By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent
Alabama Week 2 Review
For the second straight season, Alabama struggled for about three and half quarters against an outmatched South Florida team. The Crimson Tide finamlly dominated in the fourth quarter by a 28-3 margin to pull out a 42-16 win. The Bulls cut the Alabama lead to 14-13 midway through the third quarter and later settled for a field goal to make the score 21-16 with 6:45 remaining in the game. But Alabama exploded for 21 points to end the game to improve to 2-0 on the season. Quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns and added two more scores on the ground. Jam Miller carried the ball 15 times for 140 yards and a score, while Ryan Williams caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Alabama travels to Madison on Saturday, Sept. 14, to take on Wisconsin.
Auburn Week 2 Review
For the second consecutive season, Auburn suffered a mystifying home loss to a nonconference foe. Granted, losing to Cal was not nearly as bad as losing to New Mexico State in 2023, but the Tigers were still a double-digit home favorite and lost in an uninspiring effort. Payton Thorne threw four interceptions; Auburn was outgained 334-286 and the Tigers lost the turnover battle by a 0-5 margin. The Auburn offense was putrid after the first drive, and Thorne made mistakes that are not expected from a four-year starter. The Tigers (1-1) host New Mexico on Saturday, Sept. 14.
SEC Week 3 Rankings
1. Georgia (2-0)
2. Texas (2-0)
3. Tennessee (2-0)
4. Alabama (2-0)
5. Ole Miss (2-0)
6. Missouri (2-0)
7. LSU (1-1)
8. Oklahoma (2-0)
9. Texas A&M (1-1)
10. Vanderbilt (2-0)
11. Arkansas (1-1)
12. South Carolina (2-0, 1-0)
13. Florida (1-1)
14. Auburn (1-1)
15. Mississippi State (1-1)
16. Kentucky (1-1, 0-1)
Week 3 Previewsand Predictions
Last week: 12-3; season: 24-7
Game of the Week: Alabama at Wisconsin (+16). Before the season, this matchup appeared to be one of the top nonconference tilts on the docket. However, Wisconsin struggled against two inferior opponents to start the year, and on paper, the Badgers don’t appear to be a threat to Alabama. The Crimson Tide struggled with South Florida for the second consecutive season, and this is a true road game in a hostile environment in Madison. But Wisconsin does not possess the athletes to match up with UA, and this one could get ugly. Prediction: Alabama 45, Wisconsin 16.
LSU at South Carolina (+7.5). Surprisingly, ESPN’s College Gameday is making a trip to Columbia as the undefeated Gamecocks host LSU. This is partly due to a relatively weak slate of games this weekend. South Carolina is fortunate to be 2-0 after having to escape Old Dominion in the opener. The Gamecock defensive line dominated its matchup against Kentucky, however, and Shane Beamer’s team has an opportunity for a potential massive upset against a playoff-caliber team in LSU. The Tigers boast the best offensive line in the country, and the winner of its matchup with the vaunted South Carolina defensive front will ultimately determine the outcome on Saturday morning. Prediction: LSU 34, South Carolina 23.
Boston College at Missouri (-16.5). The Tigers have not played anyone yet, but they’ve taken care of business and continue to rise in the rankings. Boston College upset Florida State two weeks ago and will provide the stiffest competition yet for Missouri, but the Tigers should ultimately pull away in the second half. Prediction: Missouri 38, Boston College 17.
Tulane at Oklahoma (-13.5). Oklahoma almost fell victim to the upset bug last Saturday. The Sooners escaped with a 16-12 win over Houston in a game UO head coach Brent Venables said his team was lucky to win. The level of competition steps up this week as an upset-minded Tulane visits Norman, and the Green Wave nearly knocked off Kansas State this past weekend. The Sooners need a much better performance entering conference play next week. Prediction: Oklahoma 31, Tulane 20.
Texas A&M at Florida (+4.5). While both teams are 1-1 with disappointing opening-season losses, the stakes for this game are drastically different for each team. While Texas A&M’s loss to Notre Dame was slo-ppy and looks a bit worse in retrospect after the Irish were upset by Northern Illinois, it was still Mike Elko’s first game on the sidelines. For Florida, the rout at home to Miami might have been a signal that the end is near for Billy Napier’s tenure unless the Gators can turn things around quickly. D.J. Lagway started at quarterback for the Gators in a blowout win over Samford in place of an injured Graham Mertz, and it’s possible Lagway retains the job even if Mertz can return. Napier is coaching for his job weekly, and a win on Saturday would temporarily silence some critics. Prediction: Florida 23, Texas A&M 20.
UAB at Arkansas (-23.5). Arkansas went on the road and dominated Oklahoma State in every possible category except the final score. The Hogs lost to the Cowboys 39-31 in double overtime despite outgaining them 648-385. Arkansas lost the turnover battle at 1-3, however, and the Razorbacks squandered a 21-7 lead in the first half. There were plenty of positives to take away for Arkansas moving forward, and it’s a team that proved it can compete with quality opponents. But it’s a major disappointment for Sam Pittman that his team could not find a way to win before a grueling conference schedule begins next week. Prediction: Arkansas 41, UAB 7.
Ole Miss at Wake Forest (+23). While the schedule has been very easy, Ole Miss has absolutely dominated its first two opponents to start the 2024 season. The Rebels step up in competition to a small degree as they hit the road to take on Wake Forest, but this is another matchup where the Ole Miss offense should be unstoppable. Prediction: Ole Miss 45, Wake Forest 17.
UTSA at Texas (-34). In one of the top nonconference matchups of the season so far, Texas went on the road to Ann Arbor and dismantled defending national champion Michigan 31-12. It was a very impressive performance for Steve Sarkisian’s team, and the Longhorns look to be one of the best teams in college football. Prediction: Texas 45, UTSA 3.
Vanderbilt at Georgia State (+10). The most surprising 2-0 team in the SEC – and perhaps the country – is the Vanderbilt Commodores. Clark Lea has already exceeded expectations this season, but they Commodores need to build on early successes with a road win over Georgia State on Saturday. Prediction: Vanderbilt 31, Georgia State 24.
Georgia at Kentucky (+24). The worst performance of any SEC team in week two belonged to the Kentucky Wildcats, which were dominated by South Carolina last week in Lexington. Kentucky was never particularly close to competing in the 31-12 loss. It was a disappointing effort for Mark Stoops’ squad, and it will likely get worse on Saturday as the best team in college football visits Kroger Field. Prediction: Georgia 38, Kentucky 6.
Toledo at Mississippi State (-11). Jeff Lebby’s first real test as Mississippi State head coach ended with a disappointing 30-23 road loss at Arizona State. The Bulldogs made a second half comeback to threaten the Sun Devils, but this will be a difficult transition year overall for MSU. Prediction: Mississippi State 34, Toledo 13.
New Mexico at Auburn (-28). Despite Auburn’s embarrassing loss to Cal, the Tigers still have plenty to play for this year. No one expects the Tigers to contend for a playoff spot, but this is a team that should show improved from last year’s 6-7 campaign. Hugh Freeze has the potential to bring in a top-five recruiting class, but that might not be possible if the Tigers keep losing games to inferior opponents. Prediction: Auburn 48, New Mexico 10.
Kent State at Tennessee (-48). While North Carolina State is not the same caliber opponent as Michigan, Tennessee’s overall performance might have been more impressive than the Longhorns’ showing in Ann Arbor. The Volunteers destroyed the Wolfpack 51-10 on a neutral field, and UT looks like a legitimate playoff contender early on. Prediction: Tennessee 55, Kent State 3.