Will Alabama win at Georgia? Week 5 SEC Predictions
After a weekly state that saw Tennessee and Arkansas choke away leads, Ole Miss and LSU cough a lot against Vanderbilt and Syracuse respectively, and Auburn not manage to score a touchdown against Mississippi State, this week’s back with a vengeance with a monster clash between National Championship Contenders Georgia and Alabama in Athens.
So without further ado, here’s ranking your SEC games for Week 5…
- No.13 Alabama at No.8 Georgia
Alabama’s record against Georgia is a good one: 37-25-4, with the Crimson Tide winning the last two, which included an incredible SEC Championship Game and a 41-30 stuffing of the Bulldogs in Athens in 2008. This year, Alabama’s home loss to Ole Miss has meant the SEC West isn’t in Nick Saban’s hands anymore, while Georgia’s still the class of the SEC East. Georgia’s got a legitimate Heisman contender in running back Nick Chubb, while Alabama’s got a legitimate Heisman contender in running back Derrick Henry. Both teams have pretty good defenses, and both quarterbacks – UGA’s Greyson Lambert and Alabama’s Jacob Coker will be hoping to get some time to throw the ball. But if Saturday’s clash on what could be on a crappy, rainy day (70% chance) is anything like the game the two teams played in 2012, then we can’t frickin’ wait.
PREDICTION: Alabama’s a two-point underdog (first time in 72 matches blah blah blah…). We’ll take Alabama to win, because of their superior defense. By 7.
2. No.3 Ole Miss at No. 25 Florida
Florida came back from a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to beat Tennessee, while Ole Miss struggled with Vanderbilt after their huge win in Tuscaloosa. This week, Robert Nkemdiche & Co roll into The Swamp, where the atmosphere is going to be electric. If Ole Miss wins this time, you won’t get the big Tim Tebow speech like there was after an unranked Ole Miss side stunned the No.4 Gators in 2008, because a loss will be pretty much expected. But this Florida’s defense – led by future first rounder Vernon Hargreaves – is very, very mean, so don’t expect a monster day from Chad Kelly, either. Can’t wait for Hargreaves’ clash with Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell. Nor can the NFL Scouts.
PREDICTION: Ole Miss is a 7-1/2 point favorite in Vegas. We’ll take Ole Miss by 10 after three quarters of a scare.
3. No. 21 Mississippi State at No. 14 Texas A&M
Texas A&M’s only unbeaten because Arkansas couldn’t hold onto a big lead in JerryWorld last week, but this week, the Aggies had better watch out for Dak Prescott, who’s the best QB in the SEC right now. WR De’Runnya Wilson could cause some havoc in the secondary if he’s got the time….and the Cowbellers are pretty good at converting opportunities. On the other side, we’re sure that A&M’s future All-American Christian Kirk WILL cause havoc with his punt returning or wide receiving adventures. The great thing for Texas A&M is that Mississippi State doesn’t exactly have a monster running game (Arkansas exploited it last week).
PREDICTION: Texas A&M’s favored by 6-1/2. We’ll take the Aggies by 14.
4. Arkansas at Tennessee
BIG NEWS FROM KNOXVILLE: Extra counsellors have been hired to monitor the 100,000-odd crowd who are going to be sat there in the peeing rain in Neyland Stadium for the inevitable: One of these two sides losing in the heartbreaking fashion. The counsellors won’t change the game on the field, but they might stop the losing fanbases attempting to end the life of their head coach.
PREDICTION: Tennessee’s favored by 6-to-7 points. Oh hell. We’ll take Arkansas by 3 in fun shoot-out.
5. South Carolina at Missouri
With Maty Mauk getting suspended indefinitely for an unspecified rules violation, Missouri fans are suddenly happy again. That’s because Mauk has been pretty much awful so far this season, and the rest of the offense has been – as the brilliant podcast “The Mizzodcast” puts it – “Hot Garbage”. The pressure will be on freshman Drew Lock to do the job against a South Carolina side who’s on its third quarterback – Lorenzo Nunez. Pharoh Cooper will be the person to watch – as usual – as the potential gamebreaker. This won’t be a game for the neutrals.
PREDICTION: Missouri’s a 3-point favorite. We’ll take Missouri by 7, winning, er, 10-7??
6. Vanderbilt at Middle Tennessee State
The bookies seem to hate Vanderbilt so much that they’ve installed Middle Tennessee State as a 1.5 point favorite on Saturday (although that’s fallen from 4). It’s weird, because Vandy’s defense was fantastic at offensive juggernaut Ole Miss, limiting them to 26 points and intercepting QB Chad Kelly twice. MTSU this season has lost to Alabama (37-10) and Illinois (27-25) and beaten Jackson State and Charlotte. And put up 70 points in each game.
PREDICTION: Vanderbilt with the ‘upset’, locking the defense and winning by 7.
7. Eastern Michigan at LSU
We’ll only be keeping an eye on this because of Leonard Fournette.
PREDICTION: LSU’s a 45-point favorite. Which we’re not sure about. The Tigers will win, though.
8. Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky
Patrick Towles and the Wildcats return to the site of their monster victory against Missouri last week by hosting Eastern Kentucky. Will this game really matter? Leading up to the game we got the appalling news that EKU redshirt freshman defensive linesman Joey Kraemer – who was only 19 – was killed in a car crash over last weekend. Our condolences, EKU Family.
PREDICTION: Kentucky by 21, but it’s closer that it seems.
9. San Jose State at Auburn
If Auburn doesn’t get a touchdown in this game, then we might see the trees burn in Auburn.
PREDICTION: Auburn’s a 20-point favorite. We think they win by 28. Won’t really ‘make a point’ to the rest of the SEC, but it’ll make everyone smile.