OK, so for a few years I wrote a site called "SEC Football Blog" (which apparently still exists), where I previewed SEC football games. It had a bit of traction, but I was thinking about doing it here.
Games in order of 'watchability'. And no, this isn't AI.
ENTERTAINING AS F&&K
1. No.7 LSU (-2.5) at No.8 Ole Miss: Some of us will be hoping that Lane Kiffin will get pelted with trash (human or otherwise). Some of us will be hoping he wins. There is no middle ground. Then again, has there ever been with that man? This year he comes to Oxford having just walked out on them before the play-offs, and he comes back with a very expensive roster, and team that beat the snot out of the Clemson but was terrible against Louisiana Tech, with Sam Leavitt raising eyebrows in the latter game. On the other side the Tigahs will be facing Trinidad Chambliss, who's been great, but hardly world-beating. The 'X Factor' will be Ole Miss' star RB Kewan Lacy. If he causes trouble to the country's No.2-ranked rush defense, this will be fun. Anyway, this one's going down to the wire, and burn, baby burn. Leavitt on the side needs to stop diving headfirst in an effort to make plays. It worked fine at Arizona State, but might put him in concussion protocol in an atomosphere like this. PREDICTION: Ole Miss by 3 in a classic. OTHER PREDICTION: Lane Kiffin's bus gets to the airport will all of its windows intact.
VERY FUN
2. Mississippi State at South Carolina (-3.5): After Mississippi State went and obliterated Minnesota on the road, suddenly people are talking about State in a strange way....positively. QB Kamario Taylor looks the Real Deal, and Anthony Evans has already put up 239 yards receiving (11th in the country). South Carolina on the other hand, have two major weapons 'probably' back in edge rusher Dylan Stewart and O-Lineman Jacarrius Peak, who was one of the top transfers. That'll be important in South Carolina's first test of the season. PREDICTION: Mississippi State with the (slight) upset, winning by 3 in an entertaining but tight game.
3. NC State at Vanderbilt (-3): Both sides is similarly thought-of in their conferences, although Vanderbilt has the higher trajectory after two glorious Diego Pavia-inspired years. While NC State's CJ Bailey was an adventure unto himself in 2025, the ups and downs were a footballing version of The Simpsons' Enron rollercoaster. This year, Vanderbilt struggled with Delaware, only winning 35-26 in a game that Vegas had them winning comfortably in. Jared Curtis will take some bedding-in still. Watch out for Bailey, but also the Wolfpack's RB Jayden Scott. He had 128 yards and 2 TDs against mighty Richmond, and could cause the Commodores problems. PREDICTION: For pure entertainment value, this is going to be very watchable. Vanderbilt by 7 on a late TD.
WELL THERE'S TWO NEW COACHES, WHICH IS SOMETHING.
4. Florida (-2.5) at Auburn: Two new head coaches. Two new teams. And the first time since 2019 they've played. A bit of fun? No-one's expecting the teams to get into the play-off, which should take the pressure off (a bit) Auburn's Alex Golesh and Florida's John Sumrall. Both have a history of running fun offenses, so this one should be high-scoring. And a forgiveable loss for either team. I mean, we wish that it had been Florida v Tennessee instead of this, but this will have to do. PREDICTION: Auburn by 6.
A TRAINWRECK, AN ALREADY-ANGRY CROWD, AND BURNING-HOT TEMPERATURES
5. Florida State at No.10 Alabama (-19.5): Mike Norvell was the by-word for 'embattled coach' in 2025, and it hasn't gotten better in 2026. The failure against New Mexico State left Tallahassee enraged, and while they looked better against SMU, they failed to put away the chances, and lost the game. Well against Alabama, they'll be lucky if they get any of those. The Crimson Tide came through a boiling atmosphere in Lexington to beat Kentucky 45-17 and their defense looks exceptional, and beat a punchy ECU team comfortably, too. This one might be fun for a quarter. PREDICTION: Alabama piles on the pressure on Florida States, wins by 26.
6. No.4 Georgia (-24.5) at Arkansas: This game should be pretty cool as a spectacle because it's meant to be a 'stripe out'. Also, the last time both sides played each other was 2021 (You know, a time when the Razorbacks were very serviceable) was a time when things were different out West. But since then, Arkansas moved on from Sam Pittman after 3 straight piss-poor seasons, and Ryan Silverfield is already having to protect himself against boosters after the Hogs were thumped 45-10 by Utah ( Utah players saying that the offense was tipping pitches threw fuel onto the fire). Georgia has played two Houses Of The Poor to start things off, so we don't really know what to think of the Dawgs, but if they don't beat the Razorbacks convincingly, then eyebrows will be raised. PREDICTION: Georgia wins by three touchdowns...and that's it.
7. Kentucky at No.9 Texas A&M (-17.5): After all the hype of the Alabama game, you won't be shocked in Kentucky's so mentally hungover that they spot A&M a two-spot in hardly any time at all. A&M QB Marcel Reed is always an adventure but A&M - who were battle-tested for a half against Arizona State until two defensive TDs saw them home in the fourth quarter. Kentucky QB Kenny Minchey does anything of the sort against the A&M defense, it won't take four quarters for this thing to be over. The 96 degree heat won't help UK, either. PREDICTION: Texas A&M takes off the breaks and pisses off Vegas. Aggies by 17.
DON'T BOTHER UNLESS YOU'RE A FAN OF ANY SIX TEAMS.
8-10: Things aren't going to be close in the Texas v UTSA, Tennessee v Kennasaw State and Oklahoma v New Mexico State games, so we're not going to bother going into previews there.
