Rivalry Week: Southeastern Conference Style

Welcome to Week 10 in the Southeastern Conference season. This is usually the final week to the regular season down south and is often set aside for many rivalry games. Most of those games, at least down where we are, are still happening this Saturday. Try to take quality time with the family, enjoy some good food and then settle in for some passionate football while wearing your school colors and standing firm with your team.

Myself, I look forward to seeing my Dawgs play with determination once again this week and holding onto the Golden Egg. I am always proud of Mississippi State no matter what. In case you don’t know me that well, I DO BLEED MAROON!

Kentucky @ No. 6 Florida

The Kentucky Wildcats felt like they were completely declawed and defanged last week at Alabama. A few of their cousins couldn’t make the trip with them and won’t be going down to the Swamp this week either. It is often said that a cat has nine lives, but after getting surrounded by the Gators this week, Stoops’ Wildcats will be close to running on empty.

The Florida Gators are beginning to think about making reservations in Atlanta soon. If head coach Dan Mullen can just keep all the “bad spirits” away, a division title is starting to come into focus. Quarterback Kyle Trask will make sure that no mangy Wildcat gets in their way this week.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Florida 51-10

No. 22 Auburn @ No. 1 Alabama

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn has managed to find ways to slip by several opponents this season. For a time, it seemed like a repeat performance of the Volunteers’ last trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium. However, his Tigers managed to wade through the swirling waters. Wonder Boy (Bo Nicks) will try to lead his feline friends into Bryant-Denny Stadium in an attempt to maintain possession of the Iron Bowl one more year.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban enjoys each and every win. Alabama had a warmup scrimmage with Kentucky last week, but that breed of cat is only served to make them hungry for more. When Saban told his boys that he had some real fun planned for their next guest, they started getting super excited. Bo knows what trouble looks like and but when he sees the Crimson Tide rising fast, it will be too late to run. Saban is so confident in his team he has decided to take a personal holiday.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Alabama 48-20

LSU @ No. 5 Texas A&M

The Bayou Bengals are going over to College Station, Texas, for Thanksgiving, and are anxious to see what they mean by, “everything is bigger in Texas.” LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is thinking that may mean the turkey is going to be a whopper. By the time Orgeron can get his boys back across the Louisiana border, they may by plucked just like the turkey.

The Aggies took a week to tidy up the house before anymore guests arrive at Texas A&M. Head coach Jimbo Fisher isn’t crazy about the crew from the bayou coming over and putting hot sauce on every dish on the Thanksgiving table. Fisher will have Reveille ready to light up Orgeron before they can get too comfortable with the habanero hot sauce.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Texas A&M 42-28

No. 13 Georgia @ South Carolina

Well, old Kirby Smart and his Bulldog pack wondered what in the heck they ran into last Saturday night after they struggled to make it back to the doghouse in one piece. Smart has ordered up something less strenuous this time out. I have always heard that if a dog ever gets a taste of chicken, the only way he will stop killing them is to be killed himself.

South Carolina interim head coach Mike Bobo got a little taste of what it is like to be a head coach in the SEC. This week, Bobo has to defend the chicken house against his alma mater, Georgia. The outcome really isn’t in doubt but then again, the Bulldogs had all they wanted last time out. These are chickens, though, so all Smart will need is some pecan pie to go with the fried cluckers.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Georgia 44-10

Vanderbilt @ Missouri

The Commodores keep fighting every week but just don’t have a big enough anchor to keep from getting pulled into water too deep to manage. Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason’s team thought they were going to host their final home contest, but now the Commodores have been sent out on another invasion mission. Mason has been getting good results out of his naval bombardment and hopes this is the week to raise a victory flag, maybe?

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz doesn’t particularly care who they play this week, next week, whenever. All that matters is that his Tigers get to keep playing as they figure out what they are all about. With the Commodores coming for a post-Thanksgiving visit, the Tigers will attempt to have a few surprises waiting for them, but will it be enough?

T-Dawg’s Winner: Vanderbilt 31-27

Mississippi State @ Ole Miss

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has managed to become best friends with many of the kids on his team. He has discovered that it is important for his Land Bears, Land Sharks, Minnows, whatever they are, to score points as fast as they can because their opponent is ringing the bell pretty often themselves. “Pretty Boy” Kiffin is counting on his friends to take care of this bowl thing early so he can get back to his Johnny Sins film a-thon.

The Pirate seemed to make a substantial gain in getting his mateys bought in and executing last week. There is no doubt that it is important to learn to hold a sword correctly before you begin to swing it. The Dawgs have been building up the visit to the Grove all season. All of the Dawgs will not be able to make the trip, but you better believe every Dawg in the family will be clanging every time Jolly Roger rings the bell.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Mississippi State 45-24

I hope that each and every one of you has a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. Many things have been unusual this year, but still, we are each very blessed if we just stop and take the time to take a little inventory. Enjoy the sport we love, win or lose. We are lucky just to have college football this year, even if it is much different than in years past. Remember, it is a game. No matter what happens, the sun will still come up tomorrow.

Hail State!

Other winners:

No. 2 Notre Dame beats No. 25 North Carolina

No. 15 Iowa State beats No. 20 Texas

Virginia beats Florida State

Michigan beats Penn State

Georgia Tech Beats Duke

No. 12 Indiana beats Maryland

Houston beats No. 24 Tulsa

Boston College beats Louisville

Arizona State beats Utah

Baylor beats Kansas State