Last Week’s Record: 3-5 (37.5%)
2026 Season Record: 54-19 (74.0%)
The Predictions Dept. hit a first last week, and it was a very ignominious one at that. Never in our 30-year history have we ever had losing records in back-to-back weeks. Week 7 was a study in almost picking the right side of toss-up games, and then failing to do so. Week 8 is a short-schedule week with only six games on it, and it doesn’t get any easier on paper. The highlight game is probably Ole Miss-Texas, but there isn’t a one-sided matchup on the list; all will be interesting games.
LOUISIANA STATE at AUBURN
While Alabama fans were certainly chewing through nails following their loss to Tennessee, that game doesn’t just pale, it absolutely vanishes in comparison with what happened in the Auburn-Georgia game. Auburn, without its best defensive player (and to be honest, its only real defensive star), LB Xavier Atkins, defeated the Bulldogs in Athens after a late fumble from Georgia QB Gunner Stockton, who could do no wrong the week before against Alabama. Atkins has now been permanently dismissed from the team. Coming into town is an LSU team that is still feeling its way a bit under Lane Kiffin but there’s enough to like about the early results that we feel (somewhat) confident that the Bayou Bengals will take care of business here. Auburn historically runs on emotional rails, high or low, and we can’t imagine things are much higher than they are at the moment, but Auburn still has to worry about scoring enough to keep up with LSU’s superior offense. Now that there’s some tape on what an Atkins-less Auburn team looks like, we think Kiffin will get it figured out.
LSU 34
Auburn 20
TEXAS A&M at ALABAMA
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VANDERBILT at KENTUCKY
Vanderbilt may be fully back to Vanderbilt standards after its fourth straight loss, this one at home to Arkansas. Now the Commodores get a Kentucky team that has won five straight and whose defense is developing at a roadrunner’s pace. We won’t be so foolish as to say Kentucky is guaranteed a win here, because the Wildcats are in the first year of a coaching change and still finding their way a bit, but the reality is starting to set in with the Commodore program as to what 2026 probably holds in the end. We can’t imagine the Commodores will be terribly excited about playing this game.
Kentucky 31
Vanderbilt 13
MISSISSIPPI at TEXAS
Let’s set the stage for just how intriguing this game is going to be: In addition to the weekly will-Arch-or-won’t-Arch-play-well drama, Texas has now lost 27-24 in back-to-back weeks to mid-level SEC teams. There is a rumor floating around that if Steve Sarkisian loses a third straight game, Texas boosters might step in to force his replacement. If that happens, what a month it will have been, with the Longhorns going from undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country to being in the middle of a coaching transition. As for the specifics of this matchup, Ole Miss has a dangerous offense, but the defense still isn’t something you can count on in a war setting. We’ve seen enough from Sarkisian over the years to realize he can sometimes dial up an unbeatable plan, and in this case, he’s very familiar with the defensive work of Pete Golding. This game sort of becomes our Upset Special as a result, with us contemplating a pick of Texas.
Ole Miss 30
Texas 27
OKLAHOMA at MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oklahoma gets incredibly lucky here, because Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor is still listed as doubtful. A healthy Taylor would probably ensure a Bulldog win in this game, because Oklahoma doesn’t do well in shootout situations. But LSU showed last week just what the Bulldogs look like when Taylor isn’t around, and it’s not a pretty picture. Oklahoma is about as erratic as they come in the SEC – beating Texas at a neutral site, then losing to Kentucky – but until we see some evidence of a healthy Taylor, we can’t in good conscience pick State here.
Oklahoma 27
Mississippi St. 21
TENNESSEE at SOUTH CAROLINA
This is an ugly game to pick because both options are flawed. Tennessee is probably better than a lot of people want to admit, but it’s still a one-dimensional offensive team that has to lean on its defense every week. To some extent, so is South Carolina, but the Gamecocks enjoy a huge advantage at the quarterback position. The question here is whether the Gamecock defense, which has been erratic at best, can contain the Tennessee running game by enough to allow QB LaNorris Sellers time to work his magic. Sellers is at his best when he has enough possessions to wear down defenses, because not only is he physical while scrambling, he makes enough backyard plays to turn a couple of lost drives into scores every week. He also, though, is his own worst enemy when it comes to turnovers. Either outcome is viable in this matchup.
Tennessee 26
South Carolina 17
IDLE: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri
Follow Jess Nicholas on X at @TideFansJessN