Mississippi State vs Arkansas
Both Dak Prescott and Tyler Russell, Mississippi State’s duo of quarterbacks that have alternated as the starter, are listed with “day-to-day” injuries. Prescott is a dual-threat quarterback that has 722 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. While he is less impressive than Russell as a passer, he is more dynamic and unpredictable.
LaDarius Perkins of Mississippi State has the potential the shred defenses. His lateral quickness is troublesome for defenders and he is lethal in space, assuming his offensive line enables him to get there.
Arkansas’ duo of running backs is one the deadliest in the nation. Alex Collins has already proven that he deserves to be feared by opposing defenses, despite being a freshman. Collins, the workhorse and catalyst of Arkansas’ offense, currently has 946 rushing yards and is bound to surpass the 1,000 mark against Mississippi State. His sidekick, Jonathan Williams, is approaching 800 yards on the year. Both of the talented rushers have four touchdowns each.
(11) South Carolina vs Coastal Carolina
While it may not be in FBS play, Coastal Carolina is holding a 10-1 record at the moment and will not go down without a respectable fight. That being said, South Carolina will still win by 20+ points.
There may not be a player that has improved more from last year than Connor Shaw. His decision making and control of the game has been noticeably better. Thus far, Shaw has thrown 19 touchdowns for South Carolina, while only giving up one interception. He has also ran for three touchdowns this year.
South Carolina’s Mike Davis has stepped into Marcus Lattimore’s shoes and has certainly not disappointed. He is a threat both as a rusher and a receiver. In 10 games, Davis has surpassed 1,100 rushing yards, but last week against Florida, he took a few hits that noticeably bothered him. Look for him to be restricted early on, but his role will be progressively increased as the game goes on.
Florida vs Georgia Southern
With their recent struggles and long list of injuries, Florida absolutely needs this game to regroup and gain confidence. They should be able to roll through the FCS team, but their one-dimensional offense may be problematic.
Earlier in the year, Jeff Driskel went down with a season-ending leg injury. Recently, Tyler Murphy suffered a shoulder injury. With those two out, quarterback responsibilities fell into the hands of freshman Skyler Mornhinweg. In his first start against South Carolina last week, he was restricted from throwing downfield, but when he did, it was ineffective. He threw for just over 100 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception.
Florida’s famed defense will hold their opponent to zero touchdowns. Their plethora of talented cornerbacks will lock down the skies, allowing the box to be stacked to stuff the run.
(1) Alabama vs Chattanooga
The Crimson Tide’s backup players will be in by the second half, if not earlier. Alabama is primed to completely dismantle Chattanooga, primarily on the ground. Alabama will establish the run early on and continue to run the ball right down the throat of Chattanooga’s defense.
TJ Yeldon and Kenyan Drake of Alabama have ran for a combined 1,500-plus yards. While the Alabama offensive line deserves a certain degree of credit, Yeldon and Drake are a nasty, talented duo of running backs that few teams have any success stopping or slowing down.
Although he will likely be a non-factor against Chattanooga, AJ McCarron has topped the 2,200 passing yards mark and has thrown 21 touchdowns, as compared to five interceptions.
(12) Texas A&M vs (22) LSU
Johnny Manziel, who is making a case for himself to win his second consecutive Heisman trophy, faces his most daunting task since the Alabama game earlier this season. LSU’s pass rush will test the elite offensive tackles of Texas A&M. The overwhelming pressure will force Manziel to either get out passes quicker or maneuver in and around the pocket to avoid the rush.
Defensively, LSU’s key to success will be shutting down Mike Evans to the best of their ability. Through 57 receptions, Evans has surpassed 1,200 receiving yards on the year for a whopping 22 yards per reception. No wide receiver in the nation wins more contested catches than Evans.
LSU’s offense has the advantage over A&M’s defense. Mettenberger has become a commanding quarterback, which is scary considering he has Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. at his disposal. Jeremy Hill, LSU’s featured running back, has had a phenomenal year. He is creeping up on 1,000 yards and has ran for 13 touchdowns.
Kentucky vs Georgia
As they have for most of the year, Georgia’s offensive line will be overwhelmed. Za’Darius Smith and Bud Dupree are polar opposite pass rushers, but talented nonetheless. The duo has accumulated 13 total sacks and are the only two on the team with multiple sacks. Georgia’s offensive tackles will be greatly tested.
Todd Gurley will be Georgia’s key weapon against Kentucky. Gurley is the best running back in the nation and can be likened to Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks. While only taking 116 carries, he has amassed 704 yards and seven touchdowns. Once Gurley gets going, the rest of the Georgia offense will follow.
Although, Gurley can not completely overshadow Aaron Murray. Murray has taken control of an injured wide receiver corps and made the most of what was left of them. His 22 passing touchdowns should not turn any heads, but Murray has quietly totaled seven rushing touchdowns. He has proven that he can be somewhat of a running threat, if need be.
Vanderbilt vs Tennessee
Head coach James Franklin has overachieved with the level of talent that Vanderbilt has. Their only true difference maker and game changer is wide receiver Jordan Matthews. He has been a workhorse in that offense and has caught 83 passes, which is roughly eight receptions per game. Past Matthews, Vanderbilt is a team of serviceable starters, which is not bad at all.
Jerron Seymour has a nose for the end zone. While he is not an electric runner, Seymour has been a red zone star as he has rushed for 12 touchdowns on the year for Vanderbilt.
Tennessee’s offensive line and running backs, as well as wide receiver Marques North, are an impressive group, but quarterback play has been a disappointing. Josh Dobbs, a true freshman, has assumed the role of starting quarterback and is simply not ready to lead a team yet. He flashes potential, but needs more time before he is ready to allow Tennessee to contend at a high level.
(8) Missouri vs (24) Ole Miss
There is not a team more deserving of the title “biggest surprise” than Missouri. Even with freshman Maty Mauk at the helm as James Franklin is injured, they have been able to win week after week, only being beaten by South Carolina. Mauk has thrown a miniscule two interceptions, but has thrown 10 touchdowns as he leads Missouri’s offense.
Opposing Maty Mauk and his offensive attack is Bo Wallace. Wallace is a middling passer that is often bailed out by his athleticism. Wide receivers Laquon Treadwell and Donte Moncrief deserve a majority of the credit for the success of that passing offense. The duo at Ole Miss is one of the most difficult to cover considering both are both 6’3” and 215-plus pounds, as well as being naturally gifted at their position.