SEC Preview: Ole Miss travels to Auburn and a Look at Games around the League
OXFORD, Miss. – Welcome to the R&R week in the Southeastern Conference.
It has been a cut-throat season in the SEC and some teams could use a little rest and relaxation. Six teams are taking advantage of a week off before heading into the homestretch of the season.
That still leaves a few intriguing games Saturday.
MISSOURI at VANDERBILT, 2 p.m., SEC NETWORK
Missouri cannot lose this one, right? If the Tigers (3-4) do fall to Vandy, it will officially be the end of the Eli Drinkwicz honeymoon in CoMo.
Connor Bazelak has quietly thrown for over 1,900 yards, but he has also been picked off 11 times. The Tigers need an easy one – they go to Athens next.
For Vandy, this is the last, best chance for a win this season. Kentucky and then trips to Ole Miss and Tennessee wait ahead.
NO. 1 GEORGIA vs. FLORIDA at JACKSONVILLE, 2:30 p.m., CBS
Which Florida team will show up in the rivalry? The one that went toe-to-toe with Alabama or the one that was humiliated by LSU.
Which Florida quarterback will get the most snaps? Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson both have played this season and minor injuries and inconsistency have forced Dan Mullen to play each one.
Which Georgia team will show up Saturday? The one that has steamrolled the competition this season or the one, ah, well that is the only team.
One thing that could be in the back of the Bulldogs’ minds: Florida played Alabama tough. If UGA can blow out the Gators, it really gives Kirby Smart’s crew some style points.
NO. 10 OLE MISS at NO. 18 AUBURN, 6 p.m., ESPN
Ole Miss is banged up. Matt Corral is missing some key pieces around him and he has been hobbled himself. Fortunately, the three-headed monster in the backfield – Jerrion Ealy, Snoop Conner and Henry Parrish, Jr. – has picked up the offensive slack.
The Rebels’ defense has been improving and now gets a new opportunity to prove it.
When Auburn quarterback Bo Nix is not running around making impromptu plays, Tank Bigsby is running over people. That combination tends to wear a defense thin.
If the Tigers can stop the Ole Miss rushing attack, this could be an upset, although a mild one. Either way, this is the sneaky-good game of the day.
NO. 12 KENTUCKY at MISSISSIPPI STATE, 6 p.m., SEC NETWORK
Is this the week Kentucky gets some respect? Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has never beaten the Bulldogs and he has a great shot this week.
Mike Leach will be feeling a bit nostalgic seeing those UK helmets. Leach was an assistant for the Cats during the Hal Mumme-era in Lexington. Leach might feel sentimental, but that will not stop him from unleashing the Dogs’ air-raid attack against his old employer.
A Kentucky win could propel the Wildcats into a top-tier bowl. A loss would be devastating.
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
