This is just a setup for Louisiana State-Alabama showdown

Louisiana State (8-0) and Alabama (8-0) don’t play until Nov. 5, but here’s an advance for extremely early editions.

Everything else until then in the South is almost elevator music, a shrimp cocktail appetizer, the “B” side of “Let It Be” and the warm-up act for U2 — combined.

“It’s going to be a great game,” LSU receiver Rueben Randle said. “It’s going to be the biggest game so far this season.”

Is anything else happening in the world?

Yes.

Michigan State, on a deflected Hail Mary pass from Kirk Cousins to Keith Nichol on the game’s last play, shockingly ended Wisconsin’s undefeated season.

“We practice it every week,” Nichol told ESPN’s Erin Andrews afterward.

OK, but did you need instant-replay confirmation in practice?

A lightning delay in Norman pushed Texas Tech and Oklahoma into the wee hours, with Lubbock’s side seriously threatening to wreck the Sooners’ undefeated season.

Someone said Libya was going through a transfer of power, and every day there seems to be a different “Occupy something” protest forming.

The latest is “Occupy UCLA’s Athletic Director’s Office” as irate Bruins fans seek a recall election for a coach who still has 11/2 years left on his term.

Thursday night’s effort at Arizona, more than a loss, was an indictment on national television in which a streaker finished with more on-field rushing yards than UCLA’s 37.

UCLA couldn’t run or think straight in a first half that ended with a benches-clearing brawl the Bruins eventually won, six suspensions to four.

“It is unacceptable behavior,” Pac 12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement.

UCLA fans thought that of their team’s performance long before the gloves came off.

Other fly-at-the-dinner-table distractions in advance of LSU-Alabama:

Notre Dame spent a year mixing up a special batch of “HD friendly gold flakes” to spray on its helmets to get ready for USC.

The Irish then played like a $49.95 Earl Scheib paint job.

Missouri, reportedly on the verge of joining the Southeastern Conference, fell to 3-4 with a prairie-home pratfall defeat to Oklahoma State.

If the SEC expands to 14 schools, it will have succeeded in adding teams with one combined Big 12 football championship and wiping out 237 years of tradition with two pen strokes.

Texas A&M’s exit ends the Texas series at least through 2018 and Kansas is suggesting it will disband a “Border War” alliance with Missouri that dates to 1891.

When the SEC says it wants to expand its “footprint,” it means “Big Foot.”

Quarterback Kellen Moore actually had to work the fourth quarter of Boise State’s closer-than-imagined, 37-26 victory over Air Force. Moore completed 23 of 29 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. His 45th win tied Texas’ Colt McCoy on the all-time NCAA list.

Kansas State improved to 7-0 with a 59-21 rout of Kansas in Lawrence, setting up week’s huge showdown with Oklahoma.

Clemson (8-0) is the class of the Atlantic Coast, for whatever that’s worth, matching Kansas State with 59 of its own against North Carolina.

Clemson seeks its first ACC title since 1991. If not now … when?

Enough, though, of this “now” nonsense — do you realize LSU at Alabama is only 13 days away?

The SEC was looking ahead, giving both schools byes next week to guarantee two weeks of hype, type and hyperbole.

LSU, No. 1 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, did its part by clobbering Auburn, 45-10. It seemed absurd any defending national champion could be a three-touchdown underdog, but LSU easily covered the spread despite the suspension of three players who, of course, will be back for Alabama.

Alabama, No. 2 in the BCS, struggled for one half against Tennessee but cruised in the second.

Some are trying to compare Alabama’s defense to the 1961 Crimson Tide, which ended the regular season with five straight shutouts.

Let’s not get crazy.

Bear Bryant’s defense gave up 25 points all year. Alabama has given up 54 points with games remaining.

As far as anyone stopping the LSU-Alabama hype between now and Nov. 5, well, no defense can stop that.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com