Last week’s record: 5-0 (100.0%)
Season record: 68-10 (87.2%)
Two huge battles highlight the Week 10 schedule in the SEC, Missouri-Tennessee and LSU-Alabama. All of the intraconference matchups are interesting for one reason or another, save possibly Auburn-Vanderbilt. Recording a second consecutive perfect week will be quite a task for the Predictions Dept.
ARKANSAS at FLORIDA
It’s hard to figure out whether Florida is having a good season or a bad season. The Gators are technically still well in the SEC East race, although the Gators would need a significant miracle to see Georgia either knocked out or into a multi-team tie for the division crown. On the other hand, Florida looked absolutely putrid against Kentucky and Georgia, and Billy Napier will have to turn this one around via the transfer portal and recruiting, which can’t come in-season. Arkansas continues to lose games by tight margins and it finally cost offensive coordinator Dan Enos his job. We’ll see if the changes on the offensive staff this week inspire the players, or simply create more dysfunction.
Florida 23
Arkansas 20
LOUISIANA STATE at ALABAMA
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MISSOURI at GEORGIA
We don’t see this game being as close as some do, largely owing to where it’s going to be played. The book on Missouri is simply to stop QB Brady Cook and the rest should take care of itself, although Missouri’s defense has been somewhat better than expected. Missouri’s historical problem has been winning on the road; in 2023, the Tigers have had one good performance (against Kentucky in Lexington) and two middling efforts (at Memphis, at Vanderbilt). Georgia didn’t seem to suffer from Brock Bowers’ absence against Florida, and Missouri is about on par with the Gators as an all-around team.
Georgia 34
Missouri 20
KENTUCKY at MISSISSIPPI STATE
Getting beaten convincingly by Auburn was not on Mississippi State’s dancecard coming into the year, to say the least. Yet it happened last week, a week after the Bulldogs somehow managed to go on the road and beat Arkansas 7-3. The inevitable trouble that accompanies an abrupt change in systems, like the one from the Mike Leach-to-Zach Arnett, is now in full song in Starkville. Kentucky has to hope this isn’t State’s dead-cat-bounce game, but if the game simply plays out according to script, the Wildcats should be able to walk away with an easy victory.
Kentucky 27
Mississippi St. 14
JACKSONVILLE STATE at SOUTH CAROLINA
Don’t look now, but Jacksonville State is 7-2 and coming off back-to-back wins over Florida International and Western Kentucky. It’s not often we get a matchup of two teams with the nickname Gamecocks, so naturally … it’s a cockfight. South Carolina didn’t think it would find itself at 2-6 at this spot in the season, nor did they think Jacksonville State might actually give them a game. Well, one is happening, and the other just might as well.
South Carolina 45
Jacksonville St. 30
CONNECTICUT at TENNESSEE
Jim Mora’s Huskies haven’t had much to cheer about in 2023. There’s a win over a decent Rice program, but the other seven games have ended in losses. Tennessee barely got by Kentucky last week after losing to Alabama the week before, and a showdown with a surprisingly good Missouri team awaits next week. There’s no way Tennessee is going to get up for this game, but there’s also no way the Volunteers will lose it. UConn has one of the worst offenses in college football, and the offensive ineptitude puts incredible pressure on the defense to keep games close. This one won’t be close, although it may take the Vols a quarter to get going.
Tennessee 41
UConn 7
AUBURN at VANDERBILT
Auburn finally got its offense in gear a bit against Mississippi State, particularly the Tiger passing game. In Vanderbilt, Auburn will be facing a defense about half as potent as the one it faced last week. If Vandy can keep things close until the final quarter, it actually has a chance to pull the upset here, because when Auburn’s offense starts to go haywire, it does it to extreme degrees. What will likely keep the Tigers on top is a defense that has proven to be a worthy foe for other offenses, and teams with good defenses rarely give games away to inferior opponents.
Auburn 23
Vanderbilt 13
TEXAS A&M at MISSISSIPPI
If Auburn is potentially dangerous because of its defense, then Texas A&M is potentially lethal, regardless of the Aggies’ offensive struggles. No team can match Texas A&M spot-for-spot in defensive talent, especially up front, and Ole Miss’ offensive line has been a hidden and mostly managed weakness all year. With Lane Kiffin, you never know whether he’s going to dial up something otherworldly, or whether he’s going to make such a critical mistake (or mistakes, plural) that the offense has to score an extra time or two to cover it up. Ole Miss can’t spot Texas A&M any mistake points; the Aggies are too good for that. This one looks all the world like an upset special waiting to happen.
Texas A&M 23
Ole Miss 20
Follow Jess Nicholas on X at @TideFansJessN