It's Thursday, which means it's almost Friday, which means football Saturday is practically here. Read these links to help pass the time:

• Ball State running back Miquale Lewis says the running game is a work in progress, writes Doug Zaleski of the Muncie Star Press. Lewis ran for 1,736 yards last year with 22 touchdowns and a 5.4-yard average. Through three games this year, he has 141 yards, one touchdown and a 3.4-yard average.

• ESPN.com's Chris Low makes his weekly SEC picks. I can't believe he picked against Auburn. I'm joking. He didn't.

• "Auburn 42, Ball State 10: A year later, the euphoria is gone for Ball State. The Cardinals had a memorable run last season, but lost just about everybody from that team. They limp into Jordan-Hare Stadium with a 0-3 record, including a loss to the same North Texas team that was trounced last week by Alabama. Look for the Tigers to go to 4-0 and pour it on in this game, almost as hard as the rain poured last weekend on the Plains."

• Low also lists his things to watch in the SEC during Week 4. Nothing Auburn-related. Although quite honestly, why would there be when Ball State is the opponent.

• Former Alabama linebacker Barry Krauss likes what he sees out of the Crimson Tide's current crop of linebackers -- Rolando McClain, Dont'a Hightower and Eryk Anders -- writes Michael Casagrande of the Decatur Daily.

• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that defensive-minded Alabama coach Nick Saban and offensive-minded Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino are an interesting match on the field.

• Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin had an up-and-down day at Arkansas, returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown but also getting burned for two scores, writes David Hale of the Macon Telegraph.

• The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (or whatever the schools would prefer it be called) will remain in Jacksonville through 2016, according to this AP report.

• LSU's Les Miles is a voter in the USA Today/Coaches' Poll, yet he says he doesn't know who the best teams in the country are because he doesn't get to see them every week, writes Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times.

• ESPN.com's Mike Fish writes that the swine flue reports on football teams have been getting a bit sensationalized.

• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that SEC commissioner Mike Slive could be a candidate to succeed Myles Brand as NCAA president, but he asks would that be a promotion in power at all?

• And why would he want to leave when he gets to deal with coaches acting like second-graders first-hand?

• No bags of any size will be allowed in Michigan Stadium on Saturday, according to this AnnArbor.com report. The move is in response to a terror alert issued earlier this week that said stadiums could be potential targets.

• The Wizard of Odds has a poll up for which school has the best team poster for football. I like Iowa State's. Maybe I'm just partial to Paul Rhoads.