You always need to exercise caution when glancing ahead at the schedule, especially in the SEC where anything can happen, but it is almost impossible to not salivate at the perfect storm that would be an undefeated LSU and Alabama matchup on Nov. 5.
With No. 1 LSU’s 41-11 victory over No. 17 Florida earlier today, and second-ranked Alabama’s 34-0 shutout over Vanderbilt, the two schools are paving their way to an SEC West game of glory. There will be trumpets. There will be feasting. There will be Les Miles and Nick Saban.
Can you imagine such a utopia? It’s like the college football gods themselves would be rewarding us for putting up with months of conference realignment.
Getting back to reality, Bama’s win over the Commodores marked the first time Vanderbilt had been shut out since playing Georgia last season -- a 43-0 loss almost a year to the week. Additionally, Vandy has now gone the last nine quarters without a touchdown. It was easy work for the Tide, to be sure, and Bama looks to have the easier schedule leading up to that Nov. 5 game with a trip to Ole Miss and Tennessee at home.
LSU, on the other hand, still has to play Auburn in addition to Tennessee the weekend before that Nov. 5 weekend. The Tigers continue to get test after test, but so far, Miles’ team has passed each one with flying colors.
Not looking ahead is a struggle -- can you tell? -- but hopefully our struggles will yield us a reward in just under a month.