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Week 14 viewers guide: A look at Saturday's top games

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Every Friday, theScore will preview the week's best matchups on the college football calendar. Here are the top games to watch in Week 14.

No. 5 Texas A&M at No. 22 Auburn (Noon ET, ESPN)

There's no time to relax after getting shelled in the Iron Bowl by Alabama, as Auburn now sees No. 5 Texas A&M come to town. The Aggies' only loss this season was to the Crimson Tide, and their 6-1 record has them just outside a semifinal spot in the College Football Playoff. The second-ranked rushing attack in the conference and the top-ranked defense have led the way for Jimbo Fisher's outfit this season.

That combo will have the Tigers in tough, as the Auburn offense hasn't produced a 100-yard rusher since Oct. 24. The biggest issue for Gus Malzahn's program also happens to be one of Texas A&M's strengths - third-down conversions. The Tigers are last in the SEC, allowing teams to convert on third down almost 54% of the time; the Aggies are fifth in the entire country at converting.

The good news for Auburn? The team has a perfect record at home on the season and Bo Nix has looked significantly better in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

No. 4 Ohio State at Michigan State (Noon ET, ABC)

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It's unclear who will be able to play for Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are cleared at this point after having last week's game canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Head coach Ryan Day is among those who won't be making the trip to East Lansing after testing positive, but the team will be in the capable hands of Larry Johnson. Ohio State needs to play both this week and next week versus Michigan to be eligible for the CFP.

Michigan State is coming off an impressive triumph over Northwestern, ending the Wildcats' perfect start to the season. Despite the shorthanded roster, the Buckeyes should have no problems running up the score on Mel Tucker's program. The Spartans are last in the Big Ten in scoring at just 18 points per contest while Ohio State is among the best offenses in the nation, putting up a whopping 45 per game.

No. 6 Florida at Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)

The annual edition of the heated rivalry between Florida and Tennessee goes Saturday in Knoxville. The two teams enter in different situations as the Gators are headed toward the SEC East title while the Volunteers have lost five straight games by double-digits for the first time in the program's history.

This is another case of a high-powered offense likely to blow the opposition off the field. Led by Heisman favorite Kyle Trask, the Gators have put up 43 points per game, while the Volunteers rank near the bottom of the SEC at just 24 per contest. Unless the Tennessee defense turns in a Herculean effort, it's tough to see this one remaining close for 60 minutes.

No. 13 BYU at No. 18 Coastal Carolina (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / Getty

As of Thursday morning, Coastal Carolina was hosting both ESPN's College GameDay and Liberty. By noon, that matchup had been changed to a non-Power 5 blockbuster with No. 13 BYU. The Flames were forced to pull out of the contest due to COVID-19 issues, leaving the idle Cougars free to pounce on the opening.

The two teams enter with identical 9-0 records, joining an exclusive list of meetings between undefeated programs this late in the season.

The best matchup within the game will be BYU star quarterback Zach Wilson against Coastal Carolina's stout defense. How Wilson performs will likely be of great interest to NFL scouts tuning in for the projected first-round pick.

No. 1 Alabama at LSU (8:00 p.m. ET, CBS)

What a difference one year can make. Last year's matchup between Alabama and LSU was the most anticipated game of the 2019 season, resulting in a remarkable 46-41 win for the eventual national champion Tigers. This year sees LSU enter play against the top-ranked Crimson Tide with a 3-4 record and listed as a 29.5-point underdog.

No school in Power 5 football is scoring more than Alabama, and the defense has made serious strides as of late after allowing just 16 total points over the last three contests. That could spell serious trouble for an LSU outfit that has allowed over 40 points three separate times this year and has failed to score more than 11 in two of the last three games.

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