By Cole Frederick
Alabama Week 3 Recap
For the second straight season, Alabama easily handled Wisconsin en route to a 38-14 victory. Ty Simpson was near-perfect for the second consecutive week, and he completed 24 of his 29 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Williams, who missed last week’s game with an injury, was electric in his return. The sophomore wideout caught five passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Germie Bernard hauled in four passes for 62 yards and a score. Alabama outgained the Badgers 454 to 209 and won the turnover battle 2-0. The Crimson Tide improved to 2-1 on the season, and they have an open week before traveling to Athens on Saturday, Sept. 27 for a massive tilt against Georgia.
Auburn Week 3 Recap
Auburn was never in jeopardy of being upset by South Alabama, but the Tigers weren’t as sharp as Hugh Freeze wanted them to be as they knocked off the Jaguars 31-15. The Tigers built an early 21-3 lead, but South Alabama hung around and stayed competitive for the majority of the game. Auburn only outgained the Jags 337-310, and Jackson Arnold threw for 142 yards and a touchdown while adding 50 yards and two scores on the ground. Jeremiah Cobb led the Auburn rushing attack with 119 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown as the Tigers improved to 3-0. Auburn begins conference play on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 20) in Norman against undefeated Oklahoma.
SEC Week 4 Rankings
Georgia (3-0, 1-0)
LSU (3-0, 1-0)
Texas A&M (3-0)
Texas (2-1)
Oklahoma (3-0)
Ole Miss (3-0, 2-0)
Alabama (2-1)
Vanderbilt (3-0, 1-0)
Auburn (3-0)
Tennessee (2-1, 0-1)
Missouri (3-0)
Mississippi State (3-0)
South Carolina (2-1, 0-1)
Arkansas (2-1, 0-1)
Florida (1-2, 0-1)
Kentucky (2-1, 0-1)
Week 4 Previews and Predictions
(Last week: 10-2; season: 35-8)
Game of the Week
Auburn at Oklahoma (-6.5). Jackson Arnold returns to Oklahoma for a top-25 tilt against his former team. Arnold is a 5-star recruit who had an up-and-down season a year ago in Norman before entering the transfer portal and finding a new home on the Plains. Through three games, Arnold has experienced success as a Tiger, but Saturday afternoon will provide a different test. Brent Venables is one of the best defensive minds in college football, and he will likely make Arnold beat his team through the air and take away the quarterback run game. Auburn has elite receivers in Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman, but the passing game hasn’t clicked yet. Instead, Arnold has used his legs to hurt opposing defenses, and he was the leading rusher in Auburn’s 38-24 win over Baylor. John Mateer, who replaced Arnold at Oklahoma, is also dynamic running the ball, and he has the ability to give the Auburn defense fits throughout the game. Prediction: Oklahoma 27, Auburn 20.
Arkansas at Memphis (+7.5). The Razorbacks nearly pulled off an upset in Oxford, but Sam Pittman’s squad fell just short in a 41-35 loss. The Arkansas offense has been dynamic through three games, and they’ll likely need to be explosive all year considering they have one of the worst defenses in the SEC. This is a sneaky-tough spot for the Hogs with Notre Dame on deck, and it’s not a game they can afford to lose if they want to reach a bowl game. Prediction: Arkansas 41, Memphis 38.
UAB at Tennessee (-39.5). Tennessee hasn’t beaten Georgia since 2016, which makes Saturday’s 44-41 overtime loss even more heartbreaking for the Vols. After jumping out to a 21-7 lead, Georgia stormed back and took a 27-21 lead. Tennessee battled back and led 38-30 before Gunner Stockton led Georgia on a late touchdown drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Tennessee missed a field goal at the end of regulation before losing in overtime. The Vols looked dynamic offensively, and they can still contend for a playoff spot, but a win over Georgia would’ve given Josh Heupel’s team more margin for error. Prediction: Tennessee 59, UAB 20.
Tulane at Ole Miss (-11.5). Backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the Rebels to a thrilling 41-35 victory over Arkansas, and the Ole Miss offense didn’t miss a beat without starter Austin Simmons. Chambliss accounted for over 400 yards and three touchdowns, and he kept the Rebels undefeated entering a dangerous trap game against Tulane. LSU is on deck for Ole Miss, but they cannot afford to overlook the Green Wave. Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Tulane 31.
Northern Illinois at Mississippi State (-21.5). The Bulldogs have a chance to double their win total from a season ago if they beat the Huskies. It’s been quite the turnaround for Jeff Lebby, and while they’ll still likely struggle in conference play, his team looks much better in Year 2. Prediction: Mississippi State 35, Northern Illinois 16.
South Carolina at Missouri (-13.5). The Gamecocks were upset by Vanderbilt at home, and to make matters worse, star quarterback LaNorris Sellers suffered a concussion. Sellers is questionable for this weekend’s battle for Columbia’s, and if he is out, South Carolina will struggle to score. Missouri has been great to start the season, and they’re typically very strong at home under Eli Drinkwitz. Prediction: Missouri 27, South Carolina 17.
Florida at Miami (-7.5). The least for Billy Napier gets shorter and shorter each week. DJ Lagway threw five interceptions in last week’s loss at LSU, and the Gators are now 1-2 with the toughest schedule in the country remaining. Florida travels to red-hot Miami this weekend, and the Hurricanes just dismantled the same South Florida team that upset the Gators the previous week. If Napier can’t turn things around soon, or if Saturday’s game in Miami is a blowout, Napier might not survive the Gators’ bye week. Prediction: Miami 31, Florida 24.
Georgia State at Vanderbilt (-25.5). The Commodores won outright as an underdog for the second straight week, and Clark Lea has his alma mater ranked No. 20 in the latest AP Poll. Vanderbilt is no longer the plucky underdog; the Commodores are a threat to beat anyone in the SEC. Diego Pavia led the ‘Dores to a 31-7 win at South Carolina, and they controlled the entire game. Georgia State upset Vanderbilt 36-32 in Atlanta a season ago, but this year’s matchup should yield a much different result. Prediction: Vanderbilt 38, Georgia State 17.
SE Louisiana at LSU. Perhaps the biggest positive surprise in the SEC thus far has been LSU’s defense. The Tigers have been dominant defensively through three games, and while the offense has struggled, the defense has carried them to a 3-0 start. Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense have another week to figure some things out before another massive conference showdown at Ole Miss next weekend. Prediction: LSU 45, SE Louisiana 6.
Sam Houston at Texas (-41.5). Arch Manning’s woes continued in a win over UTEP, and the Texas offense has been the worst in the SEC through three games. The Texas defense is elite, and it’s good enough to carry the Longhorns in many games. But if the offense doesn’t start to click, Texas has no chance of winning a national title. Prediction: Texas 48, Sam Houston 6.
