Texas is the No. 1 team in the nation. Ole Miss has the largest point differential in SEC history (through four games). Tennessee was most dominant on both sides of the ball.
But until proven otherwise, the SEC will go through Georgia and Alabama.
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have won the nation's top conference championship in nine of the past 10 seasons. They split two games for the national championship. The two have met in the SEC title game in two of the past three seasons.
On Saturday, they will play without Nick Saban for the first time in 21 years. This is the first time in 17 years (91 games) that the University of Alabama has lost at home. This is the first time the Crimson Tide has fallen behind in the regular season since 2015, when Saban, with the help of longtime defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, led Alabama to a blowout victory over Georgia.
Alabama, with its points plus, is always an attractive option. Especially since the Bulldogs' most recent game saw them without multiple injured starters, struggling to defeat Kentucky 13-12 just hours after the Tide obliterated Wisconsin. .
But Georgia is known for sweating even at peak times.
In 2021, the Bulldogs scored 10 points in the season opener, but lost to Alabama in the SEC title game before rallying to defeat the Tide in the national championship. In 2022, the Bulldogs won their biggest win in history against a Missouri team that finished 6-7 after falling behind by double digits in the fourth quarter and saving themselves from playoff elimination on an Ohio State field goal. They ended the season undefeated by the margin. About the national championship.
The Bulldogs always bounce back because Smart replaced them as the best coach in the country and built one of the most talented and disciplined rosters in the country. Its members currently feature a potential top-10 pick at quarterback and the only defense in the country that has yet to allow a touchdown. season.
Tuscaloosa gives the Tide a big advantage, but it's only been a year since Texas left Bryant-Denny Stadium with a victory. If Saban, who went 5-1 against Smart, does not retire, Alabama may have an advantage in this matchup.
But now it is Georgia (-2) That's what makes the biggest difference in this sport.
Virginia Tech (+19.5) vs. Miami
Hurricanes will return to Earth someday. Perhaps the losing streak could end this week when Miami, which has three defenses ranked below 120, takes on the Hokies, who boast a top-25 pass defense.
Lagers (-2) vs. Washington
The Scarlet Knights will have to take advantage of Friday Night Lights and face an opponent who hasn't left Seattle this season. Good luck finding more inappropriate Big Ten matchups.
Kentucky (+17.5) vs. OLE MISS
The Rebels' annual soft non-conference schedule doesn't help them into the fall. Ole Miss hasn't covered an SEC opener since 2019. The last two meetings with Kentucky have been decided by a combined four-point margin.
Michigan vs. Minnesota (-9.5)
The Wolverines saved their season despite only throwing for 32 yards against USC. Another 60 minutes built on the strength of the defense and ground game in a 31-14 home loss to Iowa State after allowing just 62 passing yards to former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara. It's the right recipe against the Gophers.
Oklahoma State (+4.5) vs. Kansas State
The loser will withdraw from the Big 12 title race. There's little to separate the two preseason conference contenders, and both suffered losses last week.
USC (-15.5) vs. Wisconsin
It would be the last time we saw the Badgers humiliated at home after quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was sidelined with a torn ACL. His replacement (Bradyn Lock) has completed 50 percent of his career passes, but will receive little help from a defense that ranks 118th in the nation in opponent completion percentage.
Louisville (+6.5) vs. Notre Dame
Riley Leonard will have to use his arm due to the Cardinals' impressive defense, which has limited runners to 3.3 yards per carry this season, compared to Louisville's double-digit total last season. In the win, he held the Irish to 1.6 yards per carry. The Cardinals are one of only three teams in the nation without a turnover this season.
Oklahoma (-2) vs. Auburn
Both teams left their starting quarterbacks on the bench. Backups are not a good alternative. But the Sooners' defense, which held off Tennessee's explosive offense, will silence the Tigers, who scored 14 points in each of their two home losses this month.
Mississippi State (+38.5) vs. Texas
As a general rule, you can't exceed 38 points in an SEC game. Arch Manning just made his first start against Monroe and had two interceptions, but he's still not at Quinn Ewers' level.
Ohio State (-23.5) vs. Michigan State
The Buckeyes have won their past seven games against the Spartans by an average margin of more than 30 points. The Buckeyes' seventh-ranked run defense forces Michigan State to rely on an injury-plagued receiving corps and quarterback (Aidan Chiles) who has seven interceptions in his first three games as a starter against FBS opponents. You won't get any.
Clemson (-21.5) vs. Stanford
The Tigers, who have scored 125 points in their last two games, could still look like a playoff team unless they play a playoff team. Stanford's Ashton Daniels has thrown seven interceptions in his last five meetings with the Power Four, but has completed less than 56 percent of his passes and has been sacked 13 times.
Illinois (+18) vs. Penn State
The Illini are one of only two teams in the nation with multiple wins over ranked teams this season, most recently winning in front of more than 86,000 fans as a near-double-digit underdog at Nebraska. did. Since 2015, Bret Bielema's teams have an 18-5 record against the spread as road dogs.
Do you want to bet on college football?
Arizona (+11.5) vs. Utah
If Cam Rising doesn't return, the Wildcats will be treated to a freshman quarterback who plays less than four full games and has five picks. Even with Rising back, the Utes may still have trouble slowing down a Wildcats offense that scored 42 points against Utah last season and currently ranks seventh in the nation in yards per play. I don't know.
Oregon State (-24) vs. UCLA
The Bruins don't deserve the Rose Bowl. Five of Pasadena's last seven conference games have been lost, including a recent 42-13 loss to Indiana, and the school has lost its first Power Four appearance in the past eight years. The number of people has decreased the most.
Best bet: Michigan, Oklahoma, Illinois
This season: 30-30 (4-8)
2014-23 season records: 1,272-1,206-30
