GAMES OF THE WEEK

No. 5 Florida vs. No. 8 Georgia

Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla., 12:30 p.m., Channel 2

Every once in a while star players and star coaches align and you get a football game involving national title contenders, the Southeastern Conference, great tailgate food, the best athletes in the country and the mother of all revenge factors.

All aspects are in play in this one. Georgia (7-1) is No. 6 in this week’s Bowl Championship Series standings and Florida (6-1) is No. 8. The winner probably will win the SEC East Division and possibly meet No. 2 Alabama in the conference’s title game, with the winner of that possibly advancing to the national title game.

During last year’s game, a 42-30 win for Georgia, the Bulldogs stormed the field after scoring their first touchdown. Georgia Coach Mark Richt ordered the celebration but said he did not think the entire bench would invade the end zone. Florida Coach Urban Meyer was upset, stating in an interview last December, “That wasn’t right. That was a bad deal.” Both coaches put gag orders on their players this week, but you can expect plenty of yapping once the game starts.

The pick: Florida.

No. 1 Texas at No. 6 Texas Tech

Saturday, 5 p.m., Channel 7

No one can accuse Texas of playing a string of Patsy States on its way to a possible second national title in four years. Texas (8-0) defeated then-No. 1 Oklahoma on Oct. 11, then-No. 11 Missouri on Oct. 18, then-No. 7 Oklahoma State last week, and now faces Texas Tech in Lubbock. Meanwhile, Mike Leach’s Red Raiders are starting a gantlet of their own -- a three-game stretch against Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. Texas Tech (8-0) is ranked second nationally in total offense; Texas is No. 9. Longhorns junior quarterback Colt McCoy, leading most Heisman Trophy polls right now, has completed 81% of his passes; Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell has thrown for 3,147 yards and 28 touchdowns in eight games. The winner has the inside track to the Big 12 South title, a division that features four teams ranked in the top nine of this week’s BCS standings.

The pick: Texas Tech.

-- Chris Dufresne