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There have been surprises each week during the SEC football season. There will be more to come, we’re sure. Here are 10 things to look for this weekend:
- Treadwell’s revenge: Literally less than a yard away from victory last year against Auburn, a horse-collar tackle broke Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell’s leg and cost him the rest of the season. He is back and better than he was before the injury. Treadwell has said he wants Auburn to feel his pain this year. Watch for the Illinois native to have a career day.
- Upset alert: Watch out Texas A&M. It appears the Gamecock players like interim coach Shawn Elliott and they are playing well for him. This week South Carolina goes to Texas A&M. The Aggies have lost their past two games and won’t name a starting quarterback until Friday afternoon. Carolina could be prime to strike and pull the upset this week.
- He is getting better: Auburn quarterback Sean White is getting more game experience and as a result is improving. If his receivers had helped him just a little last week, the Tigers would have won against Arkansas. This week he will test the Ole Miss Landshark defense instead of them testing him.
- Collins on the stat sheet: With Leonard Fournette and LSU having the week off, Alex Collins of Arkansas will be on all the highlight shows. The Razorback will have a field day over Tennessee-Martin. He is already underrated, but this week he steals the spotlight.
- The scoreboard operator had better be ready: Vanderbilt goes to No. 18 Houston this week. The Cougars are one of the non-Power 5 teams that have a legitimate shot at the college football playoff. It is Vanderbilt, but it is still an SEC team. Houston will want to hang a huge number on the scoreboard to impress people this week. An undefeated Houston that scored a zillion against an SEC team will make the playoff committee take notice.
- Separation day: Sorry Kentucky, this is the week you take a step back. Okay, Tennessee, this is the week you can take a step forward. A double-digit win by the Vols is not only possible, it is probable.
- A fun day in Jacksonville: It might not be the Lindsey Scott game, but this one has all the hints of a great game between Florida and Georgia. The winner is all but assured of a trip to Atlanta for the title game, so there is a lot to play for already. But this is Florida-Georgia. Good old fashioned hate. The SEC is built for this.
- Not really a week off: Sure LSU and Alabama do not have a game this week, but this is not a week off for the coaches. Both staffs will be hitting the recruiting trail and on Saturday, Nick Saban and Les Miles can be found in front of multiple television sets taking notes for the rest of the season.
- For the first time: For the first time this year, Ole Miss will have its two best players on the field. Laremy Tunsil returned to the lineup last week and Robert Nkemdiche should be back from the concussion he suffered against Memphis. Could we see the real Ole Miss this week?
- Sony and Treon: With a national television audience, Sony Michel and Treon Harris will solidify their status as their team’s star. Michel will make people wonder who Nick Chubb was and Harris can make Will Grier a memory for the Gators.
Steve Barnes is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football.
