Auburn comes out of its bye week with the toughest assignment on the board: a trip to face No. 1 Georgia on Saturday.
It’s a matchup that’s been circled inside the SEC, and Auburn still hasn’t won in Athens since 2005. Alex Golesh and company are being asked to do the near-impossible, and the predictions reflect just how steep that climb is.
Among Auburn Daily’s five analysts, Kyle Rush, Zac Blackerby, Darrell Dapprich and Christian Rauh all picked Georgia, while Brad Law went with Auburn.
The conference slate around that game is loaded, too. Florida and No.
7 Texas are both trying to steady themselves after uneven stretches, with Texas coming off an upset loss to Oklahoma. All five analysts lined up behind the Longhorns in that one.
Another ranked matchup has Mississippi State and LSU in the mix, though quarterback Kamario Taylor is listed as doubtful for the Bulldogs. Kyle Rush, Zac Blackerby, Brad Law and Darrell Dapprich all picked LSU, while Christian Rauh took Mississippi State.
Texas A&M drew a unanimous call against The Citadel, with all five analysts choosing the Aggies.
The night’s most intriguing SEC clash might be No. 6 Alabama against No.
14 Tennessee. Alabama is trying to bounce back after last week’s loss to Georgia, while Tennessee is looking to clean up its offense at Neyland Stadium.
The picks were split: Kyle Rush, Brad Law and Darrell Dapprich chose Tennessee, while Zac Blackerby and Christian Rauh went with Alabama.
Missouri’s road trip to Ole Miss also got attention as one of the weekend’s biggest games. Missouri has looked better than it has in recent seasons, but there’s still skepticism about whether it can finish the job away from home. Kyle Rush and Brad Law took Missouri, while Zac Blackerby, Darrell Dapprich and Christian Rauh picked Ole Miss.
Arkansas and Vanderbilt were labeled a “Battle of the Basement,” and the analysts couldn’t agree there either. Kyle Rush and Zac Blackerby picked Vanderbilt, while Brad Law, Darrell Dapprich and Christian Rauh went with Arkansas.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, is trying to keep momentum going after its upset win over Texas when it hosts No. 15 Kentucky.
The Wildcats have won their last two games in overtime, and the question is whether they’ll need extra time again in Norman. Kyle Rush, Brad Law and Darrell Dapprich picked Oklahoma, while Zac Blackerby and Christian Rauh backed Kentucky.
In Other News...
Auburn Has A Real Chance To Make Georgia Sweat
Auburn heads into its matchup with Georgia carrying the kind of underdog profile that can make a favorite uncomfortable, at least on paper. SportsLines 1,000 simulations point to the Tigers covering the spread nearly 60 percent of the time, a nod to a game model that sees Auburn in better shape than the oddsmakers do. The Tigers are also coming off a bye week, and the projections lean toward a lower-scoring game in which Auburns rushing attack could look sharper.
There are still obvious hurdles to clear in Athens, starting with Georgias home dominance under Kirby Smart and Auburns own personnel hit after linebacker Xavier Atkins was suspended. But the simulation results suggest this might be more than a routine road spot for the Tigers, especially if they can control tempo and make the game play out on their terms. The question now is whether Auburn can turn that theoretical edge into the kind of performance that forces Georgia into a real fight. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Faces A Brutal Early Test In Athens Under Alex Golesh
Auburn heads into one of the toughest assignments on its schedule Saturday, when the Tigers travel to Athens for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against No. 1 Georgia on ESPN. The matchup brings the usual rivalry pressure, but this one also arrives with the Bulldogs again looking like the more complete team, and with Auburn beat writers pointing to the gap in talent and Georgias recent control of the series.
Still, the bye week gives Auburn a little extra time to sort through its issues before walking into Sanford Stadium, and that was a recurring part of the discussion in the staff predictions. Even with Georgias edge and Auburns uneven season so far, there is at least some belief that a better-prepared Tigers team can make the trip more competitive than the matchup on paper might suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's QB Situation Just Changed How Auburn Sees The Vols
Tennessees quarterback picture has become a little clearer, and that matters for Auburn as the Tigers continue sorting out what the Volunteers will look like when they meet next. George MacIntyre is set to make his second straight start with Faizon Brandon still dealing with a shoulder injury, a development that gives Tennessee a different kind of offense than the one it had been planning around earlier in the season.
Josh Heupel confirmed MacIntyre will get the nod because Brandon is not healthy, and the bigger concern for Tennessee is how long this situation lingers. Brandon has not finished a game since Sept. 26 and already sat out the previous matchup against Arkansas, so Auburn now has another week of film to study a Vols attack led by a quarterback still trying to settle in under center. [Read more 🡒]