The Crimson Tide tries to recuperate and get their program headed back in the right direction this Saturday at 11 AM versus South Carolina at Bryant-Denny. Texas and OU play the 120th edition of the Red River Rivalry Game in Big D. Ole Miss and LSU lock horns Saturday Night in Death Valley. UT and Florida compete in Knoxvegas. And the onward and upward Vanderbilt Commodores square off with the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday Night. There are also terrific national matchups this weekend. Here’s a rundown along with projections for all this entire slate of games in Week 7.

Last Week: SU: 9-5; Overall: 61-24, 72%.

ATS: 7-7, 46-37, 55%

All times Central. All games Saturday unless otherwise noted.

South Carolina (3-2, 1-2 SEC) @ No.7 Alabama (4-1,1-1)

Bryant-Denny Stadium

11 AM

ABC

Tess, Jess, Katie

Bama by 21

Not sure what to make of the Crimson Tide right now. I’d like to think Alabama didn’t lose it as much last Saturday at FirstBank Stadium in Nashvulle as my Commodores took control and won it. It was a little bit of both, but I side with the Commodores’effort more. The Crimson Tide needs to get things worked out on defense and Jam Miller and Justice Haynes need to get the ball more. All I can say about the Crimson Tide right now is Kalen DeBoar has his work cut out for him, as does defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. My prediction for the Tide going forward? To be determined, starting Saturday.

Alabama 34, South Carolina 17

No.1 Texas (5-0, 1-0) vs No.18 Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1)

Cotton Bowl, Dallas

2:30 PM

ABC

Chris, Kirk, Holly

Hook’em by 14 1/2

I can’t see this game being a two touchdown outcome. It’s too competitive for a rivalry and OU won it last year as an underdog. Quinn Ewers is probable, so that’ll be a plus for the Longhorns though Arch Manning did a solid job in his place while Ewers was injured. I like OU freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. to make some explosive plays against the Texas defense both with his wheels and his arm. I’ll take Texas, but it’ll be closer than anticipated.

Texas 31, OU 24

No. 9 Ole Miss (5-1, 1-1) @ No.13 LSU (4-1, 1-0)

Tiguh Stadium, Baton Rouge

6:30 PM

ABC

Sean, Gregory, Molly

Ole Miss by 3 1/2

It’s risky to go against the Bengal Tigers on a Saturday Night in Death Valley. Raucous is an understatement almost. But I’ll take Lane and the Rebs. They impressed me last Saturday @ South Carolina rebounding from the home upset loss to Kentucky. Kentucky’s SEC and they’re good, so no real shame in that.

Ole Miss 35, LSU 31

Florida (3-2, 1-1) @ Tennessee (4-1, 1-1)

Neyland Stadium

6 PM

ESPN

Bob Wuschusen, Louis, Kris Budden

Vols by 15

I like the Vols to rebound from last Saturday’s tough loss in Fayetteville. The Hogs played great though, Like Vanderbilt, it had as much to do with the Hogs as it did the Vols.

Tennessee 31, Florida 14

Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2) @ No. 5 Georgia (4-1, 2-1)

Sanford Stadium

3:15 PM

SEC Network

Taylor, Stinch, Alyssa

Georgia by 33 1/2

Georgia needs to get their act together in the locker room. There’s another allegation of assault and battery on a woman, this time by wide receiver Colbie Young. Kirby Smart already kicked off wide receiver Ra Ra Thomas before the 2024 season even commenced. They’ve had major driving issues on the team as well with players speeding 100+ MPH on normal roads. Two people died after the 2022 national championship game racing, a staff member and a player, but they don’t seem to learn in Athens. Pretty dysfunctional place right now. I guess they play OK against State.

Georgia 35, Mississippi State 17

Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) @ Kentucky (3-2, 1-2)

Kroger Field, Lexington

6:45 PM

SEC Network

Tom, JRodg, Cole

Kentucky by 13 1/2

The Commodores are saying, “What does it take to get some respect?” Actually, I have a feeling that they’re cool with this undervaluation. It fuels their fire even more. Kentucky played excellent defense in their upset of Ole Miss two weeks ago, their running game is strong, and Brock Vandagriff is emerging as a very good signal caller as was anticipated when he “matriculated” to college football. He was a 5 star in high school and sat behind Carson Beck at Georgia for two years before having enough. The Wildcats at home on a Saturday Night is a difficult challenge for the Commodores. But Diego Pavia and the Commodores are like the Dillon. Texas Panthers on the next level show, Friday Night Lights. They will embrace the underdog role and use the motivational slogan that the Panthers employed every game: “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!” I’ll Anchor Down here and take my Commodores in a road upset.

Vanderbilt 24, Kentucky 21

No. 21 Missouri 35, UMass 7

Warren McGuirk? Stadium, Amherst, MA.

11 AM

ESPN 2

Mizzou by 27 1/2

Missouri got clobbered on the road last Saturday by A&M. This team is a real question mark. They could very well struggle in conference the rest of this sesaon.

Off in the SEC:

Auburn, No. 15 A&M, Arkansas.

A&M and Arkansas posted huge victories last Saturday.

It’s a rough go for Hugh and the Tigers right now though I saw some improvement last Saturday, and the recruiting is still going extremely well as Hugh and the Tigers feature the No.3 recruiting class in the country for 2025 according to 247 Sports.

National Docket

No.3 Oregon 35, No.2 Ohio State 34

Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR.

6:30 PM

NBC

Ohio State by 3

My thinking this week nationally is home team underdog. Give me Dan Lanning, quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks to pull it off before an electric crowd in Autzen Stadium.

USC 24, No. 4 Penn State 21

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

2:30 PM

CBS

Penn State by 4

Like Lincoln Riley and his Men from Troy to pull off an upset at home as well.

No. 10 Clemson 34, Wake Forest 24

Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium (Mouthful), Winston-Salem, N.C.

11 AM

ESPN

Clemson by 20 1/2

Like Clemson to get by, but not to dominate the Demon Deacons. Clemson still has plenty to prove in my opinion.

Colorado 31, No. 18 Kansas State 30

Folsom Field, Boulder, CO.

9:15 PM

ESPN

K State by 3 1/2

I like Coach Prime, his sons, quarterback Shedeur, safety, Shilo, and the terrific two-way player Travis Hunter, to pull off the upset at Folsom Field.

No. 14 BYU 31, Arizona 24

Lavell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah

3 PM

FOX

BYU by 4

Still highly bullish on the Cougars. Like them to keep the momentum going. They are always strong at home.

West Virginia 34, No. 11 Iowa State 31

Milan Pusker Stadium, Morgantown, WV

7 PM

FOX

Cyclones by 3

Like the home underdog upset once again. Still believe in West VA Coach Neal Brown. The former Troy coach is solid.

No. 17 Boise State 41, Hawai’i 21

Clarence T.C. Ching? Stadium Athletics Complex, Aloha? Honolulu

10 PM

CBS Sports Network

Broncos by 20 1/2

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has rushed for 1,031 yards and 16 TDs. He’s a phenom who has a shot at the Heisman. I would say he and Travis Hunter are the leaders in the clubhouse right now. There’s plenty of season left, but that’s the way it shakes out presently.

No. 22 Pittsburgh 31, Cal 27

Acrisure Stadium, Steel City, PA.

2:30 PM

‘ESPN

Pttt by 3 1/2

Former Crimson Tide quarterback transfer Eli Holstein has completed 113 of 172 passes, 66%, for 1,564 yards, 15 TDs against 3 ints for Pitt. The Panthers are 5-0. Cal is coming off a gut-wrenching 39-38 home loss to Miami last Saturday Night in Berkeley. Another critical officiating mistake by another ACC crew cost Cal the game. There was a missed targeting call on Miami that proved costly in the contest. These officials need to get their act together. Miami is scraping by on blown calls. That’s unacceptable.

Friday

No. 16 Utah 28, Arizona State 27

Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, AZ.

9:30- PM

ESPN

Utah by 3 1/2

The line has dropped from 6 yesterday to 3 1/2 today. Kyle Whittingham has been cryptic all year about whether seventh year starter Cam Rising will play each week. Rising is suffering from a dislocated finger on his throwing hand and has just not been able to play the last two seasons after suffering a devestating knee injury in the 2023 Rose Bowl that kept him out the entire 2023 season. Whittingham keeps sandbagging and saying “there’s a chance” he’ll play every week. Without an injury report like the SEC and Big Ten have, he’s allowed to do that in the Big 12. People are probably thinking now he’s not going to play. Maybe he will. Tired of this song and dance by Whittingham.

***Most importantly this weekend: Bama Golf***

He’s probably embarrassed I’m doing this, but one of my best all time friends and an awesome husband, father, businessman and golfer, and a consistent presence on the Blog, Joe “Bama Golf” Donald celebrates his sixty-er-thirty third birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Joseph. Have an awesome day hopefully shooting a low number on the West. Right behind you, JD.