SEC set for record-breaking Week 4 featuring most AP Top 25 matchups in one day

It’s an early Separation Saturday in the SEC, which has 10 teams ranked this week

The SEC is going full throttle this season on overtaking the Big Ten as college football's most competitive league. With 10 teams situated inside the Week 4 AP Top 25 rankings, the SEC flexes a wealth of early-season title contenders this fall, with many on display in this Saturday's unprecedented showcase — four games pitting ranked teams, the most ever by a single conference in one week. With a 12-team playoff offering more margin for error, one loss is no longer fatal, but résumé strength and conference positioning still matter. This single-day slate of elite matchups presents an opportunity for several SEC hopefuls to collect the type of ranked victory that resonates with the College Football Playoff selection committee in November.

It also guarantees separation in a league crowded with teams harboring postseason expectations. By the end of the weekend, the SEC pecking order should look different — and several playoff paths will either become much clearer or considerably more complicated in the standings. We've ranked the SEC's four games involving teams in the AP Top 25 based on watchability and other factors. Why it's important: Winning on the road in the SEC is a treacherous undertaking, and the noise levels will be deafening inside Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns may have the better roster, but the Vols