How to Watch Every SEC Football Game as Contenders Begin Final Stretch

SEC Daily: Your complete TV guide to keeping up with the Southeastern Conference schedule during another crazy college football weekend

Oct 16, 2021; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Tauskie Dove (86) is tackled by Texas A&MM Aggies defensive back Tyreek Chappell (7) and defensive back Leon O'Neal Jr. (9) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The initial College Football Playoff rankings got most of the attention this week, and deservingly so, as all the primary contenders for the national championship got a good idea of not only where they stand but what they need to do to secure a spot in this year’s tournament.

However, with four weeks to go in the regular season, the road to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game is also becoming pretty clear as November will not only continue the elimination process, but separate the pretenders from the contenders.   

Alabama and Texas A&M are both 5-0 in league play and control their fate.

Georgia and Ole Miss are both 5-1, and Texas is 4-1. They all need to win out and get some help.

Oklahoma (3-2), Vanderbilt (3-2) and Missouri (2-2) all need to win out and get a lot of help.

It seems unlikely that any three-loss teams would make the 12-team field, as none did last year. Alabama (9-3) was No. 11 and ended up being the last team out. The best chance a three-loss team would have to make the field is to make its league championship game and then claim the automatic berth. However, it would be extremely difficult for a three-loss SEC team to qualify for the league title game.

Regardless, here’s who the SEC contenders have yet to play.

No. 3 Texas A&M: at No. 22 Missouri, South Carolina, Samford, at No. 11 Texas
No. 4 Alabama: LSU, No. 12 Oklahoma, Eastern Illinois, at Auburn
No. 5 Georgia: at Mississippi State, No. 11 Texas, Charlotte, at No. 17 Georgia Tech
No. 6 Ole Miss: Citadel, Florida, Bye, at Mississippi State
No. 11 Texas: Bye, at No. 5 Georgia, Arkansas, No. 3 Texas A&M
No. 12 Oklahoma: Bye, at No. 4 Alabama, No. 22 Missouri, LSU
No. 16 Vanderbilt: Auburn, Bye, Kentucky, at No. 25 Tennessee
No. 22 Missouri: No. 3 Texas A&M, Mississippi State, at No. 12 Oklahoma, Arkansas

Once you have that perspective, and looking at which teams won't be playing on Saturday, picking the game of the week is pretty straightforward as it's all-or-nothing for one team especailly:

No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC) at No. 22 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC)

2:30 p.m. CT • ABC                                       
Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (57,321)         
Series, TAMU leads, 10-7
Last: TAMU, 41-10 (2024 at College Station)
SiriusXM: 138/191 - 84

Two final things to keep in mind:

• Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and LSU have all fired their head coaches. The less those teams have anything to play for the easier it should be for the contenders to avoid upsets.

• Alabama defeated Georgia, Georgia defeated Ole Miss, and Ole Miss doesn’t have any ranked opponents remaining on its schedule. Consequently, it will be very difficult for any of the bottom four teams in that group to move into the top four, especially when you also factor in the schedules.

That’s why Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is already lobbying for the SEC to get five playoff teams this season, as his team has to beat Georgia next week to have a shot. However, the team that might have the best shot of being the fifth in that scenario is probably the team Texas just defeated, Vanderbilt.

As always, all other games are in order of when they start, and times are local to the venue. Open Date: Arkansas (2-7, 0-5 SEC); Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2); South Carolina (3-6, 1-6); Tennessee (6-3, 3-3); Texas (7-2, 4-1).

SEE ALSO: This week's SEC power rankings

1. Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (5-1, 1-4)

Nov 12, 2022; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) runs the ball against Mississippi State Bulldogs safety Collin Duncan (19) during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

11 a.m. CT • ESPN                                                     
Starkville, Miss. • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field (60,311)   
Series: UGA leads, 21-6
Last: UGA, 41-31 (2024 at Athens)                                                  
SiriusXM: 138/191 - 160/192     

2. The Citadel (4-5) at Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1)

Nov 1, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Noon CT • ESPN+ / SEC+                                   
Oxford, Miss. • Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038)         
Series: UM leads, 1-0
SiriusXM: 106/190    

3. Auburn (4-5, 1-5 SEC) at Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2)

Vanderbilt quarterback Ken Seals (8) and Auburn defensive lineman Justin Rogers (52) dive after a fumbled ball before it was recovered by Vanderbilt during the third quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

3 p.m. CT • SEC Network                                           
Nashville, Tenn. • FirstBank Stadium (35,000)          
Series: Tied, 22-22-1
Last: VU, 17-7 (2024 at Auburn)                                       
SiriusXM: 374 - 106/190

4. LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC) at Alabama (7-1, 5-0)

Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker Greg Penn III (30) makes a tackle on Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 42-28. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

6:30 p.m. CT • ABC        
Tuscaloosa, Ala. • Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (100,077)
Series: UA leads, 57-27-5
Last: UA, 42-13 (2024 at Baton Rouge)
SiriusXM: 82 - 84    

5. Florida (3-5, 2-3 SEC) at Kentucky (3-5, 1-5)

Sep 30, 2023; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Ray Davis (1) is brought down by Florida Gators cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (3) during the fourth quarter at Kroger Field. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

7:30 p.m. ET • SEC Network                                      
Lexington, Ky. • Kroger Field (61,000)           
Series: UF leads, 54-20
Last: UF, 48-20 (2024 at Gainesville)
SiriusXM: 374 - 106/190