By Vince Ferrara / @VinceSports
Each week, I’ll share my predictions and info on SEC football games.
Below is broadcast info and analysis for Week 2 in the SEC.
These are straight-up winners only. The point spread is just as a barometer for how big of a favorite or underdog each team is.
2019 SEC Game Prediction Record: 103-20 (84%)
2020 SEC Week 1 Game Prediction Record: 6-1 (86%)
WEEK 2 IN THE SEC
SATURDAY, October 3
Missouri (0-1, 0-1 SEC) at #21 Tennessee (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
Noon ET • SEC Network
Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (102,455)
Series: MO leads, 5-3
Last: UT, 24-20 (2019 in Columbia)
Sirius: 105 • XM: 384/190
Point Spread: Tennessee -12 ½
Vince’s View: One of Jarrett Guarantano’s two best games came last season in CoMo against the Tigers. The other was at Auburn two seasons ago. With the start, Guarantano moves into 8th all-time in career starts at UT. Missouri is strong up the middle with athletic DTs, the SEC’s leading tackle last season in WLB Nick Bolton and safeties Joshuah Bledsoe and Tyree Gillespie. Mizzou runs a 4-2-5 defense based on the ability to run and swarm to the ball. Tennessee should try to establish the run game and control the line of scrimmage earlier in this game than the opener. Tennessee’s defense will need to clean-up assignment busts and hold the edge because Mizzou will run a lot of RPOs, misdirections, motions, option looks and more to try to fool the defense. UT’s OLBs/Des overall had good games against South Carolina, but they were caught crashing in several times last week. Mizzou will attack that. Three matchups to watch are Mizzou QB Shawn Robinson vs. Vols WLB Henry To’o To’o, Mizzou WR Damon Hazelton vs. Vols CB Bryce Thompson and Mizzou Slot WR Jalen Knox vs. Whoever plays Star (Slaughter/Jackson/Burrell/other with Shawn Shamburger likely out) for the Vols. Missouri doesn’t have the roster or winning mentality of UT. This is an example of why the schedule layout was a plus for Tennessee in 2020 with many opponents having tough games the week before playing the Vols. Mizzou has to bounce back from a tough game with Alabama. It will be 8 straight wins for Tennessee, mid-afternoon on Saturday in front of about 25,000 fans.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 34 Missouri 20
South Carolina (0-1, 0-1 SEC) at #3 Florida (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
Noon ET • ESPN
Gainesville, Fla. • Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548) Series: UF leads, 28-9-3
Last: UF, 38-27 (2019 in Columbia)
Sirius: 121 • XM: 383/81
Point Spread: Florida -16 ½
Vince’s View: The Kyle Show 2020 debuts in Gainesville. QB Kyle Trask and TE Kyle Pitts, probably the best in the country and a future first round pick, were unstoppable last week. SC should provide a little more resistance than Ole Miss, but it won’t matter in the end. Biggest question is will the Gators defense look improved.
Score Prediction: Florida 41 South Carolina 17
#13 Texas A&M (1-0, 1-0 SEC) at #2 Alabama (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
3:30 p.m. ET • CBS
Tuscaloosa, Ala. • Bryant-Denny Stadium (101,821)
Series: UA leads, 10-2
Last: UA, 47-28 (2019 in College Station)
Sirius: 133/105 • XM: 192/190
Point Spread: Alabama -18
Vince’s View: A&M was right up there with LSU and Georgia as the most disappointing teams in Week 1. Alabama throttled Mizzou until it lost some interest. Alabama was so good passing that it only ran for 111 yards last week. Bama is too good to do that again. Then again, I don’t see A&M slowing down the high-powered Crimson Tide offense. Smith and Waddle go off, again.
Score Prediction: Alabama 35 Texas A&M 14
Ole Miss (0-1, 0-1 SEC) at Kentucky (0-1, 0-1 SEC)
4 p.m. ET • SEC Network
Lexington, Ky. • Kroger Field (61,000)
Series: UM leads, 27-14-1
Last: UM, 37-34 (2017 in Lexington)
Sirius: 135 • XM: 390/191
Point Spread: Kentucky -7
Vince’s View: Kentucky needs to be better at the line of scrimmage if it hopes to be the surprise team of the East this season. We all saw the difficulties the Rebels had defensively last week. Can UK slow down Lane Kiffin’s dual QB offense? This is an upset alert for Kentucky. There will be at least one surprise in the league and this is the most likely one to happen.
Score Prediction: Ole Miss 35 Kentucky 34
Arkansas (0-1, 0-1 SEC) at #16 Mississippi State (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
7 p.m. ET • SEC Network Alternate Channel
Starkville, Miss. • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field (61,337)
Series: ARK leads, 16-13-1
Last: MSU, 54-24 (2019 in Fayetteville)
Sirius: 105 • XM: 383/190
Point Spread: Mississippi State -17
Vince’s View: If the Bulldogs went up and down the field on the defending champs, what could they possibly do to the Razorbacks on a 20-game SEC losing streak? A lot.
Score Prediction: Mississippi State 42 Arkansas 21
#7 Auburn (1-0, 1-0 SEC) at #4 Georgia (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
7:30 p.m. ET • ESPN
Athens, Ga. • Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746)
Series: UGA leads, 60-56-8
Last: UGA, 21-14 (2019 in Auburn)
Sirius: 133/84 • XM: 192/84
Point Spread: Georgia -7 ½
Vince’s View: Georgia pulled away from Arkansas last week, but I’m concerned about Georgia, especially offensively and at QB. JT Daniels has been cleared, but I’m skeptical that we’ll see him at the controls. Bennett settled things down for the Bulldogs, but I don’t think UGA can win longterm with him. This is a dangerous game for Georgia. If the Bulldogs and Volunteers take care of business this week, I think CBS will gladly turn in the Tennessee at Georgia Week 3 TV broadcast card.
Score Prediction: Georgia 20 Auburn 16
#20 LSU (0-1, 0-1 SEC) at Vanderbilt (0-1, 0-1 SEC)
7:30 p.m. ET • SEC Network
Nashville, Tenn. • Vanderbilt Stadium (40,350)
Series: LSU leads, 23-7-1
Last: LSU, 66-38 (2019 in Nashville)
Sirius: 81/135 • XM: 81/191
Point Spread: LSU -21
Vince’s View: Vanderbilt felt good in a loss last week. LSU did not. Myles Brennan and the lack of a run game was alarming for LSU, I will admit. However, I will default back to my preseason opinions on these two teams and stash away the Week 1 eye test for another week. Getting Stingley back will be a boost for the Tigers, who should be plenty motivated and sharper this week against an undermanned Vandy team that may be trotting our new new helmets that Derek Mason displayed on Twitter this week.
Score Prediction: LSU 31 Vanderbilt 13
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