Alabama, LSU face home tests this weekend
Florida at No. 3 Alabama
When the Gators and the Crimson Tide take the field Saturday, no one will know what to expect. Which team will decide to show up for the Gators? Will it be the one that dismantled Eastern Michigan 65-0, putting up 655 yards in the process and looking like a completely dominant, well-rounded football team? Or will we see the one that limped out of the Swamp last week against Kentucky after surviving a 36-30 triple overtime thriller? The same goes for Alabama: Will the Tide prove that they’re out to compete for an SEC title and take care of business against the Gators? Or will they revert back to their opening game form, a four-quarter struggle against an unranked team from the Big 12? Quarterback Blake Sims for Alabama will have a lot of say in the matter as he looks to earn his first big SEC win as the Crimson Tide's starter. So far this season, Sims has thrown for 646 yards and four touchdowns with a QBR of 89.6. The Tide looks to earn their record 23rd-consecutive victory in an SEC opener, while the Gators look to prove their relevance in this year’s race.
Mississippi State at No. 8 LSU
For Dak Prescott and Mississippi State, this game means everything. It's a chance for a program-defining win that fans have been anxiously awaiting, which has nearly come to fruition more than once. And it's an opportunity for the Bulldogs to announce their presence in the most competitive division in college football and a chance to beat their rivals on their own turf for the first time since 1991. No pressure. There is a significant amount of trust in Prescott from players, coaches and fans alike that believe he’s the one who could pull off an upset of this magnitude. So far the junior quarterback has accumulated 969 yards of total offense and 11 scores. He is also the Bulldogs’ second-leading rusher. The LSU defense, which has been known to shut down duel-threat quarterbacks under head coach Les Miles, has posted two-consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1985, and has all the looks of another great unit for defensive coordinator John Chavis. For Mississippi State to have a chance in this game, Prescott must win the battle versus the LSU defense and keep plays alive with his legs.
Indiana at No. 18 Missouri
In the final installment of Missouri’s pre-SEC cupcake fiesta, the Tigers play host to the Indiana Hoosiers, who look to steal one away at Memorial Stadium Saturday. Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk, who in still developing in his first year as the starter, has had a terrific season so far, leading his team to three wins by an average of 24.3 points per game as well as an SEC-best 12 touchdowns. Last Saturday against UCF, he added 144 yards and four more touchdowns to his total in the Tigers’ 38-10 victory. The Tigers put together their first complete team effort, forcing four turnovers and shutting down a very formidable Knight offense that could only muster 299 yards on the day. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, boast one of the most experienced units in the country, with 18 starters left over from last year’s team and a surprisingly potent running attack thus far. Junior running back Tevin Coleman has led the way for the Hoosiers, averaging 218 yards on the ground through two games, easily the most in the country. The Indiana unit as a whole has combined to run for 345 yards per game, good for third nationally. The Hoosiers will have to overcome significant odds in this game, as they have failed to beat a top-25 team in 18 straight attempts.
No. 6 Texas A&M at SMU
If you only take into account each team’s points per game so far, one could expect the Aggies to be favored by approximately 51 points. And if I were a betting man, I would take the under. Not only does A&M score at an absurd rate, but SMU's failure to score is alarming in its own right. It took the Mustangs 120 minutes of game time to score their first touchdown while, in the same amount of time, the Aggies had already scored 17. Adding to their troubles is the fact that head coach June Jones stepped down this week due to personal reasons. Not to mention, the Texas A&M players were “pretty hard on themselves,” after their 38-10 win against Rice, thinking they could have won by 70, as they did against Lamar the week before. If the Aggies come out firing on all cylinders Saturday, SMU might have to invoke the mercy rule.