B&S week 9 game by game previews
Ole Miss and Auburn have a showdown while Georgia looks to keep rolling towards Atlanta.
By: Bossman Slim, The Hammer, The Waco Kid
Watch The Hammer preview week 9 with Steven Willis, then read up on the rest of our previews.
We’ve got a lighter weekend on our hands, but that doesn’t mean the stakes aren’t high. Auburn-Ole Miss will be a great game and Georgia-Florida is always worth watching. Let’s cut right to the chase.
A reminder on how the crew fared last week:
The Hammer: 5-0; 59-14 overall
Bossman Slim: 5-0; 58-15 overall
The Waco Kid: 4-1; 58-15 overall
Bossman Slim is squarely back in the race with another good week, and The Hammer continues to lead the pack.
Midday Games
Missouri at Vanderbilt 3:00 pm ET on SEC Network (Missouri -14.5)
Bossman Slim: Mizzou fans are abandoning this year’s team, as evidenced by the A&M game a few weeks ago when Farout Field was half full. Vanderbilt fans abandoned their team long ago. The fact that Missouri is a 14.5 point favorite in this game tells you just how bad the Commodores are. I’ll take the Tigers to cover, only because they’ve got a few weapons on offense. If Ken Seals doesn’t start, this should be a blowout.
Missouri 41 - Vanderbilt 21
The Hammer: This game is a matchup of the two worst teams in the SEC in my opinion. I think Vandy will be able to run the ball on Mizzou since every team Mizzou plays runs it well on them, but I think Bazelak, Badie and the Tiger’s offense will get the job done.
Missouri 38 - Vanderbilt 24
The Waco Kid: You know when you set your alarm an hour early and then hit snooze five times before actually getting up? That is how this game will be, a snooze fest. Both teams are not good but like I always say Vandy is better at being bad than any other team in the SEC. Mizzou gets the win in this one and we can all look to the late games to provide some much-needed excitement.
Missouri 31 - Vanderbilt 13
#1 Georgia vs Florida 3:30 pm ET on CBS* (Georgia - 14)
Bossman Slim: This was shaping up to be a great game, and then Florida got drunk and peed the bed against LSU. This one has now lost its luster. Be careful though, when games seem to have lost their luster this season, some upsets have come out of nowhere like A&M-Alabama. I don’t think that happens here, however. Florida’s QB situation is still in flux and the defense is suspect. Tombstone Bennett is going to get the start over Peg Leg Daniels, but the hook could be quick if Bennett struggles. Georgia’s defense is too dang good to lose this game. The recipe will be simple and a repeat of what’s it’s been all season: play suffocating defense, run the ball to set up the play-action, and hit a few from Stetson to Brock Bowers. Boom, 34-14 and another Dawg win.
Georgia 34 - Florida 14
The Hammer: This game has lost a little of its shine after the dud Florida had against LSU, but the game still has a ton of intrigue for one main reason: quarterbacks. Who will be playing at QB for both schools? I think Mullen has to start Anthony Richardson, and maybe he comes out and has a miraculous game. On the other side, I think we’ll see JT Daniels in this game. How much? I’m not sure. Stetson Tombstone Bennett has been playing really well this year, but he’s not being asked to do a whole lot. I’m not convinced Florida can make the Georgia QB have to do a lot, but maybe Todd Grantham can dial something up. I’m sure it will be hard for Kirby to turn the keys over to JT right now, so I’m betting we see both guys take snaps under center. I think the Gators offense can have a little success, but only to the tune of 21 or 24 points, and that won’t be enough. Gimme the Dawgs!
Georgia 38 - Florida 21
The Waco Kid: Forget about any Florida losses, the real story here is that Georgia has one of the top 15 scoring offenses in the nation, that’s with a backup quarterback and the majority of their top receivers hurt. How can you compete with a team putting up those kinds of numbers, with almost no starters in key positions, and that has one of the nastiest defenses in the nation? I mean Jordan Davis is being called on across the football community to be a Heisman contender. As a defensive lineman. Things cannot look better for this squad. However, Florida is always a rivalry game for the Dawgs and meeting at a neutral site in Jacksonville gives no team a clear advantage. Will UGA win? Absolutely but it may be a closer game than most expect. Stetson Bennett has been given the starting nod with the injury JT Daniels is still dealing with but at this point it doesn’t matter who is back there, hell run the wildcat all game with Zamir White and a Kirby Smart win would still probably be inevitable. The Gator quarterbacks will have a rough game regardless of who starts, whether that be Emory Jones or Anthony Richardson. Hope may be the ever returning mistress for the black and red but this year it could also be something that every team they face loses sight of.
Georgia 45 - Florida 24
Late Games
#10 Ole Miss at #18 Auburn 7:00 pm ET on ESPN (Auburn - 3)
Bossman Slim: I can’t wait for this one. Auburn is gritty and keeps finding ways to win under first-year head coach Bryan Harsin. This team is taking on his personality, and they don’t quit. Ole Miss is always ready to party under Lane Kiffin. I expect this one to be in the high 20s-low 30s. Can Bo Nix pull another rabbit out of a hat and steal a win from the Lane Train? Not so fast, my friend. I think Matt Corral is the difference in this one and gets the job done on the road in a close one.
#10 Ole Miss 31 - #18 Auburn 27
Hammer: No offense to the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, but this is the best matchup of the weekend. Auburn and Ole Miss are playing really good ball right now. The Rebels have been winning in multiple different ways over the last few weeks by outscoring Arkansas, beating a solid Tennessee team at Neyland and then smothering LSU defensively a week ago. Give credit to Kiffin, Lebby and Matt Corral for finding ways to score and move the ball with limited weapons on the outside due to injury, but I’m worried their hot streak comes to an end this weekend at Jordan-Hare. Auburn defeated Arkansas in Fayetteville soundly two weeks ago and is coming off a bye to face the Rebs. Bo Nix is much better at home historically, and I think the Auburn running backs will give Ole Miss fits. I don’t feel great betting against Matt Corral, I just have a feeling that Auburn will find a way to win this one, especially if Corral is limited running the football.
#18 Auburn 38 - #10 Ole Miss 35
Waco Kid: The LK-Corral is coming into Auburn and the whole town is lining up to see. It is like a circus rolling through and for one night, and one night only, you can see the most amazing show on the planet. At least that is the expectation of the Rebel faithful. I am not so sure it will play out that way. For starter’s Lane Kiffin has won 3 out of 4 SEC contests by less than two scores, two of which were against now unranked opponents by less than 7 points. The last of the four conference games, well Alabama showed no mercy to their former offensive coordinator and beat that ass out of Tuscaloosa. I am no fan of Blo Wins but he has proven he can be a good quarterback, especially at home. This could be the turning point for the Tigers’ new head coach Bryan Harsin. A victory could signify the re-emergence of a historic SEC West contender. A loss does not really derail this team which means they have nothing to lose. With Nix and Bigsby in the backfield, we may witness some magic and unreal rushing statistics. For that reason, I am going with War Eagle.
#18 Auburn 45 - #10 Ole Miss 31
#12 Kentucky at Mississippi State 7:00 pm on SEC Network (Kentucky - 1.5)
Bossman Slim: Can Kentucky bounce back after a disappointing loss against Georgia? I think so. Mississippi State is a dangerous opponent, but I think the Kentucky defense is good enough to hold the Bulldogs offense in check just enough for the Wildcats to pull out a win. Will Levis does just enough through the air to Wan’Dale Robinson to supplement the Chris Rodriguez run game and Kentucky continues their march to a historic season in Lexington.
Kentucky 27 - Mississippi State 24
The Hammer: Kentucky has a legitimate shot at going 11-1, and no this is not basketball. Mark Stoops has done an incredible job with the program and the team in 2021 is tough as hell. They play a hard-nosed, disciplined and slightly more wide-open brand of football than we’ve seen from Wildcat teams in the past. I think all that comes to an end in Starkville this Saturday though! Give me the Bulldogs to pull off the upset. Mississippi State has been playing good football as of late, outside of the Bama game, but Kentucky ain’t Bama. I think the State run defense will hold up well enough to put Will Levis in an uncomfortable situation, and I don’t trust him yet throwing the ball, especially on the road with the cowbells ringing. I like Cowboy Will Rogers to lead his team to another victory as the dream season takes another hit for Big Blue Nation.
Mississippi State 28 - #12 Kentucky 24
The Waco Kid: I hate Mississippi State, not because I have a personal vendetta, but rather this team is mind-boggling every week. They win some they shouldn’t, they lose some they shouldn't. An identity has not yet been established for the Pirate crew but they are making strides behind quarterback Will Rogers. On the flip side, the Wildcats look very good this year. With Will Levis ripping it through the sky and Chris Rodriguez establishing himself as a premier back in the SEC, there is little that UK cannot accomplish. I think Leach and the bulldogs keep this interesting but the way Stoops has commanded his team, it will be a giant hill for the Starkville boys to climb. I see the blue and white pulling away in the fourth and winning by at least two scores.
#12 Kentucky 32 - Mississippi State 17
*neutral site game