There are still some cupcakes to be eaten (or not as we’ve seen), but now we’re starting to kick it into high gear as seven SEC teams open conference play.
Let’s take a look at 10 interesting tidbits about Week 3 of the SEC schedule that you can impress your friends with:
- SEC teams hold a collective all-time record of 28-24-3Â against their Week 3 non-conference opponents.
- Kentucky vs. New Mexico State, Florida vs. North Texas and Arkansas vs. Texas State will be the first-ever matchups between each of the programs.
- The six FBS non-conference programs playing SEC teams in Week 3 combined for a 5-0 record in Week 2. (Texas State was on a bye).
- Altogether, the SEC’s non-conference opponents have a record of 8-3 entering Week 3. Georgia Tech (2-0), East Carolina (2-0), and Texas State (1-0) have not suffered a loss yet.
- Vanderbilt, which travels to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech, is the only SEC team that has a non-conference road game this week.
- Let the games begin. There are four matchups that pit SEC teams up against each other this week, which equals the total from Week 3 last season.
- LSU has won 15 of the last 16 matchups with Mississippi State, but that one loss did come at home in 2014. The Tigers are 72-34-3 all-time in this series.
- Arguably the most appealing game of the entire weekend will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS when No. 1 Alabama travels to Oxford to face No. 19 Ole Miss. Nick Saban is currently on a two-game losing streak against the Rebels after falling at home in 2015 by a final of 43-37. No team has beaten Saban three straight times in his tenure at Tuscaloosa, and only LSU even did it back-to-back times.
- With four FCS teams and just two Power 5 opponents on the slate, the SEC combined for a 10-0 record in non-conference games in Week 2. ESPN’s FPI predicts a 5-1 record for the SEC outside the league this weekend, with Vanderbilt losing to the Yellow Jackets.
- Arkansas was the only SEC underdog in non-conference play during Week 2 but ended up upsetting TCU, 41-38, in double overtime. This week, Vanderbilt (+7.5) is the only underdog. Click here to check out all of the lines.
Tyler Waddell is a member of the Saturday Down South news team. He brings over five years of professional journalism experience and is closing in on a Bachelor's in sports management. Follow him on Twitter (@Tyler_Waddell).
