Lineup

Features

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

38 The Playoff Era

We're six weeks in, and the questions are mounting. What have we learned?

By Andy Staples

44 Ole Miss

Well, Hotty Toddy! The Rebels won the game (against Bama) and the party

By Andy Staples

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

52 Mississippi State

SI got an inside look as the Bulldogs—to much clanging—toppled another top 10 team

By Pete Thamel

MLB PLAYOFFS

60 October Madness

The Royals and the Orioles advanced, but the biggest winner is baseball

By Tom Verducci

• CHANNELING EARL

by Michael Rosenberg

• THE ALCS MATCHUP

by Joe Sheehan

PRO FOOTBALL

68 Cameron Wake

The salesman turned defensive end now calls on opposing backfields for Miami

By Ben Reiter

Departments

4 SI Digital

6 Leading Off

12 Inbox

13 Social Media

14 Scorecard

24 Faces in the Crowd

26 Just My Type

Dan Patrick: Big Ben on the art of diaper changing

76 Point After

Ben Reiter: A fond farewell to the Big Donkey

"Imagine Will Ferrell jumping up and screaming, 'More cowbell!'"

—COACH DAN MULLEN, ON A PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR HIS 5--0 BULLDOGS

SI HAS REGIONAL COVERS THIS WEEK: JASON PARKHURST FOR SI (OLE MISS PLAYERS QUINCY ADEBOYEJO, VINCE SANDERS AND EVAN ENGRAM); SIMON BRUTY/SI (MISSISSIPPI STATE PLAYERS FRED BROWN AND JAMORAL GRAHAM); PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SI PREMEDIA. JOHN W. MCDONOUGH/SI (ROYALS)

PHOTO

PHOTOGRAPH BY DANA EDELSON/NBCU PHOTO BANK