No. 4 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss: 34-31 — Ole Miss wins (Teddy King)
The Ole Miss Rebels are 4-0 entering Week 5 of play, facing arguably their most difficult opponent yet in No. 4 LSU.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, an early Heisman trophy candidate, has experience beating Ole Miss. Last season, he sent the Rebels back to Oxford in a 29-26 overtime loss in Tiger Stadium.
On the other side, the Rebels have a pair of reliable and talented quarterbacks in Trinidad Chambliss and Austin Simmons. Following Simmons’s ankle injury, Chambliss took the reins and played as if he had been in Lane Kiffin’s system for years, which sparked questions of who QB1 will be moving forward.
As for production on the ground, running back Kewan Lacy has been all over the end zone. He has recorded 358 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 79 carries.
Through the air, wide receivers Harrison Wallace III and Deuce Alexander have impressed Rebel fans since their arrival in Oxford, especially after the departures of star receivers Jordan Watkins, Tre Harris III and Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. to the NFL.
The Rebel defense has been solid thanks to consistent performances from linebackers Suntarine Perkins and TJ Dottery. Dottery has 27 total tackles through four games, and Perkins has 15.
What is holding the defense back, though, is the Rebel secondary. After the Rebels’ 35 allowed points against Arkansas, questions arose about the defensive backfield. The pass rush looked good, but numerous busted coverages nearly cost Ole Miss a vital conference game.
If Ole Miss can limit Nussmeier’s production and Kiffin’s offense can break down the Tiger defense with a balanced attack from Lacy, Wallace and Alexander, the Rebels could bring the Magnolia Trophy back to Oxford.
No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia: 34-27 — Alabama wins (Wilson Engeriser)
Georgia vs. Alabama has become one of the most heated SEC matchups over the past 10 years. Georgia won the national championship against the Crimson Tide in 2022, but the Bulldogs have lost nine of the last ten matchups. While the Crimson Tide’s dominance has certainly dropped since Nick Saban retired, Alabama remains a formidable program.
Alabama woke up after losing to Florida State 31-17 in the first game of the season. Since then, the Crimson Tide beat UL Monroe and Wisconsin by a combined score of 110-14. Also, the Seminoles are now ranked No. 8, making that loss a bit less surprising.
Georgia is ranked No. 5 in the nation, but they only beat Austin Peay 28-6 and would have lost against Tennessee had kicker Max Gilbert not missed a 43-yard game-winning field goal at the end of regulation.
Georgia’s offense only passes on about 40% of snaps, which is 117th in the nation. However, the Bulldogs are still 26th in passing yards per game. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has thrown for 721 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
Alabama’s offense is the complete opposite of Georgia’s. The Crimson Tide is 29th in passing play percentage and seventh in passing yards per game. In three games, quarterback Ty Simpson has thrown for 862 yards and nine touchdowns.
Alabama’s running game leaves something to be desired. The Crimson Tide has only 371 rushing yards as a team compared to the Bulldogs’ 627.
Georgia will hope to rely on their running game and defense to slow down the game. If the Alabama offense is able to score quickly, though, the slower-paced Georgia may have trouble keeping up.
While this game could easily go either team’s way, Alabama will continue to be Georgia’s kryptonite and turn its season around with a top five to open SEC play.
No. 3 Penn State at No. 6 Oregon: 27-24 – Penn State wins (Aidan Poniatowski)
In a battle of two undefeated teams, the Oregon Ducks will travel to Beaver Stadium to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in a much-anticipated “White Out” game.
Penn State, the 3.5-point favorites in betting odds, were off last week after beating the FCS Villanova Wildcats 52-6. Prior to that, the Nittany Lions soundly defeated two Group of Five teams by a combined score of 80-11. This game against Oregon is their first true test.
The Oregon Ducks, meanwhile, are fresh off a 41-7 win against in-state rivals Oregon State and have a conference win under their belt after defeating Northwestern two weekends ago. Their offense has impressed so far, ranking twelfth in the nation in total offense among all FBS teams.
This largely comes off the back of quarterback Dante Moore, who has thrown for 962 yards and only one interception. His 11 touchdown passes rank him 6th in the nation among all FBS quarterbacks.
Penn State, meanwhile, will hope to see that same production from their quarterback, Drew Allar. His 626 passing yards and four touchdowns are far from the explosive production seen from him in years past. Much of Penn State’s offensive production has come from the run game, with the two-headed attack of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton in the backfield.
This matchup will be a battle of top-ten defenses. Oregon currently ranks 3rd in opponent yards per game, allowing only 223.7. Penn State, allowing 246.5, ranks eighth.
Oregon’s air defense has been rock solid as of late, averaging only 94 passing yards allowed through four games, which is second in the nation. The Ducks’ struggle lies in their run defense. They are 49th in the country with 129.7 per game on average.
Penn State’s defense is a bit more well-rounded, though the Nittany Lions struggle to defend the run as well. Ranking eighth in passing yards allowed and 32nd in rushing yards allowed, the Nittany Lions have proven to be a bit less susceptible to both air and ground threats.
This top-10 matchup should be a treat for fans. Expect a low-scoring affair, with characteristic explosive play from the Ducks offense contrasted against the more time-consuming and wear-down style of play from the Nittany Lions. In a rematch of last year’s Big Ten Championship, which saw the Ducks win, expect a win for Penn State, fueled by a crowd of over 100,000 fans decked out in all white.
No. 15 Tennessee at Mississippi State: 31-27 — Tennessee wins (Will Wright)
Mississippi State has quietly been shocking everyone this season. After stumbling through a 2-10 campaign a year ago, the Bulldogs have come out swinging in 2025. Their early highlight was a thrilling last-second win over Arizona State on a 58-yard touchdown in Week 2, and since then, the Bulldogs have shown balance, grit, and poise week after week.
This is not the pushover team many experts expected, especially at home, where the Bulldogs always seem to play their best football.
Davis Wade Stadium is one of the SEC’s most unique venues, and it has long carried a reputation for its deafening noise. While the SEC prohibits pumping in artificial sound during games, Mississippi State fans have famously exploited the grey area of this rule by rattling thousands of cowbells.
The constant ringing creates a chaotic and distracting atmosphere that visiting teams often struggle to handle. Tennessee, for all its firepower, has not faced an environment quite like this all season.
On paper, though, the Volunteers are the better team. Their offense is explosive, their playmakers are clicking and their depth up front gives them an edge in the trenches.
Even in their early-season loss to Georgia, Tennessee managed to put up 41 points against one of the nation’s most respected defenses, a performance that underscored just how dangerous Josh Heupel’s system can be when it is in rhythm. The Volunteers know how to lean on their speed and tempo late in games.
That said, Mississippi State’s resurgence makes this matchup much more compelling than many anticipated. Expect back-and-forth drives, turnovers, frantic swings in momentum and a rabid crowd.
In the end, Tennessee’s talent should be enough to escape Starkville with a victory, but do not be surprised if the Bulldogs push the Volunteers deep into the fourth quarter.
Auburn at No. 9 Texas A&M: 34-17 — Texas A&M wins (Jimmy Petruzzi)
Texas A&M and Auburn face off Saturday at Kyle Field to kick off SEC play. Both come into the game flying high. The Aggies are 3-0, with a big win against then-No. 8 Notre Dame a few weeks ago. The Tigers are 3-1 and hungry for revenge after its heartbreak last week in Norman.
Auburn will count on quarterback Jackson Arnold, who already showed considerable improvement to start the year. The Tigers have topped 30+ points in three of four games.
The offense’s problem is pass protection. The offensive line has been a weak link with 10 sacks given up last week against Oklahoma.
On the Aggies’ end, quarterback Marcel Reed has been impressive. Against Notre Dame, he threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns, contributing to his season totals of 869 passing yards and nine touchdowns.
Auburn’s defense is tough, particularly against the run. On Auburn’s defensive line, one name is relevant: Keyron Crawford, who leads the team in tackles and has made plays in the backfield. The Tigers will force Texas A&M to beat them through the air.
Expect the Texas A&M front seven to be aggressive, too, especially against the struggling Auburn line.
This game will be a high energy, high-stakes fight. Texas A&M wants a blowout; Auburn wants to show the nation that it is still a program to be feared in the SEC. If Auburn can put pressure on Reed and create turnovers, the Tigers have a shot. But with Reed playing at a Heisman caliber and the Aggy defense performing as well as it has all season, Texas A&M should win this one.
