It’s Halloween and in a wild year of college football nationally and especially in the SEC there’s not much telling what will happen today.
At Arkansas where fans and media have been talking themselves into a situation where they believe the Razorbacks took a huge step forward in the win over Vanderbilt a couple of weeks ago. They might want to hold off on that a bit because the Commodores really aren’t a very good team this year. Certainly not as good as the previous two years.
No. 23 Missouri at Arkansas — 6:45 p.m., SEC Network
The Hogs will have questions all over the field, especially on the lines both on offense and defense. Missouri has better players and coaches but we’ve learned this year in the SEC those teams don’t always win.
Somehow, though, Eli Drinkwitz’s growing up in Alma and coaching high school football in Springdale has given him some knowledge of the area and losing just once to Arkansas as the Tigers coach probably has given him some confidence and he knows the personnel.
For whatever reason the Razorbacks struggle against the Tigers ever since they came into the league and the Battle Line Rivalry with one of David Bazzel’s huge trophies as the prize. The Hogs have gotten it twice.
If Missouri can get running back Ahmad Hardy on the field and he’s recovered from getting shot to any sort of game shape that could be enough to energize the Tigers’ running game.
Quarterback Austin Simmons has shown why he was the starter at Ole Miss before an injury launched Trinidad Chambliss into a situation he hasn’t wanted to give up. He’s got one of his favorite receivers from the Rebels in Cayden Lee with him.
Lee was unmerciful with Ole Miss a couple of years ago in Fayetteville. Simmons was Jaxson Dart’s backup then and the Rebs ran all over the Hogs.
Now at Mizzou they might be able to pull off the same thing because Arkansas hasn’t managed to put two games together and it’s always a by guess and by golly after an off week like the Hogs just had.
Arkansas may be better. Missouri will be, too, because they had the same week off and are wanting to get the taste of what Ole Miss did to them out of their system. Missouri 41, Arkansas 21
Auburn at No. 12 Ole Miss — 11:45 a.m., SEC Network
When Billy Cannon returned a punt for a legendary touchdown in 1959, I was alive but had no idea it was even going on that I can remember. Nearly 70 years later it’s still a headline around Ole Miss fans because it killed their perfect season but they still got a national championship they claim. After their chances to win one this year were dealt a big blow at Texas last week now they face a bi-polar Auburn team on Halloween night. After the Tigers beat Georgia a couple of weeks ago some are wondering if they can do it again. What nobody mentions is the Rebels bounced back from a blowout loss to Florida and kicked Vanderbilt and Missouri off the field. Trinidad Chambliss had an up-and-down day against the Longhorns but that seems to be happening all over college football this year, especially in the SEC where they are almost to a coin flip to decide who will be in Atlanta for the league title game. I’ll go with the Rebels in this one, mainly because I’m not ready to buy in on any team being that great called the Tigers, has a chant called War Eagle and a bald eagle flies over the stadium and everybody cheers. I’ll take the Air Force flyovers the Rebels have at the Vaught. They can clinch bowl eligibility but nothing else. Ole Miss 38, Auburn 21
No. 17 Florida vs. No. 3 Georgia — 2:30 p.m., ABC
In a year of crazy things happening this has chances all over the place. Which team is going to show up for each one? The Gators team that dismantled Ole Miss and Texas could also cause the Bulldogs a massive problem. Florida can’t afford to play like they did in losses to Missouri and South Carolina or Georgia will be on the field practicing drills like what Razorback fans saw in a blowout in Fayetteville. I’m not ready at all to climb on the Gator bandwagon because there’s no consistency from week to week. The Bulldogs don’t fall face down in many gaes and probably won’t at the Oldest Cocktail Party in Atlanta this year while they do some remodeling in Jacksonville. That’s enough to go with the logical move here. Georgia 31, Florida 17
South Carolina at Oklahoma — 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
Can Shane Beamer take the home magic he’s had this year on the road to Norman? The Sooners have offensive problems galore and can’t seem to figure out anything consistent and John Mateer at quarterback hasn’t really been the answer. The biggest problem OU has is getting a running game because former Razorback Isaiah Sategna is having an All-SEC type year and making big plays every game. It’s what Sam Pittman and Hog fans saw when they got him out of Fayetteville High for a couple of years before he made the move. Brent Venables has the Sooners playing defense that at times is just smothering to opponents. It may do just that to LaNorris Sellers and the South Carolina offense. Oklahoma 27, South Carolina 21
Mississippi State at No. 11 Texas — 6:30 p.m., ESPN
The Good Grief game of the week in the SEC that looked a month ago like it might be one that factored into the league championship picture. That was before Kamario Taylor has stubbed his toe into a situation where he’ll miss the rest of the season and they have to go with a backup true freshman who plays like it. The Bulldogs’ defense can still make plays but the Longhorns have got to develop some consistency on offense and Arch Manning has turned into a human. Razorback fans are hoping he doesn’t turn into Superman when they play down in Austin in a few weeks but nobody’s holding their breath. It’s that much question even in offense which team shows up. They won’t need it against Mississippi State who is struggling now. Texas 35, Mississippi State 16
Open dates: Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
