• It may be hard to find a coach willing to compete in ultra-tough SEC
Back in October, Tommy Tuberville sat in his office in the Auburn football complex, at a round table near his desk. It was not long after offensive coordinator Tony Franklin was fired.

• Saban unplugged
Iron Bowl victory allows coach to be introspective about his perfect team

• Tide strikes on perfect play: Coffee's run ended Auburn's
TUSCALOOSA - Glen Coffee looked like he had tumbled backward into a birthday cake. Having been previously tackled atop the circular logo at midfield, the name and number on his back were obscured with crimson and white paint.

• Huntsville's 'Big Team' effort comes up short
HOOVER - In a sweat-stained crimson T-shirt, Jimmy Eye slowly made his way through the Huntsville High locker room, past piles of dirty uniforms and through crimson-eyed teammates hugging one another and shaking hands.

• Players appreciate rivalry pad-to-pad
TUSCALOOSA - It's a feverish in-state rivalry, a game that sends shock waves through college football. It's the biggest game today.

• Tide tries to focus on game, not the surrounding hype
TUSCALOOSA - Terrence Cody, the 380-pound Alabama nose tackle who any day now should be awarded his own personal Zip code, is getting an education from his Crimson Tide teammates.

• Sure glad Favre stuck around
NASHVILLE - Willie Mays slowly walked to home plate like a man wearing shoes three sizes too small. He was wearing a uniform that was the right size but didn't fit.

• UAH prof's system ranks Tide fourth
Colley Matrix is one of six computers used by BCS

• Making Friday night special
Sometimes the smartest moves are off the field, not on it. Lindsey Tyler and Tom Fleming each had a death-grip on the handle of the ice-water bucket. Crushed ice and water colder than the taxman's heart sloshed around angrily. There are traditions that must be served. The players were headed for Kevin Wieseman, the Huntsville High football coach.

• Pitching through the uncertainty
UNA's Sexton copes with shock of diagnosis

• Top leagues also parallel powers
SEC, Big 12 are much more alike than most people would realize

• Johnson dynasty as fun as flat tire
Dominant finish in Chase not what NASCAR needed

• Last-gasp lob another misfire on lost season
AUBURN - Ben Tate slowly walked backward, eyes affixed to the giant video screen above the end zone stands. Suddenly, he stopped as the screen showed the pivotal moment of the pivotal play. As he stared, Tate leaned to his left, hopelessly, helplessly trying to put some body English on it.

• Mincher finally getting the honors he deserves
My first reaction when the announcement arrived Thursday was, "What took so long?"

• Are there people playing 'chicken' on Plains?
Some random college football thoughts piled up in the back of my brain: n Are they playing a dangerous game of "chicken" at Auburn? Does the coaching situation finally come down to who blinks first?

• AD Moore living a dream
Tide's athletic architect pleased with all that's emerged this season

• Saban a winner despite the hate, hype of his return to Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. - A skinny kid, hat turned backwards, message-bearing T-shirt hanging halfway to his knees, staggered past the interview room where Nick Saban was conducting the post-mortem.

• Heat high for 'Bama Man' today
"In Birmingham they love Nick Saban

• Saban still has fond memories of friendship with late LSU booster
Saban still has fond memories of friendship with late LSU booster

• Blocking the hype
Bama ignores the tempest brewing in the bayou