SEC heavyweight fight still a week away

Thank you SEC scheduling person for giving the University of Arkansas next week off. Everyone in the country is going to be watching next Saturday’s Alabama-LSU game, including yours truly.

This week there are some good games and one very significant game in Jacksonville, Fla., where Florida and Georgia will try to put the other behind the 8-ball in the race for the SEC East title. Texas A&M traveling to Mississippi State is a big game as far as future bowl selections go.

The Arkansas State at Louisiana-Lafayette game is big in the Sun Belt Conference race.

Got back on track last week going 5-1 and that brings the season record 57-19.

Here are this week’s picks:

VANDERBILT AT ARKANSAS

The battle of cellar dwellers at 0-4 in SEC play (Missouri is 0-3) is why the Commodores and Razorbacks got the brunch kickoff. Vandy is favored as it gets back its top running back, Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Vandy fell behind No. 3 Notre Dame 10-0 and then outscored the Fighting Irish 17-12, but the slow start was too much to overcome. The Commodores led Florida 21-3 before losing 37-27. A veteran offense line allows senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur time to run a balanced offense. The Razorbacks equaled their longest win streak of the season, one, last week shutting out Tulsa 23-0. Ty Storey returns at quarterback. Rakeem (not Kareem as written here last week) Boyd is proving to be a SEC running back. This one will be decided in the trenches. Arkansas 24-21

ARKANSAS STATE AT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE

It would appear the Ragin’ Cajuns played Alabama a little better than the Red Wolves, scoring two touchdowns to one. However, the Red Wolves scored on their first possession of the second half against Tide first-teamers, and the Ragin’ Cajuns scored both of their touchdowns in the fourth quarter against secondand third-teamers. However, the game is in Lafayette, although ASU won at Tulsa. The division title is still wide open and so is getting bowl eligible. ASU 31-24

FLORIDA VS. GEORGIA (JACKSONVILLE, FLA.)

This game is officially not a cocktail party, unofficially it always has been and always will be. The Gators are in a three-way tie for the SEC East lead with the Bulldogs and Kentucky, and a win here would probably put Dan Mullen on the SEC Coach of the Year radar. The Gators beat LSU, Georgia didn’t, and both teams had last week off to prepare for this game. Mullen is good, but so is Kirby Smart who has the better quarterback. Georgia 31-24

KENTUCKY AT MISSOURI

The Tigers have not been impressive in SEC play and the Wildcats have been the biggest surprise of the season. The Wildcats are wildly dreaming of a division title. A home game against Georgia and a trip to Tennessee is all they have left in SEC play after this week. The Tigers’ goal should be to get bowl eligible. The difference should be quarterback Drew Lock for the Tigers. Missouri 28-17

TEXAS A&M AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

The Aggies think they are still in the hunt in the SEC West, but probably not. Mississippi State’s only SEC win was an impressive 23-9 victory over Auburn and they played LSU tough the next week. The Aggies have been the luckiest team in the SEC and their three conference victories were by an average of less than seven. Cowbells will be ringing and the Bulldog Nation will be yelling, “Hail State.” Mississippi State 28-27

TENNESSEE AT SOUTH CAROLINA

The Vols are still trying to define themselves, while the Gamecocks know they aren’t great and must play hard on every down. South Carolina 27-17