The third Saturday in October means Alabama-Tennessee, but this fall Saturday has a host of important and intriguing match-ups.

Best Day Games: LSU and Texas A&M, South Carolina at Florida and BYU at Notre Dame

Best Night Games: Alabama at Tennessee, Kansas State at West Virginia.

Season: 88-24   Last Week: 12-4

Week 8 Predictions

Iowa State (4-2, 1-2) and Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1)  (Noon, FX) … Cyclones in a good road win .

Winner: Iowa State

LSU (6-1, 2-1) Texas A&M (5-1, 2-1) (Noon, ESPN) …   LSU needs this one to stay unbeaten in the ESC West heading into next week’s game with Alabama in Baton Rouge

Winner: LSU

Tennessee State (7-0) at Jacksonville (Ala.) State (3-3) (Noon) … Tigers stay unbeaten with this road win

Winner: TSU

Auburn (1-5, 0-4) at Vandy (2-4, 1-3) (12:21 ESPN Game Day) ‘Dores are tough at home

Winner: Vandy

Georgia Southern (5-1, 4-1) at Furman (2-5, 1-3) (1:30 p.m.)  … Important road game for SoCon leader Ga. Southern who is in second game of tough four-game stretch … beat Wofford last week and has UTC on the road next week then App State at home…

Winner: Ga. Southern

Stanford (4-2, 2-1) at Cal-Berkeley  (3-4, 2-2)  (3 p.m., FOX) …  The Big Game and the 30th anniversary of Stanford band member getting run over in the end zone by the Cal Bear player at the end of the great multi-lateral run for a touchdown to win the game … Stanford had driven nearly 80 yards for the apparent winning field goal for a 20-19 lead .  the Stanford QB that day was John Elway and another of his great late scoring drives . but no one told Cal it was over …

Winner: Stanford

South Carolina (6-1, 4-1at Florida (6-0, 5-0)  (3:30 p.m., CBS) … Another great SEC game, but Gamecocks lose second straight road game in the SEC …

Winner: Florida

BYU (4-3) at Notre Dame (6-0)  (3:30 p.m., ABC)  … Catholics and the Mormons … BYU would love nothing better than coming to South Bend and spoiling the undefeated season, but the Golden Domers should be good enough for a win at home … this writer is old school and don’t take to the new ND helmets worn a couple of weeks ago  …  those helmets should be relegated to a semi-pro team …

Winner: Notre Dame

Nebraska (4-2, 1-1) at Northwestern (6-1, 2-1) (3:30 p.m., ESPN2) … Cornhuskers need a big road win in the Big 10

Winner: Nebraska

Michigan State (4-3, 1-2) at Michigan (4-2, 2-0) (3:30 p.m., Big 10 Network) … great rivalry game … Wolverines look to go 3-0 in conference play have the upper hand in the Big House …

Winner: Michigan

Samford (5-2, 3-2) at Chattanooga (3-3, 2-1) (6 p.m.).  After two good road wins, Mocs should beat a good Samford team and be in second place in the SoCon with Georgia Southern coming to Finley next Sat.

Winner: Chattanooga

Alabama (6-0, 3-0) at Tennessee (3-4, 0-3) (7 p.m., ESPN) ... Tide will roll big in Neyland Stadium

Winner: Alabama

Kansas State (6-0, 3-0) at West Virginia (5-1, 2-1) (7 p.m., FOX) … tough road game for K-State but Wildcats in a close one …

Winner: Kansas State

Georgia (5-1, 3-1) at Kentucky (1-6, 0-4) (7 p.m., Fox SportsSouth) … Dawgs are too talented and too deep for the ‘Cats …

Winner: Georgia

Florida State (6-1, 3-1) at Miami (4-3, 3-1) (8 p.m., ABC) ... In-state rivalry game has lost its national appeal from the 1990s, but still two talented teams and important ACC game…

Winner: Fla. State

Penn State (4-2, 2-0) at Iowa (4-2, 2-0) (8 p.m., Big Ten Network … battle of unbeatens in the conference …

Winner: Penn State

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net