B&S Week 8 game-by-game previews
What great game will we see this weekend? Keep your eye on Death Valley…
By: The Waco Kid, The Hammer, Bossman Slim
Ole Miss has a golden opportunity to keep the Lane Train rolling against LSU (Photo: @OleMissFB)
We’re past the midway point in the season, and what an incredible season it’s been so far. It should be a great second half as we ride toward the home stretch. Multiple SEC teams are still in contention for the College Football Playoff while others are teetering and some are holding on for dear life.
The picks against the spread this season have been weaker than you can imagine, but we’re chugging along and not giving up hope. If I were you, I’d pick one of the games you think we have a good take on and go with that one, and just never pick with The Waco Kid.
Let’s dig into the previews.
UT Martin at #3 Tennessee - 12:00 ET on SEC Network (Tennessee - 37.5)
Bossman: This is one of those ones where it should be a total blowout, but it’s a sandwich game. With all of the emotion coming off of the big Alabama win, and with Kentucky and Georgia looming, this could be a classic letdown. But it aint going to happen. Tennessee is too talented and riding high. I think the Vols are riding high right now and roll to an easy win.
Tennessee 44
UT Martin 10
The Hammer: This feels like the biggest hangover, letdown game in history. After the incredible scene last weekend in Knoxville, it's almost impossible for 18-22-year-olds to get back up and be 100% ready to play just a week later. Luckily for the Vols, UT Martin comes down as a sacrificial lamb. The Vols can sleepwalk through this game and be totally fine.
Tennessee 42
UT Martin 14
The Waco Kid: What a way to follow up on what could be one of the greatest wins in program history. You go from knocking off #1 Alabama, at home, to having to play UT Martin as the new #3 team in the nation. This will be a great practice game for the Vols as they prepare for their matchup against top-ranked Georgia. Hooker will throw for 4 TDs before being relieved of his duties and Heupel and Company can begin looking forward to what could be the second-greatest win in program history all in the same season.
Tennessee 52
UT Martin 15
#7 Ole Miss at LSU - 3:30 ET on CBS (LSU - 1.5)
Bossman: LSU is starting to figure it out and after a shaky start to the season, they find themselves in the thick of the race in the West. Ole Miss has cruised to a 7-0 mark to start the year and is sitting pretty atop the West. Can they get through the Tigers to keep it going? I think yes. LSU has not seen a rushing attack like Ole Miss has all year (the best in the country) and I don’t think they’ll be able to stop them on Saturday. This Ole Miss defense is also capable of shutting down the upstart LSU offense, and I don’t think Jayden Daniels is able to have the type of day through the air that he did against Florida. This Ole Miss defense is better than Florida’s. I expect the Rebs to pound it on the ground, find enough success through the air, and hold LSU off just enough to walk out of Tiger Stadium with a win.
Ole Miss 34
LSU 26
The Hammer: This is the game of the weekend. Some people are questioning Ole Miss, saying they haven't really played anyone. I can understand that line of thinking, but I am a believer in Ole Miss. People remain unsure about LSU as well, given how inconsistent they have been all year. If the LSU offense that we saw against Florida shows up on Saturday, we’ll be in for a shootout. But I’m not convinced that Jayden Daniels and the Tiger WR corps are suddenly fixed after one good game. Ole Miss was favored when this line opened, but now LSU is favored so money is coming in on LSU. This screams recency bias to me because of how good LSU looked last weekend in prime time. I trust Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin to score points, even on the road and I need to see more out of Daniels and LSU’s offense before I trust them to keep up with the Rebs. I think Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins will move the ball enough on the ground and let Ole Miss control this game. As long as Jaxson Dart can avoid costly turnovers, Ole Miss should win this game.
Ole Miss 31
LSU 27
The Waco Kid: Ole Miss has been on a roll this year just like they start out every year but Lane Kiffin always stumbles and this may be the game that starts that fall. So far their best win of the season has come in the form of a low-scoring, three-point victory over a Kentucky team that has recently had flaws exposed. They also are coming off a game where a god-awful Auburn offense put up 34 points on the Rebel D. Now they get to travel into Death Valley in hopes of knocking off an LSU team that seems to have found its groove. This screams trap game to me. Everyone is very high on Mississippi but I have yet to be overly impressed with any of the wins they have accumulated this season. I think with Jayden Daniels finally becoming the quarterback the Tigers expected, it will be a tough game and environment for Lane Kiffin to walk away from with his 8th win of the season. The Bayou Bengals cover and win convincingly, catapulting them back into the top 25 and sending Ole Miss back to Oxford out of the top 10.
LSU 45
Ole Miss 38
Vanderbilt at Missouri - 4:00 ET on SEC Network (Mizzou -14)
Bossman: Let’s see what you got, Commodores! Vandy’s last win against an SEC opponent came against Mizzou…can they break their 14-game SEC losing streak by taking down Mizzou? I don’t think so. This Vanderbilt offense has improved, but Mizzou touts one of the better defenses in the country. I also think the hype about “is this the week for Vandy?” actually plays against them. If Mizzou can get a little offense going, and I think they can against Vandy, then the Tigers win in Columbia.
Missouri 31
Vanderbilt 17
The Hammer: Missouri needs this game badly. The Tigers have been pesky so far this year and competed in every game outside of Kansas State, but they can’t seem to get over the hump. What better team to get over the hump against other than Vandy? Sure, Vanderbilt is improved and they took care of business in the nonconference outside of Wake Forest. But that doesn’t mean the Commodores are ready to go on the road and win in the SEC. Vandy has been drummed 55-3 by Bama and 55-0 by Georgia in the last two SEC road games. Obviously, Mizzou is not either of those teams, but they aren’t a pushover and they are coming off a bye week. Give me the Tigers to win this one at home.
Missouri 35
Vanderbilt 27
The Waco Kid: Gotta love this contest. The battle for last in the SEC. At the end of the day, these are two of the conference's worst teams and besides a well-fought game against UGA by Missouri, neither team has looked good in division play. Still, one team must be worse than the rest and I think that honor most likely will be bestowed upon Vandy. Everything that Clark Lea has been doing with the program is great but Vanderbilt is still gonna Vanderbilt when it comes to college football. Give me one season over .500 and a bowl game and then we can talk but until then the Commodores will still be at the bottom of every SEC ranking.
Missouri 36
Vanderbilt 24
#24 Mississippi State at #6 Alabama - 7:00 ET on ESPN (Alabama - 21)
Bossman: Mississippi State is in a rut, and Alabama is in a rut too. But who do you trust more to get a W after a big loss, Nick Saban or Mike Leach? I’m going with the GOAT every time. Alabama is 29-1 in the regular season after losing under Nick Saban. Make that 30-1. With Bryce Young playing and this one being at Bryant Denny at night, whatever nerves or anxiety Alabama played with last week will be gone. This team will be hungry, and I expect them to come out and play their best game of the year. As for Mississippi State, I think they’re in this game until halftime before Alabama pulls away.
Alabama 45
Mississippi State 27
The Hammer: The worst spot in all of college football to find yourself is matched up against Alabama after the Tide lose. Mississippi State finds themselves in this exact spot this weekend, and it's on the road. Good luck, Bulldogs. I’ve been high on Mississippi State this year, but they looked really bad against Kentucky last weekend and Alabama will be fuming mad after losing to Tennessee and giving up 52 points. On defense, I expect Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, and Chris Braswell to be in Will Rogers’ grill all night. I also don’t see the Bulldogs being able to run the ball with any effectiveness. Offensively, the Tide still have Bryce Young so for all the negative press Bill O’Brien is getting, they are going to be just fine. Bama rolls in this one.
Alabama 45
Mississippi State 20
The Waco Kid: If Saban hadn’t just lost a game and almost lost the game before I would think this had the makings of an upset. But that is not the case. MSU comes into this game against a Bama team that was undisciplined and unrefined last week against Tennessee. And you can bet your ass and the Tide’s player’s asses that they ran all of those kinks out throughout this past week. I would not be surprised to hear that Saban had a whole practice dedicated to running and not drawing penalties but we may never know because he would never allow us to know. On top of that Mississippi State looked absolutely horrendous on offense against Kentucky and you can bet that the Crimson will game plan and play better defense than the Wildcats did. Those reasons and an offense that can score at will are why I am taking Alabama in a landslide. I think that defense causes Will Rogers some confusion and leads to turnovers while Bill O’Brien continues to play call to the offensive strengths and put points on the board every time Bryce Young touches the ball. It will be a bad weekend for Mike Leach.
Alabama 42
Mississippi State 17
Texas A&M at South Carolina - 7:30 ET on SEC Network (A&M -3)
Bossman: This is a fascinating game. South Carolina got a big win over Kentucky two weeks ago and is feeling like they can take down a giant (or a program that believes it SHOULD be a giant). A&M feels like they let one get away against Alabama (they did), but have renewed confidence that they can play with anyone in the country. A&M has not lost to South Carolina in this series (8-0), but a night game in Williams-Brice is always a tall order. Both teams are coming off a bye week and will be the healthiest they have been all season, so it will be all systems go for both squads except for a few dents in the roster. Haynes King apparently practiced all week, which is good news for the Aggies. The key in this game is Spencer Rattler vs. A&M’s stellar secondary. I think the Aggies win that battle, force Rattler into a few turnovers, and the Aggies get the win, albeit in another ugly one.
Texas A&M 26
South Carolina 24
The Hammer: Texas A&M is somehow 3-3 right now and they need this win as bad as any team has ever needed a win. The Aggies simply cannot lose this one, and I don’t think they will. Reports out of College Station are saying Haynes King has been practicing and is expected to start. True freshman Connor Weigman could still see some action if King is ineffective, but we’ll see. Regardless of who the QB is, this game needs to be put on Devon Achane’s back. He’s one of the most dangerous players in the entire country and Jimbo needs to find creative ways to get him the ball in space, especially coming off a bye week. On the South Carolina side, they have really struggled to run the ball all year and Rattler is really turnover prone. The A&M defense has been hot and cold this year but their secondary is a strength and I think they will grab a few picks in this one to really turn the tide in A&M’s favor. The Aggies getting out to a good start is key here because it's a night game on the road and playing from behind isn't this team’s strength. I think talent wins out in the end so I’m going with A&M but anything can happen at Williams Bryce on a Saturday night.
Texas A&M 27
South Carolina 20
The Waco Kid: I say it every week, Spencer Rattler cannot keep from turning the ball over, and because of this South Carolina can not win against quality competition. Yes, they beat a banged-up Kentucky team playing without Will Levis but still, Rattler turned the ball over and kept it closer than it probably should have been. Texas A&M boasts a huge and talented defensive line and experienced secondary while the linebackers are finally starting to get in sync with the rest of the defense. And the crazy thing is, the majority of starters are underclassmen that are still developing. The Aggies woes have, for the most part, been on offense which they will look to get turned around against a subpar Gamecocks defense. USC gives up on average 35 points to SEC competition and if A&M can put up that many, there is no way their defense allows SC to score more than 20. This will not be a close game, A&M covers and it’s not even close.
Texas A&M 38
South Carolina 17