Welcome to Week 6 of 2021 SEC Football Predictions! This week features a matchup between the 13th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks and 17th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels, along with the second-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and 18th-ranked Auburn Tigers. Let’s predict stuff and things!

All Times Eastern | Utilizing the AP Poll until the College Football Playoff Selection Committee releases their rankings.

#13 Arkansas (4-1, 1-1 SEC) at #17 Ole Miss (3-1, 0-1 SEC)
Noon | Oxford, MS | ESPN

“Reality Check Saturday” was in full effect for the Rebels and Hogs last Saturday. The two teams were beaten by No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia, respectively, by a combined score of 79-21. Arkansas was responsible for just under one of those 21 points.

Snark aside, both teams have plenty to play for in 2021. Neither are likely to win the West Division, but a huge bowl game and double-digit win total remains a realistic goal. Either program losing momentum after one loss to teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack would be catastrophic. The ever-important recruiting race can hinge on games like this one. How a team responds after falling flat tells a prospect what to expect from the coaching staff and potential future teammates.

Ole Miss seems to have a tiny bit more ego remaining after last Saturday afternoon and Arkansas has been very quiet. Don’t let silence fool you. A scratched up and desperate Razorback can be a pretty nasty foe. The sun-splashed turf will give way to mid-afternoon shadows inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday afternoon as the Rebels lose a close one to the Hogs.

Maybe skip the popcorn and try the nachos this time.

Prediction: Arkansas 31, Ole Miss 23

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Vanderbilt (2-3, 0-1 SEC) at #20 Florida (3-2, 1-2 SEC)
Noon | Gainesville, FL | SEC Network

Allow me to give some props to Vanderbilt kicker, and Alabama transfer, Joseph Bulovas. The guy missed a couple of big kicks while at Alabama, but I’ll always respect the kid’s fight. He’s moved on to Vandy where he’s kicked two game-winning, walk-off field goals for the Commodores. One was on the road at Colorado State and the other was in last week’s win over Connecticut in Nashville.

Florida is coming off a loss to Kentucky in Lexington. A loss that puts them at least two games behind not only the Wildcats, but also a team of Dawgs down in Athens. Florida beats Vandy on Saturday because Vandy.

A trap game in Baton Rouge and an open date awaits the Gators before the showdown with Georgia in Jacksonville on October 30th.

Prediction: Florida 45, Vanderbilt 6

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South Carolina (3-2, 0-2 SEC) at Tennessee (3-2, 1-1 SEC)
Noon | Knoxville, TN | ESPN2

Dang. Tennessee travelled to Missouri last Saturday and found themselves an explosive offense on the way. The Vols may have found a little bit of an identity. If Saturday goes the way I expect, Tennessee will have some much needed momentum heading into a four-game death march against Ole Miss, at Alabama, at Kentucky, and Georgia.

Prediction: Tennessee 42, South Carolina 20

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#2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) at #18 Auburn (4-1, 1-0 SEC)
3:30 p.m. | Auburn, AL | CBS

I was wrong about Auburn last week. I was wrong about a lot of teams last week, but I was really wrong about Auburn. I picked Auburn, the team, to beat LSU in Baton Rouge, but I completely missed the quarterback that would do it. I all but dug Auburn’s grave if they allowed Bo Nix to play in this game instead of TJ Finley. I stand corrected.

However, Georgia.

The Dawgs defense is giving up 4.9 points per game. FOUR. POINT. NINE. That makes Auburn’s very impressive 16.2 ppg look like a Big XII defense, circa 2009.

Because I feel bad about throwing Bo Nix away with yesterday’s garbage, I’m going to go ahead and have Auburn morph into the Fun ‘n’ Gun offense of Steve Spurrier’s Gators from yesteryear. Don’t forget who told you first that Auburn will double up Georgia’s defensive scoring numbers Saturday afternoon inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Prediction:  Georgia 31, Auburn 9

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North Texas (1-3) at Missouri (2-3, 0-2 SEC)
4:00 p.m. | Columbia, MO | SEC Network

Well. Looks like North Texas is heading up to Columbia, Missouri to play some football Saturday. Might be a pretty entertaining game. Let me know who wins.

Prediction: Missouri 23, North Texas 20

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LSU (3-2, 1-1 SEC) at #16 Kentucky (5-0, 3-0 SEC)
7:30 p.m. | Lexington, KY | SEC Network

Kentucky is tied with Georgia for first place in the SEC East. Most of us assume a reality check similar to what Arkansas and Ole Miss received last Saturday will arrive this Saturday in Lexington or next week in Athens. I assumed it was coming last week against Florida.

What if that reality check never arrives and the Wildcats find themselves in Atlanta on the first Saturday in December? That’s heavy, man. Real heavy.

The ‘Cats have to survive Saturday night in Lexington first. It will be another pucker up game for the fans in Blue on Saturday night, but they should win another close one to move to 4-0 in the SEC.

Prediction: Kentucky 27, LSU 23

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#1 Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) at  Texas A&M (3-2, 0-2 SEC)
8:00 p.m. | College Station, TX | CBS

Texas A&M appears to have spent the first five weeks of the season looking ahead to the October 9th matchup with Alabama. Now that Alabama week is finally here, the Aggies look like a program looking ahead to 2022.

Sure, Kyle Field will be rocking with 100,000+ juiced up fans in the stands for this much-anticipated prime time matchup. The only problem for the Aggie faithful is they will need a 13th, 14th, and 15th Man to keep this game even halfway interesting past the first quarter.

Barring an NCAA ruling allowing a few thousand fans on the field to stop the opposition, Alabama will once again have CBS execs agonizing over ratings when the game is all but over midway through the first quarter.

Prediction: Alabama 45, Texas A&M 13