Tailgate Debate: Your guide to Saturday's stellar college football slate

Saturday features seven games between ranked teams, including three in the SEC West. Plenty of questions will get answered today, but let's provide some of our own first:

Yomtov: Good morning, Dan! There are so many great matchups today, but let's start with with the early SEC game. After an off week following the upset of LSU, No. 14 Mississippi State hosts No. 7 Texas A&M. The Bulldogs rank 15th in rushing yards per game, while the Aggies' run defense is in the bottom half of the country.

Dak Prescott has run for more than 100 yards in each of the past three games, and running back Josh Robinson is coming off a 197-yard showing against LSU. Are you concerned that the Bulldogs may overwhelm A&M on the ground or do you think the Aggies' high-flying offense outweighs the defensive issues?

Uthman: The questions you're asking get at the reason why I'd pick Mississippi State to win this game. Like Stanford-Washington last week, this game features a great matchup between the Texas A&M offensive line and the Bulldogs' defensive line. But it appears that Mississippi State's offense has a greater advantage on Texas A&M's defense than Texas A&M's offense – as potent as it is – has on Mississippi State's defense.

Yes, the Bulldogs have given up 319 yards per game through the air, which is one of the 10 worst marks in the FBS. But in addition to its strength against the run, their defense is top-10 in FBS on third down and fourth down and No. 1 in the red zone. So far this season, Mississippi State hasn't committed many penalties, which as Oregon reminded us Thursday night, is a simple way to lose a tight game.

And this one should be close. For as good as Mississippi State is on third down, Texas A&M is sixth-best in the country at converting. And the Aggies are the nation's best team on first down, so third down might be less of an issue.

Jesse, what about the game just after this one, the one up highway 9W in Oxford. Am I wrong in being certain that No. 1 Alabama's going to win?

Yomtov: I completely agree. Ole Miss hasn't beaten Alabama since Eli Manning was under center, and I'm confident that's going to continue. Still, there's reason to believe the No. 11 Rebels will least give the Tide a scare.

When you look at it, Ole Miss' strengths match up pretty well with Alabama's weaknesses. The Rebels' uptempo offense is going to cause headaches for Saban & Co., while the pass rush led by Robert Nkemdiche is going to ask plenty of questions of Alabama's offensive line.

Having said all that, I just can't see Bo Wallace beating Alabama, even at home. You have to play a nearly perfect game to beat Alabama and while the senior quarterback is completing 71% of his passes this season, he's still having turnover issues, throwing six interceptions in four games – against mediocre competition. The Rebels need to open things up for sophomore receiver Laquon Treadwell, but their running game just isn't consistent enough to keep Alabama honest.

Let's leave SEC country and head to South Bend. Stanford has given up just 74(!) passing yards per game this season. How do you think Everett Golson will fare against this defense in his first big test of 2014?

Uthman: Chuckle if you want, but it might depend on the weather. Because at this point it might take a force of nature to knock Golson off his game.

The gametime forecast for South Bend as I type this is a high of 41 degrees F with 18 mph winds and an 80% of showers. That is not prime passing weather. This will be the third time Golson has played in temperatures this cold while at Notre Dame, but Notre Dame is 2-0 in the previous two (2012 vs. Miami at Soldier Field and vs. Pittsburgh at Notre Dame Stadium).

There also is some merit to the notion that wet or slick conditions would favor receivers like Will Fuller, Corey Robinson and Amir Carlisle because they would be dictating the patterns, but they still have to catch and hold onto the ball. And it should also be mentioned that Stanford coach David Shaw considers the Cardinal secondary the team's No. 1 strength.

I do believe that of all the great games matching ranked teams this weekend that No. 13 Stanford at No. 8 Notre Dame will have the most impact on the College Football Playoff picture. If Stanford finally limits the uncharacteristic mistakes that have plagued it in wins and losses, I think it wins. But Golson is allowing Notre Dame to finally play the way coach Brian Kelly envisions. And if the Stanford team that takes the field in South Bend is the same one we've seen in its two Pac-12 games, Notre Dame's going to remain unbeaten.

Last game Jesse: There are questions, both internal and external, about what No. 17 and No. 10 Michigan State are this year. Are they the Big Ten's best? Is either a national title contender? Both are explosive and fun to watch, but entering Week 6 I think it's fair to say they're also somewhat enigmas. What answers do you think tonight's game will provide?

Yomtov: Halfway through our third college football season together, I've learned better than to chuckle at discussions regarding the weather.

When it comes to the Big Ten's two highest-ranked teams, I view this as an even important game for Michigan State than the loss to Oregon earlier in the season. Matched up against the nation's leading rusher in Ameer Abdullah, the Spartans' vaunted defense is going to be tested against a more traditional rushing game and a win could set the tone for the remainder of the season.

With a soft schedule the rest of the way, there's a good chance Michigan State will run the table with a victory here.

So to answer your question, yes, this team is very much a national title contender.

In regards to Nebraska, you used the word "enigma," a perfect way to describe this team. Tommy Armstrong Jr. has exceeded everyone's expectations, currently ranked No. 29 in the nation in efficiency, in addition to averaging 84 yards rushing. But who are we going to see on any given Saturday? The team that pounded Fresno State and Miami or the one that barely beat McNeese State? I just can't fathom the Cornhuskers being consistent enough to stay in the national title picture.

Dan, with the obscene number of great games today, let's help the people decide what to watch. We may be blessed these days with multiple screens, but what will you be focusing on?

Uthman: At noon, Texas A&M-Mississippi State. At 3:30 p.m. ET Stanford-Notre Dame with an eye on Oklahoma-TCU and Alabama-Ole Miss. In primetime, LSU-Auburn with a click over to Nebraska-Michigan State once it kicks off. Finally for late night, Utah-UCLA split evenly with Cal-Washington State, a potentially wild matchup of teacher and student. Best game wins my attention.

Yomtov: Obviously A&M-Mississippi State is the big one at noon, but I'll be watching some Maryland-Ohio State in the Terps' Big Ten home debut. Florida-Tennessee is another good one. You mentioned the marquee 3:30 matchups, but I'm also interested in Baylor at Texas and how Charlie Strong's team deals with the Bears. In prime time, Miami-Georgia Tech is always a relatively entertaining affair, so I'll probably flip that one on at some point.