What I will be keeping my eye on this weekend
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Auburn @ Georgia
· The Tigers have not scored over 13 points in Athens since 2009. For that to happen, Auburn is going to have to get off to one of their best starts of the season. If the Tigers do not pick up a first down until the 2nd quarter, as was the case against Tennessee, this game could be out of reach before halftime. An unranked Auburn team has not beaten a ranked Georgia team in Athens since 1999, known as “the Ronnie Daniels game” that Auburn won 38-21. Auburn will also need to force turnovers. They are tied for 6th in the SEC in that category. Auburn will need to slow down Georgia’s run game. Despite not having Chauncey Bowen, the Bulldogs still have a formidable ground attack. All three of these factors will have to break in the Tigers favor if they are going to have any hope of leaving Athens with a victory for the first time since 2005.
Ohio State @ Indiana
· This game could shape the Big Ten race for the rest of the year. Last season, Indiana surprised many by upsetting the Buckeyes in the Big Ten championship game on their way to a national championship. This will be another statement game for Indiana, who has not successfully defended their home field against Ohio State since 1988. They were able to show they still have championship DNA by coming back and defeating Nebraska last week. This one could come down to the last seconds.
Mississippi State @ LSU
· College football’s favorite villain will try and get his train back on the tracks Saturday morning. Lane Kiffin and LSU return home after a painful overtime loss against Kentucky. Waiting for them will be one of the Cinderella’s of the season thus far in Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi State Bulldogs. Behind Quarterback Kamario Taylor, State has proven to be a more than worthy opponent for most of the teams it has played this year. If LSU fails to perform at the level its talent and payroll indicate it should, they could be staring a third conference loss in the face, with a trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium on deck.
Alabama @ Tennessee
· The annual “Third Saturday in October” takes center stage in Knoxville. Tennesee has been able to upend Alabama the two previous meetings at Neyland Stadium. Alabama is coming off a heartbreaking home loss to Georgia. It will be interesting to see how Kalen Deboer’s squad responds, and if that disappointment affects the outcome of this game. While Tennessee did not look particularly dominant against Arkansas, I believe their defense will be able to create problems for Alabama and limit the scoring. Can they run the ball effectively on offense with DeSean Bishop? That will be a big key in the game. This one could be closer than the experts think
Missouri @ Ole Miss
· Eli Drinkwitz’s team appears to have hit their stride lately. Wins over Florida and Texas A&M have the Tigers riding high, although both of those games were in Columbia. They head to Oxford on Saturday, where Pete Golding’s bunch still has championship aspirations. Rebel quarterback Trinidad Chambliss can light up the scoreboard with the best of them. This could be the first to 50 wins.
Other headlines
· BYU hosts Notre Dame in a big primetime showdown in Provo.
· Kansas looks to get their first win over Kansas State since 2008.
· North Carolina and Duke, more famous for their rivalry on the basketball court, square off on the gridiron.
· It’s a battle of the Tech’s as Georgia Tech travels to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies.
· A week after mouthing off about “Billy’s Cesspool” and alienating part of his fan base, Mike Elko and Texas A&M head back home to face The Citadel. The Bulldogs are not strangers to pulling off upsets against SEC opponents. It probably will not happen Saturday, but how A&M responds to a poor first half of the season will be interesting to watch.
· A disappointing Penn State team (3-3) travels to the Big House to face a disappointing Michigan team (3-2*). Points will be at a premium in this one.
· Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles travel to south beach to renew their rivalry with Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes. It could be a tough one for FSU.
· An intriguing matchup of ranked teams tomorrow night in Houston with #18 Oklahoma State taking on the 20th ranked Cougars.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
