SEC Championship Game Preview + Other Games
It’s SEC Championship Game weekend, which would normally have us all focusing on CBS and watching the game, but guess what? There are other games.
The Texas A&M vs Tennessee game is actually a more important game than the shindig in Atlanta. If Texas A&M beats Tennessee and Ohio State either struggles or doesn’t beat Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, or if Notre Dame ‘does the double’ over Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, a win for Texas A&M over Tennessee would put the Aggies in the College Football Play-Off for the first time in the Aggies history.
As for the game in Atlanta, Florida was so piss-poor against LSU that it’s hard to work out how they are going to come close to beating Alabama, who seems streets ahead of ANY competition – let alone in the SEC – this year.
Oh, and there are a couple of other games, including Ole Miss’ clash with LSU and Mississippi State hosting Missouri. Miraculously, we’ve only had to say goodbye to two SEC games this season: Ole Miss vs Texas A&M, and Georgia vs Vanderbilt.
So here are the games that will be the most interesting to us.
- SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17, Over/Under 74 1/2) vs Florida
There is one major fact amid the fog and the ‘Don’t mess with the SEC’ and all of the crappy sentiment poured out when one team upsets another: Dan Mullen caused a lot of this trouble for himself. Had Mullen decided not to overlook LSU (which he clearly did) by deciding not to play a clearly-fit Kyle Pitts and just done things normally, Florida would have been able to rest Kyle Pitts by the fourth quarter. But they didn’t, continued to play some bad and indisciplined defense – and were pretty ordinary offensively (particularly in the first half), and got the ‘L’.
But all this aside – and it sounds a little like the comment: “Apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?”- Florida’s problem this year is that they have not started a game quickly ALL SEASON LONG. And they are facing a team that will start a game slowly (by that we mean maybe 1 or 2 drives), and then goes into overdrive until your defense is so beaten to death that there is no more fight. Florida HAS to start quickly (and we mean score a field goal or a touchdown a drive), and stop an Alabama machine from scoring 50.
PREDICTION: Gators get chomped. Alabama by 35. Alabama 61, Florida 26.
2. Texas A&M (-14, OVER/UNDER 51 1/2) at Tennessee
We know what Texas A&M is like. It’s a bruising machine that has an impeccable offensive line that lets its exceptional running game run amok. And we know what Tennessee is like. It’s a shambles.
Texas A&M has it all to play for in the fact that they have to win and win well in Neyland Stadium. A three-point win against a Tennessee team who struggled against Vanderbilt for points of the first of last week’s game simply won’t do it with the Committee. Although the line’s 14, they are going to have to win by 21. That will mean that Kellen Mond doesn’t get in his own way, and let Isaiah Spiller work his magic.
On Tennessee’s side, there’s not a lot to say. We don’t know who’s going to be the starting quarterback, and we’re still amazed that no-one major has either opted out or put their request into the transfer portal. But will they be ready to play for Jeremy Pruitt after the season they’ve had, or will they walk away?
PREDICTION: Texas A&M rolls. Afterwards, Jeremy Pruitt gets fired. Texas A&M 45, Tennessee 14.
3. Ole Miss (- 2/12 Over/Under 78 1/2) at LSU
LSU played well at Florida, but were nevertheless extremely fortunate to come out of The Swamp with victory. Although LSU moved the ball better than they’ve done in a while, some of their defensive efforts were at best terrible – and that could really come to the fore against an Ole Miss side that’s going to pack the explosives.
Matt Corral will thrown the ball. Elijah Moore will catch the ball. And LSU will give them a lot of space to do it. But then again, Ole Miss will give LSU’s wide receivers a lot of room too.
PREDICTION: Ole Miss prevails in a fun shoot-out. Ole Miss 48, LSU 45.
4. Missouri (-1 1/2 Over/Under 49 1/2) at Mississippi State
After seeing both sides’ lackluster performances on Saturday, I have one comment: Who cares?
PREDICTION (if it matters): Missouri 28, Mississippi State 19.