SEC Rivalry Week Preview

So we’re going to do this differently this week. It’s been a long season. It’s a holiday weekend. We didn’t have time to write out a bunch of previews so we’re just gonna talk about the games in a handy post like this. We’ll do this for the results too.

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Time: Noon ET

TV: ABC

Watch Online: ESPN App

Christopher Novak: I don’t think we have to spend too much time on this one. I would expect Georgia to build a significant lead early on in this game. Afterward, they will probably park the bus and hope to avoid injury before their big showdown with Alabama in Atlanta next weekend. Dawgs win by a whole lot.

Robert O’Neill: Nothing I’ve seen of Georgia leads me to believe they’ll slip up at this point in the year. The Dawgs have gotten better as the season has progressed and this will be one final tuneup before they head to Atlanta.

FSU vs. Florida

Time: Noon ET

TV: ESPN

Watch Online: ESPN App

Christopher Novak: I’m not sure I want to be the team that loses this game. Each has had their own fair share of embarrassing moments this year but this just feels so depressing. Football in the state of Florida just feels very depressing at the moment in general. FSU’s been horrible on the road, but I’m not really sure what to make of this Gator team in the first place. Give me the Noles, probably in a close and ugly-ass game.

Robert O’Neill: While Florida could gain bowl eligibility with a win, do they even want to at this point? It feels like they’d just like the season to be over and move onto an incredibly important coaching search going forward. As it stands, though, I will also take FSU just because Florida is incredibly jumbled at the moment.

Alabama vs. Auburn

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Watch Online: CBSSports.com

Christopher Novak: If Bo Nix were healthy, I might think about considering saying Auburn would give Alabama a run for their money. ‘Bama is good, but they feel mortal in a lot of ways that they haven’t in a very long time. Bryce Young is obviously so gifted and talented but I’m not sure this is a very intimidating ‘Bama team. But they will likely roll Auburn to head into the SEC Championship with some momo.

Robert O’Neill: I think Auburn can cover +20, but a straight up win is too much to ask of backup TJ Finley. It has been a very weird season for the Tigers and it seems like it might only get weirder going forward. For ‘Bama, they are in the unfamiliar position of probably needing to win two games to make the College Football Playoff. Can the Tide pull it off? We’ll have to see.

Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee

Time: 3:45 p.m. ET

TV: SEC Network

Watch Online: ESPN App

Christopher Novak: Tennessee. Next question.

Robert O’Neill: Agreed. Sorry ‘Dores.

Texas A&M vs. LSU

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Watch Online: ESPN App

This is… a weird one. A&M is hoping to finish the season on a high note after they were thrown off the tracks to Atlanta by Ole Miss two weeks ago. LSU of course is coach hunting so this’ll be Ed Orgeron’s last game. I’d say the Aggies come up with the win, but it won’t shock me if either result happens here.

Robert O’Neill: Will LSU beat Texas A&M and steal their coach? Well… probably not, to either point. A&M beat Alabama and could have been in the driver’s seat in the SEC West and instead they’re here looking at another good but not great nine-win season. Most schools would take that and maybe I’m underselling it, but the allure of what could have been has to loom large. Either way I’m taking A&M.

Clemson vs. South Carolina

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: SEC Network

Watch Online: ESPN App

For the first time since 2014, Clemson isn’t participating in the ACC Championship Game. So this will be the last time we see the Tigers until bowl season comes around. It will also be the last time we see South Carolina before bowl season as well. The Gamecocks would love to spoil Clemson’s season even more by tagging them for a win for the first time in the series since 2013. Can they do it? Now’s as good a shot as any with Clemson’s offense being what they are. If they’re going to do it, this feels like the year to try and pull it off.

Robert O’Neill: True to his word, Dabo Swinney stopped coaching once college football players started getting paid. South Carolina has had a much better year than anyone expected, so why not keep it going with a big win over their rival?

Kentucky vs. Louisville

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN2

Watch Online: ESPN App

Chris Novak: Louisville has been a really good team at home this year, at least comparatively so to how Kentucky has fared on the road. The Cardinals have a +10.2 scoring margin at home while the Wildcats are -2.0 on the road. If it boils down to home field advantage in this one, the Cards will take it with ease. Kentucky will need to buck any trend they’ve had this year on the road for them to close out the year with a W. Otherwise, Louisville will have all the bragging rights in the Commonwealth until they go around or hoops in December.

Robert O’Neill: I have to go with Kentucky here. No disrespect to the Cards, but it feels like the Wildcats have bounced back from their three-game losing streak with a two-game winning streak and appear to be back on track. I know it’s in Louisville but I still think I want to go with the Wildcats.