Desmond Howard sees a major shift in the SEC pecking order unfolding this week.

The ESPN analyst on “First Take” Friday morning put an SEC heavyweight on upset alert. The league has a pair of divisional showdowns this week in Kentucky at Georgia, and Alabama at Texas A&M. Howard

“I like Alabama to be on upset alert simply because they’re on the road, and A&M, they always play them pretty tough,” Howard said. “The Aggies, they could have won last year in Tuscaloosa, and don’t forget, that was a game that Bryce Young did not play. And Jalen Milroe was the quarterback for Alabama and they almost lost it in Tuscaloosa.

At stake is control of the winner’s fate in the SEC West and credibility back after early stumbles.

Alabama is trying to re-establish itself as a national contender after the Texas loss, and further belief in the fledgling offense. Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies have a great opportunity to declare themselves as SEC contenders after a loss to Miami.

“Now Jalen Milroe, he has to go on the road to College Station and going up against this Aggies team that’s looking for a signature win,” Howard said. “I think defensively, the Aggies have enough athletes defensively that they could put a spy on Jalen Milroe, keep him in the pocket and beat them with his arm as opposed to his legs. This is going to be a great matchup.”