We all think we’d make great headline writers, but it’s actually more difficult than it looks.
Coming up with something short, simple and witty that can tell the story of an entire football game in just a fraction of a sentence is a unique skill.
This season, we’re going to have some fun trying to predict the headlines you’ll read about your favorite team in your local paper on Sunday morning.
We’re at a disadvantage, of course, because we don’t know how the game will turn out. That’s the part of the prediction that makes things interesting.
Here are our headline predictions for Saturday’s games in Week 10:
Alabama (vs. LSU): Bama’s Back, Baby!
Not that they ever really went away, but the Crimson Tide has been playing from behind in the SEC West race ever since a Week 3 loss to Ole Miss. With a mammoth win at home against unbeaten LSU, Alabama would again find itself tied atop the division standings with three weeks to go.
Arkansas (at Ole Miss): Hogs served cold revenge
Arkansas took Ole Miss to the woodshed during a rainy November day in Fayetteville last season. But this season, with a venue change and a lack of the dominant defense Arkansas showed in the second half of 2014, it should be Ole Miss that comes away with a victory.
Auburn (at Texas A&M): Tigers can’t stop Murray
If last week’s performance against South Carolina was any indication, Texas A&M is headed for some good times with freshman QB Kyler Murray at the helm. His ability to beat a defense with both his legs and his arms will give teams fits, and given the struggles Auburn has had on that side of the ball this season, the Tigers may be his next victim.
Florida (vs. Vanderbilt): Gators punch ticket to Atlanta
In what’s seemed like foregone conclusion since Florida beat Georgia last week, the Gators will officially clinch the SEC East title with a homecoming victory against Vanderbilt.
Georgia (vs. Kentucky): Dawgs rally behind Richt
It has been an extremely turbulent week for the Georgia football program, and sometimes the best thing that can happen in situations like these is to simply get on the field and play some football. This team is good enough to beat Kentucky at home, provided they get passable play from whoever lines up under center.
Kentucky (at Georgia): Downward spiral continues
A loss at Georgia would mark the fourth straight defeat for the Wildcats, pushing their record to 4-5 and narrowing the margin of error for a team that desperately wants to make the postseason. Fear not, ‘Cats fans, there is still time to get there.
LSU (at Alabama): Saban strikes again
A loss in Tuscaloosa would mark the fifth consecutive loss for the Tigers against the program’s former coach. While things could get complicated following a loss, Les Miles and crew should still be sitting in pretty good shape thanks to a strong resume built on early-season wins.
Ole Miss (vs. Arkansas): Rebs get their revenge
In what was easily the most embarrassing loss of the 2014 regular season, Ole Miss was shut out by the Razorbacks in Fayetteville. Bo Wallace is gone, and so are many of the playmakers from that Arkansas defense that gave him fits. Hugh Freeze will exact his revenge.
South Carolina (at Tennessee): Gamecocks downed on Rocky Top
The effort South Carolina coach Shawn Elliott got from his group at Kyle Field last week supports the idea that we could see another really close game between the Vols and Gamecocks, but the Vols are playing really well right now, making this a tough one for the win-starved Gamecocks to grab.
Tennessee (vs. South Carolina): Vols gaining steam for stretch run
The Vols followed a 3-4 start to the season with a 52-21 win at Kentucky last week, signally they may be ready to close the season strong after a series of near misses early in the season. A win at home against a struggling South Carolina team under the direction of an interim coach is one that the Vols need to have.
Texas A&M (vs. Auburn): Aggies outscore Auburn
With two of the league’s struggling defenses on the field against two of the most respected offensive minds patrolling the sidelines, the possibility for a flurry of points seems likely. Freshman QB Kyler Murray gave the Aggies offense a shot in the arm last week, and a repeat performance should be enough to make sure the Aggies are the team with the most points at the end of the day.
Vanderbilt (at Florida): ‘Dores drown in Swamp
Vanderbilt’s offense has had quite a bit of trouble putting points on the board against defenses that don’t have near the talent or size of the Gators defensive front. That doesn’t bode well for the Commodores getting out of single digits on the scoreboard on Saturday.
Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.
