to challenge Florida in the East. They also have a favorable schedule, as they don’t have to play Alabama and get home games against Arkansas and Tennessee this year. As long as they don’t overlook South Carolina and can get past Florida and Auburn (no small feat), Georgia has a better shot to contend for a SEC title than people think.

#5 Auburn
Even though they faded after a 5-0 start, Gene Chizik did a wonderful job in his first year at Auburn. He also landed the fourth overall recruiting class in the nation, headlined by running back Michael Dyer. Is this team ready to compete with Alabama and Florida? Not yet, but under Chizik, they’re moving in the right direction and I see an improved team from a year ago.

#6 LSU
I’m probably down on LSU more than others, but I just don’t like this team’s talent compared to that of the teams I have listed above. Plus, Les Miles does something stupid every year to make you question how he has been as successful as he has over the years. Still, this isn’t a program that lost a lot of top talent and they’re always hard to beat at home, so don’t rule out the Tigers’ chances for competing with the top dogs in the SEC this year.

#7 South Carolina
Yikes. As if road games against Auburn, Alabama, Florida and Clemson weren’t enough, the Gamecocks also had to suspended both Quintin Richardson and Weslye Saunders indefinitely for two separate violations. Steve Spurrier has put together some solid recruiting classes over the past couple of years and this team has enough talent to challenge in the East, but with a daunting schedule and off-field issues mounting things look bleak in Columbia.

#8 Tennessee
Don’t expect much from the Vols this season, as Derek Dooley and company lost their starting quarterback, their two leading rushers and both starting offensive tackles. They also have to figure out a way to replace Eric Berry, Rico McCoy and Dennis Rogan on the defensive side of the ball, as well as find replacements for injured defensive linemen Ben Martin and Marlon Walls. But despite this being an obvious rebuilding year, Tennessee usually finds a way to be competitive, which is why I have them ranked as high as I do.

#9 Ole’ Miss
Obviously the big news in Oxford this year is the addition of former Oregon Duck Jeremiah Masoli. But while everyone assumes Masoli will eventually be the starter this season for the Rebs, Houston Nutt recently proclaimed that Nathan Stanley would be his quarterback if the season were to start today. Either way, the quarterback position killed Ole’ Miss with turnovers last season, so whoever takes the snaps this year, cutting down on interceptions will be a must. This is a talented team, but I see their schedule giving them problems (i.e. road games at Alabama and LSU) and a quarterback controversy brewing (which is never a good thing).

#10 Kentucky
The offense has plenty of playmakers, but the key is the quarterback position. Can Mike Hartline (who beat out Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski for the starting job) produce? With the uncertainty at quarterback and the offensive line having to replace four new starters, I don’t see the Wildcats turning heads this season. The only saving grace is that they play Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi State in the West this year, which is certainly less daunting than South Carolina’s trio of West opponents in Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas.

#11 Mississippi State
It’s hard not to love the Bulldogs’ crop of receivers and offensive linemen, but it’s hard not to worry about their quarterback and running back situation. Their defense has the ability to keep them in most games, but not without a consistent pass-rush. Mississippi State’s roster offers plenty of talent, but this team has to go on the road to play LSU, Houston, Florida and Alabama. Talk about daunting.

#12 Vanderbilt
The defense is definitely something to keep an eye on (especially the secondary) and with running backs Warren Norman and Zac Stacy leading the way, Vandy should be a better offensive unit. But led by quarterback Larry Smith, the passing game is a huge concern and I envision this defense being on the field a lot.

Check out other 2010 College Football Conference Previews: SEC | Big Ten | Big 12

I’m sorry – I must have missed the memo. When did this become National College Football Players Getting Investigated by the NCAA Week?

TMZ.com is reporting that Alabama running back and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram is the latest player to be probed for possible rules violations. According to the report, Ingram attended a party in Washington, D.C. and now the NCAA wants to know if agents paid for anything (his trip there, a new watch, maybe some red plastic cups) at the lavish shindig.

Alabama says that it checked with the NCAA and they approved the trip as long as Ingram was able to provide receipts for his expenses. But as TMZ notes, it’s unclear at this point whether or not those receipts were submitted. (Although either way, the NCAA obviously still has some unanswered questions that they would like, uh, answered………………stupid.)

We’ll have to wait and see if this story develops. If Ingram paid for himself to attend the party and has receipts to prove it, then he’s done nothing wrong. But if it’s discovered that an agent hooked him up with so much as a Chewy Granola Bar (even if it was oatmeal raisin, which is the red-headed stepchild in the same variety pack as chocolate chip and peanut butter chocolate chip), then the collective hearts of Tide fans everywhere are going to be in their throats.

Heading into a new season without the backbone of your offense is a scenario ‘Bama fans don’t even want to imagine.

Nick Saban just served the National Football League a warning: Either help us clean up or you totally can’t come over anymore.

According to a report by ESPN.com, University of Alabama officials are investigating whether junior defensive lineman Marcel Dareus broke NCAA rules by attending an agent’s party in South Beach earlier this summer. Apparently the investigation goes beyond Dareus’ involvement, as players from North Carolina (including defensive end Marvin Austin) and South Carolina (including tight end Weslye Saunders) are also being investigated about the same party.

Saban, who realizes that the athletes aren’t responsible enough to turn down offers from agents and that the universities can’t play babysitter to every player, wants to know what Roger Goodell and the NFL will do to help the growing problem.

“What the NFL Players Association and the NFL need to do is if any agent breaks a rule and causes ineligibility for a player, they should suspend his [agent's] license for a year or two,” Saban said. “I’m about ready for college football to say, ‘Let’s just throw the NFL out. Don’t let them evaluate players. Don’t let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.’ If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?”

Great point. The NFL only cares about one thing: the NFL. But the league needs to remember where all of its talent is coming from. Saban and his staff at Alabama are known for being one of the more accommodating programs in the nation when it comes to giving pro scouts access to their players. Maybe if they too are affected by the situation, the NFL will actually spring into action.

“Right now, agents are screwing it up,” Saban said. “They are taking the eligibility of players. It’s not right that those players do the wrong thing. We have a great education process here. We have a full-time worker who meets with players and their families and does everything else.”

Again, Saban is right. The football programs and the athletes are the only ones being hurt in these situations, which is why the NFL has yet to do anything about it. Some might point out that it’s not the NFL’s responsibility to monitor what agents do. To that I call shenanigans. You’re telling me that the king dicks of the sports world can’t do something about agents who clearly have a disregard for rules when it comes to recruiting players as clients? I’m not buying that – I don’t care how much you’re selling it for.

Maybe Saban should be the first one to step up and ban NFL scouts from his campus. It won’t hurt the players much because talent always wins out in the end. (If a player is good, the NFL knows about it.) The only thing it might do is get the NFL to look down from its ivory tower and help the NCAA for once.

For the first time since the 2006 Rose Bowl, two undefeated teams will square off in the BCS national championship game when No. 1 Alabama takes on No. 2 Texas on January 7. To conclude our 2010 BCS Bowl Preview, here are five things to watch for in the 2010 title game.

1. Can McCoy rebound?
Senior quarterback Colt McCoy hasn’t had many bad outings throughout his collegiate career, but Nebraska’s defense dominated him in the Big 12 title game. He completed 20 of his 36 pass attempts but it went for only 184 yards and zero touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions as he struggled with his decision-making and his pre-snap reads. It’s not a total shock that McCoy had problems moving the ball on the ninth best defense in the nation, but how will he fair against an Alabama D that ranks second in the country? The Crimson Tide have allowed just 11 points per game this season (best in the NCAA) and just 163.77 passing yards per game. There’s no doubt ‘Bama will study what Nebraska did against McCoy and employ similar tactics to slow him and Texas’ offense down. Can the senior QB overcome his poor outing in the Big 12 championship and lead his team to victory or will the Tide defense abuse him just like the Cornhuskers did?

2. The Heisman winner vs. the No. 1 run defense in the nation
One of the marquee matchups of the bowl season will pit Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram against the Longhorns’ No. 1 run defense. Texas has allowed just 62.15 rushing yards per game this season, while Ingram has averaged 118.62 YPG. At times, Ingram has been the Tide’s only offense this season. But what happens if the Longhorns limit Ingram’s effectiveness and force quarterback Greg McElroy to beat them through the air? More on that question…

3. Can McElroy continue his late season production?
…now. For most of the season, Alabama has relied on two things to win games: Its defense and its running game. And given how good their defense and Ingram have been this season, it’s hard to argue with the way the Tide does things. But it was evident in the team’s win over Florida in the SEC title game that McElroy has made strides as a passer. He played with more confidence and made the most out of his throws while completing 12 of 18 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown. But keep in mind that Florida couldn’t slow down Ingram or the Tide’s running game, which helped stay ‘Bama balanced and allowed McElroy to take advantage of open receivers in the passing game. If the Tide try to establish the run early on and the Longhorns shut it down, can McElroy win a game if he has to throw the ball vertically? That question won’t have to be answered if ‘Bama can stay balanced throughout the game. But UT defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will scheme to stop Ingram and Alabama’s running game and force McElroy to go down field.

4. Can either team stop each other’s X-factors?
This season, there was only one team that could honestly say it slowed down receiver Jordan Shipley and that was Oklahoma. In their 16-13 loss to Texas in mid October, the Sooners held Shipley to only 22 yards on four receptions. It was the lowest catch and yardage total for Shipley this season, as he racked up 106 receptions for 1,363 yards and 11 touchdowns. Shipley has also proven to be a playmaker in the return game, so the Tide must protect against him making a big play on special teams too. For ‘Bama, Julio Jones compiled just 42 catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns, but even though his numbers pail in comparison to Shipley’s, the sophomore wideout proved against LSU (four catches, 102 yards, 1 TD) that he’s a playmaker. Both of these teams have solid pass defenses (Alabama ranks 7th in the nation in that category, while Texas ranks 23rd), but Shipley and Jones will test them from start to finish.

5. Will ‘Bama start to read its own press clippings?
By the time the Crimson Tide and Longhorns square off on January 7, Alabama will have heard plenty of times how it should roll over a Texas team that struggled mightily against Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship. After somewhat flying under the radar by being in Florida’s shadow all season, the Tide has already received plenty of recognition for the way they thumped the Gators in the SEC title game. Can Nick Saban keep them grounded? Or will ‘Bama start believing its own hype now that they’re the ones receiving all the attention?

2010 National Championship Game Information:
Matchup: Alabama (13-0) vs. Texas (13-0)
Kickoff: 8:00PM ET
TV: ABC
Odds: Alabama -7

Talk trash about the game at our official BCS National Championship Smack Talk Thread.