Arkansas at No. 17 Ole Miss: 34-24 — Ole Miss wins (Will Wright)
Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons has started to find his stride. His growing connection with wide receiver Harrison Wallace III gives Lane Kiffin’s offense the kind of explosive punch Arkansas has struggled to contain in recent years.
Simmons has proven himself capable of bouncing back from early mistakes, and Wallace has become his go-to target in big moments. Add in running back Kewan Lacy’s chunk plays on the ground, and Ole Miss has the balance needed to stretch defenses thin.
The last time these two teams met, Ole Miss won 63-31, a reminder of just how quickly the Rebels can turn a game into a track meet when the offense finds its rhythm.
Arkansas, though, brings a bruising run game and a defense capable of forcing mistakes. Head coach Sam Pittman’s formula is clear: Dominate the trenches, shorten the game and make opponents uncomfortable with physicality.
With quarterback Taylen Green — one of the SEC’s most dynamic athletes –– under center, the Razorbacks have a puncher’s chance to push back in a hostile road environment. Green’s ability to extend plays with his legs and hit downfield shots when the defense overcommits makes him the X-factor for Arkansas.
Still, the path to victory runs through Ole Miss’ ability to clean up its early game execution. The Rebels have been sluggish in the first quarter the last two weeks by turning the ball over and putting themselves in holes before eventually rallying. Against Arkansas, that kind of start could open the door for an upset.
If Simmons and the Rebels protect the football, control the pace and settle in early, their speed and offensive firepower should prove too much for the Razorbacks over four quarters.
Expect Kiffin’s squad to lean on Simmons’ growing confidence and come out sharper this time. With the home crowd behind them, the Rebels should not have too much difficulty taking their second conference victory.
Florida at No. 3 LSU: 28-24 — Florida wins (Wilson Engeriser)
Death Valley at night is never a pleasant atmosphere for opponents. LSU opened the season with a victory over Clemson in Clemson’s own Death Valley, then beat Louisiana Tech last week.
Florida’s first two games have been rocky. The Gators beat Long Island University in Week 1, then suffered an 18-16 loss against South Florida on a last-second field goal this past week. Florida’s next stretch of schedule is a gauntlet of doom and despair: No. 3 LSU, No. 5 Miami, No. 7 Texas and No. 16 Texas A&M.
This game will feature two of the best quarterbacks in the nation. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Florida’s DJ Lagway are two of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy.
Nussmeier has been inconsistent this season. Inaccuracy is becoming a growing concern. He also holds onto the ball too long in the pocket and took three sacks during the LA Tech game.
However, his play is still some of the best of any quarterback in the nation, and he led the Tigers to a victory over a staunch Clemson team.
Lagway played well against Long Island but struggled against USF. He threw for 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while only adding nine rushing yards. On the ground, Lagway is aided by running back Jadan Baugh, who has rushed for 197 yards at 7.3 yards per carry.
The battle in the trenches will be one of the most important standoffs. LSU starting center Braelin Moore sprained an ankle against LA Tech this past week but is still slated to play. During the chunk of the LA Tech game when Moore was sidelined with injury, LSU running back Caden Durham had only 13 carries for 29 yards.
Florida’s star defensive tackle Caleb Banks has not played this season, but he could return against LSU. This, combined with Moore’s potential absence, could spell disaster for the Tigers.
The Gators will be riled up after their loss against USF and will enter the game with a chip on their shoulders. If they can take advantage of LSU’s offensive inconsistency, they will have a solid chance. Despite the immense home field advantage Death Valley offers, Florida should be able to rebound with an impressive road win.
No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee: 20-13 — Georgia wins (Nate Donohue)
Both teams enter this matchup undefeated. Last week, Georgia beat Austin Peay 28-6 in rainy conditions, and Tennessee dismantled Eastern Tennessee State 72-17.
Tennessee quarterback Joe Aguilar stepped into the starting position following former starter Nico Iamaleava’s departure in pursuit of a major NIL deal. The UCLA transfer has already posted solid figures: In his first two games as a Volunteer, he has thrown for 535 yards and five touchdowns.
This outing will be Aguilar’s first true test. After all, backup quarterback Jake Merklinger also threw for over 100 yards against a shaky Buccaneer defense last week, so his 288 yards and two touchdowns are less remarkable. The Bulldogs defense will be an entirely different animal.
The Volunteers also have a strong run game to take some of the strain off Aguilar’s arm. Running backs Star Thomas and DeSean Bishop have helped the Volunteers amass 505 rushing yards through two weeks.
But Georgia’s defense, which has historically been one of the best in the nation, will be too much for the Volunteers. Just last season, three Bulldog defenders were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft – defensive lineman Mykel Williams, linebacker Jalon Walker and safety Malaki Starks.
Linebacker CJ Allen has proven an ample replacement for Walker. He led the Bulldogs with seven tackles this week and had a sack. Fellow linebacker Chris Cole also notched a sack, and the Georgia defense combined for six tackles for loss. Against Marshall and Austin Peay, the Bulldogs have allowed only 123 rushing yards total.
Knoxville, Tenn., will be a tense environment, but the Bulldogs will overcome and win a close one.
No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 8 Notre Dame: 30-24 — Texas A&M wins (Russ Eddins)
Notre Dame, coming off a bye week, is still seeking its first win after losing 27-24 to now-No. 5 Miami in Week 1. Texas A&M is 2-0 with wins over UTSA and USU.
Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr, a redshirt freshman, threw for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and completed 63.3% of his passes in his first career start. Notre Dame’s offensive line may have trouble protecting Carr: The Fighting Irish gave up three sacks against Miami, and Texas A&M has seven sacks over its first two games.
Aggie sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed has seven touchdowns and 509 yards this season. He leads an Aggie offense that has scored over 40 points in both games this season.
Both defenses have underperformed. The Aggies have allowed more than 20 points in both games, while Notre Dame gave up 27 points and 324 yards to Miami.
The Irish will have to come to Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, so this is already an uphill battle. Carr is full of potential, but this is not a game he can settle into over time. He will need to be at his best to avoid an early deficit.
Notre Dame scored 17 points in the fourth quarter against Miami and only seven in the first half. The Aggies have scored in every quarter this season. Notre Dame will need to score early and often to keep up with the Aggie offense. Ultimately, they will fall short, and the Aggies will win this game in a thriller.
Vanderbilt at No. 11 South Carolina: 48-45 — South Carolina wins (Evan Huggins)
This is a trap game for South Carolina. Vanderbilt is sneaky good, and Commodore quarterback Diego Pavia has experienced slaying giants: Last season, he led Vanderbilt in an upset win over No. 1 Alabama. He has thrown for 468 yards and five touchdowns this season.
This game could have major College Football Playoff implications. South Carolina is currently ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, but the Gamecocks remain untested.
Both teams have beat Virginia Tech this season. The Gamecocks beat the Hokies 24-11 in Week 1, while Vanderbilt won by a much steeper margin — 44-20.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers enters this game with 337 passing yards and two touchdown passes. One of his favorite targets is wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who had three catches for 99 yards against the Hokies in Week 1.
Vanderbilt’s defense may key on Harbor, though, which could force Sellers to throw to other receivers or use his legs. Still, Sellers is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and the South Carolina offense will be too much for Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks will win this one by a field goal.
