Who doesn’t like schedule facts?

They’re quick, easy and most importantly … they’ll make you sound really smart when you drop them into casual conversations.

Let’s take a look at 10 interesting tidbits about Week 8 of the SEC schedule:

1. There are three non-conference games involving SEC teams this week. Missouri hopes to improve to 2-0 all-time against the C-USA’s Middle Tennessee State, winning the first meeting back in 2003, 41-40, in OT. As for the other two …
2. South Carolina vs. UMass will be the first-ever meeting between each of the programs, and Vanderbilt defeated Tennessee State, 38-9, in their only meeting in 2006.
3. Altogether, there are seven SEC games on the slate for Week 8. Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee are all off.
4. The Gamecocks are tied with Georgia for the most SEC games played to this point with five, and their upcoming matchup with UMass will be just their second non-conference game of the 2016 season. (USC will face Western Carolina and Clemson in late November).
5. Auburn owns a tight 13-11-1 series lead over Arkansas where the longest winning streak for one team goes to the Tigers (2003-05). Though it looks to be between Alabama and Texas A&M in the West, Auburn still only has one league loss and Arkansas still has a New Year’s Six bowl in mind.

6. Speaking of Alabama and Texas A&M, these two will meet for the ninth time on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide has won three in a row by an average of 28 points, including a 59-0 shutout the last time out in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
7. This will mark the second straight season and third time in four years in which both Alabama and Texas A&M enter their game ranked as top-10 teams, but it’s noteworthy to point out that the Aggies were No. 15 the last time they beat the Tide (which was No. 1 at the time) back in 2012.
8. Can Kentucky stay in the upper half of the SEC East division standings? Having won three of its last four games, UK is beginning to find some rhythm and hopes to maintain it in order to make a bowl run. The Wildcats haven’t beaten Mississippi State since 2008, though — but this would be the year to break that seven-game losing streak as the Bulldogs (2-4) have had their fair share of struggles in 2016.
9. Ed Orgeron will become the fourth LSU coach to face his former team this weekend when the Tigers host Ole Miss in Death Valley. LSU holds the all-time series lead at 59-41-4 but has lost two of three against the Rebels, including a 38-17 drubbing in 2015.
10. South Carolina boasts the SEC’s biggest spread this week as a 20.5-point favorite. Vegas also expects Alabama (-18.5), Auburn (-10), Missouri (-6.5), LSU (-5.5) and Mississippi State (-3.5) to come out on top.

Tyler Waddell

Tyler Waddell is a member of the Saturday Down South news team. He brings over five years of professional journalism experience and is closing in on a Bachelor's in sports management. Follow him on Twitter (@Tyler_Waddell).