Alabama and Auburn have more tune-up games this week for the Iron Bowl next Saturday. I know S went off yesterday when a writer asked him when he was planning on playing the freshmen in the Charleston Southern game. I don’t blame the writer for asking and I don’t blame S for his response. Charleston Southern is 9-1, and while they haven’t beaten anybody that great, they’re a challenge because Alabama needs to play well, get Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough good reps to see what they can do if Kenyon Drake can’t make it back this season, though he could be available for the playoff if Alabama takes care of business, and get Jake Coker and the receivers some chances to make chain moving and explosive plays. Also, give Derrick Henry more carries to keep him charged for the late season push.
Auburn is still trying to figure things out. The defense played well against Georgia; they are coming around. But the offense couldn’t do anything against a pretty decent Georgia defense. Jeremy Johnson just hasn’t figured it out this year and Sean White has been on the shelf with an injury. Johnson is expected to start against Idaho. Auburn needs to win to get to a bowl game and get ready for the Crimson Tide next week. So both teams’ games are important in their respective ways. There are a three or four excellent games in the conference, and some blockbuster national games. Here’s a look at the slate this week.
Last week: 17-7
Overall: 167-48 (78%)
Charleston Southern @ No. 2 Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium
3 PM CT/4 PM ET
SEC Network
Line: Bama by 20 1/2
The key here, to me, is seeing if Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough can have good games. Derrick Henry has been phenomenal this year and has a good shot at winning the Heisman. But he needs help. So if one or both of these guys could step up and play well, that would be a huge boost to the team as it’s uncertain about Kenyan’s return from a broken right arm. Jake Coker needs to have a good game, and if the Tide could get a comfortable lead it would be beneficial to play the young guys for future purposes. But they need a good performance from the starters to keep the team tuned up for the Iron Bowl and what comes after that. Charleston Southern is 9-1 and starts Austin Brown, who played at UAB and was a pretty effective quarterback there. He’s done a good job for Charleston Southern and they run a version of the triple option which is always tough to defend. It’s actually a pretty good test for the defense as it gears up for the huge game next. Bama will take care of business. This is a hungry Alabama football team. They are the polar opposite of complacent. And they’re outstanding. Like the Tide to get it done comfortably and gear up for the Tigers next Saturday.
Bama 35, Charleston Southern 14
Idaho @ Auburn
J0rdan-Hare Stadium
3 PM CT/4 PM ET
SEC Alternate Channel
AU by 33 1/2
Auburn needed to have an identity on offense by now. They had been running the ball very well and took it down the field against Georgia on the first drive and looked like they were clicking. But it just went South after that. I don’t know what Gus’s plans are for the Iron Bowl at quarterback, but he will really need to get something out of Jeremy Johnson if Sean White is unavailable to play this week. White most likely will be able to play against the Crimson Tide, but Auburn really needs a boost from their offense. They need a good performance here to get some momentum going into next Saturday and also become bowl eligible.
Auburn 31, Idaho 17
No. 15 LSU @ Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET
CBS
Ole Miss by 5 1/2
Somebody asked Todd Gurley if he thought Leonard Fournette should skip his junior season and wait for the NFL draft in 2017. Gurley, who’s having an excellent rookie season with the St. Louis Rams, thought it was an idiotic question. I do too. Fournette did nothing against Alabama. Granted, Alabama has the best defense in the country and is better than many of the defenses in the NFL. But he couldn’t get anything done against Arkansas either last week. Fournette just needs to put his head down, block out this noise, and get better as a running back. If he can’t do it against college defenses how is he ever going to do it in the NFL. So he’s got plenty of work to do to become a big time player in college. After he’s played three seasons in college, and if he does well the rest of this season and next year, then he can go on to the next level. But right now, he’s got a tough defense to go against this Saturday. And he and his team have their work cut out for them. Ole Miss has struggled a little bit lately, but they’re a quality team. LSU has their hands full, and they haven’t been anything special this year. Alabama pummeled them two weeks ago and Arkansas pretty much pummeled them last week. I don’t think it gets any better for them this week. People in Baton Rouge are getting a little restless with Miles. He’s done a pretty good job there, but can’t seem to get over the hump with his talented rosters year in and year out. Fournette may have a good game, but it’s going to be tough to run against a good defense and passing is a question mark for LSU with the undependable Brandon Harris. Like the Rebels’ offense and defense better than LSU’s.
Ole Miss 35, LSU 28
Mississippi State @ Arkansas
Razorback Stadium
6 PM CT/7 PM ET
ESPN
Arkansas by 4
Really like what Bielema has done in Fayetteville. He’s got a good football team. Brandon Allen has been outstanding at quarterback and Alex Collins is a terrific running back. The whole team is on fire right now after dominating LSU in Baton Rouge. State is just getting over being blasted by the Crimson Tide. It’s going to be tough for them to win at the Hogs. Should be a solid game though.
Arkansas 35, State 30
Texas A&M @ Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Stadium
6:3o PM CT/7:30 PM ET
SEC Network
A&M by 6 1/2
The Vanderbilt defense has been outstanding under Derek Mason. Their offense finally got something going against Kentucky with freshman Kyle Shurmur doing a really good job in a 21-17 Commodores victory. I’m not sure what to think of A&M. They’ve got a lot of talent offensively, but can’g get it done in the big games it’s seems like. Going with the hotter team right now in what should be an excellent game.
Vanderbilt 28, A&M 27
Tennessee @ Missouri
Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field
6:15 PM CT/7:15 PM ET
ESPN2
Tennessee by 7 1/2
Missouri had an excellent victory over a pretty good BYU team last Saturday. Going into that game, I thought the team was lost after the controversy surrounding the university and Gary Pinkel’s announcement that after the season he would be stepping down due to cancer, which I’m really sorry about. He’s been a very good coach, so I hope for the best for him. But the team is rallying around him right now. UT is a good offensive team, but Missouri plays good defense. Their young freshman quarterback, Drew Lock, is a talented player who was a highly rated recruit and is getting comfortable in the college game. Russell Hansbrough ran for 125 yards last week, so that helped the Tigers in their 20-16 win over BYU. The team is playing for their coach, so I’m going with another upset here.
Missouri 28, Tennessee 24
Other SEC scores:
No. 8 Florida 35, Florida Atlantic 7
11 AM CT/ Noon ET
SEC Network
Georgia 34, Georgia Southern 21
6 PM CT/7PM ET
ESPNU
South Carolina 31, Citadel 24
11 AM CT/Noon ET
SEC Alternate Network
Kentucky 42, Charlotte 14
6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET
SEC Alternate Channel
National look starting with the Blockbustuhs
No. 9 Michigan State @No.3 Ohio State
Ohio Stadium, Columbus
2:30 PM
ABC
Michigan State has a somewhat banged up quarterback in Connor Cook. Even if he is healthy, I don’t believe the Spartans can pull this out. Ohio State hasn’t been impressive at all this year for the most part, but the talent is still there. They might be more motivated now that the games are huge these last two weeks of the regular season against Michigan State at home and at the Big House next week against Michigan. They’ll be motivated now. But I bet the Spartans give them a good game.
Ohio State 35, Michigan State 31
No. 10 Baylor @ No.6 Oklahoma State
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET
FOX
Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham is a little banged up, but Art Briles said he’s fine to play. I like Baylor’s offensive firepower to be a little better than the Cowboys and knock the Cowboys out of the playoff picture most likely. Should be an outstanding game offensively though, and and a fun game to watch.
Baylor 38, Oklahoma State 35
No. 12 Michigan @ Penn State
Beaver Stadium, Happy Valley, Pa.
11 AM CT/Noon ET
ABC
This is a huge game, a major rivalry game. There are two big name coaches in Jim Harbaugh and James Franklin going at it. Two good football teams, too. I like the Wolverines to get it done on the road and set up a huge matchup for a possible Big Ten championship against Ohio State next week.
Michigan 28, Penn State 24
No. 18 TCU @ No. 7 Oklahoma
Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
7 PM CT/8 PM ET
ABC
This game has huge national implications for the Sooners. They need to take care of business here and get ready for a date in Stillwater next Saturday against Oklahoma State in the Bedlam game.
OU 42, TCU 30
Other noteworthy games
No. 23 Oregon 42, No. 24 USC 35
2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET
ESPN
No.5 Iowa 31, Purdue 28
11 AM CT/Noon ET
ESPN2
No. 20 Northwestern 31, No. 25 Wisconsin 30
2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET
Big Ten Network
No. 13 Utah 35, UCLA 31
2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET
FOX
No. 1 Clemson 49, Wake Forest 17
2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET
ESPN2
No. 21 Memphis 35, Temple 31
11 AM CT/Noon ET
ESPNU
No.17 North Carolina 28, Virginia Tech 27
11 AM CT/Noon ET
ESPN
No. 16 Navy 42, Tulsa 28
6 PM CT/7 PM ET
CBS Sports Network
No. 11 Stanford 35, Cal 31
9:30 PM CT/10:30 PM ET
ESPN
No.4 Notre Dame 42, Boston College 14
6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET
NBC Sports Network