SportsDesk
No. 9 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt: Ian Sparks
Final Score Prediction: Ole Miss 45, Vanderbilt 10
Undefeated and No. 9 Ole Miss travels to the Music City to take on a Vanderbilt team that boasts an above .500 record through its first five games of the season. The Commodores are looking to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018. On the other side, the Rebels are looking to remain unbeaten and stay in the top 10.
Ole Miss comes off an impressive win against then-No. 7 Kentucky this past weekend. The story for the Rebels was the solidity of their defense against an impressive Kentucky offense with quarterback Will Levis and leading rusher from last season Chris Rodriguez returning. Rebel quarterback Jaxson Dart had another solid game despite not registering a touchdown. Freshman running back sensation Quinshon Judkins continued to shine, as he tallied 106 yards and a touchdown carry for the Rebels. Head coach Lane Kiffin and co-offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. opened up the playbook a bit more this past weekend, but I wouldn’t necessarily look for them to do the same this weekend. Being a heavy favorite and considering Vandy’s weak defense, maybe they try a few more things, but overall they will more than likely stick to what has been working for them so far.
Vandy began conference play last week against Alabama, who steamrolled the Commodores 55-3. Despite being 3-2, those three Vandy wins weren’t against the toughest opposition. Vanderbilt’s defense is porous to say the least, allowing 457 yards per game, including nearly 300 yards per game through the air. This could be a sort of confidence-builder game for Dart, as he continues to look better by the week. I don’t think this has any kind of “trap game” feel to it, and the Rebels will handily win this one by five scores.
No. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas: Aidan Gallardo
Final Score Prediction: TCU 31, Kansas 28
I guarantee that before the season started, no one would have predicted that these two teams would be ranked in the Top 25 at this point in the season, let alone undefeated. But, like I’ve always said, when it comes to crazy, unpredictable storylines and outcomes, college football remains undefeated. So we’ve got “ESPN College Gameday” heading to Lawrence, Kan., to showcase No. 17 TCU and No. 19 Kansas.
TCU has been on fire to start the season. Last week, the Horned Frogs dominated Oklahoma 55-24 and put the college football world on notice that they are a legitimate contender in the Big 12. Quarterback Max Duggan put on an absolute display against the Sooners. He threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Duggan also ran for 116 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
Looking at Kansas, who would have thought the Jayhawks would be undefeated through five games? Not me, that’s for sure. Now I will say, Kansas hasn’t necessarily played tough opponents, so the Horned Frogs will be their biggest test of the season. I expect this game to be close and the outcome could go either way. But I do think TCU is a superior team, and I think they’ll be able to get it done on the road.
No. 8 Tennessee at No. 25 LSU: Reed Collins
Final Score Prediction: Tennessee 38, LSU 27
The Tennessee Volunteers head into Baton Rouge for the first time since 2010 for a rare 11 a.m. kickoff in Death Valley. Tennessee comes into this game fresh off a bye week after knocking off Florida, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Gators. LSU is coming off a win on the Plains, rallying from behind to knock off Auburn.
Tennessee comes into this game with one of the best passing attacks in college football. The Vols are led by dark horse Heisman contender Hendon Hooker, who has thrown 45 touchdowns and only two interceptions as the starting quarterback for Tennessee. Nobody has been able to slow down head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo offense, and with a much improved Volunteer defense, it might be a tough day for the Tigers.
LSU seems to be finding a rhythm following a Week 1 loss to Florida State. Head coach Brian Kelly’s teams always improve throughout the season, and this year proves to be no different. The big question for the Tigers will be if Jayden Daniels and the Tiger offense can score enough points to keep up with Tennessee.
Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama: Cameron Larkin
Final Score Prediction: Alabama 45, Texas A&M 20
We have another Nick Saban versus Jimbo Fisher showdown on the docket this Saturday, and this matchup could be as intriguing as last year. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is still day-to-day following a shoulder injury, but during last week’s game against Arkansas, in which he replaced Young mid-game, backup quarterback Jalen Milroe showed why Alabama recruited him. If Young is indeed out, Alabama could look to rely on the legs of Milroe and star running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Texas A&M looked abysmal against Mississippi State last Saturday and showed no resolve when the going got tough. The Aggie offense continues to look stale, and the defense gave up 144 rushing yards to an MSU team that is known for its air-raid offensive scheme. The only thing A&M has going for it is that the last time the Aggies played Mississippi State and lost, they beat Bama the following week.
Alabama has the tools, even without Young, to easily outpace A&M. As long as the Tide walks into this game with extreme confidence in whoever is under center, they should clear the Aggies.
Auburn at No. 2 Georgia: Lars Andersen
Final Score Prediction: Georgia 35, Auburn 17
No matter the year, Auburn is a difficult team to project. For a team that regularly pushes Alabama to its limit in the Iron Bowl and hasn’t lost to Ole Miss since 2015, Auburn has certainly underwhelmed so far this season, standing sixth in the SEC West, and that doesn’t seem to be changing. Georgia, on the other hand, is the reigning national champion and is undefeated. Despite a scare in last week’s matchup with Mizzou, Georgia won the day and will likely face Auburn with a chip on its shoulder. Despite trailing Missouri for the entirety of the contest, Georgia’s superior roster and coaching eventually rose to the top and will do the same this week.
