By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Matt Smith previews week 13 in the SEC.

SEC Week 13 Primer
The SEC will but a bow on a challenging season on Saturday with a trio of rescheduled regular-season games leading up to the 29th SEC Championship Game in primetime between Alabama and Florida. Assuming all games are played, the SEC will have completed 69 of 71 scheduled games, with only Vanderbilt-Georgia and Ole Miss-Texas A&M as casualties of roster attrition and contact tracing protocols.

The battle for the league title lost some luster last week after Florida was upset by LSU in one of the wildest games of the season, likely eliminating the Gators from College Football Playoff contention. Squaring that result with Alabamas 38-point win over the Tigers a week earlier makes it hard to paint a path for Florida to win this game, but the Gators are a well-coached team with a great quarterback. Discounting their chances says more about the strength of Alabama than it does about the issues at Florida.

In the other games, Ole Miss will look to stay hot in Baton Rouge against an LSU team that has found a pulse, while Texas A&M hopes to conclude its first regular season with one or fewer losses since 1994 when it travels to Tennessee. Missouris attempt at its first winning season in SEC play since 2014 at Mississippi State completes the slate.

With coaching searches and National Signing Day commingled with actual games, lets preview a busy week in the SEC.

Southern Storylines
The Next Generation
You might have missed it, but the Early Signing Period, a.k.a the new National Signing Day, began on Wednesday. Recruiting is still as important as anything in the fabric of college football, but Signing Day has fallen off the map in terms of how much buzz it creates. It used to happen in early February 3 a dead time on the sports calendar, particularly if it fell the week after the Super Bowl. This time of year, even in a non-pandemic year, is a busy time. There are bowls, coaching searches, NFL games, and, of course, the holidays. I miss what early February used to be. As for the actual signings, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Clemson and Ohio State led the way. Sound familiar?

New Regimes
Two SEC head coach openings have been filled, but the biggest one, Auburn, remains vacant as of Thursday. Vanderbilt is off the market after hiring Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea on Monday. Lea will need to be a better communicator and hire a better staff than predecessor Derek Mason, but the most significant aspect of the Commodores program will be how much investment they get from the administration. Auburns last two hires werent seen as home runs at the time, so if they do just promote defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, it shouldnt be all that surprising. The power brokers at Auburn love guys with connections to the school, and Steele provides them that.

Saturday Night Special
For the first time since 2006, the SEC Championship Game will be played in primetime. With CBS having basketball commitments and the SEC playing regular-season games earlier in the day, the move to primetime, even if temporary, makes sense. Will the battle between Alabama and Florida be worthy of primetime? From what we saw a week ago, it wont be. However, the Gators should have their best player back this week with tight end Kyle Pitts cleared. Alabama also hasnt faced a competent quarterback in more than two months, so perhaps the major improvement by the Crimson Tide defense is more of a product of their opponents.

Corralling the Rebels
Ole Miss has played just one game in the last month, a seven-point win over Mississippi State on Nov. 28. A win at LSU on Saturday afternoon would give Lane Kiffins team a winning record in his first season and a possible trip to the Citrus Bowl. The Tigers should have some renewed energy after last weeks shocking upset win at Florida, but LSU isnt really the spoiler this week. Will the same fire be there for a thin roster? If not, Kiffin and quarterback Matt Corral could light up Tiger Stadium like Alabama did two weeks ago.

Aggies To Oranges
Sitting at No. 5, Texas A&M needs either Clemson or Ohio State to lose to have any hopes of a College Football Playoff berth. The Aggies will close their season this week with a trip to face the not-so-Big Orange of Tennessee, which snapped a six-game losing streak last week with a win over Vanderbilt. If Texas A&M wins and fails to get the necessary CFP help, it will likely head to the Orange Bowl to face North Carolina. For a program that has only played in one BCS or New Years Six bowl this century, any disappointment from missing the CFP should be short-lived.

Trivia Time (answers below):
1. Alabama and Florida will meet for the 10th time in the SEC Championship Game. What SEC Championship Game matchup is the second-most played?
2. After Saturdays game at Tennessee, who will be the only SEC team that Texas A&M hasnt played on the road since joining the conference?
3. Who is the last team with multiple losses to win the SEC championship?

Previews and Predictions
(5) Texas A&M (-14) at Tennessee, Noon ET (ESPN)
Announcers: Bob Wischusen and Dusty Dvoracek
Was that a sign of life from Tennessee last week at Vanderbilt? Probably not, but like weve seen from Georgia and LSU, a quarterback change can provide a jolt of energy to a team having a disappointing season. True freshman Harrison Bailey seems to have done that for the Vols, helping them score 55 points in their last six quarters. Hell now have to face a Texas A&M defense that has developed into one of the SECs best. Kellen Mond has thrown just one interception since the Aggies loss to Alabama, a credit to both the senior quarterback and Jimbo Fisher, who once had a star quarterback at Florida State who couldnt stop throwing interceptions. If Tennessee can stop the run, which it has in the past two games, this could be competitive. With little faith, Ill call for a solid performance from the 3-6 Volunteers that keeps this game interesting well into the second half. Prediction: Texas A&M 30, Tennessee 17

Ole Miss (-2.5) at LSU, 3:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Cole Cubelic
LSU hopes to get cornerback Derek Stingley back this week after he missed last weeks win at Florida. If it werent for Alabamas DeVonta Smiths amazing season, Ole Miss wideout Elijah Moore would be at the top of the Biletnikoff Award race. LSUs improving secondary will be tested by Moore and a dangerous Rebels passing game. The Tigers offense had some success last week in Max Johnsons first start and should be able to move the ball against a shaky Ole Miss defense. This has the makings of the shootout. LSU won a high-scoring affair last week despite having the lesser quarterback, but it wont be so fortunate this week against Matt Corral. Prediction: Ole Miss 45, LSU 38

Missouri (-1) at Mississippi State, 3:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network Alternate)
Announcers: Roy Philpott and Kelly Stouffer
A pair of offenses that were served a dose of reality last week will close out the season on Saturday in Starkville. The 5-4 Tigers had put up more than 90 points in wins over Vanderbilt and Arkansas, but were held to just 14 a week ago in a blowout loss to Georgia. The 2-7 Bulldogs hung tough in road losses to Georgia and Ole Miss, but couldnt find the end zone in last weeks loss to Auburn. The Tigers werent a great matchup for Mississippi State, because the Bullies couldnt expose Auburns porous run defense. After allowing 600 yards over the past two games, Missouris front seven has proven to be shoddy as well against a good running game. Again, the concern is whether or not Mississippi State can take advantage of that weakness. Last weeks result would suggest it cant. Prediction: Missouri 24, Mississippi State 17

SEC Championship Game: (1) Alabama (-17.5) vs. (7) Florida, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
Announcers: Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson
Assuming Kyle Pitts is good to go, he could have a hard time finding open space against this Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide will do everything it can to take away Kyle Trasks No. 1 target and force him to utilize Kadarius Toney, Jacob Copeland and Trevon Grimes. Toney is a terror in space, and the latter two have proven to be capable combative catchers. Thats the key for Florida to make this competitive. Dan Mullen will need to get Toney the ball in space, while Copeland and Grimes are going to have to win one-on-one battles. Only Ole Miss has run for 150 yards against Alabama, so expecting much from the ground game seems unwarranted.

Florida cant afford more than probably two possessions without points. The Gators defense continues to be picked apart on a weekly basis, and Todd Granthams blitzes arent going to get home very often against this Alabama offensive line, perhaps the nations best. Florida can do a decent job against Najee Harris and the Alabama running game, but I do not trust this Gators secondary whatsoever against Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, and the Alabama aerial attack. This is the recipe for Florida: no more than two empty possessions, contain Najee Harris, force two turnovers, and win combative catches. Doing all of that is simply too much to ask against Alabama. Prediction: Alabama 48, Florida 28

Best Bets
Last Week: 3-2, +7 Musburgers
Season: 25-31-1, -12 Musburgers
Utah -10.5 vs. Washington State 3 5 Musburgers
Missouri -1 at Mississippi State 3 4 Musburgers
Iowa State +5.5 vs. Oklahoma 3 3 Musburgers
USC -3 vs. Oregon 3 2 Musburgers
Marshall -5.5 vs. UAB 3 1 Musburger

Trivia Answers
1. Georgia vs. LSU (four times)
2. Kentucky
3. LSU (2007)