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In & around SEC football – Week 5 previews and predictions 

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent

Alabama Week 5 Review
In one of the all-time great games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama emerged with a 41-34 victory over Georgia last Saturday (Sept. 28). After Georgia took its first lead of the game 34-33 with 2:31 remaining, quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with freshman receiver Ryan Williams on a 75-yard strike 13 seconds later. Williams made one of the best catch-and-runs in UA football history to give Alabama the lead back 41-34. Zabien Brown intercepted Carson Beck with 43 seconds remaining in the end zone to secure the win for the Crimson Tide. Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter while totally outclassing Georgia in the first half. The Bulldogs slowly but surely mounted an impressive second half comeback, but Beck’s third interception of the game sealed the loss for Kirby Smart’s team. Alabama, which improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC, has won six of the last seven meetings with Smart’s Bulldogs. The Tide travels to Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 5, to take on Vanderbilt.

Auburn Week 5 Review
This Auburn team continues to find ways to lose games it should win. After leading Oklahoma 21-10 in the fourth quarter, the Tigers allowed 17 unanswered points, including a pick-six while leading 21-16 late in the game, and allowed Oklahoma to steal a road victory. Auburn dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference. Considering how well the Tigers played for the majority of the game, this might have been the most disappointing of Auburn’s three losses. AU quarterback Payton Thorne threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns, but the late interception was costly. Auburn, which lost despite outgaining the Sooners by nearly 200 yards, travels to Athens to take on Georgia this Saturday.

SEC Week 6 Rankings
1. Alabama (4-0, 1-0)
2. Texas (5-0, 1-0)
3. Georgia (3-1, 1-1)
4. Tennessee (4-0, 1-0)
5. Missouri (4-0, 1-0)
6. LSU (3-1, 1-0)
7. Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1)
8. Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1)
9. Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0)
10. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1)
11. Kentucky (3-2, 1-2)
12. Arkansas (3-2, 1-1)
13. Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1)
14. Auburn (2-3, 0-2)
15. Florida (2-2, 1-1)
16. Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2)

Week 6 Previews and Predictions
Last week: 4-2; season: 47-13)

Game of the Week: Missouri at Texas A&M (-2.5). After a rough start at home against a quality Notre Dame team, Mike Elko has righted the ship in his first season with the Aggies. A&M is off to a 2-0 start in conference play, and while they’ve played two teams near the bottom of the league, the Aggies did win both games away from home. Now comes a more formidable opponent in College Station, as Missouri visits with playoff aspirations. The Tigers squeaked by Boston College and Vanderbilt in their last two outings, but they’ve had an extra week to prepare for the Aggies. Prediction: Texas A&M 27, Missouri 24.
Auburn at Georgia (-24). Auburn travels to Athens at the worst possible time for the 129th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Not only are the Tigers struggling to find ways to win, they’re also catching a Georgia team returning home after a heartbreaking loss to Alabama. This matchup is a great opportunity for the Bulldogs to right the ship, since Auburn is reeling after opening the season by losing three games at home. The Tiger offense has been productive in moving the ball, but turnovers have doomed AU in the three losses. The Auburn defense has been fine but has not been forcing many turnovers. Georgia turned it over several times against Alabama, but expect a much cleaner performance from Carson Beck and the Bulldog offense this week. Prediction: Georgia 38, Auburn 10.
Tennessee at Arkansas (+13). It’s been an up-and-down season for Arkansas thus far, and that’s also an accurate way to describe the entire tenure of coach Sam Pittman. The win at Auburn two weeks ago certainly cooled the hot seat for Pittman, and the Razorbacks had chances to beat by Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. However, falling just short in big games won’t keep Pittman off the hot seat for long, as the Hogs face their toughest opponent yet this Saturday as Tennessee comes to town. The Volunteers look like a legit playoff contender and have had an extra week of practice to prepare for the Razorbacks. If Arkansas cannot get off to a fast start, the Hogs will not be able to keep up with the Vols’ potent offensive attack. Prediction: Tennessee 45, Arkansas 24.
Ole Miss at South Carolina (+9). Arguably the most shocking result in the SEC thus far in 2024 was Ole Miss falling to Kentucky at home as double-digit favorites. The Rebels were widely considered to be a playoff contender entering the year, and while they can still reach the playoffs, the margin for error is very slim with several challenging games remaining. Lane Kiffin takes his squad to Columbia to face a Gamecock squad that pummeled that same Kentucky team a few weeks ago, and coach Shane Beamer has had an extra week to prepare for Kiffin and the Rebels. Perhaps last Saturday was a wake-up call for Ole Miss; if not, this season could go sideways in a hurry. Prediction: Ole Miss 38, South Carolina 31.
Alabama at Vanderbilt (+22.5). However boisterous the crowd was last Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the antithesis is expected this weekend in Nashville. While Clark Lea and the Commodores have had some success this season, it will be challenging for Kalen DeBoer to get his team ready to play after such an emotional win. While it’s highly unlikely Alabama struggles at all against Vandy, it would not be surprising if this was a bit of a flat spot for the Tide emotionally, especially in the first half. Prediction: Alabama 41, Vanderbilt 10.
Central Florida at Florida (+2.5). A win over Mississippi State temporarily quieted the “Fire Billy Napier” crowd, but that choir will start singing again if the Gators lose at home to UCF. The Knights were dismantled at home by Colorado a week ago, and Florida has had an extra week to prepare for Gus Malzahn’s squad. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous game for Florida, and while it’s not an SEC game, another loss to an in-state foe from an inferior conference might very well spell the end for Napier. Prediction: UCF 31, Florida 27.

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