Randy Smith
We're past the midway point in what has been an exciting college football season so far. Now it's time for the stretch drive in the Southeastern Conference to determine the two teams to face off in the SEC Championship Game on December 3rd,
Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Vandy are idle this week.
Auburn at Ole Miss
The Tigers seem to be the most improved team in the SEC and their 56-3 slaughtering of Arkansas last weekend was their finest performance of the year so far.
The Tigers have found an offense for coach Gus Malzahn and their defense was playing lights out from game one. They could now be the second best team in the SEC West. Ole Miss on the other hand has been a big disappointment. The Johnny Rebs are 1-3 in SEC play and are now trying to play the role of spoiler in the West. Both teams seem to have plenty of firepower now but the Tigers defense could prove to be too much for Chad Kelly and company. Consider this one a big-time trap contest. In an upset.............
Ole Miss 34 Auburn 27
New Mexico State at Texas A&M
Unlike Tennessee, Alabama didn't totally embarrass Texas A&M last week in College Station. 33-14 was a bit more competitive than 49-10. Still it was an SEC loss for the Aggies, their first. New Mexico State provides a week of healing before A&M heads into their stretch of three SEC games in the final four weeks of the season.
Texas A&M 54 New Mexico State 14
Kentucky at Missouri
Last weekend, the Tigers were shocked by Middle Tennessee State 51-45 as Blue Raider quarterback Brent Stockstill shredded the Tigers defense. Missouri has yet to win an SEC game as they're 0-3 in league play. Kentucky has enough firepower to do a Stockstill type deal this week, but the Tigers should be a bit more focused. Kentucky is 3-2 in SEC play which is one more win than Tennessee has at this point in the season. In a close one............
Kentucky 38 Missouri 30
Samford at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs get a week away from the SEC wars this weekend as they host Samford from the Southern Conference. MSU lost to Kentucky last week which has left a bitter taste in the mouth of coach Dan Mullen. Mississippi State has already lost to a team they should have beaten when they lost to South Alabama in their season opener, so take that off the table.
Mississippi State 37 Samford 13
Florida vs Georgia in Jacksonville, FL
Most if not all Tennessee fans will be pulling like heck for Georgia this weekend. Someone needs to knock Florida off the top of the SEC East standings, and while the Bulldogs are a seven point underdog against the Gators, they have the talent to win. Both teams had off weeks coming into this game so some injuries should be healed and players should be well rested. There is also some more incentive on the side of the Georgia Bulldogs. They lost to Vanderbilt their last time out, so they may have a bit more to prove.
Georgia 31 Florida 28
Tennessee at South Carolina
The Volunteers have had a week off to heal some of their many injuries, but they still have plenty of folks hurt. They did receive some good news this week; defensive stand out Cam Sutton may be back in a few weeks after suffering a broken ankle against Florida. Running back Alvin Kamara is out this week with a knee injury so that leaves the Vols' running attack up to Jalen Hurd and John Kelly. The Vols have lost two in a row and stand at 5-2 on the season. This game is a must for Tennessee if they make the trip to Atlanta and a possible rematch with Alabama. They face a South Carolina team that is simply.......not very good. It would be a good time for the Volunteers to put everything together this week in Columbia.
Tennessee 38 South Carolina 10
Last Week: 6-1
Year to Date: 54-15
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer.
His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.
He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.
In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have five grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, Mattingly, DellaMae, and CoraLee.