No. 7 Alabama at No. 11 Tennessee: 2:30 p.m. CT, Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
The “Third Saturday in October” returns and serves as a massive game for both teams and their respective playoff hopes. Both come into this game with upset losses two weeks ago and unremarkable wins in Week 7.
This week, Tennessee will look to find an identity on the offensive side of the ball. Consecutive underwhelming offensive performances caused the Volunteers to get upset by Arkansas and almost lose to Florida. Alabama has been vulnerable on the defensive side of the ball recently, allowing Vanderbilt to score 40 and South Carolina 25. It opens the door for Tennessee starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to torch the Crimson Tide through the air.
Alabama will have to shore up its defense and get more creative offensively in order to have success in Knoxville. Fortunately for the Crimson Tide, the team has shown the ability to not only compete at the highest level but dominate. To win this game, the Crimson Tide will have to get back to what made the team lethal versus the Bulldogs, which was creative offensive play calling and getting pressure on the opposing quarterback.
The margin on Saturday will be thin between two hungry teams that are in dire need of a win. Unfortunately for Alabama, the home atmosphere at Neyland Stadium gives the Volunteers a slight edge over the Crimson Tide. Kalen DeBoer will suffer his second loss as head coach of the Crimson Tide, pushing Alabama fans into an uncharted territory of uncertainty.
As for the buildup for this rivalry game, the tradition is not something that is lost on DeBoer.
“I’ve been told it’s a big deal, and I know it’s a big deal,” he said. “You see it from afar. These are the games, much like we’ve had already a couple here, they’re the big ones that are on the schedule. As a coach, they’re all big in different ways, you take them one at a time, but you certainly understand the significance of the rivalry.”
Prediction: Tennessee 25, Alabama 21
Where to watch: ABC
Auburn at No. 19 Missouri: 11 a.m. CT, Memorial Stadium, Columbia, Missouri
After Auburn’s bye week and Missouri’s dominant win over UMass, both sets of Tigers return to SEC play looking to turn their respective seasons around.
Auburn has stumbled out of the gate, already sitting on four losses through the first half of the season. Right now, the team has good news and bad news. The good news is that they’ve hung around in every game they’ve played. The bad news is that their schedule will not get easier for the Tigers. Games against opponents like Missouri, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama will prove to be a huge challenge.
Missouri finds itself in a situation where it just might not be as good as the top-10 billing everyone gave the team in the preseason. The Tigers got exposed on the road versus Texas A&M, suffering a 41-10 loss, and they have had close games with Boston College and Vanderbilt, two teams that should in theory be lesser opponents.
The difference in this game will be Missurori’s playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Expect for wide receiver Luther Burden III to look every bit like an NFL first-rounder and for the Missouri offense to make just a few extra plays when it’s all said and done.
Prediction: Missouri 21, Auburn 17
Where to watch: ESPN
No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas: 6:30 p.m. CT, DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas
ESPN’s College Gameday is headed to Austin, with the eyes of the college football world fixated on the Bulldogs versus the Longhorns. This is one of those games that fans were most excited about when it was announced that Texas was joining the SEC.
The Longhorns come into Saturday’s game showing no real weaknesses. Each of their position groups has looked like the top unit in the country. This has fans in Austin believing that Texas is not only “back” but that the Longhorns could be the top team in the nation.
Georgia is in unfamiliar territory this week. The perennial powerhouse in the sport is possibly up against the ropes and in danger of dropping its second game. This season has shown a Bulldogs team that has uncharacteristically gotten off to slow starts and made critical errors in key moments of games. The loss to Alabama and tighter-than-expected wins versus Kentucky and Mississippi State have displayed just how flat the Bulldogs have looked.
With its back against the wall, Georgia will win this game. The victory will come from an elite coaching job by Kirby Smart, who most believe is the game’s better head coach. This team has the roster to match up with Texas’ superstars and slow them down. With the proper game planning and a Carson Beck masterclass, the Bulldogs will stabilize optics in Athens, reasserting themselves as the best team in the Southeastern Conference.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Texas 28
Where to watch: ABC
