MARLER: Rivalry week predictions

By Chris Marler

The regular season’s grand finale is finally here, and college football fans have spent the last two weeks arguing about Lane Kiffin’s next move and the CFP rankings. I’ve been right there with them.

Chaos consumes rivalry week every single year. So, the more we know, the more we don’t know anything at all. Here’s a preview of rivalry week. 

Ole Miss at Mississippi State 

Ole Miss travels to Starkville with playoff hopes on the line. They do so in a condition that is somehow even more emotionally unstable than my drunk uncle at Thanksgiving. If the Rebels lose on Saturday it will be the first of two losses on the weekend. One being the game, and the other being their coach. 

And, they will. This game has been decided by ten points or less in six of the last eight, and I trust Ole Miss’ level of focus even less than Florida fans on Twitter being convinced Kiffin is heading to Gainesville. 

Mississippi State 24, Ole Miss 21 

Georgia at Georgia Tech 

This game looked much different a few weeks back. Two teams destined for the CFP, and Brent Key closing the gap with his instate rival. 

Now, a few weeks later Georgia seems to be peaking and Georgia Tech has seen their season go off the rails. As someone who was born and raised in Atlanta, this is a great game off North Avenue in the shadows of The Varsity and a stone’s throw from the worst traffic imaginable. 

Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 23

Texas A&M at Texas 

The Egg Bowl is low key the most heated rivalry in all of college football. It’s not Michigan-Ohio State or the Iron Bowl. However, this game is close to surpassing it with both teams being back in the same conference again. 

This is a huge game for the Aggies to bury the Longhorns and end their season ironically enough at 8-4. 

For two weeks, Texas fans have insisted they never should’ve scheduled Ohio State, arguing that loss is what’s keeping them out of the College Football Playoff. Nevermind that this same team lost to 3-8 Florida. On Friday, they’re going to lose to Texas A&M and be handed their fourth loss. Three of which didn’t come against Ohio State, by the way. 

Texas A&M 34, Texas 28

Kentucky at Louisville 

Louisville scored six points last weekend on SMU and their starting quarterback Miller Moss is questionable. Kentucky has been much better as of late despite getting trounced by 28 last week by Vanderbilt. Kentucky needs this win for bowl eligibility, and I think they get it. 

Kentucky 23, Louisville 20

Clemson at South Carolina 

The Disappointment Bowl will be this weekend in Columbia, South Carolina. These teams were both ranked in the preseason top 15. Now, one is scratching and clawing to get to seven wins and the other is hoping a five win season will be overshadowed by beating their rival for the third time in four years. 

South Carolina is at home and has seemingly found something offensively ever since they fired Mike Shula. Clemson has elite players everywhere on offense and defense, but no one wearing a headset on the sidelines has seemed to figure out how to win with the embarrassment of riches. 

Give me LaNorris Sellers to play Superman for the second year in a row and finish off his career at South Carolina with a win. 

South Carolina 28, Clemson 24

LSU at Oklahoma 

I genuinely don’t know how LSU will score a point on Oklahoma. You could sell me on them getting in field goal range, but I’d have to assume it would be because of a turnover or muffed punt. LSU’s offense has been the SEC’s biggest disappointment this season, second only to the officiating.

Oklahoma 20, LSU 3

Vanderbilt at Tennessee 

Vanderbilt has the No. 16 ranked passing offense in the country, and the Vols have the best passing offense in the SEC and fourth nationally. This should be a barn burner, and I expect it to be an awesome watch. 

I usually lean on track record and history when making picks. Tennessee has dominated Vanderbilt and gets the Commodores at home. But the difference in this one is Vanderbilt’s push to get Diego Pavia to New York. I expect them to pour on points and yards to make that case. I also think Vanderbilt has been really good at not turning the football over, with only 17 turnovers in the last two seasons. That leads the SEC. 

Joey Aguilar is a turnover machine. Give me Vanderbilt in the upset. 

Vanderbilt 45, Tennessee 42 

Missouri at Arkansas 

Yikes. This game is awful. And hearing Arkansas praised as the “best two-loss team in America” only makes it funnier. Hang the banner.

It’s been a rough second half for both teams, and mercifully it’s almost over. Missouri’s focus is questionable with all the chatter around Eli Drinkwitz’s future. Arkansas, though, should come out swinging in what looks like the last hurrah for Bobby Petrino and Taylen Green.

Arkansas 34, Missouri 33

Florida State at Florida 

Double yikes. This game is even worse. Full transparency, I just don’t hate myself enough to watch this game. 

Florida State 24, Florida 20

Alabama at Auburn 

Spooky stuff always happens in Jordan-Hare. Anytime “spooky” or “flukey” vibes are the main selling point for an upset, it usually means there aren’t many valid reasons to back it up.

I know the history in this game, and everything points to it being a close battle between two bitter rivals. It’s at night in Jordan-Hare and features an Auburn team that leads the SEC in turnover margin at +11. They’ll face an Alabama team that has at least one turnover in their last seven games and two or more in three of their past four. 

I don’t care. Alabama is a better team, and they’ll take care of business handily. Auburn’s best wins this season are close losses that their fans and administration got to complain about. I’ve said for two weeks I have a feeling Alabama walks them out of the stadium by at least 14 points, so I’ll stick with that. 

Alabama 28, Auburn 13