| Open dates are tough. They're an unwelcome reminder of the vast majority of the year when we're without college football. Saturday marks LSU's second of two open dates, this one the typical one leading up to the Tigers' annual showdown with Alabama. That's set for 6:30 p.m. next Saturday in Tiger Stadium on ABC. Even though LSU isn't playing there is of course a full day's worth of games to check out across the country. Our Gabe Henderson gives us his top five games to watch on this LSU-less Saturday. Spoiler alert: his list includes one of the day's most facinating games to me, which is Texas A&M at South Carolina (6:30 p.m., ABC). Open date or no, Wilson Alexander is still here with his mailbag full of LSU questions that get his expert touch. He's like Santa, opening his pack in early November. The basketball regular season opens this coming week, with the LSU women taking on Eastern Kentucky on Monday and the men facing UL-Monroe on Wednesday. Reed Darcey has his LSU women's preview and I'm here to chime in with my LSU women's column. Meanwhile, our Zach Ewing has his breakdowns of the LSU men's basketball roster and the LSU women's roster. Thanks for reading and subscribing everyone. It's OK that there's no LSU football Saturday. You'll get through it. And the anticipation will make the Alabama game that much bigger. Scott Rabalais | 