Once more unto the breach for the squads of the SEC. A very watchable season hits its apex over 2 days of Week 14. Time for us to tell you which games you absolutely can’t miss. The good news: after a sleepy Week 13, there’s no fat on the bone this week.
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. (Hint: there’s no 1-star or 2-star games in Week 14).
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The games worth cancelling your plans, shutting off your phone, and to quote the much-sought-after coach Lane Kiffin, the ones worth getting your popcorn ready for on Saturday:
No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 16 Texas (7:30 p.m. ET, Friday, ABC)
This is the big deal, because Texas A&M can wrap up the SEC regular-season title, while Texas is fighting for its CFP life (and to avoid being one of the major disappointment stories of 2025). It’s still a little odd that this is an SEC game, but with this much on the line, no complaints here.
No. 14 Vanderbilt at No. 19 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPN)
Who would have thought (cue the Paul Rudd meme) that it’s Vanderbilt with a puncher’s CFP shot and Tennessee that has to settle for trying to spoil postseason hopes? Will Vandy grab a 10th win? Will Diego Pavia get a ticket to New York for the Heisman ceremony? There’s more on the line than there has been for a Vanderbilt-Tennessee game in a long while.
4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not quite as electric as the 5-star games, but still great quality college football.
No. 7 Ole Miss at Mississippi State (Noon ET, Friday, ABC)
The game itself probably belongs in the 3-star category, but given the circus with Lane Kiffin, that bumps it up another star. Will Ole Miss be distracted? What will the mood be from Rebel fans? Will Lane tip his hand in any way? That might be the must-see part, although Mississippi State would love to make the game a massive surprise.
No. 4 Georgia at No. 23 Georgia Tech (3:30 p.m. ET, Friday, ABC)
On the surface, this looks like a 5-star game. But Tech has stumbled badly down the stretch of the season and Georgia looks worthy of the -13.5 line that’s currently attached to the game. If it were more competitive, it’d be a step higher, but the Bulldogs are still very much worth watching.
No. 10 Alabama at Auburn (7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ABC)
The Iron Bowl can’t dip below a 4-star game, even with a thoroughly mediocre Auburn team. If the understated motif of “anything could happen” isn’t clear, consider a line of -5.5 in a game between a 9-2 team and a 5-6 team in the same league. Auburn has the dual motivations of bowl eligibility and ruining Alabama‘s postseason hopes. There’s plenty to watch for here.
LSU at No. 8 Oklahoma (3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ABC)
This one is about the Sooners. Oklahoma has positioned itself for the CFP and only an LSU upset could shift the narrative. This game seems worthy of the second highest point spread of the week (-10.5) but there’s still plenty on the line to make this a 4-star game.
3 stars ⭐⭐⭐
A game with some intriguing aspects, but generally not as competitive or interesting as those above.
Kentucky at Louisville (Noon, Saturday, ACC Network)
Kentucky is playing for bowl eligibility (and potentially, for Mark Stoops’s job) against a beaten-up and slumping Louisville team. It’s not one of the more compelling games of the weekend, but it could be one of the more competitive ones.
Clemson at South Carolina (Noon, Saturday, SEC Network)
On the other hand, South Carolina is already out of bowl contention while Clemson already has six wins. But the home Gamecocks are -3.5 favorites and Shane Beamer’s seat might cool a bit with a win over Clemson to finish an uneven 2025 season.
Missouri at Arkansas (3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, SEC Network)
Missouri is both in a bowl and out of the CFP. With Eli Drinkwitz apparently now buttoned down, there’s not a ton on the line here. Arkansas has been incredibly unlucky but it’s only a +2.5 underdog here. It’s another game that lacks major stakes, but could be a wild one.
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Florida State at Florida (4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPN2)
Florida is already out of bowl contention and will move on to its coaching search. Florida State could still reach a bowl with a win, but the Seminoles are a +1.5 underdog in Gainesville. The 2 teams coming into this game with a combined 8-14 record is nothing short of shocking. Competitive? Likely. Well-played? Doubtful.
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.
