This may not be the biggest week for your team, but Week 12 is a huge week for the folks at ESPN+/SEC+. Lots of “SEC Network Alternate” games this Saturday. Let’s waste no more time… because the quicker we get this week out of the way, the quicker we can get to rivalry week next Saturday.
All Times Eastern | Utilizing the College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings.
New Mexico State (1-9) at Kentucky (7-3, 5-3 SEC)
Noon | Lexington, KY | SEC Network
Rarely will you see a 7-3 SEC team with a winning conference record not in the Top 25, but Kentucky pulled it off. They will be 8-3 after this week’s game against New Mexico State.
Prediction | Kentucky 44, New Mexico State 7
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Charleston Southern (4-5) at #1 Georgia (10-0, 8-0 SEC)
Noon | Athens, GA | ESPN+/SECN+
Charleston Southern will make money to play Georgia on Saturday. Congrats to the Buccaneers athletics department.
Prediction | Georgia 52, Charleston Southern 0
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Prairie View A&M (7-2) at #16 Texas A&M (7-3, 4-3 SEC)
Noon | College Station, TX | ESPN+/SECN+
One A&M is not like the other.
Prediction | Texas A&M 49, Prairie View A&M 14
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Tennessee State (5-5) at #25 Mississippi State (6-4, 4-3 SEC)
Noon | Starkville, MS | ESPN+/SECN+
Eddie George brings his Tigers to Mississippi State Saturday afternoon. Ed “Too Tall” Jones played at TSU. Wilma Rudolph ran fast at TSU. If the marching band travels to Starkville, Mississippi State’s athletics department should add $1 million to whatever they are already paying TSU to visit. Halftime alone will be worth 10 times what anyone paid in admission.
Prediction | Mississippi State 48, Tennessee State 16
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#21 Arkansas (7-3, 3-3) at #2 Alabama (9-1, 5-1 SEC)
3:30pm | Tuscaloosa, AL | CBS
Alabama has played really well at home against what has turned out to be pretty good teams. They beat Mississippi State 49-9 and Ole Miss 42-21. Each of those teams beat Texas A&M and Alabama didn’t.
Arkansas beat Mississippi State and lost to Ole Miss by one point in a classic. The Razorbacks beat Texas A&M and Alabama didn’t.
It’s Senior Day in Tuscaloosa, so expect senior running back Brian Robinson, Jr. to get the ball a ton. He has the most experience playing in Senior Day games as a senior at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Some say Robinson will be playing in 14th Senior Day game as a senior at Alabama. Whatever the number, the man should be proud of what he’s done at Alabama and is a great testament to what hard work and sticking with the program can do.
By the way, this game is going to have Alabama fans scratching their heads heading into next week’s Iron Bowl. Lucky for ‘Tide fans, I’ve been very wrong about Auburn all season long.
Prediction | Alabama 31, Arkansas 17
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Florida (5-5, 2-5 SEC) at Missouri (5-5, 2-4 SEC)
4:00pm | Columbia, MO | SEC Network
Florida is a 9-point favorite. Missouri will win by 11.
Prediction | Missouri 34, Florida 23
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Auburn (6-4, 3-3 SEC) at South Carolina (5-5, 2-5 SEC)
7:00pm | Columbia, SC | ESPN
I’ve been so wrong about Auburn. I was so right about them for a half last week against Mississippi State. Then something happened and I’m not sure they’ll recover in this calendar year.
Prediction | South Carolina 31, Auburn 27
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Vanderbilt (2-8, 0-6 SEC) at #12 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC)
7:30pm | Oxford, MS | SEC Network
Vandy is building toward 2022 in November of 2021.
Prediction | Ole Miss 66, Vanderbilt 10
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South Alabama (5-5) at Tennessee (5-5, 3-4 SEC)
7:30pm | Knoxville, TN | ESPNU
If anyone has found their man in 2021, it is Tennessee. Heupel is about to make himself comfortable in Knoxville and make some teams very uncomfortable in the SEC.
Prediction | Tennessee 59, South Alabama 17
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ULM (4-6) at LSU (4-6, 2-5 SEC)
9:00pm | Baton Rouge, LA | ESPN2
LSU is looking to keep its bowl hopes alive. They should.
Prediction | LSU 45, ULM 21