AUBURN | After playing just three of seven games last weekend, the SEC currently has six games on the schedule for Saturday including the Battle for the Golden Boot. All of the ranked teams are heavy favorites to win but at least one is definitely on upset alert.
Here’s a look at the full SEC slate for Week 9...
PREMIER MATCHUP
Neither team is ranked and it’s slated for a morning kickoff, but LSU at Arkansas has the potential to be the most competitive game of the day assuming both teams can field enough players to keep it from becoming the second cancellation of the week. LSU hasn’t played since its 48-11 beatdown at Auburn while Arkansas is 3-4 and pushing for a winning conference record for the first time since 2015.
UNDER THE RADAR
Missouri at South Carolina won’t be seen by many on the SEC alternate channel but it’s certainly got a chance to be more entertaining than many of the other games, which feature heavily-favored ranked teams. Mizzou is down to 55 scholarship players due to COVID, two above the minimum, while the Gamecocks have seen a rash of players opting out after the firing of head coach Will Muschamp Monday including their trip two NFL draft prospects, cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu.
UPSET ALERT
Tennessee did it at Jordan-Hare two years ago and will be looking to pull off another big upset when it visits Auburn Saturday night. The Tigers were on a roll with two consecutive wins including a blowout over LSU before taking off three weeks with a bye and a postponement. The Volunteers have lost four consecutive games and are in desperate need for a win in a game that could have recruiting implications. Auburn entered the week as a 10.5-point favorite but its roster will be impacted by a COVID-19 outbreak last week.
FULL WEEK 9 SCHEDULE
No. 6 Florida at Vanderbilt, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
LSU at Arkansas, 11 a.m., SECN
Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama, 3 p.m., SECN
Tennessee at No. 23 Auburn, 6 p.m., ESPN
Mississippi State at No. 13 Georgia, 6:30 p.m., SECN
Missouri at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., SEC Alternate
LOOKING AHEAD
The Iron Bowl will take center stage, especially if Auburn can win a third consecutive game against Tennessee. The Egg Bowl could certainly be a high-scoring and entertaining matchup and Tennessee at Vanderbilt could be interesting, especially if the Vols are riding a five-game losing streak.
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