SEC Preview Week Nine
Saturday marks the 80th edition of the Florida vs. Georiga game in Jacksonville. The Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC) enter the game ranked second in the nation, while the Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) are No. 10 in the latest BCS poll. Georgia leads the all-time series, 47-40-2, but Florida prevailed in 18 of the last 22 meetings. This will be the third consecutive week the Gators have played on CBS at 3:30 p.m. and third top 10 matchup in four games (No. 3 LSU, No. 8 South Carolina).
No. 11 Mississippi State (7-0, 3-0 SEC) will try to match its best start in school history when it travels to No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) in a battle of the SEC West’s top teams. The Bulldogs are averaging 36.7 points per game, but must contend with a Tide program that hasn’t allowed more than two touchdowns in a game all season.
No. 13 South Carolina (6-2, 4-2 SEC) welcomes Tennessee (3-4, 0-4 SEC) to Williams-Brice Stadium. The two teams have split their last eight meetings, but the Vols won 16 of 17 games prior to 2004.
Missouri (3-4, 0-4 SEC) wraps up a three-game home stand when it hosts Kentucky (1-7, 0-5 SEC) at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. The two have only met twice, with the Wildcats coming away with wins, both by a touchdown or less.
Ole Miss (4-3, 1-2 SEC) heads West to take on Arkansas (3-4, 2-2 SEC) at War Memorial Stadium. The Razorbacks are riding a two-game win streak and have won eight of their last 11 vs. the Rebels. Ole Miss won its first SEC game in more than two years when they defeated Auburn, 41-20, last week.
No. 20 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2 SEC) continues its inaugural SEC campaign when it travels to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time in school history to take on Auburn (1-6, 0-5 SEC). The Aggies are one of just three teams to rank in the top 20 statistically in rushing, passing, scoring and total offense, and the only SEC program to do so. The Tigers are allowing 411 total yards per game in 2012.
Vanderbilt (3-4, 2-3 SEC) hosts Massachusetts in the only non-conference matchup in Week 9. The Commodores’ RB Zac Stacy surpassed South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore as the SEC’s leading active rush leader with a 169-yard performance against Auburn last week.