B&S Friday after Thanksgiving previews
After a wild Egg Bowl, settle in for some Turkey Day leftovers and two interesting matchups.
By: The Waco Kid, The Hammer, Bossman Slim
Mizzou can get bowl eligible with a win over rival Arkansas. (Photo via St. Louis Dispatch)
The Egg Bowl has a penchant for getting weird and last night was no exception. Late in the game, the SEC officiating crew blew three unbelievable calls, and two of those came on the same play. If you have a little time, it’s worth going back and watching the last five minutes of that game to see what I’m talking about. Twitter was going berserk over the terrible calls, and it certainly had an impact on the outcome of the game.
It seems as though Lane Kiffin will be sticking around Ole Miss, but it’s still hard to say. Rebels fans were seriously unhappy after last night with the loss but also for how poorly Kiffin has handled this situation if he does plan to remain as the head coach in Oxford.
Enough on the Egg Bowl though, there’s more great football to be played today, starting in just a few minutes.
Let’s get into our post-Thanksgiving Friday previews, but before we do, let’s check in on the B&S standings.
Waco Kid gained a game to put him right back in the thick of the straight up race and also gained another game in the ATS race with his Mississippi State upset pick. Hammer and Bossman both dropped a game with their dud Ole Miss pick.
Arkansas at Missouri - 3:30 ET on CBS (Ark -3)
Bossman Slim: Let’s get it on. Some post-Turkey Day hangover football. You might be ready for a nap after some leftovers for lunch, but I suggest you wake up for kickoff for this one. These are two good teams fighting for every inch of respect on their respective sides of the conference, and they don’t like each other that much either. This should be a great game between evenly-matched opponents on paper. Arkansas probably owns the offensive side of the ball in the tale of the tape, but Mizzou owns the advantage on defense. The Tigers were fourth in the conference in total defense until Tennessee smoked them a few weeks ago. Their current ranking in the stats is not indicative of how good this defense can be. It will be strength on strength all day - the Arkansas offense against the Mizzou defense. My worry for Mizzou tracks what has worried me all year: can this offense score enough to win? This Arkansas offense has been hot and cold, but turned the jets on last week and had their way on the ground and through the air with Ole Miss. I think Vegas is spot on - this will be a close one, but in the end, I think Arkansas has enough on offense to get the job done while Mizzou’s offense still struggles. Woo pig covers - barely.
Arkansas 27
Mizzou 23
The Hammer: If you aren’t excited for this game, I question your college football fandom. We’ve got a 6-5 Arkansas team that’s had a disappointing year overall squaring off against a Mizzou team that’s suffered several heartbreaking losses and now finds themselves at 5-6, hoping to win and make a bowl game. This game means a ton to both fanbases. Mizzou is trying to command respect in the SEC, and Arkansas fancies itself as a superior program compared to their enemies to the North. Arkansas is riding high after a blowout win over Ole Miss a week ago and the Tigers handled their business against New Mexico State. Missouri’s defense has been stellar in 2022 and the Hogs, when KJ Jefferson is healthy, have had a good offense led by a potent rushing attack. This matchup is good on good, and I expect a low-scoring affair considering the Mizzou offense is weak. I’ll go chaos mode and pick the Tigers to pull off the upset at home.
Mizzou 23
Arkansas 21
The Waco Kid: A post-Thanksgiving hangover day filled with football is the perfect remedy for SEC fans across the nation. The day starts with some Big 12 matchups that could determine the teams that make their conference championship. We will have to wait until 3:30 ET to see some real football but hey something is better than nothing. So once those early games end, grab some turkey leftovers, a couple of cold ones, and get ready for an SEC kickoff that features Arkansas crossing north of the Missouri boundary. Now both teams have a very similar record, but the Razorbacks seem to have a far superior team. Even in their losses, Sam Pittman has been able to keep his squad close. They are also coming off of a monumental win against a top-ranked Ole Miss team. Their average loss is by 10.6 points per game which is pretty much just one defining drive. Also with KJ Jefferson back in the saddle at quarterback this piggy team has been firing on all cylinders. They have a better-than-average pass-and-run offense, that even SEC teams are having trouble slowing down. Last game Jefferson threw for three touchdowns and Rocket Sanders added another three rushing. We all know Mizzou’s offense lacks firepower, to say the least, so I do not think if Jefferson and Sanders start breaking free that the Tigers can keep pace scoring. For this reason, I am taking Arkansas to cover but betting the under due to Missouri’s inability to score.
Arkansas 38
Mizzou 17
#19 Florida State vs. Florida - 7:30 ET on ABC (FSU -9.5)
Bossman Slim: It feels like this rivalry is starting to get back to its old ways. Mike Norvell has Chief Osceola excited for the future, though they’ve still taken a few lumps this year. The Seminoles have not beaten a ranked team, though that’s a bit deceptive as they beat the now-number 6 LSU Tigers in Week 1. In the middle of the year, they went on a three-game skid, losing to 22nd-ranked Wake Forest, 19th-ranked NC State, and #4 Clemson in successive weeks, but they’ve since righted the ship with four-straight wins by an average of 33.5 PPG. Florida on the other hand has had a roller coaster of a first year under Billy Napier, at times looking like a top 15 team, and too often looking like the rebuild project that it is. Just when you thought the Gators were getting it going with solid wins over Texas A&M and South Carolina, they lay an egg against Vanderbilt and lose a game they have zero business losing. So does Jekyll Gator or Hyde Gator show up this week? I like the consistency of the Seminoles right now, and while it’s tough going against the Gators because of what they’re capable of, I think this Florida State defense has what it takes to frustrate this Florida offense and keep them in check.
#19 Florida State 31
Florida 27
The Hammer: Who would have thought preseason that FSU would arrive at this game as nearly a double-digit favorite? Not me. The Vanderbilt upset over Florida certainly took some shine off the Gators, and FSU would love nothing more than to beat their instate rival. Mike Norvell has done an excellent job this year, and getting this win would be the cherry on top of a great season in Tallahassee. Florida is capable of winning this game but I think FSU will be able to move the ball and score here. So the real question is what version of Anthony Richardson do we see? And if he plays really well, can the Gator defense get enough stops? My gut says no. I think we’ll see a bit of a shootout with the Seminoles getting a close win. I’ll take the Gators to cover but don’t see them winning outright.
#19 Florida State 38
Florida 34
The Waco Kid: This may be the first time in a couple of years that Florida State has come into this matchup ranked and favored to win. Not only are they the favorite but it is by 9.5 points which seems to be a large spread for two somewhat evenly-matched teams. I mean Florida comes in with two more losses but has three losses to top-ten teams while FSU’s only “quality” loss is to a top-ten Clemson team. We have seen that the Gators live and die by the gameplay of quarterback Anthony Richardson, specifically by his rush totals. When AR-15 has controlled the ball and scored on the ground, UF has looked like a top 25 team. When they get behind and have to start playing catch up by throwing the ball, that is when this team really starts to stumble. I mean even with over 400 yards passing and three TDs, Florida could not put away Vanderbilt last weekend. That game did prove Richardson can be effective throwing the ball but to beat a top-20 Florida State team, he will have to produce at a high level in all facets of the game. If Billy Napier follows this formula for success and adds in those workhorse running backs to the tune of 150 yards, it will be difficult for the ‘Noles to hold off the Gators. I do not think FSU will cover at 9.5 points and actually am leaning towards a defining win for a struggling Florida program.
Florida 42
#19 Florida State 34