It is time for rivalry week off the back of a couple of really shocking results on Saturday. Good luck to all the squads in Week 13.
By Steve Wright
Follow @14powerscom
Week Results: 7-3
Closest Pick: LSU 41, UAB 21. The actual score was LSU 41, UAB 10. Missed this by 11. This was not a great week.
Worst Pick: Tennessee 52, South Carolina 17. You could pick any of the misses – the others being Vandy over Florida and Arkansas over Ole Miss – but the 63 to 38 South Carolina win really did come out of nowhere.
Season Results: 83-19 (81.4%). Last week was 82.6%
Byes – None
Mississippi State @ No. 20 Ole Miss – This hinges on how well the Ole Miss defense plays after they were abused by Arkansas last time. I don’t know that the Bulldogs have the running game to fully pressure the Rebels, especially if the Ole Miss offense finishes the drives it failed on in that game. Ole Miss 35, Miss State 28.
Arkansas @ Mizzou – The Arkansas run game was immense last week against Ole Miss as they went for 335 yards on the ground with Rocket Sanders leading the way. Mizzou has only lost by more than one score in one SEC game (Tennessee), and they will be close again here. Arkansas 27, Mizzou 21.
Florida @ No. 19 Florida State – There are many difficult teams to work out in the SEC, and Florida is at the top of the list. The passing game went off against Vandy – Anthony Richardson passed for over 400 yards – but they still lost. The problem here is that the FSU run game is very good. That – plus the home-field advantage – will see the Seminoles home. Florida State 35, Florida 28.
Georgia Tech @ No. 1 Georgia – It is sad that “Clean, old-fashioned hate” has become a dead rivalry. It has one of the best rivalry names in the game, but the Bulldogs have won 24 of the last 30, are 4-1 under Kirby Smart, and when they win, they win huge. More of the same here. Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 10.
South Carolina @ No. 9 Clemson – South Carolina scored the most points of any unranked team against an AP Top 25 team in history on Saturday against Tennessee. If that momentum carries over here – Spencer Rattler went wild in the win – they can cause Clemson some problems. Clemson, however, has a stronger back seven defensively. That will be the difference. Clemson 38, South Carolina 24.
Louisville @ Kentucky – Kentucky played Georgia exactly how we predicted, with the game being close but with the Bulldogs coming out with the win. Based on their season, this will be more of the same, but this time I like the 6-4 Wildcats to beat the 7-4 Cardinals. Kentucky 27, Louisville 21.
Auburn @ No. 8 Alabama – Auburn would LOVE to hand Alabama its third loss in a season for the first time since 2010. In doing so, they would make Cadillac Williams 3-1 as an interim head coach AND secure bowl eligibility. The run game is strong enough to give ‘Bama problems, but there is no way that Bryce Young loses his last game in Tuscaloosa, even if he almost kills himself, making sure it doesn’t happen. Alabama 33, Auburn 24.
No. 6 LSU @ Texas A&M – Jayden Daniels will be the best player on this field, and he alone will be involved in more points than the entire Aggies’ offense. LSU 31, Texas A&M 10.
No. 9 Tennessee @ Vanderbilt – How down are the Vols? Hendon Hooker has played his last game for Tennessee after going down with an ACL tear in the fourth quarter. Spencer Ratter almost doubled his touchdown passing total for the season – he had six after entering the game with eight – and South Carolina scored an astonishing 63 points. Vandy is up for this after beating Florida, and this suddenly becomes a big game for Josh Heupel and his program. Tennessee 31, Vandy 21.
Be the first to comment