SEC PRIMER (Week 14): Serving up a nice helping of rivalries this Thanksgiving
Compiled by GRAHAM DUNN
Happy Thanksgiving. Even you, Dan Mullen.
That’s not meant as a slant. Everyone deserves a turkey leg or two.
It’s the time of year where we all gather at the table enjoy the feast that comes by virtue of the fact that Pilgrims didn’t know how to make popcorn and the natives taught them how.
It’s also the biggest week for rivalries. They all count the same, at least where everyone lives. Folks in Sarasota, Fla. don’t give a darn about Tennessee-Vanderbilt, but there is a war brewing in Nashville between somebody.
This year’s Georgia-Georgia Tech game might be the worst matchup in the history of the series. But fights will break out at some point at Bobby Dodd Stadium just to make a point.
Each game has its own unique quality and possibly a story or two. Allow the opportunity to share the favorites (in-state only).
Start with that Georgia-Georgia Tech series where long ago Bulldog fans threw rocks at Tech players during a game. Published reports stated a Georgia student pulled a knife on one Tech player and threatened to kill him in the late 1880s. No wonder they call it “Clean ole fashion hate.”
The bitterness between Clemson and South Carolina was so deep, the two student bodies would hold a “Tiger Burn” at South Carolina while Clemson held a mock funeral for “Cocky” but that all but ended when a student died in 2007 from a fire.
And don’t forget the brawl that broke out in 2004, so bad that the two teams had to refuse bowl invites. It would be Lou Holtz’s last game at SC.
The Battle for the Golden Egg became the moniker of Ole Miss-Mississippi State because of a major fight that broke out after the Rebels ended a 13-game losing streak in the series in 1926 and their fans rushed the field to tear down the goal posts in Starkville.
State fans defended the goal posts with all sorts of paraphernalia and the fight was on.
The peace offering was a “golden egg” awarded to the winning team the following year. Good luck figuring out the magic of that trophy.
Alabama and Auburn gets the reputation as the most heated rivalry but that’s mainly among the fans. The players seem to get along as well as members in a Glee Club. The break in the series (1908-47) was due to a disagreement about players’ per diem and where game officials would come from (North or South). Otherwise, the fighting is kept in the family…. Literally.
Tennessee and Vanderbilt have played each other since 1892. The series has been so lopsided in the Volunteers’ favor, there isn’t anything for the two schools to get upset about, so we move on…
Florida and Florida State is not very old – 1958 to be exact. The Gators had control of the series right down to where the game was played in the early days. Its heyday happened when Bowden and Spurrier faced off in the 1990s. It’s why most people in the Sunshine State believe college football began in 1978 (see Charlie Pell).
Kentucky-Louisville? Let’s talk during basketball season.
Apologies to other rivalries but sticking to the instate variety is apropos at this stage. Now is not the time to comment on other games. There’s a bowl of cranberry relish waiting with your name on it.
So get to eatin….
SEC Schedule for Nov. 25-27 (Rankings are from CFP)
(9) Ole Miss (9-2, 5-2 SEC) at Mississippi State (7-4, 4-3 SEC)
THURSDAY 6:30 p.m. CST • ESPN
Starkville, Miss. • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field (61,337)
Series: UM leads, 63-46-6 (Last meeting - 2020, @ OLE MISS, 31-24)
Last week: Miss St def. Tenn St, 55-10; Ole Miss def. Vanderbilt, 31-17
What about OLE MISS/MISS ST
First time both teams are ranked (AP) in the game since 2015 (Ole Miss -18/Miss St – 21). Teams have met six times when both are ranked.
An Ole Miss win would give the Rebel program their first 10-win season in school history.
Ole Miss Braylon Sanders leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally with 22.1 yards per catch.
MSU QB Will Rogers is working on a streak of games passing for 300 yards or more, now at nine games, two short of the record.
This will be the 30th time the game has been played on Thanksgiving Day, dating back to 1905. Ole Miss leads the series on Thanksgiving, 15-13-1.
RRS Prediction: Miss St 28, Ole Miss 24 (Miss St favored by 1.5)
Missouri (6-5, 3-4 SEC) at (25) Arkansas (7-4, 3-4 SEC)
FRIDAY 2:30 p.m. CST • CBS
Fayetteville, Ark. • Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000)
Series: Mizzou, 9-3 (Last meeting – 2020, @ Mizzou, 50-48)
Last week: Missouri def. Florida, 24-23 (OT); Alabama def. Arkansas, 42-35
What about MIZZOU/ARK
With Arkansas No. 25, this is the first time a team in the series is ranked since 2014 (Missouri). The only time both teams were ranked was when they met in the Cotton Bowl in 2008.
Mizzou RB Tyler Badie ranks fourth in the nation in rushing (1,385 yds.), yards per game (125.9) and sixth in total touchdowns (17).
Arkansas is looking for its first 8-win regular season since 2011.
Ark WR Treylon Burks has a catch in 31 consecutive games, or every game in his career.
Mizzou continues to be stingy with turnovers with 1 fumble lost. The Tigers do have 11 interceptions.
RRS PREDICTION: Arkansas 34, Missouri 28 (Ark favored by 14.5)
Florida St (5-6) at Florida (5-6, 2-6 SEC)
12 p.m. EST • ESPN
Gainesville, Fla. • Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548)
Series: UF leads, 36-26 (Last meeting, 2019 - @ UF, 40-17)
Last week: Missouri def. Florida, 24-23 (OT); Florida St def. Boston Coll, 26-23
What about FSU/UF
With the firing of Dan Mullen, Florida will hire its fourth coach in the last eight years.
FSU has won five of seven games, which is the most since 2017.
Since the beginning of October, FSU is second in the ACC in total defense and passing defense.
Florida has won the last two in the series after losing five straight. UF has just one loss at home (Alabama).
UF is 13th in turnover margin in the SEC (minus-8).
FSU could become just the third team in FBS to start 0-4 and then earn a bowl bid.
RRS Prediction: FSU 25, Florida 21 (Florida favored by 3)
(1) Georgia (11-0, 8-0 SEC) at Georgia Tech (3-8)
12 p.m. EST • ABC
Atlanta, Ga. • Bobby Dodd Stadium (55,000)
Series: UGA leads, 68-41-5 (Last meeting – 2019 – @ UGA, 52-7)
Last week: UGA def. Charleston Southern, 56-7; Notre Dame def. Ga. Tech 55-0
What about UGA/GT
First time since 1982 that Georgia is 11-0. The Dogs are looking to become the fourth team in school history to finish undefeated and untied with double-digit victories and play for a national title (1946, 1980, 1982).The 1980 squad was the last to go undefeated and win the title.
GT’s Jahmyr Gibbs leads the nation with 1,802 all-purpose yards (745 rush/474 rec/583 return).
GT is allowing 32.5 points per game defensively, which ranks 13th in the ACC
Georgia is second in the SEC in offensive passing efficiency, trailing only Alabama.
RRS Prediction: Georgia 45, Ga Tech 0 (UGA favored by 35)
(3) Alabama (10-1, 6-1 SEC) at Auburn (6-5, 3-4 SEC)
2:30 p.m. CST • CBS
Auburn, Ala. • Jordan-Hare Stadium (87,451)
Series: Bama leads, 47-37-1 (Last meeting – 2020, @ Bama, 42-13)
Last week: Bama def. Ark, 42-35; South Carolina def. Auburn, 21-17
What about BAMA/AUB
Alabama clinched its 16th Western Division title last week and also extended its streak of 10-win seasons to 14, most in SEC history and tied with Florida State for the national record.
Auburn has not entered the Iron Bowl on a three-game losing streak since 1976 (Doug Barfield). That streak has an asterisk since Miss St had to forfeit the win that season. The on-the-field streak was four games including losses to Florida and Georgia and eventually Alabama.
Auburn has not won the Iron Bowl unranked and at home since 2003. Both teams were actually unranked that year. Auburn has never beaten a ranked Crimson Tide team while not ranked at Jordan-Hare.
Auburn has been outscored 44-12 in the fourth quarter combined in the last four games.
Alabama has allowed an average of 75 yards rushing in the last five conference games. That number includes a minus-1 total against Miss St. Remove that game and the Crimson Tide has allowed 95 yards per game.
Bryce Young’s record-breaking passing effort against Arkansas was done with 40 attempts (31 completions) for 559 yards. He has not thrown an interception since the sixth game of the season (Texas A&M) and has not had an INT in 217 attempts. Scott Hunter originally set the record with 484 yards on 30-55 passing (vs. Auburn) in 1969.
RRS Prediction: Alabama 35, Auburn 20 (BAMA favored by 20)
Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7 SEC) at Tennessee (6-5, 3-4 SEC)
3:45 p.m. EST • SECN
Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (102,455)
Series: UT leads, 77-33-5 (Last meeting - 2020, @ TENN, 42-17)
Last week: Tennessee def. South Alabama, 60-14; Ole Miss def. Vanderbilt, 31-17
What about VU/TENN
Two teams have played every year since 1945. UT has won 32 of last 38 meetings.
Vandy has now lost 20 straight SEC games and 13 consecutive road games after losing to Ole Miss last week.
Vandy outscored the high-powered offense of Ole Miss 8-7 in the second half.
UT QB Brandon Hooker has thrown at least one TD pass in 10 straight games, the longest streak since 2010-2011 (Tyler Bray).
UT’s Velus Jones is the only player in the nation with 700-plus receiving yards, 500-plus kickoff return yards and 200-return yards this season.
RRS Prediction: Tennessee 55, Vanderbilt 14 (Tenn favored by 31)
(16) Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3 SEC) at LSU (5-6, 2-5 SEC)
6 p.m. CST • ESPN
Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (102,321)
Series: LSU, 34-22-3 (Last meeting – 2020, @ A&M, 20-7)
Last week: A&M def. Prairie View, 52-3; LSU def. La.-Monroe, 27-14
What about A&M/LSU
A&M’s Seth Small set the career school record for scoring with 371 points last week.
Two of LSU’s three TDs last week vs. ULM were scored by true freshmen and before that the last four TDs scored were by true freshmen.
LSU had its longest play of the season on a Max Johnson 67-yard pass to Malik Nabors in the second quarter last week.
A&M is second in Red zone defense in the SEC allowing opponents to score 71 percent of the time on 31 opportunities. LSU is allowing 84 percent although the Tigers did not allow a RZ score last week.
LSU has given up 32 sacks, second most in the SEC and just ahead of Tennessee (42).
RRS PREDICTION: Texas A&M 31, LSU 20 (Texas A&M favored by 6.5)
Kentucky (8-3, 5-3 SEC) at Louisville (6-5)
7:30 p.m. EST • ESPN2
Louisville, Ky. • Cardinal Stadium (65,000)
Series: UK leads, 17-15 (Last meeting, 2019 - @ KY, 45-13)
Last week: Kentucky def. New Mexico St, 56-16; Louisville def. Duke, 62-22
What about KY/UL
Ky is looking for its third-straight win in the series and extending their non-conference win streak to 15 games. The teams did not play in 2020.
Ky is 8-3 for the first time since 2018. The Wildcats have already earned a sole second-place finish in the SEC East , a first since the league split into divisions in 1992.
Louisville QB Malik Cunningham has 18 rushing TDs, which ranks second in the country. He will attempt to break former UL QB Lamar Jackson’s record of 21 set in 2016.
Wan’Dale Robinson is second in the SEC in receiving yards per game (97).
RRS Prediction: Kentucky 35, Louisville 31 (UL favored by 3)
Clemson (8-3) at South Carolina (6-5, 3-5 SEC)
7:30 p.m. EST • SECN
Columbia, S.C. • Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559)
Series: CU leads, 71-42-4 (Last meeting, 2019 - @ CU, 38-3)
Last week: SC def. Auburn, 21-17, Clemson def. Wake Forest, 48-27
What about CU/SC
Last year’s cancelled game ended a streak of 111 consecutive seasons the two teams had played. That streak began in 1909. Clemson has won six straight in the series. A win would tie the longest streak for the Tigers since 1934-40.
SC is bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. The Gamecocks have come from behind in five of the six wins.
SC’s defense held Auburn to 56 yards in the fourth quarter and allowed just two completed passes (2 of 6).
After averaging 20 points offensively in the first seven games, the Tigers have averaged 48 points in the last four games.
Should Wake Forest lose to Boston College and UNC defeats NC State, Clemson would go to the ACC Championship game for the seventh straight year with a win over SC.
RRS Prediction: Clemson 24, South Carolina 20 (Clemson favored by 11.5)
RRS RECORD: Last week: 8-2 (6-1 vs. spread); Season: 79-24 (41-46 vs. spread)