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Although every SEC team has specific games circled on their schedules, equally important are the games which few people are talking about heading into the season. Instead of focusing on the marquee showdowns everybody is waiting for this fall, here is a look at a potential trap game that each team should not overlook.
ALABAMA
Sept. 10, Western Kentucky at Alabama – 3:30 PM ET
The entire nation will focus its attention to AT&T Stadium in Dallas to watch the Crimson Tide meet USC in a rare non-conference matchup on Sept. 3, so that is far from a trap game for Alabama. However, with a Week 3 rematch against Ole Miss looming, the Crimson Tide can’t look past Western Kentucky in Week 2. A year ago, the Hilltoppers’ air-raid offense threw for 5,211 yards and 50 touchdowns. If Alabama finds itself looking ahead to the Rebels, Western Kentucky just might keep this game close in Tuscaloosa.
ARKANSAS
Oct. 1, Alcorn State at Arkansas – 7:30 PM ET
In recent years, the Razorbacks haven’t fared too well when they play their annual game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Last season, the team fell to Toledo in its lone Little Rock contest after losing to Georgia in 2014 and needing a fourth-quarter comeback to upend Samford in 2013. Way back in 2012, Arkansas fell to Louisiana-Monroe in overtime at War Memorial Stadium. This year, the Razorbacks will host Alcorn State for an early-season tilt in Little Rock. Even though Arkansas should have no trouble against a Braves team which finished 9-4 last season, the Razorbacks have clearly struggled away from Fayetteville in recent years. Considering Alcorn State falls between the Razorbacks’ SEC opener against Texas A&M and a visit from Alabama, Arkansas fans should be weary of the Braves.
AUBURN
Sept. 10, Arkansas State at Auburn – 7:30 PM ET
There’s no denying that September was a rough month for the Tigers in 2015. After escaping with a 31-24 victory over Louisville in its season opener, Auburn needed overtime to defeat Jacksonville State at home in Week 2 before dropping back-to-back games against LSU and Mississippi State in SEC play. This year, the Tigers will have to be ready out of the chute as they open their season against Clemson before hosting SEC foes Texas A&M and LSU in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. Before Auburn meets the Aggies, though, it’ll first have to hold off an Arkansas State team which gave Missouri all it could handle in Week 2 last season. After struggling early last season, the Tigers should be focused on taking care of business before entering the meat of their schedule.
FLORIDA
Oct. 1, Florida at Vanderbilt – TBD
It’s hard to call a meeting with an SEC team a trap game, but the Gators will certainly have to be prepared for the Commodores when these two kick off the October slate in Nashville. Sandwiched between a visit to rival Tennessee and a highly anticipated home game against LSU, it’s understandable how the Gators could be looking ahead when they travel to Vanderbilt. However, after needing a late field goal to escape with a 9-7 win over the Commodores at The Swamp last year, Florida should recognize Vanderbilt is more than capable of hanging with the Gators.
GEORGIA
Nov. 5, Georgia at Kentucky – TBD
The Bulldogs had no trouble against the Wildcats in 2015, but that came at home after they experienced an embarrassing 27-3 loss to Florida in Jacksonville. This year, Georgia will head to Lexington to meet Kentucky one week after facing the Gators in the World’s Greatest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Although a loss to Florida could provide the Bulldogs with all the motivation they need against the Wildcats, Georgia will have to be on high alert for this SEC clash considering Auburn will be waiting in the wings one week later.
KENTUCKY
Sept. 17, New Mexico State at Kentucky – 4 PM ET
The Aggies of New Mexico State limped to a pitiful 3-9 record in 2015 but, as always seems to be the case, upsets are prevalent in September. For a Wildcats team that is looking to grow in 2016, this early-season contest has the potential to be one that Kentucky fans will want to forget. Considering the Wildcats will be returning from a road trip to Florida and waiting for games against South Carolina and Alabama the following two weeks, the Aggies may be primed for an upset bid in this Week 3 matchup.
LSU
Oct. 1, Missouri at LSU – TBD
Road trips to Baton Rouge can be daunting for any team, but if there is one group who may be up for the task of knocking LSU off at home, it could be Missouri. The two teams have yet to play since Missouri joined the SEC — which may ultimately hurt the Mizzou players that have no experience playing at Tiger Stadium — but LSU will certainly have its hands full. That’s especially considering Missouri returns the bulk of a defensive line which finished second in the SEC in rushing yards per carry allowed (3.29) in 2015. With the game coming between road trips to Auburn and Florida, LSU will have to be prepared to face a stingy defense.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 14, Mississippi State at BYU – 10:15 PM ET
As hard as it is to navigate through an SEC schedule, it can be easy for teams to forget there are tough matchups outside of the conference. The Bulldogs will see that firsthand, when they travel to Utah to meet BYU in a non-conference showdown in the middle of October. LaVell Edwards Stadium is routinely rocking for each Cougars home game, and with Mississippi State rolling into town for a nationally televised game on a Friday night, this will be no exception. After hosting Auburn the week prior and traveling to Kentucky the next week, the Bulldogs will have to be prepared to enter a hostile environment for what will be a major test.
MISSOURI
Oct. 22, Middle Tennessee at Missouri – TBD
On paper, the Tigers shouldn’t have much trouble in this one. Missouri is a far superior team which plays better competition on a weekly basis. But don’t sleep on the Blue Raiders, who nearly upset both Illinois and Vanderbilt last year before eventually outlasting Marshall in a three-overtime thriller. Middle Tennessee won’t be intimidated by traveling to Missouri, which could cause trouble for the Tigers after back-to-back road trips to LSU and Florida in the previous two weeks.
OLE MISS
Oct. 1, Memphis at Ole Miss – TBD
The Rebels join the list of SEC teams which will have to be cautious in the first week of October as they’ll host the Tigers. This non-conference matchup could catch Ole Miss off guard, not mentally (because last year’s loss hasn’t been forgotten) but physically, since the team will be coming off consecutive games against Alabama and Georgia, respectively. To make matters worse, the Rebels’ schedule doesn’t get any easier after Memphis as back-to-back road trips to Arkansas and LSU await before returning to Mississippi to host Auburn on Oct. 29. If Ole Miss is too focused on all of its SEC challenges surrounding this game, the Tigers might just escape Oxford with a major upset.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 17, East Carolina at South Carolina – 4 PM ET
Five of the Gamecocks’ first six games are against SEC opponents, so it’s critical that South Carolina doesn’t sleep on the Pirates when it gets a break from SEC play in Week 3. East Carolina is no stranger to playing big non-conference opponents, and it nearly upset Florida before falling to the Gators, 31-24, in Gainesville last season. As much as the Gamecocks will probably want to look at this game as a breather between SEC opponents, the Pirates will be bidding for an early-season upset once again.
TENNESSEE
Sept. 17, Ohio at Tennessee – Noon ET
For both teams, the previous week could make a major impact in how this game turns out. The Volunteers will be fresh off meeting Virginia Tech in front of the largest crowd in college football history, and with a gauntlet of tough SEC opponents —Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama — coming in the next four consecutive weeks, Tennessee may have trouble getting up for a non-conference tilt against the Bobcats. That may be a cause for concern, though. If Ohio is able to upset Big 12 foe Kansas the week prior, it could be riding high when it enters Knoxville.
TEXAS A&M
Oct. 1, Texas A&M at South Carolina – TBD
If their head coach Kevin Sumlin is going to stay off the hot seat, the Aggies need to win this road game against the Gamecocks. Depending on what happens in the early part of the season in its season opener against UCLA and against Auburn and Arkansas in Weeks 3 and 4, this Week 5 matchup may be critical for Sumlin’s future in College Station. Those may be all the reasons for why the Aggies would get up for this game, but with Tennessee and Alabama representing the next two games, Texas A&M will have to be ready for South Carolina at the start of October.
VANDERBILT
Sept. 10, Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt – 4 PM ET
Just as Missouri will have to be ready for the Blue Raiders, so too will the Commodores, who escaped with a 17-13 win over MTSU last season. Middle Tennessee will likely be extra motivated for this in-state matchup between non-conference teams, and it will certainly be looking to knock off an SEC foe to gain confidence early in the season. If the Commodores have plans to make any noise this season, they can’t sleep on the Blue Raiders for this Week 2 bout. After hosting South Carolina in its season opener, though, that may be easier said than done for Vanderbilt, which might just be looking ahead to a road trip to Georgia Tech one week later.
