Randy Smith
Unless Auburn pulls a major upset against Alabama next weekend, the field is set for the 2015 SEC Championship Game on December 5th. Florida has wrapped up the SEC East title while Alabama is just one win away from taking the West. These next two weeks is strictly for bowl positioning, and watching to see what happens to the four teams currently ranked in the CFB Playoff standings.
Charleston Southern @ Alabama:
Don't get any ideas that the Tide will overlook Charleston Southern with the Iron Bowl set for next week. There is too much at stake for Alabama. They are just three wins away from a repeat shot at the playoffs
Alabama 54 Charleston Southern 7
Mississippi State @ Arkansas:
Just as they were at this time a year ago, the Arkansas Razorbacks are one of the teams you don't want to play right now. The Hogs beat LSU in Death Valley last week and are favored to beat the Bulldogs this weekend. It's rare to think about coach Dan Mullens' Bullies losing two in a row, but it will happen this week.
Arkansas 37 Mississippi State 31
Idaho @ Auburn:
The 2015 season has simply not gone Gus Malzahn's way at Auburn. A lot of people who know about these things predicted Auburn to challenge for the SEC West Title as well as challenge for a CFB playoff spot. The Tigers can become bowl eligible with a win over Idaho; they better hope they get the win this week because it isn't going to happen in the Iron Bowl next week.
Auburn 33 Idaho 10
Florida Atlantic @ Florida:
The Gators are through with their SEC schedule for 2015. They finished 7-1 and easily won the SEC East. After this week's game with FAU, they face Florida State in the "Swamp" next weekend. That game should be a great one. this one this week,,,,,,not so much.
Florida 41 Florida Atlantic 12
Georgia Southern @ Georgia:
The Bulldogs have rallied behind embattled head coach Mark Richt to win two in a row following their 27-3 loss to Florida. Georgia Southern is now an official FBS team and could give the Bulldogs fits this weekend in Athens. It could be a lot closer than Bulldog fans hope it will be. At least Georgia has some momentum heading into the game with the Eagles. In a close one......
Georgia 24 Georgia Southern 17
Charlotte @ Kentucky:
It's been a classic edition of "Groundhog Day" for Coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats have lost five straight; eerily similar to 2014 when they lost six in a row. Kentucky has had more than its share of internal problems this season, but the bottom line is this; Kentucky is just not a very good football team. This weekend, they will be better than Charlotte.
Kentucky 24 Charlotte 20
LSU @ Ole Miss:
This has potential to be the best game of the day in the SEC. LSU has lost two in a row following their appearance in the CFB playoff rankings. Ole Miss was off last week after their overtime loss to Arkansas two weeks ago, so both teams are coming into the game after losing. The Johnny Rebs are at home which may give them the advantage they need. However, I don't see Les Miles team losing three straight.
LSU 37 Ole Miss 33
The Citadel @ South Carolina:
This is not your usual game between the Gamecocks and the Military College of the South. The Citadel is 7-3 on the year while the Gamecocks are struggling. Shawn Elliott has done a wonderful job as South Carolina's interim head coach, but I don't know if he has been impressive enough to be considered for the full time job or not. He certainly deserves a long look. Though The Citadel is a good football team, it's still the SEC versus the SoCon.
South Carolina 38 The Citadel 20
Texas A&M @ Vanderbilt:
The Aggies invade Nashville after a win over Western Carolina last week. The Commodores are playing their best football of the season. A 9-7 loss at Florida two weeks ago and a big win over Kentucky last week. A&M seems to have solved their offensive problems from the middle of the season and are also playing pretty well right now as well. This could be a really good contest and Vandy may have a real shot to win.
Texas A&M 28 Vanderbilt 17
Tennessee @ Missouri:
The Volunteers have won three in a row following a loss to Alabama, yet they are still not playing their best. They were fortunate to win against South Carolina 27-24 two weeks ago, and their 24-0 homecoming win over a bad North Texas squad last week was very lackluster. The Vols have a big challenge this week against Missouri, even though the Tigers have had more than their share of campus wide internal problems. Tennessee has a chance to finish the year 8-4 with a win this week over the Tigers and a win next week over Vandy. This one could be like pulling teeth, especially if Tennessee doesn't play any better than they have the last two weeks.
Tennessee 23 Missouri 17
Last Week: 6-2
Year to Date: 67-18
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. He is currently teaching Broadcasting at Coahulla Creek High School near Dalton, Ga.
His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.
He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.
In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have four grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, DellaMae and CoraLee.