SEC Talk

Dawgs freshman RB Knowshon Moreno having quite the year.

In a critical week for several teams especially in the SEC East, every team except Ole Miss are in action this week (and they’ll need that extra rest to prepare against LSU next week). Only LSU is playing a non-conference game.

(18) Auburn (Conf: 4-2) vs. (10) Georgia(Conf: 4-2)

The biggest matchup of the week pits the 18th ranked Auburn Tigers against the 10th ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta. While Georgia sits atop the SEC East, they lose the tiebreaker with Tennessee so a win here is necessary to stay atop the standings. Auburn already trails LSU in the standings and even a win would mean second as they also lose the tiebreaker with LSU.

The talk all week has been the coaching status of Tommy Tuberville, will he or won’t he bolt for Texas A&M. It will very interesting to see how the Tigers come out based on the rumors of Tuberville’s pending departure. The Bulldogs love to run the ball with freshman running back Knowshon Moreno and the Tigers have been stout on defense, which team will win out? I guess we’ll just have to sit back and watch this thing play out.

Arkansas (Conf: 2-3) vs. (22) Tennessee (Conf: 3-2)

Perhaps next to Auburn/Georgia, the next biggest game in the SEC of the week has the Tennessee Volunteers looking to close out their remaining three SEC conference games to setup a possible SEC Championship game against most likely LSU. Meanwhile, the Arkansas Razorbacks are coming off that big win over South Carolina last week.

The Razorbacks are playing their best football of the season and while Darren McFadden has dropped off from the Heisman watch, he is still one of the best running backs in all of college football. This game will come down to defense. Can Arkansas collapse the pocket on Vols QB Eric Ainge and conversely can Tennessee stop the McFadden train?

(21) Alabama (Conf: 4-2) vs. Mississippi St. (Conf: 2-3)

The Alabama Crimson Tide come off a heart-breaking loss to the LSU Tigers last week. In what looked like the defining moment in Nick Saban’s short tenure at Alabama, the Tide were just 1:30 minutes away from a huge upset win. Mississippi St. is coming of a bye week following their biggest win of the year beating then No. 14 Kentucky.

For the Tide, it will be interesting how they bounce back after the tough loss last week. Another loss here could start the FireNickSaban campaign. The Bulldogs are having a decent season and Sylvester Croom looks to have them relevant again on the national stage.

(17) Florida (Conf: 4-3) vs. South Carolina (Conf: 3-4)

The Florida Gators are coming off a complete domination over Vanderbilt, while the USC Gamecocks are trying desperately to stop this losing streak.

The UF/USC matchup always has extra significance as the Ol’ Ball Coach faces his Ol’ team in the Gators. USC has been as high as 6th in the AP Poll but their 3-game losing streak has many scratching their heads including coach Steve Spurrier. Most troubling has been their inability to stop the run. Florida has a couple of gamers in quarterback Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, if they get into open space, watch out.

(24) Kentucky (Conf: 2-3) vs. Vanderbilt (Conf: 2-4)

Another top 25 team in the Kentucky Wildcats takes on the Vanderbilt Commodores. A promising start for Kentucky has sputtered into 2 difficult losses. Vanderbilt comes off a pasting by Florida and hopes to get back in the win column.

Wildcats quarterback Andre Woodson was high on the Heisman watch before slowing up in the losses to Florida and Mississippi St., key for the Commodores will be sending pressure and forcing Woodson to throw on the run.

The remaining game has Louisiana Tech in Baton Rouge to face LSU in what will most likely result in a lopsided win for the Tigers.

South Carolina, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida, Steve Spurrier