Alabama Week 7 Review
The Crimson Tide wasted no time disposing of Tennessee last Saturday (Oct. 15), cruising to a 49-10 victory. Alabama held the Volunteers to only 163 yards of offense while the Tide rolled up nearly 600 yards on the afternoon. Quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns, while Bo Scarbrough added 109 yards and a score on the ground. Alabama (7-0, 4-0) hosts Texas A&M this Saturday (Oct. 22) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
SEC football rankings
1. Alabama (7-0, 4-0)
2. Texas A&M (6-0, 4-0)
3. Auburn (4-2, 2-1)
4. Tennessee (5-2, 2-2)
5. Florida (5-1, 3-1)
6. LSU (4-2, 2-1)
7. Arkansas (5-2, 1-2)
8. Ole Miss (3-3, 1-2)
9. Georgia (4-3, 2-3)
10. Kentucky (3-3, 2-2)
11. Vanderbilt (3-4, 1-3)
12. Mississippi State (2-4, 1-2)
13. South Carolina (2-4, 1-4)
14. Missouri (2-4, 0-3)
Week 8 Previews and Predictions
Week 7: 4-2; season: 51-11
Game of the Week
Texas A&M at Alabama (-18.5). The Crimson Tide enters its second consecutive top 10 showdown in a row, and this matchup will go a long way in deciding the SEC West Division winner. Kevin Sumlin’s Aggies upset Alabama in 2012 in his first season, but since then Alabama has won three straight games. The last time these two teams met in Tuscaloosa, the Tide walked away with a 59-0 win. This is a different Aggies team, however, and quarterback Trevor Knight has already beaten Alabama once when he was the signal-caller for Oklahoma during the 2014 Sugar Bowl. Prediction: Alabama 31, Texas A&M 17.
UMass at South Carolina (-20.5). The Gamecocks have lost three consecutive games and have yet to score more than 20 points in a game this season. While the offense has struggled, the defense has been impressive. A bowl game isn’t out of the question for South Carolina, but the Gamecocks need to make substantial improvements soon. Prediction: South Carolina 27, UMass 12.
Middle Tennessee at Missouri (-6.5). After two straight blowout losses in conference play, Missouri has one final non-conference test for the season. The Blue Raiders are a tough opponent, and if Missouri can’t fix its offensive woes, this could be a potential upset. Prediction: Missouri 26, Middle Tennessee 20.
Arkansas at Auburn (-9.5). After a slow start to the season against two of the best teams in the country, Auburn has regrouped nicely and still has a chance to win the SEC West. The Tigers are fresh off a bye week and face an Arkansas team that just picked up its biggest win of the season over Ole Miss. Auburn’s defense has been the team’s strength all season, but the offense made strides in a win over Mississippi State. Prediction: Auburn 27, Arkansas 17.
Mississippi State at Kentucky (+3). The Bulldogs’ chances of reaching a bowl game took a serious hit after their overtime loss at BYU. The season-opening loss to South Alabama hurt as well, but MSU is now playing for next season. Kentucky, on the other hand, still has a chance to reach a bowl game. In fact, the Wildcats are still in the mix for the SEC East. Reaching a bowl should be enough for Mark Stoops to keep his job, but the failure to do so could mean the end of his tenure. Prediction: Kentucky 33, Mississippi State 31.
Tennessee State at Vanderbilt (-28). The Commodores pulled off the biggest upset in the SEC so far this year after knocking off Georgia in Athens. Bowl eligibility is now within reach, although the ‘Dores must pull off another upset somewhere along the way. Prediction: Vanderbilt 34, Tennessee State 10.
Ole Miss at LSU (-5.5). Both the Rebels and the Tigers have not had the seasons they were expecting thus far, but this is still an important rivalry game. LSU still only has one conference loss and remain alive in the SEC West. A loss to the Rebels would likely knock the Tigers out of the picture, but a win would keep them firmly in the hunt. Prediction: LSU 23, Ole Miss 20.
In & around SEC football
