Being a little late to the party, last week was our first week of posting predictions of every SEC game. It was a solid start, going 6-2 overall. Texas A&M and Missouri failed us.
Nevertheless, it’s a brand new week. There are two exciting matchups on the cards in No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia and No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama. Both will have a heavy impact on how the SEC will be shaped going forward.
Here is the full SEC schedule for Week 5. All times are central.
- Arkansas at Georgia at 11 a.m.
- Tennessee at Missouri at 11 a.m.
- Troy at South Carolina at 2:30 a.m.
- Ole Miss at Alabama at 2:30 p.m.
- Florida at Kentucky at 5 p.m.
- Mississippi State at Texas A&M at 6 p.m.
- UConn at Vanderbilt at 6:30 p.m.
- Auburn at LSU at 8 p.m.
An exciting slate is ahead of us! Here are my predictions for every single SEC game on the schedule Saturday:
No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia
Joshua L Jones
Arkansas is 4-0 for the first time since 2003. Wins over old Southwest Conference rivals Rice, Texas, and Texas A&M have energized the Razorback fanbase to the fullest extent. But this one is a little different.
No. 2 Georgia, in Athens, is going to be a beast Arkansas cannot slay. There is no doubt who holds the top defense in the country at the moment. Mix it with a Kirby Smart offense averaging 42 points a game and this one has an overhyped blowout written all over it.
Georgia 45 Arkansas 17
Tennessee at Missouri
Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
The Missouri-Tennessee series has been back and forth since it began in 2012, with the Tigers leading all-time 5-4.
This year is going to decide the difference between a top-half team in the East or a bottom-half team. Both enter with a 2-2 record, needing to stay above the .500 line to keep their respective programs in the right direction.
Against their two Power Five opponents, Missouri has averaged just 96 rushing yards. Quarterback Connor Bazelak has been airing it out with decent success. But without a balance, it’s hard to win games in the SEC.
Tennessee hasn’t exactly been impressive either, though. A 24 point loss in The Swamp may already have #FireHeupel trending on Twitter. A loss in Columbia would only worsen the cause.
Tennessee 31 Missouri 24
Troy at South Carolina
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Troy’s offense has been a real issue, scoring 50 total points in their three games against FBS opponents. On the ground, the Trojans are only gaining 75 yards a game. No matter how low you think of South Carolina, Shane Beamer’s squad should really be winning this one.
South Carolina 31 Troy 10
No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Alabama vs Ole Miss. Nick Saban vs Lane Kiffin. Bryce Young vs Matt Corral.
Saturday’s top 15 matchup should be a good one. For a full breakdown, check out the entire Roll Tide Wire staff’s game prediction post here.
No. 10 Florida at Kentucky
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
This one has a similar feel to the Arkansas-Georgia game but without as much hype. A top 10 Florida is rolling into Lexington to face off against a 4-0 Kentucky team, hoping to pull off the upset.
Dig deeper into those four wins and you’ll find three straight one-possession wins against Missouri, Chattanooga, and South Carolina (on the road). Not exactly the best resume for the remaining undefeated teams left.
Quarterback Will Levis already has five interceptions, tied for the most in the SEC with you’ll never guess, Florida QB Emory Jones. If Kentucky wants to reach 5-0, winning the turnover battle is crucial.
Stopping the Gators’ run game will be the second priority. Florida is going for 323 a game so far thanks to Jones’ ability. I think Dan Mullen’s squad ultimately breaks through with a solid win.
Florida 34 Kentucky 24
Mississippi State at No. 15 Texas A&M
AP Photo/Sam Craft
Where to even begin with the Texas A&M offense? Since starting quarterback Hayes King went down with an injury, the Aggies have been abysmal. 10 points against Colorado and Arkansas have left little hope for what was thought to be the season in College Station.
Focusing back on this week, a good litmus test with Zach Calzada is rolling into town in Mississippi State. Mike Leach’s air raid offense is going up against a Texas A&M defense that has kept them in games. Sadly, Arkansas won last week thanks to their run game. Running the ball is the last thing Leach will ever do.
Even if Texas A&M’s offensive struggles continue, their defense is good enough to force a mistake or two and win the game.
Texas A&M 24 Mississippi State 13
UConn at Vanderbilt
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
This will at least be a football game.
In the left corner, we have 0-5 UConn, averaging 14.2 points per game and giving up 41.6. On the other side is 1-3 Vanderbilt, scoring 12.5 points and allowing 36.8. Maybe this is the matchup these two programs have needed.
Vanderbilt is only getting the nod because the game is in Nashville and the poor people in attendance will them to a win.
Vanderbilt 21 UConn 13
No. 22 Auburn at LSU
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Here’s a fun fact for you. Three teams from the state of Alabama have won in Death Valley since the turn of the century. Alabama, Troy, and UAB. It’s been pretty brutal for Auburn against LSU in the last 20 years.
Thankfully, all Bryan Harsin has on his hands is a midseason quarterback controversy. After struggling with Georgia State, Bo Nix was pulled, and T.J. Finley was inserted to save the day. Harsin has yet to name the official starter but Nix was atop the released depth chart this week.
Saturday is Death Valley is inevitable. LSU is going to play solid football. This is more about how Auburn’s offense performs with whoever is named the starting quarterback. If it’s Finley and Auburn’s offensive line is still the same unit, watch out.
LSU 28 Auburn 17
