Links at Lunch: Alabama-LSU Prep; Nebraska-Penn State Get Defensive

So Alabama-LSU is dubbed the Game of the Century, and to that end Links at Lunch features a heaping helping of news and notes on the SEC West rivalry. However, Stanford-USC set a high bar for the Tide and Tigers to meet. The triple overtime slugfest made such an impact on Lane Kiffin, he has remained focused on it rather than Friday’s Pac-12 pairing with newbie Colorado. Kiffin’s complaints landed him a fine, per ReignOfTroy.com.

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LSU-Bama will likely lack the post-game dramatics of USC-Stanford, and will most certainly have more defense than last night’s MACtion. Northern Illinois survived a road test by a ridiculous 63-60 count, recapped by Matt Sussman at HustleBelt.com.

More links after the jump.

• BamaHammer.com has a boatload of great coverage for the Game of the Century, including this series of “F-words” for the Tigers [note: it's not dirty].
• Aaron Torres compares the career trajectory of A.J. McCarron to that of Mark Ingram over on Crystal Ball Run.
• There are many statistical similarities between the Tigers and Tide, and Saturday Night Slant goes through these in a numerical breakdown.
• RollBamaRoll.com examines the four biggest factors likely to decide Saturday’s contest.
• There are indeed other big games still on the horizon. Among them is a clash of top 16 Big Ten teams, Nebraska and Penn State, ahead on Week 11. A low scoring game can be expected — Penn State’s been defensively minded all season, “winning ugly” as it’s described at Black Shoe Diaries. Meanwhile, Nebraska is coming off a defensive showing so promising, Bo Pelini brought back the Blackshirts per HuskerCorner.com.

  The Big Ten title is within reach for both teams, and our friends at HuskerLocker.com break down what the Cornhuskers can do to claim the championship.

• Notre Dame-Wake Forest has underrated big game potential. The Demon Deacons have been one of the nation’s better passing offenses, while UND boasts a stout defense. ESPN moved the game to a primetime kickoff, per Slap The Sign. Brian Kelly addressed the media on Tuesday, delving into freshman quarterback Andrew Hendrix’s role on the offensively struggling team, as well as the Wake Forest match-up. The Subway Domer recaps.
  
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• Flying under the radar a bit, Texas quarterback Garret Gilbert announced his transfer from UT to SMU yesterday. June Jones has a way of bringing out the best in his quarterbacks — can he find the “It Factor” Austin Statesman-Review columnist Cedric Golden writes Gilbert was lacking? Coming full circle to the Game of the Century, Alabama’s Phillip Sims will not be transferring per The Virginia Daily Pilot.