So much for picking Alabama to lose. I made a choice last week to tab Arkansas to upset the Crimson Tide and if I would have been correct I would have had my third straight perfect week. Instead, I was 6-1 picking SEC games. I've now picked 52 of 56 games correctly and there are some dandy games on the docket this weekend.
Texas A&M at Alabama
No upset here. There could have been had Texas A&M lived up to preseason hype.
But the Aggies are actually a mediocre SEC squad after losing to Appalachian State and last week being blown out by Mississippi State. It could still happen but not very likely at all. The injury suffered by 'Bama quarterback Bryce Young doesn't appear to be that serious but Coach Nick Saban says Young is still listed as "day to day." The Tide can win against the Aggies without him. Of course Alabama may be looking ahead to the game next week at Tennessee.
Alabama 47 Texas A&M 20
Arkansas at Mississippi State
Arkansas had a hard time slowing down Alabama's rushing attack last week. In fact, they hardly making a dent as the Tide scored a 49-26 win in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs are favored by a touchdown in the game but Coach Mike Leach's teams have historically been up and down. Good one week....not so good the next. They played very well in their win over Texas A&M last week, so this week they should be beatable. However, quarterback Will Rogers is having a record breaking season and he will be tough for the Hogs to stop. MSU is 4-1 on the year and ranked in the top 25 this week. This one should be really close.
Mississippi State 38 Arkansas 34
Auburn at Georgia
Georgia has not played well in the last few weeks. The Bulldogs were extremely lucky to escape Columbia, Missouri with a come from behind win over the Tigers last week, and Coach Kirby Smart is hoping his team will refocus this week as they renew the south's oldest rivalry with Auburn. The 'Dawgs have won five in a row and nine of the last ten against the Tigers and are heavily favored this weekend. Auburn is reeling and Coach Brian Harsin's seat continues to get warmer and warmer. A win this week over Georgia would cool it down some but that's not happening.
Georgia 37 Auburn 12
Missouri at Florida
Missouri played its best game of the season last week and still lost to powerful Georgia. That kind of effort and performance this week could produce a win but how likely are the Tigers to show up and show out like that two weeks in a row. Florida scored on its first five possessions in last week's 52-17 win over Eastern Washington and while the Gators are 0-2 in SEC play, they're 3-2 overall and are favored this week to get league win number one. Again, quarterback Anthony Richardson is the key but he will have a much tougher job against Mizzu than he did against Eastern Washington
South Carolina at Kentucky
The Wildcats were brought down to earth last week as they suffered their first loss of the season at Ole Miss.It was a three point decision, on the road to a good SEC team. All is not lost at Kentucky. The Cats are still headed to a good bowl game and there is still a lot of football to be played. No one ever thought Kentucky would actually challenge Georgia for the SEC East title anyway, though nothing is set in stone just yet. It's still too early. South Carolina is not a very good SEC team and they should provide the Wildcats with a real chance at redemption this weekend.
Kentucky 33 South Carolina 14
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt
The Rebels play just their second road game of the year this week, travelling to Nashville to face Vandy. The only other road game for Ole Miss resulted in a 40-0 win over Georgia Tech, which is far and away the Rebs' best performance of the year. Meanwhile the Commodores were being throttled by Alabama in their last outing two weeks ago, 55-3. A week off hasn't made Vandy a lot better and Coach Clark Lea, who a few weeks ago proclaimed Vanderbilt would soon have the best program in the country, stated this week his team's defensive depth would be able to keep his players fresh against the Ole Miss up tempo offense. They may be fresh but they can't stop Ole Miss.
Ole Miss 48 Vanderbilt 7
Tennessee at LSU
Years ago, the late Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors said LSU was the toughest place in the world to play, when you played the Bengal Tigers at night and those "Cajuns got all hooched up" Unless they start drinking the night before, it will hard to equal that level of toughness. The Vols and Bengals play a noon game in Baton Rouge and Tennessee is listed as the favorite. The Vols had last week off while climbing to 8th in the polls and LSU having to rally from 17 points down to beat Auburn.This has all the earmarks of being an SEC classic battle. LSU has won three straight after dropping the season opener to Florida State, while the Volunteers are 4-0 and 1-0 in the SEC after finishing off Florida two weeks ago. With Alabama looming in the background for next week, the Vols cannot afford to look past LSU. There is too much at stake. By the way Tennessee is breaking out the "Smokey Gray" uniforms this week.
Tennessee 34 LSU 24