Steak and potatoes. It beats bird food all day long.

It’s just like this early-season SEC schedule. Weeks 1 and 2 were appetizers. They were nice little warm-ups to the main course. Sure, they may have been loaded potato skins or something, but we’re still waiting on 32-ounce steak. The waiter has done turned in our order. Those suckers are grilling up.

C’mon out.

Week 3 of this college football season is the best so far in the SEC. Conference games up and down the slate, across both divisions, and a non-conference game with far-reaching implications highlight the top five games of the weekend.

South Carolina at Georgia – It was South Carolina who ruined the Bulldogs’ season last year. No one knew it at the time, but that’s ultimately how it played out. Georgia, which finished 10-3, lost by three points in third game of the season to the Gamecocks, who finished 7-6. If Georgia would have won the game, it turns out, they would have represented the SEC East in the league’s title game. They didn’t win. They didn’t represent. Revenge is on the Bulldogs’ mind.

Texas Tech at Arkansas – The life preservers are in short supply in Fayetteville. Suddenly the boat isn’t carrying quite as many passengers after the Razorbacks lost to Toledo last week. What was supposed to be a potential dream season turned nightmarish. And if Arkansas can’t remember how to establish a running game things will only continue to go downhill. That said, Arkansas nearly ran for 500 yards against Texas Tech last year. If there’s a game to regain your lost identity, it’s against Texas Tech.

Florida at Kentucky – This game went from off the board to at least one of the five best in the SEC. Now, it might not be, for entertainment purposes, the third-best. But it’s suddenly pretty important. Kentucky’s four-point win against South Carolina last week made its game against the Gators one where it’s thought to be winner has the inside track for an upper-division finish. It’s been 29 years since Florida lost to the Wildcats, but after last week’s odd game against East Carolina, fans in Lexington think this might be the year.

Auburn at LSU – Almost any other year this would be the showdown of the week. Forget Ricky Bobby’s “if you ain’t first, you’re last.” This game is a whale. Auburn has looked — to be honest — bad for a 2-0 team. The game taking place in Death Valley will be a bear for a Tigers team looking to get on track after nearly losing to Jacksonville State last week. LSU isn’t exactly rolling. The Tigers beat Mississippi State in their opener last week but had to survive a Bulldogs rally to do it. Like the game above, the winner here has a real shot at the division.

Ole Miss at Alabama – Importance plus entertainment value. Ole Miss at Alabama is on the short list for early-season game of the year. Whether it lives up to the hype, who knows? But, boy, it looks like a winner. No offense in the country is doing what the Rebels are. Back-to-back games of 70-plus points is absurd, no matter the competition. Alabama isn’t slouching. They made a good Wisconsin team look like bottom-feeders before handling Middle Tennessee State in an easy, if uninspired, effort. Set the DVRs.