How will Dan Mullen’s return to Starville go? Week 5 SEC predictions
There’s nothing more fun than a head coach returning to his former team. Especially when it’s the SEC, where there is probably going to be a little more than polite booing directed at Dan Mullen as he takes his Florida Gators to ClangaVille to face Mississippi State.
But other games are also intriguing on the SEC schedule. There’s LSU vs Ole Miss, which seems destined to be close even though Vegas thinking differently, and weirdly, Kentucky vs South Carolina because the Wildcats – right now – are the SEC’s Cinderella story. Then there’s the sorry tale of Tennessee, who have to travel to Georgia. Eesh.
Missouri has the week off.
So here we go with our SEC predictions:
- Florida (-7.5) vs Mississippi State: Mississippi State looked great until they faced an actual defense last week, and then Nick Fitzgerald & Co looked completely out of sorts. This week they face a Florida defense that lost to the same Kentucky team, and was outplayed by the same Kentucky team, too. But this Florida team is starting to get things together offensively, and know how to play in a nasty environment (see their disposal of Tennessee last week (even though Tennessee is awful). I hope there will be crowd shots of fans giving Dan Mullen the middle finger. PREDICTION: Mississippi State by 6 in a battle.
- South Carolina vs Kentucky (-1): This isn’t a game I would have picked at the start of the year for one of the most intriguing games in the SEC’s season so far, but the way Kentucky is playing, it really is. Kentucky strangled the life out of Mississippi State in front of a mayhemic crowd at Kroger Field, and we expect South Carolina to be deafened by a similar wall. South Carolina’s offense is efficient without being spectacular, and will they be able to stop Benny Snell with a rushing defense that ranks 75th in the nation? PREDICTION: Kentucky by 10.
- Ole Miss vs LSU (-11.5): If the Tigers play as badly as they did for the first three quarters against Louisiana Tech, they are in trouble. The Tigers had 330 passing yards dropped on them by Tech last week, and Ole Miss Jordan Ta’amu and his wide receiving corps – which includes future NFL first-to-second rounders DJ Metcalf and AJ Brown – could do exactly the same. On the other hand – and we’ve mentioned this a lot – Ole Miss can’t play defense. They are 99th against the rush and 122nd against the pass. If LSU can create two or three stops, they’ve got this one in the bag. Maybe. Because it’s LSU. Prediction: LSU by an uncomfortable 14.
- Arkansas at Texas A&M (-20.5): The only thing really funny about this game will be the look of Jerry Jones’ face when his former school gets stomped on by the Aggies in The House That He Built. Hell, at least Jerry will take home the parking fees. As a game, this is one that Arkansas fans had better turned up paralytic to. Prediction: Texas A&M by 30.
- Tennessee vs Georgia (-31): The Bulldogs are a 31-point favorite and should cruise against a Tennessee side devoid of any hope or ideas right now. There doesn’t seem to be any pride in the Big Orange. Georgia fans won’t be satisfied with a win this year…..they’ll only be satisfied with an ass-stomping. And they’ll get one. Prediction: Georgia by 41.
- Southern Miss vs Auburn (-27): Auburn was so bad last Saturday that I’ve got half a thought that Southern Miss – which averages about 38 points per game – might make this pretty fun. Jake Abraham, Southern Miss’ QB, is throwing TDs for fun, and Auburn’s D is hardly playing with confidence (see Arkansas game). Auburn a 27-pt favorite? Please. Prediction: Auburn by 10. Eventually. The locals won’t be happy.
- Louisiana-Lafayette vs Alabama (-48.5): “I HATE THE MEDIA. I HATE VEGAS. THIS ULL TEAM’S A GOOD TEAM. WHY ARE WE 48-AND-DANGED-HALF POINT FAVORITES? THIS IS RAT POISON. THE KIDS DON’T NEED TO HEAR YOUR RAT POISON” – Nick Saban, giving waaaaay too much respect to ULL. Prediction: Alabama by 58. Most of them during the first half.
- Tennessee State vs Vanderbilt: Yawn. PREDICTION: Vandy by 35.