IN THE TRENCHES: WEEK 7 MATCHUPS PRESENTED BY THE FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA A weekly look at the matchups featuring Outland Trophy candidates Georgia (3-0) at Alabama (3-0), 7 p.m. CT on CBS This week’s Outland Trophy feature puts us in Tuscaloosa again for an SEC matchup we’ve been looking forward to for a while. After all, these two cross-division rivals don’t meet very often. It’s the two SEC division leaders facing off, with the Bulldogs facing their third Top-15 foe in a row after dominating No. 7 Auburn 27-6 at home and then humbling No. 14 Tennessee 44-21 last week in Knoxville. Fans are scratching their heads regarding Alabama’s defense after giving up a school-record 647 total yards in a 63-48 win at Ole Miss last week. The timing may be right for a Georgia offense that is only 34th nationally but still averaging 420.0 yards per game. But it’s the ‘Bama offense we’re dwelling on here and its three offensive lineman from our Watch List. This trio – center (#69, Gr., Hickory, N.C.), left guard (#65, Decatur, Ala.) and left of- fensive tackle (#70, Pensacola, Fla.) – is powering the country’s top scoring team at 51.0 points per game playing three games within the SEC, and its third-best offense cranking at 560.3 yards per game. Nobody has stopped it yet. The 723 total yards the Tide gained at Ole Miss was its second-most ever and the 63 points it scored marked the 16th consecutive game that Alabama has scored 35-or-more points, the longest streak in major- history. In the middle at the helm of the offensive line is Dickerson, who helped guide senior to a career- best 206 rushing yards and average 9.0 yards per carry on 23 totes. Harris’ 10 rushing TD’s lead the nation. He also scored five TD’s with eight plays of at least 12 yards. Brown and Leatherwood, who opted to forego the NFL Draft and return for the 2020 season, and the line are giving up only 1.33 sacks per game. On defense, LaBryan Ray (#18, Jr., Madison, Ala.) is tied for ninth on the team with 11 tackles and 0.5 sacks and had his best game (six tackles) last week at Ole Miss. Alabama has had two of the last four Outland Trophy winners ( in 2018, in 2016) and five overall but never at center or guard. Georgia features another outstanding center in junior Trey Hill (#55, Jr., Warner Robins, Ga.). He’s leading an offensive line that has only allowed five sacks on the season and has the ‘Dawgs running the ball extremely well. Georgia ran for 193 yards and two TD’s last week at Tennessee after running all over Auburn for 202 yards on 45 attempts (a 4.5-yard average) the previous week.

Boston College (3-1) at Virginia Tech (2-1), 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network: This game features three outstanding offensive linemen from two schools accustomed to running the ball well. Experienced preseason All-ACC selections at left tackle and center, Zion Johnson (#77, Sr., Bowie, Md.) and Ben Petrula (#64, Sr., Freehold, N.J.) helped send AJ Dillon into the NFL after his school-record-setting year in 2019. Virginia Tech left tackle (#77, Jr., Upper Marlboro, Md.) has the Hokies coming into this game off one of their best rushing efforts in years. The Eagles’ line protected quarterback Phil Jurkovec well in a 31-30 overtime win vs. Pitt last week. Jurkovec threw for 358 yards and three TD’s and ran for a score. Jurkovec’s 1,181 yards passing are the most by any BC quarterback over his first four games in school history, and he also holds the record for the most completions (99) and passing touchdowns (8) over the first four games of any player in BC history. Virginia Tech is third nationally in rushing offense at 299.3 ypg running behind Darrisaw. In his 25th consecutive start last week, Darrisaw helped push running back Khalil Herbert into the nation’s rushing lead at 149.67 ypg. He’s averaging 10.4 yards per carry. The Hokies lead the ACC and are seventh in the FBS averaging 42.7 ppg. Kentucky (1-2) at Tennessee (2-1), 12:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network: Who leads the SEC in rushing? It’s Kentucky – by 20 yards per game – and its two Outland Trophy Watch List members up front. In a tough 1-2 start, center Drake Jackson (#52, Sr., Versailles, Ky.) and right tackle Darian Kinnard (#70, Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.) have the Wildcats clicking at a best-in-the-SEC 212.3 rushing yards per game that’s also 19th in the nation (4.9 yards per play on the ground). Tennessee officially welcomed right tackle Cade Mays to its roster two weeks ago. Mays (#68, Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.) got his transfer from Georgia approved and has stepped right into the tackle spot. He brings All-American potential to the line along with right guard Trey Smith (#73, 6-6, 330, Jackson, Tenn.). They’ve got the Vols rushing very well. Through three weeks of the SEC season, Ty Chandler and Eric Gray have made a case as the best 1-2 RB tandem in the SEC. Tennessee is the one of three schools with two running backs in the SEC’s top 12 of rushing yards per game and Chandler ranks ninth in the SEC at 62.3 ypg.

Scott Farrell, collegepressbox.com outlandtrophy.com @OUTLANDTROPHY