This game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday night and can be seen on ESPN.

Louisville Cardinals vs. Tennessee Volunteers Odds

Here’s how the betting market shapes up for this SEC-ACC showdown, courtesy of BetMGM:

Odds subject to change

The oddsmakers clearly respect Thompson-Boling Arena’s home-court advantage, installing Tennessee as 3.5-point favorites despite Louisville’s superior record. The Volunteers’ -161 moneyline translates to roughly 59.2% implied probability after removing the vig, while the Cardinals sit at 40.8% – a reflection of both Tennessee’s desperation and venue advantage.

Statistical Breakdown: Louisville vs. Tennessee

This matchup perfectly illustrates the classic basketball chess match between explosive offense and disciplined defense, with each team’s statistical profile telling a distinct story:

The numbers reveal Louisville’s offensive juggernaut averaging a blistering 94.3 points per game, creating that +26.2 scoring margin that’s made its games look like video game simulations. However, that dominance comes with an asterisk – their 0.507 strength of schedule suggests they’ve been feasting on lesser competition.

Tennessee’s path has been considerably rockier, evidenced by its 0.568 SOS rating that’s battle-tested the Vols against legitimate competition. The Volunteers already own a quality win over a Top 50 RPI opponent, something Louisville is still chasing. Tennessee’s calling card remains their stingy defense allowing just 66 points per game, the kind of unit that can disrupt rhythm and force opponents into uncomfortable possessions.

Best Bet: Tennessee -3.5

While Louisville’s gaudy 9-1 record screams bet-the-favorite, the situational dynamics strongly favor backing Tennessee -3.5 (-110) in this spot.

The Volunteers are precisely where SEC teams thrive — desperate, at home, and facing a talented opponent that hasn’t been truly tested in hostile territory. Thompson-Boling Arena has been Tennessee’s fortress this season (5-0), and there’s no better elixir for a 3-game slide than facing a Cardinals team that’s 0-1 on the road.

Expect Rick Barnes to have his squad locked in defensively, using crowd energy to disrupt Louisville’s offensive flow and force the Cardinals into the kind of half-court grind that hasn’t defined their season. The Volunteers need this game more, have home-court advantage, and possess the defensive chops to make life difficult for a Cardinals offense that has already lost a game when it has faced this level of resistance in a hostile environment.

Take Tennessee -3.5 and trust the SEC program to defend its home court when it matters most.

Sign up with BetMGM today to get in on the action for tonight’s game. Click here to get started. And check out our list of the best Tennessee sports betting apps.

The post Tennessee vs. Louisville: Preview and best bet appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the NFL, the Week 15 Sunday slate provides plenty of drama and intrigue. There’s plenty of meat on the bone for DFS players to make some serious money.

As always, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — have scoured Underdog to find their top plays for Sunday. Their 3 favorite picks are below. But first…

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Week 15 NFL Picks

Here’s who the guys like for Sunday’s big games:

Andrew Olson

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans TE: Higher than 3.5 receptions

Schultz is consistently part of Houston’s passing game plan with 62 catches on 84 targets entering Week 15. The Arizona defense is a very favorable matchup for him to get 4 receptions.

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs QB: Lower than 1.5 pass TDs

It’s starting to look like the Chiefs probably aren’t just going to flip a switch and start dominating everyone en route to another Super Bowl appearance. Up next is an LA defense that’s mighty stingy defending the pass. The Chargers have only twice this year given up multiple passing TDs in a game.

Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots WR: Higher than 49.5 receiving yards

Diggs had his biggest game of the season against Buffalo catching 10 passes on 12 targets for 146 yards. He probably won’t match that, but he doesn’t have to come anywhere near that October performance to clear this number. Another revenge game should lift Diggs to a solid showing.

Adam Spencer

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals QB: Higher than 259.5 pass yards

Even if the Bengals don’t win this game against a desperate Baltimore squad, I think Burrow will put up plenty of numbers. He should be good for 260+ pass yards, a bulk of which could go to star WR Ja’Marr Chase.

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles RB: Higher than 80.5 rush yards

Running for 81+ yards against a terrible Las Vegas defense isn’t asking much. Conditions in Philadelphia won’t be great, so Barkley figures to get a heavy workload. I think he can have one of his best performances of the year.

James Cook, Buffalo Bills RB: Lower than 83.5 rush yards

On the flip side, the Patriots don’t allow teams to run on them. James Cook is going to find running room tough to come by today. Even if the Bills try to establish the run early, it likely won’t work against this New England front.

Reminder to click here to register for a new Underdog account today. Underdog is one of our top apps like PrizePicks. New users can score $75 in bonus entries when they play their first $5 contest after using Underdog promo code SDS:

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The post Underdog Picks of the Week: Our top NFL plays for Sunday, Dec. 14 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It has been an eventful nonconference slate, to say the least. Vanderbilt, Georgia and LSU have been pleasant surprises after being picked to finish 11th, 14th and 15th in the media’s preseason poll, respectively.

Kentucky and Florida have been relative disappointments, considering they were picked to finish 2nd and 1st, respectively.

So what should we make of nonconference play so far? What do football enthusiasts need to catch up on now that there’s a lull between the end of the regular season and the start of the Playoff?

Here’s a look at 5 surprising stats through the first few weeks of the men’s college hoops season:

1. Florida already has as many losses as it had all of last year

I mentioned this in my Starting 5 column earlier this week, but Florida went 36-4 last season en route to the national championship. The Gators lost at rival Georgia on Feb. 25 to “drop” to 24-4 on the season and then went on a 12-game winning streak that featured SEC and national titles.

After losing to UConn in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Gators are now 5-4 on the season. Does this team have a 31-0 run in it?

Uh… I’m not so sure.

This is still a Final Four-caliber Florida team, don’t get me wrong. The Gators’ 4 losses have been by 1 at Duke (excusable), by 4 vs. UConn in NYC (excusable), by 6 in Las Vegas against Arizona to start the season (excusable) and by 4 to TCU (inexcusable).

It’s not time to panic yet in Gainesville, but there’s another surprising stat involving the reigning national champions:

2. Florida is the SEC’s worst 3-point shooting team (by far)

Florida is shooting an abysmal 27.3% from beyond the arc this season. That’s by far the worst mark in the SEC. In 15th place is Georgia, and the Bulldogs are making 30.8% of their long-range attempts. That’s brutal.

Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland haven’t quite settled into this offense yet. They’re not producing at the same level as guys like Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Alijah Martin and Denzel Aberdeen from last year.

That’s OK… for now. It’s all about how you play in March. This team still has Final Four potential, but Lee and Fland need to lead the way from beyond the arc if things are going to improve in Gainesville.

3. Auburn’s nonconference schedule has been a roller coaster

Auburn is currently 7-3 on the season. But those 3 losses are something else.

The Tigers, now under the leadership of Steven Pearl, lost 73-72 to then-No. 1 Houston. A couple of weeks later, they lost by 30 to then-No. 7 (and now No. 2) Michigan in the Players Era Festival. Recently, Auburn lost by 29 to then-No. 2 (and now No. 1) Arizona.

That’s an absolutely brutal schedule. Obviously, losing by 29-30 points to anyone isn’t a great sign. But battling Houston hard was definitely a positive.

On December 20, Auburn plays Purdue, another team that has spent time at No. 1 in the polls this year. The Tigers will certainly be battle-tested by the time SEC play rolls around.

4. Georgia is leading the nation in a whole bunch of categories

To borrow a bit from my colleague, Connor O’Gara — which of these stats are true about Georgia Bulldogs basketball in 2025-26 so far?

• A: Georgia leads the nation with 99.9 points per game
• B: Georgia leads the nation with 78 blocks
• C: Georgia leads the nation with 44.6 bench points per game
• D: Georgia leads the SEC with 100 total steals
• E: All of the above

It’s “E.” It’s always “E.”

Georgia also plays at the fastest tempo of any power conference team, per KenPom. It shows up on the scoreboard and on the defensive end of the court.

Mike White’s crew has scored 100+ points in 4 of 9 games thus far, including a 107-73 blowout win at Florida State recently. No, the Dawgs’ 8-1 record doesn’t have any ranked wins on it, but Georgia has certainly been impressive through the early going. This is a team that should finish much higher than 14th in the SEC, where it was picked to finish by media members this preseason.

5. Vanderbilt and Alabama are also in the top 6 nationally for scoring offense

Georgia may be No. 1 in the nation in offense, but it isn’t alone among the elites in Division I this season. Two other SEC programs — the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Alabama Crimson Tide — are also in the top 6 nationally.

Vanderbilt — who is a perfect 9-0, it should be mentioned — is No. 4 with 96.8 points per game, and Alabama is No. 6 at 95.1 points per contest.

It’s arguably most impressive what Nate Oats and the Tide are doing. They’re averaging those 95.1 points per game against the nation’s second-toughest nonconference schedule, per KenPom. Indeed, the Tide have faced then-No. 5 St. John’s (103-96 W), then-No. 2 Purdue (87-80 L), then-No. 8 Illinois (90-86 W), then-No. 12 Gonzaga (95-85 L) and also have a game coming up against current No. 1 Arizona this weekend.

The Tide continue to challenge themselves against the other top teams in the nation. At least offensively, they’re more than holding their own so far!

The post 5 surprising stats for SEC men’s basketball so far appeared first on Saturday Down South.

1. The Opening Tip

The Florida Gators won the national championship last year, posting an overall record of 36-4.

Todd Golden and company lost at Georgia on Feb. 25 to “fall” to 24-4 and then never lost again, rattling off 12-straight wins en route to SEC and national titles.

It only took until Dec. 9 this season for the Gators to lose their fourth game.

After a 77-73 loss to No. 5 UConn in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Gators are 5-4 overall and have plenty of question marks.

The biggest problem comes from 3-point range.

The Gators are dead-last in the SEC in 3-point percentage, knocking down only 27.3% of their shots from beyond the arc. For context, the second-worst 3-point shooting team in the SEC is Georgia, and the Bulldogs make 30.8% of their shots from deep.

That’s a 3.5% gap from last place to second-to-last. That’s crazy. That’s bigger than the gap from Georgia to the No. 9 3-point shooting team in the SEC (Auburn at 33.9%).

The Gators’ struggles from deep continued against UConn, as they shot right at their 27% average (4-for15) from long range. Make even 2 more of those shots and it’s a completely different game down the stretch.

There’s a case to be made that even if Florida shot 30% from 3-point range (which would still be last in the SEC), the Gators would be 8-1 or even 9-0. You just can’t beat elite teams shooting that poorly from 3 in this day and age.

My colleague Neil Blackmon, who every Florida fan should follow, provided some much-needed nuance to Florida’s struggles this year following Tuesday night’s loss to UConn:

Neil’s right — losing at No. 4 Duke by 1 point, in New York by 4 to No. 5 UConn and by 6 to then-No. 13 (and now No. 1) Arizona in Las Vegas is hardly a reason to smash the panic button. (The 4-point loss to TCU is something I can’t, and won’t even try, to defend.) But by last year’s Florida standard, there are more problems than just the 3-point shooting.

Another issue for the Gators? They lack “closers” on both ends of the floor like they had last year.

I’m not breaking any news by saying it was always going to be tough for Florida to replace integral parts of last year’s title-winning team in Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard. But those absences are keenly felt in the final minutes of games.

How many heroic “onions!” shots did Clayton hit last year? Too many to count.

And if the Gators still had a defensive stopper like Martin on the team, I don’t think a shot like this that doomed them at Duke would’ve happened:

It’s not all doom-and-gloom in Gainesville, though. Per KenPom, the Gators have the No. 11 adjusted defensive efficiency rating. That’s pretty dang good. The problem is simply that the Gatos haven’t closed games well in hostile environments this season.

If that changes, Florida still has plenty of talent to cut down the nets in both the SEC Tournament and March Madness. If it doesn’t, well, the Elite Eight might be the ceiling for this year’s team.

2. SEC Notes

The SEC got 14 of 16 teams into the NCAA Tournament field last year.

That won’t happen again this year.

Sorry SEC fans, but this year’s crop of teams just isn’t at the same level as last year’s historic group that went 59-19 against other power conferences. Even if you set aside the disaster that the state of Mississippi has become in men’s hoops this year, other teams like Mizzou, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M (shout out to the old Big 12 squads, unfortunately), aren’t quite March Madness-caliber yet.

In ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology, the SEC gets 8 teams into the 68-team field:

• Alabama — No. 3 seed
• Vanderbilt — No. 3 seed
• Florida — No. 5 seed
• Tennessee — No. 5 seed
• Auburn — No. 6 seed
• Arkansas — No. 6 seed
• Georgia — No. 8 seed
• Kentucky — No. 8 seed

Lunardi also has LSU and Mizzou among his “First Four Out,” with Oklahoma leading the “Next Four Out” section.

That seems… about right. I do have my concerns about Georgia’s lack of a signature win and Kentucky’s myriad struggles (which we’ll discuss more in a second), but having them in the field for now makes sense.

The SEC is playing like a 7 or 8-bid league this year. The absolute ceiling is probably 10 teams. No chance at 14 again. But hey, we’ll always have last year!

Now let’s dive into some more notes from around the SEC:

• Speaking of the Kentucky Wildcats, what the heck is going on in Lexington? Kentucky took care of business against NC Central on Tuesday night (as it should), but there was some drama in the first half. Big man Brandon Garrison turned the ball over in the paint and then jogged after the play in transition on the other end of the court. Coach Mark Pope then was seen on camera benching Garrison, telling him to “go sit down.” He never returned to the game. Will this be the wakeup call the Wildcats need? Otega Oweh said as much after the game. Only time will tell, though. Kentucky faces a tough Indiana squad on Saturday and then Rick Pitino’s ranked St. John’s squad on Dec. 20.
• How worried should we be about Tennessee? The Vols have a win over then-No. 3 Houston on their résumé, but since then, they’ve lost 3-straight to unranked Kansas and Syracuse squads and No. 14 Illinois. The Syracuse loss was bad. The others are defensible, in certain ways. But there are some common themes that are cause for concern. Against Kansas and Illinois, the Vols’ defense completely fell apart in the second half, allowing 47 and 43 second-half points, respectively. Against Syracuse and Illinois, Tennessee’s free-throw shooting was embarrassing. In the loss to the Orange, the Vols went 8-of-15 (53%) from the stripe. Against the Illini, they were an abysmal 8-for-18 (44%) from the line. That’s simply not going to cut it. When the Vols put everything together, they’re Final Four good. But they haven’t done that very often this year against quality opponents. A test against Louisville awaits this weekend (more on that in a bit).

Next, let’s take a look at some other conferences around the country.

3. Around the World

Arizona is the new No. 1 team in the country following the latest update to the AP Poll. It’s a close race at the top, with the Wildcats taking the No. 1 spot by 21 total points (1,461 to 1,440) over Michigan. The Wildcats garnered 33 first-place votes to the Wolverines’ 19.

If you go by the KenPom numbers, Michigan is the best team in the land. Dustin May has his team at No. 1 in KenPom’s defensive metrics and No. 12 offensively. Arizona, meanwhile, is No. 9 on offense and No. 10 on defense, good for No. 5 overall, per KenPom.

Arizona has a 6-point win over then-No. 3 Florida, a 4-point win over then-No. 3 UConn and a 29-point victory over then-No. 20 Auburn.

Michigan, meanwhile, embarrassed then-No. 12 Gonzaga 101-61 and has a 30-point win over then No. 21 Auburn (poor Tigers) in its 2 games against ranked foes.

No matter how you slice it, these are the 2 best teams in the country. We’ll see how that battle atop the polls plays out in conference action and who blinks first.

Now, let’s hit some more non-SEC notes:

• Florida-UConn may have been the marquee matchup of the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday, but if you missed the opener between Clemson and BYU, you missed one heck of a comeback. Clemson led 44-22 just after halftime (good for a 98.5% win probability) and it looked like the game was turning into a laugher. But from that point on, BYU went on a 45-20 run to steal a 67-64 victory from the jaws of defeat. AJ Dybantsa was magnificent, scoring 28 points to go with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Check out this highlight reel if you want to see a top-3 (and potentially No. 1) pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at his best.
• Purdue’s time at No. 1 (its second stint in the top spot this season) didn’t last long. The Boilermakers were embarrassed at Mackey Arena over the weekend by then-No. 10 Iowa State, 81-58. That was tied with UConn’s loss to Villanova back in 1995 as the worst loss ever suffered by an AP Poll No. 1 team at home. Yikes. Cause for concern or just a minor blip? I, for one, am not pressing the panic button yet. This is still the same Purdue squad that went to Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama by 7. It also has a neutral-court 30-point win over a ranked Texas Tech squad on its résumé. But I’ll be monitoring the Boilermakers moving forward.

Now let’s take a look at some of the top games over the next 7 days:

4. Games to Watch

The next week features plenty of incredible college hoops action. Here are the 5 games we can’t wait to watch over the coming days:

1. No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 12 Alabama (in Birmingham) — Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN — Alabama continues its brutal nonconference slate. This will be the second top-2 team the Tide have played, having lost to then No. 2 Purdue in Tuscaloosa earlier this season. Arizona has been a wrecking ball this year, as previously discussed. The Wildcats are 2-0 against the SEC this season, beating Florida and Auburn. Can Alabama flip the script?
2. No. 11 Louisville at No. 20 Tennessee — Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN — Since beating then-No. 3 Houston, the Vols have fallen into a slump, losing 3-straight games to Kansas, Illinois and Syracuse. This will be the last chance for Tennessee to add a résumé-building nonconference win. Louisville lost in Fayetteville to Arkansas recently. Expect plenty of fireworks in this border-state showdown.
3. No. 17 Arkansas vs. No. 16 Texas Tech (in Dallas) — Saturday at noon ET on ESPN2 — Speaking of the Hogs, they head to Dallas on Saturday to face Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have lost both ranked matchups they’ve played this year — by 4 to No. 14 Illinois and by 30 to then-No. 1 Purdue. Arkansas has a golden opportunity here.
4. No. 23 Nebraska at No. 13 Illinois — Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock — The Illini looked good to start Big Ten play in Columbus against Ohio State. Now they get to return home to face a feisty Nebraska squad. You’ll want to make sure you have access to Peacock for this somewhat-surprising matchup of ranked squads.
5. No. 25 UCLA vs. No. 8 Gonzaga (in Seattle) — Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on ESPN — This one is worth staying up late for, folks. The Zags look incredible, as usual, and continue to challenge themselves in nonconference play. UCLA will be looking to tune up for the bulk of Big Ten play with another résumé-building victory. Should be plenty of late-night drama in this one.

Now it’s time for one last note before we get out of here and enjoy the rest of our days.

5. Buzzer Beater

As I mentioned in an earlier section, Vanderbilt is currently projected to be a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. After the football program went 10-2 this year, it’s safe to say everything is coming up Vandy!

Anchor Down, indeed.

This is a basketball column, though, if you haven’t figured that out already. So let’s end today by giving a shoutout to Mark Byington and his team.

The Commodores are the highest-rated SEC team in KenPom’s rankings. They sport the No. 2 adjusted offensive efficiency rating, behind only Purdue, and check in at No. 27 defensively. That’ll play.

They’re also featured in the uber-important trapezoid of excellence:

Why have the Commodores been so good this year? For one, they’re knocking down 3-pointers at an impressive 38.8% clip. That’s good for first in the SEC. Texas A&M is second, all the way down at 36.5%.

They’re connecting on an impressive 52.7% on their field goals as a whole, just a notch above Mizzou (52.4%) to lead the league.

One reason for pause regarding Vanderbilt? The schedule.

The Commodores have big wins over Saint Mary’s and SMU in their last 2 games, but neither of those 2 teams are/were ranked. The only meat left on the Commodores’ nonconference slate is a game against Memphis and another against Wake Forest. This team won’t be as battle-tested as other SEC squads when league play starts.

Will that matter?

We’ll find out when the calendars flip to 2026.

Enjoy the Starting 5? Have a question? Want to yell at me about something? Follow me on X @AdamSpencer4 or email me at a.spencer@sportradar.com.

The post Starting 5: What to make of Florida, Kentucky’s effort problem, Arizona at No. 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We’ll see 6 different SEC programs with new head coaches in 2026. That’s more than a third of the league.

The highest-profile change, of course, was Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss to take over at LSU. The Rebels promoted Pete Golding to the full-time job. Other schools with new head coaches for next season include:

• Florida (Jon Sumrall)
• Auburn (Alex Golesh)
• Arkansas (Ryan Silverfield)
• Kentucky (Will Stein)

As far as the 4 non-LSU and non-Ole Miss hires, Auburn and Arkansas have a leg up, as their new coaches aren’t currently preparing for the Playoff.

This breakdown of the 2025 carousel hasn’t even mentioned Penn State yet, who struck out with just about everyone until Matt Campbell finally took the job.

Could the 2026 carousel be even crazier? It’ll be tough, but there are 5 big-name programs that could have coaches on the hot seat in 2026. Let’s break them down:

1. Florida State

Duh.

Florida State, as my colleague David Wasson recently wrote, seems not to have learned anything from its in-state rival, Florida. The Gators gave Billy Napier an ill-fated final year that ended in disaster. Now, Florida State seems to be doing the same thing with Mike Norvell.

I was honestly surprised the Seminoles didn’t part ways with him after this season. He’ll enter the season on perhaps the hottest seat in the entire Power 4.

2. Clemson

Dabo Swinney might be wearing out his welcome at Clemson. Of course, he’ll always be a legend there for guiding the Tigers to 2 national championships and 4 total national title game appearances.

But 2025 got away from him. Going 7-5 with a Pinstripe Bowl berth isn’t what Clemson fans are accustomed to (again, thanks to the standard Swinney has set). His press conferences are getting increasingly contentious. He’s already threatened to leave for the NFL.

I’m not saying it’s definitely going to happen, but if the Tigers get off to a slow start in 2026, tensions could quickly mount at Clemson. Reminder that Clemson has to make the return trip to LSU (to face a new-look Tigers team with Lane Kiffin at the helm) in Week 1 next year.

3. Michigan

Sherrone Moore has done a fine job since taking over a program shrouded by the mess that Jim Harbaugh left behind. But the Wolverines got used to Playoff berths and competing for national championships. Moore has yet to deliver a Playoff berth in his first 2 years.

Does he deserve more time to dig this program out from under some hefty sanctions? Sure. But the 2026 schedule is brutal. The Wolverines host Oklahoma in nonconference play and have to face Indiana and Penn State in Ann Arbor in 2026. They also must visit Oregon and Ohio State.

Like I said, brutal.

Lose to Ohio State and any 3 of the 4 other teams and I think there will be some frustrations with Moore.

4. USC

It’s probably Playoff or bust for Lincoln Riley at USC in 2026. The Trojans came up short of a CFP berth this year, with only themselves to blame after dropping a road game at Illinois at the buzzer.

The Trojans have the No. 1 recruiting class coming in for 2026, and boosters will expect to see an immediate return on their investment. Much like Michigan above, though, USC has a brutal schedule. The Trojans have to face Ohio State, Indiana, Penn State, Oregon and Notre Dame next season. Penn State is perhaps the “easiest” game in that bunch, but it’s at Beaver Stadium.

If Riley can’t get to the Playoff in 2026, it’ll probably spell the end of his tenure in Los Angeles.

5. Texas

As my colleague Connor O’Gara wrote back before Thanksgiving, Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns gave off weird vibes all season long. For a team that just missed out on its third-straight Playoff berth, things were a bit tumultuous in Austin.

Sarkisian had multiple awkward exchanges with reporters. There was a report about him potentially being interested in NFL jobs (like the Tennessee Titans). He vociferously denied those reports, but like Connor wrote… weird vibes.

Arch Manning should take a step forward in 2026. The defense figures to still have plenty of talent. The offensive line should improve.

The Longhorns avoid Alabama and Georgia next year, so the schedule should be manageable. Get to the Playoff and all is forgiven. Struggle again and come up short and it might increase the hot seat chatter surrounding Sark.

The post 5 big-name college football programs with coaches on the hot seat in 2026 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Their opponent? Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies.

This is a battle between the last 2 champions, as Florida took the crown in 2025 and the Huskies won it all in 2024.

This Tuesday night matchup tips off at 9 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN. UConn is currently 8-1 overall, with wins over BYU, Kansas and Illinois on its résumé. The only blemish is a loss to current No. 1 Arizona.

Florida is only 5-3 on the season, but lost by only a single point at Cameron Indoor against Duke in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Issues shooting the 3-pointer have plagued the Gators.

Florida is currently No. 18 in the AP Poll, while the Huskies check in at No. 5. Let’s dive into this matchup a bit more.

Florida vs. UConn Odds

The oddsmakers have installed UConn as the favorite for this marquee neutral-site clash. The spread sits at 3.5 points in favor of the Huskies, with standard -110 juice on both sides. The total for the contest is pegged at 145.5 points.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

Check out our list of the best Florida sports betting apps to get in on the action for this epic Tuesday night clash.

Tale of the Tape

The numbers paint a picture of 2 teams with strong offenses, but with differing levels of success on defense:

The most glaring disparity shows up on the defensive end, where UConn has been absolutely dominant by surrendering just 60.4 points per contest. That stingy defense fuels the Huskies’ impressive +19.7 scoring margin, nearly double Florida’s +11.5 mark despite the Gators’ superior offensive output of 83.4 points per game.

Florida has yet to notch a signature win this season, going 0-2 vs. Top 25 competition. The neutral-site splits also lean UConn’s way, as it’s perfect at 2-0 away from home courts compared to Florida’s even 2-2 record.

What makes this particularly intriguing is the revenge factor. Florida eliminated UConn from last year’s NCAA Tournament, giving the Huskies extra motivation in this rematch. The Gators’ offensive firepower hasn’t faced a defensive unit of this caliber, while UConn will look to prove its championship pedigree against the team that ended their title defense.

The Pick: Back the Gators to Keep It Close

While UConn’s defensive numbers are undeniably impressive, there’s value in backing the defending champions getting points in this spot. Florida’s 83.4 points per game represents legitimate offensive firepower, and championship DNA has a way of showing up in big moments like this Madison Square Garden showcase.

Keep in mind that Florida only lost by 1 in Cameron Indoor, one of the toughest road environments in all of sports. Todd Golden and company might not win tonight at MSG, but they should be competitive throughout.

Pick: Florida +3.5 (-110 at BetMGM)

The post Florida vs. UConn: Best bet and preview for Jimmy V Classic clash appeared first on Saturday Down South.

This seems like a great time to take a look back at my preseason men’s hoops power rankings and figure out what has changed.

Spoiler alert: A lot has changed. Seriously, almost every team has moved either up or down in my rankings over the past month. We’ve had teams like Kentucky disappoint. Vanderbilt has looked incredible. Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas and others continue to challenge themselves in nonconference play, which could end up paying dividends come SEC season.

For now, though, we’ll take a snapshot of the state of SEC men’s basketball as we enter the second week of December.

Here are my updated power rankings, starting with No. 16:

16. Mississippi State (4-5 overall)

• Preseason power ranking: 11

Looks like I was too high on Mississippi State entering 2025-26. This team is a mess. A loss to Iowa State? I can forgive that. Losses to Kansas State (by 21 points), New Mexico and San Francisco are much less forgivable. The Bulldogs just aren’t really good at anything this year (No. 85 offensively, per KenPom, and No. 86 defensively) and don’t play fast (144th in adjusted tempo, per KenPom). More losses are coming if these metrics don’t improve.

15. Ole Miss (5-4)

• Preseason power ranking: 9

After starting off 5-0 (beating up on a bunch of lower-level schools), the Rebels are in a free-fall. Utah is one of the worst Power 4 teams. Miami is not good. Ole Miss lost to both of them. Coach Chris Beard is very frustrated with AJ Storr (shocker) and his team’s overall effort. The Rebels have a lot of work to do if they want to compete in the SEC.

14. South Carolina (6-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 16

Look, the Gamecocks haven’t done much, if anything, to impress me. South Carolina’s 3 losses were to Butler, Northwestern and Virginia Tech. The only reason South Carolina has risen 2 spots is because the state of Mississippi is a dumpster fire this year when it comes to men’s hoops. The Gamecocks look like they’ll struggle mightily in SEC play.

13. Texas A&M (7-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 12

I’m not going to hammer the Aggies like I did the teams below them. Texas A&M has a new coach and an entirely new identity. Bucky Ball was always going to take some time to implement. As long as they’re at least competitive in SEC play more often than not, I’m staying calm with the Aggies this season. Losses to Oklahoma State, UCF and SMU certainly don’t look great on a résumé, though.

12. LSU (8-1)

• Preseason power ranking: 15

The Tigers have beaten up on a lot of nobodies and then lost their 1 ranked matchup (to Texas Tech), but there are some positive signs in Baton Rouge. Four different guys are averaging 11+ points for LSU. The offense is solid. The defense is OK. Again, the Tigers haven’t really played anyone yet, but there are signs of progress.

11. Oklahoma (6-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 14

The Sooners have put together a couple of decent efforts against decent teams. They’ve also suffered a couple of disappointing losses. Oklahoma, as things stand right now, does not look like an NCAA Tournament squad. We’ll see if things change in SEC play, but I’m not holding my breath.

10. Texas (7-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 8

Texas has been… fine… this season. Losing to start the year against Duke? Not going to get too down about that. Losing to Arizona State? That’s not great. Losing by 19 against Virginia? That’s bad. But the Horns also have a nice win over NC State that will age well. Sean Miller and company are going to be flirting with the bubble all year, I think.

9. Mizzou (8-2)

• Preseason power ranking: 6

I’m still not entirely sure what to make of Mizzou. The Tigers seem firmly middle-of-the-pack this year. Dangerous at home, not so dangerous away from Columbia. We’ll see if the Tigers can get a nonconference win that’s better than Minnesota in a couple of weeks when they play Illinois in St. Louis for the Braggin’ Rights rivalry.

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8. Georgia (8-1)

• Preseason power ranking: 13

I was skeptical of Georgia until I looked at the metrics. The Bulldogs are No. 22 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency rankings, No. 44 defensively and play at the 6th-fastest adjusted tempo. Their only loss is by 3 points to a Clemson squad that will be in the NCAA Tournament picture. We’ll see what that leads to in SEC play, but this could be a middle-tier or slightly better team in league action.

7. Kentucky (5-4)

• Preseason power ranking: 3

I really thought about dropping Kentucky much further. The only thing that saved the Wildcats is that their 4 losses are all to ranked teams — Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina and Gonzaga. The Gonzaga game was embarrassing, though, as the Cats lost to the Dogs 94-59 in Nashville. Yikes. This team cannot shoot. It doesn’t have a ton of defensive intensity. There are injuries, sure, but this should be a much better Kentucky squad.

6. Arkansas (7-2)

• Preseason power ranking: 5

Competitive losses at Michigan State and vs. Duke keep the Razorbacks from falling too far. The Hogs also have a really nice win over Louisville. Barely beating Samford and Winthrop a couple of weeks ago made me sour on Arkansas a bit, but John Calipari has his team playing some solid basketball right now with Texas Tech coming to town this weekend.

5. Auburn (7-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 7

Auburn got blown out by Arizona and Michigan, sure, but the Tigers only lost by 1 to Houston. Arizona is No. 1 in the latest AP Poll. Michigan is No. 2. Houston is No. 7. The Tigers also have a win over then-No. 14 St. John’s on their résumé. Steven Pearl’s team will be battle-tested heading into SEC play, that’s for sure. Oh and the Tigers play preseason No. 1 (and current No. 6) Purdue on Dec. 20. What a nonconference slate!

4. Tennessee (7-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 2

The Vols have perhaps the best win in the SEC this year, taking down then-No. 3 Houston in the Players Era Tournament. But Tennessee needs to snap out of its recent skid that has seen Rick Barnes and company fall to unranked Kansas, unranked Syracuse and No. 14 Illinois in 3-straight games. Louisville comes to town next week to give the Vols a chance to add another key win to their résum

3. Florida (5-3)

• Preseason power ranking: 1

The Gators nearly pulled off an upset win over Duke in Cameron Indoor. They deserve some credit for that. But Florida falls out of the top spot after a month because of the 3-point shooting woes. The Gators currently rank dead-last in the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage, making only 27.4% of their triples. For contest, No. 15 in the league is Georgia. The Bulldogs make 30.8% of their 3s. Florida faces a tough test against UConn on Tuesday night.

RELATED: Check out all the best Florida sports betting apps to get in on the action all hoops season long.

2. Vanderbilt (9-0)

• Preseason power ranking: 10

It’s time to give the Commodores their due. Vanderbilt hasn’t played a ranked opponent yet, and won’t until SEC play. But the Commodores aren’t playing a ton of cupcakes, either. Wins over SMU and Saint Mary’s are solid. The metrics love the Commodores; KenPom has Vanderbilt ranked 8th overall. I’m not sure exactly how good Vandy is, but I’m confident that the ‘Dores are much better than the No. 10 spot where I had them in the preseason (and I was higher than consensus on Vanderbilt, for the record).

1. Alabama (7-2)

• Preseason power ranking: 4

Alabama takes the No. 1 spot because of wins over top-10 foes in St. John’s and Illinois. The Tide’s 2 losses are to Purdue and Gonzaga — not exactly something that hurts the ol’ résumé. This weekend features Alabama making the short trip to Birmingham to face new No. 1 squad Arizona. That game will be Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Don’t miss it!

The post SEC Basketball Power Rankings, Dec. 9: Kentucky falls, Vanderbilt on the rise appeared first on Saturday Down South.

By the end of the day, we’ll know the 12-team College Football Playoff field, as well as the rest of the bowl assignments. But for now, while we wait, we can look at the way the wind is blowing.

Some other rankings systems, like ESPN’s Football Power Index, have been updated after Championship Week. There’s a new No. 1 team in the nation, as Indiana jumped Ohio State to claim the No. 1 spot. The Buckeyes didn’t fall far, checking in at No. 2 this week.

Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas Tech round out the top 5, meaning the SEC was completely shut out. The Georgia Bulldogs, at No. 6, are the SEC’s top dogs (or Dawgs). Alabama fell to No. 8 following its SEC title game loss to Georgia.

Here’s a look at the full ESPN FPI top 25 ahead of Selection Sunday:

1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Texas Tech
6. Georgia
7. Miami
8. Alabama
9. Utah
10. Texas A&M
11. USC
12. Ole Miss
13. Texas
14. Vanderbilt
15. Oklahoma
16. BYU
17. Penn State
18. Tennessee
19. Michigan
20. Iowa
21. Mizzou
22. Washington
23. USF
24. SMU
25. LSU

That’s 10 SEC teams in the top 25, for those tracking at home. The 6 SEC programs that didn’t make the cut were: Auburn (No. 26), South Carolina (No. 32), Florida (No. 36), Arkansas (No. 41), Kentucky (No. 47) and Mississippi State (No. 50).

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What does Sunday hold in terms of the Playoff field? We’ll find out which 12 teams make it in a few short hours!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Championship Week: Alabama drops multiple spots in top 25 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The crew of Stanford Steve, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by Inside the NBA host (and Georgia alum) Ernie Johnson to make picks for the conference championship games on Saturday.

All 4 Power Conferences will crown league champions on Saturday. Here’s who the guys think will win each of the games on Conference Championship Weekend:

No. 11 BYU vs. No. 4 Texas Tech

• Desmond: Texas Tech
• Saban: Texas Tech
• McAfee: Texas Tech
• Ernie: Texas Tech
• Herbstreit: Texas Tech

No. 17 Virginia vs. Duke

• Desmond: Virginia
• Saban: Virginia
• McAfee: Duke
• Ernie: Virginia
• Herbstreit: Virginia

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana

• Desmond: Indiana
• Saban: Ohio State
• McAfee: Indiana
• Ernie: Ohio State
• Herbstreit: Ohio State

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 9 Alabama

• Desmond: Georgia
• Saban: Alabama
• Ernie: Georgia
• McAfee: Georgia
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

Will the guys be proven right? It’s going to be a heck of a championship Saturday around the country. Enjoy it, y’all!

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The post College GameDay crew, Ernie Johnson pick winners for SEC Championship Game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Even though the number of games is going down, there are still plenty of opportunities to win money with daily fantasy sports contests. Our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — have gone through the numbers and will share their 3 favorite college football and 2 best NFL picks of the week below.

But first…

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Championship Week CFB Picks

Here’s who the guys like during college football’s conference championship weekend:

Andrew Olson

Chandler Morris, Virginia QB: Higher than 229.5 pass yards

Duke gives up an average of 286 passing yards per game against ACC competition, which ranks last in the conference. The Blue Devils have been torched for 300 or more yards through the air in 4 of the last 5 games, including a 316-yard outing for Morris on Nov. 15.

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana QB: Lower than 211.5 pass yards

There are good defenses, and then there’s the Ohio State defense. Mendoza has been a 9.4 yards per attempt QB against Big Ten defenses, but that dipped to 6.9 YPA against Oregon. In passing defense, OSU is the only B1G team with a lower YPA allowed than Oregon.

Gunner Stockton, Georgia QB: Higher than 26.5 rush yards

Georgia had great success running the football against Alabama back in September, logging 227 yards on 33 rushes. Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama teams have had trouble with mobile quarterbacks. Georgia would be wise to use Stockton more as a runner in Round 2 against Alabama.

Adam Spencer

LJ Martin, BYU RB: Lower than 70.5 rush yards

The Texas Tech defensive front is one of the best in the entire sport. Martin ran 10 times for 35 yards in the first meeting between these teams. Even if he runs it 20 times at that rate, he’ll finish with 70 yards this time around. Give me the lower option here.

Isaiah Horton, Alabama WR: Higher than 31.5 receiving yards

Horton had 5 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in the first game against Georgia. He had 3 touchdown catches in the Iron Bowl last week. He’s having a good year and I think that 32 yards is very manageable for him on Saturday.

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State WR: Higher than 0.5 rush+receiving TDs

Indiana has a solid defense. Is it on Ohio State’s level? No. But it’s a great defense. I think the Hoosiers can limit what Jeremiah Smith is able to do, but I like Smith to find the end zone at least once.

Week 14 NFL Picks

Here’s who the guys are picking for Sunday’s NFL slate:

Andrew Olson

James Cook, Buffalo Bills RB: Higher than 19.5 rush attempts

Cook is coming off of back-to-back 100-yard rushing games and gets another favorable matchup in Week 14. Cincinnati’s defense allows over 5 yards per carry. Don’t overthink it, Buffalo: Let James Cook.

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns RB: Higher than 80.5 rush yards

This sets up nicely. Judkins is averaging just under 20 carries per game (19.5) since the Week 9 bye. Now, in Week 14, he draws a Tennessee team with one of the weaker defenses at stopping the run.

Adam Spencer

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB: Higher than 237.5 pass yards

I know Andrew just picked Cook to get 20+ carries. Against the Bengals, I think Allen has the opportunity to throw for 238+ yards in the first 3 quarters before leaning on the rushing attack in the 4th quarter. Cincinnati’s defense is hot garbage.

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears RB: Higher than 44.5 rush yards

The rookie out of Rutgers has gone higher than this number in his last 2 games (including last week’s 130-yard effort against the Eagles) and in 3 of his last 5. He’s a strong runner and I expect Chicago to lean heavily on the rushing attack in Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon.

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The post Underdog Picks of the Week: Our top plays for college and NFL, Dec. 6-7 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the SEC, we have what is sure to be a thrilling rematch between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs, both of whom should be in the Playoff field, win or lose.

But the biggest game of the day is in the Big Ten, where No. 1 Ohio State takes on No. 2 Indiana in Indianapolis. Will the Buckeyes continue to roll? Or can the Hoosiers pull off some home-state magic.

The Saturday Down South team is here to make some title game against the spread picks. Let’s dive in.

(Editor’s note: All odds for this piece might not reflect current odds.)

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Championship Week College Football Picks

Here’s how the crew picked the 9 FBS conference championship games. If you want to bet alongside the guys, check out our guide to the best sports betting apps to score major sign-up bonuses at your shop of choice.

Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State (CUSA Championship) 

Spenser Davis: These teams met a few weeks ago and Jacksonville State only won by 9 despite a +4 edge in turnover differential. Typically with numbers like that, I’d back Kennesaw. But Jacksonville State also averaged over 8 yards per play in that game against the Owls. I think the Gamecocks should be favored at home. PICK: Jacksonville State +2.5 

Andy Olson: It’s hard to beat the same team twice in a matter of weeks. If Kennesaw State can avoid throwing 4 interceptions again, the Owls have a good chance to win Round 2. PICK: Kennesaw State +1.5 

Derek Peterson: Jacksonville State was up 32-13 in the fourth quarter of the first meeting. A second shot at a team isn’t worth that kind of point buffer. PICK: Jacksonville State +2.5 

Adam Spencer: I like Jacksonville State’s running game. That always plays well in December. I’ll go with the Gamecocks to get the job done. PICK: Jacksonville State +2.5 

Ethan Stone: KSU QB Amari Odom had a terrible outing against the Gamecocks last time around and threw 3 of the 6 interceptions he now has on the year. He’s turned it around since then and just threw 4 touchdowns against a good (G5) Liberty defense. I think he and the Owls will have a better outing with time to prepare. PICK: Kennesaw State -2.5 

Troy at James Madison (Sun Belt Championship) 

SD: James Madison is a great G5 team, but I’m not so sure I agree with this line being well over 3 touchdowns. Troy isn’t horrendous — especially on defense. The Trojans are 35th nationally in schedule-adjusted EPA-per-play allowed, according to Game on Paper. I think Troy can hang around. PICK: Troy +23.5  

AO: When the line’s this big, I’m naturally inclined to go with the underdog – even if clearly overmatched. PICK: Troy +23.5 

DP: I like the Dukes, who will still have their head coach for at least another game. There’s also still an outside shot James Madison challenges for the CFP. Troy’s offense is suspect. James Madison has advantages all over the field. PICK: James Madison -22.5 

AS: James Madison needs to make a statement to the Playoff committee and then root like heck for Duke to upset Virginia in the ACC. This set of Dukes at least handles its end of the deal. PICK: James Madison -23.5 

ES: I like James Madison to make a statement here. The Dukes have demolished the Sun Belt this season. PICK: James Madison -23 

North Texas at Tulane (American Championship) 

SD: The best unit in this game is North Texas’s passing attack. I’ll take the Mean Green to win by at least a field goal. PICK: North Texas -2.5 

AO: As the resident Gator, I think I’m obligated to roll with Jon Sumrall’s team. PICK: Tulane +2.5 

DP: Tulane gets it done at home. North Texas hasn’t been tested in quite the same way as the Green Wave have. I can’t get over the home loss to South Florida. PICK: Tulane +2.5 

AS: Both of these coaches are out the door after the season. I hear there’s going to be some wet weather in New Orleans on Friday night, which could slow down the North Texas offense just enough for Tulane to take advantage. PICK: Tulane +2.5 

ES: Tulane’s secondary has been a disaster this season and Drew Mestemaker averages more passing yards per game than any other quarterback in college football. Alternatively, even if it is against American-level competition, North Texas is top 10 in passing yards allowed per game (164 yards). The Mean Green can dominate this game through the air. North Texas has generally had a better rushing offense, too. PICK: North Texas -2.5 

UNLV at Boise State (Mountain West Championship) 

SD: UNLV’s offense is elite, but the Runnin’ Rebels can’t stop the run at all. Boise State is going to thrive with its ground game in this spot and the Broncos get to play at home on their blue turf. PICK: Boise State -4.5 

AO: UNLV was hanging close with Boise State in the first half before a disastrous second half. The Rebels have the Mountain West’s top scoring offense. I’ll go with Dan Mullen’s team to keep this close in a rematch. PICK: UNLV +4.5 

DP: To beat Boise State, a team has to be able to stop the run. UNLV has given us no evidence it can do that. The Rebels rank 126th nationally in rushing success rate allowed. That was a problem in the first meeting, when Boise ran 33 times for 294 yards, and it’ll be a problem again in the rematch. PICK: Boise State -3.5 

AS: I’m a little bit surprised Dan Mullen didn’t get more attention for some of these openings around the Power 4. He’s done good work with the Rebels, but yeah, this UNLV defense has no chance of stopping Boise State on the blue turf. PICK: Boise State -5 

ES: Derek nailed it. I don’t think UNLV will be able to stop the Broncos where and when it’s most important, and last time around BSU rushed for 294 yards with 3 touchdowns at 8.9 yards per carry. Yikes. PICK: Boise State -5 

BYU vs. Texas Tech (Big 12 Championship) 

SD: A double-digit spread in a P4 championship game with both teams at 11-1 may seem a bit disrespectful. But I think Texas Tech is just much, much better than every other team in the Big 12. BYU has dealt with distractions this week, too, as Kalani Sitake considered a move to Penn State. I think the potential for a Texas Tech blowout is high. PICK: Texas Tech -12.5 

AO: I’m riding with the loser in a rematch again here. It would be hard for BYU to play that poorly again. PICK: BYU +12.5 

DP: A ton went wrong for BYU when it traveled south to Lubbock earlier this season, and yet the Cougars fought. Texas Tech had 7 red zone trips and only scored 2 touchdowns. Both of these defenses are excellent. If BYU doesn’t blow its foot off again, it should be able to keep things closer than 13.5. PICK: BYU +13.5 

AS: Texas Tech is playing for a first-round bye in the Playoff. The Red Raiders are undefeated when Behren Morton plays. I’m keeping this one simple. PICK: Texas Tech -11.5 

ES: I just don’t see a world where BYU and HC Kalani Sitake struggle as badly as they did in the first matchup between these two. The spread makes it tough to go with the Red Raiders, who I ultimately think will win the game. PICK: BYU +13 

Miami vs. Western Michigan (MAC Championship) 

SD: I’m in Rome, it’s 1:30 a.m. and my wife may be considering divorce. I leave analysis of Miami-Western Michigan to my able colleagues. PICK: Miami +2 

AO: My pick is, once again, the loser of Round 1 to cover the spread. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. PICK: Western Michigan -1.5 

DP: Go RedHawks. PICK: Miami +2.5 

AS: Dequan Finn isn’t with Miami (OH) this time around. I’ll take Western Michigan here. PICK: Western Michigan -1.5 

ES: Miami took the first one in this series this season and it’s tough to beat the same team twice. I’ll roll with the Broncos. PICK: Western Michigan -1.5

Georgia vs. Alabama (SEC Championship) 

SD: I really, really don’t like that Georgia will be without starting center Drew Bobo. Kalen DeBoer has been awesome in big games like this — including against this same Georgia team earlier this season. But I just don’t trust this Alabama offense. Ty Simpson hasn’t looked right in a few weeks. I think Georgia gets a big turnover or 2 to flip this game. PICK: Georgia -2.5 

AO: Alabama is absolutely in Georgia’s head, and you can’t convince me otherwise. Under these unique postseason circumstances, though, I don’t expect to see the Bulldogs tighten up at the sight of the Crimson Tide. UGA should be loose playing another game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and, more importantly, much better prepared to defend against the Bama passing attack. PICK: Georgia -2.5 

DP: Kirby Smart is going to break the Alabama funk sooner or later. PICK: Georgia -2.5 

AS: I guess I’m the outlier here. I like Alabama to at least cover in this spot. This is assuming, of course, that the Tide remember that Ryan Williams exists. Either way, give me Alabama to make this a close contest. PICK: Alabama +2.5 

ES: Georgia has been the more consistent team this season. At the same time, the Bulldogs have been better running the ball. In a coin flip scenario, there’s more to like with the Bulldogs here. PICK: Georgia -2.5 

Indiana vs. Ohio State (Big Ten Championship) 

SD: I’m in on the Hoosiers. I think they keep this close. PICK: Indiana +4.5 

AO: I’m rolling with the Ohio State defense until an opponent shows me otherwise. PICK: Ohio State -3.5 

DP: Indiana is arguably more battle-tested. Ohio State is just better. PICK: Ohio State -5.5 

AS: Ohio State is the best team in the country. Caleb Downs is incredible. The defense is elite. The offense has a Heisman contender at QB. Give me the Buckeyes to win comfortably. PICK: Ohio State -3.5 

ES: Like a good chunk of America, I’ll be rooting for the Hoosiers in this one. That doesn’t mean I think they’ll actually do it, deep down. The Buckeyes are playing on a different level from every other team in college football right now, and that defense has befuddled opposing quarterbacks all year. I’m not saying Mendoza will crash and burn, but it won’t be as easy as some past games have been for the Heisman candidate. PICK: Ohio State -4 

Duke vs. Virginia (ACC Championship) 

SD: Virginia should be favored by over a touchdown in my opinion. Duke’s defense has been atrocious for weeks and the Cavaliers have a veteran quarterback. Just a few weeks ago, Virginia racked up 7 yards per play against the Blue Devils. Duke was fortunate Virginia only scored 34 points in that game for a 17-point win. PICK: Virginia -3.5  

AO: I find great joy in seeing Manny Diaz make the ACC Championship Game before Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes. I’m all for some chaos in the College Football Playoff picture, but, unfortunately, I think the party’s over for Duke. PICK: Virginia -3.5 

DP: In the first meeting between these teams, Duke couldn’t get Virginia off the field and the Cavs went into the fourth quarter leading 31-3. Even if Duke is better the second time around, Virginia is the play. The Blue Devils are streaky, but their inability to win in late-downs situations is a vulnerability Virginia can take advantage of. PICK: Virginia -3.5 

AS: Duke winning would be a fun chaos scenario. I just don’t see that happening, unfortunately. Give me the Cavs. PICK: Virginia -3.5 

ES: This game is disgraceful, as is the ACC. I should probably say something nice, and Darian Mensah makes that easy. He’s thrown for a lot of yards and has faced this Cavs defense before, which makes me think he won’t struggle twice. I kind of expect the defense to be lacking on both sides in this one, too. PICK: Duke +4 

The post Friday Forecast 2025: SDS staff picks against the spread for Championship Week appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Under first-year head coach Pat Kelsey, Louisville has been absolutely scorching opponents, averaging 96.7 points per game.

The Cardinals are led by a dynamic backcourt tandem featuring senior Ryan Conwell, who’s putting up 20.1 points per game, and freshman sensation Mikel Brown Jr., who’s chipping in 17 points while dishing out a team-high 6 assists per contest.

Meanwhile, Arkansas coach John Calipari is looking to defend his home court at Bud Walton Arena and bounce back from recent struggles. The Razorbacks have leaned heavily on their own freshman phenom, Meleek Thomas, who’s averaging 17.6 points per contest.

This ACC/SEC battle tips off Wednesday, December 3, at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. We’ll break down the betting odds, dive into key matchup advantages, and share our best bet for this game.

Louisville vs. Arkansas Odds

Despite hitting the road for perhaps their biggest test yet, the undefeated Cardinals enter Bud Walton Arena as betting favorites. Oddsmakers have installed a hefty total, reflecting the dynamic offensive capabilities Louisville has flashed all season long.

All odds are via BetMGM.

The betting market clearly respects Louisville’s perfect record, making the Cardinals 3.5-point road favorites. The money line reflects that confidence, with Louisville sitting at -169 while Arkansas checks in as a +140 home underdog. That massive 165.5-point total suggests the books expect fireworks in this one.

Check out our list of the best sports betting apps.

Statistical Breakdown: Louisville vs. Arkansas

This matchup presents a classic tale of 2 different paths to December. Louisville has been absolutely demolishing inferior competition outside of a win over rival Kentucky, while Arkansas has taken its lumps against elite-level opponents:

The Cardinals’ staggering +33.7 point differential screams dominance, but context is everything here.

The reality check comes when you examine strength of schedule. Louisville has only faced a single top-50 opponent, Kentucky, building its pristine record against significantly weaker competition (0.4545 SOS). Arkansas, conversely, has already been through the gauntlet with a much tougher 0.539 strength of schedule. Those 2 Razorbacks losses? Both came against top-25 teams (Michigan State and Duke).

What should give Arkansas backers confidence is the Hogs’ perfect 5-0 home record at Bud Walton Arena. This represents Louisville’s first true road test and its first crack at legitimate high-major competition. Meanwhile, Calipari’s squad has been battle-tested in ways the Cardinals simply haven’t experienced yet this season.

Best Bet: Arkansas +3.5

PICK: Arkansas +3.5 (-110 at BetMGM)

Home court advantage in college basketball is real, and Bud Walton Arena is no joke. Arkansas sits at a perfect 5-0 at home this season, and Calipari knows how to prepare his team for big moments. The Razorbacks have the athletic ability and defensive principles to give Louisville’s high-octane offense a reality check.

Conwell and Brown haven’t faced the type of physicality and pressure that Arkansas can bring, especially in a hostile road environment. Meanwhile, Meleek Thomas, Darius Acuff Jr. and company have already proven they can perform against elite competition. Getting more than a full possession with the spread feels like found money when backing the team that’s actually been tested against quality opposition.

Take the home underdog and the points in this one.

The post Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Louisville Cardinals: Preview and best bet appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gators bring a solid 5-2 record into this Tuesday night clash. Meanwhile, Duke enters riding high with a perfect 8-0 start that has it perched atop the ACC, averaging a blistering 91.9 points per game behind freshman sensation Cameron Boozer’s 22.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest.

This marks Florida’s first trip to Cameron Indoor in 27 years, adding historical significance to an already compelling ACC/SEC Challenge matchup. The Gators will counter Duke’s interior dominance with their own glass-cleaning specialist in center Rueben Chinyelu, who’s hauling down 10.9 rebounds per game for the defending national champions.

Action tips off Tuesday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, setting the stage for what could be one of December’s defining nonconference battles.

Florida vs. Duke Odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM, current as of December 2, 2025:

The betting markets clearly respect Duke’s unblemished record and Cameron Indoor mystique, installing the Blue Devils as heavy favorites at -455 on the money line. That spread of 9.5 points reflects the significant gap between these programs, while the total of 155.5 acknowledges Duke’s offensive firepower.

Breaking down the implied probabilities after removing the bookmaker’s juice, Duke carries approximately 78% win expectancy compared to Florida’s 22% chance.

Statistical Breakdown: Florida vs. Duke

The tale of the tape reveals a fascinating contrast in team strengths, with Duke’s elite shooting facing off against Florida’s superior glass work:

Duke’s dominance shows up immediately in the efficiency metrics. That staggering +33.1 point differential stems from an offense shooting 52% from the field and 37% from deep, combined with a defense allowing just 58.8 points per game. The Blue Devils also protect the basketball exceptionally well, dishing out 20.3 assists against only 10.3 turnovers per contest.

Florida’s path to competitiveness runs through the glass, where it holds a 45.9 to 40.3 rebounding advantage. Led by Chinyelu’s work on the boards, the Gators must capitalize on second-chance opportunities while limiting Duke’s extra possessions. However, Florida’s shooting woes present a challenge for Tuesday night. That 27.7% 3-point percentage and 44% field-goal accuracy could prove fatal against Duke’s lockdown defense.

Best Bet: Back the champs to keep it close

The Pick: Florida +9.5 (-118 on BetMGM)

Laying nearly double digits always carries risk. While Duke has beaten some good teams this year, it hasn’t played anyone as good as the reigning national champions.

Florida needs to take care of the ball if it is going to at least cover the spread. The Blue Devils commit just 10.3 turnovers per game compared to Florida’s sloppy 14.1, meaning fewer extra possessions for the Gators to exploit.

I do think the Gators have the ability to defend Duke on the perimeter to neutralize the 3-point advantage the Blue Devils have. Duke will likely win this game outright, but look for Florida to at least keep it close.

The post Florida Gators vs. Duke Blue Devils: Best bet for Tuesday’s ACC/SEC Challenge matchup appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Tipoff for that matchup is set for Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Mizzou is a perfect 8-0 entering this game, but a closer examination of the Tigers’ record shows the most-impressive win is against… Minnesota? Yikes.

The Irish, meanwhile, enter the game with a 5-3 record, but their losses are to Ohio State, Kansas and Houston. It’s safe to say Notre Dame is the more battle-tested team. But while the Irish have played top teams fairly tight (losing by 10 to both Kansas and Houston), their best win is… Rutgers? Again, yikes.

This ACC/SEC Challenge matchup will answer a crucial question: Can Missouri’s high-octane offense maintain its efficiency against a defense that’s been hardened by legitimate competition, or will the Fighting Irish expose the Tigers as early season pretenders?

One fun wrinkle to this game? Missouri residents will be able to bet on the Tigers for the first time! Here’s a list of all the Missouri sports betting promos that are currently live:

Missouri Tigers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Odds

The betting markets are treating this as essentially a coin flip, with oddsmakers giving Notre Dame the slightest edge as the home team. Here’s how the numbers break down at BetMGM:

Both teams carry identical -110 money line odds, essentially making this a dead heat in the eyes of the books. The 1.5-point spread barely favors Notre Dame as the home squad, while the 146.5-point total suggests we’re in for a track meet, which makes sense given Missouri’s offensive firepower.

Use BetMGM Missouri bonus code SDS1500 to receive a first-bet bonus worth up to $1.5K. Click here to get started.

Tale of the Tape: Offensive Juggernaut Meets Battle-Tested Squad

Here’s how the Irish and the Tigers stack up statistically:

Missouri’s offensive efficiency is ridiculous — the Tigers are shooting better than most teams do in practice (55.5% FG, 39.1% from 3) while averaging nearly 17 assists per game. Their +24.8 point differential screams dominance, but that 0.3618 strength of schedule exposes the reality: they’ve been beating up on nobodies.

Notre Dame’s more modest offensive output (75.4 PPG) comes with context — the Irish have been tested by a schedule nearly twice as difficult (0.5463 SOS). The Irish have actually been the better defensive team, allowing just 67.2 points per contest, and they protect the basketball significantly better, with only 10.8 turnovers compared to Missouri’s 13.6. In a game projected to be decided by possessions, that discipline could prove decisive.

Best Bet: Trust the Mizzou offense

Missouri’s offensive explosion has been a thing of beauty, and Mark Mitchell’s 64.4% shooting percentage has been impressive. The Tigers will need to rely on the steady veteran in their first real road test of the season.

The key number here is turnovers. Missouri’s been loose with the basketball (13.6 per game) against inferior competition, while Notre Dame protects possessions like they’re gold (10.8 turnovers). In what projects to be a possession-by-possession battle, that 2.8 turnover differential could be the difference between covering and going home empty-handed.

Still, even if the Tigers don’t reach their ridiculous average of 92.9 points in this game, 75 seems imminently doable, win or lose.

Pick: Mizzou over 74.5 points (+100 at BetMGM)

The post Missouri Tigers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: ACC/SEC Challenge Preview and Predictions appeared first on Saturday Down South.

And what a regular season it was.

Ole Miss had a historic 11-win campaign and then, well… and then we won’t get into what happened after that.

After all was said and done, we get yet another exciting Alabama vs. Georgia matchup in the SEC Championship Game. Those 2 teams, along with Ole Miss and Texas A&M, are shoo-ins for the Playoff. Oklahoma seems like a lock, too. Can Vanderbilt make the 12-team field? That might be a tougher hill to climb.

At the very least, Diego Pavia should represent the SEC at the Heisman Trophy ceremony in a couple of weeks.

As for the power rankings? Let’s dive into the 1-16 rankings one last time this year, shall we?

16. Arkansas (2-10 overall, 0-8 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: 31-17 L vs. Mizzou

Arkansas only allowed 25 pass yards to Mizzou and still lost by 14 points. Yikes. The Hogs didn’t win an SEC game this year. They hired Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield as their new head coach after losing out on Alex Golesh at the 11th hour. A bunch of fans protested. What a mess.

15. South Carolina (4-8, 1-7)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 28-14 L vs. Clemson

South Carolina didn’t have anything to play for but pride on Saturday against Clemson. It’s just unfortunate that Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks couldn’t dial up a bit more of that pride in front of their home fans. This was an unsatisfying end to an absolutely terrible season for a team that entered the year with legitimate College Football Playoff hopes.

14. Auburn (5-7, 1-7)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 27-20 L vs. No. 10 Alabama

Yeah, I bumped Auburn up a spot for keeping things interesting in the Iron Bowl. The Tigers have more talent on their roster than South Carolina, in my opinion. Now that they’ve hired Alex Golesh as their head coach, can they finally get back to the top tier of the SEC? We’ll find out starting next fall.

13. Mississippi State (5-7, 1-7)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 38-19 L vs. No. 7 Ole Miss

Losing like that at home in the Egg Bowl was tough to stomach. Ole Miss thoroughly controlled Mississippi State in what turned out to be Lane Kiffin’s last game with the Rebels. The bright spot? Kamario Taylor continues to impress. We’ll see if he gets the full-time QB1 job next year.

12. Florida (4-8, 2-6)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 40-21 W vs. Florida State

Florida beat one of its biggest rivals. That’s a nice end to the season for interim coach Billy Gonzales, who deserved to go out on a high note. Now it’s on to the Jon Sumrall era. Not much more to say about the Gators.

11. Kentucky (5-7, 2-6)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 41-0 L at Louisville

I kept Kentucky ahead of Florida because of the head-to-head. Kentucky absolutely smoked Florida just a couple of weeks ago, and that has to count for something. I do find it interesting that the Wildcats let Jon Sumrall, heir-apparent to Mark Stoops, go to Florida. That might come back to haunt Kentucky in the coming years.

10. LSU (7-5, 3-5)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 17-13 L at No. 8 Oklahoma

In the ACC, a 7-5 Duke team is playing for a conference championship. That has nothing to do with LSU. I just find it funny. LSU got Lane Kiffin, though. So that’s something.

9. Tennessee (8-4, 4-4)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 45-24 L vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt

When your cornerbacks are out for all but half of 1 game, you’re not going to be a great defensive team. There were deeper issues on defense, yeah, but Tennessee was doomed from the start. Joey Aguilar had a heck of a year, but it’s unfortunate that it’ll end without a Playoff berth. This will be a season of what could have been. The offense was great. The defense was absolutely horrible.

8. Mizzou (8-4, 4-4)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 31-17 W at Arkansas

Mizzou won despite only passing for 25 yards. My question? Why even pass for 25 yards? I would have loved to see if Mizzou could win by running it on every single down. Go full service academy on the Hogs. Alas. Maybe next year.

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7. Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 38-19 W at Mississippi State

Look, I think losing Lane Kiffin is going to crush this team. It sucks what is happening to the Rebels right now, but if this team, as currently constructed, were to face any of the 6 teams in front of it on a neutral field tomorrow, I think it would lose. Ole Miss has every right to be mad. But whatever else you call him, Kiffin also has to be called an offensive genius. That genius is off to Baton Rouge now and the Rebels are worse off for it.

6. Texas (9-3, 6-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 27-17 W vs. No. 3 Texas A&M

If Texas didn’t lose at Florida, this would be a Playoff team. It’s that simple. Steve Sarkisian can bring up the wins all he wants, but that loss at Florida was a killer. The Longhorns need to reload along the offensive line and try to get off to a better start in 2026 now that Arch Manning has his footing.

5. Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 45-24 W at No. 19 Tennessee

I know Texas holds the head-to-head over Vanderbilt, but if that game was played on a neutral field, I think the Commodores win. Plus, the top 5 spots here are reserved for Playoff contenders that still have their head coaches. It’s silly to me that Vanderbilt isn’t a lock for a Playoff berth. Going 10-2 has to mean something in the SEC. Diego Pavia deserves to go to New York City for the Heisman ceremony, win or lose.

4. Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 17-13 W vs. LSU

The Oklahoma offense needs to play a lot better to compete in the College Football Playoff. But this defense? Well, that’s a championship-caliber defense for Brent Venables and company. This is a team worthy of hosting a first-round CFP matchup.

3. Alabama (10-2, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 27-20 W at Auburn

Alabama has something special in this Isaiah Horton-Ty Simpson connection. Now the only question is: Does Ryan Williams still exist? It’s interesting that a matchup with Georgia awaits in Atlanta, as Williams made one of the best catch-and-run TDs in college football history against the Bulldogs last year.

2. Texas A&M (11-1, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 27-17 L at No. 16 Texas

No, Texas A&M isn’t heading to Atlanta. Do I still think the Aggies could beat the Tide on a neutral field tomorrow? Yes. That’s why A&M is No. 2 this week. Mike Elko still has a very talented bunch. Depending on the College Football Playoff draw, the Aggies will have a great shot of winning the whole thing as long as Marcel Reed’s ankle injury isn’t too bad.

1. Georgia (11-1, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 16-9 W over No. 23 Georgia Tech (in Atlanta)

Was it pretty? No. Has Georgia had many pretty wins this year? Also no. Does it matter? For a third time, no. Kirby Smart and company continue to win. That’s all that matters. What will happen in Atlanta this weekend against Alabama in the SEC title game? Probably an ugly game! But Georgia will likely be right there with a chance to win in the 4th quarter. That’s what has defined this year’s Bulldogs.

The post Final SEC Power Rankings of 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That report came late on Sunday night, the icing on the cake of one of the craziest days in SEC history. This didn’t come with all the drama of the Lane Kiffin debacle, but it was intriguing nonetheless.

So who will replace a guy who went 82-80 in his Kentucky career and became the Wildcats’ all-time wins leader? Per CFB insider Matt Zenitz, Mark Stoops could be replaced by Oregon OC Will Stein, who is a popular name among industry sources:

Stein is a Kentucky native, as Zenitz mentioned. One thing he didn’t note in his tweet? Stein is a Louisville graduate. Would Wildcat fans embrace him?

Stein quarterbacked the Cardinals from 2008 to 2012, then served as an assistant on the Louisville staff for a couple of years. At 36 years old, Stein doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but he is one of the hottest coordinators on the market today.

After all the other carousel movement, particularly in the SEC, on Sunday, Stein would be a pretty solid hire for Kentucky. We’ll see what happens as this story continues to break.

For now, though, it seems Kentucky has a top target in mind to replace its soon-to-be-former head coach.

The post Kentucky coaching rumors: Top target emerges to replace Mark Stoops, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Heck, Lane Kiffin hasn’t even officially left Oxford to take the LSU job yet, but that hasn’t stopped the Rebels from moving on and finding Kiffin’s replacement. According to multiple reports, including from ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Marty Smith, DC Pete Golding will be named the next permanent Ole Miss head coach.

Here’s a look at what was shared on social media on Sunday afternoon:

Considering other top candidates like Jon Sumrall (Florida), Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) and Alex Golesh (Auburn) have already come off the board during an insane day on the coaching carousel, it makes sense for the Rebels to move quickly to lock down Golding.

Players seemed to confirm the announcement as they exited the team meeting that got delayed on Sunday:

Golding came to Ole Miss in 2023 after serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. This will be his first time being a head coach in his career.

Ole Miss figures to be selected into the 12-team Playoff field next Sunday. The Rebels will likely be a first-round host, too. How far can Golding lead the Rebels this postseason? Can he overcome the mess left behind by Kiffin?

The post Ole Miss already reaches decision on new ‘permanent’ head coach, per reports appeared first on Saturday Down South.

However, that all fell apart on Sunday, and now Golesh has been officially announced as the new head coach of the Auburn Tigers. That led to the Arkansas Razorbacks pivoting and hiring Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield.

At least some Arkansas fans aren’t happy with AD Hunter Yurachek about that, though. Per social media activity on Sunday morning, there is a planned protest outside of an athletic building on campus this afternoon.

Here’s some of the chatter about the protest:

Famously, Tennessee Volunteers fans successfully protested their school’s plans to hire Greg Schiano a few years ago. Of course, that led to the disastrous Jeremy Pruitt era on Rocky Top.

With all the coaching carousel movement in the SEC on Sunday, let’s hypothetically say these fans are successful and Arkansas changes course on Silverfield. Who should be next in line?

Jon Sumrall is now at Florida. Golesh is at Auburn. Is there another name out there that would make Hog Nation happy? We’ll see what kind of protest takes place in Fayetteville this afternoon and what the next steps are for the Hogs.

The post Arkansas fans reportedly planning to protest Ryan Silverfield hiring appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But for Conference Championship Weekend, the popular ESPN pregame show is going with a more predictable location.

Per an announcement on Saturday morning, College GameDay will be in Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 6, to preview the SEC Championship Game showdown between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs:

Alabama took care of business in the Iron Bowl on Saturday night to punch its ticket to Atlanta. Texas A&M was eliminated from SEC Championship Game contention on Friday night with a loss at Texas. If Alabama had lost to Auburn, Ole Miss would’ve made it to the title game to face Georgia.

Perhaps that delay caused an ensuing delay in the upcoming Lane Kiffin decision. Perhaps not. We may never know.

But what we do know is that Saturday’s SEC title clash between the Tide and the Dawgs should be another epic matchup between 2 of the best programs of the 2000s.

Next Saturday’s SEC Championship Game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

The post College GameDay announces location for Conference Championship Weekend appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There are no SEC teams in the top 5 this week, with Alabama falling out of the No. 5 spot despite a road win over rival Auburn in an intense Iron Bowl.

The top 5 is currently made up of 3 Big Ten teams (No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana and No. 4 Oregon), independent No. 3 Notre Dame and 1 Big 12 team (No. 5 Texas Tech).

Alabama is the first of 10 SEC squads in the top 25, checking in at No. 6 this week. Georgia is a couple of spots behind at No. 8.

Here’s a look at this week’s full FPI top 25:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Texas Tech
6. Alabama
7. Miami
8. Georgia
9. Utah
10. Texas A&M
11. USC
12. Ole Miss
13. Texas
14. Vanderbilt
15. BYU
16. Oklahoma
17. Penn State
18. Tennessee
19. Michigan
20. Iowa
21. Mizzou
22. Washington
23. USF
24. SMU
25. LSU

With 10 SEC squads in the top 25, that means 6 teams from the league didn’t make it. Those teams are: Auburn (No. 26), South Carolina (No. 31), Florida (No. 36), Arkansas (No. 41), Kentucky (No. 47) and Mississippi State (No. 49).

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How will the FPI top 25 change during Conference Championship Weekend? Check back here next Sunday to find out!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Rivalry Week: Alabama and Georgia fall despite wins appeared first on Saturday Down South.

While The Game should provide plenty of intrigue and drama, there are also some huge SEC matchups on the slate today. We saw Texas A&M lose for the first time this year at Texas on Saturday. We also saw Georgia narrowly escape a tough Georgia Tech squad. Today’s big matchups include Tennessee-Vanderbilt and, of course, the Iron Bowl.

The GameDay crew of Stanford Steve, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by Detroit Lions (and former Michigan) star Aidan Hutchinson to pick some of the day’s biggest games.

Herbstreit picked LSU (+11.5) at Oklahoma as his super dog.

Here’s who the guys think will win some of the top SEC matchups during Rivalry Week:

Florida State at Florida

• Desmond: Florida
• Saban: Florida
• McAfee: Florida State
• Hutchinson: Florida
• Herbstreit: Florida State

Clemson at South Carolina

• Desmond: Clemson
• Saban: South Carolina
• McAfee: South Carolina
• Hutchinson: South Carolina
• Herbstreit: Clemson

No. 14 Vanderbilt at No. 19 Tennessee

• Desmond: Tennessee
• Saban: Tennessee
• McAfee: Vanderbilt
• Hutchinson: Vanderbilt
• Herbstreit: Vanderbilt

No. 10 Alabama at Auburn

• Desmond: Alabama
• Saban: Alabama
• McAfee: Alabama
• Hutchinson: Alabama
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

Will the guys be proven right? We’ll find out over the course of an excellent Rivalry Week slate!

The post College GameDay, Aidan Hutchinson pick winners for key SEC Rivalry Week matchups appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Fortunately, there are some incredible games on the menu, including Alabama-Auburn in the Iron Bowl and Ohio State-Michigan in The Game. Friday provided plenty of drama, but the college football and NFL slates this weekend provide more opportunities to win money in DFS contests.

As they do every week, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — have provided their top 3 CFB plays and their 2 favorite NFL picks for this weekend. But before we dive into those…

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Week 14 CFB Picks

Here’s who the guys like for Saturday’s college football action:

Andrew Olson

Tommy Castellanos, Florida State QB: Higher than 43.5 rush yards

Gus Malzahn is surely licking his chops getting ready to face a porous Florida defense. The Gators have given up over 200 rushing yards in each of their past 3 games. Castellanos is FSU’s leading rusher this season.

Carson Beck, Miami QB: Higher than 0.5 INTs thrown

SEC and ACC fans can agree on one thing: Carson Beck throws interceptions. Beck’s Hurricanes face a Pitt defense that snags a lot of picks. The Panthers enter the game with 14 INTs, good for second in the ACC.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt QB: Higher than 48.5 rush yards

SEC teams are averaging 177 rushing yards per game against Tennessee. Pavia is Vanderbilt’s leading rusher this season, getting 5 yards per rush for an average of 60 yards per game. We know he’s going to lay it all on the line against the Vols.

Adam Spencer

Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB: Higher than 236.5 pass yards

I think Clemson will win outright this weekend, but I do expect it to be a hard-fought, back-and-forth Palmetto Bowl. Look for Klubnik to throw it early and often, putting up 237+ yards through the air.

Ahmad Hardy, Mizzou RB: Higher than 107.5 rush yards

I’d play this number up to 199.5 yards, honestly. I expect the Missouri Tigers to feed Hardy the ball all day against a pitiful Arkansas defense. He ran for 300 yards against Mississippi State. Why wouldn’t he be able to go for 108 against Arkansas?

Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn RB: Lower than 72.5 rush yards

I just don’t see an elite Alabama defense letting Cobb get to 73+ yards on the ground. I also don’t think the game script will allow Auburn to run the ball as much as it might want to. Space and touches will be tough to come by for Cobb.

Week 13 NFL Picks

And here’s who the guys are playing on NFL Sunday:

Andrew Olson

Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars WR: Higher than 41.5 receiving yards

Meyers seems to be fitting in well with the Jaguars after being traded. Over the last 2 games, he logged 9 catches on 12 targets for 114 yards. He draws a favorable matchup against the Tennessee Titans to build on this strong start.

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders TE: Lower than 0.5 rushing + receiving TDs

Ertz has been kept out of the end zone the last 4 games and that seems unlikely to change for him in Week 13. Washington is expected to still be without Jayden Daniels and the Commanders face a stingy Denver defense on Sunday night.

Adam Spencer

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers RB: Higher than 39.5 receiving yards

Running the ball will be difficult against Cleveland. The 49ers will have to move the ball through the air. Fortunately for them, McCaffrey is as good of a receiver as he is a running back. Going for 40+ receiving yards should be doable, even against one of the NFL’s top defenses.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks WR: Higher than 97.5 receiving yards

Sam Darnold revenge game? Sam Darnold revenge game. The Vikings are also probably pretty upset that they don’t still have Darnold as their quarterback. JSN will be eager to outplay Justin Jefferson, too. I think JSN goes for 100+ yards on Sunday afternoon.

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The post Underdog Picks of the Week: Our top plays for CFB and NFL, Nov. 29-30 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Only Rivalry Week separates us from the postseason, but you’d better believe us here at Saturday Down South are going to squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment out of Week 14. There are still impactful games aplenty, as neither spot in the SEC Championship Game has been decided yet.

This past weekend, the teams that needed to take care of business did so. The teams that didn’t… well, they didn’t. There wasn’t a ton of shifting around in this week’s power rankings as a result.

But we need to give an update anyway, so let’s dive right in, shall we?

16. Arkansas (2-9 overall, 0-7 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: 52-37 L at No. 17 Texas
• This week: vs. Mizzou

Bobby Petrino is going to make a heck of an offensive coordinator for some Power 4 program next year. He just isn’t going to land the Arkansas job full time. Scoring 37 points in an SEC game should ensure a competitive result. It didn’t this week for the Hogs in Austin, as they got blown out by Arch Manning and company. This defense needs a complete overhaul.

15. Auburn (5-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 62-17 W vs. Mercer
• This week: vs. Alabama

Mercer wasn’t a pushover as an FCS squad, entering the game with a 9-1 record. However, as expected, it was no match for the Auburn Tigers. Deuce Knight was incredible in his debut, throwing for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding a ridiculous 162 yards and 4 scores as a runner. The Tigers are not going to be an easy out against Alabama in the Iron Bowl this weekend.

14. South Carolina (4-7, 1-7)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 51-7 W vs. Coastal Carolina
• This week: vs. Clemson

This year’s Palmetto Bowl was supposed to be a matchup of 2 Playoff contenders. Instead, it’s a battle between a 4-7 South Carolina side and a 6-5 Clemson squad. Oof. At the very least, it should be a fun Rivalry Week battle between teams desperate not to underperform their rivals.

13. Florida (3-8, 2-6)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 31-11 L vs. No. 20 Tennessee
• This week: vs. Florida State

Like my colleague Connor O’Gara mentioned on Sunday, whoever takes the Florida job has a total rebuild waiting for him. The Gators are a mess. DJ Lagway might be broken. The defense was a sieve in the first half. The Gators can throw all the money they want to at this roster, but without a smart architect, nothing will change.

12. Kentucky (5-6, 2-6)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 45-17 L at No. 14 Vanderbilt
• This week: at Louisville

The strong 3-game winning streak from Kentucky came to a screeching halt on Saturday in Nashville. This was the Wildcats squad we saw too much of earlier in the year. But with bowl eligibility on the table and a rivalry game at Louisville, don’t be surprised if Mark Stoops and company have a little bit more magic left in the tank on Saturday afternoon.

11. Mississippi State (5-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Ole Miss

Can Mississippi State take advantage of the drama surrounding Lane Kiffin to pull off a home upset in the Egg Bowl? Crazier things happen all the time in college football. Mississippi State needs a win to qualify for a bowl game, too, so expect an intense atmosphere in Starkville. It’s just a shame this game isn’t on Thanksgiving night like it used to be.

10. LSU (7-4, 3-4)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 13-10 W vs. Western Kentucky
• This week: at Oklahoma

Two things can be true at the same time. One, it’s insane that LSU’s defense held one of the nation’s top offenses to only 10 points on Saturday night in Death Valley. Two, it’s insane that the LSU offense only managed 13 points against one of the worst defenses in the FBS ranks. Much like Florida above, whoever takes the LSU job has a lot of work to do.

9. Mizzou (7-4, 3-4)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 17-6 L at No. 8 Oklahoma
• This week: at Arkansas

This Mizzou team is the definition of mediocre. Without a healthy QB1, there was no way this offense was going to score enough against an elite Oklahoma defense. The only intrigue left in this season is whether or not Eli Drinkwitz will leave for another job. I hope he doesn’t leave my alma mater. I think he’s built a solid foundation with this program and I’m happy with the floor. I also have seen the ceiling and, if the Playoff had been 12 teams in 2023, the Tigers would’ve been in it. Keep building, Drink. Mizzou nation has your back.

8. Tennessee (8-3, 4-3)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 31-11 W at Florida
• This week: vs. Vanderbilt

This matchup between Tennessee and Vanderbilt is one of the most intriguing of the entire Rivalry Week slate. It’ll depend on the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night, but Tennessee has a chance to be the highest-rated 3-loss team. At some point, a 3-loss team will get into the Playoff. It might even be this year. Keep taking care of business and hoping for the best. That’s easier said than done against the Commodores, though. Speaking of Vanderbilt…

7. Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 45-17 W vs. Kentucky
• This week: at Tennessee

What should Vanderbilt fans be rooting for this Saturday? Well, first, how about a rivalry win over Tennessee? That’s a given. From there, the Commodores need Utah to lose at Kansas. They should also root for BYU to lose at home to UCF. Could I interest anyone in Nashville with an Auburn win over Alabama in the Iron Bowl? And maybe, to top it all off, the fighting Andrew Lucks out at Stanford could upset Notre Dame. If any 2 of those things happen, Vanderbilt could be Playoff bound. Again, we’ll see what the CFP rankings look like on Tuesday.

6. Texas (8-3, 5-2)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: 52-37 W vs. Arkansas
• This week: vs. Texas A&M

Scoring 52 points? Good. Allowing 37 points against a rough Arkansas team? Bad. Texas hasn’t played a complete game with the exception of the rivalry win over Oklahoma. What should we make of that? Is another great rivalry performance coming against the Aggies? We’ll find out this weekend. Like I mentioned with Tennessee, being the top-ranked 3-loss team isn’t the worst spot to be in.

5. Alabama (9-2, 6-1)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 56-0 W vs. Eastern Illinois
• This week: at Auburn

Eight rushing touchdowns. Eight! That’s impressive, even if it did come against an FCS foe. I thought Alabama did a good job of gaining confidence where it needed to gain confidence. Kalen DeBoer got his team ready for the Iron Bowl. Now it’s up to the Tide to take care of business and get to Atlanta (and then the Playoff).

4. Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 17-6 W vs. No. 22 Mizzou
• This week: vs. LSU

Does Oklahoma have a Playoff-caliber offense? Absolutely not. I’d be worried if I were a Sooners fan. But will this problem manifest itself against LSU? Also absolutely not. The Tigers are a mess. Oklahoma should be able to improve to 10-2 this weekend and then try to figure out its offensive woes in the Playoff. That’s not the worst problem to have.

3. Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Mississippi State

No Lane Kiffin decision came during the off week. The longer this thing goes on, the more I’m finding it hard to defend Kiffin. I have been a huge Lane guy for years now, but you can’t keep your current school in limbo this long. You can keep LSU and Florida in limbo as long as you want. I have no problem with that. Just let Ole Miss know what you’re doing. Then, ya know, maybe focus on your upcoming Playoff berth rather than sending out cryptic social media posts.

2. Georgia (10-1, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 35-3 W vs. Charlotte
• This week: at Georgia Tech

Did Georgia look a little lethargic in this win? Sure. Does Georgia always fail to cover massive spreads against inferior opponents? Under Kirby Smart, almost always yes. I don’t think that’s a problem at all. Why beat a team by 60 when you could win by 32 and get backups some valuable reps? I like the way Georgia plays these lesser foes. Get the job done, stay healthy and don’t embarrass your opponent. A gentleman’s win for Smart and the Dawgs.

1. Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 48-0 W vs. Samford
• This week: at Texas

Texas A&M could have picked its final score vs. Samford. Yes, a Samford squad that entered Saturday’s game with a 1-10 record in the FCS ranks. Yikes. But the Aggies did what they needed to do in the first half and then showed mercy in the second half. A win over rival Texas in Austin is all that separates the Aggies from a perfect regular season and a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 13 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Even though Alabama played Eastern Illinois (winning 56-0 with 8 rushing touchdowns) and Georgia played Charlotte (winning 35-3), ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) saw enough to bump the Tide ahead of the Bulldogs and back into the top 5.

Georgia fell 2 spots, actually, despite the win. The top 5 now consists of Ohio State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Oregon and Alabama, in that order.

Georgia checks in at No. 6 this week, with Texas A&M also cracking the top 10 at No. 9.

Here’s a look at how the top 25 of the updated FPI rankings shakes out following Week 13:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Alabama
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Utah
9. Texas A&M
10. Miami
11. USC
12. Texas
13. Ole Miss
14. Oklahoma
15. BYU
16. Tennessee
17. Vanderbilt
18. Michigan
19. Penn State
20. Mizzou
21. Washington
22. Iowa
23. SMU
24. Auburn
25. LSU

We’re holding steady at 11 SEC teams in the top 25. The 5 squads not to make the cut this week were: South Carolina (No. 27), Arkansas (No. 36), Kentucky (No. 38), Florida (No. 41) and Mississippi State (No. 48).

RELATED: Ready to get in on the DFS fun for rivalry week? Check out our list of the best DFS apps on the market today.

How will the FPI rankings change next weekend? Check back here next Sunday to find out!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 13: Alabama leapfrogs Georgia after beating Eastern Illinois appeared first on Saturday Down South.

USC is fighting for its Playoff life, as a third loss would doom the Trojans. But winning in Autzen Stadium isn’t easy.

The GameDay crew of Stanford Steve, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by former Oregon star QB Marcus Mariota to pick USC-Oregon and some other major matchups around the country.

In the SEC, it’s “Cupcake Week,” but there are still some big games — the Oklahoma Sooners hosting Mizzou, the Tennessee Volunteers heading to the Swamp to take on Florida and more.

Herbstreit picked Kentucky (+8.5) against Vanderbilt as his super dog pick. McAfee chose Mercer (+27.5) at Auburn as his super dog.

Here’s who the guys think will win the biggest SEC games of Week 13:

No. 22 Mizzou at No. 8 Oklahoma

• Desmond: Oklahoma
• Saban: Oklahoma
• McAfee: Mizzou
• Mariota: Mizzou
• Herbstreit: Oklahoma

Will the guys be proven right? Two think Mizzou can pull off the upset, while 3 have Oklahoma taking care of business. It should be an exciting game down in Norman! The Playoff awaits, so we’ll see if Oklahoma can handle the pressure.

The post College GameDay crew, Marcus Mariota pick winner for major Mizzou-Oklahoma game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Whether it’s USC at Oregon or Tennessee at Florida or Mizzou at Oklahoma, there’s a lot to like and there’s plenty of money to be made in DFS contests.

Every week, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — scour the Underdog app to find their favorite college football and NFL picks. See who they’re riding with or fading this weekend below. But first…

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Week 13 CFB Picks

Here’s who the guys like for the penultimate week of the college football regular season:

Andrew Olson

Jayden Maiava, USC QB: Lower than 247.5 pass yards

What a fascinating matchup. Maiva is closing in on 3,000 yards passing this season. Oregon’s defense has allowed only 1,273 passing yards all year. Only one opposing QB has even cracked 200 yards on the Oregon defense (Fernando Mendoza, 215). I’m trusting the Duck defense at home.

Nyck Harbor, South Carolina WR: Higher than 0.5 rush+receiving TDs

Harbor has a receiving touchdown in each of his last 4 games. His South Carolina Gamecocks are taking a break from SEC play to face Coastal Carolina on Saturday. The Chanticleers are in the bottom half of the Sun Belt in receiving TDs allowed with 18 on the season.

DJ Lagway, Florida QB: Higher than 234.5 pass yards

Lagway and the Florida Gators are surely glad to be back home in The Swamp. Tennessee’s pass defense is in the bottom half of the SEC against conference opponents (No. 10) and away from home (No. 14). Lagway cleared this number in home games against Texas and Mississippi State.

Adam Spencer

Isaiah Sategna, Oklahoma WR: Lower than 70.5 receiving yards

I am predicting a low-scoring game in Norman this weekend when Mizzou comes to town. John Mateer hasn’t been the same since his thumb injury. I think the Tigers can limit the dangerous Oklahoma receiver to 70 or fewer yards.

Carson Beck, Miami QB: Higher than 250.5 pass yards

Miami needs to keep winning games and needs to do so with some style points to work its way back into the Playoff mix. Look for Beck to air it out early and often this weekend against Virginia Tech.

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor QB: Higher than 277.5 pass yards

I think Arizona-Baylor could turn into a shootout. Whenever Robertson’s passing yards total is below 300, I give him a long look. I’m pulling the trigger on him to have another massive outing this weekend.

Week 12 NFL Picks

And here’s who the guys are going with for Sunday’s NFL action:

Andrew Olson

Drake Maye, New England Patriots QB: Higher than 251.5 pass yards

Maye, who has everyone buzzing, has cleared this total in each of his last 4 games. He’s got a good shot at continuing the streak. For the year, the Cincinnati Bengals are one of the more favorable matchups for quarterbacks.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions QB: Higher than 251.5 pass yards

Goff had a very disappointing outing against the Philadelphia Eagles, going 14-of-37 passing. Even in a poor showing, Goff still threw for 255 yards. The number feels like an overreaction, as the New York Giants are a very favorable matchup for a potential bounce-back game.

Adam Spencer

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens QB: Higher than 208.5 pass yards

The Ravens used up all of their margin for error early this season. They can’t afford to let a win against a team like the Jets slip away. Look for Baltimore to come out firing behind QB Lamar Jackson. He should be in line for a massive outing.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks WR: Higher than 96.5 receiving yards

The Seahawks are going to be angry after letting a win slip away against the Rams last week. Tennessee is one of the worst teams in the league. JSN could reach 97+ receiving yards by halftime of this matchup.

Underdog is one of the top apps like PrizePicks in the DFS space today. Reminder to use Underdog promo code SDS when you sign up today to score $100 in bonus entries. Click here to register now.

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1. Opening Tip

This is why Tom Izzo is a Hall of Famer, y’all.

Seconds before tipoff against Kentucky on Tuesday night at the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden, Izzo and Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope were interviewed by ESPN’s Kris Budden. Coaches rarely say anything detailed or combative during these pregame hits, and this was no different.

Izzo’s note? He wanted to see his team make some shots.

Boy, did the Spartans ever listen to their coach.

By the 7:11 mark in the first half, Michigan State had knocked down 6 3-pointers, more than it had made in any entire game so far this season. Triple No. 7 came 20 seconds later at the 6:51 mark as the Spartans took a 31-19 lead at the under-8 timeout.

Michigan State finished an impressive 11-of-22 from long range. Kentucky shot an abysmal 7-for-30 from deep. There’s always going to be some variance in 3-point percentage on a night-to-night basis, but this game can be explained by something deeper.

It was shot selection that doomed the Wildcats. While Michigan State was playing “inside-out” basketball, getting the ball to the paint before kicking it back out for 3s, Kentucky was settling for contested 3s all too often. Just look at these 2 plays below:

That’s just bad offense. Even more so when you’re already down by 10+ points and trying to stage a comeback.

Pope said after the game that Kentucky’s problem is bad coaching. That’s something every coach will say after a couple of bad outings, but in this case, I’m inclined to agree with him. Kentucky needs to play more cohesive offense or it is going to struggle in SEC play.

Here’s where I mention that the Wildcats didn’t have Jaland Lowe (and are still without Jayden Quaintance) due to injury, but it shouldn’t have resulted in the lackluster effort I saw on Tuesday night. Rebounds are an effort stat more often than not and the Wildcats got out-rebounded by the Spartans 42-28 in this game. That should be absolutely unacceptable to Pope and his staff.

If you can’t get up for a game at Madison Square Garden, it’s time to press the panic button.

2. SEC Notes

My former college roommate and good friend Robert will text me his random basketball/football thoughts from time to time. I always welcome these texts, but especially when they concern Illinois basketball, as no one in my life is more thoughtful/insightful about our home-state basketball squad than Robert.

Still, my jaw dropped when I saw what he said the Monday before the Illini scored a big-time win over a ranked Texas Tech squad. He said:

“In my opinion, this is their best team since ’04-’05,” his text read.

Mind you, this is an Illinois team that has made it to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 twice since that magical 2004-05 season that saw the Illini lose to North Carolina in the national title game.

I say all that to say this…

That was a hell of a win for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

To go to Chicago, walk into the United Center — where Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and company dominated the 1990s — and do that to a great Illini team? Incredible.

This was a Final Four-caliber matchup and it’s only mid-November. These teams like Illinois, like Alabama, like Arizona, like UConn, like Florida, like Gonzaga and dozens of others that use nonconference play to actually challenge themselves? This is what college basketball is all about.

Shoutout to Labaron Philon, who returned to school despite having the ability to potentially be a late first-round pick or early second-round pick in last year’s NBA Draft. He scored a team-high 24 points and also led the Tide with 5 assists in the 90-86 win over the Illini. The NIL era works, y’all!

He made himself a lot of future NBA money with tonight’s win, scoring 10 of the Tide’s final 15 points. Look at this highlight reel:

The 3-point shooting? NBA caliber. The finishing at the rim? NBA caliber. The passing? Getting there, but almost NBA caliber. We’ll talk more about Philon in the final section of this column.

Also, credit to the Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide shut down everyone but Kylan Boswell (who my best friend Michael’s wife, Hanna (shoutout, Hanna!), taught back when he was in 5th grade) from the start of the second half until the 10:51 mark of the second half.

It’s odd to give credit to a defense that allowed 86 points, but the Tide forced the Illini to rely on Boswell and Andrej “Baby Peja” Stojakovic almost exclusively in the second half.

The Illini are still trying to work Tomislav Ivisic and Mihailo Petrovic back to full health, so they’ll be even more dangerous in March assuming everyone is healthy by then. But don’t take anything away from this Alabama squad that has challenged itself to the max early this season. The Tide still have Gonzaga and Arizona on their schedule before SEC play starts.

College basketball is the best.

And here are a few other notes from around the SEC:

• First of all, it’s always great to have Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas back on the broadcast for big games on ESPN. Those 2 are pro’s pros and really add to the atmosphere of a high-quality matchup. My favorite broadcast team in the men’s hoops game today. Honorable mention goes to Jason Benetti and the legendary Bill Raftery on FOX.
• Let’s check in on the reigning champion Florida Gators, shall we? After a season-opening loss to Arizona, the Gators have reeled off 3-straight wins against in-state foes, including winning the “state championship” by beating Florida State and Miami. One problem is beginning to present itself, though — Florida is really struggling to shoot the 3. It all starts with the new-look backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee. In a 78-76 win over FSU (too close for comfort), the Gators shot 19% as a team from 3-point range and Lee and Fland combined to shoot 3-for-17 from deep (17.6%). In the Miami game? Lee and Fland were a combined 0-for-10 from beyond the arc. That won’t fly in SEC play.
• I’m officially worried about the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Interestingly, another SEC team that lost to Michigan State than I’m pressing the panic button on.) The Hogs have won their last 2 games, beating Samford and Winthrop. But they only beat Samford by 4 and needed a heroic shot by Nick Pringle with 11 seconds left to beat Winthrop 84-83. I don’t need to tell you this, reader, but a ranked SEC team shouldn’t need heroics to beat Winthrop. Color me concerned.

Now let’s move on to the rest of the country.

3. Non-SEC Notes

If, for some reason, you are trapped under a rock and haven’t watched Duke play yet this year… first, you clearly have internet access if you’re reading this article, so call for help. Second, make sure to watch Duke freshman Cameron Boozer play basketball ASAP, maybe from your hospital bed as you recover from your injuries/dehydration.

One of 2 sons of former Duke/NBA star Carlos Boozer on this year’s Duke team, Cameron is doing it all for the Blue Devils. In fact, he’s already making history:

In case that tweet doesn’t load for you, Boozer is the first ACC player since March of 2006 with 100 points, 50 rebounds and 20 assists in a 5-game span. That player was Boston College’s Craig Smith.

Smith was a senior in 2006. Boozer is a true freshman.

Oh, and Boozer has done this in his first 5 games. Like his first 5 college games ever. I cannot stress to you how insane it is that a college freshman is already this good. Look at the full-court pass he makes in the highlight video below. That’s on par with Nikola Jokic and Kevin Love, 2 of the best outlet passers the NBA has ever seen:

Now, before you think I’m comparing him to Jokic and Love already, he still has a lot of work to do. If there’s one flaw to his game at this point, it’s that you can throw size at him defensively to rattle him a bit. He’s not making a high enough percentage of his shots at the rim:

Is this something he can fix? Sure. Is he still a near-lock to be a top-5 2026 NBA Draft pick? Absolutely.

Duke has an incredible nonconference run coming up when it plays Arkansas (Nov. 27), Florida (Dec. 2) and Michigan State (Dec. 6) in 3-straight games. Mark your calendars now, as those games will all be appointment viewing.

Now for some other storylines around the country:

• Koa Peat. (I had this in here as a reminder to talk about him, but it really says it all.) Koa Peat. The guy who is the son of former NFL OL Todd Peat and current NFL OL Andrus Peat plays basketball, well… like an offensive lineman. He’s not afraid to mix it up with opposing players:

• He is a beast in the paint:

• The guy can do it all on the court. Also, shoutout to former Alabama guard Jaden Bradley, who has become a steady veteran presence for the Wildcats this year. They don’t win that game at UConn (71-67) without Bradley’s leadership.
• I’d be remiss not to mention the No. 1 team in the country — the Purdue Boilermakers — in this section. I wouldn’t want to be remiss, so let’s talk about Matt Painter’s squad for a second. Purdue’s offense, led by Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Oscar Cluff, is one of the most-efficient groups you’ll ever see on a court. Per KenPom’s offensive efficiency ratings, Purdue (128.3) is 2.4 points better than No. 2 Louisville (125.9). That gap is as big as the gap between Louisville and the No. 6 offense in the country (Vanderbilt). The Boilermakers aren’t just beating up on nobodies, either — they have a true road win at Alabama on their résumé already and face Memphis in the Bahamas on Thursday night. Expect this team to continue its strong run all year long.

Now let’s take a look at the week ahead.

4. Games to Watch This Week

Here’s a ranking of the top 5 games I can’t wait to watch over the next week of college hoops action, which takes us into Feast Week:

1. No. 11 Alabama vs. No. 13 Gonzaga (Monday, November 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT) — Alabama continues to schedule like absolute maniacs during nonconference play, and I love it. How are you supposed to prepare yourself for SEC play if you beat up on a bunch of nobodies before January comes around? Nate Oats and the Tide have the NCAA Tournament résumé to back up this strategy. This will be a must-see game in Las Vegas. Also, Gonzaga might be No. 13 in the AP Poll, but the Bulldogs are the No. 2 team in the nation according to KenPom.com.
2. No. 2 Houston vs. No. 20 Tennessee (Tuesday, November 25 at 6 p.m. ET on TNT) — Two teams that have been incredible defensively in recent years and are once again the top 5 of the defensive efficiency ratings on KenPom.com? Sign me up to watch that. This game will teach us a lot about the new-look Vols, who had to replace defensive maestro Zakai Zeigler this offseason.
3. No. 9 BYU vs. No. 23 Wisconsin (Friday, November 21 at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock) — I admittedly haven’t watched much of AJ Dybantsa yet this year. It appears he’s been as advertised. I can’t wait to watch him in this Friday afternoon matinee. The guy who could end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft should be ready for the national spotlight.
4. No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 22 Auburn (Tuesday, November 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT) — Auburn is coming off a 1-point loss to an elite Houston squad. That loss changed my opinion on the Tigers. I think they’re ready to take a step forward. The Wolverines will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday night if they’re going to remain unbeaten.
5. No. 14 St. John’s vs. No. 16 Iowa State (Monday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV) — Zuby Ejiofor wasn’t quite able to get St. John’s over the hump against Alabama, but he was amazing in that game. In addition to having one of the best names, he’s also one of the best players. This should be another fun Feast Week afternoon showcase.

This Feast Week isn’t as meaty as ones in the recent past, but that’s not a huge surprise as more teams move away from preseason tournament (thanks a lot, Dan Hurley). Thankfully the Players Era Festival has some great matchups to keep us entertained all week long.

5. Buzzer Beater

In this spot this week, I just want to do a quick ranking of my 5 favorite 2026 NBA Draft prospects from the SEC. There’s a nice mix of guys who came back to school to go with some talented freshmen. Let’s dive in:

1. Nate Ament, Tennessee freshman — Any NBA Draft conversation involving the SEC has to start with the talented Tennessee freshman. Being 6-10 and moving the way he does shouldn’t be legal. He has the chance to lead the Tennessee basketball program to new heights this season, and I’d be shocked if he’s not a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
2. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas freshman — As long as Acuff stays healthy this year, he can be what the Hogs thought they were getting in Boogie Fland last year, and could be even better. He’s an elite shooter. His passing is beyond his years. His defense needs to improve, but what freshman’s defense doesn’t? The Razorbacks have something special in Acuff.
3. Labaron Philon, Alabama sophomore — I was surprised Philon didn’t enter the 2025 NBA Draft, but he returned to school and will be looking to make himself some first-round money this coming summer. So far, it looks like a good decision. Prior to Wednesday night’s game against Illinois, Philon had improved his shooting percentage (45.2 to 54.5), his 3-point percentage (31.5 to 33.3), points per game (10.6 to 19.3) and a bunch of his other numbers from last year to this year. If he keeps playing like this, he’ll be a Round 1 pick.
4. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky sophomore — I’m a bit lower on Quaintance than many. I just want to see how he looks in his return from an ACL injury suffered last year at Arizona State. Is that too much to ask? He has a chance to make me look like an idiot if he comes back and is able to build on the impact he was having with the Sun Devils last year. He’s the biggest X-factor in the SEC this year.
5. Thomas Haugh, Florida junior — Haugh is a Swiss Army Knife who is well-positioned to be drafted in the middle of Round 1 of the upcoming draft. That’s going to be perfect for him, as he could end up being the missing piece for a team that’s on the edge of playoff or title contention. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo currently has Haugh going No. 15 overall to the Boston Celtics. Imagine him stepping into a situation where he’s coming off the bench for a team with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. That would be ideal for the Florida wing.

Honorable mention goes to Tahaad Pettiford of Auburn, who I absolutely love watching every time he’s on the basketball court. However, I think his lack of size (6-1, 170 pounds) will hurt him in NBA circles. I expect him to push to be a late first-round pick, but current consensus seems to have him going early in Round 2.

Enjoy the Starting 5? Have a question? Want to yell at me about something? Follow me on X @AdamSpencer4 or email me at a.spencer@sportradar.com.

The post Starting 5: Kentucky panic time, Cam Boozer makes history and a huge Bama win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For this week, the bottom half of the rankings stayed the same, but we had some major shuffling towards the top of our power rankings. Texas A&M remained unbeaten in dramatic fashion. Georgia continues to own Texas. LSU and Arkansas played an entertaining slopfest.

We only have 2 weekends remaining in the regular season, but the good news is that there’s still everything left to play for. No tickets have been punched to the SEC Championship Game just yet.

So, where do all 16 SEC teams stack up entering Week 13? Let’s take a look at our updated power rankings, shall we?

16. Arkansas (2-8 overall, 0-6 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: 23-22 L at LSU
• This week: at Texas

Another week, another incredible collapse by the Arkansas Razorbacks. This team just cannot win close out games when it has a lead going into the 4th quarter. It’s almost impressive how bad the Hogs are when they have a lead in the final frame. This school needs some fresh blood. Bobby Petrino isn’t going to get the full-time job. A total overhaul is needed.

15. Auburn (4-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Mercer

Auburn had the week off and should take care of business against Mercer this coming weekend. The Tigers should feel like they have a good chance of winning the Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That could end up deciding whether the Tigers go bowling this postseason or not. Expect Auburn to have plenty of motivation for that matchup, as if a major rivalry game wasn’t enough motivation.

14. South Carolina (3-7, 1-7)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 31-30 L at No. 3 Texas A&M
• This week: vs. Coastal Carolina

The Gamecocks took an incredible lead in the first half at No. 3 Texas A&M. Then… well, then South Carolina fell apart. Everything that went right in the first half went wrong in the second. How are Gamecock fans feeling about coach Shane Beamer? Social media wasn’t kind during the second half, but we’ll see what happens as South Carolina plays out the final 2 weeks of the regular season.

13. Florida (3-7, 2-5)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 34-24 L at No. 7 Ole Miss
• This week: vs. Tennessee

This has been the story all too often for Florida over the past few years — the Gators manage to compete against elite teams but can’t finish the job. Of course, that makes it all the more exciting when Florida does pull off an incredible upset, which it has on occasion in recent seasons. But the new head coach, whoever it ends up being, will be tasked with making sure the Gators are an elite team, not just a squad that can compete with the nation’s best.

12. Mississippi State (5-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 49-27 L at Mizzou
• This week: OFF

The Mississippi State run defense is a problem. Like, a big problem. The Bulldogs just allowed Mizzou RB Ahmad Hardy to run for 300 yards in a lopsided loss in Columbia on Saturday. They get a week off, sure, but who awaits them in the Egg Bowl? Oh, just former Mizzou RB Kewan Lacy, who is now running wild for Ole Miss. This could get ugly.

11. Kentucky (5-5, 2-5)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 42-10 W over Tennessee Tech
• This week: at Vanderbilt

Kentucky now has a 3-game winning streak. This was a dominant win over an FCS opponent, but not just any FCS opponent. Tennessee Tech entered with a perfect 10-0 record. Kentucky didn’t even sweat in this win. The Wildcats absolutely have not given up on Mark Stoops. Now the Cats just need a win either at Vanderbilt this weekend or at Louisville during Rivalry Week to clinch bowl eligibility. Don’t count Kentucky out!

10. LSU (6-4, 3-4)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 23-22 W vs. Arkansas
• This week: vs. Western Kentucky

Needing to come from behind to beat Arkansas isn’t anything to write home about. Everyone has done it this year. This wasn’t a good sign for LSU. But the Tigers did at least clinch bowl eligibility (for whatever that’s worth). Sorry if I sound down, but the only thing worth paying attention to regarding LSU is the hunt for a new head coach.

9. Mizzou (7-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 49-27 W vs. Mississippi State
• This week: at Oklahoma

As a Mizzou graduate (have I ever mentioned that fact?), it’s frustrating that it took until the Tigers suffered their third loss of the season to start feeding Ahmad Hardy again. Yeah, I think you, dear reader, could’ve rushed for 100+ yards against Mississippi State. But Hardy ran for 3x that amount, becoming only the second Tiger ever to rush for 300+ yards in a game (Devin West being the other). Feed the guy the ball!

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8. Tennessee (7-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 42-9 W vs. New Mexico State
• This week: at Florida

It’s not crazy to think that, if a 3-loss team is going to make the Playoff (without winning its conference championship game like 10-3 Clemson did last year), Tennessee could be that team. The Vols lost to Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma. If the season ended today, those 3 teams would be in the Playoff. Tennessee hasn’t beaten anyone of note, but that would change if the Vols took down Vanderbilt in Week 14. I’m not sitting here and saying that Tennessee making the Playoff is likely, but if chaos were to happen, the Vols could put themselves in a good position by winning out.

7. Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Kentucky

Everything I just said about Tennessee also applies to Vanderbilt. The Commodores are in an even better position, as a win over rival Tennessee in the final week of the regular season would be impressive. The problem? Vanderbilt absolutely cannot overlook this Kentucky team. The Wildcats have figured some things out and are now much more dangerous than they were in the first half of the season.

6. Texas (7-3, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 35-10 L at No. 5 Georgia
• This week: vs. Arkansas

The Texas Longhorns got spanked by Georgia, which has become a concerning trend under Steve Sarkisian. He just can’t beat Kirby Smart. The Longhorns would have a very slim chance at the Playoff with 3 losses if they manage to beat Texas A&M during Rivalry Week, but that’s obviously easier said than done. At this point, the running game and offensive line don’t give the Longhorns a chance to win big games.

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5. Alabama (8-2, 6-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 23-21 L vs. No. 11 Oklahoma
• This week: vs. Eastern Illinois

You can only flirt with disaster for so long before disaster flirts back. Alabama hasn’t been playing its best football lately, but has been finding ways to win regardless. Even though the Alabama offense dominated the Oklahoma offense in terms of yards, the Sooners forced the Tide into several crushing mistakes. The mistakes finally caught up with Kalen DeBoer and company.

4. Oklahoma (8-2, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 23-21 W at No. 4 Alabama
• This week: vs. Mizzou

Maybe Oklahoma should’ve just lost the first 2 games of the season like Notre Dame did. Seriously, the way the Sooners have played the last 2 outings (at Tennessee and at Alabama) with their backs against the wall has been nothing short of incredible. Now, only a pair of Tigers stand between the Sooners and the Playoff. As much as I’d love my Mizzou squad to pull off the upset in Norman, I just don’t see it happening (especially if R Mason Thomas is back from injury).

3. Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 34-24 W vs. Florida
• This week: OFF

I know many (myself included) were expecting the Rebels to win this game by even more. But I think this was a statement made by Lane Kiffin and company. This is the exact kind of game Ole Miss has lost in recent years. This weekend, the Rebels won. And won by multiple scores. That matters. This Ole Miss team is different. If I were a betting man (and I am), I’m now of the belief that Kiffin is staying put in Oxford.

2. Georgia (9-1, 7-1)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 35-10 W vs. No. 10 Texas
• This week: vs. Charlotte

The Georgia Bulldogs are now officially in the clubhouse in the race to the SEC title game. At 7-1, they’re in a good position to punch a ticket to Atlanta. Alabama holds the head-to-head over the Dawgs, but Georgia has the head-to-head advantage over Ole Miss. There are plenty of strength-of-record scenarios that this race could come down to. However, now it’s just about finishing off a push to the Playoff for Kirby Smart and company.

1. Texas A&M (10-0, 7-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 31-30 W vs. South Carolina
• This week: vs. Samford

Wow. Just wow. How can you play as bad as the Aggies did in the first half and still win? Well, by playing as well as Texas A&M played in the second half, of course. We can talk about style points and struggle wins all we want, but the goal is to go 1-0 every week, and Texas A&M accomplished that in Week 12. This team is a win away (at Texas in Week 14) from its first-ever SEC Championship Game.

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 12 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Interestingly, no spots in the SEC Championship Game will be decided until Rivalry Week, which adds to the drama. Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia and Texas A&M are all still vying for 2 spots in Atlanta.

With regards to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the SEC is still outside the top 3. Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon, in that order, lock down the top 3 spots. Georgia leads the SEC at No. 4.

Alabama fell out of that No. 4 spot down to No. 6 after the loss to the Sooners.

Here’s a look at the full FPI top 25 this week:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Alabama
7. Utah
8. Texas Tech
9. Texas A&M
10. USC
11. Miami
12. Texas
13. Ole Miss
14. BYU
15. Oklahoma
16. Tennessee
17. Vanderbilt
18. Michigan
19. Mizzou
20. Penn State
21. Iowa
22. LSU
23. Washington
24. Auburn
25. SMU

For those keeping track at home, that’s 11 SEC teams in the top 25. The 5 SEC squads not in the top 25 were: South Carolina (No. 29), Kentucky (No. 33), Florida (No. 34), Arkansas (No. 41) and Mississippi State (No. 48).

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How will the FPI picture change next week? Check back here next Sunday to find out!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 12: Alabama drops multiple spots after loss appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Both of those teams still have Playoff hopes alive, although another loss for either will likely end those dreams. Talk about pressure!

The GameDay crew of Rece Davis, Stanford Steve, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by former Pitt star and legendary Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald to pick some winners for the major Week 12 matchups, including a few in the SEC.

The headline games in the SEC feature Oklahoma visiting Alabama and the Texas Longhorns heading to Athens to face the Georgia Bulldogs.

Stanford Steve picked Tennessee Tech (+22.5) at Kentucky as his superdog pick. None of the other guys had superdog picks involving SEC teams.

Here’s a look at who everyone thinks will win key Week 12 SEC battles:

No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 4 Alabama

• Desmond: Alabama
• Saban: Alabama
• McAfee: Oklahoma
• Donald: Alabama
• Herbstreit: Oklahoma

No. 10 Texas at No. 5 Georgia

• Desmond: Georgia
• Saban: Georgia
• McAfee: Georgia
• Donald: Georgia
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

Will the crew be proven right? Where will Donald rank among all the guest pickers this season? We’ll find out as we embark on an exciting Week 12 slate of college football!

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The post College GameDay crew, Pitt legend Aaron Donald pick winners for key Week 12 SEC games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

There’s still a bit more time left on the NFL schedule, as we prepare for Week 11 (out of 18) to resume on Sunday. But fret not, DFS fans. There’s still plenty of money to be made before all is said and done!

Every week, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — share their 3 favorite college football picks and their top 2 NFL plays from the Underdog app. Keep reading below to see who the guys like this week. But first…

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Week 12 CFB Picks

Here are our favorite college football picks on the Saturday slate:

Andrew Olson

DJ Lagway, Florida QB: Lower than 220.5 pass yards

A week after getting benched during a blowout loss at Kentucky, Lagway faces No. 7 Ole Miss in Oxford. In 6 games away from home, all Florida losses, Lagway is averaging 168.4 passing yards. The Ole Miss defense allows 156.6 passing yards on average at home.

Carson Beck, Miami QB: Higher than 21.5 completions

For all his faults, Carson Beck has high completion percentage of 72.7. Beck’s Miami Hurricanes are facing NC State in Week 12. The Wolfpack have one of the ACC’s worst passing defenses, in which opponents are throwing 37 times per game on average.

John Mateer, Oklahoma QB: Lower than 209.5 pass yards

We’re a month into Mateer’s return from injury, and the passing numbers haven’t been great. Post-injury, he logged his most attempts (31) and yards (223) at home against Ole Miss. Thanks to Oklahoma‘s quirky schedule, Mateer’s first 2 SEC road games have come during the last 3 outings. At South Carolina and at Tennessee, he posted 309 yards passing on 55 attempts. Alabama’s passing defense has been strong at home, allowing 162.2 yards per game.

Adam Spencer

Rueben Owens, Texas A&M RB: Higher than 64.5 rush yards

Texas A&M ran for over 200 yards in the second half against Mizzou last weekend. Owens himself totaled 102 yards on the ground. South Carolina isn’t nearly the defensive force that Mizzou is, so I like Owens to have 65+ yards this Saturday at home.

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana QB: Higher than 241.5 pass yards

I like the Hoosiers to easily dispatch Wisconsin at home. However, even if it turns into a blowout, Mendoza should be allowed to pad his numbers a bit for his Heisman Trophy résumé. He’s in a race with Ohio State QB Julian Sayin and others at the moment, so every yard helps.

Behren Morton, Texas Tech QB: Higher than 251.5 pass yards

Texas Tech should be able to handle UCF at home pretty easily. I expect a lot of running from the Red Raiders in the second half, but look for Morton to have a huge first half. He could reach 252 pass yards before the intermission in this one.

Week 11 NFL Picks

Here are our top NFL Sunday plays:

Andrew Olson

James Cook, Buffalo Bills RB: Higher than 79.5 rush yards

Cook only ran the ball 14 times for 53 yards in Buffalo’s surprising upset loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Bills might want to get back to feeding Cook the ball starting Sunday. There are rushing yards to be had against the Tampa Bay defense. Cook notably hasn’t gone under 80 yards rushing in back-to-back weeks all season.

Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: Higher than 18.55 fantasy points

Chase has been on quite the hot streak as of late, going for 90 receiving yards or better in his last 5 games. Chase’s biggest game of the year came against Pittsburgh in Week 7, when he recorded 16 catches for 161 yards and 1 touchdown, worth 38.1 fantasy points. Chase gets to face the Steelers secondary again Sunday.

Adam Spencer

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB: Higher than 220.5 pass yards

I’ll piggyback off of Andrew’s James Cook pick. I think this could be a massive day for the Buffalo offense. The Bills need a statement win in a big way after a loss to the Dolphins last week. Give me Allen to connect on a few big plays and put up 221+ yards through the air.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks WR: Higher than 10.5 targets

I like the addition the Seahawks made at the trade deadline, grabbing Rashid Shaheed from the Saints. But JSN is still the top dog in this receiving room. I like him to draw 11+ targets from Sam Darnold in a huge NFC West battle on Sunday.

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The post DFS Picks of the Week: Our top Underdog plays for college and NFL, Nov. 15-16 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We have a new No. 1 team in the conference based on Saturday’s results. We have Kentucky vaulting up the rankings after a dominant win over Florida on Saturday night. We have 4 teams vying for spots in the SEC title game.

What’s at stake as we enter Week 12? Who can still make the Playoff?

Let’s dive into this week’s SEC power rankings:

16. Arkansas (2-7 overall, 0-5 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at LSU

Arkansas has played in some truly chaotic games this season, and has found increasingly bizarre ways to lose those games. I expect nothing different this coming weekend in Baton Rouge. LSU has QB uncertainty and an interim coaching staff, but playing in Death Valley is never easy. This game should be just the latest loss in Arkansas’s season to forget.

15. Auburn (4-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 45-38 (OT) L at No. 16 Vanderbilt
• This week: OFF

I will give credit where credit is due. This Auburn staff under interim coach DJ Durkin deserves credit for actually throwing the ball to Cam Coleman. That guy is a special talent. Why Hugh Freeze couldn’t see that is beyond me. “Throw the ball to the best player on the field” is the sort of offensive strategy I and every reader of this column could come up with. Freeze couldn’t. And now he’s somewhere enjoying his buyout money.

14. South Carolina (3-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Texas A&M

The Gamecocks move down not because of anything they did during their bye week, but rather, because a red-hot Kentucky team (a phrase I didn’t think I’d write this season) jumped them. South Carolina has to win out to get bowl eligibility, but that’s not looking likely with a trip to face undefeated Texas A&M this weekend. It doesn’t seem that the postseason is in the cards for Shane Beamer and company this year.

13. Florida (3-6, 2-4)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 38-7 L at Kentucky
• This week: at Ole Miss

Can an interim coach be fired? That was a truly abysmal showing by Florida in Lexington. The Gators hadn’t lost like that to Kentucky since the 1950s. QB DJ Lagway was benched after throwing 3 more interceptions. After showing some fight against Georgia last week, the Gators completely rolled over and let Kentucky do whatever it wanted. Things are going to get ugly in Oxford this weekend.

12. Mississippi State (5-5, 1-5)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 41-21 L vs. No. 5 Georgia
• This week: at Mizzou

Mississippi State came out hot, scoring on the opening drive. That’s about the only positive thing I can say about the Bulldogs’ performance. Well, I guess there’s one more positive — freshman QB Kamario Taylor looked good, running for 3 touchdowns. He’ll be tough for Mizzou to stop if he gets the start next weekend.

11. Kentucky (4-5, 2-5)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 38-7 W vs. Florida
• This week: vs. Tennessee Tech

At the very least, Kentucky has proven to be a killer for teams with coaching turmoil. A week after handing Auburn a loss that cost Hugh Freeze his job, Kentucky absolutely embarrassed Florida in Lexington. The Wildcats, against all odds, should have a 3-game winning streak heading into Week 13 after facing FCS Tennessee Tech this coming weekend. The Wildcats haven’t given up on Mark Stoops yet.

10. LSU (5-4, 2-4)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 20-9 L at No. 4 Alabama
• This week: vs. Arkansas

LSU finally benched QB Garrett Nussmeier. Something’s not right with him this year. It’s sad that this is how his final college year is ending, but it’s time to make a change. Interim coach Frank Wilson will have a decision to make ahead of a home game against Arkansas this coming week, but this is a lost season for the Tigers, plain and simple.

9. Mizzou (6-3, 2-3)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 38-17 L vs. No. 3 Texas A&M
• This week: vs. Mississippi State

Facing an undefeated Texas A&M team was an impossible task for true freshman QB Matt Zollers. But the Mizzou backup did well in the second half, showing he could at least put up points against an elite defense. Playing Mississippi State won’t be easy, but the Tigers have a real chance to win this game and keep the season from getting out of hand.

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8. Tennessee (6-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. New Mexico State

Is it likely that Tennessee makes it to the Playoff with 3 losses? No. But is it possible? Yes. The ACC isn’t really doing much to make its case to get multiple teams into the 12-squad field. If Tennessee wins its last 3 games, starting with an easy one against New Mexico State, crazier things have happened. Josh Heupel just needs to keep his team focused.

7. Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Alabama

No 2-loss team has a tougher path to the Playoff than Oklahoma. The Sooners have to visit Alabama this coming weekend and then finish with home games against Mizzou and LSU. Are the Mizzou and LSU games winnable? Absolutely. Are they easy? Absolutely not. We’ll learn a lot about the Sooners this weekend in Tuscaloosa.

6. Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: 45-38 (OT) W vs. Auburn
• This week: OFF

Vanderbilt has struggled recently against teams that a Playoff-caliber squad should beat handily. I still think the Commodores are firmly in the Playoff mix, as evidenced by them being No. 6 in my power rankings, but they need to clean some stuff up in a hurry. Needing overtime to beat Auburn isn’t a good sign (just ask Mizzou).

5. Texas (7-2, 4-1)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Georgia

The Texas Longhorns had the week off to prepare for a game at Georgia. That’s a plus, especially since Georgia had to visit Mississippi State this past weekend. Will that be enough of an advantage for Steve Sarkisian and company to finally get over the Georgia hump? We’ll see, but the Bulldogs are playing some of their best football these days. More on that later…

4. Ole Miss (9-1, 5-1)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 49-0 W vs. The Citadel
• This week: vs. Florida

Ole Miss did what it needed to do against The Citadel. Not a lot to say about that game. And frankly, the Rebels are in a prime position to pounce should any of the teams above them in these rankings lose. Ole Miss has Florida this weekend, then a bye week, then the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. You never want to say a rivalry game as intense as the Egg Bowl is a gimme, and I won’t say that, but anything less than a 3-0 finish to the regular season would be disappointing for Lane Kiffin and company. Now it’s up to the 3 teams next on this list to continue taking care of business, otherwise Ole Miss could punch a ticket to Atlanta.

3. Georgia (8-1, 6-1)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 41-21 W at Mississippi State
• This week: vs. Texas

Finally, Georgia put together a complete, dominant game. The Bulldogs controlled the other Bulldogs, Mississippi State, for most of the game following the opening-drive score by the home team. Kirby Smart and company emphatically proved they weren’t looking ahead to Texas, though that showdown in Athens against the Longhorns is a huge one on the Week 12 slate.

2. Alabama (8-1, 6-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 20-9 W vs. LSU
• This week: vs. Oklahoma

The Alabama Crimson Tide still control their SEC destiny. It wasn’t pretty, but the Tide picked up another convincing win on Saturday night at home against an LSU squad with nothing to lose. Alabama is a perfect 6-0 in SEC action. Hosting Oklahoma won’t be easy, but this year’s Alabama team has proven that it can grind out tough victories against quality opponents.

1. Texas A&M (9-0, 6-0)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 38-17 W at No. 22 Mizzou
• This week: vs. South Carolina

It’s time. After seeing the way the Aggies controlled the game against a tough Mizzou defense, running for over 200 yards in the second half alone, I’m moving Texas A&M into the No. 1 spot. Alabama hasn’t looked special lately. The Aggies definitely do. A home game against South Carolina this weekend shouldn’t provide too much trouble for Mike Elko and company, who have a real chance at an unbeaten regular season and a spot in the SEC title game.

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Texas A&M remained undefeated with a convincing win at Mizzou. The Alabama Crimson Tide won an ugly rock fight against rival LSU. The Georgia Bulldogs dominated the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Starkville.

The SEC has some elite teams that are still vying for spots in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta this year. But where do those teams stand on a national scale?

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) was updated after all the dust had settled on Week 11. Alabama was the top SEC team in the rankings, checking in at No. 4, still sitting behind a trio of Big Ten teams at the top.

The SEC had 11 teams represented in the top 25. Check out the full FPI top 25 below:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Georgia
7. Texas A&M
8. Texas
9. Utah
10. USC
11. Texas Tech
12. Ole Miss
13. Miami
14. Tennessee
15. Oklahoma
16. Vanderbilt
17. BYU
18. Michigan
19. Iowa
20. Mizzou
21. Penn State
22. LSU
23. SMU
24. Auburn
25. USF

The only SEC teams that didn’t crack the top 25 were: Florida (No. 35), Kentucky (No. 39), South Carolina (No. 40), Arkansas (No. 41) and Mississippi State (No. 44).

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Will an SEC team slide into the top 3 next week? Check back here next Sunday to find out!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 11: Alabama, Georgia remains outside top 3 despite wins appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Cougars are ranked No. 7 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the year, while Texas Tech is a spot behind at No. 8. This will be a very impactful game, but over in the SEC, there are plenty of impactful games, as well.

The GameDay crew of Stanford Steve, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit were joined by Texas Tech legend and current Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to make picks for Saturday’s big games.

None of the guys had superdog picks involving SEC teams. Here’s who the crew thinks will win Saturday’s Week 11 SEC action:

No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Mizzou

• Desmond: Texas A&M
• Saban: Texas A&M
• McAfee: Texas A&M
• Mahomes: Texas A&M
• Herbstreit: Texas A&M

No. 5 Georgia at Mississippi State

• Desmond: Georgia
• Saban: Georgia
• McAfee: Georgia
• Mahomes: Georgia
• Herbstreit: Georgia

LSU at No. 4 Alabama

• Desmond: Alabama
• Saban: Alabama
• McAfee: Alabama
• Mahomes: Alabama
• Herbstreit: Alabama

Will the crew be proven right? We’ll find out over the course of an exciting Week 11 slate of games around the SEC.

The post College GameDay crew, Patrick Mahomes pick winners for major SEC Week 11 games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Even though there aren’t a ton of ranked-on-ranked games in the college game this Saturday, there’s still plenty of intrigue. And, of course, there’s still plenty of money to be made by daily fantasy sports players.

Our DFS experts, Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer, have pored over the picks on the Underdog app. Below, they’ll share their top 3 CFB picks and their 2 favorite NFL plays. But first…

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Week 11 CFB Picks

Here’s who the guys like for Saturday’s college slate:

Andrew Olson

Gunner Stockton, Georgia QB: Higher than 237.5 pass yards

Mississippi State’s passing defense is in the bottom half of the SEC when facing conference opponents as well as ranked opponents. Georgia, of course, fits both categories. Gunner Stockton has shown to be plenty capable of hitting this number.

Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB: Lower than 36.5 pass attempts

Klubnik is averaging 35.2 passing attempts per game against ACC opponents, and that includes his 60 attempts against Syracuse. Florida State, meanwhile, is seeing ACC opponents pass 29.2 times per game, the lowest mark in the conference. FSU’s rushing defense, on the other hand, is seeing ACC opponents rush 40 times per game, most in the conference.

Jadan Baugh, Florida RB: Higher than 0.5 rush+receiving TDs

Kentucky’s defense has given up a lot of rushing touchdowns. Tennessee made it 17 rushing scores in 7 games, and the total stayed there because Auburn was the first team UK has shut out of the end zone this season. Baugh has a rushing score in 4 of his last 5 outings.

Adam Spencer

Nico Radicic, Indiana K: Higher than 3.5 extra points made

That’s right, y’all, I’m getting my picks started with a kicker! Kickers are people, too! I don’t think Penn State will be the team to slow down this Indiana offense. Look for the Hoosiers to score early and often, leading to 4+ extra points made by Nico Radicic.

Behren Morton, Texas Tech QB: Higher than 260.5 pass yards

The Red Raiders are at their best when they have their starting QB healthy. That’s the most obvious analysis you’ll read today. But BYU is a team that has relied a little too much on smoke and mirrors so far this year. I think the Red Raiders win a thriller in Lubbock on Saturday, and Morton leads the way with 261+ yards through the air.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU QB: Higher than 226.5 pass yards

I don’t think LSU will go into Bryant-Denny Stadium and pull off an upset win over Alabama. But I do think the offense will show signs of life under a new play caller. Alabama’s defense is dealing with some injuries, particularly at linebacker, so perhaps Nussmeier and TE Trey’Dez Green can connect for a few big plays.

Week 10 NFL Picks

And here are the top plays for NFL Sunday:

Andrew Olson

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans TE: Higher than 34.5 receiving yards

Three of Schultz’s last 4 outings have been for 60 yards, 98 and 77. He gets a favorable matchup this week against a Jacksonville defense that is giving up yards galore to tight ends.

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB: Higher than 232.5 pass yards

An already favorable matchup just got better for Allen. The Dolphins give up a lot of points without snagging many takeaways, and they recently traded standout pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips. Allen has been a bit up and down on the stat sheet, but he’s coming off a strong showing against Kansas City, a much more challenging foe than Miami.

Adam Spencer

Nico Collins, Houston Texans WR: Higher than 58.5 receiving yards

I think Andy and I can both win our picks here. I expect Houston to sling the ball around early and often, even with Davis Mills replacing the injured CJ Stroud at QB. What do you do when you’re a backup QB? You look for your tight end and your top receiver. While everyone else’s production dips on the Texans’ offense, I expect Schultz and Collins to get their catches.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions QB: Higher than 255.5 pass yards

Goff and the Lions are still looking up at the Packers in the NFC North standings. Washington is having the year from hell when it comes to injuries. This should be a spot for the Detroit offense to get right after struggling against Minnesota last week.

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The post DFS Picks of the Week: Our top Underdog plays for college and NFL, Nov. 8-9 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We have reigning-champion Florida taking on Arizona in a battle of the No. 3 and No. 13 squads in the nation, respectively. That’s the marquee game, to be sure, but ranked Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn squads all start their seasons on Monday night, too.

With tipoff only a few short hours away, let’s take a look at the preseason SEC basketball power rankings, starting at the bottom with team No. 16 and working our way up to No. 1:

16. South Carolina

If you’re keeping track of Meechie Johnson and whether he’s at South Carolina or Ohio State for any given here, he’s at South Carolina this season. Johnson, Myles Stute and transfer Mike Sharavjamts form an interesting back court, but there’s not a very high ceiling for this year’s Gamecocks.

15. LSU

I have Matt McMahon firmly on the hot seat heading into this season. It’s time to start delivering more wins for LSU. However, I don’t think this is the team to get that job done. There are a lot of new faces on this year’s LSU squad and not much time to jell before SEC play starts. It could be a long year in Baton Rouge.

14. Oklahoma

Nijel Pack was a nice addition for Oklahoma now that Jeremiah Fears is off to the NBA, but I just don’t think this team has the depth necessary to make another run to the NCAA Tournament.

13. Georgia

Blue Cain will need to take a big step forward for this team to have any chance at making the NCAA Tournament again. Asa Newell, Silas Demary Jr. and Tyrin Lawrence are all gone from last year’s squad and Smurf Millender and Jeremiah Wilkinson, who should be key figures in the back court, are undersized. Don’t expect a ton of defense from Mike White’s Georgia team.

12. Texas A&M

We’re going to see some Bucky Ball at Texas A&M this year, which should be a refreshing change from last year’s Buzz Williams offense. I like the additions of Pop Isaacs and Rylan Griffen through the portal, but I think it’ll take a year or 2 for Bucky McMillan to fully get his system up and running in College Station.

11. Mississippi State

As long as this team has Josh Hubbard, I’ll give Mississippi State a chance to beat anyone on any given night. The problem is that losing key guys like KeShawn Murphy, Cam Matthews and Riley Kugel will be tough to overcome. This has the makings of a team that will be sweating out Selection Sunday.

10. Vanderbilt

I’m sneakily impressed by the depth Vanderbilt has. I’m a big Devin McGlockton fan. Duke Miles coming over from Oklahoma and Frankie Collins heading to Nashville from TCU should provide a valuable back-court tandem to pair with sharpshooters Tyler Nickel and Tyler Harris. I’ll be surprised if this Commodores squad doesn’t make the NCAA Tournament again under coach Mark Byington.

9. Ole Miss

Malik Dia is a legitimate star in this league, but I’m not sure I’d hop on the AJ Storr train if I was Ole Miss. He has the talent, but just hasn’t really put it together on a consistent basis. Losing guys like Sean Pedulla and Matthew Murrell will hurt. I see this solidly as a middle-of-the-road team in the SEC this year.

8. Texas

The Sean Miller era at Texas begins with plenty of intrigue. Dailyn Swain is the biggest name Miller brought with him to Austin. This team has some talent with Jordan Pope and the veteran Tramon Mark returning in the back court. But can the Longhorns replace a guy as dynamic as Tre Johnson? We’ll find out soon enough.

7. Auburn

Yes, the Auburn Tigers have a measure of consistency with Steven Pearl taking over after his dad, Bruce, retired a few weeks ago. Tahaad Pettiford is also back on The Plains and he has NBA lottery pick potential. Losing Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell in the front court obviously hurts (you don’t need me to tell you that), but getting Keyshawn Hall from UCF and KeShawn Murphy from Mississippi State should help the Tigers remain competitive in a deep SEC.

6. Mizzou

The key to this Mizzou team is big man Shawn Phillips, who transfers in from Arizona State. All he has to do is not be an absolute zero offensively in the post like past Mizzou big men and it’ll be a major upgrade. Returning Anthony Robinson II, Trent Pierce and, of course, Mark Mitchell gives this team a strong starting point. Robinson could be poised for a big step forward. Getting Sebastian Mack out of the portal to provide a veteran presence at guard was key, too.

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5. Arkansas

This Arkansas squad has more returning talent than we’re used to seeing from a John Calipari team, with DJ Wagner, Karter Knox and Trevon Brazile providing a solid foundation. They’ll insure that the floor is an NCAA Tournament berth for the Hogs, but the ceiling will be determined by 5-star freshmen in Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. If Acuff can step into the starting lineup and Thomas can be a valuable 6th man from Day 1, this Arkansas team could be top 3 in the SEC standings before all is said and done.

4. Alabama

Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. might be the best back court in the SEC. We know the style Alabama wants to play under Nate Oats, which won’t be easy without Mark Sears running the show. Philon needs to take a big step forward this year if Alabama is going to be in the mix for an SEC title, but he’s certainly capable of it. That’s why he’s a potential 2026 NBA Draft lottery pick.

3. Kentucky

I’m a big Otega Oweh guy. I think he’ll be in the mix for SEC Player of the Year when all is said and done. Getting Denzel Aberdeen from Florida and Jaland Lowe from Pitt out of the portal was huge for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. If Lowe can become more consistently great and if Brandon Garrison can hold down the fort in the post until Jayden Quaintance returns from injury, Kentucky should be a 3-seed or better in March Madness.

2. Tennessee

Get ready to be big fans of Nate Ament. The Tennessee Volunteers will go as far as the 5-star freshman can take them, which could be pretty far. I’m also a big fan of bringing in Ja’Kobi Gillespie from Maryland. Losing a guy like Zakai Zeigler is never easy, but Rick Barnes got about the best fit possible out of the transfer portal. This is a team with enough talent to be competing for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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1. Florida

The Florida Gators are coming off a national championship and still have some key players from that squad, particularly in the front court. The post depth for Todd Golden and company is incredible, with Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu all expected to start. Then the Gators have Micah Handlogten coming off the bench.

The back court is the question mark, but there is undeniably a glut of talent. Boogie Fland comes over from Arkansas to try to help Florida win another title. Xaivian Lee is one of the most-intriguing transfers among all SEC newcomers, heading to Gainesville from the Ivy League realm. The Gators have depth, elite talent and a championship pedigree.

Even without Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard, who are all plying their trades in the NBA this year, the Gators are the team to beat.

The post SEC Basketball Power Rankings ahead of 2025-26 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

If a coach like Eli Drinkwitz or Lane Kiffin moves to one of the other openings, more chaos would ensue. I wrote about the possibility of half of the SEC potentially having new coaches in 2026 last week. It’s still in play.

But for now, we need to dive into the post-Week 10 power rankings. The top half of the rankings mostly stayed the same, but there were some major changes in the bottom half.

Without further ado, here are our updated SEC football power rankings:

16. Arkansas (2-7 overall, 0-5 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 38-35 L vs. Mississippi State
• This week: OFF

This Arkansas team simply cannot figure out how to hold onto a lead. Week after week, the Razorbacks watch as opponents come from behind to beat them. Spoiler alert, but Bobby Petrino isn’t going to land this full-time job. Whoever the new guy ends up being, he’ll have his hands full in 2026 and beyond to get this program back to where it was during the early years of Sam Pittman’s tenure.

15. Auburn (4-5, 1-5)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 10-3 L vs. Kentucky
• This week: at Vanderbilt

Losing to Kentucky at home is brutal, but in a way, it was a fitting end to the Hugh Freeze era at Auburn. Now the Tigers will hire their 4th head coach of the 2020s. They have to get this one right if they want to return to SEC relevance.

14. Kentucky (3-5, 1-5)

• Previous ranking:16
• Last week: 10-3 W at Auburn
• This week: vs. Florida

Did this win save Mark Stoops‘ job? Was he ever in any real danger of being fired with that hefty buyout? We won’t know the answers to those questions for at least another week, it seems, as Kentucky showed a lot of fight in a road win at Auburn. Tougher tests await, though, with Florida heading to Lexington for a rivalry game in Week 11.

13. South Carolina (3-6, 1-6)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 30-14 L at No. 7 Ole Miss
• This week: OFF

Keep an eye on South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ season has not gone according to plan at all. This was supposed to be a borderline Playoff contender. Now South Carolina might not make a bowl game. Could Shane Beamer have his eye on Virginia Tech if things get even worse in Columbia?

12. Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 38-35 W at Arkansas
• This week: vs. Georgia

Mississippi State finally found a team even worse at protecting leads than it, going on the road and scoring Jeff Lebby‘s first SEC victory at Arkansas. The Bulldogs continue to play every single opponent on their schedule tough, and I expect that to continue this Saturday in Starkville in a Battle of the Bulldogs.

11. Florida (3-5, 2-3)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 24-20 L to No. 5 Georgia (in Jacksonville)
• This week: at Kentucky

The new-coach bump couldn’t quite get Florida over the hump against Georgia at the Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. Now a rivalry game looms against Kentucky this weekend. The Wildcats have momentum after beating Auburn. Can the Gators get an all-important win this weekend and keep their slim bowl hopes alive?

10. LSU (5-3, 2-3)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Alabama

LSU has had a tumultuous couple of weeks after firing Brian Kelly. Governor Jeff Landry keeps making big statements about the job. AD Scott Woodward is out. Everything’s a mess. And now the Tigers have to return to the field this weekend against No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This could get worse before it gets better for LSU.

9. Tennessee (6-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: 33-27 L vs. No. 18 Oklahoma
• This week: OFF

This defense is not good. After getting torched by Kentucky last week, the Vols gave up 33 points to John Mateer and the Sooners. If cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson still can’t come back after the bye, Tennessee is in a world of trouble. Win out and a Playoff spot is still a possibility, albeit an unlikely one. We’ll see what this Vol team is made of down the stretch.

8. Mizzou (6-2, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Texas A&M

Matt Zollers is the QB1 now that Beau Pribula is injured, and the bye week came at a good time to get him plenty of reps. However, facing Texas A&M in your first game as a starter is a tough task. The Mizzou freshman will be thrown into the fire this weekend in front of the Faurot Field faithful. We’ll see if the defense can make some big plays to keep this game competitive.

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7. Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 33-27 W at No. 14 Tennessee
• This week: OFF

The most impressive win of the week came from the Oklahoma Sooners, who went to Rocky Top and avoided a devastating third loss by giving loss No. 3 to the Vols, instead. John Mateer did enough to lead the Sooners’ offense to a win and he continues to look better with each passing week following hand surgery. Oklahoma’s Playoff hopes are still alive heading into the second bye of the year, which is a good spot for Brent Venables and his team to be.

6. Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 34-31 L at No. 20 Texas
• This week: vs. Auburn

Two things are true at the same time with Vanderbilt’s loss at Texas. First, the game wasn’t as close as the final score indicates. Second, Vanderbilt deserves all the credit in the world for not giving up on this game and making it close at the end. In fact, if the Commodores had managed to pounce on an onside kick late, they could have potentially pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in recent college football history. This team still has a Playoff path.

5. Texas (7-2, 4-1)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 34-31 W vs. No. 9 Vanderbilt
• This week: OFF

For 50 minutes on Saturday afternoon in Austin, the Texas Longhorns looked like the preseason No. 1 team we were promised. Of course, Vanderbilt nearly managed to come all the way back to pull off an insane victory, but it wasn’t meant to be. There are plenty of things for Steve Sarkisian and his squad to clean up during the bye week, but things are trending up in Austin.

4. Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 30-14 W vs. South Carolina
• This week: vs. The Citadel

Ole Miss finally managed not to play with its food. Although South Carolina took an early lead, the Rebels controlled the game from then on out. A comfortable 2-score victory is exactly what this team needed amid all the speculation about its head coach. Now the Rebels get a cupcake game against The Citadel before a manageable end to the SEC season against Florida and Mississippi State.

3. Georgia (7-1, 5-1)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 24-20 W vs. Florida (in Jacksonville)
• This week: at Mississippi State

It’s not pretty, and it’s already hurt Georgia once (against Alabama), but you have to admire the resiliency and the ability to continue finding ways to win tight games. A team with the national title-level ambitions that Georgia has should not be playing this many close games against lesser SEC foes, but Kirby Smart and company keep winning. Expect another tight battle this weekend in Starkville.

2. Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Mizzou

Texas A&M has to hit the road coming out of its second bye week, heading to Columbia to take on a former Big 12 foe in Mizzou. The Tigers limp into this game without their top 2 QBs, as Sam Horn was injured in Week 1 and Beau Pribula went down against Vanderbilt. This should be a good spot for the Aggies to pick up win No. 9 and continue their march to Atlanta.

1. Alabama (7-1, 5-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. LSU

Alabama holds down the top spot during its second open date of the season. Now the Crimson Tide host an LSU squad that’s in turmoil after firing head coach Brian Kelly. This shouldn’t be too difficult of a game for Kalen DeBoer and company, but then again, these are exactly the kinds of games his Alabama teams have struggled with. We’ll see if the Tide can make a statement in front of their home crowd.

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 10 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Tennessee, Miami and Vanderbilt all took losses that may prove fatal come Playoff time. Georgia did what it does and avoided a devastating loss of its own at the Cocktail Party against Florida.

The Big Ten still dominates the updated ESPN Football Power Index, scoring all 3 of the top spots with Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon. Alabama is the top SEC squad, checking in at No. 4.

However, the SEC does control the top 25, placing 11 teams in the top 25. Check out the updated FPI rankings below:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Georgia
7. Utah
8. Texas
9. Texas A&M
10. USC
11. Texas Tech
12. Miami
13. Ole Miss
14. BYU
15. Tennessee
16. Oklahoma
17. Vanderbilt
18. Mizzou
19. Michigan
20. Iowa
21. LSU
22. Penn State
23. Washington
24. Florida State
25. Florida

Yes, you’re reading that correctly. Those are 3-5 Penn State and 3-5 Florida teams in the top 25 of the FPI this week.

The 5 SEC teams that didn’t make the cut for the top 25 were: Auburn (No. 27), South Carolina (No. 39), Mississippi State (No. 40), Arkansas (No. 41) and Kentucky (No. 50).

How will these rankings change after Week 11? Check back here next week to find out!

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 10: Georgia remains outside top 5 despite win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The GameDay crew of Rece Davis, Stanford Steve, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by former Utah and NFL QB Alex Smith to pick the biggest games around the SEC in Week 10.

It’s a big week, and there are plenty of College Football Playoff implications around the SEC this weekend, including on Rocky Top, where the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners play in what is essentially a CFP elimination game between a pair of 2-loss teams.

None of the analysts had superdog picks involving SEC teams.

Here’s a look at who the guys think will win the most-impactful Week 10 SEC games on Saturday:

No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 20 Texas

• Desmond: Vanderbilt
• Saban: Texas
• McAfee: Vanderbilt
• Smith: Texas
• Herbstreit: Vanderbilt

No. 5 Georgia vs. Florida (in Jacksonville)

• Desmond: Georgia
• Saban: Georgia
• McAfee: Georgia
• Smith: Georgia
• Herbstreit: Georgia

No. 18 Oklahoma at No. 14 Tennessee

• Desmond: Tennessee
• Saban: Tennessee
• Smith: Oklahoma
• McAfee: Oklahoma
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

Will Smith and the guys be proven right this weekend? We’ll see what happens around the SEC during an impactful first Saturday of November!

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The post College GameDay crew, Alex Smith pick winners for biggest Week 10 SEC games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The regular season may be entering its final few weeks, but there’s still plenty of money to be earned as we hit Week 10 of college football and Week 9 of NFL action. This weekend includes some incredible games, including Florida-Georgia and Texas-Vanderbilt in the college ranks and Bills-Chiefs at the pro level.

Every week, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — scour the Underdog app for their favorite plays from college and the NFL. We’ll share their best picks below, but first…

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Week 10 CFB Picks

Here’s who the guys like for Saturday’s Week 10 slate:

Andrew Olson

Conner Weigman, Houston QB: Higher than 205.5 pass yards

Weigman is averaging 8.2 yards per attempt on the season, and the number ticks up to 8.7 in conference play. Next up for Houston is West Virginia, one of the worst passing defenses in the Big 12. In conference play, Big 12 squads are averaging 32 attempts for 271.4 yard per game on the Mountaineers.

DJ Lagway, Florida QB: Higher than 32.5 pass attempts

Nobody needs the inside scoop to know the scouting report on the Georgia defense shows a surprising lack of sacks and questions in the secondary. The Gators should throw early and often on Saturday.

Taylen Green, Arkansas QB: Higher than 256.5 pass yards

This looks like a very favorable matchup for Green and the Arkansas passing attack. Green is No. 3 in the SEC, averaging 271.3 passing yards per game against conference opponents. Three of MSU’s last 4 opponents have thrown for 335, 280 and 356 yards.

Adam Spencer

Carson Beck, Miami QB: Higher than 249.5 pass yards

Miami hits the road to take on SMU this weekend. Carson Beck’s Heisman hype has died down since the start of the season, but he’s still more than capable of putting up big numbers. I think he gets to 250 pass yards on Saturday in the early window.

Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State WR: Higher than 64.5 receiving yards

The Arkansas defense is atrocious. Blake Shapen and company shouldn’t have too much trouble throwing the ball on Saturday. When Mississippi State makes big plays through the air, it’s usually to Brenen Thompson. I predict he’ll have at least 65 yards against Arkansas.

Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss RB: Higher than 95.5 rush yards

I expect Ole Miss to make a statement at home against South Carolina. The Rebels had some bad losses that kept them out of the Playoff last year. This year, they’ve played around with their food a bit too much (like the narrow Washington State win), but no more. I think Lane Kiffin will dial up Lacy’s number early and often and the Rebs will literally run away with a win.

Week 9 NFL Picks

Here are the best plays from Week 9 action around the NFL:

Andrew Olson

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers QB: Higher than 244.5 pass yards

Herbert did not hit this number last week, but he has shown he’s plenty capable in recent outings. This week, the matchup is favorable. The Titans have issues in the secondary and there are numerous capable pass catchers in Herbert’s supporting cast.

Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs RB: Higher than 44.5 rush yards

Hunt is in line for a bigger role in the Kansas City backfield and the Chiefs are facing a Buffalo Bills squad that is allowing 5.26 yards per carry on the year so far. It could be a good fantasy day for Hunt.

Adam Spencer

Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers TE: Higher than 59.5 receiving yards

Kraft has been incredible for the Packers this season. Green Bay is 5-1-1 on the season and 3-0 at home. The No. 1 seed in the NFC is very much in play for Kraft and the Packers, so they can’t afford to mess around vs. the Panthers at Lambeau this Sunday.

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers RB: Higher than 68.5 rush yards

For all the investment the Giants have made in their defensive line, they can’t stop the run. Like, at all. That doesn’t bode well for them with Christian McCaffrey coming to town. I think McCaffrey has a stellar outing to remind us all of what he’s capable of doing.

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The post DFS Picks of the Week: Our top Underdog plays for college and NFL, Nov. 1-2 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It seems likely that the SEC isn’t done making coaching changes, and those changes might happen in a number of ways. We could have a couple more firings (looking at you, Auburn and Kentucky).

Could we see a record number of fresh faces in new places when SEC Media Days 2026 kicks off in Tampa on July 20?

First, some background.

Based on some great research put together by my colleague, Spenser Davis, it appears the most new coaches we’ve had in the SEC coming into a season since 1987 is 5. That happened back in 2018, when Dan Mullen made his Florida debut, Joe Moorhead was a first-year head coach at Mississippi State and Arkansas (Chad Morris), Tennessee (Jeremy Pruitt) and Texas A&M (Jimbo Fisher) all had new head coaches, as well.

Having 6 new head coaches this cycle wouldn’t be that difficult to reach. But could we get to 8 (or more) new head coaches in the SEC for 2026?

Let’s take a look at how this unlikely, but not totally impossible, chaos scenario could take place.

At risk of getting fired

Candidates: Hugh Freeze (Auburn), Mark Stoops (Kentucky)

I don’t think we’re quite done with the firings this year in the SEC. I’m aware that Mark Stoops has a massive buyout at Kentucky that might not be palatable, but this could end up being a situation where both parties feel the need to move on and something is negotiated that allows Stoops to leave for another job. Things aren’t going well at Kentucky and it seems like a change is needed.

I do expect Auburn to eventually fire Hugh Freeze. At this point, though, there’s not really a rush to do it until after the regular season. If both of these jobs open up, that gets us to 5 openings.

Change of scenery

Candidates: Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Eli Drinkwitz (Mizzou), Shane Beamer (South Carolina), Mike Elko (Texas A&M)

Here’s where I need to make myself clear — I’m not predicting that any of these guys will actually leave their current schools. I do believe Lane Kiffin is happy at Ole Miss. It would take a lot for Shane Beamer to move on from South Carolina (though I would be nervous the longer the Virginia Tech job stays open and the longer South Carolina continues to flounder). (I’d also be nervous about Beamer wearing out his welcome the longer he stands by Mike Shula as the OC, but that’s s different conversation.) I personally think Mike Elko would be insane to leave what he has at Texas A&M for a job at Penn State, but crazier things have happened.

The guy that worries me the most is the head coach at my alma mater, Eli Drinkwitz. The odds keep trending toward the Mizzou head coach taking the Florida job, which has me worried. The fine folks in Las Vegas aren’t setting out to lose money. If even 2 of these 4 guys end up heading to new schools, that gets us to 7 openings.

NFL possibility?

Candidate: Steve Sarkisian (Texas)

I’m a firm believer in the “where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire” theory. The report that came out that Steve Sarkisian was open to NFL offers had to come from somewhere. There haven’t been any reports published about Lane Kiffin being interested in an NFL gig. There haven’t been any reports about Dan Lanning, Kirby Smart, Ryan Day or any other top-tier college football coaches being interested in the NFL.

Sarkisian has blasted the original reporting, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Texas down the stretch this season and what Sark decides to do in 2026 and beyond.

Wildcard Scenario

Candidate: Clark Lea (Vanderbilt)

Again, I’ll start this section with a disclaimer so y’all don’t yell at me online: I don’t think Clark Lea is going anywhere. The only scenario that would worry me is the (very unlikely) situation where Marcus Freeman leaves Notre Dame for LSU, Penn State or Florida. Again, I don’t think that’s happening.

But if Notre Dame were to open up, Clark Lea would have to be on the shortlist there, right? What he’s done at Vanderbilt the past couple of years is nothing short of amazing. Vanderbilt is a school with high academic standards. So is Notre Dame. On the 0.1% chance Freeman leaves Notre Dame, keep an eye on Lea.

Prediction

I do think we’ll set a record with 6 new SEC head coaches heading into 2026. If I had to guess right now, I’ll take Arkansas, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Kentucky and Mizzou to all have new faces leading their programs at 2026 SEC Media Days.

Hopefully I’m at least wrong about Mizzou, but we’ll see what happens. We still have 5 weeks left in the 2025 regular season and in the SEC, things change quickly. There’s still a non-zero chance that the chaos scenario I’ve laid out above takes place.

The post Could half of the SEC have new head coaches in 2026? This chaos scenario is possible appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Brian Kelly is in Year 4 at LSU, and… OK, well, correction… Brian Kelly was in Year 4 at LSU, but a third loss in a year with Playoff and national title expectations was too much for the administration to stomach.

LSU, as you might expect, dropped in our power rankings after a blowout loss at home against Texas A&M. The Aggies, understandably, moved up.

Who took the No. 1 spot this week? Let’s dive into our SEC power rankings, shall we?

16. Kentucky (2-5 overall, 0-5 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: 56-34 L vs. No. 17 Tennessee
• This week: at Auburn

Things are dire at Kentucky. The offense had some positives against a struggling Tennessee defense, but it didn’t matter, as the Kentucky defense fell apart. This could be the end of the line for Mark Stoops in Lexington.

15. Arkansas (2-6, 0-4)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 33-25 L vs. Auburn
• This week: vs. Mississippi State

In a battle of teams that find creative ways to lose games, Arkansas proved it is in a class of its own, falling to Auburn thanks to 4 turnovers in the fourth quarter. Ouch. It doesn’t look like Bobby Petrino will be getting the full-time coaching gig in Fayetteville again.

14. South Carolina (3-5, 1-5)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 29-22 L vs. No. 4 Alabama
• This week: at Ole Miss

This game represented both teams’ 2025 seasons perfectly. Alabama narrowly avoided disaster, while South Carolina couldn’t get out of its own way. I’ve said it before in this space and I’ll say it again — Shane Beamer not moving on from Mike Shula ASAP is killing all the goodwill he has in Columbia.

13. Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 45-38 L (OT) vs. No. 22 Texas
• This week: at Arkansas

Let’s call it what it is — that was an unacceptable loss for Jeff Lebby and the Bulldogs. Mississippi State has been a feel-good story this year, being much more competitive in Year 2 under Lebby. But now’s the time to start converting these strong efforts and close games into actual conference wins. Losing to Texas in that fashion should be embarrassing. No more moral victories in Starkville.

12. Auburn (4-4, 1-4)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 33-25 W at Arkansas
• This week: vs. Kentucky

The stoppable force met the movable object on Saturday in Fayetteville. Auburn ultimately came away victorious and since the Tigers host Kentucky this week, Hugh Freeze might get a temporary reprieve from being fired. With Arkansas, Florida and LSU now having vacancies across the SEC, though, if Auburn is going to move on before 2026, it’ll likely have to do so quickly. We’ll see what happens on the Plains in the coming weeks.

11. Florida (3-4, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville)

Florida had the week off to prepare for the Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. Who will replace Billy Napier? Check out what our Neil Blackmon wrote about the latest chatter surrounding the Florida coaching search.

10. LSU (5-3, 2-3)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 49-25 L vs. No. 3 Texas A&M
• This week: OFF

LSU reportedly made the decision to fire Brian Kelly. His tenure ends with good, but not elite, results. It’s tough for an athletic director to see a stadium emptying out and opposing fans taking over the way Texas A&M fans did at LSU on Saturday night. Who will the Tigers hire next? We’ll see, but the Brian Kelly era was an expensive swing and a miss.

9. Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 34-26 L vs. No. 8 Ole Miss
• This week: at Tennessee

If John Mateer isn’t 100% healthy, this is going to be what Oklahoma is… a team that can compete with, but can’t beat, elite teams. Oklahoma’s defense will keep it in every game. But against a high-powered offense like Ole Miss (or at Tennessee in Week 10), it’ll be tough for the offense to keep pace.

8. Texas (6-2, 3-1)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 45-38 W (OT) at Mississippi State
• This week: vs. Vanderbilt

It’s tough to know what to do with the Texas Longhorns. On the one hand, they’re 6-2 overall and have a 3-1 mark in SEC play. On the other hand, I know what my eyes are seeing, and that’s not a good football team. Texas continues to find ways to win, though, most recently in come-from-behind fashion at Mississippi State. Vanderbilt has a chance to come into Austin this weekend and end the Longhorns’ slim Playoff hopes.

7. Mizzou (6-2, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 17-10 L at No. 10 Vanderbilt
• This week: OFF

The Tigers get a much-needed bye week after losing Beau Pribula to what appears to be a significant injury. The early diagnosis on the Mizzou QB from coach Eli Drinkwitz was as positive as it could be after Pribula was taken off the field with an air cast on his leg. Freshman QB Matt Zollers will run the show moving forward, and he looked decent after being thrust into action against a tough Vanderbilt squad. Not all hope is lost for the Tigers.

RELATED: We’re less than 2 months away from the launch of online sports betting in the Show-Me State. Keep up-to-date on all the upcoming betting promos in Missouri, including the Caesars Missouri promo.

6. Tennessee (6-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 56-34 W at Kentucky
• This week: vs. Oklahoma

Offense good. Defense bad. It really is that simple for Tennessee this year. Will the defense come around when Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson are back in the secondary? Possibly. But until then, giving up 34 points to Kentucky has to be considered a worrying sign, right?

5. Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: 17-10 W vs. No. 15 Mizzou
• This week: at Texas

Vanderbilt is going to the Playoff. Are we all ready for that? I am. I’m slowly growing weary of the jokes about how weird it is to think about Vanderbilt being a top 25, a top 15, a top 10 team (and I’m guilty of thinking that way, too). No longer. I’m all-in. Diego Pavia might not have the numbers to be a legitimate Heisman contender at this point, but Heismans are won in November, not September or October. Finish strong and he’ll get his invite to New York.

4. Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 34-26 W at No. 13 Oklahoma
• This week: vs. South Carolina

Lane Kiffin is going to continue to be mentioned in coaching carousel rumors… Florida, LSU, potentially Auburn… maybe Florida State. It’s not unreasonable to say Kiffin’s name being mentioned in rumors has derailed past Ole Miss squads. Can he handle the talk this time around and guide his team to the Playoff? We’ll find out over the next 5 weeks.

3. Georgia (6-1, 4-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Florida (in Jacksonville)

I have nothing against Georgia. I just have to move the Bulldogs down a spot when they were idle and the team in the No. 2 spot just picked up a massive road win. Georgia can likely bounce back to the No. 2 spot by taking care of Florida in Jacksonville this coming weekend. Can the Dawgs avoid falling behind by multiple scores? We’ll see!

2. Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 49-25 W at No. 20 LSU
• This week: OFF

Texas A&M continues to roll along. One more win and y’all (and, if I’m being honest, myself included) will have to retire your “Texas 8&4” jokes. The Aggies won’t have a chance to pick up win No. 9 this weekend, though, as they’re off. They’ve earned it. Mike Elko can use this week to tell Penn State he’s not interested and then we can move on to a Playoff berth in College Station.

1. Alabama (7-1, 5-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 29-22 W at South Carolina
• This week: OFF

Alabama would have lost this game last year. This is exactly the game the Tide would have lost last year — on the road against an unranked foe. Coming off a 4-game stretch where the Tide took down 4-straight ranked opponents, it was almost letdown city for Kalen DeBoer and company. But credit to Alabama for fighting its way to a comeback win. They aren’t always pretty in SEC play, folks.

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 9 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC, on the other hand, seems to be the more-balanced conference. It might not have an elite team on the Buckeyes’ level (depending on how you feel about Alabama), but 1-15 (sorry Kentucky), there are no easy wins to be had.

In the updated ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), that sentiment is echoed. Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon hold down the top 3 spots, respectively, but the SEC leads the way with 11 teams in the top 25, led by Alabama at No. 4.

The Crimson Tide fell a spot despite a narrow road win at South Carolina in Week 9. Notre Dame rounds out the top 5.

Here’s a look at the full FPI top 25 rankings after Week 9:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Georgia
7. Texas
8. Texas A&M
9. USC
10. Miami
11. Utah
12. Ole Miss
13. Tennessee
14. Texas Tech
15. Michigan
16. BYU
17. Vanderbilt
18. Oklahoma
19. Mizzou
20. Iowa
21. Penn State
22. LSU
23. Washington
24. Auburn
25. Georgia Tech

That means 5 SEC teams didn’t make the top 25 — Florida (No. 27), Arkansas (No. 39), South Carolina (No. 40), Mississippi State (No. 44) and Kentucky (No. 53).

How will Week 10 affect the Football Power Index? Check back next Sunday for the latest update.

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 9: Alabama falls from top 3 despite win appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The game is perhaps the most impactful on the Week 9 SEC slate, as the winner will take a major step toward a Playoff berth, while the loser will have no more room for error heading into the final month of the regular season.

The GameDay crew of Stanford Steve, Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban and Pat McAfee was joined by comedian Nate Bargatze, a Nashville native and Vanderbilt fan, to pick winners from Saturday’s Week 9 SEC slate.

Stanford Steve picked Ole Miss (+5.5) at Oklahoma as his super dog. Howard picked Mississippi State (+7.5) vs. Texas as his super dog.

Here’s a look at who the guys think will win Saturday’s biggest Week 9 matchups.

No. 22 Texas at Mississippi State

• Desmond: Mississippi State
• Saban: Texas
• McAfee: Mississippi State
• Bargatze: Texas
• Herbstreit: Texas

No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma

• Desmond: Ole Miss
• Saban: Oklahoma
• Bargatze: Ole Miss
• McAfee: Oklahoma
• Herbstreit: Oklahoma

No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU

• Desmond: Texas A&M
• Saban: Texas A&M
• Bargatze: LSU
• McAfee: Texas A&M
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

No. 15 Mizzou at No. 10 Vanderbilt

• Desmond: Mizzou
• Saban: Vanderbilt
• Bargatze: Vanderbilt
• McAfee: Vanderbilt
• Herbstreit: Vanderbilt

Will Bargatze and the guys be proven right? We’ll find out over the course of an exciting Saturday of SEC football.

The post College GameDay, comedian Nate Bargatze pick winners for major Week 9 SEC games appeared first on Saturday Down South.

And we’re already past the halfway point of the college football season. Every game from here on out will feel even more intense as teams fight for Playoff position.

Every week, our DFS experts — Andrew Olson and Adam Spencer — share their 3 favorite college football picks and their 2 favorite NFL plays over on the Underdog app. Their picks are included below. But first…

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Our Week 9 CFB Picks

Here’s who we like this Saturday in the college football world:

Andrew Olson

John Mateer, Oklahoma QB: Higher than 238.5 pass yards

The Ole Miss passing defense is coming off a game where it got shredded for 289 passing yards by Georgia’s Gunner Stockton. When it comes to Mateer, it’s all about the number of passing attempts. Considering how potent the Rebel offense is, this could be a game Oklahoma asks Mateer to sling it so the Sooners keep up.

Arch Manning, Texas QB: Lower than 218.5 pass yards

Mississippi State’s pass defense has been up and down this year, but there haven’t been many “ups” for Arch Manning, especially on the road. Away from home, Manning is averaging just 182.8 passing yards per game on 6.5 yards per attempt. There’s plenty of room here for Manning to improve upon last week’s rough outing at Kentucky and still come in lower than the number.

Marcel Reed, Texas A&M QB: Lower than 219.5 pass yards

The Aggies shouldn’t be asking Reed to throw too much on Saturday at LSU, one of the toughest road environments in all of college football. LSU’s last 3 opponents have run the ball 45 times each against the Tigers for a combined 598 yards. LSU has been stingier defending the pass.

Adam Spencer

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana QB: Higher than 265.5 pass yards

The Hoosiers host the resurgent UCLA Bruins at noon ET on Saturday. I expect the Bruins to be a little sleepy after making the cross-country road trip. Mendoza and the Hoosiers get off to a hot start and the star QB makes another Heisman statement.

Taylen Green, Arkansas QB: Higher than 304.5 pass+rush yards

Green is an absolutely electric player. He has outperformed this number significantly in 4 of his last 5 games, with the lone exception being against Notre Dame. Auburn is no Notre Dame. Bobby Petrino’s offense will put up points on the Tigers and Green will have a big day with both his arm and legs.

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor QB: Higher than 311.5 pass yards

Robertson has thrown for 318, 345 and 393 yards in his last 3 outings. On the road against a good Cincinnati team, I think he’ll continue to sling it early and often. He’s a volume passer and Baylor might be behind on the scoreboard in the second half. That bodes well for another 312+ yard performance.

Our Week 8 NFL Picks

And here are the picks we like from the Sunday slate:

Andrew Olson

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons RB: Higher than 19.5 yards longest rush

Robinson should feast on Sunday. This Miami Dolphins defense has struggled to contain running backs all season. If Atlanta feeds Bijan like it should, he has the speed to break off a long run.

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants RB: Higher than 57.5 rush yards

It was just over 2 weeks ago that Skattebo gashed the Philadelphia defense for 98 rushing yards on 19 carries, scoring 3 times. Have the Eagles really figured out how to stop Skattebo this fast? It seems doubtful considering Philadelphia is in the bottom half of the league in run defense.

Adam Spencer

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB: Higher than 225.5 pass yards

The Bills now have the Patriots breathing down their necks in the AFC East race. They no longer have any leeway for lackluster showings. Playing a tough Carolina squad this week, I think the Bills will set the tone early through the air, leading to a big day from Josh Allen.

Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals WR: Higher than 88.5 receiving yards

Chase got 16 receptions on 23 targets for 161 yards and a touchdown last Thursday against the Steelers in an absolutely electric performance. It doesn’t matter who is throwing Chase the ball (in this case, veteran Joe Flacco), the guy is going to put up numbers. I like him to have 89+ yards against the Jets this Sunday.

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The post DFS Picks of the Week: Our top Underdog plays for college and NFL, Oct. 25-26 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We had some epic games between top teams. We had sloppy showings from mid-tier teams. We had Florida fire Billy Napier despite a victory over Mississippi State.

SEC football never disappoints. It never lets you down. It always goes down smooth.

But, as always, this weekend’s results had significant impacts on our power rankings. Here’s how we rank all 16 SEC squads following Week 8 action:

16. Kentucky (2-4 overall, 0-4 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: 16-13 (OT) L vs. No. 21 Texas
• This week: vs. Tennessee

Saturday’s game against Texas said more about the Longhorns than it did about Kentucky. Texas played down to its opponent. Kentucky deserves some credit for playing tough, but without a win, there’s not much to say here. Mark Stoops is running out of opportunities to win an SEC game in 2025.

15. Arkansas (2-5, 0-3)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 45-42 L vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
• This week: vs. Auburn

The Arkansas offense is highly entertaining to watch. For good reasons. The Arkansas defense is highly entertaining to watch. For bad reasons. The Hogs can score on anyone. However, you, dear reader, and 10 of your closest friends could also probably drop 20+ points on this Arkansas defense. My advice? Continue to take the overs on Arkansas games this season.

14. South Carolina (3-4, 1-4)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 26-7 L vs. No. 14 Oklahoma
• This week: vs. Alabama

Shane Beamer got a little defensive when he was asked about potential staff changes after the Oklahoma loss. Why? What does Mike Shula have on him? It’s clear the South Carolina offense is going nowhere. That was a terrible hire by Beamer. If Beamer doesn’t figure out how to take advantage of having a future NFL QB in LaNorris Sellers soon, maybe South Carolina fans will drive him to Blacksburg themselves.

13. Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: 23-21 L at Florida
• This week: vs. Texas

Is it weird to say I think Mississippi State can beat Texas this weekend? Because I do think that. Texas looks inept offensively. Mississippi State continues to play hard each week. The Bulldogs haven’t gotten over the hump in SEC play yet, but I think Arizona State is a better team this year than the Longhorns. I’ll firmly be looking at the Bulldogs as a potential upset pick this week.

12. Auburn (3-4, 0-4)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 23-17 (2OT) L vs. No. 16 Mizzou
• This week: at Arkansas

Am I surprised that Hugh Freeze didn’t get fired on Sunday? Yes, I am. Auburn continues to snag defeat from the jaws of victory. Even with Alex McPherson’s struggles on Saturday at home against Mizzou (why would you send him out there for a 50-yard field-goal try in his current state, Hugh?), Auburn should have won this game. The fact that Auburn continues to shoot itself in the foot is an indictment of the coaching staff.

11. Florida (3-4, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 23-21 W vs. Mississippi State
• This week: OFF

Florida made the decision on Sunday to fire Billy Napier. Now, the Gators are on the hunt for a new head coach. (Our Connor O’Gara shares his top 5 options here.) How will that impact the rest of this season? Can the Gators still reach a bowl game? Do they even want to? We’ll find out a lot about the future of the Florida program over the next few weeks.

10. Texas (5-2, 2-1)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 16-13 (OT) W at Kentucky
• This week: at Mississippi State

Is this Texas team OK? Seriously, what is going on with Steve Sarkisian‘s offense? As I discussed earlier, I think Mississippi State is a live underdog this week. If the Longhorns need overtime to win at Kentucky, they’re going to struggle even more with the cowbells in Starkville. The Texas offense is broken. The defense can only do so much. That’s a recipe for struggles moving forward.

9. LSU (5-2, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 31-24 L at No. 17 Vanderbilt
• This week: vs. Texas A&M

Here’s where we’re at in the year of our Lord 2025: I’m not punishing a team too heavily for a loss at Vanderbilt. LSU ran into a Commodore buzzsaw on Saturday afternoon in Nashville. Diego Pavia should be getting way more Heisman love than he’s currently getting. But… on the flip side… this is a terrible coaching job from Brian Kelly. The offense is unreliable. The defense had its aggressiveness used against it beautifully by Vanderbilt’s offense. There are problems aplenty in Baton Rouge, with undefeated Texas A&M coming to town this weekend.

8. Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 26-7 W at South Carolina
• This week: vs. Ole Miss

John Mateer doesn’t look like his pre-injury self just yet, but he’s doing enough to help the Sooners win again, which is a good sign for Oklahoma. Of course, as I mentioned in the South Carolina section, Shane Beamer should be embarrassed with his Mike Shula hire this offseason. But most offensive coordinators look bad facing that Oklahoma defense. The Sooners will face their toughest test of the season this weekend, though, when Ole Miss rolls into town.

7. Tennessee (5-2, 2-2)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: 37-20 L at No. 6 Alabama
• This week: at Kentucky

The 2 losses the Vols have suffered this year have been in overtime against Georgia and on the road at Alabama. That’s not bad. The Vols still have legitimate Playoff aspirations. Tennessee has this as its remaining schedule:

• at Kentucky
• vs. Oklahoma
• OFF
• vs. New Mexico State
• at Florida
• vs. Vanderbilt

Oklahoma and Vanderbilt are the 2 toughest games there, and both are at Neyland Stadium. All of Josh Heupel and company’s goals are right there for the taking, still. The Vols just need to get healthy in the secondary.

6. Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 31-24 W vs. No. 10 LSU
• This week: vs. Mizzou

The Commodores are on the hunt for a Playoff berth. As Nick Saban said on College GameDay on Saturday, it’s hard to think of Vanderbilt as this caliber of program. But Clark Lea has built Vandy into exactly that. Diego Pavia is the real deal. The Commodores are up to No. 10 in the AP Poll. Going to Nashville is no longer a comfortable road trip.

5. Mizzou (6-1, 2-1)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: 23-17 (2OT) W at Auburn
• This week: at Vanderbilt

Mizzou needed to catch approximately 30 breaks to win this game in double-overtime. Fortunately for Eli Drinkwitz and company, they did indeed get those 30 breaks, as Auburn has no idea how to win football games. The problem? Vanderbilt does know how to win SEC contests. Mizzou will need to be so much sharper this weekend if it wants to win another SEC road game.

4. Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 43-35 L at No. 9 Georgia
• This week: at Oklahoma

I’m still high on this Ole Miss squad. Trinidad Chambliss is still an incredible quarterback. But going into Athens and winning is something only certain elite squads (more on one of those squads in a minute) can do. Ole Miss is fine. Do the Rebels need to win this weekend at Oklahoma? Absolutely. But that’s certainly an attainable goal for Lane Kiffin and his squad.

3. Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: 45-42 W at Arkansas
• This week: at LSU

Texas A&M is undefeated. It deserves credit for that. It went on the road and won at Notre Dame. It deserves credit for that. Is it OK if I have a bit of skepticism about the 4-0 SEC record at this point, though? The Aggies have beaten Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida and Arkansas in league play thus far. Those are the No. 12, No. 13, No. 11 and No. 15 teams in my current power rankings, respectively. This is a great Aggies squad. But I want to see a marquee SEC victory before I vault Texas A&M into the top 2 of my rankings.

2. Georgia (6-1, 4-1)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 43-35 W vs. No. 5 Ole Miss
• This week: OFF

Georgia continues its season as the comeback kids. Gunner Stockton keeps doing what needs to be done to guide his squad back from multi-score deficits. It would be nice for fans’ blood pressure if the Dawgs could simply avoid falling into early holes, but wins are wins in this crazy sport we all love. Now Georgia has a chance to regroup before facing a Florida squad that will have the “new coach boost” in full effect in Jacksonville in Week 10.

1. Alabama (6-1, 4-0)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: 37-20 W vs. No. 11 Tennessee
• This week: at South Carolina

Alabama’s Week 1 loss at Florida State is trending toward being the most-embarrassing loss for any non-Penn State team this year. The good news? Alabama‘s wins have all been incredible. After handling Tennessee comfortably on Saturday night, the Tide have now won 4-straight games against ranked squads. The bad news? Winning top-tier games has never been an issue for Kalen DeBoer. The problem for him has been taking care of business on the road against teams like unranked South Carolina that he should beat. Can DeBoer flip the script in Week 9?

The post SEC Power Rankings after Week 8 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Now, heading into Week 9, the popular ESPN pregame show will once again make its way to an SEC campus for a big-time matchup.

Yes, the show is heading to Nashville (yes, Nashville) to preview the Vanderbilt Commodores‘ Week 9 showdown against the Missouri Tigers. Both Vanderbilt and Mizzou have 1 loss this season, and both of those losses have come against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Here’s the official announcement from College GameDay:

This has been a banner year for the Commodores. They were featured by College GameDay in Tuscaloosa ahead of their loss to Alabama. Now they get a chance to host the pregame show on their own campus.

Diego Pavia and company are coming off a hard-fought home victory over the LSU Tigers, while Mizzou just escaped the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in double-overtime.

College GameDay airs starting at 9 a.m. ET every Saturday during the college football season on ESPN.

RELATED: Missouri residents will soon be able to bet on the Tigers via their favorite Missouri online sports betting app. Meanwhile, fans living in Tennessee should check out this bet365 TN bonus code.

The post College GameDay reveals SEC location for Week 9 show appeared first on Saturday Down South.

We had Auburn self-destructing yet again in a home loss to Mizzou. We had Florida fans booing Billy Napier despite a narrow win over Mississippi State.

All told, it was an impactful weekend in the SEC and we’ll see what sort of fallout comes in terms of coaching carousel moves.

But for now, we’ll take a look at the ESPN Football Power Index. Ohio State maintained its No. 1 overall spot. At No. 2 is Oregon. The Ducks jumped 3 spots after a dominant win at Rutgers. Despite the win over Tennessee, though, Alabama remains rooted in the No. 3 spot.

Here’s a look at the current FPI top 25:

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Alabama
4. Indiana
5. Notre Dame
6. Georgia
7. Texas
8. USC
9. Miami
10. Texas A&M
11. Ole Miss
12. Texas Tech
13. Tennessee
14. Oklahoma
15. Utah
16. Michigan
17. Mizzou
18. Vanderbilt
19. BYU
20. LSU
21. Penn State
22. Washington
23. Auburn
24. Iowa
25. Louisville

For those keeping track at home, that’s a total of 11 SEC teams in the top 25. The 5 SEC schools outside the top 25 are: Florida (No. 29), Arkansas (No. 36), South Carolina (No. 39), Mississippi State (No. 47) and Kentucky (No. 51).

RELATED: Get in on the DFS fun for Week 9 SEC football with Dabble promo code SDS2. New users who click here will earn a $25 bonus just for signing up.

How will the FPI rankings change after an exciting Week 9? Check back here next week to find out.

The post ESPN FPI rankings after Week 8: Alabama leapfrogged despite dominant win over Tennessee appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That game is sandwiched in the middle of an amazing day of SEC football, which also features ranked matchups between LSU-Vanderbilt and Alabama-Tennessee.

The GameDay crew of Rece Davis, Stanford Steve, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit was joined by musician Jelly Roll to pick winners for some of the biggest games of the day, including the top-tier SEC action.

Stanford Steve picked South Carolina (+4.5) against Oklahoma as his super dog. No one else had a super dog pick involving an SEC team.

Here’s a look at how the crew and Jelly Roll picked the biggest SEC games of Saturday’s Week 8 slate:

No. 10 LSU at No. 17 Vanderbilt

• Desmond: Vanderbilt
• Saban: LSU
• McAfee: Vanderbilt
• Jelly Roll: Vanderbilt
• Herbstreit: Vanderbilt

No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama

• Desmond: Alabama
• Saban: Alabama
• McAfee: Alabama
• Jelly Roll: Tennessee
• Herbstreit: Alabama

No. 5 Ole Miss at No. 9 Georgia

• Desmond: Georgia
• Saban: Georgia
• McAfee: Georgia
• Jelly Roll: Georgia
• Herbstreit: No pick (he’s calling the game)

Will Jelly Roll and the GameDay crew be proven right with these picks? We’ll find out over the course of an incredible Week 8 Saturday across the SEC!

The post College GameDay crew, Jelly Roll pick winners for major Week 8 SEC showdowns appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will indeed host the Tennessee Volunteers tonight in a matchup between the No. 6 and No. 11 teams in the country, respectively. You, the passionate college football fan, can stream all the action on Saturday night through our friends at Sling TV.

Why stream tonight’s game? Well, for starters, Tennessee hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003, and the Vols needed 5 overtimes to pull off that epic win 22 years ago. This time around, Josh Heupel has his offense firing on all cylinders, but the defense is banged up. Most notably, starting cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson are out.

Can Ty Simpson and the high-powered Alabama offense take advantage?

Here’s a look at the broadcast and streaming info for tonight’s big game:

• When: Saturday, October 18, 2025
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: ABC
• Live stream: Sling TV (starting at $4.99)

Let’s get back to the Tide. WR Germie Bernard has taken a step forward, but expected superstar Ryan Williams is struggling through the midway point of the season due to a concussion suffered in Week 1 and a couple of other nagging ailments.

Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide have won 3-straight games against top-25 opponents, something the legendary Nick Saban only did once in his amazing career. He never got the chance to attempt 4-straight wins over ranked foes. Can DeBoer get the job done?

Make sure to tune in to ABC (via Sling TV) on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET to see if Simpson and DeBoer can guide the Tide to victory, or if Joey Aguilar, Chris Brazzell II and the Vols’ dynamic offense can pull off yet another stunner in this epic rivalry game.

What is Sling TV?

Sling TV is a one-stop shop for sports fans looking to watch their favorite games. In addition to watching ESPN, ABC and the SEC Network, which carry every SEC football game, you’ll find NFL action (Monday Night Football), MLB postseason play on TBS and much, much more.

You can purchase monthly or weekly passes to watch Sling TV. But, more interestingly, if you’re only looking for a specific game to watch (like Alabama-Tennessee), you can buy a weekend pass or a day pass. Options start at only $4.99.

Sign up now and you’ll be able to stream all the Week 8 SEC action leading up to Alabama vs. Tennessee.

The post Stream Alabama vs. Tennessee Week 8 rivalry game free with Sling TV appeared first on Saturday Down South.