With six SEC teams on fall break, this is a really slow week, but it takes care of all the days off except for Vanderbilt who is off next week if anyone really cares.
Ole Miss' off weekend was on Sept. 25, so the Rebels are playing the fifth of nine consecutive games, which is brutal.
All of the games involving SEC teams are conference games.
Hot off the rumor mill is that University of Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles could be on the short list for the head coaching job at Texas Tech. If he is, do not expect Sam Pittman to try and stop him because he knows how hard it is to get a head coaching job.
Briles will not be the only one on the short list, which should include former Razorbacks assistant Jeff Traylor who is the current head coach at Texas-San Antonio. Traylor is 15-5 with the Roadrunners, including 8-0 this season and has earned a No. 23 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 (No. 22 in the coaches poll).
Last week was a light schedule, too, and that helped with the picks (5-0) and moving the season record to 59-19.
Here are this week's picks:
Arkansas State at South Alabama
The Red Wolves played their best game of the season last week when Layne Hatcher got his first start of the season. Hatcher passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-27 loss to 6-1 Louisiana-Lafayette which had touchdown runs of 99 and 74 yards and amassed 424 rushing yards. It won't be a lot easier this week, as the Red Wolves travel to South Alabama which has the third best defense in the Sun Belt. South Alabama 42-35
Ole Miss at Auburn
A huge game for two teams tied with Alabama for SEC West lead with one loss each. If the Tide stumble in one of their last four games, either the Rebels or the Tigers could be taking on Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers have the home-field advantage, but the Rebels have the Matt Corral advantage. Corral has passed for 1,914 yards with 15 touchdowns and thrown just 1 interception. He's also the team's leading rusher, having gained 474 yards and scored nine touchdowns. This one will come down to the final quarter. Ole Miss 42-37
Florida vs. Georgia
(Jacksonville, Fla.)
The media and fans have been asked not to call this the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, but that's what this game is. While the Gators are unranked and the Bulldogs are No. 1, Georgia's Kirby Smart says that doesn't matter. What matters is this is a rivalry game and the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Dan Mullen said he would not announce a starting quarterback until game day. After seven games it would seem the head coach should know which quarterback can hand it off the best. Georgia 35-27
Kentucky at Mississippi State
The Wildcats, who are 6-1 and bowl eligible, are favored by 1 1/2 points. The key is can Kentucky's pass defense step up this week. They are No. 6 in the SEC in pass defense, allowing 201 yards per game. The Bulldogs are easily No. 1 in passing in the conference, averaging 263 yards per game. The Bulldogs have thrown 340 passes in their first seven games and ran the ball 134 times. Wildcats 35-27
Missouri at Vanderbilt
The only reason this isn't an 11 a.m. kick on the SEC Network is that there isn't one with only four conference games. This may be the Commodores' last chance to get a SEC win, but they would have to at least slow the Tigers' passing attack. The Tigers have scored 241 points but given up 260. Some how, some way, someone has to win this game. Missouri 21-17