Week 6 in the SEC brings a seven-game slate loaded with ranked teams, rivalry heat and a matchup that stands above the rest: No. 2 Georgia at No. 6 Alabama.
That’s the one everyone will circle, but the rest of the weekend has plenty of noise too. Texas A&M is trying to build off a lopsided win, Florida is looking to answer after its first loss of the season, and LSU, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ole Miss are all stepping into games that could shape the early part of their conference runs.
The Alligator’s Florida football reporters - Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz - are back with their picks for the week. Through five weeks, Ahern sits on top of the standings with 61 points. DiCecca and Bernstein are tied for second at 52, and Orovitz is right behind them at 50.
Texas A&M (3-2) at No. 14 Missouri (4-1)
Both teams come in off big Week 5 conference wins. Texas A&M snapped a two-game slide by hammering Arkansas 34-7, while Missouri jumped in the rankings after rolling past then-No.
8 Florida 45-17. The Tigers owned this series from 2002-14, going 7-2, but Texas A&M has taken the last three meetings by at least 21 points and hasn’t trailed in any of them.
Ahern: Missouri 27, Texas A&M 24
Orovitz: Missouri 28, Texas A&M 24
South Carolina (2-3) at No. 16 Florida (4-1)
Florida gets the chance to steady itself after suffering its first loss under Jon Sumrall. The Gators were beaten in every phase in their 45-17 loss to then-No.
25 Missouri, while South Carolina is mired in a three-game SEC losing streak after dropping a 35-34 overtime game at home to then-No. 24 Kentucky.
Florida has controlled this series lately, going 6-2 since 2016 and winning four straight in Gainesville. South Carolina hasn’t won there since 2014.
DiCecca: Florida 48, South Carolina 24
Bernstein: Florida 41, South Carolina 21
Ahern: Florida 45, South Carolina 27
No. 1 Texas (4-0) vs. Oklahoma (2-2) - Dallas, Texas
The 122nd Red River Rivalry arrives with Texas sitting at No. 1 and carrying a defense led by Colin Simmons. Oklahoma enters having stumbled through its last three outings, with losses to Michigan and Georgia and a narrow win over New Mexico.
Texas has won three of the last four in the series and held Oklahoma to nine total points in those victories. Before that, the Sooners had taken four straight.
DiCecca: Texas 31, Oklahoma 17
Bernstein: Texas 27, Oklahoma 13
Ahern: Texas 24, Oklahoma 14
Orovitz: Texas 28, Oklahoma 13
No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1) at Vanderbilt (3-2)
Both teams are trying to bounce back from losses in Nashville. Ole Miss was blown out 52-28 in The Swamp, though it remains ranked in the top 10 after its strong start to 2026.
Vanderbilt fell 38-14 at Georgia without starting quarterback Jared Curtis. The Rebels have won five straight in the series, and Vanderbilt’s last win came in a 36-29 overtime game at home in 2018.
DiCecca: Ole Miss 41, Vanderbilt 17
Bernstein: Ole Miss 35, Vanderbilt 23
Ahern: Ole Miss 38, Vanderbilt 20
Orovitz: Ole Miss 42, Vanderbilt 21
No. 15 Tennessee (4-1) at Arkansas (2-3)
Tennessee comes in after beating Auburn 24-14 at home, a game in which true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon finished with zero passing yards and was benched for George MacIntyre. Arkansas was thumped 34-7 by Texas A&M in College Station.
The Vols have had trouble in this matchup, losing four of the last five, including three upset losses. Tennessee did edge Arkansas 34-31 in Knoxville last season.
DiCecca: Tennessee 34, Arkansas 10
Bernstein: Tennessee 30, Arkansas 16
Ahern: Tennessee 35, Arkansas 17
Orovitz: Tennessee 28, Arkansas 7
No. 10 LSU (4-1) at Kentucky (4-1)
LSU and Kentucky both enter on winning streaks after strong starts. LSU has answered its emotional loss to Ole Miss with back-to-back blowout wins over Texas A&M and McNeese.
Kentucky has won three in a row, highlighted by its road overtime victory at South Carolina. The home team has won the last five meetings, and Kentucky beat LSU 42-21 the last time they played in 2021.
DiCecca: LSU 38, Kentucky 21
Bernstein: LSU 31, Kentucky 24
Ahern: LSU 35, Kentucky 27
Orovitz: LSU 35, Kentucky 31
No. 2 Georgia (5-0) at No. 6 Alabama (5-0)
This is the headliner, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. The two programs have met four times over the last three years, with Alabama holding a 3-1 edge, though Georgia beat the Tide 28-7 in the 2025 SEC Championship game.
Since 2012, Alabama is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings. Both teams arrive at Bryant-Denny Stadium rolling: Georgia’s narrowest win this season has been by 24 points, and Alabama has not been held below 45 points once.
DiCecca: Georgia 35, Alabama 30
Bernstein: Alabama 30, Georgia 27
Ahern: Georgia 38, Alabama 35
Orovitz: Georgia 35, Alabama 32
In Other News...
Florida Fans Will Want To See Sumralls History After Tough Losses
Before Florida fans get too deep into projecting what Jon Sumrall could mean for the program, his track record after losses is worth a look. At Troy and Tulane, his teams showed a clear pattern over the 2022 to 2025 seasons: a defeat was often followed by a reset, a sharper performance, and in plenty of cases a bounce-back win that said something about how his groups handled adversity.
There were still some stumbles mixed in, along with the usual twists that come with college football, but the broader picture is useful for a fan base that knows how much week-to-week response matters. For Florida, the intriguing part is not just the record after setbacks, but what those games suggest about Sumralls teams when the pressure rises and the margin for error gets thin. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Is Chasing A Receiver Flip That Could Change Its Future Offense
Floridas push to keep widening its recruiting footprint took a notable turn with Jon Sumrall hosting four-star wide receiver JaHyde Brown on a visit, part of an effort to pull the 2027 prospect away from Louisville. Brown is still committed to the Cardinals, but the Gators have made him a priority as they look to add more playmaking talent to an offense that could use difference-makers on the perimeter.
Browns recruitment is still very much open, with Texas also on his schedule, but Floridas interest speaks to how much the staff values his upside. For a program trying to build toward a more dynamic future attack, landing a receiver with his profile would be a meaningful statement, even if the race to get him to flip is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Philo Suddenly Faces Early Pressure Florida Fans Can Feel
The loss to Missouri left Florida with plenty to clean up, and the spotlight quickly settled on Aaron Philo. The quarterback finished with 197 yards and a touchdown, but the Gators never found much rhythm against a defense that kept them from building any real momentum. For a team trying to steady itself, the margin for error at that position has already started to shrink.
South Carolina is next, and the timing adds another layer to the conversation around Floridas offense. The Gators do not have much time to sort through what went wrong or to make sure Philo and the rest of the unit are better prepared for another SEC test, which is why this week carries a little extra weight for a team looking to rebound quickly. [Read more 🡒]