2022 SEC Football Predictions: Week 2 begins with the Big Noon Kickoff on FOX, featuring the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide traveling to Austin, Texas, to take on the Texas Longhorns. Yes, you read that right! Alabama is TRAVELING to an opposing teams’ stadium for a non-conference game!
Now that you’ve collected yourself and Googled the last time that happened, it’s time to pick em’!
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022
#1 Alabama (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at Texas (1-0)
Noon ET | Austin, TX | FOX
The first current SEC team vs. future SEC team (as of this writing) of the season takes place Saturday morning in Austin. If you crave a heat stroke, may I interest you in a late morning kickoff in an early September game in Austin, Texas?
Bijon Robinson could have a big day. The Longhorns could come out like they do against Oklahoma each year and get into a score-fest with Alabama. Alabama could do what Alabama does and ruin the dreams and plans of yet another team.
The latter seems much more plausible than the former.
PREDICTION: Alabama 44, Texas 13
—
South Carolina (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at #16 Arkansas (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
Noon ET | Fayetteville, AR | ESPN
The first current SEC team vs. current SEC team game of the season takes place Saturday morning in Fayetteville.
Two very popular coaches among each respective school’s fanbases will battle for the right to get those fanbases to heighten their already extremely unrealistic expectations for the 2022 season. Both fanbases have turned projecting unrealistic expectations on their team into an art form. Hog fans…. grab your paintbrushes and get to painting your expectations all over Fayetteville.
PREDICTION: Arkansas 31, South Carolina 21
—
#23 Wake Forest (1-0) at Vanderbilt (2-0, 0-0 SEC)
Noon ET | Nashville, TN | SEC Network
I believe history predicts much of what will happen in college football. At Vanderbilt, history is less a predictor than it is gospel. When a blade of hope begins to grow on West End in Nashville, history sprays industrial strength Roundup to kill that small blade of hope as well as any festering hope that may grow in the next six-to-twelve months.
Wake Forest is favored by 12.5. The Demon Deacons (evil church Deacons?) will cover that number and then some. It may not be as close as the predicted score below.
PREDICTION: Wake Forest 47, Vanderbilt 31
—
Missouri (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at Kansas State (1-0)
Noon ET | Manhattan, KS | ESPN2
The first former Big XII team vs. current Big XII team (as of this writing) of the season takes place Saturday morning in Manhattan, Kansas.
Due to time constraints, we move forward in the predictions.
PREDICTION: Missouri 28, Kansas State 23
—
Appalachian State (0-1) at #6 Texas A&M (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
3:30pm ET | College Station, TX | ESPN2
How many times will the 15-year anniversary of Appalachian State beating fifth-ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor be mentioned. I assume it will be mentioned more and more as the game wears on and the Mountaineers are within one score.
Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies will nearly be in midseason choke form before finding a way to escape with an eight-point win Saturday afternoon at Kyle Field.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M 35, Appalachian State 27
—
#24 Tennessee (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at #17 Pitt (1-0)
3:30pm ET | Pittsburgh, PA | ABC
Tennessee is good. Hendon Hooker is really good. Hooker is so likable, that even an Alabama fan like me can’t help but pull for the guy. 2022 is a good year to be a Tennessee Vol.
PREDICTION: Tennessee 37, Pitt 24
—
Samford (1-0) at #2 Georgia (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
4:00pm ET | Athens, GA | SEC Network
Georgia would have a huge letdown Saturday afternoon, but the Bulldogs play a game at Sanford Stadium as national champions for the first time since Ronald Reagan was still an upstart President who beat Georgia-native Jimmy Carter a couple years prior.
Now that is a history lesson you can share with the entire family.
PREDICTION: Georgia 52, Samford 0
—
#20 Kentucky (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at #12 Florida (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
7:00pm ET | Gainesville, FL | ESPN
Speaking of unrealistic expectations, Billy Napier is about to write an expectations check he may never be able to cash after Saturday night’s win. Has a coach ever been in more danger of drowning in his own early success more than Billy Napier? Ask Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen.
PREDICTION: Florida 30, Kentucky 20
—
Central Arkansas (0-1) at #22 Ole Miss (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
7:00pm ET | Oxford, MS | ESPN+/SECN+
What will happen more frequently during this ESPN+/SECN+ broadcast? Scottie Pippen alum references or Central Arkansas touchdowns. Based on the score, the over/under will be one.
PREDICTION: Ole Miss 49, Central Arkansas 10
—
San José State (1-0) at Auburn (1-0)
6:30pm ET | Auburn, AL | ESPNU
Auburn will defeat San Jose State in an NCAA football game played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
PREDICTION: Auburn 34, San José State 13
—
Southern (1-0) at LSU (0-1, 0-0 SEC)
7:30pm ET | Baton Rouge, LA | SEC Network
Southern may block an LSU extra point Saturday night in Death Valley, but it will not preserve victory for the Jaguars. It will only keep LSU from scoring 35 points.
PREDICTION: LSU 34, Southern 6
—
Mississippi State (1-0, 0-0 SEC) at Arizona (1-0)
11:00pm ET | Tucson, AZ | FS1
An East Coast Hawaii fan will comment that this kickoff time is a bit too late for his blood. You will laugh and say, “Ha. Good one.” They will look at you with a straight face and ask, “What’s so funny?” You will politely excuse yourself from the conversation because this person is as weird as the paragraph written prior to the predicted score below.
Happy football weekend to you all!
PREDICTION: Mississippi State 45, Arizona 24