It’s the fourth quarter of the regular season. Every team in the league has three games left. Depending on which logo is on the side of the helmet, the final leg of the season is either filled with adversity or a downhill roll to the finish line. Regardless, it’s another big week in the SEC. We’ve got previews and predictions, but more importantly we have what drinks you’ll need at the tailgate.
Welcome back to another week of Winning and Boozing. Cheers!
Texas at LSU
Through nine games, LSU is first in the SEC and third nationally in trips to the red zone with 49. Of those 49 trips, only 21 continued inside the 10-yard line. Once they get inside the 10-yard line, which is only 42.9% of the time they reach the 20. The struggles continue. They have 21 trips inside the 10 and have scored a touchdown on just 11 of those. That 52.3% rate ranks lowest in the SEC as well.
What’s most concerning about the red-zone inefficiencies against Texas is that there’s no guarantee they’re going to get that many chances against this Longhorns defense. Texas is allowing 4.13 yards per play this season. To put that in perspective, that is better than the historic 2021 Georgia defense that allowed 4.15 yards per play.
I say all that to also say that I just cannot envision a world where we wake up on Sunday and this LSU team is 6-4 with yet another loss to a ranked opponent.
The Winning
LSU 24, Texas 23
The Boozing
Shorty of Fireball. We used to have a regular at a dive bar I worked at in college. I could always tell when it was closing time because he would routinely order his last drink before I ever had a chance to even tell the rest of the guests it was last call. It was like clockwork. There were other bars open later, and I could always tell if he was headed home or headed to another bar by his order. A shot of fireball meant it was time to go home. A half shot, or shorty, meant he still had something left in the tank and was headed to another spot.
Someone is most likely headed home after this game. Yes, Texas still has a chance to make the CFP, but it’s not for certain by any means. For LSU, dropping to 6-4 would be unthinkable in Year 1 of the Lane Kiffin era. A three-loss season would be unthinkable for most Texas fans even though it would be their 15th in the last 17 years. Logic and reason has never been that fan base’s strong suit though. That’s why the Fireball is perfect because whichever coach loses this game won’t necessarily be on the hot seat, but he will certainly start to feel a lot of pressure and catch a lot of heat.
Florida at Kentucky
I don’t trust Florida’s defense. I don’t trust Kentucky’s either to be honest. What I do trust is that head coach Will Stein will put Brad White’s defense in a blender throughout most of the game. Heading into last week Kentucky showed more unique formations offensively than any other team in the SEC with 194. Similar teams like South Carolina (160) forced presnap confusion all game long for Florida’s defense.
The Winning
Kentucky 28, Florida 24
The Boozing
Dr. Pepper Strawberry and Cream Zero Sugar with whatever you want to mix in it. It doesn’t matter, and that’s not the point. I miss the old Dr. Pepper, like normal people miss the old Kanye. This new trend from Dr. Pepper where they add a bunch of flavors is stupid. It already has 23 flavors. What are we doing guys? It was also already delicious. I miss that version. In the same way I miss the old version of these two teams from earlier in the season. It feels like ages ago, but it was really just a month. These two teams were on a tear and being talked about as playoff darkhorses. Kentucky still is being talked about in that light to be fair.
Those two versions were great and hadn’t lost their luster. I’m not sure what happened to Florida after the bye week, but they’ve managed to only score 15 points in two games after not scoring less than 17 in any game this season. That’s why the zero sugar is perfect as well. The lack of umph has been noticeable. Give me the diabetic inducing 20 ounce bottle from October when head coach Jon Sumrall was a walking viral quote.
