The Southeastern Conference had another stellar week in Week 2, and so did our picks. On the season we are 30-1 with the only blemish coming from Oklahoma’s inexplicable loss to Michigan. This week there are 11 matchups and we have picks for all of them.
Here are our picks for Week 3.
The appetizers
Georgia at Arkansas | Georgia -24.5 | O/U 53.5
Georgia 48, Arkansas 10
NC State at Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt -3.5 | O/U 53.5
NC State 27, Vanderbilt 26
Kentucky at Texas A&M | Texas A&M -16.5 | O/U 48.5
Texas A&M 37, Kentucky 14
Florida State at Alabama | Alabama -19.5 | O/U 50.5
Alabama 34, Florida State 14
Troy at Missouri | Missouri -26.5 | O/U 50.5
Missouri 38, Troy 17
New Mexico at Oklahoma | Oklahoma -22.5 | O/U 48.5
Oklahoma 37, New Mexico 13
Kennesaw State at Tennessee | Tennessee -35.5 | O/U 59.5
Tennessee 48, Kennesaw State 13
UTSA at Texas | Texas -30.5 | O/U 57.5
Texas 41, UTSA 17
Main Courses
Mississippi State at South Carolina | South Carolina -4 | O/U 58.5
These two teams are about as evenly matched as can be – on paper. They each run a similar defense in the 3-3-5 and flex nickel. They each have ridiculously talented, athletic quarterbacks with very high ceilings, and the playcallers on each side are even brothers. Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor is awesome, and so is the offense for State so far this season. But, when two teams mirror one another, you would tend to ride with the team who has a better roster or homefield advantage. South Carolina has both.
South Carolina 31, Mississippi State 24
Florida at Auburn | Florida -2.5 | O/U 53.5
This is the first big road test for Florida’s first-year head coach Jon Sumrall and quarterback Aaron Philo, and Auburn will need Jordan-Hare to provide some sort of magic to increase its chances of winning the game. The defense has been great through two games for the Tigers, but the offense, which is chock full of G6 transfers on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, has struggled. Imagine that.
Florida 27, Auburn 21
LSU at Ole Miss | LSU -3| O/U 58.5
LSU heads to Oxford. Finally.
This buildup to this game has felt like a car wreck on the way to Disney, and we’ve been stuck in traffic waiting for it to pass or get moved off the road for months now. The quicker it’s in the rearview, the quicker we get to the most magical place on earth – the rest of the season.
There are players on Ole Miss’ roster that are better than their LSU counterparts at the same position. Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy, and Will Echols are all elite at their respective positions, and that’s great. That’s really great. But, someone please explain what matchup Ole Miss has over LSU anywhere on the field. Not in the stands. On the field.
I’ve said since summer that LSU wins this game by double digits. Nothing moved me off of that in fall camp, and if anything, I’m even more confident in that prediction after watching each of their first two games. Give me the Tigers, and give me the Tigers by a lot.
LSU 34, Ole Miss 24
