As the SEC stretch run heads down to the wire, what can’t you miss?
There’s a pair of outstanding ranked-on-ranked CFP-relevant battles this weekend. But what else is on, and which games are the most worth watching?
These rankings are subjective, but also account for league and national impact along with how exciting and how close the games will be.
Games are ranked on a 1-to-5 star scale, with 5 being the most watchable game and 1 being the least.
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The games worth cancelling your plans, shutting off your phone, and to quote Lane Kiffin, the ones worth getting your popcorn ready for on Saturday:
No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 4 Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
No need to duck the obvious on this one. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Oklahoma Sooners, Ty Simpson and John Mateer, the early-season darling vs. the consistent riser of the SEC slate — it’s a must-see. Alabama is in good shape and Oklahoma is probably on the outside of the CFP looking in. But that could change in a hurry. It’s certainly a game not to miss.
No. 10 Texas at No. 5 Georgia (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
More of the same. Two top 10 teams, a Georgia squad that is sitting in great shape and a Texas one that is much less so. But if Arch Manning wants to craft some sort of redemption arc in a difficult season, this game is probably the one to make it happen. Georgia is coming off a shockingly complete game, but has otherwise been pretty vulnerable. Could be down to the wire in this one.
4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not quite as electric as the 5-star games, but still great quality college football.
Florida at No. 7 Ole Miss (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
This isn’t the most competitive game and Florida is playing awful football. But the whole “poaching Lane Kiffin” circus seems like a must-see storyline. How will Oxford and Ole Miss treat the Gators? Will Lane run the score up on the team that’s rumored to be in the process of writing him a massive check? Even if the game isn’t competitive, the subplots seem excellent.
3 stars ⭐⭐⭐
A game with some intriguing aspects, but generally not as competitive or interesting as those above.
South Carolina at No. 3 Texas A&M (Noon ET, ESPN)
If this game was likely to be competitive, it would rank much higher. But the Aggies alone justify it as an interesting game. With Texas A&M having a seemingly direct path to the CFP, it’s going to be under the microscope.
Mississippi State at Missouri (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
With Missouri pretty much out of the CFP picture, this game becomes pivotal as perhaps the best shot at 5-5 Mississippi State playing its way into the bowl picture. It’s not the most electric of matchups, but it’s 2 competent teams with plenty left to play for in 2025.
Arkansas at LSU (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
A battle of coachless teams should be interesting. LSU is fading fast, but likely still has an advantage over the defensively struggling Razorbacks. This one might feel a bit morbid, but there should be some excellent competition here.
2 stars ⭐⭐
Mostly reserved for bad matchups or bad teams.
Tennessee Tech at Kentucky (1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+)
Kentucky was in the midst of a horrible season and now, at 4-5, has a shot to reach a bowl. But the Wildcats can’t overlook a 10-0 Tennessee Tech team. The fact that this game should actually be competitive is what keeps it out of the SEC basement.
1 star ⭐
Good background noise for a nap.
New Mexico State at No. 23 Tennessee (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Tennessee is fine, but this game won’t show much of anything about a 39.5-point favorite. Even most hardcore Vols fans won’t need to see more than a quarter or 2.
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.
