TUSCALOOSA, Ala., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Alabama goes up against an old rival Saturday when the Crimson Tide faces sixth-ranked Georgia (4-0) in a key Southeastern Conference clash on the gridiron.
Because of NCAA probation, Alabama is not eligible for a bowl game or the league title, but Alabama (4-1) nearly upset Oklahoma last month and has the talent to knock off the unbeaten Bulldogs.
"We've got a lot of things to deal with," said Coach Dennis Franchione. "I'm very proud of our team and the way they've handled distractions and adversity to this point in time, and I'm sure they'll handle this week much the same way."
Elsewhere, No. 2 Texas (4-0) and No. 3 Oklahoma (4-0) warm up for have their annual showdown in Dallas by playing their Big 12 openers. The Longhorns entertain Oklahoma State, and the Sooners are at home to Missouri.
Georgia will try to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1982, when running back Herschel Walker was on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.
The Bulldogs have posted a 5-0 road record since Mark Richt took over as coach last season.
The Crimson Tide also have overcome injuries to quarterback Tyler Watts (sprained left foot) and running back Ahmmad Galloway (torn knee ligaments).
Saturday's schedule also includes Penn State facing 15th-ranked Wisconsin in a Big Ten battle.
The No. 21 Nittany Lions (3-1) are coming off a heartbreaking 42-35 overtime loss to Iowa, and lost last season, 18-6 to the Badgers. It was the worst offensive performance in the 37-year tenure of Coach Joe Paterno.
Penn State was held to 131 total yards by Wisconsin last season, including just 23 rushing.
Wisconsin is off to a 5-0 start under Coach Barry Alvarez, and could have star wide receiver Lee Evans back in the lineup. Evans suffered a knee injury in spring drills.
Wisconsin, which did not play last week, is the last Big Ten team to open conference play. The Badgers join No. 5 Ohio State (5-0) as the only undefeated teams in the conference. Ohio State visits Northwestern on Saturday.
No. 20 Southern California (3-1) visits No. 17 Washington State (4-1) in a matchup of two of the better quarterbacks in the Pac-10 -- the Trojans' Carson Palmer and Jason Gesser of WSU.
Gesser threw for 431 yards and four touchdowns in last week's win over California and will face a USC defense that shut down Oregon State, 22-0, in its most recent outing.
California will host No. 12 Washington (3-1). The Huskies' Cody Pickett has four straight 300-yard passing games and back-to-back 400-yard games.
Miami (4-0) will prepare for next weekend's meeting with Florida State by hosting Connecticut. The Hurricanes will try to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 27 games.
No. 7 Oregon (4-0) will play on the road for the first time this season when it visits Arizona, and No. 8 Florida (4-1) is at Mississippi in a matchup of star quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Eli Manning.
Tyrone Willingham coaches against his former team when No. 9 Notre Dame (4-0) hosts Stanford. Willingham spent seven seasons with the Cardinal before going to South Bend.
Quarterback Carlyle Holiday is nursing a shoulder injury and Willingham has said little about the injury. If Holiday is not ready, former walk-on Pat Dillingham could get his first start for the Fighting Irish.
Also, No. 10 Tennessee (3-1) hosts Arkansas, No. 16 Kansas State (4-0) is at Colorado, No. LSU (3-1) hosts UL-Lafayette, No. 23 Texas A&M (3-1) hosts Texas Tech, and No. 25 Air Force (4-0) welcomes Navy.
No. 22 Colorado State (4-1) is at Fresno State Friday night.
No. 4 Virginia Tech (5-0), 13th-ranked Michigan (4-1), No. 14 North Carolina State (6-0), 18th-ranked Iowa State (5-1), and No. 24 Auburn
(4-1) are idle.
