The final Saturday in September comprises some scintillating matchups within the SEC that are sure to have convention and division title ramifications down the highway. in a single of the headlining games of Week four, No. 20 Florida heads to Rocky right to tackle No. eleven Tennessee in the SEC on CBS online game of the Week. the two competitors want to vault lower back into the national photograph, and there is no greater location to make a statement than in entrance of greater than one hundred,000 lovers inside Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
in different places, No. 10 Arkansas and No. 23 Texas A&M tee it up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in an historical Southwest convention competition game that turned into rekindled within the SEC when the Aggies joined the convention in 2012.
Let's take a spin around the conference and makes some picks for the games featuring SEC teams in Week four.
Appetizer: patterns make fightsThe contention between the Gators and Volunteers should be determined via how the online game is definitely played. The Volunteers offense is build to crank up the tempo, put on down a defense and force every online game right into a shootout. Florida, however, is the 2nd-premier speeding group within the country in terms of yards per attempt (6.forty two), and has a quarterback in Anthony Richardson who hasn't tossed a landing circulate yet this season. Richardson has, youngsters, scored 3 times on the ground and is averaging 5.58 yards per carry (together with sack yardage).
What has flown under the radar is the work of Tennessee's protection this season. The Vols rank third within the SEC in tackles for loss per video game (7.33) and sacks per video game (2.sixty seven). That success can be verified towards a Gators squad that ranks 2d within the SEC in tackles for loss allowed (8) and sacks allowed (2).
If Tennessee dictates trend, it's hard to think about a situation where Richardson and Co. make this lots of a fight.
main direction: Are the Aggies lower back?The reply is an emphatic "no." closing Saturday's win over No. 25 Miami changed into satisfactory, but lots of the problems that existed in advance of the quarterback trade from Haynes King to Max Johnson nonetheless exist regardless of the win over the Hurricanes. The Aggies are tied with Navy for the fewest crimson zone trips in the country (three). it truly is right, Iowa's offense -- which has been the punchline to endless jokes throughout the nation -- has been to the crimson zone extra (4) than Texas A&M. If there is an oz. of good news baked into that stat it's that the offense has cashed in all three of those visits into touchdowns.
The obtrusive rebuttal from Aggie defenders is that it has scored from outdoor of the red zone. That is right. It has a total of five touchdowns from backyard the go zone, bringing its grand complete to ... look forward to it ... eight. this is first rate sufficient to rank remaining within the SEC and No. 102 in the nation, tied with a number of teams together with stated offense juggernaut UConn.
Texas A&M acquired a win over a ranked team closing weekend and Johnson failed to turn the ball over. it is extremely good. but all it did changed into keep away from this season from spiraling into a total catastrophe.
The Georgia quarterback is (+1200) at Caesars Sportsbook to win college football's most prestigious particular person award, and that is, through a long way, the most reliable value guess on the board. Bennett has 5 touchdowns, zero interceptions and has the second-most useful passer score in the SEC at 183.forty eight. he's fifth nationally and No. 1 in the SEC in completion percent on passing downs (seventy three.1%), and ranks eighth nationally in yards per attempt (11.13) when the Bulldogs are 7 or more yards faraway from a first down.
essentially the most important stat for Bennett, despite the fact, is that he's completed 0.0% of his passes in the fourth quarter -- and that is the reason as a result of he hasn't tried one. He might throw one this week against Kent State, but it's not likely that it'll suggest lots. Bennett is never a game manager. he is a change-maker. extra importantly, though, is that offensive coordinator Todd Monken has made a concerted effort to run the offense via his veteran quarterback.
PicksStraight up: 29-7 | against the unfold: 14-sixteen-1*outdated picks were made on Instagram seeing that SEC Smothered & covered begins in Week three
Kent State at No. 1 GeorgiaThe trend of Bennett now not attempting a pass within the fourth quarter will proceed in what will be a blowout win over the Golden Flashes. educate Kirby sensible will call off the canines early figuring out that the meat of the SEC time table is right across the corner. He knows that championship-level depth is required to win a national title, and he'll use this probability to construct even more depth. That might be ample to retain the game within forty five aspects. prefer: Kent State (+forty six)
Featured game | Auburn Tigers vs. Missouri Tigers
Penn State's protective front dominated Auburn's offensive line closing weekend, which played a huge half in the blowout over the Tigers. Missouri can not in reality try this, and that could be a huge element in this matchup. it be no secret that Auburn's quarterback position is a mess. TJ Finley is banged up, Robby Ashford is never constant in the passing video game and Zach Calzada can not seem to locate the field. those issues, although, will force instruct Bryan Harsin to get running backs Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter into the online game plan in a large choice of the way. That'll be adequate to get a win, and that i'll reluctantly decide upon Auburn to cover as neatly. choose: Auburn (-7)
just after I beginning to buy Bulldogs stock, they go to loss of life Valley and fall to underdog LSU. i go to purchase greater in opposition t Bowling eco-friendly, even though. Quarterback Will Rogers will mild up a pass defense that ranks last in the MAC (345.7 yards per online game) and has let opposing quarterbacks comprehensive 71.2% of his passes. The large spread scares me a bit of, but no longer enough to walk the plank on Mike Leach's Bulldogs. choose: Mississippi State (-30)
No. 20 Florida at No. 11 TennesseeFeatured video game | Tennessee Volunteers vs. Florida Gators
it's impossible to have faith Richardson in a shootout, and that's exactly what Tennessee's offense -- led with the aid of quarterback Hendon Hooker -- will do on Saturday afternoon. The underrated Volunteers protection will create enough havoc plays to retain the Gators off agenda, so one can spell disaster for a Gators offense that is rarely a risk in the course of the air in any respect. The birthday party on Rocky right after beating Florida for the primary time on the grounds that 2016 may be legendary. prefer: Tennessee (-10.5)
Featured game | Ole miss Rebels vs. Tulsa Golden typhoon
Are you purchasing into the Rebels yet? you'll want to. coach Lane Kiffin has confirmed via three video games that the groundwork of the offense is its stellar run game led with the aid of Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins, and Tulsa's porous rush protection (159 yards per video game) could have an extremely problematic time slowing down this freight teach. That, coupled with a wildly underrated protection, might be greater than adequate for Kiffin's crew to cruise. opt for Ole pass over (-21)
Featured video game | Kentucky Wildcats vs. Northern Illinois Huskies
This online game screams "backdoor cowl." Kentucky quarterback Will Levis has combined with freshman Dane Key to create one of the vital explosive offenses in recent memory in Lexington, Kentucky, and teach Mark Stoops knows that might be a key to his success relocating ahead. because of that, expect Stoops to position this one in cruise handle early within the second half. in any case, he is aware of a showdown at Ole omit is looming subsequent week and may want his crew to be at one hundred% for subsequent week's massive video game. opt for: Northern Illinois (+25.5)
No. 10 Arkansas at No. 23 Texas A&MFeatured video game | Texas A&M Aggies vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas ranks third within the SEC in third-down conversions (forty eight.89%), which capacity that it can replicate the equal video game plan that Appalachian State used in opposition t the Aggies two weeks ago and personal the time of possession combat. besides the fact that children, it can be in a position to execute better with the SEC's leading rusher, Raheim Sanders (146.67 yards per video game), and dual-chance bruiser KJ Jefferson at quarterback. The Aggies may not be in a position to profit the few scoring opportunities that it gets, and the Razorbacks will win this one outright. prefer: Arkansas (+2.5)
The Crimson Tide have not found out the way to stretch the container deep on a constant groundwork, and the Commodores will supply the perfect tune-up earlier than they attain the meat of the SEC schedule. The 'Dores are giving up 274 yards per online game during the air, so expect young to return out scorching and construct a large lead. Vandy has sufficient offensive weapons to preserve this one inside forty facets, notwithstanding, notwithstanding we should sweat out a possible backdoor cowl. decide on: Vanderbilt (+forty.5)
i am nonetheless not absolutely offered on LSU's offensive line, however certainly looked more suitable remaining week towards Mississippi State. New Mexico is averaging 2.67 sacks per video game, and that'll be decent enough force LSU behind the sticks and into punting instances more than expected. Plus, expect extra from Tigers working lower back John Emery Jr. after his first video game in pretty much two years remaining week. He'll have success however additionally drain the clock and stop his group from masking. select: New Mexico (+31)
Featured game | South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Charlotte 49ers
every little thing went wrong for the Gamecocks last week in the loss to Georgia, however Charlotte will provide the superb possibility to get correct earlier than the rest of the SEC schedule gets cranked up. The 49ers flow defense is atrocious (320.5 yards per game), and coach Shane Beamer will seem to be to get quarterback Spencer Rattler as comfortable as feasible before we swap the calendar to October. prefer: South Carolina (-22)
Which faculty football picks can you make with self belief in Week 4, and which true 25 favourite will go down complicated? discuss with SportsLine to look which groups will win and cover the spread -- all from a confirmed computing device mannequin that has lower back more than $3,300 in profit during the last six-plus seasons -- and discover.
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