It's Thursday. I plan to do a live chat on our Web site at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. The link is still not up there yet, though. As soon as it is, I'll post it.

Now for the links ...

• Les Miles has said it before, but he'd like to get running back Charles Scott more involved in the offense, writes James Varney of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

• Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard knows Auburn will run plenty of routes across the middle. He can't wait, writes Randy Rosetta of The Advocate of Baton Rouge.

• Auburn cornerback Walt McFadden and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson are cousins, writes Rosetta in this notebook.

• Andrew Gribble of the Opelika-Auburn News writes about five players on Auburn who we reporters never get to talk to, despite repeated interview requests. The fab five? Eric Smith, Gabe McKenzie, Philip Pierre-Louis, Jonathan Evans and Eltoro Freeman. (Sixth man honors go to Byron Isom).

• Jerry Hinnen of the War Eagle Reader gives us a closer look at the first half of the Kentucky game.

• Nick Saban doesn't know exactly which Jonathan Crompton he'll see when Alabama takes on Tennessee this week, writes Michael Casagrande of the Decatur Daily. I have a pretty good idea: the one who will throw five interceptions. Have you seen what that Alabama defense has done to good quarterbacks?

• Alabama has already spent over $170,000 on legal fees in relation to the NCAA textbook scandal, writes Casagrande.

• Georgia is off this week, but Florida, the top-ranked team in the BCS rankings, looms once it comes back from its bye, writes Tyler Estep.

• Steve Spurrier can't seem to quit his old ways of taking shots at other coaches. Anyone else love it when he does this?

• Oh those cheating Bammers! How dare they play AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" before a few plays against South Carolina last week, in clear violation of an arcane SEC rule for some reason. That's appalling. They should have played "Thunderstruck." It gets you amped quicker.

• The officiating crew from the Florida-Arkansas game has been removed from its next scheduled game, writes Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.

• The SEC should get out of the officiating business, writes Ray Melick of the Birmingham News.

• OK, this is funny. You've got to love Photoshop.

• Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel writes about the large number of defensive battles and how annoying it is when fans complain about the officials in his notebook.

• Old friends Urban Meyer and Dan Mullen will square off when Florida travels to Mississippi State this week, writes Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.

• ESPN.com blogger Chris Low's SEC picks are in. Here's the Auburn-LSU blurb:

• "LSU 31, Auburn 21: Given the way Auburn has struggled on defense the past few weeks, Gene Chizik’s club just might be what the doctor ordered for LSU’s struggling offense. This is one of those games you don’t want to miss in the SEC. There’s always some type of thrilling finish, controversial play or memorable performance. It won’t be very memorable for Auburn, which will see its losing streak extend to three games."
  

• Low also has a list of things to watch in the SEC this weekend.

• Words that should be put together in a story: Orrin Hatch, Barack Obama, Bowl Championship Series, Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Well, here you go.

• Only 21 percent of major athletic departments made money in 2007-08, according to this report in the Indianapolis Star.

• The University of Minnesota has apologized for the actions of Goldy Gopher after an incident at Penn State last weekend in which the mascot knelt and prayed next to a Penn State player who was doing so, perhaps in a mocking fashion. (Then again, anything looks like its in a mocking fashion when you're dressed like a Gopher on steroids.) Here's the video. You be the judge.