The Future of the SEC This Year: A Week of Close Games

Want to know how the SEC will turn out week-by-week before it happens? Don't we all. So we hooked up the closest thing college football fans have to a time machine and will simulate each week of the season using EA's NCAA Football '13. Please keep in mind that it's all in good fun and we're not saying this is how it actually will happen. Though that would be pretty cool and a little bit eery.

Everything seems to be close this week -- except, of course, the race for the East, which Georgia has definitively won. But while the SEC West is becoming less and less wide-open, there are still a few teams jostling for position in the division.

SCORES

ALABAMA 28, LSU 27
If you thought that our simulation was already a little bit implausible, brace yourself for this part: Alabama and LSU combine for 825 yards of total offense, including 497 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air. Other parts are closer to real life, such as when Les Miles makes a questionable late decision and decides to kick a 22-yard field goal down by four with about five minutes left. (Though the real Les Miles might have faked the FG, but I digress.)

TEXAS A&M 21, MISSISSIPPI STATE 20
It appears to be the week for nail-biters in the SEC West. The most entertaining quarter in the faux SEC might be in this game, when the Aggies and the Western Division Bulldogs combine for 31 points in the second quarter alone. Texas A&M scores last, tacking on a touchdown in the third quarter that ends up being the decisive score. Oh, and there are 10 combined turnovers in the game.

FLORIDA 34, MISSOURI 31 (OT)
Some of the games in the East are pretty close as well. Missouri overcomes a 21-point second quarter by Florida to tie the game late, but the Tigers lose in overtime. Not Whoever's Starting at Quarterback for Florida throws three touchdowns; the Gators score twice more rushing, including the game-winning points.

GEORGIA 51, OLE MISS 10
This one really isn't even fair. The Dawgs convert 29 first downs and churn out 581 yards in the blowout. A whopping 332 of those yards and five of those touchdowns come from the running game. Georgia gets into the red zone 10 times. Ole Miss, meanwhile, rushes for just 65 yards and just barely crosses the 200-yard mark (201) in total offense.

VANDERBILT 35, KENTUCKY 20
A bad season continues to get worse for the Wildcats. Kentucky allows 501 yards of total offense to Vanderbilt -- Vanderbilt! -- and turns the ball over four times for good measure. The Commodores keep their slim bowl hopes alive while the Wildcats fans have already turned their attention to basketball season.

OTHER SCORES
Auburn 37, New Mexico State 0
Tennessee 40, Troy 14
Arkansas 52, Tulsa 35

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

BCS STANDINGS

1 Georgia
2 Oklahoma
3 Oregon
4 Washington
5 Texas
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6 Alabama
10 Arkansas
12 Auburn
16 South Carolina
17 Texas A&M
21 Missouri
23 LSU

Earlier: Week 1; Week 2; Week 3; Week 4; Week 5; Week 6; Week 7; Week 8; Week 9