Want a fresh, straightforward, approachable look at this week in college football? You’re in luck. We’re keeping up with the football for you. Read more about our weekly roundup here.

College Football Roundup: Week 9

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It just felt like we needed to put a stake in them at that point.” —Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio on his team’s response to having a stake planted in their stadium turf by rival Michigan before kickoff. Although Michigan State was leading by 17 points at the end of the fourth quarter, they didn’t take a knee. Rather, they gave Michigan a taste of their own medicine by scoring another touchdown and “putting a stake in it.”

THINGS TO KNOW

• No. 3 Ole Miss Lost

In a nail-biter, No. 3 Ole Miss lost its first game of the season to SEC rival LSU. Ole Miss led the majority of the game, winning 7-3 at halftime, until LSU scored a touchdown with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss got the ball back with a little more than a minute to go and looked as if they would score a touchdown, but LSU intercepted a pass on the 1-yard line with 2 seconds left.

• The College Football Playoff Committee Ranks Its First Teams Tuesday

Remember all that talk at the beginning of the year about a committee deciding which four teams will play in the first College Football Playoff at the end of the season? Well, the committee will announce its first round of rankings on Tuesday, and although the final rankings won’t be announced until Dec. 7, many fans are anxious to see what the committee will decide.

Two possible scenarios: 1. The committee will look to the AP poll, a ranking system determined by votes cast by media members with extensive experience covering college football, and make their selections accordingly, (in which case, three SEC teams would rank in the top 4) or 2. The committee will stick to its guns and make a point of including teams from a range of conferences no matter what the AP poll says (in which case, SEC team Mississippi State, ACC team Florida State, Pac-12 team Oregon, and independent team Notre Dame are likely to make the cut).

LOOK AT IT THIS WAY…

• What’s bittersweet?

LSU Head Coach Les Miles leading his team to their biggest victory of the season over No. 3 Ole Miss less than 24 hours after the death of his 91-year-old mother, Martha. After the game, Miles said, “I can’t tell you the number of young men that threw their arms around me and told me, ‘Love you coach.’ It is as touching as anything I have had happen.”

GAME SPEAK

• Take a knee

Teams “take a knee” when they’re ahead and there’s not enough time left in the game for the opponent to win. (It’s called “take a knee” because the ball is snapped to the quarterback, who immediately puts his knee on the ground to end the play.) Typically, teams take a knee in the last minute of the fourth quarter.

Read up: shut out, strength of schedule, wildcat, tiebreaker, rushing yards, trap game, pick six, cupcake, conference

GAMES TO WATCH

• TCU (#10) at West Virginia (#20): ABC/ESPN2, Saturday, Nov. 1, 3:30 p.m. EST

• Auburn (#4) at Ole Miss (#7): ESPN, Saturday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. EST

• Arizona (#14) at UCLA (#25): ESPN, Saturday, Nov. 1, 10:30 p.m. EST

• Utah (#18) at Arizona State (#15): FOX Sports 1, Saturday, Nov. 1, 11 p.m. EST

Have questions? Teams you’d like us to follow? Comment below or tweet us @LitDarling or @burrowsouth.