Sports Editor Collin Brister and Sports writer Brian Rippee pick the SEC games for this weekend.
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida (11 a.m. SEC Network)
Collin Brister: Here are a list of things you could do at 11 a.m. instead of watching this game: walk your dog, walk your cat, jog, play golf, go swimming, sleep, make a movie or, if you can’t find anything else, type up that paper that’s due in two weeks.
Prediction: Florida 39 Florida Atlantic 3
Brian Rippee: Ah yes, the hated SEC November bye week. Treon Harris will be out of this game by halftime for rest.
Prediction: Florida 49 Florida Atlantic 3
The Citadel at South Carolina (11 a.m. SEC Network Alternate)
Collin Brister: See previous response.
Prediction: South Carolina: 31 Citadel 7
Brian Rippee: South Carolina has been a disaster this year, with the head ball coach leaving, among other things, but they’ll handle this pretty easily.
Prediction: South Carolina 42 The Citadel 10
LSU at Ole Miss
Collin Brister: This is it for the Rebels. This game is their legacy. That might not be fair, but neither is life. I saw that on a high school poster one time. I think Ole Miss is better than LSU at this point, and I know they have the better quarterback. Leonard Fournette poses a problem, but I think Ole Miss will come out victorious.
Prediction: Ole Miss 34 LSU 31
Brian Rippee: Two teams are down and looking to get back up. LSU has hit the meat of their schedule and not handled it well, so far. Ole Miss will contain Fournette (to a degree) and expose LSU as being one-dimensional. Earlier this week, Les Miles said The Vaught is not a tough environnment to play in. Well, he’s about to lose for the third time in his last four trips.
Prediction: Ole Miss 35 LSU 20
Charleston Southern at Alabama (3 p.m. SEC Network)
Collin Brister: Nick Saban went on a rant. He talked about tin horns and Georgia Southern and some other stuff that is so irrelevant to everyday life. Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide aren’t going to lose, but that’s not going to stop him from somehow incorporating two curse words and marriage talk into a press conference.
Prediction: Alabama 42 Charleston Southern 3
Brian Rippee: Saban went on a rant after Wednesday practice about no one giving Charleston Southern a chance. Lets get real here, Nick. I’m not either.
Prediction: Alabama 38 Charleston Southern 0
Idaho at Auburn (3 p.m. SEC Network Alternate)
Collin Brister: Are you not excited for this football game? How could you not be excited for a 3 p.m. kickoff between the Idaho Vandals and Auburn Tigers? Did you not see the blazing offenses that Georgia and Auburn put on the field last week?
Prediction: Auburn 24 Idaho 6
Brian Rippee: Auburn’s been very bad at times this year, and it’s largely because of bad quarterback play. I don’t see that changing this week.
Prediction: Auburn 28 Idaho 10
Mississippi State at Arkansas (6:00 p.m. ESPN)
Collin Brister: Outside of Ole Miss and LSU, this is the first game that wouldn’t put me to sleep. A week after getting trounced by Alabama, the Bulldogs will have to go to Fayetteville and take on a hot Arkansas team. Brandon Allen will pick State’s defense apart.
Prediction: Arkansas 38 Mississippi State 27
Brian Rippee: Bret Bielema has the Razorbacks rolling. The Hogs are coming off back to back road wins at Ole Miss and LSU. Alex Collins is running behind a monstrosity of and offensive line Brandon Allen has thrown seven touchdowns in his last two games with only one pick. Alabama exposed how bad States’ offensive line was last week, and I think Arkansas’s front four will do the same.
Prediction: Arkansas 35 Mississippi State 17
Georgia Southern at Georgia (6 p.m. ESPNU)
Collin Brister: Georgia Southern can run through Alabama’s defense like (expletive) through a tin can, apparently. Ask Nick Saban. Georgia isn’t good at football, and somehow they’re going to go 9-3. Mark Richt is blessed. He will be blessed with another year in Georgia, unless he loses this game.
Prediction: Georgia 31 Georgia Southern 14
Brian Rippee: Mark Richt is coaching for his job down the homestretch of this season. A win at Auburn last week pulled him out of the fire a little, and a hiccup this week would all but end his tenure at Georgia. Georgia Southern rushes for 380 yards per game but it wont be enough.
Prediction: Georgia 35 Georgia Southern 14
Tennessee at Missouri (6:15 ESPN2)
Collin Brister: The Volunteers are on their tour of beating really bad football teams and telling the world they’re back. I thought Missouri was done and had given up. The Tigers, however, showed a pulse last week in defeating BYU. You know what, Missouri will keep it going and become bowl eligible.
Prediction: Missouri 21 Tennessee 20
Brian Rippee: Missouri surprised most last week with a win over BYU despite a great deal of turmoil on its campus. An anemic offense came to life, at least a little, and it’s senior day in Columbia. The Tigers are playing with their hearts on their sleeves for Gary Pinkel in his final two games after being diagnosed with Lymphoma.
Prediction: Missouri 24 Tennessee 17
Texas A&M at Vanderbilt (SEC Network 6:30 p.m.)
Collin Brister: Vanderbilt hasn’t quit on their season. Texas A&M has quit on their season. The Aggies aren’t very good, and are somehow a seven-point favorite in this game. I don’t think Vanderbilt is very good, but they’ll keep the Aggies in the game. The Aggies’ talent will shine in the end.
Prediction: Texas A&M 24 Vanderbilt 23
Brian Rippee: The wheels have fallen off for Kevin Sumlin’s Aggies and Vanderbilt continues to improve each week under Derrick Mason. A&M will struggle against an underrated Vanderbilt defense and the Dores will get their third SEC win.
Prediction: Texas A&M 17 Vanderbilt 20
Charlotte at Kentucky (6:30 p.m.)
Collin Brister: No.
Kentucky: 11 Charlotte: 4
Brian Rippee: Remember when Mark Stoops was “building something special” and Kentucky football was “almost there?” I don’t know what you can build off of playing Charlotte in November, but nevertheless the Cats will win big.
Prediction: Kentucky 35 Charlotte 3
