Week 11 SEC Predictions

Week 10 in the SEC brought a great slate of games, and while week 11 isn’t quite as glamorous, it still has the potential to be another exciting weekend.

With the exception of Tennessee playing North Texas, and Texas A&M playing Western Carolina, every game features two SEC teams (if you count Kentucky-Vanderbilt), besides Missouri, who plays a quality non-conference opponent in BYU.

One division winner was determined last week with Florida clinching the SEC East with a win over Vanderbilt, and the West took some more shape with Alabama defeating LSU and Ole Miss falling to Arkansas.

The bottom half of each division will take more shape this week, as many of those teams play each other.

Here are The Power T Report’s week 11 picks:

Georgia at Auburn

(12, CBS)

Both of these teams got much needed bounce back wins last week, Auburn over Texas A&M, and Georgia over Kentucky.

In the win over Texas A&M, Auburn started quarterback Jeremy Johnson for the first time since an early season loss to LSU.

Johnson had come into the 2015 season with lots of hype, but underperformed in the first three games of the season and was benched.

If the Tigers can get Johnson to start performing up to what he is capable of, they will be able to finish the season strong and regroup heading into 2016.

The quarterback situation has also had some drama at Georgia as of late, with Faton Bauta getting the start two weeks ago against Florida after Greyson Lambert had under performed.

This game was thought to be one that would be huge in the SEC division races, but now has no significance to the East or West races.

This game could be one where either one of the teams has a break out week and shows what they are capable of.

Auburn will do just that, giving their disappointing season a little bit of a happy ending.

Auburn 35, Georgia 20

2 Alabama at 17 Mississippi State

(3:30, CBS)

Alabama moved into control of their own destiny with Ole Miss being upset by Arkansas coupled with the Tide’s big win over LSU.

Alabama’s defense keyed in on star LSU running back Leonard Fournette, and the Tigers were doomed by being one-dimensional on offense.

But the team Alabama will play this week is not one-dimensional.

Mississippi State does average more passing yards than they do rushing yards, but Bulldog quarterback Dak Prescott is the type of quarterback that has given a stellar Alabama defense trouble over the course of the Nick Saban era.

Prescott currently has 2,351 yards passing for 18 touchdowns and 418 rush yards for seven scores this season.

Alabama always seems to play a little under their potential after big wins, and Prescott is the type of player that could give Kirby Smart’s defense headaches.

Those reasons, paired with home field advantage and the revenge factor from last season are what will lead to a Mississippi State upset.

Mississippi State 27, Alabama 24

Kentucky at Vanderbilt

(4, SEC Network)

This has the potential to be one of the ugliest SEC football games ever.

Vanderbilt, while possessing a good defense, is absolutely atrocious on offense, and Kentucky, who started the season strong, is reeling after back to back blowout losses to Tennessee and Georgia.

Without counting one 74-yard touchdown run, Vanderbilt only mustered 101 yards on 61 plays last week against Florida.

Kentucky was only able to put up three points and 180 yards of offense on Georgia.

I don’t think either team is going to be able to score more than 14-17 points, but despite having an inept offensive line, Kentucky will be able to put a couple of scores on the board, which will be enough to top the Commodores.

Kentucky 10, Vanderbilt 6

North Texas at Tennessee

(12, SEC Network)

Even counting FCS opponent Western Carolina who the Vols played on Sept. 19, this might be the worst team Tennessee plays all season.

North Texas is currently 1-8 (1-5 Conference USA) and has a 66-7 loss to FCS opponent Portland State on their 2015 season resumé.

Tennessee should put any remote chance for an upset away early, and give some talented freshmen (Quinten Dormady) a chance to get some game experience for the first time since that Western Carolina game.

On a side note, a win here would make Tennessee bowl eligible for the second straight season, and give them their first three game win streak since 2010.

After this one, the focus shifts to Missouri and Vanderbilt and extending that three game win streak to five games and an 8-4 regular season record.

Tennessee 62, North Texas 3

Other picks:

11 Florida 24, South Carolina 20

(12, ESPN)

Texas A&M 56, Western Carolina 13

(7, ESPNU)

9 LSU 31, Arkansas 23

(7:15, ESPN)

BYU 31, Missouri 17 (in Kansas City)

(7:30, SEC Network)

#sec #predictions