Week 13 Preview

Happy Thanksgiving!

Instead of having the order be game times I'll make the order for this week which rivalry is the biggest, starting with the least...

8. Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - I'm not even sure if this constitutes a rivalry, but they are playing this weekend. Both schools are academic-first. And both have decent teams this year. Everyone has felt like Vandy would make a bowl this year, but here we are, last game of the season and they only have 5 wins. Wake is already bowl eligible at 6-5. The 'Dores are a handful of plays away from being 9-2 this year. James Franklin has done a great job. I think they muster enough to get the job done and make a bowl game.

7. Tennessee at Kentucky - 26 straight losses to the Vols for UK. Ouch. That streak is just embarrassing. Kentucky has not beaten Tennessee since I've been alive. In 2007, it took triple overtime to UT to beat the Cats, but they did. If only UK would've pulled that one out Georgia would have won the East, and being the hot team they were, they may have beaten LSU in the SEC Championship Game and won the National Title. But it didn't happen. Because Kentucky can't beat Tennessee. Why would this year be any different? Tennessee wins.

6. Arkansas at LSU - This is the biggest game of the week no doubt. In the rivalry department it's not that big...it was kind of manufactured when Arkansas joined the SEC. One of Arkansas' players died on Sunday, and that will no doubt have a profound effect on the emotions of this game. How will they respond? There is a chance, considering that, playing in Death Valley, and LSU being the best team in the country that UPig gets blown out. I think the Hogs will hang tough though. They should matchup pretty well against LSU's defense. And if Arkansas' defense plays as well as they did last week vs. MSU then this will be a great game for sure. Wright, Adams, and Co. did not have a good game when they played Alabama, and this secondary is just as good. That is the key to the game right there. Arkansas is 1-2 in true road games this year. And those two wins were a 5 point come from behind win over Ole Miss and a game they should have lost to Vanderbilt. LSU 35 Arkansas 24

5. Georgia at Georgia Tech - "Clean Old Fashioned Hate". Although it really could be said GT fans hate UGA fans and really really want to beat them. It hasn't happened often while Mark Richt's been in Athens. This game could absolutely go either way. It's probably good Georgia is facing a good team before they walk into the Lion's den next week...Auburn didn't bring much to the table 2 weeks ago. The Dawgs defense has a lot of athletes and I think their 3-4 scheme is a good fit for the triple option. This one is close, but Georgia pulls it out 28-21.

4. Clemson at South Carolina - Two 9-2 teams from the Palmetto State? The Gamecocks have only had one 10-win season in their history (1984) and they've never had an 11-win season which they could accomplish with a win here and in a bowl game. The Tigers are looking for their first ACC Title since 1991 next week in the ACC Championship Game, but the season would be as special without a victory over USC who they've lost two in a row to. South Carolina has done well to go 3-1 without Marcus Lattimore, but Clemson is a solid team and should be able to win this game unless they lay an egg like they did last week. If Sammy Watkins plays, Clemson will certainly win the game.

3. Ole Miss at Mississippi State - This game presents MSU with a chance to win the Egg Bowl for the 3rd time in a row, something they haven't done in 70 years. And go to a bowl game. And make this Ole Miss' worst season ever losing 10 games. There is no reason why Ole Miss should make this close as MSU is better and it is in Starkville. State 41 Ole Miss 13

2. Florida State at Florida - This game has really been reduced to almost nothing. Neither team has anything on the line except bragging rights. Bowl are bowl-eligible, but barely. Both have quarterbacks with nagging injuries. This has been a pathetic year for two successful programs in recent years. The game is in the Swamp, and I'll go with the Gators to pull out a close one.

1. Alabama at Auburn - The Tigers certainly don't look like they can compete with the Tide. But you probably thought that two years ago and the game went down to the wire. This is the best rivalry in all of sports. On paper, the 21 point spread is accurate, but I think Bama only wins by 10.


JB