There’s no arguing that the SEC’s biggest game in Week 9 is the battle between No. 11 Florida and the unranked Bulldogs in Jacksonville.
Desmond Howard said the Gators will exploit the Georgia offensive line in the largest cocktail party, but Kirk Herbstreit thinks that people have forgotten about the threat the Bulldogs pose.
“The winner of that game controls — really, [is] in the driver’s seat — to have a chance to get to Atlanta and the SEC Championship,” Herbstreit said. “So there’s a lot on the line in that matchup.”
Herbstreit had high praises for Gators QB Treon Harris and his performance against man-to-man defenses, but he still picked the Bulldogs to upset Florida, while the rest of the analysts picked Florida to hold on.
“I think this is another one of those low-scoring, field-position, who-wins-the-turnovers type of game,” Herbstreit said.
Rece Davis looked ahead to No. 4 LSU at No. 7 Alabama in Week 10, and he asked the GameDay team if the Crimson Tide is one of the Top 4 teams in the country as of Week 9.
David Pollack and Howard both said yes. Lee Corso said he ranks the Tide behind the eight undefeated teams left in FBS play. Herbstreit told Corso a team being undefeated isn’t relevant because of the strength of schedule factor.
“Alabama did a great job picking up the pieces after the Ole Miss loss,” Herbstreit said.
While he dropped the Tide out of his Top 4 after the struggle against Tennessee, he said, “If they win out, they’re going to be in the final four.”
Herbstreit later unveiled his GameDay Halloween costume: Les Miles. And he put Howard (dressed as Clemson’s Dabo Swinney) in his place.
“Winning is a thing that is inherent in how you are raised, something that you carry for a lifetime,” Herbstreit/Miles said.
In its prediction of the first College Football Playoff Rankings, the GameDay team has LSU at No. 4 and Alabama at No. 6, but we will get to see the real ranking on Tuesday.
Shifting the focus to two struggling SEC teams, Herbstreit recognized that emotion will play a big part in how the Rebels play against the Auburn Tigers today, especially because of WR Laquon Treadwell’s injury and fumble that cost Ole Miss the game in 2014.
Aggies QB Kyler Murray will be starting today against South Carolina in light of Kyle Allen’s sluggish performance in the first seven games.
“We can talk about Allen and injury, the reality is their offensive line has given up a lot of pressure,” Herbstreit said. “Murray gives them more of a chance to have success.”
On the other side of the field, the Gamecocks have nothing to lose.
“They’re going to try anything they can to be able to find a chance to get the football in [WR Pharoh Cooper’s] hands,” Herbstreit said.
Herbstreit didn’t forget about the SEC underdogs in Week 9.
“Vandy’s defense, every single week, is doing enough to keep them in the game,” Kirk Herbstreit said. “[Vanderbilt] might be the best defense Houston has seen all year.”
Herbstreit’s Week 9 SEC picks
- No. 19 Ole Miss over Auburn
- Georgia over No. 11 Florida (upset alert)
- Tennessee over Kentucky
Texas A&M at South Carolina (TAMU -15.5), UT-Martin at Arkansas (ARK -39) and Vanderbilt at No. 18 Houston (HOU -12) were not picked by the GameDay crew today.
