Lineup

30 | PRO FOOTBALL

Lone Star Quarterbacks

Why are there so many NFL starters from Texas?

By Andrew Perloff

38 | COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ohio State Coaches

SI listened on the headset and soaked up their patter

By Pete Thamel

44 | BASEBALL

The Red Sox

A story about how facial hair brought great joy to the Hub

By Steve Rushin

50 | BOOK EXCERPT

Tigers vs. Jayhawks

Looking back at a classic skirmish in the Border War

By Mark Godich

NHL PREVIEW 2013--14

GOALS ARE THE GOAL 54

The NHL is trying to halt a scoring drought, but there's more it can do

By Michael Farber

POWER RANKINGS 66

The best teams in each conference, plus hidden gems and breakout players

4 | SI Digital

6 | Leading Off

12 | The Mail

15 | Scorecard

25 | Faces in The Crowd

26 | Just My Type

Dan Patrick: Joe Flacco has a son, gets a win

76 | Point After

Phil Taylor: A Steeler who's becoming an Ironman

SI HAS REGIONAL COVERS THIS WEEK: THEARON W. HENDERSON/GETTY IMAGES (PATRICK KANE); PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (SIDNEY CROSBY); MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (RED SOX)

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SIMON BRUTY/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (MEYER)

ALL BUCKEYES ON ME Urban Meyer has undefeated Ohio State pointed in the right direction.

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SIMON BRUTY/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (STAFFORD)

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SIMON BRUTY/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (HEADPHONES)

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MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (RED SOX)

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BILL FRAKES/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (MISSOURI-KANSAS)