B&S week 10 game by game previews
All eyes are on Texas A&M and Auburn this weekend, but there are plenty of other fun matchups ahead. Another big Saturday in SEC country.
By: Bossman Slim, The Hammer, The Waco Kid
Watch The Hammer preview week 10 with Steven Willis, then read up on the rest of our previews.
OHHHHHHH BABY. We’ve made it to another Saturday full of college football. There are intriguing matchups all over the conference today, headlined by a showdown between Texas A&M and Auburn. The Aggies are coming off a bye week ready to notch another win in Kyle Field, while the Tigers are gaining confidence every single time they take the field. Should be a great one in College Station.
Before we hit the previews, here’s how the crew fared last week:
The Hammer: 4-0; 63-14 overall
The Waco Kid: 3-1; 61-16 overall
Bossman Slim: 2-2; 60-17 overall
Bossman reverts to his mean, while The Hammer is en fuego, as he’s been all year. Still a lot of ball to play with a lot that can happen.
Let’s hit the previews.
Early Games
Missouri at #1 Georgia 12:00 pm ET on ESPN (Georgia -38)
Bossman Slim: We don’t need to take too long on this one. Mizzou is trending in the wrong direction and is currently a one man show: Tyler Badie. Georgia on the other hand is steamrolling their way to Atlanta, flattening everything in their path. There is good news for Mizzou though, as you can see in our tweet below. Georgia in a rout.
#1 Georgia 45 - Missouri 7
The Hammer: This will be a bloodbath. Connor Bazelak is out with an injury, and the only other Mizzou quarterback who has seen any snaps this year is true freshman Tyler Macon who came in after Bazelak went down a week ago. The absolute last team in the world you want a true freshman to face in his first career start is Georgia. Couple that with a salty Georgia run game against the worst run defense in the country, and you have the recipe for a blowout. This will be over by halftime.
#1 Georgia 53 - Missouri 3
The Waco Kid: Georgia cannot be stopped and Mizzou will be a speed bump on the path to a national championship berth. This is a no show, the Tigers have continued to struggle while the Dawgs prosper at any chance they get. Even if JT Daniels does not play this should be a lock for Kirby Smart. If Mizzou can put 7 on the board they should take that as a moral victory.
#1 Georgia 45 - Missouri 3
Liberty at #16 Ole Miss 12:00 pm ET on SEC Network (Ole Miss -9.5)
The man just looks like a snake oil salesmen. He can coach football though. Photo courtesy of Liberty University.
Bossman Slim: Could it happen? Could Hugh Freeze walk into Oxford and steal a win from his former employer? It’s possible, there’s a reason that Ole Miss is only favored by 9.5. I just don’t see it happening. Liberty lost to 4-4 UL Monroe, a team that got torched by Kentucky at the start of the year. In the tale of the tape, Liberty matches up well with the Rebels. They can hang on offense and their defense only gives up 17.8 points per game to Ole Miss’s 28.6. Unfortunately for Liberty, this ain’t the Fun Belt. As much as I want to pick the upset here, I think Matt Corral and the boys are too much for Mr. Freeze.
#16 Ole Miss 38 - Liberty 27
The Hammer: The much maligned Hugh Freeze makes his return to Oxford this weekend. Hopefully he left his burner phone at home. All jokes aside, Hugh has done an excellent job at Liberty. The Flames are 7-2 heading into this game, with both losses (Syracuse and ULM) being just 3 points a piece. Ole Miss is really beat up, too. We saw how limited this offense was a week ago against Auburn, so the setting for an upset is there. I don’t see it in this one though. Liberty is a good group of 5 team, but Ole Miss will beat a good group of 5 team at home. Lane Kiffin will not allow this team to lose, as they still have plenty to play for. I think this one will be competitive, but ultimately I like the Ole Miss run game to get going here and eventually outlast the flames.
#16 Ole Miss 41 - Liberty 28
The Waco Kid: Trap game. This is the perfect scenario for Hugh Freeze’s Liberty Flames. Freeze makes his return to Oxford with a team that should not be taken lightly. Ole Miss will look to continue their offensive dominance against an out of conference opponent. But in the end this one will come down to who wants it more and Liberty is a team that has nothing to lose. A team that has nothing to lose is like a cornered animal; the fight is inevitable and the cards could fall either way. With Liberty opening as a 9.5 underdog apparently even Vegas thinks this one could get interesting. For that reason I have Liberty with the upset.
#16 Ole Miss 34 - Liberty 37
Midday Games
#13 Auburn at #14 Texas A&M 3:30 pm ET on CBS (Texas A&M -4.5)
Bossman Slim: This is a fascinating matchup. Auburn is a surprise team as Harsin has the team coming together and playing above their weight in year one. He’s found some secret sauce that makes Bo Nix tick as Nix has turned it on since getting benched against Georgia State. For Texas A&M, the Aggies have reeled off three straight wins after the country had written them off after bad losses to Arkansas and Mississippi State. Turns out the West is even more of a meat grinder this year than it usually is. I think two things give A&M the edge: the Aggies defensive line and being at Kyle Field. I trust the A&M defensive line, which has animals all up and down the line, to step up and bottle up the rushing attack of the Tigers. I think A&M can run on Auburn as the offensive line is figuring it out and the Maroon & White have the best RB duo in the country. Gig’em in a close one.
#14 Texas A&M 27 - #13 Auburn 24
The Hammer: This showdown at Kyle Field is the best game of the weekend. Two teams who seem to be peaking at the moment will square off in front of 103,000+ fans in College Station. Ahhh, SEC football at its finest. Bo Nix has looked much more comfortable in the Bobo offense than he ever did under Malzahn, and I don’t anticipate the old Bo Nix on the road to show up here. I think he plays well, but if A&M can limit Bigsby and Hunter, and keep Nix in the pocket, he doesn't have the weapons on the outside to win this game. While Nix has been accurate, efficient and taken care of the ball in 2021, he still isn't putting up massive numbers. Auburn just isn't built that way. Which is why this matchup is good for the Aggie defense. The Aggies defensive line will shine this game and be a huge difference maker in my mind. Calzada will need to be good for A&M, but I do think the Aggie run game will have success. I see Spiller and Achane combining for at least 150 yards but probably closer to 175 in this one. I don’t think Bigsby and Hunter can get to that number, and that is the difference in this game. The winner Saturday afternoon will win the battle in the trenches, and my money is on A&M.
#14 Texas A&M 27 - #13 Auburn 20
The Waco Kid: Bo Nix is riding high on his season and with good reason. He has been dominant at home and has put on a show all year. But has he faced a defensive unit like Texas A&M? I do not think so. The Aggies are holding opponents to an average of 16.13 points per game but are scoring 29.63 points per game. Zach Calzada has found his footing as a quarterback in the SEC and with a solid backfield and quality receivers, Auburn’s defense should be in for quite a challenge. Still this might be the best game of the week and should have been college gameday. Instead we have to watch a crap game between Tulsa and Cincinnati. If they did not give Cincy gameday we would have a lot of triggered northerners mad that they can’t get any recognition but they beat Notre Dame. Congratulations, you beat a team that has struggled to get wins against FSU, TOLEDO, PURDUE, VIRGINIA TECH and has not played a decent team this year. SEC bias? Maybe but at the end of the day play quality opponents or take your seat outside of the playoffs and shut up. Anyways back to the game at hand, A&M’s backfield will be too much for Auburn’s defense. Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane will have 100 yards each and Ainias Smith will be tearing up the secondary left and right. Tank Bigsby will put up some points for Auburn but I expect Nix to lose his cool and confidence, causing a complete collapse of their offensive unit.
#14 Texas A&M 34 - #13 Auburn 17
#17 Mississippi State at Arkansas 4:00 pm ET on SEC Network (Arkansas -5)
Bossman Slim: After starting the season like a rocket, the Razorbacks have fallen back to earth with a thud. Arkansas finds themselves with their backs to the wall, hoping to get out of the SEC West basement, and drag Mississippi State down to move up. This one has lost some luster after Arkansas’s recent skid, but to me, I still can’t wait to watch this game. Cowboy Will Rogers is on a tear and is coming into his own in this Leach offense. Arkansas is still dangerous and can hang with most teams in the country. Will the wide-open Pirate offense with Cowboy at the helm win the day? Or does The Pittmaster and Barry O dial up a great gameplan to counter the Bulldogs? I think Odom dials up the right defense to slow State and the Hogs make enough plays on offense to seal a win. Hogs get back on track this week with a big win over Mississippi State.
Arkansas 31 - #17 Mississippi State 28
The Hammer: That’s right, I’m feeling the upsets again this week. I’m buying what the Pirate has going in Starkville right now, and this will probably blow up in my face with a patented poor performance out of nowhere by a Mike Leach coached team (see: Memphis), but I’m riding with the Bulldogs. I love how Cowboy Will Rogers is playing, and I think with Jalen Catalon injured, this Razorback secondary is vulnerable. And I don’t trust Henry, Pool and Morgan in coverage as much. If Mississippi State runs the ball enough to keep Arkansas honest, just like they did against Kentucky, I like their chances. Offensively I think Arkansas will be able to move the ball better than Kentcuky was a week ago, but I love how the Bulldog defense is playing right now. The Hogs like to run the ball, but State has the 5th best rush defense in the nation right now, giving up just 89 yards a game on the ground. Give me Mississippi State to not only cover but win this one outright. Arkansas is a good team, but they still have a ways to go.
Arkansas 31 - #17 Mississippi State 35
The Waco Kid: With the way this season is going I am picking Mississippi State because there is no why or how. They continue to put together quality wins and everytime I bet against them I lose so I am done doing that. MSU will head into Fayetteville to try and beat an Arkansas team that started the season red hot but has since kind of flamed out. Sam Pittman still has the Hogs competing but they have been in an SEC slump since playing Texas A&M. This could be the game to get out of that rut but I think the pirate will have some tricks up his sleeves on offense and has a defense that is playing at an all time high. Will Rogers has been a consistent QB for the Bulldogs and will most likely put up at least 250 passing yards which may be enough to put away the Razorbacks. Hail State.
Arkansas 17 - #17 Mississippi State 31
Late Games
LSU at #2 Alabama 7:00 pm ET on ESPN (Alabama -28.5)
Bossman Slim: Darth Saban will show no mercy against “We’re gonna beat their ass every year” Orgeron. Saban is going to kick the dog while he’s down. No quarter. In Tuscaloosa, in a night game, this could get ugly. Alabama is on a warpath since their loss to Texas A&M, and LSU is on a far different path, maybe like the 2021 road to perdition. The Tigers won’t be in perdition forever, but the end of this season will feel like it as Orgeron slinks out the door.
#2 Alabama 45 - LSU 17
The Hammer: LSU is probably the lamest of lame duck teams I recall in recent years. Not only is their coach fired yet somehow coaching out the rest of the season, which is an odd arrangement, but their entire team is seemingly injured. Hell, they did not even have enough healthy bodies to practice at one point during their bye week according to Ed Orgeron. I think this team has some pride and will come out swinging, but they just don’t have the motivation or the horses to go toe to toe with the Tide. Once Alabama punches them in the mouth, I think the white flag will come out. But Bama is not going to honor any sort of surrender in this one. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide will want to embarrass LSU and Ed Orgeron. Don’t think they have forgotten what went down in 2019, I assure you they haven't. The LSU defense won't be able to stop Alabama, and I think the Tide defensive front will whip LSU’s offensive line all night. This one will be ugly and Tiger fans might want to shield their eyes.
LSU 14 - Alabama 48
The Waco Kid: This would be a great one if we were in the early 2010’s, unfortunately for Coach O we are now in the 2020 era and LSU is no longer elite. Alabama is still competing at a high level and just got tripped up against a very underrated Texas A&M. Every other game Saban has dominated and left no doubt (maybe with the exception of Florida too). The Bayou Bengals have struggled in every game and with the known departure of their head coach, there is too much outside noise surrounding the Tigers and not enough team will on the field. The tide will break Louisiana State’s hopes in the first quarter and will have no remorse. The purple and gold will head back to Baton Rouge with their tail between their legs.
LSU 17 - Alabama 41
Tennessee at #18 Kentucky 7:00 pm ET on ESPN 2 (Kentucky -1)
Bossman Slim: Night game. In Neyland. Top 20 team coming into town, but they’re vulnerable. I like Tennessee in this one. The interesting thing to watch in this game is the Vols offense vs. this Kentucky defense. The Wildcats are only giving up 20.8 points per game, while Tennessee is averaging 37.4 on offense. I think Heupel schemes this one up and Hendon Hooker has a night to remember. Chris Rodriguez and the Kentucky rushing attack should have a good night as well, but I don’t think Will Levis has enough to keep up with the Vols offense, and they’re going to need to make some plays through the air to win. It won’t happen. Vols get a big win as Heupel’s program continues to build.
Tennessee 38 - #18 Kentucky 28
The Hammer: I told y’all I was feeling the upsets again this weekend right? Well, here is another. I think the Vols march into the giant grocery bag in Kroger Field and silence the Wildcats. Tennessee has been a different team since Hendon Hooker took over, and I like their offensive firepower in this matchup. Kentucky is built for a more physical, line of scrimmage kind of game, not this hurry up, tempo style that Tennessee brings. And I just don’t trust Will Levis. He is not accurate enough down the field and has been turnover prone all year, tossing too many interceptions. In fact, Kentucky is the worst team in the FBS in turnover margin this year. They’ve turned it over 16 times and only forced 4 defensively. That ain’t good! I still think Kentucky is good, and they’ve had a good season, but Tennessee is playing better football at this moment, and the Vols are due for a big win after some hard fought losses to Ole Miss and Alabama.
Tennessee 41 - #18 Kentucky 35
The Waco Kid: Tennessee is rolling, but Kentucky is coming off a tough loss to Mississippi State which has left a bad taste in their mouth. I think the ‘Cats are coming in with a chip on their shoulder and still have a defense that is a turnover machine. Add that in with an offense that has high powered capability and I think we are looking at a Vol blowout. Sure they are putting up some good offensive numbers but they have not played a defensive unit like the Lexington boys. Will Levis throws for two and C-Rod adds another on the ground. Mark Stoops’ squad will also add another score defensively.
Tennessee 24 - Kentucky 38
Florida at South Carolina 7:30 pm ET on SEC Network (Florida -18)
Bossman Slim: There is a lot of negativity surrounding the Florida program at the moment. Fans are piling on Dan Mullen about his recruiting comment and his team continues to lose games. There’s good news for Mullen though: South Carolina is terrible. No matter who starts at QB, no matter how poisoned the water is in Gainesville right now, the Gamecocks are here to serve themselves up as a sacrifice to the Gators. Gators chomp the Chickens.
Florida 44 - South Carolina 21
The Hammer: Dan Mullen has looked like a fool quite a bit the last few weeks, both his team’s performance on the field and what he says in press conferences. Luckily, South Carolina is really bad. Florida needs a get right game, and this one looks like the perfect time for that. Back against the wall, everyone is talking about how bad this Gator team is, so I think they will come out firing this weekend. They can run on South Carolina, and their entire offense opens up from there. Defensively, the Gators will be fine as well. They played a solid game against UGA all things considered, and this Gamecock offense is pitiful. Gator chomp.
Florida 41 - South Carolina 17
The Waco Kid: Florida hasn’t been impressive this year but South Carolina has been far worse. This one should be a lock for Dan Mullen. He may be on the hot seat, but this game should fall in his favor. It looks like Emory Jones should be the starter going forward after a poor performance by Anthony Richardson against Georgia. Jones will lead the attack and the Gamecocks have no shot of slowing down the Gator offense. This one should be a blowout.
Florida 45 - South Carolina 24