Auburn tops college football's 10 toughest October schedules — SkimNews
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- Auburn faces four ranked opponents in October — at No. 17 Tennessee, at No. 2 Georgia, vs. No. 11 LSU, and at No. 9 Ole Miss — making it the only program nationally with four top-25 matchups in a single month.
- Florida, which climbed from unranked to No. 8, will face the nation's top two teams in October: at No. 1 Texas and vs. No. 2 Georgia in Atlanta, after opening the month at No. 25 Missouri.
- Ohio State enters October already carrying a loss from the Texas season opener and must navigate three ranked matchups — at No. 14 Iowa, at No. 6 Indiana, and at No. 18 USC — to remain the publication's Big Ten favorite.
- Alabama plays its first ranked opponent of the season Saturday at No. 16 Mississippi State, riding quarterback Keelon Russell's 365-yard, five-touchdown performance against South Carolina, with a home date against No. 2 Georgia looming later in October.
- South Carolina coach Shane Beamer sits on what the article calls the SEC's hottest seat after consecutive SEC losses opened conference play, with a home game against No. 24 Kentucky this weekend described as potentially "the nail in the coffin."
- Georgia could climb to No. 1 in the country if it emerges from October unblemished, with three straight rivalry matchups — at No. 7 Alabama, vs. Auburn, and vs. No. 8 Florida in Atlanta — following a Vanderbilt tune-up.
- The CFP selection committee releases its initial rankings on Nov. 3, with selection day set for Dec. 6, and the article pegs 10 wins as the "magic number" for any SEC team to reach the playoff.
Why it matters: With 10 wins pegged as the CFP magic number for SEC teams, six SEC squads face ranked October slates that could reshape the bracket before the Nov. 3 committee reveal. South Carolina's Shane Beamer faces the most immediate risk, while Georgia can claim No. 1 by surviving Alabama, Auburn, and Florida.
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