October is here and so is an almost-full SEC-on-SEC schedule.
Yes, 3 teams are off, and LSU might as well be off. But otherwise, it’s time to dig into the SEC race.
As usual, we’ve got you covered whether your plan is to crash and experience the entire weekend of college football or to dip in for a big game.
Here’s the rundown of who plays when, where, and which games you should make sure to catch.
Snooze-fest ⭐ (1-star games)
These are the games you can fall asleep to:
McNeese State at LSU (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
With LSU a roughly 53.5-point favorite in the latest odds, it’s not hard to figure out which game you could easily miss in Week 5. There’s just not much to be learned here.
A bit compelling ⭐⭐ (2-star games)
Not the best the weekend has to offer, but mildly intriguing:
Vanderbilt at Georgia (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Pretty horrifically one-sided, but Georgia remains one of the most compelling teams to watch as October opens. Meanwhile, Jared Curtis is about to get an education on facing top competition — which will probably be a painful lesson.
Now we’re listening ⭐⭐⭐ (3-star games)
If you’ve got nothing else going on, relax and check these games out:
Arkansas at Texas A&M (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Texas A&M is a 2-score favorite, but given how awful the Aggies’ offense has been, it’s fair to wonder if Arkansas can hang around this game. If KJ Jackson and the Hogs have any designs on making a step forward in league play, this could be an opportunity to show it.
Break out the guacamole ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4-star games)
Invite some friends over to watch these matchups:
Auburn at Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Auburn hasn’t been overwhelming, but catching Tennessee‘s team off a game that showcased some serious offensive line deficiencies feels an awful lot like opportunity knocking for the Tigers. Meanwhile, the Vols will be ready to establish that a 1-score loss to Texas shouldn’t be disqualifying for their College Football Playoff hopes.
Kentucky at South Carolina (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Kentucky is looking to prove itself ahead of schedule in Year 1 of the Will Stein rebuild, while South Carolina is likely playing for its head coach’s job. The winner of this game has a very livable path to a bowl game and the loser is going to have some serious heavy lifting to do. The game also represents the smallest point spread difference between the teams.
Block off the time, turn off the phone, pop the popcorn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5-star games)
You’re not going to want to miss a single second of these matchups:
Alabama at Mississippi State (Noon ET, ABC)
Two top-16 teams stuck facing off at noon? Boy, that McNeese-LSU game at night seems like it would have perhaps fit better in this spot. Alabama is a solid visiting favorite, but the Tide have been winning ugly in spots. Meanwhile, Mississippi State has become the sleeper SEC contender of the season so far. It feels like the Bulldogs get a harsh shot of reality, but it will take more consistency than Alabama has generally displayed throughout the young season.
Florida at Missouri (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
The other ranked-on-ranked game of the SEC week and there’s plenty of intrigue here. Florida, like Mississippi State, has been a positive surprise through the early season, and gets a second consecutive game against a ranked foe. But this is a Mizzou team off a loss to Mississippi State and a second straight loss pretty much knocks the Tigers out of not only the top 25 but also any real shot at the College Football Playoff. This is a battle of 2 of the better rushing teams in the SEC and that ground attack could be key to the outcome.
The Game to See
Got to be Alabama-Mississippi State. It’s one of the best QB battles we’ll see all year.
Dark Horse Game to Watch
Probably Kentucky-South Carolina because there’s an awful lot riding on a Week 5 outcome for both of these teams. If Auburn’s offense can get going early, the Tigers’ battle with Tennessee could be really interesting.
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Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.
