CLARK LEA

Stetson Bennett threw for 289 yards and two TDs as Georgia stamped its return to No. 1 with a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt.

The Southeastern Conference was perhaps one blocked kick away from perfection on opening weekend, with a few impressive nonconference wins and some no-brainers.

Nick Saban has been vocal about his issues with the status quo in name, image and likeness deals and their use in recruiting.

SEC Media Day 2 began with a visit from Thor by way of Tuscaloosa. With Nick Saban, Heisman winner Bryce Young and other members of the Tide scheduled to appear, some of the hardcore Bama faithful made their way to the College Football Hall of Fame to greet their heroes. Leach’s opening statement was just two words: “Any questions?”Why Nick Saban doesn’t like vacationNick Saban delved in depth into complex topics like NIL and recruitment. But he set the stage with the revelation that he's not a big fan of vacations … for a not-at-all-surprisinig reason. He offered up a few TV recommendations — “Operation: Odessa,” “Better Call Saul,” “Yellowstone,” "Stranger Things” — and solicited more from the assembled media.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick says he won’t be rushed into finding a replacement for football coach Brian Kelly no matter where the team is going in the postseason.

Winning rivalry games comes with bragging rights and other rewards, but Alabama coach Nick Saban knows what losing them brings. "And what comes after ‘but’ usually isn’t good.”Southeastern Conference teams have plenty at stake entering rivalry week, including No. Yes, it's time for the the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl and the assorted other rivalry games involving SEC teams. 8 Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin has a splash of reality for fans and media placing larger than life importance on rivalry games. His Rebels can't suddenly "practice more or try harder" just because it's Mississippi State week.

It's rivalry week across the Southeastern Conference, with plenty of stakes beyond bragging rights.

JT Daniels threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns playing only the first quarter as No. 2 Georgia dominated Vanderbilt 62-0 Saturday in the Bulldogs’ biggest win in a series that started in 1893.

Greg Seitz has been at Jacksonville State for nearly three decades, through a Division II national championship, conference titles and FCS playoff runs.

Nebraska’s search for an identity in a changing college football landscape. On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, Steven Godfrey of Banner Society joins the AP’s Ralph Russo to take on the task of finding each conference’s most egregious underachiever. And how USC being unable to maximize its potential hurts all of college football. Plus, new Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea joins the show and shares his vision for transforming the Commodores. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/Ad___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt is negotiating a deal with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea to make the former Commodores player its new head coach. The 38-year-old Lea is a Nashville native who played baseball at Birmingham-Southern and Belmont before walking on as a fullback at Vanderbilt, where he played from 2002-04. He started coaching at UCLA and also has coached at South Dakota State, Bowling Green, Syracuse and Wake Forest. The Fighting Irish made the College Football Playoff in 2018 behind a defense that ranked eighth in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.53). ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25