It’s Cocktail Party time! That means it’s time for one of the best college football days of the year, unless you’re a neutral fan living in Jacksonville. Then it’s the worst. A few huge questions are on tap to be answered in Week 10 like, “Who will win the SEC East?” “Is Georgia a real Playoff caliber team?” and, “Why does Arkansas keep playing football?”
Let’s take a trip around the SEC and see how everyone is feeling heading into Week 10.
Alabama
The fate of Alabama’s season may very well be resting on what happens to Tua’s ankle over the next 10 days, but that won’t stop Bama fans from being super confident about the showdown with LSU next week. With 2 weeks to prepare, Saban could start Butch Jones at quarterback and you would still think there’s a good chance Saban could scheme his way to a victory. That being said … please come back Tua.
Arkansas
The best thing about the Alabama game last week is it brought us 1 week closer to the end of the season. That should be the goal with Mississippi State this week as well, whatever happens, just get it over with quickly.
Auburn
It’s a shame this incredible defense has to be paired with such an excruciating offense. But at least now Auburn fans know what it was like to be an LSU fan for every year before this one. The good news for Auburn is it still has plenty to pay for, including a NY6 bowl game, an Iron Bowl win, or even more important, a reason to finally get rid of Gus.
Florida
The biggest game of the Dan Mullen era is here and the Gators have the chance to shut up all of their doubters and all Georgia fans with a win Saturday. The defense will be at full strength and the cockiness of Gator Nation will be even stronger. If Mullen does pull off this game, he won’t have to worry about a bus ride home. Gators fans will gladly carry him on their shoulders all the way back to Gainesville.
Georgia
The Dawgs have been the butt of a lot of jokes ever since their loss to South Carolina, but now they have a chance to turn the tables on the rest of the SEC starting with the matchup against Florida on Saturday. The only thing worse for UGA fans than watching their Playoff hopes end would be to watch Florida take their spot. Whatever you do, you can’t let that happen.
Kentucky
Don’t look now, but Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden offense might be the best thing going in all of college football. When this season is over, UK might as well make him Offensive Coordinator/Head Coach and maybe even Athletic Director.
LSU
Imagine telling an LSU fan just a year or 2 ago that your quarterback will throw for 321 yards and a touchdown in a marquee SEC showdown against maybe the conference’s best defense and it will somehow feel like a letdown. Every Tigers fan would have taken that deal. The real good news is that LSU is the No. 1 team in the country. Unfortunately the bad news is it happened right before the Alabama game, which means Nick Saban will focus on nothing else from now until next Saturday.
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs got pounded by A&M last week. It was a pretty bad loss, although it’s possible Joe Moorhead was just trying to pad his résumé for the Rutgers job. These kinds of losses would fit right in up there. For now, though, MSU has a game against Arkansas, which is just what the doctor ordered for a team that desperately needs a win.
Missouri
It wasn’t that long ago that Mizzou fans let thoughts of another SEC East championship slip into their heads. Now that seems so long ago. … The only thing left to do now is ruin Florida’s season again.
Ole Miss
The Rebs are still fighting to get bowl eligible, and a game against Auburn this weekend probably won’t help. Let’s just hope John Rhys Plumlee saw some of the hits Joe Burrow took against that Auburn front last week and will decide to run out of bounds a few steps earlier this week.
South Carolina
Let’s just agree to never talk about the game last week ever again, OK? Maybe Carolina cashed in every piece of good luck for the entire season on the Georgia game. And if so? Totally worth it.
Texas A&M
It only took 2 whole months, but the Aggies finally put together a complete game and looked great against Mississippi State to pick up the coveted Mississippi sweep. Let’s see if Jimbo and crew can keep up this momentum, because if so, whoever they play in the Belk Bowl is in for a whole world of hurt.
Tennessee
Who knew watching football could be fun? What a turn around for the Vols and now they have a very real chance of going to a bowl game. Take that Georgia State! It starts by taking care of UAB this week though, and knowing how this season has gone, truly anything could happen.
Vanderbilt
Just as everyone predicted, Vandy went right from getting blown out by UNLV to beating a ranked Mizzou team. They’ve had almost 2 weeks to bask in the moment. Now let’s see if Derek Mason can keep that momentum going against South Carolina this week. Who knows, the season might come down to the Tennessee/Vandy game with winner becoming bowl eligible. Truly what dreams are made of.
Houston lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football for Saturday Down South. You can follow him on twitter @hbarber17 or reach out at hbarber17@gmail.com
