Where do we go next?
Massive upsets, surprising blowouts, even Arkansas winning a conference game. Week 7 had plenty of surprises.
Week 8’s slate is a bit trimmed by a bunch of midseason byes, but for the discerning SEC viewer, we’ll still get you ready for all 6 league games this weekend.
Whether you’re the all-day couch potato or the busy fan trying to find the best game to watch, we’ve got you covered.
Snooze-fest ⭐ (1-star games)
There are none. Six conference games. Sleep some other time.
A bit compelling ⭐⭐ (2-star games)
A week ago, some idiot put Auburn and Georgia in this category. Lesson learned. There are no mildly intriguing SEC games either.
Now we’re listening ⭐⭐⭐ (3-star games)
If you’ve got nothing else going on, relax and check these games out:
Texas A&M at Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
This might have been a must-see in the preseason, but now, it’s looking like a landing spot for one of a pair of struggling teams. The good news for Alabama is it is at home and the floor still seems significantly higher than whatever Texas A&M is going through. Probably why the Tide are the biggest favorite in the conference this week.
Oklahoma at Mississippi State (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
The only league game without a ranked team definitely has some intrigue. Oklahoma has a strong defense and a depressing offense. Mississippi State has a brilliant offense, but the 2 biggest playmakers are still mending brittle bones. That’s likely the story here — with Kamario Taylor and Fluff Bothwell, even at 75%, State has the upper hand. Without one or both, the Sooners can probably grind out the win.
Break out the guacamole ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4-star games)
Invite some friends over to watch these matchups:
Vanderbilt at Kentucky (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
This game is usually one of the ugliest ones in the SEC. But admittedly, one of the involved teams is not usually in the College Football Playoff hunt. The Kentucky Wildcats have been the positive surprise of the SEC and Vanderbilt would love to play spoiler.
LSU at Auburn (Noon ET, ABC)
We’re getting into some higher-echelon competition here. Auburn is feisty off last week’s upset of Georgia, and LSU badly needs a quality win — and to avoid a third league loss. The obvious ploy here is to say that the Tigers win. But Lane Kiffin versus a rowdy road crowd is interesting — and the LSU brand of Tigers is still figuring out how to handle the road in conference play.
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:
Tennessee at South Carolina (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
By picking this as the better game, it’s a veritable certainty that this will be a 30-point blowout and LSU-Auburn will go to 18 overtimes and provide the most historic game ever. But it was a tough call here. Tennessee has the superior CFP positioning and is a mildly surprising road underdog here. South Carolina may well be playing for Shane Beamer‘s job and this one feels kind of fascinating.
Ole Miss at Texas (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
The game of the week presents the actual best QB in the conference vs. the guy who is infamously supposed to be the best QB in the conference. In many ways, it’s a metaphor for the teams. Ole Miss is still seeking continued legitimacy at the top of the SEC, while Texas is rumored to be contemplating moving on from Steve Sarkisian, particularly if underwhelming performances continue. And it’s in Austin, so the team that lost its last 2 games is a slight favorite.
The Game to See
Ole Miss-Texas feels like the one, although either the Tennessee-South Carolina or LSU-Auburn games could be really, really interesting.
Sleeper Game of the Week
Plenty of story lines, but that Oklahoma-Mississippi State game could be a sneaky-important one. Texas can attest to the dangers of sleeping on Oklahoma and it would be awfully nice to see Kamario Taylor back on the field.
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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.
