1. Auburn linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen sees a bright future on the Plains.
2. Count Nick Saban among those who want a four-team playoff and the survival of the bowl system.
3. It’s official, LSU versus Arkansas will once again meet on the Friday after Thanksgiving. (That’s a huge plus in terms of exposure/recruiting for the Razorbacks.)
4. LSU’s Johnny Jones has hired former Mississippi State assistant Robert Kirby to his new hoops staff.
5. MSU’s top running back this fall isn’t a clear-cut choice at the moment.
6. Here’s a look at Texas A&M’s two-deep… including their “four-deep” at quarterback.
7. Florida D-lineman Ronald Powell is still on pace for a four-to-six month recovery from ACL surgery last month.
8. Mark Richt says all 19 of Georgia’s 2012 signees are on track to qualify academically.
9. Kentucky’s in the running — with Arizona and Kansas — for transferring Xavier point guard Mark Lyons.
10. South Carolina AD Eric Hyman expects Gamecock athletics to continue to thrive. (His school spent more than $500,000 on its recent NCAA case, by the way.)
11. Kevin Sumlin, Gary Pinkel and a number of hot-shot quarterbacks might transform the SEC into a pass-first league this year.
12. A number of college football coaches are weighing in on the playoff system to come.
13. Is college football akin to dog-fighting? Could it be brought down by head injuries? Should it be scrapped? At least one guy thinks so.
