STEWART MANDEL'S EXTRA POINTS

The Nov. 5 Alabama-LSU game is shaping up to be a national semifinal. The Tigers, who've beaten three ranked teams, and the Tide, who throttled No. 14 Arkansas 38--14 last Saturday, look like the most athletic teams in the country, while the rest of the SEC doesn't seem to be as tough as it looked in August... . Georgia Tech and Clemson have shown they'll be factors in the ACC race. The Jackets' triple-option offense, led by QB Tevin Washington, is clicking on all cylinders, averaging a nation's-best 630.5 yards per game, while the Tigers have beaten higher-ranked foes (Auburn and Florida State) in consecutive weeks... . It's only Year 2, but USC fans already are losing faith in coach Lane Kiffin. The Trojans, who fell 43--22 to Arizona State, have just nine TDs on 17 red zone trips and continue to stub their toes with penalties (31 in four games) and turnovers (nine).

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