Looking forward to both Arkansas @ Georgia and Ole Miss @ Alabama this weekend. Kentucky vs. Florida could also be very interesting.
By Steve Wright
Week Results: 7-1. The only thing I missed was overestimating Mizzou, or – more likely – underestimating Boston College.
Closest Pick: I hit the Florida score on the head (38 points) and missed out on Tennessee by just six (went with 20 and they hit 14).
Season Results: 40-9 (81.6%). Last week was 80.5%).
(8) Arkansas @ (2) Georgia – Arkansas is way better than expected, but Georgia just might be the best team in the entire country. The defense is special, JT Daniels gives their passing attack an extra dimension, and the running back stable is as solid as ever. KJ Jefferson will get a lick or two in with the Hogs downfield passing attack – and the running game will be ok – but Georgia is just too talented. Georgia 35, Arkansas 21.
Tennessee @ Mizzou – I am not sure either defense can stop the other offense. Tennessee should rush for over 200 yards with room to spare, while Mizzou quarterback Connor Bazelak has been picking teams apart with a strong intermediate passing game. I’ll take the home team in a matchup that should be high-scoring. Mizzou 37, Tennessee 31.
(12) Ole Miss @ (1) Alabama – The key to beating Alabama over the last five years or so has been the ability of an offense to keep up. Ole Miss has the offense – and the quarterback in Matt Corral – to go toe-to-toe with the Tide for 60 minutes. This hasn’t been vintage Alabama so far. They feel beatable by a team like Ole Miss and if this was in Oxford I might even predict the upset. I just can’t quite do it here. Alabama 48, Ole Miss 41.
Troy @ South Carolina – Troy has 18 sacks on the season and a front seven that will get to Gamecocks’ quarterback Luke Doty at times. South Carolina needs to improve on third down – and it will – to win a game that will feel way too close until the end. South Carolina 20, Troy 17.
(10) Florida @ Kentucky – Kentucky will be well up for this one. The monster Florida rushing game that averages 7.6 yards per carry and comfortably over 300 yards per game faces off against a Wildcats’ defense that has allowed barely anything on the ground to FBS teams all season. Upset incoming. Kentucky 27, Florida 21.
Mississippi State @ (15) Texas A&M – This one feels winnable for the Bulldogs. The Aggies play a controlled, tempo driven style, but right now there is zero spark to it and their offense put up just 272 yards against Arkansas. Mississippi State, however, is going to have trouble against the Aggies’ defense with a mid-range passing attack that isn’t producing any explosiveness either. Expect to see more on the ground from A&M as they grind out a narrow win. Texas A&M 27, Mississippi State 18.
UConn @ Vandy – Vandy isn’t particularly good – plenty of teams will be whomped on by Georgia – but UConn has been awful. The Vandy offense will step up here under quarterback Ken Seals and the Commodores will show the improvement Clark Lea has been looking for in their play. Vandy 38, UConn 10.
(22) Auburn @ LSU – A possible quarterback battle at Auburn between the serviceable Bo Nix and former Auburn player TJ Finley muddies this one up a little bit. Both are rebuilding and neither has the parts in place to dominate this game. The strongest unit on paper looks to be an LSU pass rush that has 18 sacks through four games and I like the Baton Rouge version of the Tigers to ride that swarming defensive front to a win here. LSU 31, Auburn 20.
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