This week in the Southeastern Conference features eight matchups as teams gear up for the final stretch of their seasons.
Even though the College GameDay featured matchup is No. 11 Texas A&M travelling to Oxford, Miss., to face No. 12 Ole Miss, there are a number of other intriguing games on this week’s slate. No. 16 Auburn hopes to bounce back from its loss at Kyle Field as they face off against Mississippi State, and LSU is trying to keep its bowl aspirations alive as the team hosts Arkansas. No. 1 Georgia also hopes to take care of rival Tennessee in Knoxville in the Bulldogs’ quest for an undefeated season.
Arkansas (6-3) at LSU (4-5)
Saturday, Nov. 13 – Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, La.
6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network
There is a possibility Ed Orgeron’s tenure at LSU could conclude without taking part in a bowl game. LSU has to win two of its remaining three games in order to reach the required six win threshold. Last week, the Tigers played No. 3 Alabama closer than expected, only losing 20-14 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Junior running back Tyrion Davis-Price ran for an impressive 104 yards but did lose a fumble, leading to what ended up being a decisive Crimson Tide touchdown. Arkansas defeated the aforementioned Mississippi State Bulldogs 31-28 to get its sixth win of the season. The Razorbacks’ offense racked up yards in multiple ways in their victory. Junior receiver Treylon Burks caught six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown to continue his standout 2021 campaign. Sophomore running back Dominique Johnson led the way on the ground with 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Expect LSU to once again keep it close but come up short because the team lacks the weapons to keep up with Arkansas’ balanced offense.
Prediction: Arkansas 31, LSU 21
No. 1 Georgia (9-0) at Tennessee (5-4)
Saturday, Nov. 13 – Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tenn.
2:30 p.m. CT on CBS
Georgia’s defense continued to play at a historic level in its 43-6 win over Missouri. The Bulldogs have yet to allow 14 points on the season, with it giving up 13 points to South Carolina and Kentucky. Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett continued his strong play with two touchdowns and 255 passing yards in last week’s victory as he tried to keep hold of the starting job from junior quarterback JT Daniels. On the other side of the field, Tennessee defeated Kentucky 45-42 last week in its best performance of the season. The majority of its offensive output came from senior quarterback Hendon Hooker. Hooker threw for 316 passing yards on just 20 attempts and also had four touchdown passes. Despite Tennessee’s sudden offensive output, it has a much more difficult challenge this week. Georgia’s defense should stifle the Volunteers’ aerial attack and Bennett should have some success in passing opportunities once the Bulldogs establish the run. Expect Georgia to win in blowout fashion.
Prediction: Georgia 38, Tennessee 10
Mississippi State (5-4) at No. 16 Auburn (6-3)
Saturday, Nov. 13 – Jordan-Hare Stadium – Auburn, Ala.
11 a.m. CT on ESPN
Auburn is coming off a 20-3 defeat at the hands of A&M in large part because its offense was stifled by the A&M’s defense. The Tigers turned the ball over twice, one of which was returned for the game’s lone touchdown, and only managed 226 yards of total offense. Junior quarterback Bo Nix’s up-and-down career has continued into his third season as the starter. There are games where he looks great, such as Ole Miss, and there are others where he gets benched, like against Georgia State. It’s difficult to predict which Auburn offense will show up, which is in large part due to Nix’s performance. Mississippi State, coming off a 31-28 loss to Arkansas, took an unfortunate turn of events for a team with hopes of climbing from their surprising 17th position in the initial CFP rankings. On a brighter note, sophomore quarterback Will Rogers is coming off 417 yards passing and four touchdowns as he continues to put up impressive stats in Mike Leach’s offense. In this game, expect the winner to be the team that dominates time of possession. Despite being on the road, Mississippi State should pull out the victory and force Nix to beat them through the air if it takes advantage of an Auburn secondary that benefited from a number of drops last week.
Prediction: Mississippi State 38, Auburn 31