Each season for the past decade, Alabama has been among the favorites to win the national championship. Half the time, the Crimson Tide have come out on top, constructing the greatest dynasty in college football history. So, even though Nick Saban’s team hasn’t yet earned a win of note this season, Alabama leaped over Clemson to be named the top-ranked team in the nation this week.

Over the past two years, Georgia has been Alabama’s greatest threat to SEC supremacy, taking the Crimson Tide to overtime in the national championship game, then taking a two-touchdown second-half lead in last year’s conference title game. Only Alabama and Clemson sit above the Bulldogs in the polls.

Beginning with the 2012 national championship game, LSU has lost eight straight games to Alabama, appearing a quarterback away from finally reclaiming the SEC West. Now, Joe Burrow has been paired with former Saints offensive assistant Joe Brady, and has built the most unexpectedly exciting offense in the nation, elevating LSU to fifth in the national rankings.

Auburn looks up at each power in the polls, overshadowed by the three teams in the conference most often mentioned as playoff candidates. But so far, no team in the country has proven more than Auburn, which beat Oregon on a neutral field, won in front of 101,681 fans at Texas A&M and put up 56 on Mississippi State.

Now, Auburn travels to Florida for the first top-10 matchup in The Swamp in seven years. Though Auburn will be playing its latest high-profile affair, Florida will be facing its first FBS team with a winning record this season, leaving Gators quarterback Kyle Trask — making his third career start — unprepared against one of the best front sevens in the country.

It wasn’t until Week 5 of Auburn’s 2010 national championship season that the Tigers cracked the top 10. It wasn’t until 2013’s legendary “Kick Six” that Auburn was considered a title contender. It wasn’t until its student body rushed the field after the 2017 Iron Bowl that a conference title seemed possible. Perhaps after their next marquee win, it won’t take as long to take Auburn (-2½) seriously.

LSU TIGERS (-27½) over Utah State Aggies: For the SEC to claim two playoff berths, the team failing to win the conference crown must look like an unstoppable juggernaut in nearly every win. LSU, the highest-scoring team in the nation, got the memo and is relishing running up the score after years of being defined by defense.

WISCONSIN BADGERS (-36½) over Kent State Golden Flashes: Heisman contender Jonathan Taylor faces one of the country’s worst defenses against the run, which allows 265 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry.

Oklahoma Sooners (-33) over KANSAS JAYHAWKS: There is no danger in Jalen Hurts looking ahead to the Red River Shootout. Under Nick Saban, the Alabama transfer spent years listening to (and now reiterating) the dangers of “rat poison,” i.e. the praise a team must block out to focus on the next game. Under Lincoln Riley, the quarterback (who has appeared in three straight national championship games) is on pace for the most efficient season in the sport’s history, leading an offense averaging 55.5 points per game.

Purdue Boilermakers (+27½) over PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS: The Nittany Lions are more likely to feel the effects of rat poison following their 59-0 win over Maryland. After Penn State opened the season with a 79-7 win over Idaho, it faced a 10-7 halftime deficit at home to Buffalo. With Purdue quarterback Elijah Sindelar and star receiver Rondale Moore sidelined, the best play may be to stay away.

Iowa Hawkeyes (+3½) over MICHIGAN WOLVERINES: Jim Harbaugh is 1-9 against top-10 teams. Iowa, at No. 13, is close enough.

Maryland Terrapins (-13½) over RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS: So, not only does Rutgers not get a full Big Ten revenue share until 2027, but the school now owes recently fired Chris Ash some $9 million not to coach there. Maybe the next hire should exceed a 6-18 record before receiving a contract extension.

Bowling Green Falcons (+45½) over NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH: The Fighting Irish have won by more than 45 points just once in Brian Kelly’s 10 seasons in South Bend.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (+10¹/₂) over Texas Longhorns: The squares are hitting the Longhorns hard. Forget Huey Lewis.

Georgia Bulldogs (-25) over TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS: Kirby Smart has spent two weeks preparing the No. 3 team in the country for a trip to Neyland Stadium, where Georgia won 41-0 two years back. Jeremy Pruitt spent that same time revealing there is no bottom to his soon-to-be short-lived time at Tennessee, questioning why a police officer would arrest linebacker Jeremy Banks on an outstanding warrant.

Michigan State Spartans (+20) over OHIO STATE BUCKEYES: The Buckeyes have covered four straight, but are due to hit a speed bump. Mark Dantonio plays the role brilliantly. Since 2012, the Spartans have had more success than any other Big Ten team against the Buckeyes, picking up two wins — including 2015’s massive upset of the undefeated, defending national champion in Columbus — and suffering a pair of one-point losses.

California Golden Bears (+18) over OREGON DUCKS: The Bears’ underwhelming offense likely will suffer without injured starting quarterback Chase Garbers, but a defense that hasn’t allowed more than 28 points in a game this season — or allowed a touchdown pass in four of its five games — can keep it close on its own.

STANFORD CARDINAL (+16½) over Washington Huskies: For the first time in a decade the Pac-12 has no undefeated team remaining in October. Even the conference’s best teams shouldn’t be given much respect. Four of the five meetings between David Shaw and Chris Petersen have been decided by single-digits.

Bets bets: UCF, Oklahoma, Cal.
This season (best bets): 36-42-2 (8-7)
2014-18 record: 641-612-10