By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Matt Smith previews week eleven in the SEC.

SEC Week 11 Primer

For the first time since 2001, when the 9/11 attacks postponed a week of games, we will have a full slate of SEC football in December. The Mississippi schools will sit out this week before playing their final two games, but the rest of the league is in action on a day in which we expect to move Alabama and Florida from expected SEC Championship Game participants to official SEC Championship Game participants.

The six-pack of games is highlighted by No. 5 Texas A&M, which still has College Football Playoff hopes, heading to Auburn, where it hopes to snap a three-game losing streak to the Tigers. The game that looks the most competitive beyond that one is the Battle Line game between 3-5 Arkansas and 4-3 Missouri.

Were in the home stretch of this oddest of odd seasons. Lets span the SEC with a look at this weekends games.

Southern Storylines
Prove It
Texas A&M has been mostly a paper tiger during the modern era of college football. At 6-1 and ranked fifth in the country, College Football Playoff hopes are alive and well for the Aggies as they head to Auburn for what could be their toughest remaining test of the regular season. Auburn is a tough out at home, having beaten Alabama three of the last four times theyve met in Jordan-Hare Stadium. If Jimbo Fishers team can clear the sizable hurdle, then perhaps expectations for this program need to be recalibrated both in the short term and the long term.

Bayou Beatdown
Even before the schedule was reworked and we thought LSU was a top-10 team, the one big game I felt completely confident in picking a winner in the summer was Alabama-LSU. The Crimson Tide would bludgeon even a good LSU team, but this LSU team is headed for a 3-7 or 4-6 season. We saw what Alabama did to Auburn in a revenge spot last week, and Auburn is a better team and talked a lot less trash after its 2019 win than LSU did. The Tide are playing their best football of the season right now, and a merciless thumping of LSU to take back the SEC West crown is the singular focus of the nations top team this week.

Scoreboard Business
When a new coach gets hired, its always amusing to peruse the finer points of his contract, notably his incentives. Two first-year head coaches, Arkansas Sam Pittman and Missouris Eliah Drinkwitz, both are eligible for $25,000 bonuses if they are named SEC Coach of the Year. They are top candidates right now, along with Nick Saban, to take home that award, but the winner of Saturdays game between the Razorbacks and Tigers should have the inside track to getting that additional check.

Returning The Favor
With Florida and Tennessee almost always playing in September, there is rarely a clinching opportunity heading into the game. 19 years ago this week, the Vols and Gators met for the SEC East title in a game moved to December after 9/11. A big underdog, No. 4 Tennessee upset No. 2 Florida, 34-32, in Gainesville, and was able to celebrate an SEC East crown on the field of its bitter rival. Almost two decades later, Florida has a chance to get revenge for that infamous day in its history. With a win in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon, the Gators will lock up the SEC East title and can celebrate it in Neyland Stadium. With Tennessee sitting at 2-5, this game doesnt have the buzz of the top-five showdown back in 2001, but that wont dampen the spirits should Florida prevail and win the SEC East for a record 13th time.

Temp Checks
Perhaps the two worst teams in the SEC hit the road on Saturday with interim head coaches. South Carolina is 0-2 under Mike Bobo, who will coach his final game in charge of the Gamecocks on Saturday night at Kentucky. After firing Derek Mason on Sunday, Vanderbilt has handed the keys over to offensive coordinator Todd Fitch for its final two games, starting Saturday at No. 8 Georgia. Only Bobo has a chance for a victory this week, with Fitch having a small chance at a win next week when the Commodores play their final game of the season against Tennessee.

Trivia Time (answers below):
1. What Auburn greats final college game was a loss to Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl?
2. What head coach handed Nick Saban his final loss at Tiger Stadium as LSUs head coach?
3. How many consecutive seasons did either Florida or Tennessee win the SEC East after it was formed in 1992?

Previews and Predictions
(5) Texas A&M (-7) at Auburn, Noon ET (ESPN)
Announcers: Sean McDonough and Todd Blackledge
Are there concerns about the Aggies offense after managing just 267 yards and one offensive touchdown against LSU? Its just one week, but after humming for four straight games even as there were significant lineup changes, Kellen Mond had his worst game since the season opener. Auburn should present Texas A&M with an opportunity to win on the ground, but the Tigers are likely to load the box this week and hope Mond cant do what Mac Jones did last week. Thats unlikely given the skill position gap, save tight ender Jalen Wydermyer, between the Aggies and Alabama. Auburn still lacks an identity on offense, while Texas A&M defense is the best of the four units right now. Despite history suggesting this is a prime opportunity for an upset, I think their defense will be enough for the Aggies to stay in the College Football Playoff race. Prediction: Texas A&M 24, Auburn 20

Arkansas at Missouri (-3), Noon ET (SEC Network)
Announcers: Dave Neal and D.J. Shockley
After a one-week delay, the Razorbacks and Tigers will renew their border battle. Missouris defense took some time to come together, but is starting to gel nicely, albeit having played two terrible offenses in the past two weeks. Arkansass offense certainly isnt terrible, but it will be without running back Rakeem Boyd, who has opted out of the rest of the season after missing the loss to LSU two weeks ago. Aided by seven against Ole Miss, Arkansas leads the SEC with 19 takeaways, while Missouri ranks last in the conference with just six. Its pretty simple for the Hogs in my mind. If they can force multiple Missouri turnovers, theyll win, as they have in their three victories this season. If not, as they havent in their five losses, Missouri will make it five straight in this series. Ill take the home team in a tight game. Prediction: Missouri 23, Arkansas 17

(6) Florida (-17.5) at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
Announcers: Carter Blackburn and Aaron Murray
Its been a choppy back half of the season for Tennessee, which has had two weeks to prepare for a game for the third straight time. Will it matter against this Florida offense? It might for a half, as Tennessees defense has played well in the first 30 minutes this season, but its the back half of games that are the reason the Vols have spiraled from 2-0 to 2-5. Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts wont be slowed for 60 minutes as they continue their quest for both individual and team hardware in the coming weeks. You never know quite what youre going to get from Floridas defense, which has been a work in progress all season. Tennessee ran the ball well against Auburn two weeks ago, and the Vols certainly have the personnel to win in the trenches against the Gators. If they can avoid the damaging mistakes, this could be a competitive game. I have little faith theyll be able to based on available evidence. Prediction: Florida 44, Tennessee 24

Vanderbilt at (8) Georgia (-35.5), 4 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Announcers: Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb
Vanderbilt will struggle to have a full two-deep with injuries and opt-outs, but the Commodores will solider on into their penultimate game. After plucky performances against Kentucky and Florida, last weeks dud at Missouri seems closer to what we should expect on Saturday in Athens. Georgia should be aggressive on offense, knowing the opposing offense offers minimal threat. Last weeks win at South Carolina was all about the running game, but Id expect J.T. Daniels to throw it 30 times against the conferences worst pass defense. Prediction: Georgia 44, Vanderbilt 3

South Carolina at Kentucky (-11.5), 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic
12 of the 14 SEC teams will still have games to play after this weekend, but Saturday will close the books on the season for the Gamecocks and Wildcats, the latter of whom should still play in a bowl later this month. Its been a rollercoaster ride of a season for Kentucky 3 from the disappointing 0-2 start to the historic win at Tennessee to the tragic passing of offensive line coach John Schlarman. This team has consistently shown resiliency under Mark Stoops. That means there wont be any limping to the finish line against the Gamecocks, who may have found their quarterback of the future in freshman Luke Doty. This game may be a bit more offense in this game than many would think, but the final margin should be in line with expectations. Prediction: Kentucky 34, South Carolina 21

(1) Alabama (-29.5) at LSU 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
Announcers: Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson
Were all struggling to find a path to success for LSU. Tight end Arik Gilbert could be a favorable matchup for LSU, but with leading receiver Terrace Marshall pulling the plug on his season earlier this week, Gilbert becomes the obvious target for Nick Sabans defense to take away. Another glaring concern is that he Tigers running game has been non-existent all season against competent teams. For Alabamas offense, theres no weakness, with the Crimson Tide averaging eight yards per play this season. Likely Biletnikoff Award winner DeVonta Smith going up against Derek Stingley should be fun, but Alabama has so many other weapons that they can afford to have Smith shadowed by the All-American cornerback. The bottom line is that this game means a ton to Alabama, despite LSUs losing record 3 not for championship hopes, but to avenge the pain of last years defeat. The foot will be on the gas well into the second half on a long night for the home team in Tiger Stadium. Prediction: Alabama 52, LSU 14