All times Eastern
1. Alabama (9-1, 6-1; vs. Western Carolina, 4 p.m.): Who was surprised Alabama coach Nick Saban got a little jumpy with the media on Monday? Exactly no one, including the media. This is typical Saban – big win followed by an overmatched foe, so Saban speaks to his team and his fans in harsh tones through the media. It’s his go-to play in the playbook. And in a million years, neither Saban nor anyone within a 50-mile radius of the Alabama football building would admit it, here’s saying the defense spends little time on the Catamounts and most of the week on the struggling Malzahns.
2. Mississippi State (9-1, 5-1; vs. Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m.): Are the Bulldogs still in the circle? Yes. And they control their own destiny. It was interesting to see how the playoff committee treated the Bulldogs, who scored a late – and cosmetic – touchdown in their loss to now top-ranked Alabama last week. Sweet buckets, can you imagine the hubbub if two SEC West teams make the Final Four and the champs of the Big Ten and the Big 12 are left sitting on the curb?
3. Georgia (8-2, 6-2; vs. Charleston Southern, noon): Is Georgia still alive to win it all? We say yes, but the Bulldogs will need help, even if they are a two-loss SEC champ. Georgia is No. 10 in the rankings and will need a ton of cooperation from those in front of them.
4. Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2; at Arkansas, 3:30 p.m.): Do you think Hugh Freeze did the Michael Corleone “Right when you think you’re out, they pull me back in” routine from “Godfather III”? Maybe. We can see Freeze being cool enough to pull that off. Because now the Rebels are back in the mix for the SEC West and would head to Atlanta if they win out and Auburn beats Alabama. Plus, they are ahead of Georgia in the committee’s eyes, so they’ve got that going.
5. Auburn (7-3, 4-3; vs. Samford, 7 p.m.): What was that? There may be some deeper issues with this Tigers team than we know, because Saturday night was unlike anything that Auburn has done in the previous 24 games under Gus Malzahn. Will Muschamp, please pick up the orange-and-blue courtesy phone. Mr. Muschamp to the orange-and-blue phone, please.
6. Missouri (8-2, 5-1; at Tennessee, 7:30 p.m.): Can we reserve some time to tip the cap to what Gary Pinkel has done in the last two years? Yes, we can. Golf clap, Mr. Pinkel, if you please. Missouri is 20-4 overall and 12-2 in the SEC since the start of the 2013 season. Yes, Missouri. Forget the golf clap, that deserves a true ovation, Mr. Pinkel.
7. Texas A&M (7-4, 3-4; off): Would you rather buy penny stocks or bet on the Aggies? Either way it’s a coin flip on which A&M bunch shows – the team that held off Louisiana-Monroe, the team that beat Auburn at Auburn or the team that let Missouri off the hook. Well, since that’s three versions, maybe that’s like flipping a three-sided coin. Never mind.
8. LSU (7-4, 3-4; off): How much work does LSU have to do to get back among the SEC elite? Not as much as you’d think, since the Tigers are playing a bunch of young kids. Thy start two seniors on each side of the ball, and 10 starters are freshmen or sophomores. That said, Les Miles’ biggest recruiting challenge this offseason will be getting the slew of juniors on the Tigers defense to come back for their senior seasons.
9. Tennessee (5-5, 2-4; vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m.): Will the A.J. Johnson suspension for alleged sexual assault be a huge distraction? It seems like it has to be. Johnson has been the most reliable defensive player in Knoxville for each of the last three years. That void – coupled with the first-half suspension of safety Brian Randolph for targeting last week – leaves the Vols defense looking for answers to questions they have not faced in the middle of that defense.
10. Florida (5-4; 4-4; vs. Eastern Kentucky, noon ): Where do the Gators go now? It’s hard to know, but we do agree with the growing feeling that it will be an offensive-minded coach and it will be someone with head-coaching experience. It’s a top-five job, and the fact that Florida moved when it did gives athletic director Jeremy Foley a leg up on Michigan.
11. Arkansas (5-5; 1-5; at Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m.): Who will second-guess Vegas? Well, we all will, but we should all remember that the fancy buildings and the free shows and the racks of chips are made by those guys knowing the odds. And they were spot on in having Arkansas the favorite last week. And congrats to the Hogs and Bret Bielema, who captured his first SEC win, and are one more win away from the postseason. And, yes, there is a real chance that the SEC could have 13 bowl-eligible teams.
12. South Carolina (5-5, 3-5; vs. South Alabama, noon): How hard will the Gamecocks chase Will Muschamp? It could be extremely interesting, especially with the pained look on coach Steve Spurrier’s face after the Gamecocks pulled a rabbit from their collective helmets in their overtime win at The Swamp that was the final straw for Muschamp at Florida. And let’s face it, even as loyal as Spurrier is, a team that was a preseason top-10 and the pick to win the SEC East that finishes 6-6 will look to make changes.
13. Kentucky (5-6, 2-6; off): What do the Wildcats do during their off week? Well, Tuesday night they certainly watched the hoops squad square off against Kansas – hey, it’s Kentucky after all – but the list of areas to address is filled. While they need more playmakers and the play at linebacker has been less than good, the work inside the locker room this week could be paramount. Kentucky surged to a 5-1 start playing loose and free. The tension to secure a bowl bid has intensified each week, and it’s a lose-and-turn-in-the-gear game against Louisville.
14. Vanderbilt (3-7, 0-6; at Mississippi State, 7:30): How miserable will Saturday night be in Starkville for the Commodores? Well, considering that the Bulldogs lost a heartbreaker last week, and that this is the last home game for a program-changing senior class, and that there will be enough cow bells there to guide the entire cattle population of Texas, and that there is a 30 percent chance of rain, and that the ‘Dores opened as 30-point underdogs, we’d put the misery index somewhere between insurance seminar and root canal.