Another huge weekend in the SEC and in college football with key conference games being played throughout the country. Bama is on the road at Neyland Stadium to face the Vols, while Auburn hosts South Carolina in their attempt to prove they are a legitimate factor in the SEC and in the playoff picture. Bama put themselves right back in the serious conversation with their de-cleating of Texas A&M last Saturday, 59-0. Auburn has work to do. Will Gus make a quarterback change if Nick Marshall is not getting the job done in the first quarter? That’s something to watch. Blake Sims has performed very well at home, but has struggled some on the road. Before 103,000 plus fans in Knoxville, he will be tested and have a chance to prove that he can play well and lead his team to victory both at home AND on the road. He’s already done it at Arkansas, so he’s shown he can, though the defense gave him a lot of help in that game. He wasn’t bad against Ole Miss; he just made an error at the end of the game. Here’s a look at both of these games along with the other SEC contests and the key national games.

Last week: 14-4

Overall: 79-36 (69%)

 

No.4 Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC) @ Tennessee (3-4, 0-3 SEC)

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville (102,455-should be quite a few more standing room only fans)

6:30 PM CT/7:3o PM ET

ESPN2

Joe Tessitore (Tess), Brock Huard, Shannon Spake

Weather: 60 degrees, clear (0% chance of rain), wind SW 7 MPH

Line: Bama by 17

T.J. Yeldon is starting to run like he’s capable of as he had a big day last week vs. Texas A&M running for 114 yards on 13 carries and two TD runs that were pretty spectacular. Derrick Henry added 70 yards on the ground and a TD catch and run. So it looks like S and the Tide are getting their familiar and prolific one-two running back tandem in place again. Bradley Bozeman played well last week at center in place of the injured Ryan Kelly. The line did a nice job. Right tackle Austin Shepherd sprained his ankle and his knee in the game, but he should be OK for this game, according to Saban. Kelly will miss this Saturday’s game, but should be available for LSU on Nov.8th in Death Valley.This will be a good test for Sims and the Tide. Am I drinking the Kool-Aid that Lou Holtz was drinking last Saturday night saying that Alabama is the best team in the country? Not yet. I want to see  the Tide on the road in Knoxville and in Baton Rouge in two weeks and see how Sims handles hostile crowds that will number well over 100,000. I am partaking in the top 4 Kool-Aid on Bama. I like Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Florida State as my top 4 playoff teams right now. With plenty of football left, there are other teams right on the cusp of that top 4. One team I’m starting to like again a lot more is Oregon. They have solidified their line with the return of left tackle Jake Fisher. They were really struggling three weeks ago because their offensive line had been decimated by injuries. But with Fisher back, the Ducks can now protect quarterback Marcus Mariota and let their playmakers make plays in the open field. Their defense is pretty good too; very opportunistic. They are third in the country in turnover margin behind Georgia (tops in the country) and Washington. Georgia is definitely another team right in the thick of it. Love the way the Dawgs are playing right now. Nick Chubb has filled in very well for Gurley and there is a chance Gurley will be back on the team before the year is out. Maybe sooner rather than later. Georgia is a serious contender.

But I like what Alabama is doing on both sides of the ball. Crushing A&M was impressive. Ole Miss also wasted A&M at College Station, 35-20, and Mississippi State wasted them at Starkville a week before, 48-31, so A&M is down for sure. But the Crimson Tide’s defense has figured it out and linebacker Reggie Ragland and defensive end Ryan Anderson are looking like dominant players. Reuben Foster is a beast on special teams and looks like he needs to get in the linebacker rotation. I like Ole Miss because of their stellar, dominating defense. Bo Wallace seems to start slow, but gets better as the game goes on. If Ole Miss happens to get behind though, we’ll see if Wallace can answer the bell in a potential predicament. That’s the question I have with Ole Miss. It’s always about Bo Wallace with Ole Miss, particularly this year, when they have a good team around him, though the running game isn’t prolific by any means. Like State and Dak Prescott. Dak just has what it takes, and he’s got an excellent supporting cast around him on both sides of the ball. FSU is still a very good team despite all the turmoil down there. So those are my top four with Oregon knocking on the door. Auburn has some work to do to get back in the discussion.

For Bama this week, it’s get that running game going early to set up the play action passing game and letting Blake Sims be the weapon he is with his arm AND his wheels. Tennessee has a very young team, but some pretty impressive young players. Freshman running back Jalen Hurd is built like a Sherman Tank at 6’3″, 227. He only played one game his senior year in high school at Beech Senior High in Tennessee, but his junior year he ran for 3,357 yards and 43 TDs. In his team’s state championship game in 2012 (his junior year), he ran for 394 yards and seven TDs in a victory for the state title. He also had two other games where he ran for 451 and 396 yards respectively. He’s rushed for 414 yards and two TDs this season for the Vols. He looks like a lot better player to me than Leonard Fournette, the heralded freshman running back at LSU. Anyway, the Tide should take care of business here, and get ready for LSU in two weeks. Like the Crimson Tide to roll at Rocky Top.

Bama 38, UT 17

 

South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) @ Auburn (5-1, 2-1)

Jordan-Hare Stadium (87,451)

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET

SEC Network

Brent, Jesse, Maria Taylor

Weather: 65 degrees, 0% rain, wind NW 8 MPH

Line: AU by 18

The Gamecocks did win last week over Furman, 41-10, but this may be the worst team Spurrier has had in Columbia, unless they can turn it around this Saturday against the Tigers. The Tigers have a lot to prove . They want to win the SEC West, of course,  and start getting back in the discussion for the playoff. They need an impressive showing here to do that. If Nick Marshall struggles, I’m thinking Gus will call on Jeremy Johnson. I could be off base on this, but Marshall was erratic against Mississippi State and has really been pretty erratic all year, and Johnson is a very good quarterback and is deserving of a shot if Marshall can’t get better this Saturday. This offense needs a spark. I’m ready to see Roc Thomas get more of a shot at tailback, too. He looks like he’s already the best of the threesome of  him, Artis-Payne,  Corey Grant. The defense needs a good game also. South Carolina has some weapons on offense. Quarterback Dylan Thompson has also had some uneven performances like Marshall, so for the Gamecocks to have any kind of shot, he’ll have to play well. The Tigers need to prove they’re back in business on defense. The return of safety Jermaine Whitehead from suspension for yelling back at a coach before the Kansas State game will help the AU defense if Whitehead is back in playing shape. Auburn should be able to take care of business on Saturday and get prepped for next week’s trip to Oxford. This is a must win for the Tigers and will make next week’s game at Oxford epic.

Auburn 41, South Carolina 28

 

No.3 Ole Miss (7-0, 4-0) @ No.24 LSU (6-2, 2-2)

Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge (102,321)

6:15 PM CT/7:15 PM ET

ESPN

Chris Fowler, Herbie, Heather Cox

Weather: 70, 0 %, wind N 6 MPH

Line: Ole Miss by 3 1/2

Should be a pretty good battle down in Death Valley. LSU still pretty youthful. Leonard Fournette has not set the SEC on fire like Les Miles said he would. He’s not even the best back on his team. Senior Terrence Magee is, and I’d argue that fellow true freshman Darrel Williams is better than Fournette too. LSU will try to pound the ball on the ground, but they’ll be going against the best front seven they’ll face all year. Ole Miss can really play defense. They are number one in the country in scoring defense, allowing 10.6 points per game. Defensive end Marquis Haynes leads the team with 6.5 sacks. D.T. Shackelford and Robert Nkemdiche are disruptive forces up front, and the secondary is tied for Louisville for most interceptions in the country at 15.  Cornerback Senquez Golson is second in the country behind Louisville’s Gerod Holliman with seven interceptions. Holliman has eight. Bo Wallace is still questionable to me and the Rebels don’t have a prolific running game, but they do have some good receivers on the perimeter led by LeQuon Treadwell, who has 34 receptions for 458 yards and four TDs. Vince Sanders and Cody Core each have four TD catches as well. It’s always tough on Saturday nights in Death Valley, but Mississippi State proved it can be done there earlier this season, winning 34-29. Ole Miss will too.

Ole Miss 28, LSU 21

 

No.1 Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0) @ Kentucky (5-2, 2-2)

Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington (67,606)

2:30 PM CT/3:30 ET

CBS

Verne, Gary, Allie

Weather: 72, 10%, wind SW @ 10 MPH

Line: State by 14

Dak Prescott is having a Heisman-like season completing 96-of-156 passes (61.5 %) for 1,478 yards, 14 TDs against just four interceptions. He’s also run for 576 yards and eight TDs. Josh Robinson may be the most underrated running back in the SEC. He’s rushed for 689 yards on 98 carries (7.0 per carry) with eight TDs. De’Runnya Wilson is outstanding. He only has 18 receptions on the season, but six of those have resulted in TDs. He’s almost un-guardable for opposing cornerbacks.Kentucky is better, but Ole Miss brought them back to Earth last week beating them 34-3 at Oxford. State will do about the same in Lexington.

State 37, Kentucky 17

 

Vandy (2-5, 0-4) @ Missouri (5-2, 2-1)

Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo. (71,168)

3 PM CT/4 ET

SEC  Network

Tom Hart, Matt Stinchcomb, Kayce Smith

Weather: 79, Sunny, wind NNW at 6 MPH

Line: Mizzou by 22

After getting blasted by Georgia at home two weeks ago, 34-0, Missouri came back and crushed Florida at the Swamp last week, 42-13. Marcus Murphy opened the game up with a 96 yard kickoff return for a TD and then ran a punt back 82 yards for a score. Murphy (374 yards, 1 TD) and Russell Hansborough (485 yards, 6 TDs) will make it a long afternoon for the Commodores defense. Mizzou defensive end Shane Ray will cause havoc for Vanderbilt quarterback Johnny McCrary. Ray is third in the country with 10 sacks on the season for -62 yards. With that said, Derek Mason and Vanderbilt may have another long afternoon as has been the case for most of the year. But the Dores are getting better, so they may keep it close for a while.

Missouri 31, Vandy 21

 

UAB (4-3) @ Arkansas (3-4)

Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Ark. (72,000)

11 AM CT/ Noon ET

SEC Network

Dave Neal, Andre Ware, Laura Rutledge

Weather: 83, Sunny, WSW 8 MPH

Line: Arkansas by 24 1/2

Jonathan Williams has rushed for 677 and 9 TDs and Alex Collins 665 and eight TDs. They’re going to add to that total on Saturday vs. the Blazers in a big way. It will be a tough afternoon for the UAB defense, though the offense should do well against not a stellar Razorback defense. Jordan Howard has rushed for 752 yards and seven TDs, and D.J. Vinson has gone for 440 and seven house calls for the Blazers. UAB should be good against the Razorback defense, but they’re going to have major problems stopping Arkansas.

Arkansas 45, UAB 28

Off this week: Georgia, Florida and A&M (thankfully for both of them)

Upset City Special of the week:

Texas goes to No.11 Kansas  State to face a Wildcats team fresh off a 31-30 upset of Oklahoma at Norman. Charlie Strong and his Texas team are starting to put it together. They gave OU everything they wanted a couple of weeks ago in Dallas, losing only 31-26. Then the Longhorns beat Iowa State in a shootout, 48-45, last Saturday night in Austin. I’m going to go with the Horns to knock off a Kansas State team that has its eyes on the playoff. The Horns derail the Wildcats’ hopes.

Texas 34, Kansas State 31

11 AM/ Noon CT on ESPN

Other games:

Friday night:

No.6 Oregon 52, Cal 31

9 PM CT/10 PM ET on FOX Sports 1

No. 14 Arizona State 30, Washington 24

9:45 PM CT/10:45 ET on ESPN

No.19 Utah 30, USC 28

9 PM CT/ 10 PM ET on FOX Sports 1

No.8 Michigan State 38, Michigan 20

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET on ABC

No.13 Ohio State 38, Penn State 23

7 PM CT/8 PM ET on ABC

No.23 Marshall 48, Florida Atlantic 14

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1

Marshall’s quarterback, Rakeem Cato, broke Russell Wilson’s consecutive game streak for throwing a touchdown as he threw a TD pass for the  39th game in a row last Saturday. This team could well possibly be the team that emerges from the group of 5  conferences (the American Athletic, Conference USA, the Mid American, the Mountain West and the Sun Belt), and play in a BCS bowl with the five “major” conferences (the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, Big Ten and ACC). Marshall is in Coosa (C-USA). They’re a pretty interesting team.

No.10 TCU 45, Texas Tech 31

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET on FOX

No.22 West Virginia 42, Oklahoma State 37

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET ON ESPN

No.16 Nebraska 42, Rutgers 21

11 AM CT/Noon ET on ESPN2

No.25 UCLA 38, Colorado 28

1 PM CT/2 PM ET on Pac-12 Network

Stanford 31, Oregon State 17

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM  ET ESPN2

Tonight

Virginia Tech 31, Miami 28

7 PM CT/8 PM ET on ESPN