It's either the SEC or the Big 10 every week. No other conference has yet to provide a must-see conference game in 2024. This week is highlighted by a Top 4 Big Ten battle between two coaches facing an unreasonable amount of pressure to beat a Top 5 opponent. The SEC, while not having the marquee game, still has a solid triple-header highlighted by the Gamecocks and Aggies.

It's been several weeks since we've had a specialist as our guest picker, (Ike Crofoot), and this week we've got one of the best in South Carolina history. He connected on 80-of-84 extra point attempts 33-of-44 field goals and was a three-year starter at punter for the Gamecocks. He also had one rushing attempt go for 12 yards and a first down on a fake punt against Georgia in Athens in 2009. After his time in Columbia he spent part of five years in the NFL appearing in 32 games for the Cleveland Browns and one for the Chicago Bears. In a 2013 win over the Vikings, this man became the first NFL player since 1968 to kick an extra point, punt and throw a touchdown pass. He averaged 44.1 yards per punt in the NFL, he recovered a fumble, made three tackles, finished 1-for-1 passing for 11 yards with the aforementioned touchdown pass and was famously kicked in the head in by Antonio Brown while Brown attempted to hurdle him on a punt return. We are talking about Spencer Lanning. Lanning is a Rock Hill native that lettered at Carolina from 2006-2010. Spencer and his family now makes their home in the Albany, New York area.

All game times are listed in EDT. The game lines were locked on Monday morning and may have moved by the date of the publication.

This is the 49th meeting between these two rustbelt powers. The Buckeyes hold a 24-14 all-time series lead, but OSU has dominated the Nittany Lions in recent history. Ohio State has won the last seven meetings and 11-of-12 against Penn State. Furthermore, Ohio State is 7-1 in the last games contested in Happy Valley. PSU Coach James Franklins is 2-7 against top 5 opponents and 1-9 against the Buckeyes. Conversely, Ryan Day is also 2-7 against top 5 opponents. The Buckeyes dodged a bullet with FOX tabbing this as a 12:00 start. Beaver Stadium will be rowdy, but not the way it would have been under the lights. PSU QB Drew Allar had been questionable during the week but he is now expected to play.

Watch this game for Cam Ward. The Hurricanes QB is currently sitting third in the Heisman race. He's second nationally in passing yards at 2,746, seventh in passing efficiency and second in passing touchdowns with 24. He's thrown just five picks in 281 attempts. I'm still not ready to proclaim that the U is back, although this team does play with an attitude. Still Miami could have easily lost to Virginia Tech, Cal and Louisville. Clemson would be the betting favorite if the ACC Championship game were this weekend.

At 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the SEC, a loss to Arkansas will all but eliminate Ole Miss from the playoff. The Rebels are second in the nation is sacks per game with 4.25. (Carolina is tied for third with 4 sacks per game). Statistically, Ole Miss and Tennessee, two teams known for lighting up the scoreboard, have the best defenses in the SEC. Arkansas is coming off a game where it racked up 673 yards while the defense forced five turnovers, albeit it was against Mississippi State- more on them later in the column.

In case you were wondering: former Gamecock Juice Wells has 20 catches for 410 yards and four touchdowns on the season. In three SEC games, Wells six catches for 136 yards and no touchdowns and one fumble. He was injured and did not play against Kentucky and was held without a catch against LSU.

Iowa State has not won a conference championship in its 133-year program history. They've also never started 8-0. The Cyclones scheduled after Tech is as follows: @ Kansas, Cincinnati, @ Utah and home against K-State.

Texas Tech has lost two straight after a 5-1 start and is in a four-way tie for fifth place in the Big XII. The Red Raiders squandered a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter last week against TCU. Tech QB Behren Morton injured his non-throwing last weekend and is questionable heading into this game, without Morton, the Cyclones should roll.

This looked like it would be a big game in September, but the 2024 Wolverines are showing why Jim Harbaugh was quick to jump back into the NFL after winning a National Championship. Michigan's offense is 110th in scoring at 21.5 points per game, 129th in passing at 130 yards per game, and 110th in turnover margin at -.75 a game. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel currently has the second best Heisman odds behind only two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado. Oregon should roll in the second as Gary Danielson mentally reminisces about being in Jacksonville.

Is this the week the Sword of Damocles comes down upon Billy Napier? The Gators played well in a losing effort in Knoxville and then hammered Kentucky their last time out. One wouldn't think Billy would be in danger if the Gators can keep this games within two scores. Losing to Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss would probably do it even thought the Gators should rout the Seminoles in the season finale.

UGA goes to Oxford next and then hosts Tennessee so it can't afford a slip up to the rival Gators. The Dawgs have won six of the last seven cocktail parties with only of those wins coming by less than 19 points.

Toilet Bowl Game of the Week:

Mississippi State has a long way to go before they are consistently competitive in the SEC again. The defense is, by far, the worst in the conference. That said, this week’s opponent, UMASS, is not in the SEC. Nor do the Minutemen have many SEC caliber athletes. On a side note, Stone Blanton is the second leading tackler for MSU.

Don Brown has found it incredibly challenging to turn UMASS around during his second stint with the school. The Minutemen have played a few close games, but currently only have wins over two FCS opponents. The fanbase had preseason hopes of a bowl game and are already clamoring for the removal of Don Brown in just his 3rd season.

We tried to caution against everyone writing Clemson off after the season-opening loss to Georgia. The Tigers are not an elite team in 2024, but they are still really good. We think. Clemson is a very difficult team to judge as their six-game winning streak came against teams with a combined record of 18-29. The Tigers haven't beaten a team with a winning record yet. (Yes, we know, South Carolina hasn't either). The next three weeks will give the nation a clearer picture on the Tigers with Louisville followed by games at Virginia Tech and Pitt. If Clemson wins all three, they are in the ACC Championship and playing for a playoff bye. (Most likely- Boise State could factor in if Clemson losses to South Carolina and the Broncos win out in impressive fashion). Louisville is 0-8 all-time against Clemson and 0-4 in Clemson.

South Carolina goes under the lights for the first time in SEC play in 2024. Williams-Brice should be electric as the Gamecocks look to beat to the Aggies for only second time in school history. With this huge contest, baseball scrimmages, and basketball all coming within in the next four days, you can't afford not to check GamecockScoop multiple times a day.

Which of these two upstarts wants to challenge Miami and Clemson this season for ACC supremacy. If SMU wins this one, they'll be double-digit favorites in their final three games. (BC, @ UVA, and Cal). If SMU, Clemson, and Miami all win out they have all finish unbeaten in league play. Who games to Charlotte? The answer is the two teams with the best opponents combined ACC winning percentage. I can see no scenario where the ACC wants SMU in the title game over Clemson and Miami. That selection process is going to get wonky if SMU takes a spot in the conference title game over the two other conference unbeatens.