LSU and Texas A&M are both walking into Saturday night with the kind of pressure that can turn one game into a season-shaper.
The Tigers and Aggies each took upset losses last week, and now they meet at 7:30 p.m. in a matchup that carries College Football Playoff weight. LSU, ranked No. 10, is coming off a defeat that left Lane Kiffin irritated for reasons that went well beyond the final score. Texas A&M, ranked No. 23, absorbed a 31-21 home loss to Kentucky, with Mike Elko pointing to the changing shape of the SEC as part of the broader picture.
Kiffin made clear on Wednesday that he was still bothered by how the schedule lined up. LSU had just played in Oxford for a second straight season because of the SEC’s move to a nine-game conference schedule, and Kiffin didn’t hide his frustration with that setup.
“Never in that LSU-Ole Miss series had it ever been played two times in a row (in Oxford), so that game was supposed to be here, and this one was supposed to be there,” Kiffin said. “So these are the scheduling parts that come with our awesome move to nine games that has sure looked so great here lately.”
He also took aim at the Ole Miss scoreboard operator, saying LSU’s quarterback was dealing with music being played during the snap count. Kiffin said on the SEC coaches teleconference there was “music being played all the way through the snap, when the center’s hand’s on the ball, again and again, so, those (things) will help you struggle at quarterback and false start.”
LSU had several pre-snap penalties in the loss to the Rebels, and now the Tigers have to pivot fast to a Texas A&M team that comes in after being stunned by Kentucky.
Elko is in his third season in College Station after an 11-2 run that ended with Texas A&M making its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. On Wednesday, he agreed with the idea that the SEC now feels more like the NFL.
“I didn’t want to be part of that and didn’t want to speak my way into that, but I think as parity has shifted a little bit in this NIL transfer era, I think the level of balance has really increased, and so I think to me, you’re playing these games week on and week on that can go either way,” Elko said.
“To me, that’s what the NFL is - it’s seasons where 10-7 gets you in the playoffs, and 11-6 gets you in the playoffs and gets you a chance,” he said.
“I think it’s just a change from college football, where, for so long, 11-1 and 12-0 defined success. I’m not sure that’s going to be the reality for a lot of teams moving forward.”
The College Football Playoff is in its third season with a 12-team bracket, though there has been speculation it could grow to 16 or 24 teams as soon as next season if the SEC and Big Ten can agree on a format.
Saturday’s SEC slate is loaded, with several conference games carrying betting lines and local picks attached.
Texas is a 4.5-point favorite at Tennessee in a noon kickoff on ABC, with a pick of Texas 34, Tennessee 24.
South Alabama visits Kentucky as a 20.5-point underdog in a 12:45 p.m. game on SEC Network, with Kentucky picked to win 40-20.
Oklahoma plays at Georgia at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, with Georgia favored by 13.5 and picked to win 24-10.
Ole Miss goes to Florida at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, where Florida is a 3.5-point favorite and is picked to win 34-33.
Vanderbilt visits Auburn at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network, with Auburn favored by 9.5 and picked to win 37-24.
South Carolina is at Alabama at 7 p.m. on ESPN, with Alabama favored by 12.5 and picked to win 33-21.
Texas A&M heads to LSU at 7:30 p.m. on ABC, with LSU listed as an 8.5-point favorite. The pick is LSU 37, Texas A&M 28.
Missouri visits Mississippi State at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network, with Mississippi State favored by 5.5 and Missouri picked to win 30-27.
Tulsa is at Arkansas at 8 p.m. on SEC Network Plus, with Arkansas favored by 7.5 and picked to win 34-26.
Last week’s picks went 8-3 overall and 10-1 against the spread. The season record stands at 21-5 straight-up and 15-11 against the spread.
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