Week 10 Predictions: Auburn hosts Texas A&M, Hugh vs Lane

The SEC Football Blog has been in the UK lately, dealing with visa delay problems and an ill mother-in-law, but finally we’ve got a little time to do a piece of writing.

We managed to watch the Georgia vs Florida / Michigan vs Michigan State games in the UK, but time differences and other issues have made watching college football at tad difficult. 

It’s also been difficult to write a SEC Power Rankings because below Georgia, everyone’s been a much of a muchness until you hit the dreadful trio of South Carolina, then Missouri and finally Vanderbilt. 

Needless to say, we’ve been following everything and trying to catch up with some highlights. Sorry to see you go, Coach O. 

And congrats to the Southeastern Conference for winning the World Series.

But this weekend, we’re glad to say we’re back.

  1. No.13 Auburn vs No.14 Texas A&M (-4 1/2 O/U 49): If Auburn runs the table from hereon out, they will win the SEC West. But the battles will be intense – starting (again) with a trip to the suddently revitalized Texas A&M team, that went for three weeks (Colorado, Arkansas, Mississippi State) looking like utter doggy-doo on offense, but rebounded against Alabama and gave Missouri an ass-tanning. Meanwhile, Auburn has chugged alone nicely, winning four out of the last five (their standalone loss during that it was against Georgia), with the running tandem of ‘Sometimes Brainless’ Bo Nix and ‘Sherman’ Tank Bigsby proving to be electric. Some strong defensive work – highlights by limiting Ole Miss to its lowest points total – has been exceptional. The problem for Auburn is is that Texas A&M’s defense is very, very good, too. Auburn’s gonna have to stop Isaiah Spiller. This will be a fun one. PREDICTION: Texas A&M in a squeaker, winning 28-24.
  2. Liberty at No.16 Ole Miss (-9 1/2 O/U 67.5) : Before the season, we were talking about two very, very good sides getting together for the battle of the century. Now, it’s seemngly guaranteed fun. Liberty QB Malik Willis has thrown for 1,986 yards and 21 TDs, while Ole Miss’ Matt Corral has thrown for 2202 and 15. Both sides allow a ton of points per game (Liberty 37.4 vs Ole Miss 39.1), but they put up a ton of yards. Throw this together with the Lane and Hugh factors, and you’ve got a powder keg of a game. Note: Vegas agrees because Ole Miss started the game out as a 15 pt favorite, and now it’s down to 9. PREDICTION: Ole Miss in a game of little defense but brilliant fun. Rebels 41, Liberty 31.
  3.  Tennessee at No.18 Kentucky (Pick ‘Em O/U 57): Tennessee’s offense is fun to watch. Tennessee’s defense is not fun to watch. Kentucky is OK to watch on both sides of the ball. We don’t think Tennessee’s going to be able to stop Chris Rodriguez, the SEC’s second-highest rusher, but will Kentucky be able to stop the high-octane Tennessee offense, led by Hendon Hooker and WRs Velus Jones and Cedric Tillman, who have both gone off for nearly 15 yards per play. Kentucky’s biggest worry will be turnovers. They keep on committing a ton of them (4 last week in the loss against Mississippi State) PREDICTION: Tennessee upturns the apple cart. Tennessee 35, Kentucky 31.
  4. No.17 Mississippi State at Arkansas (-5 O/U 55 1/2): Despite Arkansas not having a number attached to its name (now!), Vegas seems to believe that they’ll beat the Cowbellers, who are coming off Will Rogers’ incredible 36-39, 334 yard performance, which was the highest completion percentage game in SEC history. Before they beat Pine-Bluff, the Razorbacks had lost 3 in a row, defensively struggling. PREDICTION: Cowbellers keep clangin’. MSU 38, Arkansas 28.
  5.  LSU at No.2 Alabama (-28 1/2 O/U 67): Alabama’s been the subject of a lot of furore this week after the Crimson Tide was voted No.2 in the College Football Play-Off, despite losing to an unranked Texas A&M side who up-to-then had lost to Mississippi State and struggled with a two-win Colorado team. But Alabama is Alabama, and they are going to have to continue to put on the accelerator to get love from the Committee. It’s basically good fortune for them that they are playing a LSU side that is so beaten-up that they look like the stuffy Wall St kid in “I love this bar”. The great news for LSU and Alabama fans? This game won’t be called by Gary Danielson. PREDICTION: Bloodbath. Alabama 53, LSU 10.
  6. No.1 Georgia at Missouri (-39 1/2 O/U 59 1/2): Missouri can’t stop the run. Georgia can run. Let’s not overthink this, shall we? PREDICTION: Georgia 58, Missouri 3.