Week 2 SEC Predictions
Week 1 record: 8-5
Week one saw the SEC suffer a total of seven losses for the first time since 1992. This comes as a product of a very competitive schedule in the conference as well as across the nation. There were also seven losses by teams ranked in the top 25, the most ever. Week two includes two conference matchups and several games that should allow teams to recover from a rough week one.
Saturday Sept. 10
Nicholls State at No. 9 Georgia (12:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Georgia was a bright spot in a tough weekend across the conference. Kirby Smart was able to pick up his first win as head coach against North Carolina. At one point in the third quarter the Bulldogs were down 24-14 before turning to freshman quarterback Jacob Eason to help manufacture the comeback. Nick Chubb proved he has recovered from his injury, rushing for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Georgia also dominated the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for just over 38 minutes. Expect this to become a trend in the coming weeks with a thriving running game. The backfield may also get another boost this weekend with junior Sony Michel potentially returning from a forearm injury. He will likely be a game-time decision. The play of Eason and Chubb is encouraging for the Bulldogs who appear to be the early frontrunners to win the SEC East. Smart plans to continue to split reps with Eason and Greyson Lambert at the quarterback position in practice this week. The decision on who will be the starter will likely be of little importance as both should play on Saturday. The game will be the season opener for Nicholls State, who was not in action last week. The Colonels are coming off a 3-8 season and an eighth place finish in the Southland Conference. The small FCS team from Louisiana is led by second year head coach Tim Rebowe and are heavy underdogs.
The Pick: Georgia 63 Nicholls State 7
This game should be no problem at all for Georgia, whose offense accumulated 474 yards a week ago. The Dawgs should get well ahead early and take their foot off the gas in the second half allowing playing time for the backups.
Prairie View A&M at No. 20 Texas A&M (11:00 a.m. ET, SEC Network)
After a nail-biter against UCLA a week ago, the Aggies should get a much-needed breather this week. Despite holding a 15-point lead with just under five minutes remaining, the Bruins forced overtime. Facing a fourth-and-one on Texas A&M’s first possession of overtime, Trevor Knight practically walked into the end zone. Knight’s second touchdown on the ground, and third total, proved to be the deciding factor in the Aggies 31-24 win. Despite struggling to find a true starting quarterback a season ago, it appears the Aggies have found their guy. Knight may be the stability they need at that position to challenge Alabama in the SEC West. Prairie View A&M opened up their new season with a victory over Texas Southern. The Panthers went 8-2 last season and hail from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Quarterback Trey Green and wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge will look to lead the Panthers offense after connecting for two touchdowns a week ago.
The Pick: Texas A&M 52 Prairie View A&M 17
No setback here for the Aggies. This should be nothing more than a tune-up for conference play, which starts next week with a visit to Auburn. Knight and company are likely to gain over 500 yards after posting 442 yards against UCLA last week.
Kentucky at Florida (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
This is the conference opener for both teams and the weight of this game looms large for both sides. For Kentucky a loss would also mean a dreadful 0-2 start, after blowing a 25-point lead against Southern Miss before falling 44-35. The Wildcats appeared to have the game in hand in the first half, moving the ball at will. The second half was a different story. The offense went stagnant and the defense had no answer on how to stop the Golden Eagle offense, which kept the ball for over 40 minutes while racking up 520 yards. Head coach Mark Stoops may sit squarely on the hot seat after another disappointing season opening loss. In order to start SEC play with a victory, Kentucky will have to beat Florida, something they have not done since 1986. Florida defeated Massachusetts 24-7 last week, but only had a 10-7 lead in the fourth quarter. The Gators offense struggled for much of the game but came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points and extending their lead on the Minutemen. The defense proved to be solid as-always, giving up just 187 yards. Luke Del Rio led the Gators with 256 yards passing and two touchdowns. For Florida to extend their winning streak over the Wildcats, a repeat of that performance may be needed.
The Pick: Florida 24 Kentucky 20
The stingy Florida defense will be too much to overcome for Drew Barker and the Wildcats. If the Florida offense we saw in the fourth quarter against UMass last week shows up, this one may not be close.
Western Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Perhaps the most impressive statement from week one was made in Dallas, where the Tide rolled USC by a score of 52-6. In a week where the strength of the SEC was challenged by major losses one thing remained certain, Alabama is still Alabama. The defending national champions struggled early to find a groove on offense. Nick Saban started quarterback Blake Barnett, but the offense struggled to find a rhythm in the first quarter, being held scoreless. Freshman Jalen Hurts was on the field when the Tide took off. Running back Damien Harris rushed for 138 yards on just nine carries. The defense held the Trojans to under 200 yards total and just two field goals. Western Kentucky travels to Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s home opener but is not being taken lightly by Saban and the Tide. The Hilltoppers pounded Rice 46-14, behind the play of quarterback Mike White. White threw for 516 yards and three touchdowns. Western Kentucky has the weapons necessary to put up points and cannot be overlooked by Bama.
The Pick: Alabama 48 Western Kentucky 7
After the pouncing of USC do not expect the Tide to falter here. Playing time should be abundant for the backups in a blowout win over the Hilltoppers.
Wofford at Ole Miss (4:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
The Rebels seemed to be on pace to knock off the third top-5 team of the week. They had a 28-6 lead late in the second quarter and senior quarterback Chad Kelly was exploiting the Florida State secondary. Then the turnovers happened. Their first three drives of the second half each resulted in turnovers. An interception and a fumble in their own territory set up two easy FSU touchdowns giving the Seminoles the lead. The second half turnovers plagued the Rebels, who could never seem to regain their rhythm. The defense had problems of its own as well. The FSU offense was able to hold the ball for over 42 minutes of the game, absolutely owning the time of possession battle. In addition to controlling the ball, they were also able to move the ball, tallying 580 yards in their 45-34 win over the Rebels. Ole Miss gets Wofford at a much-needed time. Alabama comes to Oxford next week in a battle that will have big implications in the SEC West race. This week they must get the running game going. Against the Seminoles they were only able to rush for 2.7 yards per carry. Wofford does present a challenge for Rebels. Last week the Terriers were able to hold Tennessee Tech to just 41 yards on the ground in a 21-7 win. Jaleel Green will lead the tough Wofford defense after being named Southern Conference defensive player of the week for his week one performance.
The Pick: Ole Miss 45 Wofford 14
Chad Kelly and receiver Evan Engram will be a lethal combination for the Rebels. Kelly threw for four touchdowns last week but will have to avoid throwing three interceptions again. While it may not cost them against Wofford, if Ole Miss cannot get a rushing attack going with Akeem Judd, they will have a hard time against the Crimson Tide next week.
Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt (4:00 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Vanderbilt suffered a devastating loss last Thursday as they were stunned by South Carolina. Ralph Webb even guaranteed an opening week win against South Carolina in July, but he and the Commodores could not keep the promise. Despite head coach Derek Mason’s plea for fans to come out and cheer on the team, the planned white-out was much more garnet than he had hoped. After taking a 10-0 lead on a 67-yard drive led by Kyle Shurmur, Mason made a quarterback change. Junior Wade Freeback was put in the game with the offense backed inside its own 10-yard line. They were unable to move the ball and lost the momentum before eventually losing the lead on a last minute field goal. Middle Tennessee State is a must win for Vandy. Mason cannot continue to lose winnable games or this could be his last year in Nashville. The rushing attack was efficient, pulling in 169 yards behind Webb and KhariBlasingame. A repeat of this along with an improved passing game is needed to beat the Blue Raiders. The game will be a test for the Vanderbilt defense as well. Middle Tennessee State defeated Alabama A&M 55-0 in their opener. The Blue Raider offense totaled 681 yards while the defense held the Bulldogs to just 146. Sophomore quarterback Brent Stockstill had a career high, five touchdowns while throwing for 329 yards.
The Pick: Middle Tennessee State 31 Vanderbilt 28
The high-powered Blue Raider offense will be able to pull off the upset over a struggling Vanderbilt team. Until the Commodores can develop a down-the-field passing threat, they are likely to struggle. The rushing game is strong but they are too one-dimensional to put up enough points.
South Carolina at Mississippi State (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
The other conference matchup this week is between the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs. The two teams are coming in on very different notes as South Carolina defeated Vanderbilt in their opener while Mississippi State was upset by South Alabama. The Gamecocks win came in dramatic fashion. Kicker Elliott Fry nailed a 55-yard field goal to push past the Commodores in Nashville. South Carolina struggled for much of the first half and only had 88 yards at halftime. Freshman wide receiver Bryan Edwards exalted himself as the go-to guy for quarterback Perry Orth, pulling in 101 yards on eight catches. A.J. Turner added to the production with 97 all-purpose yards with 70 of those on the ground. Brandon McIlwain fumbled in Vanderbilt territory but still showed flashes of his potential in the first half. This week Orth will get the start but McIlwain will see the field as well. If the freshman can take care of the football he may find success against the Mississippi State D. The loss to South Alabama may endanger Dan Mullen’s job even more. Kicker Westin Graves missed a 28-yard field goal that would have won the game for the Bulldogs. The Jaguars scored 14 fourth quarter points and gained 379 yards in what was the upset of the week across the nation. In order for Mississippi State to recover and beat the Gamecocks they must get better play from the defense, which could not stop South Alabama in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Damian Williams and senior receiver Fred Ross will have to make big plays for the Mississippi State offense to recover from perhaps the worst loss in the program's history.
The Pick: South Carolina 27 Mississippi State 20
The Gamecocks are riding high after an opening week SEC road win and will likely go 2-0 in the conference. The senior leadership of Orth will lead South Carolina to victory. Edwards will post his second 100-yard receiving game in as many weeks in the win.
Arkansas at No. 15 TCU (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Both teams escaped upset in week one. The Razorbacks barely edged Louisiana Tech with a fourth down touchdown pass late. TCU was close much of the game with South Dakota State before pulling away late. Arkansas will look to produce more offense this week after only putting up 297 yards against the Bulldogs. Quarterback Austin Allen threw two touchdown passes but also two interceptions in the close win. Rawleigh Williams was the main threat on the ground, running for 96 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. The defense did what it had to do to survive but that will not be good enough this week. They face the high-powered Horned Frogs offense that put up 662 yards last week. Junior quarterback and Texas A&M transfer Kenny Hill threw for 439 yards and two touchdowns. The game was a lot closer than TCU wanted, partially due to two early interceptions by Hill that led to Jackrabbit touchdowns. TCU also struggled on defense, giving up 41 points and 461 yards with 333 of those coming through the air. If Arkansas wants to have success this week they must have an air raid attack led by Allen. Senior Keon Hatcher will likely be the go-to threat for the Hogs offense, after catching six passes for 86 yards in the opener.
The Pick: TCU 49 Arkansas 28
The Horned Frogs have too much offensive power for Arkansas. Hill will be productive through the air and will not throw as many interceptions as last week. If Austin Allen can take care of the ball and find the holes in the TCU defense it may be closer than we think.
Arkansas State at Auburn (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Auburn was a Hail Mary reception away from defeating the No. 2 Clemson Tigers last week. While the game was closer than expected, we found out that Auburn has a lot of improving to do, especially on offense. The offense even tried a wing T formation and at times even appeared confused on who their own quarterback was going to be for the next play. Sean White got the start but three different quarterbacks attempted passes on the first six plays. The constant revolving door of quarterbacks appeared to be part of head coach Gus Malzahn’s strategy but was unsuccessful. Auburn was only able to score 13 points and failed to gain 300 yards. Despite offensive struggles, the defensive effort to hold Clemson’s dynamic offense to just 19 points was quite amazing. If it were not for three Auburn turnovers, two of those coming inside the Clemson 10-yard line, the Tigers could have pulled off the upset. Taking care of the football will be a focus as Auburn takes on Arkansas State out of the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves dropped their first game by a score of 31-10 to Toledo. They are led head coach Blake Anderson and will likely rely on quarterback Chad Voytik to direct the offense. They are young on offense and will have to show great improvement from last week to compete with Auburn.
The Pick: Auburn 38 Arkansas State 7
This could be an experimental game for Malzahn and the Tigers. They need to develop an offensive identity before hosting Texas A&M next week. White will get the start and hopefully for Auburn will remain in the game and get into sync with the rest of the offense.
Jacksonville State at No. 21 LSU (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
LSU’s opening loss to Wisconsin was perhaps the biggest blow to the SEC in week one. The Tigers could find no offense outside of Leonard Fournette and scored just 14 points, with seven of those coming on defense. Fournette rushed for 138 yards but could not carry LSU to the win alone. Quarterback Brandon Harris was extremely inefficient and threw two interceptions. The latter of the two picks came in Wisconsin territory with just under a minute left, effectively ending the Tigers chances of a win. Following the interception made by Wisconsin defensive back D’Cota Dixon, LSU offensive guard Josh Boutte delivered arguably the biggest cheap shot of all time. Boutte unleashed a hit on Dixon after the play was long dead and will be suspended for this week’s game against Jacksonville State. The Tigers lost their composure and perhaps their playoff hopes on the same play. A rebound is necessary for LSU this week as the Gamecocks come to Baton Rouge. Jacksonville State opened their season with a 31-12 victory over Division II North Alabama. Senior quarterback Eli Jenkins threw for 230 yards and rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown in the win. The Gamecocks are not on the same level as LSU but serve as a much-needed break before the Tigers open conference play.
The Pick: LSU 55 Jacksonville State 10
Les Miles and the Tigers should not be threatened this week but will look to regain confidence after a devastating loss to the Badgers. Expect Fournette to have another big day and Harris to be more efficient with the football.
Eastern Michigan at Missouri (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
Missouri struggled to score points against West Virginia and dropped their opening game for the first time since 2001. Barry Odom did not start his coaching tenure at Missouri the way he planned but is looking for his first win as head coach this week. Drew Lock struggled to consistently move the ball and the Tigers scored just 11 points in a 26-11 loss. Missouri actually gained more first downs than the Mountaineers, picking up 26 in total to West Virginia’s 24. The offense produced 462 yards, just 32 short of West Virginia’s total, but could not seem to break deep enough into Mountaineer territory. The defense did not look as sharp as last season and has improvements to be made before opening up conference play next week. This week is no walk in the park as some may think. Eastern Michigan routed Mississippi Valley State by a score of 61-14. The Eagles certainly have the capability to score and will likely put the pressure on the Missouri defense.
The Pick: Missouri 34 Eastern Michigan 28
Missouri will survive a scare from the Eagles who were just 1-11 a year ago. Lock will find just enough offense to escape with a win. Missouri’s size and athleticism will be too much for Eastern Michigan to pull off the upset.
Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 Tennessee (Bristol, TN) (8:00 p.m. ET, ABC)
The Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol is likely to smash college football’s all time attendance record. Nearly 160,000 fans are expected to be in attendance to witness the biggest college football game ever. Tennessee enters this highly anticipated match up limping. The Volunteers were forced to slug it out in overtime against Appalachian State and escaped in dramatic fashion. It was quarterback Joshua Dobbs who fumbled into the end zone on the Vols opening possession of overtime. Running back Jalen Hurd recovered the fumble for a touchdown. Tennessee forced the Mountaineers to turn the ball over on downs shortly after to claim the victory. The scare dropped Tennessee eight spots in the polls and sparked national criticism. Dobbs was rather inefficient for a senior quarterback, only throwing for 192 yards and one touchdown, while also throwing an interception. Hurd rushed for 110 yards on 28 carries and will be a key to the offense against Virginia Tech. The Hokies struggled in the first half against Liberty but pulled away with the help of junior quarterback Jerod Evans and his four passing touchdowns. The rushing game featured 10 different ball carriers that combined for 206 yards and will keep the Tennessee defense on its toes. The Virginia Tech defense held Liberty to 160 yards and 13 points and will be tough for the Vols to conquer.
The Pick: Tennessee 31 Virginia Tech 30
Tennessee will rebound from a shaky performance and take advantage of the large crowd that is likely to be predominantly orange. Dobbs should look sharper and Hurd will rush for over 100 yards in a tight win over the Hokies.