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One heroic goal-line stand last Saturday by the bruised but not beaten Florida Gators in Death Valley took care of the last bit of drama in deciding who’s going to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. For the ninth time — and doesn’t it seem like more than that? — it’ll be Alabama and Florida colliding for the crown.
And while Vanderbilt won’t get the chance to ruin rival Tennessee’s shot at the SEC East crown, there are still plenty of points of emphasis and reasons to be glued to the final weekend of the regular season as the turkey is carved, served and stored for leftovers.
As for leftover issues to be settled in the SEC during Rivalry Week, which begins Thursday night in College Station and ends late Saturday night in Tallahassee, we have: bowl eligibility for Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, Egg Bowl bragging rights in Oxford, a winning conference record for either LSU or Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night and, of course, Alabama’s latest run at a perfect regular season.
LSU at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday: Can you imagine a more deflating loss than the one Ed Orgeron’s team suffered last Saturday in Death Valley? LSU was one yard from putting away Florida and continuing the good feeling since Orgeron took over for Les Miles. Instead, the Tigers were stuffed, literally and figuratively, and now they are being asked to get off the canvas and travel to College Station on a short week. Difficult to say the least.
If the Tigers don’t respond, after pure carelessness cost them what should have been a victory last week, then LSU will likely be looking elsewhere for its permanent head coach. The Tigers had no business losing to the Gators, and that should and will reflect on Orgeron. This is Coach O’s chance to get one back, and maybe get the LSU job once and for all.
Texas A&M can relate to the Tigers’ heartache. The Aggies were in prime position for a College Football Playoff spot just a few weeks ago, then stunningly lost to both Mississippi schools and didn’t look so hot offensively in scoring just 23 points against UT-San Antonio. Texas A&M does have star Myles Garrett back on defense, and his desire to make up for lost time could be the difference in a matchup featuring electric offensive players on both sides. Having the 12th Man on Thanksgiving night won’t hurt either.
Arkansas at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. (ET) Friday: Mizzou gave up 63 points to Joshua Dobbs and Tennessee on Saturday. A few hours later, the Hogs allowed 42 against Mississippi State. Of course, these teams also combined for 95 points, so strap in because this one likely won’t have much defense.
The Tigers’ defense doesn’t seem to be a good candidate to slow down running back Rawleigh Williams III, and the same goes for the Hogs’ defense against Ish Witter. Amid the likely flurry of touchdowns on Black Friday in Columbia, the difference could be Missouri’s continued woes in the kicking game.
Kentucky at Louisville, noon (ET) Saturday: Much like South Carolina, Kentucky gained its sixth win last week against an FCS opponent to become bowl eligible, and so facing its juggernaut of a rival on the road in its regular-season finale is only important because it’s a low-risk, high-reward chance to pull a stunner. So there’s no pressure for the Wildcats, but there will be an angry group of Cardinals waiting for them, with Louisville seething after seeing its national title hopes squashed in last Thursday’s beatdown at Houston.
The Wildcats will be trying to end a five-game skid against their Bluegrass State rival, and the running duo of Benny Snell and Boom Williams gives Kentucky a chance to hang with Louisville and keep Lamar Jackson off the field. The question is, will quarterback Stephen Johnson’s knee be healthy enough for him to start after he came off the bench last week and breathed life into a Kentucky offense that was sagging with Luke Wright at the helm.
Georgia Tech at Georgia, noon (ET) Saturday: The Bulldogs have owned their in-state ACC rival of late, winning six of the past seven in the series. They’re at home. And after splitting the first eight games of Kirby Smart’s first season in Athens, Georgia finally has some momentum, trying to end with four straight wins and an 8-4 record. It took almost a whole season, but Nick Chubb has finally gotten going, too, recording two straight 100-yard games for the first time in 2016.
Auburn at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday: This one could have meant everything, if Georgia hadn’t spoiled things by taking out Auburn two weeks ago. The Tigers can’t get to Atlanta. But they can still spoil Bama’s shot at a perfect season, although most think (and rightfully so) the Tide can afford a loss and still make the four-team playoff. And when all the scenarios are stashed away, it’s still the Iron Bowl, what people in this football-mad state wait 364 days for.
Kamryn Pettway should be good to go for Saturday after missing the past two games with a left leg injury, and the status of Auburn quarterback Sean White will be determined later this week.
Mississippi State at Mississippi, 3:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday: The Egg Bowl is reduced to a battle to avoid last place in the SEC West. The Rebels need to win just to get to six wins and become bowl eligible, but the 4-7 Bulldogs can’t even hang their hats on that. There’s no Chad Kelly, who’s injured. And these teams combined to allow 96 points last week. Clearly, the shine is off this one. But it’s still the Egg Bowl, so it means everything while it means nothing, if that makes sense.
South Carolina at Clemson, 7:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday: The Gamecocks are in a perfect spot here against their powerhouse in-state bitter rival.
They took care of Western Carolina last week to become bowl eligible, so that important box has been checked in Will Muschamp’s first year. They are surging and confident, having won four out of five, with the only loss during that span coming at Florida. They have nothing to lose now and everything to gain going to Death Valley to try to derail their rival’s national title hopes. And they have someone like running back Rico Dowdle, who gives the Gamecocks a chance to control the clock if an upset is within reach in the second half.
Tennessee at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday: Another Rivalry Week game that would have meant everything, if only LSU had not come up one yard short of knocking off Florida and putting Tennessee one win from stealing the SEC East. But the Tigers didn’t cash in, and so the Volunteer State battle in Nashville is all about the revitalized Vols trying to get to nine wins and the scrappy Commodores trying to become bowl eligible coming off their big win over Ole Miss.
Florida at Florida State, 8 p.m. (ET) Saturday: The resilient Gators found a way in Death Valley despite all the injuries and, well, having to play the game in Death Valley instead of Gainesville. And while their ticket to Atlanta is punched, the Gators still have a checklist: 1) get healthy going into the SEC title game; 2) avoid what happened last year, when they ended the season with losses to FSU and Bama; and 3) avoid a dreaded third loss, thus keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Cory Nightingale, a sports copy editor at the Miami Herald, lives for Saturdays. He especially enjoys the pageantry, tradition and history of SEC football.
