I am old enough to remember when the annual late-September Tennessee vs. Florida game was the premier national matchup.
The winner had the inside track to the SEC Championship Game and although both programs featured two of the best quarterbacks in the country, the game was always going to come down to which team rushed for the most yards.
My how things have changed.
Both schools have shuffled through multiple coaches since their last championships and both have had decades-long winning streaks over Kentucky and Vanderbilt snapped in recent times.
In fact, this game has almost become what the annual Kentucky vs. Vandy matchup used to be--the Lowered Expectations Bowl.
The game is still on national television in a prime-time slot, however. And fans on both sides desperately want their team to demolish the other. It should be a fun one Saturday night in Knoxville.
Last week, we were 5-1, thanks to an LSU field goal as time expired. This week will be a bit more challenging than either of the last two weeks. After a dismal 2-4 start, we are now 13-5 in the Pick Six.
Here goes nothing:
No. 2 Georgia @ Missouri, ESPN, Saturday 11:00 - Georgia expectedly dismantled Middle Tennessee last weekend, but the task is a little tougher for the Bulldogs this week. Facing one of the top pro quarterback prospects in the nation, Drew Lock, will not be an easy task for this vaunted Bulldogs defense. However, the talent edge across the board is on Georgia's side. Bulldogs 45-24
No. 22 Texas A&M @ No. 1 Alabama, CBS, Saturday 2:30 - New Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher gets another chance to play a top team on the national stage this Saturday. The Aggies nearly defeated then-No. 2 Clemson two weeks ago at College Station. While it won't be a bloodbath like Alabama's win over Ole Miss last week, the Tide will win... again. 'Bama 41-21
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt, SEC Network, Saturday 3:00 - Vanderbilt held tough against Notre Dame last week. Make no mistake, this is not your daddy's Vanderbilt squad. A tough defense and some pretty talented playmakers have the Commodores at 2-1 facing their first conference test this week. We don't know much about South Carolina this week. It feels really weird to say that the winner of this one may have the inside track to SEC East runner-up, but it's true. Gamecocks 21-20
Mississippi State @ Kentucky, ESPN 2, Saturday 6:00 - By virtue of their first victory over Florida since the Reagan administration, Kentucky is now the darling of the SEC East. The Wildcats may have the true inside track to SEC East runner-up since they have yet to lose an SEC matchup. Mississippi State has plenty of experience and talent, but Kroger Field and an amped up home crowd for something other than basketball could be the deciding factor. I think not. Mississippi State 35-24
Florida @ Tennessee, ESPN, Saturday 6:00 - The New Lowered Expectations Bowl still has plenty on the line for both programs. The Vols want to get Jeremy Pruitt's tenure off to a better start than Lane Kiffin (can you really call that a tenure), Derek Dooley, and Butch Jones had versus Florida. And the Gators are beatable, despite being favored by 4.5 heading into this one. While I've wrongly picked the Vols over the Gators many times before, this time is different. Tennessee 27-21
No. 7 Stanford @ No. 20 Oregon, ABC, Saturday 7:00 - This week's National Game of the Week features Oregon's chance to get back to the national spotlight against Stanford's Heisman candidate Bryce Love. Stanford has not faired too well in these national games and Oregon is historically really tough to beat at home. Oregon 30-28
