Week 12 Record: (8-2)
Overall: (79-24)
Florida’s victory over LSU clinched its spot in the SEC Championship game next week against Alabama. Rivalry week presents several thrilling matchups across the SEC, headlined in the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa between Alabama and Auburn.
Georgia Tech at Georgia (12 p.m., SEC Network)
Georgia has struggled at times this season behind freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. In spite of these struggles, Eason has matured well behind center for the Bulldogs.
The Dawgs’ offense is based on the success of running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The production of the two has aiding Eason through the learning curve of being a quarterback in the SEC. Chubb will be the go-to guy against the Georgia Tech defense.
Defensively the Bulldogs will be faced with the unique task of stopping the Yellow Jackets’ triple option attack. Getting Georgia Tech off the field on third down will be huge in controlling the possession battle. The Bulldogs cannot afford to allow the Yellow Jackets to sustain long drives on offense.
Georgia Tech’s defense needs to bring a bend-but-don’t-break mentality to take down the Bulldogs on the road. Winning the turnover margin will be crucial for a Yellow Jacket victory.
The Pick: Georgia 30 Georgia Tech 23
The combination of Chubb and Michel will be too much for Georgia Tech. Eason will continue to grow into the leader the Bulldogs need to rebound in the SEC East next season.
Kentucky at No. 11 Louisville (12 p.m., ESPN)
Kentucky reached bowl eligibility with a win over Austin Peay last week and now have their sights on upsetting in-state rival Louisville.
Quarterback Stephen Johnson has been inconsistent filling in for Drew Barker this season. He needs to find his accuracy and avoid throwing interceptions against Louisville to keep the Wildcats in the game.
Boom Williams and Benny Snell will look to carry the load for the Kentucky offense. Snell has had a magnificent freshman season and has been a key part in reaching six wins for Kentucky.
Defensively the Wildcats will need to find a way to stop Louisville’s dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Heisman hopeful is the Cardinals leading passer and rusher. Bringing him down behind the line of scrimmage and not allowing him to find success on the scramble is a must for Kentucky.
Louisville is recognized for their dynamic offense but has been solid on the defensive side of the ball as well. Shutting down Snell and Williams and forcing Johnson to throw the ball is key for the Cardinals on Saturday.
The Pick: Louisville 45 Kentucky 21
Lamar Jackson is too dynamic for the Kentucky defense to contain. Louisville’s playoff chances may be dead but they should still handle business against the Wildcats.
Mississippi State at Ole Miss (3:30 p.m., SEC Network)
Ole Miss is looking to reach a bowl game after a tough loss to Vanderbilt a week ago. To do so they must conquer in-state rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Saturday.
Nick Fitzgerald has carried the Bulldogs on his back all season long. The quarterback has been the workhorse for the offense, leading in both passing and rushing yards. Aeris Williams needs a big day on the ground to aid the MSU offense.
Defensively the Bulldogs have a lot of work to do after getting torched for 58 points against Arkansas last week. To beat the Rebels they must stop freshman quarterback Shea Patterson.
Patterson was huge in the Rebels upset of Texas A&M two weeks ago but struggled against Vanderbilt’s veteran defense last week. Similar to the Bulldogs, Ole Miss needs more help from its running backs to spark the offense. Akeem Judd results this season have been up and down but if he is able to find success on the ground the Rebels will be tough to beat.
The Pick: Ole Miss 40 Mississippi State 31
Both teams have been plagued with inconsistent play this season but the Rebels have the talent edge over the Bulldogs.
No. 13 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Roll Tide! War Eagle! It’s the Iron Bowl, so both teams will be ready to go Saturday afternoon.
Auburn is looking to pull off the upset of rival Alabama. To do so they must receive excellent play from their dynamic ground game. Kamryn Pettway’s status is still unknown for the Tigers so Kerryon Johnson should be in line for plenty of carries. Also, look out for freshman running back Kam Martin who could be in line for an increased load against the Tide.
The defense has to stop Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts. To have any chance at beating the Tide they must not allow Hurts a big day on the ground.
Alabama’s offense has been brilliant all season long. Hurts has been a huge part of that success but running back Damien Harris deserves credit as well. Harris has been able to essentially run the ball at will. His size and athleticism will challenge the Tigers defense as it has the Tide’s first eleven opponents.
The Crimson Tide defense has been one of the best as always. The unit will look to shut down the Tigers’ running game and force quarterback Sean White to beat them through the air.
The Pick: Alabama 42 Auburn 17
Alabama has been in a class of its own and will dominate the Iron Bowl on both sides of the football. The Tide keep rolling into their matchup with Florida for the SEC Championship next week.
South Carolina at No. 4 Clemson (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
South Carolina is looking to upset Clemson and ruin its hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
The Gamecocks’ offense has struggled in the first half on the road this season, scoring just one touchdown in eight quarters. Quarterback Jake Bentley will look to find wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards down the field early in this game. Running back Rico Dowdle is coming off a career performance against Western Carolina and will look to give the Gamecocks life on the ground against the stingy Clemson defense.
South Carolina leads the SEC in turnover margin and must win the turnover battle to have a chance at upsetting their rivals. Slowing Heisman hopeful Deshaun Watson will not be an easy task for the defense. If the Gamecocks can force him into a few interceptions and keep running back Wayne Gallman from finding success on the ground this could be closer than many think.
Special teams will be important for the Gamecocks Saturday night. South Carolina’s special teams rank dead last in the FBS in kick return defense allowing 29.4 yards per return and 3 touchdowns on the season.
The Pick: Clemson 34 South Carolina 24
With this being a rivalry game expect a closer game than many would think. Just last season a 3-9 Gamecock team only fell five points short to the top-ranked Tigers. Still, expect Clemson’s speed to be the difference in a hard fought win for the Tigers.
No. 17 Tennessee at Vanderbilt (7:30 p.m., SEC Network)
Tennessee’s hopes of reaching Atlanta have faded with Florida’s win over LSU last week. The Volunteers will look to rebound with a victory over in-state rival Vanderbilt.
Despite falling short of its goal of winning the SEC East, Tennessee is still sitting with a respectable 8-3 record. Josh Dobbs has carried the Vols with his dual-threat capabilities and has guided his injury-plagued team on offense. Running back Alvin Kamara has given the Vols running game a boost since the departure of Jalen Hurd from the program.
The Volunteers’ defense will be faced with a Vanderbilt team that has begun to find its rhythm on offense. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur has improved on a weekly basis this season and was huge in the Commodores surprise victory over Ole Miss last week.
Vanderbilt will rely on its veteran defense to slow the rushing attack of Dobbs and Kamara and force necessary turnovers to grab the win in this rivalry game.
The Pick: Tennessee 28 Vanderbilt 27
In an extremely close game, Dobbs and the Vols will prevail by pounding the ball and winning the turnover margin. Limiting Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb will be huge for the Volunteers in the win Saturday night.
No. 15 Florida at No. 14 Florida State (8 p.m., ABC)
Florida punched their ticket to face Alabama in the SEC Championship Game next week with an impressive road victory over LSU last week. However, don’t expect the Gators to look past this matchup against rival Florida State.
Quarterback Austin Appleby was an excellent game manager a week ago against the Tigers and avoided throwing any interceptions. A similar performance is necessary to knock off the Noles and help from Jordan Scarlett in the ground game is essential for the Gators.
Florida’s defense has been one of the best all season. Its speed and strength have provided favorable mismatches against most opponents this season. To stop Florida State they must stop running back Dalvin Cook.
Cook has the size and strength to match up against the Gator’s physical defense. For Florida State to take down the Gators they must win the battle in the trenches, creating holes for Cook run through.
The Pick: Florida 17 Florida State 13
The Gators defense will be too much for the Seminoles to handle. Forcing Deondre Francois into turnovers and grabbing the road win will allow the Gators to enter the matchup against Alabama on a hot streak.