SEC: West is best … or is it still East?

COLUMBIA — Everyone's always interested in that age-old (and pointless) debate of the country's best conference.

How about which SEC division is tops?

Before the year, it looked like a hands-down, slam-dunk nod to the East. Now? Not so much.

Not after Alabama dumped Georgia in a matchup of top-10 teams. And Ole Miss went on the road to upset Florida. Auburn slugged its way past Tennessee, too.

"Gosh, I don't know," South Carolina's Steve Spurrier said this week. "Maybe it is, yeah."

Folks were all jacked for the Florida-Georgia game, saying it might decide the eventual national champ. Well, it still could, but it's not even the biggest game in the conference now. No, not with Vanderbilt — yes, Vanderbilt — leading the division.

Nick Saban's first trip back to LSU already figured to bring some serious punch. How about if both teams are undefeated?

Seriously, stop and think about that for a minute. Whoa. That's a ballgame.

LSU would be 8-0, with its toughest tests ahead coming at Florida (Oct. 11), at South Carolina (Oct. 18) and against Georgia (Oct. 25). OK, yeah, that's pretty tough. But it's all against East teams.

Alabama's road — with games against Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee — sure looks easier.

GameDay is where?

What in the wide world of sports is ESPN doing at Vanderbilt?

Yes, GameDay will come to you live from (perhaps) sold-out VU Stadium.

All right, it's a cutesy story of the 4-0 lovable losers. But isn't this like the "worldwide" kiss of death?

Vanderbilt doesn't need any help with a jinx. I'm sort of surprised school officials allowed it.

OK, never mind. This is the same school that sold DVDs of last year's victory against South Carolina.

The Commodores certainly have bigger home games, against Florida and Tennessee. But will their feel-good tale be relevant in a month?

Spurrier thinks they might.

"They've got a good team. They can play with anybody," Spurrier said. "They've got a good defense that stops people, gets turnovers.

"Who knows what could happen at Vandy this year?"

Road warriors

The Ole Miss and Alabama wins were also evidence of what seems to be a growing trend: Road teams playing better. Logically, Ole Miss' Houston Nutt says it's easier to focus on the road.

"It's just 70 people — players and your coaching staff," Nutt said. "You're all together. Arm in arm, hand in hand, you're all together. There's no distractions. I think it's a little bit easier to be a little more focused.

"When you're at home ... there's so much going on. You've got recruits in. You've got former alumni, players that come in. There's a little bit of a distraction at home that you don't have on the road."

Game ball

Saban, Alabama's coach: This is a first. We don't make a habit of awarding game balls to coaches. But Saban deserves one. He recruited a great — really great — freshman class that is good enough to play and contribute immediately. The plan is simple: Beat the snot out of the opponent at the lines, pass efficiently, take care of the ball and go from there. So far, so good. Just ask an embarrassed, battered bunch of Bulldogs in the wake of that bludgeoning in Athens. We're still not over seeing 31-0 on the scoreboard. Wowzers.

Game of the week

No. 2 Alabama vs. Kentucky: These teams are undefeated, and Kentucky's Rich Brooks is feeling slighted. Dude, play a conference game before you talk about respect. Beating Bama will certainly earn some. It'll be closer than people think, the Tide coming off that big victory.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.