Sorry I was out of pocket last Thursday. Beth and I took a bye week and went to the beach.

Quite a Saturday in week 11. As the great Cosell used to say, “Down goes Georgia! Down goes Miami!”

The Playoff Committee put Oregon on top again this week with Ohio State at No.2, Texas at No.3 and Penn State? Are you kiddin me? at No.4. The Indiana Hoosiers and their brash head coach, Curt Cignetti, checked in at No.5, while BYU was sixth, Tennessee was seventh, Notre Dame was eighth, Miami? was No.9, the Crimson Tide, after the most impressive performance of the weekend, along with Ole Miss, is No.10. The Rebs are No.11 and Them Dawgs are at 12. The only problem for Georgia is Boise State is No.13 and would edge out Georgia from the playoff because they would be the fifth highest ranked conference champion if Boise State wins out. So Georgia’s back is against the wall as they square off with Tennessee at Sanford Stadium this Saturday.

Here’s a look at Week 12’s slate along with predictions.

Week 10: SU-9-5, Overall: 105-40, 72%.

ATS: 9-5, 79-64, 55%.

All rankings are Playoff Rankings and all times are Central

Mercer (9-1) @ No.10 Alabama (7-2)

Bryant-Denny Stadium

1 PM

ESPN+

Jay Alter, Rocky Boiman, Ashley Stroehlein?

Crimson Tide by 41 1/2

Jalen Milroe, Jihaad Campbell and the Crimson Tide were terrific last Saturday Night in Tiguh Stadium. Milroe rushed for 185 yards and 4 TDs, while Campbell posted 10 tackles, with 2 1/2 for a loss of 15 yards, and a sack for -14 yards in the Crimson Tide’s 42-13 dismantling of LSU. It was most definitely playoff worthy if not the best team in the country worthy. The Crimson Tide is squarely in the playoff, and just needs to take care of business versus Mercer, @ Oklahoma and versus Auburn at Bryant-Denny to qualify and maybe, possibly, make the SEC championship game. It’ll be hard for them to make the championship game as of today, but if they sweep that trifecta, they’re in the playoff, and, with chaos above them, which is probable, they could be in Atlanta. But the question is, would they want to be in Atlanta? Just an extra game to worry about when they could be preparing for a Thursday, December 19th or Friday, December 20th first round playoff game. If they won the championship game they would get a top 4 seed and a first round bye, so that would be highly worthwhile. And winning the SEC Championship is a legacy thing for the players. It still matters. So the Tide needs to lock it down for the remainder of the season and play hard hat, lunch pale football like they did last Saturday in dominating LSU. Mercer is 9-1 and leads the country in interceptions with 21. Their running back, Dwayne McGee, has rushed for 933 yards and 7 TDs. But that is against the likes of Presbyterian (4-6), Bethune-Cookman (2-8), and Western Carolina (5-5), among others. Their loss is to 3-6 Samford on the road on Saturday, 10/19, 55-35. They haven’t seen anything like this.

Alabama 52, Mercer 7

LA Monroe (5-4) @ Auburn (3-6)

Jordan-Hare

11:45 AM

‘SEC Network

Taylor, Matt, Alyssa

Tigers by 25

Payton Thorne would be questionable if Auburn had to list injuries on the SEC Availability Report this week. But since they have non-conference games this Saturday, Auburn and Alabama are not required to list injuries and players’ status on the SEC website Availability Report..But that’s a good thing Thorne might not play, right, Auburn fans? If Auburn loses that could spell the end of the Hugh Freeze era. With games coming up versus A&M at home and @ Alabama to finish up the season, Hugh and the Tigers have a gauntlet ahead of them. While it’s pretty cryptic with these coaches, if Thorne doesn’t play It’ll be either Hank Brown or freshman Walker White. Holden Geriner doesn’t seem to be in the mix right now. But who knows right now at Auburn.

Auburn 27, ULM 7

No.7 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1) @ NO. 12 Georgia (7-2, 5-2)

Sanford Stadium, Athens

6:30 PM

ABC

Chris, Kirk, Holly, Laura

Georgia by 10

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton are questionable for the Georgia game. Iamaleava has been in concussion protocol this week meaning he showed signs of a concussion from last Saturday Night’s 33-14 victory over Mississippi State at Neyland Stadium. I’ll still roll the dice and say both play, the Tennessee defense will be strong, and Carson Beck, who has tossed 7 interceptions in his last 3 games; three versus Texas, three versus Florida and one last week in Ole Miss’s tail kicking of Georgia, will be confused by the excellent Vols defense.

Tennessee 21, Georgia 17

Other SEC Predicitons

No.3 Texas 31, Arkansas 14

Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville

11 AM

ABC

Tess, Jess, Katie

Texas by 12

The Horns looked spectacular last Saturday in shellacking Florida, 49-17. Isaiah Bond was just who they needed back on the field after he missed the two previousweeks. Texas is kicking it in at the right time. Still have to go to A&M to close out the season.

Florida 24, No.22 LSU 21

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

2:30 PM

ABC

Dave, Dusty, Taylor McGregor

LSU by 4

Give me the Gators to knock off the Bengal Tigers.

No. 21 South Carolina 34, No.23 Missouri 14

Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.

3:15 PM

SEC Network

Tom, JRodg, Cole

SC by 14

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers and running back Raheim “Rocket”Sanders are the dynamic duo in college football right now for quite possibly the hottest team in the country. Don’t sleep on the Gamecocks and the Playoff. They’ll need a lot of help. But to me, they look like a top 12 team. After Mizzou, they host Wofford and go to Clemson. They’ll make it interesting for the Committee if they win out and there is chaos above them, which, in this 2024 season, is highly probable. Darrius Rucker sings, “I don’t call Carolina a place I visit, I call Carolina home.” It’s always a nice state to live in, and, this year, watch football

No.15 Texas A&M 45, New Mexico State 3

Kyle Field, College Station

6:45 PM

SEC Network

Dave, Aaron, Ashley ShahAhmadi

A&M by 39

A year ago this might have been a competitive game. But New Mexico State lost their head coach, their offensive coordinator, their quarterback, Diego Pavia, and their tight end, Eli Stowers, from last year’s team, all to the Vanderbilt Commodores. This year NMSU is 2-7. A&M is still definitely in the playoff hunt with games @ Auburn and at home versus Texas to close out the season. And if they win out, they could be in the Championship Game. With victories, they probably wouldn’t need the Championship game or victory, but they’d get there is they won out. They win out and they ARE in. Joseph Goodman of Al.com argued that there should be seven SEC Teams in the Playoff this year: Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas A&M and South Carolina. A couple of these teams will cancel themselves out with losses, but that’s not a bad argument.

Kentucky 48, Murray State 3

Kroger Field, Lexington

12:30 PM

ESPN+

Wildcats by 37 1/2

Come on Stoops!

Off: Lane, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Oklahoma.

***The SEC Championship Game is Saturday, December 7th, at 3 PM CT on ABC. ***

A lot of scenarios right now for which teams will be competing for the Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Hotlanta. Tennessee and A&M are both 5-1, Texas is 4-1, Georgia is 5-2, Alabama is 4-2, and Ole Miss is 4-2. Some ither teams are not mathematically out of it either. That’s quite a cluster, but a riveting cluster at that.

National Predictions

No.1 Oregon 31, Wisconsin 14

Camp Randall Stadium, Madison , WI

6:30 PM

NBC

Oregon by 14

Oregon looks good, but the only two good teams they’ve played are No.2 Ohio State and No.13 Boise State; both at home. The jury’s out whether Oregon can run the table and win it all. I’m skeptical.

No.2 Ohio State 38, Northwestern 14

Wrigley Field. That’s cool

11 AM

Big Ten Network

Buckeyes by 28 1/2

Is Gus Johnson’s “The Ohio State!” that good under perennial underachiever Ryan Day? I think they are good, maybe great, but their greatness is undetermined. Their quarterback, Will Howard, is the $64,000 question. Can the Kansas State transfer take the Buckeyes to the pinnacle of college football? I’m not convinced of that. Not totally out of the question, but certainly not a slam dunk. No. 5 Indiana visits the Horseshoe next Saturday, so that will tell us some more. Is Indiana that good though? They haven’t played anybody. I don’t want to undervalue the Hoosiers, they’re having a very good season, but the schedule leaves a lot to be desired.

No. 17 Colorado 28, Utah 14

Folsom Field, Boulder

11 AM

FOX

Gus, Joel, Jenny

Buffs by 11

I like Coach Prime and his team to take care of business against a struggling Utah team. Colorado looks like a pretty good team, but it’s in the Air Raid Big 12.

No.8 Notre Dame 42, Virginia 17

Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend

2:30 PM

NBC

Fighting Irish by 23 1/2

I’m a believer in Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish. They look legit. A loss to, are you kiddin me? Northern Illinois, was pretty bad. But the rest of the season has been impressive. The victory @ A&M, 23-13, at the beginning of the season is a major boost to their playoff hopes if they can win out. They have games this Saturday versus UVA, versus No.24 and 9-0 Army in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium, which will be a challenge, and @ USC. The Fighting Irish are 8-1. If Fairhope native Riley Leonard can pass it as well as he runs it down the stretch, the Irish are in business.

No.6 BYU 35, Kansas 31

LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT

9:15 PM

ESPN

BYU by 2 1/2

The Cougars are 9-0 with road victories over SMU and Utah on their resume. They’ve done everything that’s been asked of’em. They finish up @Arizona State and at home versus Houston after this tougher than anticipated earlier matchup, along with the Big 12 Championship Game.if they can make it through that schedule unscathed. They’ve shown a lot of fortitude thus far.

No.14 SMU 44, Boston College 20

Gerald R. Ford Stadium, Big D

2:30 PM

ESPN

Mustangs by 19 1/2

I don’t like the Ponies; I Love’em..

No.13 Boise State 38, San Jose State 21

CEFCU Stadium? “Do you know the way”

6 PM

CBS Sports Network

Broncos by 13 1/2

The Broncos are another team that just keeps taking care of business at 8-1 with their only loss 34-37 to Oregon on the road on Saturday, Sept. 7th. Games @Wyoming (2-7) and Oregon State (4-5) at home to finish off the schedule. Then the Mountain West Championship Game on Friday, December 6th. at 7 PM CT on FOX against quite probably UNLV, which they defeated 29-24 on the road Friday, October 25th.

No. 25 Tulane 31, Navy 21

Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, Annapolis

11 AM

ESPN2

Tulane by 7

The Green Wave is another team I don’t like, I love. Former Troy Coach Jon Sumrall has taken over from now Houston (college) coach Willie Fritz and is doing a phenomenal job as the Green Wave is 8-2 and not out of the playoff conversation if they can win out and get help.Their remaining schedule is Navy on the road this Saturday, a bye, and at home versus Memphis.