By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Matt Smith breaks down rivalry week in the SEC.

Its Rivalry Week 3 the best week of the college football season. Unfortunately, many of the biggest games have lost some luster over the past few weeks.

The Iron Bowl could earn Auburn a Sugar Bowl berth with a stunning upset, but its no longer the winner-take-West game it looked like it might be. Louisville is no longer in the playoff race, so a Kentucky upset wouldnt have as much meaning. Florida-Florida State is a great rivalry, but the Gators have their sights set on next weeks SEC Championship Game, while the Seminoles, win or lose, seem to be a lock for the Citrus Bowl.

We wont let the minimized stakes ruin our favorite weekend, however. There will still be plenty of good football between teams that hate each others guts, as well as the ongoing coaching carousel that continues to heat up.

Lets preview Rivalry Week.

The Vitals
Thursday
LSU 54, Texas A&M 39

Friday
Arkansas at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. ET (CBS); Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson

Saturday
Georgia Tech at Georgia, Noon ET (SEC Network); Dave Neal and Matt Stinchcomb
Kentucky at (11) Louisville, Noon ET (ESPN); Mike Patrick and Ed Cunningham
Mississippi State at Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network); Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer
(13) Auburn at (1) Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS); Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson
South Carolina at (4) Clemson, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN); Dave Pasch and Greg McElroy
(17) Tennessee at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network); Tom Hart and Andre Ware
(15) Florida at (14) Florida State, 8 p.m. ET (ABC); Joe Tessitore and Todd Blackledge

Players in the Spotlight
1. South Carolina QB Jake Bentley
Bentleys first road start didnt go so well two weeks ago in Gainesville 3 a 20-7 Gamecocks defeat to Florida. Hell try again on Saturday night at Clemson, which stands two wins away from the College Football Playoff. Clemsons defense has been suspect against potent offenses, but no one is mistaking this Gamecocks unit for the 2007 Patriots. The South Carolina defense is good enough to keep the Tigers to 25-30 points, but itll be on the shoulders of Bentley if the Gamecocks are to pull off the colossal upset.

2. Auburn RB Kamryn Pettway
Pettway pulled up on a long run three weeks ago against Vanderbilt and hasnt played since. Hes a question mark for Saturdays Iron Bowl, and even if the SECs leading rusher at the time of his injury suits up, hes likely to be less than 100 percent. Will Pettways presence even matter against an Alabama defense that routinely shuts down great running backs?

3. Georgia DT John Atkins
The Bulldogs players are well-versed in the triple-option attack of Georgia Tech, but the new coaching staff will have their first go-round with the Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon. While Atkins will have to fend off pesky and often dangerous cut blocks, interior penetration is the best way to blow up plays against this offense and ensure Georgia continues its success in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate after winning 13 of 15 meetings in the Mark Richt era.

4. Tennessee WR Josh Malone
Sugar Bowl hopes remain for Tennessee despite failing to win the SEC East title for the ninth straight season. The offense has been scorching in November, with Malone accounting for 287 yards and four touchdowns this month. With a defense in complete regression, the Vols are going to have to score at least 30 points against Vanderbilt on Saturday night in Nashville. Malone only has 38 receptions in 11 games, but theyve gone for an average of 19.2 yards. Count on at least one long touchdown from Malone against the Commodores.

5. The Florida Freshmen
Like its SEC East rival, Florida has been gutted by injuries on defense. The Gators will be relying on at least four freshmen against Florida State with linebackers Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone, and defensive backs Nick Washington and Marcus Maye all unable to play in Tallahassee. Needing to step up against the Seminoles are cornerback Chauncey Gardner and safety Jeawon Taylor, as well as linebackers David Reese and Vosean Joseph. All are first-year players, and all will have to do their part to help corral superstar running back Dalvin Cook.

Trivia Time (answers below):
1. Who was the last SEC team to go 8-0 in conference regular season games?

2. In what year was the last Iron Bowl at Legion Field in Birmingham played?

3. Who are the only three SEC teams to never play in the Sugar Bowl?

Clinching Scenarios
Already clinched: Clemson (ACC Atlantic), Florida (SEC East), Alabama (SEC West), Navy (AAC West), Louisiana Tech (Conference USA West), Ohio (MAC East), San Diego State (MWC West)

ACC Coastal
-Virginia Tech clinches division title with win vs. Virginia OR North Carolina loss vs. N.C. State (Friday)
-North Carolina clinches division title with win vs. N.C. State (Friday) AND Virginia Tech loss vs. Virginia

Big Ten East
-Michigan clinches division title with win at Ohio State
-Ohio State clinches division title with win vs. Michigan AND Penn State loss vs. Michigan State
-Penn State clinches division title with win vs. Michigan State AND Michigan loss at Ohio State

Big Ten West
-Wisconsin clinches division title with win vs. Minnesota OR Nebraska loss at Iowa (Friday)
-Nebraska clinches division title with win at Iowa (Friday) AND Wisconsin loss vs. Minnesota

Pac-12 North
-Washington State clinches division title with win vs. Washington (Friday)
-Washington clinches division title with win at Washington State (Friday)

Pac-12 South
-Colorado clinches division title with win vs. Utah
-USC clinches division title with Colorado loss vs. Utah

AAC East
-Temple clinches division title with win vs. East Carolina OR USF loss vs. UCF
-USF clinches division title with win vs. UCF AND Temple loss vs. East Carolina

Conference USA East
-Western Kentucky clinches division title with win at Marshall OR Old Dominion loss vs. FIU
-Old Dominion clinches division title with win vs. FIU AND Western Kentucky loss at Marshall

MAC West
-Western Michigan clinches division title with win vs. Toledo (Friday)
-Toledo clinches division title with win at Western Michigan (Friday)

Mountain West Mountain
-Wyoming clinches division title with win at New Mexico OR Boise State loss at Air Force
-Boise State clinches division title with win at Air Force AND Wyoming loss at New Mexico

Sun Belt
-Arkansas State clinches conference title with win at Louisiana-Lafayette

Predictions
Last Week: 8-2 (4-6 ATS)
Season To Date: 71-26 (41-49-3 ATS)

Arkansas at Missouri (2 stars): Can either team stop the other on the ground? Probably not. Missouri fan for 420 yards last week against Tennessee, but the Tigers still lost by 26 points. The Razorbacks hung 58 points on Mississippi State, helped by 357 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The game means little, with 3-8 Missouri out of bowl contention and Arkansas likely headed to either Tampa, Jacksonville, Nashville or Charlotte regardless of outcome. Its still November, however, so take Bret Bielema to complete another strong close. Arkansas 42, Missouri 30.

Georgia Tech at Georgia (NL) (3 stars): A pair of 7-4 teams meet in Athens, with the locale being good news for the visitors. Georgia Tech hasnt beaten Georgia at home since 1999, but has won two of its last four visits between the hedges. The Yellow Jackets have scored between 30 and 38 points in five of their past six games, but an improving Georgia defense will clamp down on the triple-option attack in a low-scoring affair. Nick Chubb will top 100 yards for the third straight week. Georgia 24, Georgia Tech 17.

Kentucky at Louisville (3 stars): Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson can lock up the Heisman Trophy with a bounceback performance following last weeks debacle at Houston. The Wildcats defense has put up little resistance over the past month, allowing 34 points per game against FBS opponents since the bye week. Kentucky should be able to score against an up-and-down Cardinals defense, but it wont be nearly enough, as Louisville rolls to its sixth straight win over the 8Cats. Louisville 49, Kentucky 28.

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (3 stars): The Egg Bowl features two teams with losing records for the first time since 2011, but the stakes are high with the rivalry as heated as ever stemming from the ongoing NCAA investigation at Ole Miss. Two impressive young quarterbacks in the Bulldogs Nick Fitzgerald and the Rebels Shea Patterson make this game intriguing. With both defenses in shambles, its going to take 40 points to win this one. A trying year in Oxford will be made worse by the Bulldogs claiming the Golden Egg. Mississippi State 41, Ole Miss 38.

South Carolina at Clemson (3 stars): The Palmetto Bowl was a surprisingly close game last year, as the No. 1 Tigers had to hold off a late rally from the 3-8 Gamecocks for a 37-32 victory in Columbia? Can South Carolina duplicate last seasons performance in Death Valley? Clemson was playing with fire all season, but the loss to Pittsburgh earlier this month woke up a team that has the talent to finish what it started last year. Theyll flex some muscle in an easy win. Clemson 38, South Carolina 10.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt (3 stars): Vanderbilt probably doesnt need a win to get to a bowl thanks to a high APR, but it would be oh so sweet for Commodores fans to earn postseason eligibility the old-fashioned way and keep the Volunteers out of the New Years Six bowl picture. Its a great opportunity for Vanderbilts inconsistent offense against a defense that has resembled a sieve in recent weeks, but itll be the impressive play of Joshua Dobbs and the Vols offense that denies the Vanderbilt upset bid. Tennessee 37, Vanderbilt 28.

Auburn at Alabama (4 stars): Auburns defense is fantastic, but can the injury-riddled offense do anything with so many injuries against the nations best defense? Whether its Sean White or Jeremy Johnson, sustained drives arent happening against the Crimson Tide, and the passing game has produced just 14 plays of 30 yards or longer this season. Alabama will never feel completely comfortable, but itll pull away in the second half to complete its first perfect regular season since 2009. Alabama 31, Auburn 7.

Florida at Florida State (4 stars): The most evenly-matched game of the week lacks some significance, although the Gators technically could climb back in the playoff race with wins over the Seminoles and Alabama next week in the SEC Championship Game. You can go ahead and forget about that, as Florida State will put potential coaching distractions behind it and roll to a fourth straight win over Florida. Dalvin Cook will top 200 yards of total offense and throw his name into contention to be a Heisman Trophy finalist. Florida State 31, Florida 14.

Trivia Answers
1. LSU (2011)

2. 1998 (Alabama moved its home games in the series to Tuscaloosa in 2000).

3. Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt