STEWART MANDEL'S Extra Points

LSU coach Les Miles can finally put all those hot seat rumors to bed. Not only are his Tigers 8--1 and back in the top five, but by upsetting Alabama last Saturday, he finally endeared himself to LSU fans by beating their No. 1 nemesis: Tide coach Nick Saban... . Stanford is the nation's most underappreciated team. Jim Harbaugh's squad is 8--1 after routing Arizona, and its only loss came against No. 1 Oregon, but in the coaches' poll the No. 9 Cardinal remains behind No. 7 Ohio State, a team that hasn't beaten any current Top 25 programs... . If Steve Spurrier hopes to establish a legacy at South Carolina, this would be the week. The Gamecocks can earn their first SEC East title with a win at Florida, though the 41--20 loss to Arkansas on Saturday wasn't a confidence booster.

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TYLER KAUFMAN/ICON SMI (MILES)