The SEC is going full throttle this season on overtaking the Big Ten as college football's most competitive league.
With 10 teams situated inside the Week 4 AP Top 25 rankings, the SEC flexes a wealth of early-season title contenders this fall, with many on display in this Saturday's unprecedented showcase -- four games pitting ranked teams, the most ever by a single conference in one week.
With a 12-team playoff offering more margin for error, one loss is no longer fatal, but résumé strength and conference positioning still matter. This single-day slate of elite matchups presents an opportunity for several SEC hopefuls to collect the type of ranked victory that resonates with the College Football Playoff selection committee in November.
It also guarantees separation in a league crowded with teams harboring postseason expectations. By the end of the weekend, the SEC pecking order should look different -- and several playoff paths will either become much clearer or considerably more complicated in the standings.
We've ranked the SEC's four games involving teams in the AP Top 25 based on watchability and other factors.
CBS Sports 138: Ole Miss rises as SEC holds top three spots in college football rankings
Chip Patterson
1. -- No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee
Why it's important: Winning on the road in the SEC is a treacherous undertaking, and the noise levels will be deafening inside Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns may have the better roster, but the Vols are a tough out under Josh Heupel when they've got 105,000-plus behind them. Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon could leap Arch Manning in Heisman odds after Week 4 if he posts a monster performance during a Tennessee victory.
Early feel: Peyton Manning said he'll wear orange this weekend, but it'll be the burnt hue and not the color of his alma mater. It comes as no surprise that he'll be supporting his nephew, who will need a turnover-free outing to pull this one out. The victory over Ohio State two weeks ago gives Texas at least one mulligan during conference play this season. A win this weekend for the Longhorns would all but lock in a CFP appearance unless the wheels come off later.
2. -- No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida
Why it's important: How often is the home team favored in a matchup of unbeaten teams when the road team is ranked inside the top 5? Florida coach Jon Sumrall had a funny reaction when asked about the opening line and said oddsmakers must be on drugs following the Rebels' thrilling win over LSU. To the Gators' credit, however, Sumrall's squad is ahead of schedule in his first season and looks the part offensively with quarterback Aaron Philo and coordinator Buster Faulkner turning heads thus far.
Early feel: Pete Golding is 5-1 with four wins over ranked opponents to begin his head-coaching tenure at Ole Miss, dating back to last season, but this is his first true road game in the SEC. That's partly why the Gators are favored, along with the fact that the status of Ole Miss star running back Kewan Lacy is uncertain, while Florida running back Jadan Baugh ranks second nationally with 458 yards on the ground and eight touchdowns through three games.
3. -- No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU
Why it's important: This could be a CFP elimination game of sorts for the loser after the Aggies and Tigers each took one on the chin over the weekend to start the SEC slate. Texas A&M got roughed up by Kentucky at the line of scrimmage, while the Tigers erased a 17-point deficit at Ole Miss, only to watch Trinidad Chambliss run through the heart of their defense late in the fourth quarter. A loss for Texas A&M pushes Mike Elko's squad out of the national rankings entering Week 5 with no clear re-entry point moving forward.
Early feel: Unless Marcel Reed returns to the quarterback he was early last season after helping Texas A&M win late at Notre Dame, this one could be one-sided in Baton Rouge. The line opened at 9.5 points, which speaks to the experts' confidence in Lane Kiffin's ability to recover quickly.
4. -- No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State
Why it's important: Buy stock in Kamario Taylor while you still can. Mississippi State's standout quarterback is one of only two signal callers this season with a pair of true road wins over Power Four competition thus far, and now gets to come back home to Starkville as the Bulldogs try to take out the first of five straight nationally-ranked opponents they'll face in SEC play. Despite a slow start and an early 10-point hole against Troy last week, Missouri rebounded behind another 100-yard game out of Jamal Roberts in the backfield.
