CONCORD, N.C. — What started as a joke between friends turned into a job offer that has Dominic Scelzi excited for the future.

It was recently revealed that longtime Tony Stewart Racing team manager Jimmy Carr would be departing the TSR operation in order to move to the West Coast. The former Canadian sprint car driver, who has worked at TSR since it was started, will serve as crew chief for Scelzi Motorsports.

“I’ve known Jimmy my entire life, my dad (Gary Scelzi) has known Jimmy since before I was even born,” Dominic Scelzi said. “We’ve been friends with Jimmy forever.”

Scelzi explained that Carr had already decided he wanted to depart Tony Stewart Racing and move to the West Coast when the two sides began joking about Carr working for Scelzi Motorsports.

Before long the joke became a serious conversation and suddenly Carr was the newest employee of Scelzi Motorsports.

“To be honest, I don’t know exactly how it went,” Scelzi said. “He has stuff out in California and he was wanting to move back west. I said, ‘Well, the good thing about California is I’m in California and you can come work for me whenever you want.’ Never in a million years did I think that would equate out to being able to work with him.

“He came out for Morrie Williams’ funeral,” Scelzi explained. “He came to the shop and we gave him a tour, still not with the intention of hiring him or even the talk of it. He sort of made the joke, ‘Do I start Monday? When do I get my keys?’ Then the next day that kind of popped into my dad and I talking and thinking maybe there was an opportunity there.”

A few weeks later the Scelzi clan touched base with Carr again.

“If he was going to leave (TSR), then we’d have him,” Scelzi said. “When he decided to leave, we figured hey, we better pursue this. In all honesty, a serious conversation went from a Monday to a Tuesday. It was a matter of two days that got everything done.”

While Scelzi admits he’s not 100 percent sure what Carr’s duties will be, he knows that whenever he’s driving the Scelzi Motorsports No. 41s, Carr will be his crew chief.

“It’s too early to tell. I know he’s going to solely be the crew chief for the No. 41s,” Scelzi said. “There is a possibility my brother (Gio Scelzi) may run a race or two depending on what his schedule looks like next year, so Jimmy would also crew chief that. I’m not really certain what our plan is or where he falls into it. He’s obviously going to be the crew chief.

“More or less I think he’s going to do it like he did at TSR. He was such a pivotal part of making TSR what it was with the organization, with the cleanliness, everything like that. He’s going to run the show.”

Scelzi said prior to hiring Carr, he was considering a 2020 schedule that included approximately 70 races. However, with Carr wanting to slow down, Scelzi doesn’t expect to run nearly that many races.

“Before we hired Jimmy there were talks about maybe running a 70-race schedule and running really hard. Obviously with hiring Jimmy that isn’t in the cards,” Scelzi said.

On top of that, Scelzi doesn’t yet know if he’ll return to driving for Roth Motorsports, for whom he ran the full King of the West by NARC Fujitsu Sprint Car Series schedule this year. He’d like to return to the team’s No. 83 on the NARC tour, but that deal isn’t done just yet.

“I’ve talked with Todd Ventura and I’ve talked with Dennis and Teresa (Roth). The door is open,” Scelzi said. “I would love nothing more to still be a part of the No. 83 team. Roth Motorsports has been great to me. We won a lot of races. We were really fast this year and I think we have unfinished business with the NARC series.”

Scelzi said the addition of Carr to the team isn’t a short-term hire. If he has his say, Scelzi will work with Carr for the remainder of his sprint car racing career, however long that turns out to be.

“I’m looking to end my career with Jimmy. In 15 or 20 years when I hang the helmet up, I want it to be with Jimmy Carr. It’s something I’m really looking forward to,” Scelzi said.

AVONDALE, Ariz. – ISM Raceway announced Friday that grandstand seats are sold out for the Bluegreen Vacations 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

This marks the second consecutive semi-final weekend sell-out at ISM Raceway since the conclusion of the modernization project.

“Sunday’s grandstand sellout is a perfect lead-in to the historic 2020 season at ISM Raceway, culminating with NASCAR’s Championship Weekend this time next year,” said ISM Raceway President Julie Giese. “The anticipation is palpable and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s in store for the city of Avondale, The Valley and the entire state of Arizona.”

Race fans who still want to attend the Bluegreen Vacations 500 can purchase an INfield Only package for the event, which include admission through the gates and access to the INfield Experience, allowing access to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garages, Gatorade Victory Lane, driver appearances, O’Reilly Auto Parts Pre-Race Party and exclusive food and beverage options.

INfield Only packages are $139 for adults and $65 for juniors 17 and under, and can be purchased online at ISMRaceway.com, by phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223) or in person at the ISM Raceway ticket office.

LAKE CITY, Fla. – The Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series fueled by Sunoco is set to break new ground in February.

For the first time in history, the Short Track Super Series-sanctioned Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman will venture south to the state of Florida for the Sunshine Swing mini-series slated for All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., Feb. 5-8.

An open practice on Wednesday (Feb. 5) leads into three consecutive nights of racing at the facility located roughly an hour west of Jacksonville. Thursday night (Feb. 6) features $5,000-to-win for the STSS Modifieds and $1,250-to-win for the Crate 602 Sportsman. On Thursday (Feb. 7) the stakes rise to $7,500-to-win for the STSS Modifieds with the Crate 602 Sportsman again competing for $1,250.

Saturday (Feb. 8) closes the book on the series with modifieds competing for $10,000 to win and Crate 602 Sportsman battling for a $1,500 top prize.

All posted payouts are minimums and are likely to increase with sponsorship and bonus cash.

Ederson has been ruled out of Manchester City's top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool on Sunday, Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

The Brazilian goalkeeper was forced off with a thigh injury at half-time in the 1-1 draw with Atalanta and was replaced with Claudio Bravo, who was later sent off.

Defender Kyle Walker ended the night in goal.

"He's not able to play. I don't know when [he will be]," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.

"We have another top keeper. Claudio Bravo can do it too. We won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, thanks to Claudio. He is an exceptional keeper."

Bravo will be suspended for the next Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk and has not started a Premier League game since May 2018.

"Why shouldn't we be confident with my players? I wouldn't like to be a player when my manager has doubts over me," Guardiola added.

"I see him every day in training, I know how good he is. We are not going to lose because of Claudio. He has played many years at the top level. I respect the guy. It's easy to point at Claudio, but in his first season, the team was not at the top level. It was not good.

"All the players are in our squad because we have incredible confidence with them."

- Who will qualify from UCL group stage?

Following Bravo's dismissal in midweek, Walker was nominated to take the gloves for the final nine minutes. He saved a late free kick from Ruslan Malinovskyi to earn praise from his manager.

Meanwhile, City have asked Liverpool for assurances there will no repeat of the attack on their bus when the teams meet, sources have told ESPN FC.

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The City team bus was attacked with cans, bottles and flares as it made its way to Anfield for the Champions League quarterfinal first leg in April 2018.

Asked whether he was concerned about the situation, Guardiola said: "No, but hopefully it won't happen again. The police knew it for the Champions League game and didn't do anything. Hopefully it will be an incredible game and the same that happened two seasons ago won't happen."

Guardiola's men travel to Anfield six points behind the leaders and without a win there since 2003 but the City boss said the race would not be over if his side lost.

"I don't know. In November, it [title race] never ends. We still have a lot of games to play, we have to fight until the end," he added.

"But if we lose, it will be more difficult, they lost just one game last season and none this season, so it would be difficult.

"Anfield speaks for itself, but it is more for the quality of the team and what they do. Right now it is the toughest stadium in Europe.

"I like it, I love it. This is why we are involved in this business, to play in these games and stadiums. Liverpool are a real complete team, as a club, organisation, players. We need a rival like this after winning back-to-back titles."

Barcelona are facing a Luis Suarez dilemma with sources telling ESPN FC they would be unsure what to do should the Uruguayan striker receive a concrete offer from Major League Soccer.

Suarez's international teammate Nicolas Lodeiro, who plays for Seattle Sounders, revealed this week that the Barca frontman is keen to move to MLS when his time in Spain is up.

"I think you need to convince Barcelona [because] he wants to come to MLS," Lodeiro said. "He is always asking me about the league. His dream was to play for Barcelona. He's playing at a great level and he feels comfortable there.

"Sooner or later he'll come to MLS, though. Well, hopefully. He likes the league. He's always asking me things about it. I think it's only a matter of time before he's out here."

There's acknowledgement at Camp Nou that Suarez, who will turn 33 in January, is no longer the player they signed from Liverpool for €75 million in 2014.

However, he remains one of the best No. 9s in the game and has scored eight goals in 12 appearances this season.

Barca have spent the best part of 18 months looking to sign a striker to provide competition for Suarez, with the aim of eventually replacing him in the side.

They have yet to be convinced by what they have seen, though, and pulled out of a move for Luka Jovic, who ended up at Real Madrid, last season.

They continue to scan the market for a new centre-forward but are struggling to find someone who fits the bill.

Sources said that Suarez's relationship with Lionel Messi is also something the club would have to consider if an offer came in.

The two are close friends off the pitch and Suarez is one of the players Messi trusts on it.

Barcelona do not want to let him leave for free, either, which could complicate things for MLS sides who don't have pedigree when it comes to paying transfer fees.

He has a contract until 2021 and they believe they could still command a decent price for him -- albeit nothing like the type of money they paid for him five years ago.

However, the sources add that, if Suarez were to push for a move, the club would be open to letting him go in the right circumstances.

It would massively help balance the club's ever-expanding wage bill if he were to leave, which is viewed as a big positive.

Inter Miami, the franchise owned by David Beckham which will join MLS next year, have been regularly linked with a move for Suarez, who recently became the fourth top scorer in Barca's history.

Only Messi, Cesar and Laszlo Kubala have scored more than his 185 goals.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City has become the biggest game in English football. The two clubs have pulled away from the pack to battle it out for the major honours, and Sunday's clash at Anfield promises to have a huge impact on the Premier League title race. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, champions of Europe, go into the game with a six-point lead over City at the top of the table, having made an unbeaten start to the 2019-20 season. Only Manchester United have been able to take points off Liverpool so far this term, drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford last month.

Man City, who completed a domestic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season, have made a shaky start to this campaign, surprisingly losing to Norwich and Wolves, but they travel to Anfield knowing that a win will move them to within three points of Liverpool and potentially inflict a major psychological blow on Klopp's men. However, a defeat could set Liverpool on their way to a first top-flight title since 1990.

Where will the game be won and lost? And what are the key issues, not only for the 90 minutes but also for the title race as a whole?

JUMP TO: Who needs the points the most? | The Anfield factor | How can Man City stop Liverpool? | Where are Man City vulnerable? | The key battle | The 95-minute man | Who will win?

THE RACE SO FAR

Liverpool have raced clear after winning 10 of their 11 games, scoring 25 goals and conceding nine. City, meanwhile, have won eight, drawn one and lost two of their 11 games, but their firepower has seen them hit 34 goals, with 10 conceded at the other end. Within that run, City recorded their biggest top-division victory ever with an 8-0 defeat of Watford at the Etihad.

Injuries have hit City harder than Liverpool, who won every game in the absence of first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the Brazilian's two-month spell on the sideline because of a calf injury. By contrast, at the Etihad, the long-term loss of centre-half Aymeric Laporte because of a knee ligament injury has been compounded by defender John Stones' also missing a large chunk of the season so far. He's back now, which is good news for Pep Guardiola's defensive options, but City's No. 1 keeper, Ederson, is in serious doubt for the clash after coming off with a thigh injury at half-time of the team's 1-1 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League this week, leaving backup Claudio Bravo (hopefully not Kyle Walker) to slot in.

But the story of the title race has been Liverpool's ability to score crucial goals in the dying stages of games. Without late winners against Leicester and Aston Villa and a point-saving goal by Adam Lallana at Manchester United, it would be a different story. Indeed, what the Reds have demonstrated this season is that they've learned how to win even when they're trailing, even when they aren't playing at their peak. But it's their newfound mettle that impresses most: 10 of their 31 points this season have been won after going behind, including seven in their past three games (against Man United, Spurs and Villa). You can't count out Klopp's men until the final whistle blows.

WHO NEEDS THE POINTS MOST?

The obvious answer is that both teams need the win for different reasons, but the reality is that City simply cannot lose. Falling nine points behind Liverpool would feel like a decisive blow in their attempt to win a third successive title.

Bigger leads than nine points have been overturned in the Premier League, but Liverpool are looking so formidable this season that it would take a major collapse for them to concede such a healthy advantage. It's hyperbole to say that this match could decide the title, but it's about as big as it comes for a clash in the first half of the season. City simply can't afford to lose, but a win to close the gap to three points would shatter Liverpool's aura of invincibility and jump-start the title race.

THE ANFIELD FACTOR

No team exploits home advantage quite like Liverpool. Just ask Barcelona about the power of Anfield following their 4-0 destruction in last season's Champions League semifinal second leg. Liverpool have gone 45 games without a Premier League defeat at Anfield, a run that stretches back to a 2-1 loss against Crystal Palace in April 2017.

City came close to ending that streak 13 months ago, only for Riyad Mahrez to miss a late penalty during last season's 0-0 draw, but Anfield is unquestionably a major element of Liverpool's armoury in the title race. The home crowd motivates their team like few others, and Klopp and his players have tapped into their relationship with the supporters to make Anfield a unique environment in the Premier League.

Just to hammer home the difficulty of winning at Liverpool, City have a miserable record at Anfield. They have not won there since May 2003 and have been beaten on 15 of their 22 Premier League visits to the stadium. They also lost a Champions League quarterfinal at Liverpool in 2018.

HOW CAN CITY STOP LIVERPOOL?

Despite appearing so formidable, there are weaknesses in Liverpool's team. The only problem for Man City is that very few opponents have been able to take advantage of them.

City possess the players to do that, though, and Guardiola will have noted how Manchester United nullified Liverpool's full-backs, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, in last month's draw at Old Trafford. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deployed the pace of Marcus Rashford and Daniel James on the flanks to force Alexander-Arnold and Robertson into more defensive duties than they usually have to take on, and the tactic worked because it prevented the pair from breaking forward and delivering the crosses that have become a huge part of Liverpool's attacking game plan.

If City can do the same and keep the two full-backs in their own half of the pitch, it will go a long way to cutting off the supply line to Liverpool's forwards. The loss of Leroy Sane to a long-term knee injury is a blow for City, as this game would have been perfect for the German winger, but Raheem Sterling and Mahrez can do the same job.

WHERE ARE MAN CITY VULNERABLE?

Guardiola was desperate for a new centre-half this summer, following the departure of former captain Vincent Kompany to Anderlecht, but with City restricted to targeting British defenders due to a full quota of foreign players in their squad, the club were unable to find the right man. That failure has left City short of quality and depth at centre-half following the loss of Laporte to injury.

The unconvincing Nicolas Otamendi has been City's only fit senior centre-half at times this season, with Guardiola having to deploy midfielders Fernandinho and Rodri alongside the Argentine, and the team has looked vulnerable as a result. Opponents such as Norwich have successfully targeted City's lack of height and the uncertainty at the back this season. Liverpool will do the same.

The return to fitness of Stones will help, but Guardiola has not thrust him straight back into the team, which hints at his concern about the England defender's concentration levels. But even if Stones and Otamendi line up together on Sunday, it will be an area of weakness for Liverpool to target.

THE KEY BATTLE

Both teams have an array of attacking talent, but what happens Sunday is more likely to be about who wins the midfield battle between Liverpool's Fabinho and City's Fernandinho than whether Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah or Sergio Aguero score a spectacular goal for their side.

After a slow start at Anfield following his arrival from Monaco in the summer of 2018, Fabinho has become a key cog in Klopp's team. He controls the tempo of the game for Liverpool, provides a shield for the back four and allows his midfield partners to push forward and support the attackers in advanced positions. His value to Liverpool was underlined against Aston Villa last week, when Klopp left him on the substitutes' bench to ensure he did not pick up a yellow card that would have ruled him out of the City game.

But while Fabinho is important to Liverpool, he has yet to provide the long-term consistency and mastery of his position that Fernandinho has achieved at City. The 34-year-old remains the conductor of Guardiola's team, despite the summer arrival of Rodri from Atletico Madrid. He is also the master of the tactical foul, which enables the game to be broken up, preventing opponents from breaking quickly.

If Fernandinho ends up in City's defence again this weekend, it will be a major bonus for Liverpool because City aren't the same when he isn't in midfield.

THE 95-MINUTE MAN

If you want to watch two players in this game, make it Mane and Salah.

No player has made a bigger impact on this season than Liverpool forward Mane. He is the man City have to stop. The Senegal forward has scored six league goals, one more than Salah, but he has also won two crucial penalties against Leicester and Tottenham because of his sheer persistence and determination. You can bet that Guardiola is worried. Last weekend he accused Mane of diving after the forward was booked in the first half against Aston Villa; Mane shot back, saying that he will probably be watched more carefully by Sunday's referee because of Guardiola's "clever" comments.

Salah continues to be viewed as Liverpool's biggest attacking star, but he tends to operate in short bursts, often going quiet for long periods of the game before suddenly coming to life -- in sharp contrast to Mane, who is always alive, constantly chasing the ball and making runs into dangerous positions.

Salah and Mane are a perfect blend, but Mane is irrepressible at times, and City will have to watch him from the first kick until the final seconds of stoppage time.

KLOPP VS. GUARDIOLA: THE MIND GAMES

The two managers have taken a back seat as their two sides have slugged it out for the biggest honours the past couple of seasons, but Guardiola's suggestion last week that Liverpool have benefited from "diving" might have sparked a new dimension in the relationship between the pair. Klopp bit back by claiming, prior to the Champions League clash with Genk, that he wasn't "in the mood" to talk about City.

Has Guardiola decided to up the ante by engaging in so-called mind games with Klopp by focusing on the perceived negative elements of the Liverpool team?

WHO WILL WIN?

Liverpool are the in-form team that have everything in their favour going into this game. They have the Anfield factor, they are unbeaten in the league this season, and City travel to Merseyside without Laporte and also David Silva, who will miss because of injury.

But City are a team of champions, and the likes of Sterling, Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne would walk into any team in the world. City possess the tools to go to Anfield and win, yet history is not on their side. They certainly need the win more than Liverpool, and this will be a test of the home side's title credentials.

However, with such attacking quality and strength of character, Liverpool should just edge it 2-1.

Authorities have arrested the man wanted in the disappearance of UFC heavyweight Walt Harris' stepdaughter.

Jail records show that Ibraheem Yazeed was arrested in Florida and booked into the Escambia County Jail early Friday. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard, 19, who was last seen at a gas station in Auburn, Alabama, on Oct. 23.

Blanchard, a student at Southern Union State Community College, was reported missing the next day. Her car was later found abandoned in Montgomery, more than 50 miles away. Police said the car was damaged and contained evidence that Blanchard had been harmed.

Auburn police this week released images of Yazeed, showing him at the gas station while Blanchard was there. They determined that he was involved in taking her against her will.

A reward of about $105,000 -- which includes contributions from UFC president Dana White and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones -- was offered for information leading to an arrest.

Alabama State Bureau of Investigation Capt. Joe Herman told WSFA-TV that Yazeed was out on bail at the time of Blanchard's disappearance. He faces charges of attempted murder and kidnapping in a February case. A judge revoked the bail Thursday.

Escambia Sheriff's Maj. Andrew Hobbs said deputies were called by U.S. marshals to help them with the arrest at about 11 p.m. Thursday.

"When we arrived, the suspect fled the area, but he was located by Escambia sheriff's officers and marshals in a wooded area," Hobbs said.

Yazeed left the scene in an ambulance. His jail booking photo shows him with a swollen left eye.

"The marshals were the ones who handcuffed him and took him into custody," Hobbs said. "You'd have to contact them about any injuries he received."

A request for information left with the Pensacola office of the U.S. Marshals Service by The Associated Press wasn't immediately returned early Friday.

Harris, 36, was scheduled to fight Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC Washington on Dec. 7, but he withdrew from the fight in the wake of Blanchard's disappearance.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young, a Heisman Trophy contender who has been the most dominant defensive player in the FBS this season, is being held out because of a potential undisclosed violation of NCAA rules, the university announced Friday.

Young, a junior from Hyattsville, Maryland, will not play for the No. 1 Buckeyes in Saturday's game against Maryland "due to a possible NCAA issue from 2018 that the Department of Athletics is looking into," the school said in a release.

Young tweeted Friday that he accepted a loan from a family friend and is in the process of working with Ohio State and the NCAA to be able to play again.

pic.twitter.com/ji7uTdYXxp

— CY2 (@youngchase907) November 8, 2019

It is unclear if Young will miss additional games beyond the Maryland contest. The Buckeyes have four games remaining in the regular season.

Young leads the FBS with 13½ sacks and is tied for second with 15½ tackles for loss.

He had tied Ohio State's single-game records for sacks (four) and tackles for loss (five) in the Buckeyes' last game, a 38-7 win over Wisconsin on Oct. 26. He needs a half-sack to tie Vernon Gholston's single-season team record set in 2007.

"Having a player like Chase play the way he has clearly changes the game and makes everybody on that defense better because you have to account for him on every play," Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said after the Wisconsin win. "But that's only good if he plays that way, and he is."

Young, at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, is considered the potential No. 1 pick in next spring's NFL draft if he decides to forgo his final season of eligibility with the Buckeyes. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Young as the No. 1 player available for the 2020 NFL draft on his latest Big Board.

The most recent regular-season battle between the top two teams in the AP poll took place nearly eight years ago to the day. It pitted No. 1 LSU against No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and it was a classic, the 137th-greatest game of all time, in fact. Although the point totals will likely be a lot different, we can only hope for something as stirring on Saturday as AP No. 1 LSU again visits T-Town to play No. 2 Bama.

That 2011 game featured an amazing undercard -- primarily, a game between No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Kansas State that defined the Big 12 race and kept Oklahoma State's national title hopes thriving. It's the same story this time around. Before LSU-Bama (No. 2 vs. No. 3, per the College Football Playoff rankings) kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, No. 4 Penn State takes on No. 17 Minnesota at noon ET on ABC.

Let's walk through the keys to each game.

Can Minnesota hang with the big boys?

The biggest game in the 10-year existence of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium will in many ways pit a known against an unknown.

Minnesota will be the fourth consecutive SP+ top-30 opponent that 8-0 Penn State has faced, following Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State. The Nittany Lions aren't new to big games; they've ranked in the CFP top 10 at some point in four straight seasons.

Minnesota, on the other hand, hadn't been ranked in the AP top 15 in 15 years until last week, and the Gophers' back-loaded schedule means they haven't faced a team better than Nebraska (50th in SP+) to date. Plus, in a helluva quirk, they haven't played a full game against a team's first-string quarterback since Week 2. Some QBs were knocked out of action during the games, and others weren't playing to begin with.

The Gophers have established a strong identity, but we don't know everything we need to know about their pass defense because they haven't had a chance to show us.

How much of a difference does the "backup QBs" thing make?

Clearly a lot, at least in the CFP committee's eyes. With a series of shaky nonconference wins and perhaps artificially inflated blowouts of mediocre Big Ten teams, the Gophers got the lowest CFP ranking ever for an unbeaten power conference team.

Minnesota's success, however, cannot be ascribed merely to playing against the wrong QBs. For starters, the Gophers rank eighth in offensive SP+. Plus, their pass defense was solid last season, too, and the pursuit ability of Minnesota's linebackers and edge players is outstanding enough to grade them 11th in rushing SP+. The defense has quite a bit to offer, even if the degree of difficulty hasn't been incredibly high.

The "backup QBs!" debate will end soon enough: PSU's Sean Clifford is a great first-string QB, and the Nittany Lions have one of the best 1-2 receiving punches in the country.

Clifford's first season as starter has seen some predictable fits and starts, but against Michigan (third in defensive SP+) and Michigan State (11th) the past two games, he completed 56% of his passes, with a 7-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and a 147.8 passer rating. No one has fared better against Michigan's defense than Clifford.

Speedy KJ Hamler and tight end Pat Freiermuth are PSU's anchors. They have 62 catches, 901 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, including seven scores against UM and MSU. If the Minnesota secondary, led by star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and corners Benjamin St-Juste and Coney Durr, can rein these two in and prevent any secondary weapons (namely, sophomores Jahan Dotson or Justin Shorter) from doing too much damage, they'll have earned all the cred they need.

The Gophers do what they do (but will it work?)

The Minnesota offense is straightforward and effective. The Gophers will run inside zone as much as you'll let them, mix in some outside zone or split zone as a change of pace, and maybe throw occasionally -- probably either go routes or slants against wrong-footed defenders.

It's predictable, but it works because the Gophers have exactly the pieces they need. The offensive line is hilariously big -- anchored by mountainous right tackle Daniel Faalele, the two-deep up front averages 6-foot-6, 326 pounds -- and the running back corps is deep and talented. Plus, Tanner Morgan throws a pretty deep ball, and he has a lot of WRs capable of running underneath them.

That's all well and good, but the Gophers haven't faced a defense anywhere near the caliber of Penn State's. They've averaged 41 points per game since Big Ten action began, but Illinois' defense (51st in SP+) has been the best on the docket so far. Penn State's D ranks sixth.

Even more worrisome: Penn State is first in rushing SP+. The tackles occupy blockers, and the ends and LBs (Yetur Gross-Matos, Shaka Toney, Micah Parsons, Ellis Brooks) swarm.

Minnesota will probably ask Morgan and dangerous receivers Tyler Johnson, Rashod Bateman and Chris Autman-Bell to carry more weight in this game. So far, they've passed their exams with flying colors, but this is a huge test.

SP+ projection: Penn State 28, Minnesota 26 (PSU's win probability: 55%)

A (much more high-scoring) sequel, eight years in the making

Back in 2011, Alabama and LSU finished the season first and second, respectively, in defensive SP+. The game, as classic as it was, featured 15 total points in four quarters and two overtime possessions.

It would be a surprise if these teams don't combine for 15 points per quarter this time around. The defenses are still decent enough -- Alabama is eighth in defensive SP+ and LSU 18th -- but the offenses are otherworldly. Bama is second in offensive SP+ and averaging 49 points per game, and LSU's revamped attack is third and averaging 47. Caesars has set the over/under at 63 total points.

These offenses are so astounding that we're probably best served by focusing this preview primarily on the things at which they aren't perfect.

An important note: I'm writing this piece under the assumption that this game's primary injured parties -- Bama QB Tua Tagovailoa, LSU safety Grant Delpit, etc. -- all play and are at least reasonable approximations of themselves. Obviously, an absence (especially that of Tagovailoa) would change the matchups significantly, but in the name of knowns vs. unknowns, let's assume the key players will play.

Bend, don't break -- all day

Despite having played the past game and a half without Tagovailoa, Bama's offensive numbers are virtually unassailable: third in overall success rate, fourth in rushing SP+, second in passing SP+, fourth in standard downs SP+ and first in passing downs SP+. While LSU's offensive overhaul has gotten the headlines, Bama has figured out ways to match or improve last season's work.

There is, however, a two-step recipe for stopping the Tide or at least holding them to three points per possession.

1. Nothing big on the ground. The Alabama run game is as efficient as ever (first in rushing success rate), but the Tide are 97th in rushing marginal explosiveness. Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. have combined for 184 carries but only four of 20+ yards. If Tagovailoa is limited or out, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian could lean more heavily on the run.

Healthy Tua or no, you're not going to completely hem in this passing game. The foursome of Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith (who has been battling a shoulder injury), Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle has combined for 2,213 yards and 24 TDs. The Tide are going to get their big plays. But if you can prevent gashes on the ground and make them work methodically into the red zone, you're in decent shape. LSU's defense ranks a solid 13th in rushing SP+; this seems doable.

2. Field goals all day. Bama is 17th in average points per scoring opportunity (first downs inside the opponent's 40), but that includes long touchdowns. The Tide rank 31st in success rate between the 11 and 20, 38th inside the 10 and 34th on the goal line. None of this is awful, but it's an area in which this elite offense is less than elite.

Field goal attempts will be major victories for either defense in this game, especially because Bama's is as shaky as ever. The Tide rank 93rd in my FG efficiency measure: Sophomore Joseph Bulovas has missed two FGs and a PAT, and freshman Will Reichard (three missed FGs and a PAT) is fighting a hip injury.

Red zone issues were a massive hindrance in Alabama's blowout loss to Clemson in last season's national title game. The Tide had six drives that ended inside the Clemson 30 but managed only 16 points from them. The recipe hasn't changed since then.

Push LSU backward ... if you can

Despite facing a tougher set of defenses -- namely, Florida's and Auburn's -- LSU's season-long offensive success rate (58.0%, filtering out garbage time) has actually been slightly better than Alabama's (57.6%). The Tigers have experienced some goal-to-go issues of their own (50th in inside-the-10 success rate, 80th on first-and-goal) and haven't been very impressive in short-yardage situations.

The biggest opportunity for the Tide defense, however, might come far earlier on a given drive. The Tigers aren't running the ball nearly as much as they used to, but 17% of their carries are gaining zero or fewer yards (38th overall). Meanwhile, Joe Burrow has been so calm and comfortable in the pocket on early downs that he has become too comfortable at times, taking sacks on 6% of standard-downs pass attempts (81st).

This was particularly problematic against Auburn. LSU went three-and-out on its first drive after a first-down sack, then saw its second drive stall out after another one. Two short-yardage run stuffs killed a second-quarter drive, and a series of zero- and 1-yard runs prevented the Tigers from killing more of the fourth-quarter clock during a late Auburn comeback attempt. LSU won 23-20, but the Tigers were behind schedule quite a bit.

Alabama's defense might have a better shot of pushing the Tigers backward than the LSU D can do to the Crimson Tide. But this hasn't exactly been an Alabama strength.

Although the Tide have survived injury and extreme youth in the front seven -- freshman linebackers Shane Lee and Christian Harris are among their top four tacklers, and a host of freshman linemen have been pressed into action --- there has been a price when it comes to disruption. Bama has fallen from 33rd to 95th in stuff rate and from 14th to 76th in standard-downs sack rate.

The Tide are reactive on early downs before teeing off as normal on passing downs. They might have to be more aggressive in this game if they want to ever see passing downs.

Tua vs. Joe

Here's a quick tale-of-the-tape look at two of your Heisman front-runners. It's easy to say that these two passing games are both awesome and leave it at that, but let's look at what differentiates one from the other.

The basics: Tagovailoa ranks first in FBS with a 95.8 Total QBR, and Burrow is fourth at 91.2. Burrow has a 78.8% completion rate at 13.7 yards per completion, and Tagovailoa has a 74.8% completion rate at 14.6. Tagovailoa has taken sacks on 3.8% of dropbacks, vs. Burrow's 5.5%.

Rushing: Burrow has carried 37 times (4.6 per game) for 223 yards and a 60% success rate. Tagovailoa has carried 11 times (1.6 per game) for 74 yards and a 73% success rate.

Point guard vs. gunslinger: As lower sack and interception rates would suggest, Tagovailoa gets the ball out of his hands more quickly and takes fewer risks. He has thrown 29% of his passes this season behind the line of scrimmage, but these passes are incredibly effective: 8.5 yards per attempt with a 191.7 passer rating. Burrow has thrown only 13% of his passes behind the line and is averaging 5.6 per pass with a 141.9 rating.

There's plenty of reward with Burrow's risk, though. Burrow has thrown 11% of his passes 20 or more yards downfield, and he has completed 63% of them for 37.8 yards per completion. Tagovailoa is averaging a similar 35 yards per completion on his deeper shots but is completing only 38% of them.

SP+ projection: Alabama 34, LSU 27 (Bama's win probability: 66%)

Week 11 playlist

Here are 10 games -- at least one from each weekend time slot -- that you should pay attention to if you want to get the absolute most out of the weekend, from both an information and entertainment perspective. (I'm omitting the two games above under the assumption that you don't need me to say anything further about why you should watch them.)

All times Eastern.

Friday

UCF at Tulsa (7 p.m., ESPN2): Poor Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane have been competitive in almost every game but have a 2-7 record to show for it, thanks to the AAC West's absurd depth. UCF is again fully weaponized, having averaged 49 points per game since a Week 7 bye.

SP+ projection: UCF 38, Tulsa 16

Washington at Oregon State (10:30 p.m., FS1): You could forgive Oregon State fans for getting a little hopeful here. The Beavers have a legitimately exciting offense and need two wins in their final four games to reach a bowl. UW's still awfully good, but the confidence meter might not be all that high after three losses in four games.

SP+ projection: UW 40, OSU 26

Early Saturday

No. 12 Baylor at TCU (noon, FS1): TCU is one of many teams dealing with a stream of QB injury issues, but the Frogs still have the defense and run game to threaten Baylor's unbeaten record. You'll be focusing primarily on PSU-Minnesota at this time, but this is a solid check-in during commercials.

SP+ projection: Baylor 30, TCU 24

Saturday afternoon

The evening doesn't have a ton going for it, but this might be the most loaded afternoon slate of the season.

ESPN CFB150 Showcase Game: Princeton vs. Dartmouth (3:30 p.m., ESPNU): Per SP+, Dartmouth has the second-best defense in FCS, and Princeton has the third-best offense. The Green were the only team that even slightly slowed Princeton down last season, but the Tigers still won the Ivy with a 14-9 victory. Revenge time at Yankee Stadium? Or did Dartmouth use all of its magic with last week's incredible Hail Mary win?

SP+ projection: Dartmouth 28, Princeton 25

No. 18 Iowa at No. 13 Wisconsin (4 p.m., Fox): If Minnesota loses to PSU as projected, the Big Ten West race basically boils down to two games: Iowa vs. Wisconsin and the Iowa-Wisconsin winner vs. Minnesota. Stylistically, you know what to expect from this one, but the Hawkeyes and Badgers are pretty good at those styles this season.

SP+ projection: Wisconsin 27, Iowa 17

No. 16 Kansas State at Texas (3:30 p.m., ESPN): Texas' defense has allowed 40 points per game in its past three contests, and KSU's offense has averaged 43 in its past two. At 5-3 overall and having lost two of three games (with just a two-point win over Kansas preventing a losing streak), the Horns really, really need this one.

SP+ projection: Horns 33, Cats 31

USC at Arizona State (3:30 p.m., ABC): Watching USC is a fascinating experience this season: You're simultaneously watching a fun but flawed, young team trying to develop and find its way ... and a team trying (and perhaps failing) to save its coach's job. The Trojans could win out, or Clay Helton could get Kiffin'd after a loss in Tempe. Both are on the table.

SP+ projection: USC 29, ASU 27

Saturday evening

Iowa State at No. 9 Oklahoma (8 p.m., Fox): At 18th in SP+ but with just a 5-3 record to show for it, ISU is one of the most snakebitten teams in FBS. Does that matter in Norman? Do the Sooners rediscover a fifth gear after a bye week spent stewing over the K-State loss?

SP+ projection: OU 37, ISU 24

No. 15 Notre Dame at Duke (7:30 p.m., ACCN): Consider this a Plan B. Appalachian State-South Carolina was shaping up as the most impactful game of the evening when it had New Year's Six bowl implications, but App State's loss to Georgia Southern ended that. There are worse consolation prizes than this, though.

SP+ projection: Irish 30, Blue Devils 20

Late Saturday

Wyoming at No. 22 Boise State (10:15 p.m., ESPN): We're one upset away from a spectacular mess in the MWC Mountain. Boise State is your division favorite at 4-0, but Air Force, Wyoming and USU all have just one conference loss, and the BSU defense has been springing leaks in recent weeks.

SP+ projection: BSU 33, Wyoming 22