GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 2 LSU (7-0, 3-0): These two SEC
West rivals have a history of playing down-to-the-wire games. Their
last three matchups have been decided by a total of 10 points and
two of them came down to the final play, including LSU’s 22-21
victory last year when Cole Tracy hit a 42-yard field goal as time
expired. LSU ranks second among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams
in scoring with 50.1 points per game, while Auburn’s Derrick Brown
leads one of the nation’s top defensive lines.
MATCHUP OF THE WEEK
Tennessee left guard Trey Smith vs. South Carolina defensive tackle
Javon Kinlaw: While the Gamecocks like to move Kinlaw around on the
defensive line, he often lines up on the right side and
consequently should be matched up with Smith for at least part of
Saturday’s South Carolina-Tennessee game. Both Smith and Kinlaw are
NFL prospects. Kinlaw has collected five sacks to rank third in the
SEC. Smith’s career was in jeopardy after blood clots were found in
his lungs, but the former five-star recruit was medically cleared
before the season and has led a young Tennessee offensive line.
NUMBERS GAME
No. 1 Alabama has used an FBS-leading eight true freshman starters
this season. … Mississippi State’s FBS-leading streak of 22
straight games with a takeaway ended last week in its 36-13 loss to
LSU. … LSU has scored at least 35 points in an FBS-leading 10
straight games. … Auburn has set an NCAA record by making 304
consecutive extra-point attempts. The record had been owned by
Florida State, which made 302 straight PAT tries from 2012-16. …
Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond is one of four players to compile over
6,000 career yards passing and 1,000 career yards rushing while
playing their entire careers at Power Five schools. The others are
Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, Texas’ Sam Ehlinger and Michigan State’s
Brian Lewerke. … Each of the last seven South Carolina-Tennessee
games has been decided by six points or less. … Missouri has
scored touchdowns after each of the last 13 interceptions its
defense has recorded. … The top two FBS teams in net punting are
Kentucky (45.27) and South Carolina (44.50).
UPSET WATCH
Tennessee (2-5, 1-3) and South Carolina (3-4, 2-3) have both been
playing better lately as they prepare to face off Saturday in
Knoxville. South Carolina has beaten Tennessee three straight times
and is a four-point favorite this week, but the Volunteers’
home-field advantage could result in an upset. This game’s hard to
predict because of Tennessee’s unsettled quarterback situation, as
Brian Maurer has sustained concussions the last couple of weeks and
probably won’t play. Tennessee’s hopes could depend on whether Tim
Jordan runs as effectively as he did last week, when he gained 94
yards on 17 carries in a 35-13 loss to Alabama.
IMPACT PERFORMER
The high ankle sprain sidelining Alabama quarterback and Heisman
Trophy candidate Tua Tagovailoa has put more responsibility on
Najee Harris and the top-ranked Crimson Tide’s rushing attack.
Harris responded last week by rushing for 105 yards and two
touchdowns and also catching four passes for 48 yards against
Tennessee. Harris has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his
last four games and could have another big performance Saturday
when Tagovailoa sits out Alabama’s game with Arkansas.
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