SEC Week 7: Kiffin’s return to Knoxville and a nasty unbeatens game

College Gameday has decided to echew Cincinnati or at least some other team in the world to once again return to the Classic City to let Lee Corso wear a Bulldogs headpiece as Georgia takes on Kentucky in the battle of the SEC unbeatens.

Elsewhere, it’s the battle of the excuse-makers as Florida goes to LSU in the midday sun, as well as Auburn’s trip to Arkansas and Texas A&M wandering into Missouri.

That evening wound-licking Alabama go to Mississippi State, while Tennessee hosts the Kiffin Bowl against Lane, which should see the boos ring out for the Coach that left them like a total ass. 

Oh, and Vanderbilt plays South Carolina (yawn!).

Anyway, so here’s what we are excited about…

  1. No.13 Ole Miss (-2 1/2, O/U 82.5) at Tennessee : As may have been mentioned by the world, this is Lane Kiffin’s first trip to Knoxville since he walked out on them, and we expect Neyland to be rocking with boos. Also, Neyland’s going to be rocking because at long, long last, the Vols are looking good. They average 41.5 points per game (7th in the country), and are a better passing (!) team that have been rushers. The defense is still rather medicore (344 yards per game, 49th), but things are at least watchable. Unfortunately for the Vols, the Ole Miss team that they are facing are pretty high-octane, too. The Rebels are fourth overall in offense (46.2), but aren’t great at giving them up (31 points per game). This will be fun, boys and girls. PREDICTION: Tennessee 49, Ole Miss 44 in a Big 12 game.
  2.  No.20 Florida (-12 1/2, O/U 59.5) at LSU: If you believe some of the stories coming out of Baton Rouge, the ice isn’t thin for Ed Orgeron, he’s also gone through it. This won’t be any easier for Tigers fans to stomach, bearing in mind how many starters the Bayou Bengals have out – including an already-shredded secondary and their best WR Kayshon Boutte. On the other hand, Florida keeps on going with Emory Jones, but we again should expect some Anthony Richardson plays. But bearing in mind LSU can’t stop the run, expect Nay’Quan Wright, Dameon Pierce and Jones to run roughshod. Oh, and Jacob Copeland’s going to have fun in the backfield, too. PREDICTION: Chomp. Chomp. Florida gives love to the bettors who moved the line from 2.5 to 12.5 in less than a week. Gators 48, LSU 24.
  3.  Auburn at No.17 Arkansas (-4, O/U 54): Everyone looks crappy against Georgia, and Auburn, well, looked crappy against Georgia. On the other hand, Arkansas couldn’t stop Ole Miss…but Ole Miss couldn’t stop Arkansas, either. So this could be your underrated game of the day. Tank Bigsby and Bo Nix’s floor games will be the ones to watch here – the Razorbacks were weirdly gashed on the floor (324 yards), after having subpar games against Georgia and LSU. PREDICTION: This will be a thumper, which Arkansas wins. Arkansas 42, Auburn 31.
  4.  No.5 Alabama (-17 O/U 57 1/2) at Mississippi State: I don’t know what to quite say about Mississippi State. They beat a team that beat Texas A&M on the road, yet they have looked pretty pedestrian all season long. Now, they get an Alabama team who must be fuming after being very poor (by their standards) at Texas A&M. Bryce Young will be trying to rectify himself after a – quite frankly – piss-poor effort in Aggieland, and MSU should be ripe for the taking. PREDICTION: Alabama waltzes against its ancient rival. Alabama 55, Mississippi State 17.
  5.  No.11 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia (-22 1/2 O/U 44.5): Everyone’s saying that Kentucky QB Will Levis and Kentucky’s stacked running backs should try and ‘run, run, run’ against Georgia. Yeah, good luck with that against a team that’s giving up one rushing TD all day and only 66 yards per game. PREDICTION: Over. By. Half-time. Georgia 35, Kentucky 7.
  6.  No.21 Texas A&M (-9, O/U 59.5) at Missouri: Missouri can’t stop the run, Texas A&M has a brilliant running back in Isaiah Spiller. Expect Texas A&M to roll. PREDICTION: Texas A&M 48, Missouri 14.
  7.  Vanderbilt at South Carolina (-18, O/U 50.5): The worst team in the conference versus maybe-the-second-worst-team-in-the-conference. This won’t be one for the neutrals. PREDICTION: South Carolina 38, Vanderbilt 10.
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