Good morning. Hope you and yours had a safe, enjoyable holiday. It’s the regular season finale for most teams, and there is still so much remaining undecided — over half of the nation’s championship game berths are still up in the air.

And that says nothing of playoff bids. Alabama is very much alive…still. So, if you’re wanting to maximize the Tide’s chance to logically be extended a bid, here’s the chaos we need to have happen. Of course, ‘Bama also has to handle its business on the field today in the Iron Bowl, against an Auburn team that has a good defense and a deceptively dangerous offense.

Here’s your schedule for today, and why to watch, via CFBgrid.com. All times Central Standard.

Critical Games

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson — The Tigers have beaten one team with a winning record all season. Their ranking is absurd. The Gamecocks need this one to make their own playoff case, and it has the double-bonus of making Alabama’s tough October win all the more impressive. If there is any one game ‘Bama fans need today, it’s this one. Georgia hanging on last night, and the Rebels struggling against miserable Mississippi State, also burnished the Tide’s creds too. Too many people were glibly proclaiming that ‘Bama needed Tech to win last night’s grotesquery in Athens. But that’s not necessarily the case — Alabama just needs a few ahead of them to do so. And it would help if it were not one of the Tide’s quality wins.

No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M — The Committee isn’t leaving Texas out, no matter what happens the next two weeks. Therefore it is incumbent that not only does ‘Bama move up a few spots, but that they also do not get eclipsed from the back of the back of the pack. You really want the Longhorns to win this one tonight, given those realities. The last thing pro-playoff fans want to see is Aggie get hot, knock off the ‘Horns, then run Georgia into the dirt next Saturday for an improbable SEC title. Hook ‘Em.

Arkansas at No. 20 Mizzou — The Tigers must hold serve at home against the defense-optional Piggies.

Nice To Have

Western Kentucky vs. Jax State — The Hilltoppers can secure an 8-4 record and a bid in the CUSA Conference Championship Game. Western is a slight favorite, but I do worry about their front seven, and an ice-cold QB against one of the stingiest secondaries in the country. Rich Rod has the ‘Cocks playing great again.

USC vs. No. 5 Notre Dame — The Irish have played one passing offense all season, and almost lost at home to a merely decent Luhvl team. Will the three-time zone change and the Trojans skills players swing an upset? Counting on Lincoln Riley to win a big game is usually a futile gesture though. There’s also a realpolitik argument to be made that Notre Dame isn’t getting bumped, no matter what. But chaos generally helps those on the outside.

OU at LSU — It would be great if the Sooners can put together another competent outing against an LSU team that has struggled with ball security and stopping mobile QBs all season. A loss to an outwardly decent 7-5 Oklahoma team on the road helps ‘Bama’s schedule perception a lot. Not like it needs it: Alabama has played seven games against Sagarin Top 30 teams, and has played 10 of 11 games against teams with winning records. Anyone would have a loss or two against that.

No. 8 Miami at Syracuse — The ‘Canes can score on almost anyone. But they can be scored upon with terrifying ease. The Orange have enough firepower here to get a critical win for ‘Bama.

No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt — Better teams than Tennessee have struggled in Nashville this season. And some have even lost. It’s a bad matchup for Vandy, since they have to rely on ball control and sustained drives, while limiting explosive plays. They succeeded somewhat against the Longhorns and Alabama in this respect. Still, it’s a series that has frequent upsets, and Road Heupel is a Bad Heupel. UT fans have to hope their team cares about a playoff berth than Alabama’s spoiled headcases ever did. You can’t read tea leaves here, but a loss here likely helps ‘Bama a lot, not just by forcing UT into the three-loss scrum, but also by highlighting one of ‘Bama’s losses.

Upset Material

K State at No. 17 Iowa State — The last thing we want is to be lapped from behind, particularly given the regard the committee has for Colorado. Two-loss ISU could do that by jumping in and stealing a bid. This trash conference doesn’t deserve one bid; it could have three in play, among four teams. A Wildcat road upset in Farmageddon makes the B12CG an elimination game and likely just a one-bid league.

No. 14 Arizona State at Arizona — These Wildcats have considerable firepower, but do they have enough defense to keep the Sun Devils off the board? Arizona could do ‘Bama fans a huge solid here.

Cal at No. 9 SMU — The Bears defense is legit; they force turnovers in buckets. They also bring a dynamic passing game to Dallas. Can they put all that together and swing the upset? The Bears are 17 points from being undefeated. Can they finally put together a complete game and pull one of these out? They almost have the team to do it now.

Pie In The Sky

Purdue at No. 10 Indiana — When favored, the Hoosiers have dominated this series. And an upset would be almost inconceivable here, as this is the worst Purdue team team you’ve seen in about two decades…and likely one more soft win on the nation’s softest schedule. But if it did…

Let’s go for an improbable two-for here. No. 4 Penn State losing at home to lowly sub-.500 Maryland, and then No. 23 Illinois losing on the road to lowly sub.-500 Northwestern — That both gives Penn State another loss, and knocks out their only decentish win of the entire season. Perhaps it would humble these idiotic MFers in Irvine who think two losses in the Big 12 is better than three against the SEC and a Top 10 schedule, or that a moral victory in the Big 10 is actually measurable.

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Alright. There’s your schedule today, and some of the games we’re watching and why. Here’s your thread for the morning. We’ll see you for the Iron Bowl, and also be back with a hoops preview.

Roll Tide

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK