B&S Week 6 game-by-game previews
Great games across the slate this Saturday with storylines all over the conference.
By: The Waco Kid, The Hammer, Bossman Slim
Josh Heupel leads the Vols into Death Valley in a pivotal matchup (Photo: 247 Sports)
We’ve arrived at week six. We’re getting into the heart of the schedule now with mostly SEC matchups to come. Plenty of interesting matchups in the league this week, it should be a fun one to sit back, relax, and enjoy some big-time SEC football while many storylines play out.
The trend has continued as these riverboat gamblers can’t hit the Mississippi River with a baseball against the spread. Whatever your gambling app of choice is, do the opposite of what we say. Straight up though…we know a little bit.
The Waco Kid returns this week with his analysis and picks. Gonna be fun. Let’s dig in.
#8 Tennessee at #25 LSU - 12:00pm on ESPN (Tennessee -3)
Bossman Slim: Give me Tennessee, real talk. It’s a travesty this one isn’t a night game in Death Valley, because what a scene that would be. That -3 line makes more sense for a night game, but not an 11 am CT kick. They’re going to try and liquor those LSU fans up, opening the gates at 9 am and selling beer well before kickoff…but it won’t be enough. The steady presence of Hendon Hooker will carry the Vols in this one, and I don’t think the LSU offense has enough juice to keep up with Heupel and that high powered offense. Tennessee puts LSU away in the second half.
#8 Tennessee 38
#25 LSU 21
The Hammer: It’s never easy going on the road to Death Valley. Just ask Mississippi State. Tennessee won a tough road game earlier this year on the road at Pitt, but LSU is better than PItt and has a much better home field environment, so this will be a tough test for the Vols. I do like them in this matchup though. I haven't seen enough from LSU’s pass offense to make me think they can really take advantage of a vulnerable Vol secondary and you have to score to keep pace with Tennessee. Plus, Hendon Hooker is playing as well as any QB in the country. He never turns the ball over and can hurt you with his arm and his feet. I think this game will be close before Tennessee pulls away late.
#8 Tennessee 34
#25 LSU 27
The Waco Kid: Death Valley just does not have the same ring to it when you know the guy across from you is the same one who used disco dance moves to try to lure recruits into playing in Baton Rouge this fall. The fearful connotation surrounding the bayou all but disappeared the second that Brian Kelly took the head coaching job at LSU. This used to be a place of lore shrouded in a Louisiana (Abita) haze that echoed sounds of the Bayou Bengal’s mighty roar. Now you can sometimes hear the pretty kitty cat’s purr when they aren’t too busy losing to the FSUs of the world. In all honesty the purple and gold are not having that bad of a season, they are 4-1 and ranked #25 in the nation, but for a program that should be competing for championships year to year this is a bit underwhelming. Especially when you look at how they have won games. They are not blowing teams out with a powerful ground and pound and their defense is not stifling the opposition to the tune of less than 10 points a game. Rather, they are hanging on for dear life and hoping QB Jayden Daniels takes over in the air or on the ground. This paired with the fact that Tennessee has so far looked like a juggernaut out of the East could spell disaster in Cajun country. The Vols have not scored less than 34 points this season and Henson Hooker has become a premier quarterback in the nation. Bru McCoy is finally hitting his stride at the right time too and becoming the receiver he was hyped up to be. The Florida game ended closer than it really was for the orange and white but make no mistake they controlled the game from kickoff to end. The Vols cover but I think you have you hammer the under in this SEC showdown.
#8 Tennessee 37
#25 LSU 26
Arkansas at #23 Mississippi State - 12:00pm ET on SEC Network (Miss St -9.5)
Bossman Slim: It’s still up in the air whether or not KJ Jefferson plays, and that’s bad news for Arkansas. The Hogs need Jefferson in the worst way, otherwise this one is probably a solid win for Mississippi State. And even if KJ plays, the Bulldogs have a good shot to win this one. Either way, I like Mississippi State in this one. It’s an early game in Starkville with the cowbells rocking, Will Rogers is slinging darts right now and I think that Mississippi State defense will be able to keep this Arkansas attack in check enough to win. Rogers will be able to exploit this weak Arkansas secondary. Give me the Bulldogs to win but won’t cover.
#23 Mississippi State 37
Arkansas 33
The Hammer: I haven't seen anything definitive on the status of KJ Jefferson, who is in concussion protocol this week, but this point spread clearly shows that Vegas doesn't think he’s playing. And if he doesn't play, I’m not sure how Arkansas wins this one. Mississippi State is good and Arkansas is reeling after two straight losses. Going on the road to a symphony of cowbells isn’t ideal for a team that needs a win. We also know that the Arkansas defense is vulnerable, especially in the secondary, and Cowboy Will Rogers can sling it. He’s playing great this year and it seems like the only way to limit him is to get pressure on him. Arkansas has been really good at pressuring opposing QBs, but I like Mississippi State better in this spot. I’ll take the hot hand of Will Rogers over a KJ Jefferson-less Razorback team.
#23 Mississippi State 35
Arkansas 28
The Waco Kid: Say it with me, “it’s all about the quarterback”. There couldn’t be a more true statement for this West matchup. We have a scenario where you could see two top SEC play callers duke it out against each other. Or you could see Will Rogers face a backup Razorback that has yet to see significant playing time. I personally would prefer the first, as a Jefferson-Rogers standoff would make for some great fall football. Rogers is coming off a red-hot win over, what was, a ranked Texas A&M team. He is leading the Mike Leach air raid better than any quarterback in recent history and doing it against teams that pride themselves on defense. On top of Roger’s play, last week the bulldogs established a run game early on, tearing through the Aggie defense every time they touched the ball. A hit in the backfield somehow continued to seem like a 5 yard gain. The maroon of Starkville really has it going after their one loss to LSU and could still surprise a lot as a contender in the West. That being said, don’t sleep on Arkansas, especially if Jefferson is taking snaps. KJ is a game changer, not only can he pass and run the ball, he has a way of eating the clock and bending the will of opposing defenses. If the piggies can field their superstar, I am not sure the State defense can slow them. Bet against the spread and my hope is we see a healthy Sam Pittman team that wins out by 10.
Arkansas 34
#23 Mississippi State 23
Missouri at Florida - 12:00pm ET on ESPNU (Florida -11.5)
Bossman Slim: Heartbreak has struck twice for Mizzou in two straight weeks. It is extremely difficult as a coach to get a team over those mental hurdles. This team has to be drained, and Florida has found a little juice after pushing Tennessee two weeks ago and getting Anthony Richardson going in the passing game. With this one being at The Swamp, and the way that Mizzou got gashed by Kansas State on the ground by a running QB…I think this plays right into Florida’s hands. I like the Gators to cover in this one.
Florida 34
Missouri 21
The Hammer: Missouri can’t have any gas left in the tank, right? They lost a heartbreaker to Auburn two weeks ago, which they absolutely handed to Auburn. Then they take Georgia to the wire but lose in the end after leading by 10 points to start the 4th quarter. Meanwhile, Florida had a glorified bye week this past weekend defeating Eastern Washington 52-17. Give Mizzou credit for battling to the bitter end in back-to-back weeks, but I think this is the week the wheels fall off.
Florida 38
Missouri 17
The Waco Kid: Bees in the trap. That’s what this is for Florida, a trap game. It almost came to fruition for Georgia last week and the Gators are no Athens boys. Mizzou came alive on defense against the defending National Champs and even moved the ball against one of the top defenses in the nation. Luckily for UF they got to catch a glimpse of this team before their matchup this weekend. If not this for sure would be going the Tigers way. Because we saw what Drinkwitz could do, Napier will not be one to take this game lightly. Missouri has not been great against the run this year and will have to contain not only a stable of running backs but also a mobile quarterback in Anthony Richardson that is as deadly on the ground as he is innocent through the air. Tiger QB Brady Cook may have been able to put together some miracle drives against the Dawgs but they all stifled in field goals which was ultimately what determined the game. The blue and orange will dominate on defense and won’t give up anything unnecessarily. Florida covers and Mizzou heads back to Columbia 2-4.
Florida 42
Mizzou 30
Auburn at #2 Georgia - 3:30 ET on CBS (UGA -29.5)
Bossman Slim: This is a game that should be a ranked matchup between two teams fighting for a trip to the SEC Championship game. Instead, Auburn is flailing under Bryan Harsin right now and the sharks are circling. The Tiger faithful will not take kindly to getting blown out in this one, and postgame could get interesting if they do, with the Harsin era likely ending before they get back to Auburn. Maybe another tarmac firing…? Georgia has been embarrassed the last two weeks. Kirby Smart knows they should have rolled for two straight weeks, instead the Dawgs have been sleep walking. Not this week. This is a rivalry game in Athens. The Dawgs will be ready for this one, remind us of their dominance, and take the last breath out of the Harsin era, putting the Auburn fanbase out of their year-and-a-half misery.
#2 Georgia 42
Auburn 17
The Hammer: Georgia is going to win this game, that much is clear. Auburn has no offense and their coach is walking on the thinnest ice I’ve ever seen. At this point, it seems like Auburn is waiting until they hire an AD before showing Bryan Harsin the door. Either way, Auburn is not equipped to beat Georgia on the road. I am interested to see how Georgia wins this one though. If they struggle, then perhaps the last two weeks are not outliers, and UGA is more flawed than we thought earlier in the year. And that might be the case, but I think they get the job done this weekend and dismiss the Tigers with relative ease. It’s at home, it's a rivalry game, and the Dawgs have looked pedestrian for two weeks in a row. It’s time for them to put their foot back on the gas pedal and no better team to do it against than a bitter rival. Dawgs big.
#2 Georgia 35
Auburn 10
The Waco Kid: Gotta love some good ol’ West vs East rivalry games. It signifies the beginning of fall and reminds us that Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all around the corner. And there are no better holidays than the ones during football season. These cross-division match-ups always prove to be a pivotal turning point for teams on both sides of the conference. Winners usually compete for their divisions, while the losers end up tail-spinning and hoping to make the cheez-whiz nacho bowl by the end of the season. UGA and AU has always been a fascinating game for spectators. I mean we all remember the Aaron Murray drive followed by the prayer at Jordan-Hare that propelled the Tigers to a National Championship appearance. There is only hostility between these two squads and as college football fans we live and die for it. Regardless of where you attended school, everyone has a dog in this fight, either you are black and red or orange and blue. Then at the end of the night, you can don the colors of your actual team once again. I literally have the Dawgs in this fight. Do I think they cover? No, it is a lofty feat even against a horrible Tiger team. This is a rivalry though, throw the win-loss columns out the window and let the blood boil. I want to see some back and forth, jawing, and players that will risk everything for that name on the front of their jersey because at the end of the day, that’s the only name that matters. Stetson Bennett will not win this game, Robby Ashford will not win this game, rather Georgia or Auburn will go down in history next to 2022 as winners of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
#2 Georgia 43
Auburn 35
#9 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - 4:00 ET on SEC Network (Ole Miss -17)
Bossman Slim: Pretty obvious here. Go Rebs. Vanderbilt is improving, but they still have a long way to go. Ole Miss is a top-ten team for good reason. The scary part is that the Rebels are a top-ten team and they have yet to get their passing game on track with Jaxson Dart. If they can get that part of their offense figured out…watch out. It’s no surprise that Vandy has the worst overall defense in the SEC. The Commodores also have the second-worst passing defense in the conference, meaning this is the week for Lane Kiffin to get that passing game going. The Ole Miss offense should be able to have a field day on the ground and through the air on this Vandy defense. I don’t think the line is big enough. AJ Swann for Vandy is the future, but the future is not today. Rebels big.
#9 Ole Miss 42
Vanderbilt 21
The Hammer: I suppose this could be a trap game for Ole Miss coming off an emotional win against Kentucky last weekend. And Vanderbilt is an improved team. But there’s an old saying in football and it says that the run game travels. I trust this Ole Miss rushing attack to travel to Nashville. Jaxson Dart is still figuring things out in the passing game, but I don’t see Vanderbilt stopping Quinshon Judkins, Zach Evans and Dart on the ground. Lane Kiffin has this team rolling and Nashville is just the next stop for the Lane Train.
#9 Ole Miss 35
Vanderbilt 17
The Waco Kid: If there were ever a game that Ole Miss would score 100 in, it would be this one. Thank goodness this is the nap time game. If you don’t want to recover from the morning tailgating, maybe you can get some bird hunting in during this three-hour span before you have to be back in time to watch some actual significant matchups. The Lane Train is rolling on offense and Vanderbilt can do nothing to slow it down. The best the Commodores can hope for is to put up some points on the Reba defense and make it look like this was a game. It will still be a 20-point spread but for the gold and black that ain’t too shabby.
#9 Ole Miss 56
Vanderbilt 30
South Carolina at #13 Kentucky - 7:30 ET on SEC Network (Kentucky - 6)
Bossman Slim: Will Levis is a game time decision. But honestly, I don’t think that matters too much. South Carolina has regressed this year and I don’t see them walking into Lexington at night and leaving with a win. If Levis doesn’t play it might keep this one closer, which is probably why the line is -6, but I think Kentucky is too talented and well-coached to drop this one to the Gamecocks. Both of these offensive lines are atrocious, but I think Kentucky has a slight edge with what they can do with Chris Rodriguez. The Gamecocks continue their SEC slide and Kentucky gets back on track after a tough loss to Ole Miss where they shot themselves in the foot.
#13 Kentucky 27
South Carolina 23
The Hammer: The status of Will Levis looms large in this one. If he can go, Kentucky should win this one with relative ease. If he can’t, be ready for a dog fight. I like Kentucky and Mark Stoops in this spot though. A tough, heartbreaking loss at Ole Miss last week but they get to play a night game at home against a struggling South Carolina team. I see them bouncing back with or without Levis, but it'll be a 4 quarter game. The Wildcats don’t have the offense to blow people out, but their defense will keep the Gamecocks at bay.
#13 Kentucky 24
South Carolina 20
The Waco Kid: I feel like I am beating a dead horse with this one. Spencer Rattler is a terrible quarterback. As long as the Gamecocks continue to use him and all of his brilliantly innovative ways to turn the ball over they will continue to lose. Dude played a cupcake team in South Carolina State and still threw two interceptions. If there was a Heisman for turnovers, Rattler would be leading that race. Against Arkansas he rushed for -23 yards, I mean how bad he is is honestly super impressive. The USC QB has 4 TDs to his 7 Ints on the year and somehow still has a starting job. This all comes down to his name, he was a big shot coming out of high school and now he has fizzled and no one wants to accept it. Everyone can be a high school hero but for some that just does not translate into a college career. Outside of their abysmal play caller, South Carolina only has three wins on the season. One against Georgia State, Charlotte, and South Carolina State and are winless in the SEC. Kentucky boasts a top-tier backfield led by Will Levis and Chris Rodriguez and only has one loss on the season, which came to #8 ranked Ole Miss last week. The Wildcats run away with this one and the East continues to be split between UGA, then UT and UK, and everyone else.
#13 Kentucky 45
South Carolina 17
Texas A&M at #1 Alabama - 8:00 ET on CBS (Alabama -24)
Bossman Slim: Texas A&M is teetering on the brink. Their offense has been anemic the entire season, their starting QB is now out for 6-8 weeks, and the injuries are piling up with multiple starters out on both sides of the ball. This is a similar situation that A&M found themselves in last year against Alabama…can lightning strike twice? I don’t think so, even with Bryce Young out. It’s the backup bowl in Tuscaloosa, but that may not matter. Texas A&M has had trouble stopping the run this year, and their defense line has been depleted with injuries. I think Alabama is able to establish the run with Jahmyr Gibbs and whoever the hell else they decide to put in the backfield. Jimbo will have some wrinkles in this offense, but this year, I don’t think it’s enough, especially at night in front of an extremely hostile crowd in Bryant-Denny.
#1 Alabama 38
Texas A&M 20
The Hammer: Things are not going well in College Station. Aside from the painfully obvious offense struggles and 3-2 overall record, Max Jonhson will not play this weekend. Johnson has been far from great since taking over, but King has proven to be a turnover machine. He even threw two picks against Mississippi State last weekend after he came in to relive the injured Johnson. Perhaps Jimbo will give the nod to former five-star and true freshman Connor Weigman, but I doubt it. A night game in Bryant-Denney against #1 Alabama isn't exactly a great spot for your first collegiate start. A&M can’t catch a break injury wise and their coaching staff continues to make puzzling decisions, while Alabama seems to be rounding into form. Whether Bryce Young plays or not, it’s impossible not to like Alabama here. I do think the Aggie defense will put up a valiant effort, but I see no reason to believe the Aggie offense can score much of anything in this one. Tide stay rollin’.
#1 Alabama 31
Texas A&M 14
The Waco Kid: Now becoming known as the “battle of the backups,” this one should prove that Alabama has a deeper bench than most throughout the nation. Both Bryce Young and Max Johnson are sidelined for their respective squads due to injuries sustained last week. That leaves Haynes “Skidmark” King and Jalen Milroe as the starting quarterbacks in this game. The Aggies are beat up on both sides of the ball and even a #1 recruiting class cannot make up for that in the West. The Tide will continue to roll with plug n play athletes and most likely will have another Heisman contender, no one has heard of, by the end of this one. Still, this game always has intrigue and the injuries make it that more interesting. Saban continues his revenge tour and puts Fisher back in his place but not without the Ags giving it a helluva fight.
#1 Alabama 27
Texas A&M 17