SEC Daily: Predictions for the Biggest SEC Games of Rivalry Week
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The final week of the regular season has arrived and rivalry week is here. The one week in the season where you can truly throw out the records and stats of both teams and forget who has the coaching advantage or which team has the better roster. This week is all about the will to win and bragging rights for the next 365 days.
In this SEC this weekend, there will be playoff spots on the line as well as both spots in the SEC Championship Game. The stakes for this week could not possibly be higher. Let’s go ahead and predict the five biggest games of rivalry week in the SEC.
No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 16 Texas, Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC
Texas probably is still on the outside looking into the playoff even with a win here, but it still wants to ruin Texas A&M’s dream of going to Atlanta next week. The Longhorns could add to their resume with a win, but it is unlikely it would be enough to be in serious consideration for the College Football Playoff.
For Texas A&M, this game is for a spot in the conference title, but also possibly for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Going into Austin Friday will not be an easy task. Last time the Aggies played a conference game was the miraculous comeback against South Carolina. This week, the Aggies defense needs to play four quarters of quality defense to win this game.
I expect this game to be a game where the defenses are going to be the matchup to watch, especially seeing how much the Texas defense can contain Texas A&M after giving up 35 to Georgia. I think this game is close and competitive, but this season’s Texas A&M team is just different from years past. The Aggies defense pulls through in the second half.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M 24, Texas 17
No. 10 Alabama at Auburn, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC
Night time in Jordan-Hare in primetime with Alabama’s conference title hopes and playoff hopes all on the line. This is truly a game where the records and coaches do not matter in this game. It is an old-fashioned rivalry filled with hate and passion that gives either team a chance to win, especially in Auburn.
Thinking back to the preseason, the last thing Alabama could do was walk into Auburn 9-2 with the playoffs on the line against an Auburn team seeking revenge. But here we are. The Crimson Tide’s turnovers two weeks ago put it in this situation against an Auburn team searching for bowl eligibility and with mobile quarterbacks.
The problem for Alabama is that head coach Kalen DeBoer is 1-4 with Alabama when playing unranked teams away from home. The Crimson Tide lost to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Michigan last season and Florida State in August before a comeback win at South Carolina. This exact type of game that Alabama is going into this weekend is the type of game that DeBoer has been proven to lose.
What makes this more worrisome for Alabama is Auburn has had practically three weeks to prepare for this game with a bye week two weeks ago and a game last week against Mercer. With that being said, I think Auburn’s defense will force the Alabama offense into a mistake late in the game and win the Iron Bowl
PREDICTION: Auburn 17, Alabama 14
No. 14 Vanderbilt at No. 19 Tennessee, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN
This is the biggest game in the rivalry’s history in quite some time for Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Vanderbilt is still in the playoff conversation and Tennessee hopes to ruin that. The Commodores have not beaten Tennessee since 2018.
This is going to be a game with a lot of points. Tennessee is going to score with its up-tempo offense, but Vanderbilt has shown time and time again the ability to put up points this season. Tennessee’s defense has also shown plenty of vulnerability this season. I expect a shootout. The offense that makes fewer mistakes will win this game, and I think that could be the team that has more to prove, which is Vanderbilt
PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 38, Tennessee 35
LSU at No. 8 Oklahoma, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC
This game is for the playoff for Oklahoma. If the Sooners win this game, they are in the playoffs. If they lose this game, they will almost assuredly be out of the conversation.
Oklahoma’s defense has been elite down the stretch of the season, forcing three turnovers against Alabama and only allowing six points to a Missouri offense that has some weapons. This week, Oklahoma welcomes a LSU team that is coming off a struggle win over Western Kentucky.
In a game during rivalry week, games can be unpredictable. This game, however, is not so unpredictable. Oklahoma’s defense will continue to thrive and be able to score enough to come away with a sound victory and go to the playoffs.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma 24, LSU 9
No. 7 Ole Miss at Mississippi State, Friday at 11 a.m. CT on ABC
What is going on with Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss? Will he be the coach after this game with this ultimatum that Ole Miss has reportedly told to Kiffin? There are a lot of distractions for Ole Miss coming into this game and that could help Mississippi State.
The problem for Mississippi State is their defense. It has been a liability all season long and that is bad news against an Ole Miss offense that can put up points. It would not surprise me at all if Mississippi State comes close to winning this game, but the Bulldogs have been making losing plays all season. Ole Miss wins and goes to the playoffs.
PREDICTION: Ole Miss 35, Mississippi State 27
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.