SEC ROOTING GUIDE

In which we tell you which teams you should root against in the upcoming week.

There aren’t nearly as many games with College Football Playoff implications this week, but that’s OK. The Big Ten imploded last weekend. But SEC fans wouldn’t mind a few power conference teams taking a spill on Saturday.

UCLA vs. Texas: SEC fans want the Longhorns to topple the Bruins. UCLA (2-0) looked vulnerable against Virginia and Memphis. But quarterback Brett Hundley, Miles Jack, Eric Kendricks and company are capable of putting it all together and winning the Pac-12 South. The Longhorns aren’t a threat — they lost 41-7 to BYU — but the Bruins are well-coached and athletic. There are Heisman implications for Nick Marshall and Todd Gurley as well. Saddling Hundley and UCLA with a loss before they soar works in favor of the SEC.

East Carolina at Virginia Tech: This is a two-for-one special. If East Carolina looks good against the Hokies, it exonerates South Carolina to an extent. It’s possible this Pirates offense is good enough to move the ball even against good power-conference defenses. But Virginia Tech also could morph into a legitimate contender. The Hokies don’t play Florida State in the regular season and already have banked a road win against Ohio State. SEC fans wouldn’t mind seeing Frank Beamer’s team falter.

Minnesota at TCU: This is a big week for the Big 12, with seven games against power conference opponents. Remember last week when Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Purdue all struggled or lost against lesser foes? That did as much long-term damage to the Big Ten as losses by Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan. The Big 12 looks mighty top-heavy with Oklahoma State losing its quarterback and Texas faltering. Oklahoma and Baylor could use another team — say, TCU — to have a good season and serve as a quality punching bag. So SEC fans want Minnesota to make a pre-emptive strike by crunching the Horned Frogs this weekend.

Penn State at Rutgers: No, the Nittany Lions aren’t going to morph into a College Football Playoff contender just because the NCAA lifted the bowl ban. But this one’s more a matter of conference pride. James Franklin built Vanderbilt into a pesky but fun story, one that enhanced the league’s reputation. (See? Even Vanderbilt goes to bowl games!) Now the Commodores appear crippled by Franklin’s exit, while the new Penn State coach can waltz straight into postseason play if his team is good enough. Franklin earned the respect of many SEC fans, but do you really want to see Vandy’s ex-coach rise to national prominence so soon after ditching the ‘Dores?