SEC Daily: Predictions for the Biggest SEC Games of Week 7
There were only five SEC games last weekend, but there was no shortage of entertainment. Florida showed plenty of signs of life as the Gators handed Texas its second loss of its season in upset fashion. Meanwhile in Tuscaloosa, it took a second half defensive shutdown by the Crimson Tide to pull away from a scrappy Vanderbilt team.
This week, conference play rolls on as Columbia, Missouri is the site of the biggest SEC game of the week as Missouri hosts Alabama. Texas and Oklahoma meet in the annual Red River Rivalry game in a scenario not many people expected for the two teams to be, especially Texas. At 3-2, the Longhorns are now fighting for their playoff hopes going forward.
I went 4-1 in my predictions last weekend. Let’s predict the five biggest SEC game this week and try to match or do better than last week.
No. 8 Alabama at No. 14 Missouri, 11 a.m. CT on ABC
Alabama is back where it started the season, at No. 8 in the country after rattling off four consecutive victories. When the Crimson Tide was ranked eighth in Week 1, it did not go so well, losing 31-17 against Florida State on the road. But a lot has changed since then. The Alabama offense, while it has some stuff to clean up, has looked much better since the first game of the season and quarterback Ty Simpson has played like a Heisman candidate.
Missouri, on the other hand, is quietly sitting at 5-0 and has crushed four of its five opponents by double digits. The Tigers have yet to leave its campus this season as this is their sixth consecutive home game to start the season.
Missouri is facing its biggest test all season. It has had no problem beating teams it is clearly better than, but how does it fare against a high-quality opponent in Alabama? Home field advantage will surely be on display this weekend. One advantage the Tigers have is their rushing attack against Alabama’s run defense. Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been running wild this season with 730 rushing yards and nine touchdowns already.
I see this game being a tightly contested one that could end up as possibly a high-scoring game.
PREDICTION: Alabama 31, Missouri 27
No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Texas, 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC
Nobody would have thought the Longhorns would be out of the AP Top 25 before mid-October, but here we are. Texas has plenty of tough games left with essentially no room for error if it wants to make it to the playoffs. This game is just the first of many challenges remaining for Texas.
I expect Texas to go out on the field this weekend and play with a great sense of urgency. But what makes this game so difficult to pick is whether or not Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer will play or not. ESPN reported that Mateer is pushing to play this weekend. If he does not play, it will be Michael Hawkins at the controls. Even if Mateer does play, how will he look post-injury?
The problem for Texas is that it is taking on an Oklahoma defense that has played pretty much lights out all season. This game will be close and I would not be surprised either way, but Oklahoma’s defense is up to the task even if Mateer does not play.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma 23, Texas 17
No. 10 Georgia at Auburn, 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC
Georgia looked good coming off a loss against Kentucky, but this week is a far tougher challenge. The Bulldogs go into Jordan-Haire at night against an Auburn team that is desperate for a conference win.
Auburn’s main issue has been its offense. Combining for 27 total points in its two SEC games so far is not a recipe for success. The Tigers need a game where their offense can get their confidence back.
The environment will be great at night, and Auburn’s defense will help keep it close. But at the end of the day, Georgia will come away with a win.
PREDICTION: Georgia 24, Auburn 20
Florida at No. 5 Texas A&M, 6 p.m. CT on ESPN
Can Florida do it again against a top 10 team? The Gators did a nice job defensively against Texas and they scored and pulled away when they needed to. This Florida team has the capability of playing well against top teams, but it also has the capability of not.
Texas A&M has looked like a playoff team all season long and has dominated its SEC opponents defensively so far. The Aggies’ offense helped pull away from Mississippi State last week after a low scoring first half. The home field advantage for Texas A&M also helps it a lot here. Unfortunately for Florida, it will receive its fourth loss of the season this weekend.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M 30, Florida 17
South Carolina at No. 11 LSU, 6:45 p.m. CT on SEC Network
South Carolina is looking for revenge against LSU this weekend after nearly defeating the Tigers last season in Columbia. Both teams have fresh legs coming off a bye heading into this year’s matchup.
After dropping two in a row, the Gamecocks looked much better in their last game against Kentucky while LSU is coming off a loss to Ole Miss on the road in which it struggled to compete with the Rebels offensively.
Coming back home off a loss is more than enough already to motivate LSU. LSU needs to start to find its groove offensively and this weekend is a good opportunity for it. I think the Tigers’ defense will hold its own against South Carolina.
PREDICTION: LSU 31, South Carolina 20
Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:
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.