A bold prediction for each SEC Week 11 game: An upset, some blowouts and big numbers reached
By Joe Cox
Published:
It’s December, but there’s no wind down to the bold prediction game. It’s another shot to guess something right during this crazy COVID-conflicted season.
We’re staying aggressive and taking a few big shots in our weekly look around the SEC, with an outside-the-box prediction for each SEC game.
(Vanderbilt’s game against Georgia was postponed Friday, but we were going to predict a field goal and an extra point for Sarah Fuller.)
A&M crushes Auburn
A&M (and Kellen Mond) laid a big egg in last week’s win after a season of not doing so. But oddly enough, they’re only about a 6-point favorite this weekend at Auburn. A&M knows they’re playing for its Playoff lives and would be hurt by another subpar performance. Meanwhile, Auburn hasn’t looked particularly impressive all year, aside from the LSU blowout. A&M’s run defense is stingy, and Bo Nix hasn’t exactly played well when forced to throw early and often. Says here that A&M gets the 31-10 win, with a second week in a row with a pick-6.
Arkansas upsets Mizzou
These teams have been the surprises of the SEC. And their records could well be flipped, but Arkansas has had some terrible luck, while the Tigers have basically lived a blessed existence since their Week 2 loss to UT. We’re talking about a team that beat LSU on a goal-line stand, that handled South Carolina 17-10 and beat Kentucky by 10 in one of the ugliest offensive performances that team has managed. Feleipe Franks is good for one more big game — pencil him in for 250 yards and 3 scores as Arkansas finishes with a win.
Tennessee gives Florida a fit
This Florida team has had mediocre first halves against Vandy and Kentucky. Why end the pattern here? Tennessee could salvage a miserable season with a win against Florida, and with the extra week, Harrison Bailey should be ready to roll. UT will play an excellent half and take a lead to the locker room. Florida will rally late for a 2-score win, but this game gives A&M a little breathing room over the Gators for that 4th CFP spot.
Kentucky, Carolina combine for 3 100-yard rushers
The 2 worst passing offenses in the league (in passing efficiency) will face off in Lexington. Needless to say, we foresee an attack of the ground games, which is a little more impressive. Both defenses are a little banged up, a little short on numbers, and each will struggle to tackle Kevin Harris or Chris Rodriguez. We’ll take 100 yards rushing for each, with Kentucky popping a couple of A.J. Rose runs to get him to the century mark as well to get the 24-10 victory.
Bama going for 50, DeVonta Smith for 200
It’s been a fairly quiet season for Alabama with blowouts. Aside from crushing Kentucky by 60, Nick Saban has been in a pretty merciful mood. But LSU is likely to catch its fair amount of trouble for having the audacity to win the national title a few short months ago. This feels like a week where the Tide go for 50, and heaven help whoever is supposed to cover DeVonta Smith. He only has 1 200-yard receiving game in this amazing season. We’ll see another one Saturday.
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.
