This might be the most exciting college football season we’ve had in over a decade. It seems like there are at least 5-10 teams that could win it all, and every week, there’s an SEC favorite falling to an underdog. It’s the wild-wild west in the Southeastern Conference, and I think we are in for a bunch more surprises between now and the end of the season — some of which could come on November 5th, which is looking like the most important day of the year in the SEC as things stand today.
(3) Tennessee Volunteers vs. (1) Georgia Bulldogs
Following Tennessee’s win over Alabama, every SEC fan went to their calendar to circle this matchup. This game will undoubtedly decide the SEC East and has significant College Football Playoff implications. Tennessee hasn’t beaten Georgia since they won on a Hail Mary at Sanford Stadium in Kirby Smart’s first year as UGA’s head coach, but as we saw this past weekend, that doesn’t matter much. This is a new era of Tennessee football, led by Josh Heupel, who has turned this offense into one of, if not the best in college football.
To this point in the season, nobody has been able to stop the Volunteer offense, but they’ll face by far their toughest challenge on the road in Athens against one of College Football’s premier defenses. With that being said, this year’s Georgia defense isn’t what it was a year ago. They’ve proven to be vulnerable at times, so expect Tennessee to put up some points. This game will likely come down to whether or not the Volunteer defense can defend an improved Georgia offense.
LSU vs. (6) Alabama
LSU may not have a ranking by their name, but that could change after this week. The Tigers host an undefeated Ole Miss squad in Baton Rouge, as they look for revenge on the Rebels, who clobbered them in Oxford a year ago. The line is currently set at LSU +1, so Vegas believes this will be a tight matchup on the Bayou. If the Tigers can pull off the upset, it would make this matchup between LSU and Alabama for first place in the SEC West, just as we all expected when LSU lost to Florida State on an extra point in Week 1.
For the first time in a while, the SEC West is truly up for grabs. Alabama has proven to be vulnerable on several occasions, and an undefeated Ole Miss is currently pacing the field. I wouldn’t count Mississippi State out of it just yet either, as they are set to take on the Crimson Tide this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Even as an LSU fan, I would be shocked if they somehow won the SEC West this year, but this game has the potential to shake things up. LSU at night is not a fun place for opponents, and Alabama has been very shaky on the road this season.
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Photo: John Korduner/Icon Sportswire
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