I'm a little strapped for time this week, so I'm going to keep this brief. Luckily, this week's matchups are for the most part uninteresting other than a potentially close game between Auburn and Tennessee and, of course, the huge showdown between the Tide and the Dawgs.
Saturday, September 27
Ole Miss at Florida
Ole Miss looks to be better this year, but can they play with the powerful Gators? That depends on which Rebels team shows up: the exciting Jevan Snead- and Dexter McCluster-led offensive juggernaut we've seen brief glimpses of, or the turnover machine that blew a likely victory against Vanderbilt. If Ole Miss plays mistake-free on offense and manages at least to slow Tebow and friends down a little, this game could be close, although I would still expect Florida to win. Don't forget that Col Reb played the Gators gamely last year.
Arkansas at Texas
Arkansas's dismal effort against Alabama last weekend tells you all you need to know about this one. Expect the Longhorns to win by at least three touchdowns.
Tennessee at Auburn
Interesting game between two teams searching for identities. Tennessee has probably played a bit better than their record would suggest, but they've consistently performed in an undisciplined manner and are mistake-prone. The Tigers, on the other hand, sport a salty defense but must improve their offensive output. They made strides in that direction last week in their loss to LSU, but it still remains to be seen whether Chris Todd can lead the Tigers. Expect a defensive contest where a key turnover makes the difference.
Western Kentucky at Kentucky
Yawn. Yet another cupcake for the Wildcats. Are these guys ever going to play someone that matters? Why yes; yes they are. They play at Alabama next week. We'll finally learn more about them then.
UAB at South Carolina
More on this one before gameday.
Mississippi State at LSU
State somehow managed to rack up 400 yards and only score 7 points last weekend against Georgia Tech. Why? As usual, the Bulldogs committed a plethora of turnovers, this time four. Sadly for MSU, a game in Death Valley is no way to solve your ball protection issues, and it doesn't help that MSU's defense is apparently not what we thought it was. Look for LSU to win big as it continues its hunt for a repeat national title.
Alabama at Georgia
Gameday will be in Athens for what looks like one of the biggest SEC games of the year. These two will have work to do to live up to last year's OT classic. Alabama brings a powerful, opportunistic defense to this game. Nick Saban has said that he plans to shut down Knowshon Moreno, so look for Georgia to let Matthew Stafford try to pick apart Bama's secondary. Luckily for Dawg fans, Mark Richt seem to have found a big play receiver in AJ Green. I think the Dawgs will win this game, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bama makes it game and even if they win.
Idle: Vanderbilt
The Commodores get a much deserved week off after making their first appearance in the top 25 in a quarter of a century.