Commence Playoff eliminators from here on out.

Nationally-ranked matchups with heavy postseason implications begin this weekend with Auburn’s trip to Oxford. A loss for either team is a second blemish that could be too difficult to overcome.

Week 9 Results

  • Brad Crawford — 2-4 (against the spread); 5-1 (straight up)
  • Christopher Smith — 5-1 (ATS); 5-1 (straight up)

Season totals

  • Brad (@BCrawfordSDS) — 31-33 (against the spread); 51-13 (straight up)
  • Christopher (@csmithSDS) — 35-29 (ATS); 54-10 (straight up)

Readers can make their Week 10 picks here.

RELATED: SEC Power Rankings

As for this week’s games …

Auburn at Ole Miss (-2.5)

Brad: Could the Rebels lose back-to-back games? This one has major College Football Playoff implications, a matchup involving a pair of SEC West contenders ranked in the top four of the initial rankings. Auburn’s already struggled once this season against a solid defense (win at Kansas State) and that’ll happen against Saturday night in Oxford. This time, the Tigers won’t be so lucky. Ole Miss 23, Auburn 20

Christopher: I think the Rebels are a better team than the Tigers. Kansas State prioritized run defense against Auburn, and if not for a handful of botched red zone plays, KSU would’ve won that game. The Ole Miss defense gave up just 10 points to LSU despite being under constant stress Saturday. Unless Nick Marshall can get the ball to his talented receivers downfield against what has to be the nation’s best secondary, I don’t see Auburn putting up a ton of points. Ole Miss 17, Auburn 10.

Florida vs. Georgia (-12.5)

Brad: Keep an eye on margin of victory in this game. If the Gators fail to show up, Will Muschamp could be handed his papers early Sunday. Florida, like the Georgia, has had two weeks to prepare and I think we’ll see a defensive game as a result. Treon Harris at quarterback gives Kurt Roper’s offense a different wrinkle, but Jeremy Pruitt’s going to unleash his hounds on defense no matter who starts under center on the opposite sideline. Georgia 20, Florida 13

Christopher: As of Wednesday evening, 86 percent of the public money has favored Georgia. And why not? The Gators have lost three of four, including a one-point win at Tennessee. The Bulldogs, however, have won four consecutive SEC games since falling at South Carolina, looking even more dominant without Todd Gurley. But Georgia’s defense has outperformed its ability the last few weeks and Florida’s defense is better than the numbers thanks to a staggering Gators offense. This is Will Muschamp’s final last stand. The players haven’t quit on him yet. I don’t trust Hutson Mason to win the game for Georgia, and I think Muschamp’s defense sells out to limit Nick Chubb and the run game. This one stays closer than many expect. Georgia 31, Florida 20.

Arkansas at Mississippi State (-10.5)

Brad: We’ve heard it all season: ‘Arkansas will beat someone it shouldn’t this fall.’ So … is this the game? No one’s talking about the Razorbacks any longer, a team in danger of finishing 0-8 in the SEC for the second straight season under Bret Bielema. Late-game execution’s been a problem throughout the season and Saturday’s matchup against Mississippi State will test Arkansas’ defense up front. The Bulldogs have bigger games ahead and won’t look past the Razorbacks. Mississippi State 34, Arkansas 20

Christopher: The Razorbacks once looked feisty. Now they look ordinary. Mississippi State’s defense matches up well against a physical, one-dimensional Arkansas offense, while Dak Prescott, Josh Robinson, De’Runnya Wilson and company have scored at least 34 points in every game. The Bulldogs reassert themselves as the nation’s No. 1 team here. Mississippi State 42, Arkansas 21.

Kentucky at Mizzou (-7)

Brad: The toughest game of the weekend to pick, I’m going with the program that’s performed better on offense this season. The Wildcats countered Dak Prescott’s top-ranked Bulldogs last week with a high-powered offense of their own led by Patrick Towles, arguably the SEC’s most improved player after nine weeks of the season. Towles was a one-man offensive juggernaut against Mississippi State and has increased his confidence with each additional throw — or carry — this season. Kentucky covers on the road and climbs back into the East race. Kentucky 34, Mizzou 27

Christopher: The Tigers may be the worst 7-2 SEC team in years if they win this game. Missouri’s defensive line can win 1-on-1 matchups against the Wildcats. Gary Pinkel’s defense, in fact, has played very well. If Maty Mauk and the passing game return to form, Missouri could win handily. But I think these teams are fairly even with Mizzou’s offense languishing. I’d make Kentucky a field goal underdog on a neutral field. Indiana and Georgia already have won in Columbia, Mo. I’ll take Mizzou to win, but Kentucky covers. Missouri 24, Kentucky 21.

Tennessee at South Carolina (-7)

Brad: How do you garner hype for an Eastern Division rivalry pitting two underachieving teams this season? Promise new uniforms for the home team. The Gamecocks are donning black threads for the first time since 2011 Saturday night and are gunning for their fourth straight home win over the Vols. It’s a game both teams need to strengthen their case toward bowl eligibility, but the Gamecocks, at least on paper, are the better team. South Carolina 35, Tennessee 24

Christopher: The Gamecocks offense against the Vols defense is an intriguing and undersold matchup. Say what you will about Nick Saban’s tendency to take his foot off the accelerator, but Tennessee limited Alabama to 14 points after a first-quarter explosion. And Dylan Thompson, Mike Davis and Pharoh Cooper have helped South Carolina average a respectable 35.1 points per game. Now that the element of surprise is gone with Tennessee QB Josh Dobbs, the Gamecocks defensive front finally should find a unit it can dominate. South Carolina 28, Tennessee 17.

Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M (-33)

Brad: Kenny Hill or Kyle Allen? Both quarterbacks will play, though Kevin Sumlin hasn’t yet announced his starter for this weekend’s game against Louisiana-Monroe, the ideal bounce-back from a 59-point thumping at Alabama. Sumlin said Wednesday that the media focused too much on the quarterback battle during the bye week when in fact, the Aggies opened back up nearly all positions. Texas A&M 45, Louisiana Monroe 17

Christopher: The Aggies hammered these sorts of lines early in the season, going 2-1 ATS against weak non-conference opponents Lamar, Rice and SMU. Three consecutive losses against Top 10 teams — and one of the most unfavorable bye week schedules in the nation — made this team look worse than pedestrian in October. But it’s a new month. Despite the talk, I expect QB Kenny Hill to retain his starting position and the offensive line to regain its mojo, while Myles Garrett should break Jadeveon Clowney’s freshman sack record in this one. Texas A&M 49, Louisiana-Monroe 14.

Old Dominion at Vanderbilt (-7)

Brad: Is Johnny McCrary the answer in Nashville? The Commodores looked like an SEC team in last week’s loss at Mizzou and actually had a heartbeat on offense with the dual-threat freshman under center. Vanderbilt as a 7-point home favorite to Old Dominion is an indictment on this year’s team, but the Commodores have a chance to cover convincingly since they’ve played better as of late. Vanderbilt 27, Ole Dominion 14

Christopher: As bad as the Commodores have been this season, the team is quietly 3-1 ATS in the last four games. The Monarchs are 121st in scoring defense, so even Vanderbilt ought to be able to score points in this one, regardless of who plays at quarterback. Good luck finding the will power to watch this one if you’re not a Vandy fan. Vanderbilt 27, Old Dominion 13.