Can Auburn and Alabama avoid upsets? Week 4 SEC Preview

It’s a big Thursday night for The South. In the NFL, Tampa Bay at Atlanta play each other in The ATL, while Missouri’s biggest city, St Louis, continues to battle it out for a spot in the MLB Play-Offs (if St Louis wins the World Series, it’s a victory for the SEC, by the way). Oh, and the Scots are voting on whether they want to become part of Britain (I love their whiskey, as it goes), which is quite big in political news.

But bigger than big is Auburn’s trip to Kansas State, which is one of the biggest games of the week and the season so far. Manhattan is not going to be easy. This is going to fun.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Auburn (2-0) at Kansas State (2-0)

God, I’m excited about this game. Both teams come in off a rest-week, with Auburn probably looking better than KSU to start the season. Nick Marshall’s certainly excited more people than Jake Waters, Kansas State’s dual-threat QB, but we would urge you to ignore Waters at your peril. He’s the sort of player who can demolish defensive hopes and dreams. Trust us on this. Particularly on a night in Manhattan night which loves a good ol’ upset. This game also features two of the more likeable coaches in college football – Auburn’s Gus Malzahn and KSU’s Bill Snyder. This could be AWESOME. I won’t be watching CNN to see if Scotland decides to be apart, because I’ll be watching this game. So should you be.

PREDICTION: Auburn’s an 8-1/2 point favorite, and we think they win by 10 in a game that’s really close until the final half of the fourth quarter.

Florida (2-0) at Alabama (3-0) 

Florida goes into this game a 17-1/2 point underdog, and we can see why. After just managing to avoid a stunning home defeat to Kentucky at home by winning in 3 overtimes (and they could/should have lost in the first overtime had it not been for a delay of game flag that never was), we think Gators fans are aware that even the refs may not be able to save them against a ‘struggling’ Alabama side which is 3-0, put up over 500 yards last week, and still has issues about its quarterback. In short, this Alabama team is good, deep, and will probably win out comfortably. Having said that, we’re looking forward to the battle between Gators CB Vernon Hargreaves and Tide WR Amari Cooper, who’s having a great year. Hargreaves could give Tide fans fits. Then again, Gators fans could already be comatose with rage watching Will Muschamp’s offense.

PREDICTION: Alabama wins, by two touchdowns

Mississippi State (3-0) at LSU (3-0)

Both sides are unbeaten, thanks to LSU’s mighty comeback against Wisconsin and Mississippi State’s joke of an off-season schedule. Mississippi State’s a pretty solid team, and it’s not going into Tiger Stadium with any fear, especially as LSU’s offense consists of passing to the ball to WR Travin Dural and giving the ball to either Kenny Hilliard or young superstar Leonard Fournette, and Anthony Jennings – their quarterback- really isn’t any good (as we’ve said it before).  And Les Miles was hyped about his team’s defense pitching a shut-out last week, but it wasn’t exactly against the 2001 Miami Hurricanes. We look forward to Dak Prescott giving Miles and Chavis fits. LSU’s a 7 point favorite for this one.

PREDICTION: This one’s going to be tight. LSU by 3 in a game that’s worth watching.

South Carolina (2-1) at Vanderbilt (1-2)

Vanderbilt has been downright lousy starting off this season, losing to Temple, getting hammered by Ole Miss, and last week struggling to beat UMass. Derek Mason’s going to get a short leash in Nashville, and by the looks of it, so he should. Anyway, enough of Vandy. Right now, the ‘Dores aren’t remotely worth it. As for South Carolina, the pitiful, unmotivated pile of excrement that stank up the first game of the season against Texas A&M stood up for itself against Georgia, eking out a shock victory over the Dawgs. Of course, Georgia fans are furious with ‘ghost’ holding calls (that stopped Todd Gurley’s 54-yard TD) and a ‘1st down that wasn’t, but Gamecocks fans will be happy that Dylan Thompson is suddenly looking better and better….and so’s the running game.

PREDICTION: South Carolina’s a 19-1/2 point favorite. Take the ‘over’. Carolina by 28. Yes, Vanderbilt’s this bad, folks.

Indiana (1-1) at Missouri (3-0)

OK, so start the ‘Maty Mauk for Heisman’ campaign NOW, folks. He’s that good. He’s happy in the pocket, he’s got a bullet arm (he’s thrown for 647 yards, 12 TDs and just 3 INTs), and he’s a real leader. And he hasn’t gotten himself in trouble….yet (in the SEC, anything can and will happen!!). We love him. Facing an Indiana team that’s just coming off giving up 45 to mighty Bowling Green, we think he’ll have a field day. On the other side of the ball, Missouri’s defense is still learning to cope without the likes of Michael Sam, and it’s going to be tested against Kevin Wilson’s high-octane offense.

PREDICTION: Missouri is a 14-point favorite, which seems a little low. We’re taking Missouri by 17 in a game where it’ll be a shoot-out at the start, and then the Tigers will take control.

Texas A&M (3-0) at SMU (0-2)

The 0-2 SMU Mustangs parted company with June Jones Lane Kiffin-style DURING the season. After 45 and 43 points in their last two games, y’all can see why. A&M beat Rice 38-10 on Saturday, but it really wasn’t a great performance. It’s funny, because Aggies fans are now expecting 900 points from Kevin Sumlin’s offense, or else there’s hell to pay! This should be one of those days for Kenny Hill and friends.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M by 28? Seriously? They are being kind. Take the ‘over’. Texas A&M by 41. THAT is how bad SMU is.

Troy (0-3) at Georgia (1-1)

The 0-3 Troy Trojans walk into Sanford Stadium to play a Georgia side who have gone from National Champions-elect (the media’s words, not mine) to SEC-maybes after they lost at South Carolina in controversial circumstances on Saturday. But the biggest problems at Georgia are defensively. Georgia really doesn’t have one. But is that going to matter against a Troy team that lost to Abilene Christian on Saturday? We think not. Georgia’s a 35-1/2 point favourite.

PREDICTION: Georgia runs up the score, wins by 50, fans still upset about losing to Carolina. Take the over.