Week 10 SEC Predictions: THE Alabama/LSU game + Georgia hosts Missouri
You’d not normally put LSU’s trip to Alabama in the same breath as Georgia v Missouri, but give us a second.
The LSU v Alabama is a monster. Whether it’s a poor Alabama side playing a poor LSU side or whether it’s a 1 v 2 match-up, the game ALWAYS has an electric atmosphere, and chock-a-block with future NFL talent.
This one’s particularly interesting, because the winner could decide the West (or at least the joint division winner!).
And with Georgia v Missouri, the winner is in the driving seat of the SEC East (although Missouri still has to play in-division rivals Tennessee and Florida, while Georgia’s still got a battle with Tennessee ahead).
Anyway, A&M goes to No.10 Ole Miss, Florida plays Arkansas in a game where the patience of fanbases will be sorely tested, Kentucky travels to Mississippi State, and then there’s the Jefferson Sports Pilot game involving Auburn and Vanderbilt.
And while UConn’s No.17 Tennessee is vomitous, watch out for the Jacksonville State v South Carolina game, which could be far closer than the 15.5 point spread suggests.
SO HERE WE GO (IN ORDER OF OUR INTEREST):
- No.14 LSU v No.8 Alabama (-3): The stakes are high. If Alabama beats LSU, LSU is going to be third in the SEC West. If LSU beats Alabama, Alabama won’t go to the Play-Off, and then it’s a horrible LSU beats Alabama who beat Ole Miss who beat LSU situation (for this week, anyway). But this game should also be fun and a track meet, with Alabama’s deep threats (Jermaine Burton) playing a very weak LSU secondary (there is hope that Jalen Milroe will continue to improve), while LSU’s red-hot offense led by Jayden Daniels and a great wide receiving corps led Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas is going to be difficult to stop – even with though Alabama has future first rounder Kool-Aid McKinstrey and freshman sensation Caleb Downs. PREDICTION: Alabama wins in a shoot-out, culminating in a last-second field goal. Alabama 43, LSU 41.
- No.12 Missouri at No.2 Georgia (-15.5): Vegas doesn’t give Missouri a prayer. Then again, no-one – unless it’s the Missouri mega-blind optimists – gives Missouri a prayer. Georgia will try and curb-stomp Missouri early, going hard at Missouri’s 63rd-ranked secondary, which gives up 226 yards/game. Expect Dominic Lovett to be the big player against his alma mater, as Carson Beck continues to improve. The return of Ladd McConkey (who had a monster game against Florida) should strip Missouri naked. We’re expecting Georgia to hammer them with the air ball. On the Missouri side, Brady Cook is going be running for his life a lot, but if he can hit Luther Burden and Theo Wease (and balance it somewhat with Cody Schrader), then Missouri could keep it somewhat close….if they can run it, that is. PREDICTION: Doomsayers….get it right. Georgia 45, Missouri 14.
- Texas A&M at No.10 Ole Miss (-3): Texas A&M’s offense might be a shitshow, but the defense (7th overall in the country) is excellent. Lane Kiffin is going to have to come up with everything in the playbook to get Quinshon Judkins going. He’s had 100+ yard games in 3 out of the last 4 games. If Judkins has a big day, it’ll force A&M to try and stop him, giving Jaxson Dart some room to try and hit Jordan Watkins, Tre Harris and Dayton Wade. On the other hand, Ole Miss has a quietly better defense than ever before (LSU apart!). Their secondary, however, gives up over 200 yards per game, which should make Evan Stewart a terrifying prospect for the fanbase of a team desperate to lift a SEC West title for the first time in 20 years. Texas A&M will also be hoping that the Aggies can actually score a second half touchdown – something that they haven’t done in forever. PREDICTION: Ole Miss continues to keep on rolling. Just. PREDICTION: Ole Miss 28, Texas A&M 21.
- Arkansas at Florida (-5.5): The sadness of Florida fans at the Cocktail Party was palatable last week as Georgia steamrolled their team. This week, they should be feeling a lot better playing the team with the saddest, most frustrated fans in the SEC…..the Arkansas Razorbacks. It seems a foregone conclusion by now that Sam Pittman’s going to be out of a job after the season. The recent offing of Kendal Briles won’t stop the boot. The game itself won’t be a spectacle. PREDICTION: Florida 38, Arkansas 21.
- Jacksonville State at South Carolina (-15.5): Jacksonville State (7-2, 6-1 in Conference USA) is a pretty good team. They have a 2 QB attack in Zion Webb and Logan Sommers, but they are both pretty banged up. JSU is a strong running team (8th in the country overall, averaging 217 yards/game). If Carolina can’t stop it – they are medicore against it, then the Columbia Gamecocks may have problems. The X-Factor will be Spencer Rattler. JSU aren’t very good at stopping long passing plays (95th in the country, and particularly bad at giving up 30+ yards plays). If Rattler can make the plays, then South Carolina may breeze. May. PREDICTION: An unusually fun one. South Carolina 38, JSU 30.
- Auburn (-12.5) v Vanderbilt: Auburn’s rough offense playing Vanderbilt’s rough defense, which is the week’s Jefferson Sports Pilot Game. It’s not going to be fun viewing, but at least they’ll be some points. PREDICTION: Auburn 38, Vanderbilt 24.
- Kentucky (-4.5) at Mississippi State: Like No.4, this is going to be a rough one. It’s the battle of the 85th (Kentucky) v 93rd Mississippi State) -ranked offenses. Gosh it’s NOT going to be great. PREDICTION: Vomit. Kentucky 18, Mississippi State 12.
- UConn at No.17 Tennessee (-35): Yawn. Tennessee by a killing. PREDICTION: Tennessee 63, UConn 3.