According to On3 Sports’ Chris Low, Ole Miss’ College Football Playoff seeding would likely take a hit if Kiffin departed Oxford prior to Selection Sunday.

Rebel fans would not be happy if this transpired, but there is precedent. In 2023, the Florida State Seminoles started 11-0 with quarterback Jordan Travis before he suffered a season-ending leg injury. The Seminoles overcame that setback and won the ACC Championship with a 13-0 record, but were passed in the CFP rankings by 12-1 Alabama, who captured the SEC Championship and had a healthy starting quarterback (Jalen Milroe).

Ole Miss’ situation is different from Florida State’s in that this CFP features 12 teams instead of 4. If the Rebels win the Egg Bowl and finish 11-1, they probably would not be left out of the CFP if Kiffin is gone. However, falling from their current No. 6 ranking — which would grant them a home playoff game — to No. 9 or lower — making them the road team in a first round playoff matchup — is a real possibility without Kiffin.

Last year, home teams went 4-0 in the first round of the CFP. Their average margin of victory was 19.3 points. So that drop, if it occurred, would potentially doom Ole Miss’ title chances. The Rebels face Mississippi State next Friday (11/28) at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on ABC).

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The Razorbacks (2-8, 0-6 SEC) have not beaten a Power 4 foe this season. Their offense, behind offensive coordinator/interim head coach Bobby Petrino and quarterback Taylen Green, has the firepower to put up points if the Longhorns’ defense overlooks them. Greg McElroy believes Texas will win this game, though, on the back of Arch Manning’s unit.

“I think this could be a game where the offense really gets going for the Longhorns,” McElroy said on the Always College Football podcast. “They could hit their stride. I’ll take the ‘Horns at home in a bounce-back situation, but I would not be surprised that this game is a bit uncomfortable through the first 2… [to] 3 quarters.”

Steve Sarkisian and Co. have the 22nd-best CFP odds (7.1%) in the country, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Longhorns will need help in order to sneak into the bracket, but they must help themselves first by winning if they want to do so. Saturday’s kickoff between Arkansas and Texas is set for 3:30 p.m. E.T. on ABC.

Looking to wager on Arkansas and Texas? Check out prediction market Kalshi to put money on the winner of the game!

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Ingram was tasked with picking the winner of the Missouri-Oklahoma matchup during the latest episode of The Triple Option podcast. He believes the Sooners, playing at home, will beat the Tigers.

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“I kind of like the under [42.5] in this one, and I like Oklahoma to cover [-7.5]” Ingram said. “Coming off a huge win in Tuscaloosa, their defense, their special teams… now you got Missouri, who has struggled against top-25 opponents. They’re 0-3 against ranked opponents… I see this being a defensive struggle. I feel like Oklahoma will control the game.”

Missouri’s tremendous running back duo of Ahmad Hardy (1,346 yards, 15 touchdowns) and Jamal Roberts (583 yards, 4 touchdowns) has the ability to keep the Tigers in any contest. Quarterback Matt Zollers has to prove he can do enough to keep Oklahoma’s defense from honing in on their ground attack, though, to give Missouri a real chance at victory.

The Tigers and Sooners will kick off on Saturday at noon ET (ABC).

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The Fighting Irish were No. 9 in the CFP rankings a week ago. They remained at No. 9 this week after trouncing Pitt — which was ranked No. 22 last week — 37-15 in Week 12. They certainly didn’t deserve to drop for their performance, but seeing them ranked ahead of Alabama — which is 8-2 following a home loss to Oklahoma — has many people, including Paul Finebaum, up in arms.

“In terms of where [Notre Dame is] ranked, it’s totally ridiculous,” Finebaum said Wednesday morning on Get Up. “We love the college football season, but I don’t know why we waste time with it, considering Notre Dame is already in the Playoff in August.”

Finebaum’s ire toward the Fighting Irish doesn’t solely center on their ranking above the Crimson Tide. He’s also bothered by them being slotted so clearly above Miami, which beat Notre Dame 27-24 to kick off the season. He suggested the Fighting Irish’s strong national brand leads them to receive favorable treatment from the committee.

“Notre Dame lost its first 2 games of the year. They lost to Miami and now they’re ranked ahead of Miami,” he continued. “It rubs me beyond the wrong way. I’ve been hearing… that Notre Dame, there’s a bias. There is a bias. Let’s just go ahead and admit it.”

Barring a 2-bid Big 12, Alabama should be in the CFP as long as it wins out. Miami, on the other hand, needs help on both the ACC Championship and at-large fronts. Notre Dame hosts Syracuse (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) in Week 13.

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Alabama wound up at No. 10 in this week’s CFP rankings, sliding 6 spots from a week ago. The Crimson Tide are now looking up at the “Big 4” 1-loss teams (Georgia, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, and Oregon) and Oklahoma. But they’re also behind Notre Dame, which leads ESPN’s Heather Dinich to believe the Fighting Irish have all but sealed their CFP berth.

“The fact that Notre Dame is ranked ahead of Alabama leads me to believe that if they run the table, they are the closest thing to a lock,” Dinich said Wednesday morning on Get Up. “And that’s because the committee rewarded the Irish because they have better losses than Alabama.”

Marcus Freeman and Co. have lost to Texas A&M (No. 3) and Miami (No. 13). Kalen DeBoer and his bunch lost to Oklahoma and unranked Florida State, so there’s no dispute about who has the “better losses.”

But as Dinich pointed out, the Fighting Irish’s victories simply don’t compare with the Crimson Tide’s. She mentioned that Alabama has “4 wins over CFP top-20 teams, including the committee’s No. 4 team in Georgia.” Notre Dame’s lone win over a currently ranked CFP team is No. 15 USC.

The Crimson Tide’s placement leaves them vulnerable to being bounced if BYU — or another team — knocks off Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game. But Alabama can’t fret about what could be. It simply has to handle business against Eastern Illinois and Auburn. Otherwise, the Crimson Tide will miss the CFP altogether. Kickoff for this weekend’s game versus the Panthers is 2:00 p.m. ET (SEC Network+).

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No. 12 Kentucky was beaten up and thrown onto Madison Square Garden’s sidewalk in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night, falling 83-66 to No. 17 Michigan State. The Spartans — who entered the game shooting just 21.7% from 3-point range in 2025 — connected on 50% (11-of-22) of their long-distance attempts against the Wildcats.

Michigan State’s hot shooting obviously didn’t help Kentucky’s chances, but the bigger story was the Wildcats’ lack of physicality. No Kentucky player had more than 4 rebounds; 4 different Spartans recorded at least 5 rebounds. Michigan State also had 25 assists on 32 made shots.

No matter which way you slice it, the Wildcats were utterly dominated in this game. They failed to show the grit and resolve that helped them climb back in the game against Louisville, perhaps because Jaland Lowe was not on the court. It’s also clear that Kentucky’s highly talented players are operating on different wavelengths right now.

Four Wildcats scored in double-figures, though no one had more than 12 points. Otega Oweh led the way with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. Michigan State got 20 from Jaxon Kohler on 8-of-12 shooting.

There’s still a lot of time left in the season, but there is definitely cause for concern if you’re Big Blue Nation. Performances like these, when taking on the types of foes you’ll be facing daily once you get into SEC play, can leave even the most optimistic person feeling blue.

For now, BBN must hope the team resolves its issues versus Loyola MD (Nov. 21) and Tennessee Tech (Nov. 26) before hosting North Carolina on Dec. 2.

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Mizzou fans are concerned that Drinkwitz’s eyes might be on another opportunity. On Tuesday, he spoke at length on the speculation that he’s thinking about heading elsewhere. Bottom line: he believes everything about it is a distraction.

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“I’m not going to comment on message board chatters, tweets, sources,” Eli Drinkwitz said. “I’ve maintained with you and our team that my complete focus is on the task at hand… all of this stuff is just a distraction.”

“I would like to remind everybody, including our fans: we absolutely love Mizzou,” he continued. “We love what we’re building… our administration has been nothing short of phenomenal to me. The alignment that we have… is tremendous.”

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve signed multiple extensions. In fact, I signed one this past summer,” he added. “All the speculation is really a tribute to [the administration], and it’s a tribute to our team’s success… and I’m not going to get into all that stuff, because, again, it’s just a distraction.”

Drinkwitz is currently under contract with Missouri through the 2029 season. His buyout is nearly $29 million, now 8th-highest in the SEC after Brian Kelly’s firing from LSU. Missouri battles Oklahoma in Week 13 (12:00 p.m. ET, ABC).

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Lacy was named the Maxwell Award Player of the Week for Week 12 on Tuesday following his dominant performance versus the Gators. The sophomore running back had 31 carries for 224 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Rebels’ 34-24 triumph. His final 2 scores, which gave Ole Miss the lead and effectively sealed the win, came in the fourth quarter.

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Lacy leads the SEC in both rushing attempts (231) and rushing touchdowns (19) this season. He ranks second in the conference in rushing yards (1,136), behind Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy (1,346). He has formed a dynamic pairing with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who was named a Maxwell Award semifinalist last week. Together, they have the Rebels’ offense averaging 37.2 points per game.

Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC) still has a chance to play for the SEC Championship. However, the odds of that happening are slim. The Rebels would need to beat Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl and have both Auburn and Texas prevail over Alabama and Texas A&M, respectively, to reach Atlanta. If Lane Kiffin and Co. defeat the Bulldogs in their rivalry matchup, though, they’ll be headed to the College Football Playoff. The Egg Bowl kicks off at 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28 (ABC).

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According to CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer, John Talty and Matt Zenitz, Arkansas recently interviewed former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald for its open position. And they’re not the only school to have done so.

A name that keeps popping up this cycle is… Pat Fitzgerald. The most successful coach in [Northwestern] history, several schools have interviewed Fitzgerald… including Arkansas.

Fitzgerald, who turns 51 on Dec. 2, coached the Wildcats for 17 seasons (2006-2022). He posted a 106-81 record, with 3 10-win seasons, during his first 15 years in Evanston. His final campaign was plagued by a hazing scandal that led to his firing. Fitzgerald sued Northwestern for wrongful termination following his dismissal, though, and settled his case in August. The university later released a statement saying Fitzgerald was not aware of the hazing allegations while employed at the school.

Earlier this month, Fitzgerald told ESPN’s College GameDay podcast he feels “fully vindicated” from the end of his Northwestern tenure. CBS Sports listed Michigan State — who still has Jonathan Smith — as a potential destination for Fitzgerald if the Spartans were to move on from their current coach. There have also been rumors of Penn State looking into Fitzgerald. If the Razorbacks believe he’s their guy, they may need to act quickly to ensure he comes to Fayetteville.

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On Tuesday morning, On3 Sports’ Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos reported Leavitt is “doubtful” to return to Arizona State in 2026. The rising junior quarterback’s camp is said to be “actively shopping” him “at a high level.”

Leavitt completed 60.7% of his passes (145/239) for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in 7 games this year. He added another 300 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground despite dealing with a Lisfranc injury all season long. That ailment finally proved too much to bear during Arizona State’s 25-16 loss to Houston on Oct. 25.

The report concerning Leavitt comes on the heels of Sun Devil head coach Kenny Dillingham declaring he “was never leaving” his alma mater after speculation that he’d be in the running for one of college football’s more premier openings, such as Auburn, where he served as offensive coordinator in 2019. The news about his quarterback, though, has reignited the flames of his potential departure.

Regardless of Dillingham’s rumors, Leavitt is sure to be a hot commodity. The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, 2026.

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In Monday’s Week 3 AP poll, both Alabama (No. 11) and Kentucky (No. 12) slipped 3 spots from their Week 2 placement. This movement leaves Florida (No. 10) as the SEC’s highest-ranked basketball team in mid-November.

Overall, there are 6 SEC teams in this week’s AP poll. A seventh squad (Vanderbilt) would be ranked No. 28 in the country — based on the “others receiving votes” points — if the poll included that many schools.

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. UConn
4. Arizona
5. Duke
6. Louisville
7. Michigan
8. Illinois
9. BYU
10. Florida
11. Alabama
12. Kentucky
13. Gonzaga
14. St. John’s
15. Texas Tech
16. Iowa State
17. Michigan State
18. North Carolina
19. UCLA
20. Tennessee
21. Arkansas
22. Auburn
23. Wisconsin
24. Kansas
25. NC State

Tennessee is the lone undefeated SEC team in the AP poll. The other ranked schools’ lone losses — Arizona, Purdue, Louisville, Michigan State and Houston, respectively — are not bad defeats by any means. However, they have left the conference lacking a marquee non-conference win. Kentucky has a chance to change that when it faces the Spartans in the Champions Classic on Tuesday evening (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Alabama could do the same against Illinois on Wednesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1).

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The SEC announced its Week 14 kickoff times on Monday afternoon. Unsurprisingly, Alabama and Auburn are facing off in a premier time slot: the 7:30 p.m. E.T. (6:30 p.m. C.T.) window on ABC.

RELATED: If you’re looking for ways to stream this game, SlingTV and Fubo both offer packages that include ABC, ESPN and many more channels.

Auburn (4-6, 1-6 SEC) will be playing with house money (and nothing to lose) versus Alabama. The Tigers have already fired their head coach and are primed for a program reset.

Conversely, the Crimson Tide (8-2, 6-1 SEC) will have everything — a potential SEC Championship appearance, CFP berth, and maybe even Kalen DeBoer’s job — on the line. There would, quite simply, be no better way for War Eagle to put lipstick on this pig of a season than ending Alabama’s hopes and dreams. And fans of both fanbases know it.

Before the Tigers and Crimson Tide tussle, they must handle business versus FCS foes in Week 13. Auburn hosts Mercer (2:00 p.m. E.T., SEC Network+) while Alabama welcomes Eastern Illinois (2:00 p.m. E.T., SEC Network+).

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On Monday, Tigers interim head coach Frank Wilson was mum on Nussmeier’s availability versus the Hilltoppers. He knows how important it is for Nussmeier to play in what would be his final game in Baton Rouge, but he won’t allow the quarterback to risk further injury if LSU’s staff doesn’t clear him.

“I know he [wants to be out there],” Wilson said. “But we will defer to our trainers and doctors… I don’t have those answers just yet.”

Nussmeier has completed 67.4% of his passes (194/288) for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. His senior campaign hasn’t exactly gone as planned — he entered the season as a contender to be the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft — but he would obviously love to end his Tiger tenure on a high note. LSU and Western Kentucky will kick off at 7:45 p.m. ET on Saturday (SEC Network).

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Carter, who was not going to play versus New Mexico State for disciplinary reasons, did not show up to the Vols’ 42-9 victory over the Aggies. He was reportedly expected to attend and watch the game from the sideline with his teammates despite not suiting up.

The optics surrounding Carter don’t necessarily look the best for Josh Heupel. Regardless, he has no qualms about his actions concerning who fans thought would be a star defender.

“[I’m] not regretful,” Heupel told reporters on Monday when asked about Carter’s second chance in Knoxville. “At the end of the day, it’s our job as coaches to try to mold these guys… sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. At the end of day, we’re moving forward.”

Carter recorded 25 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in orange and white this year. Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC) has an opportunity for its third 10-win season under Heupel if it can win out and triumph in its bowl game. The Volunteers travel to Florida in Week 13 (7:30 p.m. E.T., ABC).

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When Alabama loses at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide fanbase typically loses its collective mind. However, following the Sooners’ triumph, it’s Paul Finebaum functioning as Alabama’s voice of reason. On Monday’s episode of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, he told the college football commentators that the defeat at Oklahoma’s hands isn’t the worst thing in the world.

“It is inexcusable when you consider everything that is at stake… but at this point of the season, you really don’t get caught up as much on hyperbole,” Finebaum said. “The reality is, Alabama’s still in reasonably good shape… in any other year, in the past, this would have been cataclysmic. But it doesn’t feel that bad, and I don’t sense the reaction — yet, being the operative word — has been that bad because the Auburn game is still ahead.”

The Sooners were the fifth ranked opponent that Kalen DeBoer and Co. have battled this season. The Crimson Tide are 4-1 in those contests, and have just Eastern Illinois and Auburn remaining on the schedule before a potential SEC Championship appearance. If Alabama handles business versus the Panthers and Tigers, it will be in the CFP. And once you’re in, anything can happen. Kickoff for Saturday’s game with Eastern Illinois is at 2:00 p.m. E.T. (SEC Network+).

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Texas A&M’s Week 12 roller coaster ride is the primary focus of this week’s SEC Shorts. The episode kicks off with the Aggies’ hope meter maxing out as they “buy the hype.” This leads “Battered Aggies Syndrome” to morph into its monstrous “final form” and wreck the entire first half versus the Gamecocks, making Texas A&M miss a field goal and turn the ball over 3 times.

The Aggies went into the locker room trailing 30-3 after Battered Aggie Syndrome’s actions. Thankfully, this led South Carolina to get over its skis, causing “Premature Cockiness” to take over. In the end, the Gamecocks’ curse outdueled Battered Aggie Syndrome, allowing Texas A&M to pull off the biggest comeback in school history.

While the episode centered on the Aggies, there were nods throughout to action across the conference. We got to see Georgia physically beat up Texas and Oklahoma (presumably) knock Alabama out of the running for a first-round College Football Playoff bye (at least temporarily). You can watch the full skit below:

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Take the name off the jersey. If I told you the Kentucky Wildcats went on the road to play a top-12 team – one boasting what may be the best offense in college basketball – and lost by 8 points, you wouldn’t be this upset.

Heck, when you think about the Wildcats being down 20 points to said team in the second half, and cutting that deficit to merely 4 points with 3:35 remaining in regulation, you’d be thrilled with the grit and resolve demonstrated. Instead, because it’s Louisville, Big Blue Nation is up in arms.

The fact of the matter is this: it was Louisville’s turn to win this game. Since John Calipari was hired as Kentucky’s head coach, the Cardinals have defeated the Wildcats every fourth regular-season matchup. Louisville’s most recent wins in the series:

• 2012-13 (80-77)
• 2016-17 (73-70)
• 2020-21 (62-59)
• 2025-26* (96-88)

*The Cardinals and Wildcats did not play in 2021-22.

One every 4 years. Kentucky also has 2 NCAA Tournament wins over Louisville – including a Final 4 triumph – in the past 16 years. So, overall, the Wildcats are 14-4 vs. the Cardinals in their last 18 matchups. I simply can’t complain about that record against one of our biggest rivals since I turned 10 years old.

Side note: This year’s matchup was played earlier than any UK-UL battle had ever been played before. It should never have been played this early. College basketball fans across the country know it. Kentucky fans know it. Deep down, Louisville fans know it, too. But I digress.

Part of the reason I feel this way may also be because I know that the Wildcats have, far and away, been the better program, even recently. Think of how much the Wildcats have struggled, for their lofty standard, in the past half-decade. These “dark” years are seasons the Cardinals gladly would have taken. Their Kenny Payne experiment makes Billy Gillespie’s tenure look like a walk in the park.

If there’s something concerning for Kentucky basketball fans to be bothered by, it’s falling off its SEC perch. The Wildcats are no longer actively the big man on campus. They’re the high school jock in his letterman jacket.

Kentucky hasn’t won a regular-season SEC championship post-COVID (2019-20). Its SEC Tournament title drought is even longer: 2017-18 (my freshman year in Lexington). Five SEC schools have appeared in the Elite Eight more recently than the Wildcats. Four have been to the Final 4 since they last reached that hallowed stage.

Watching Tennessee finish with an equal or better SEC record in 4 of the past 5 seasons? Seeing that bright orange advance further in each of the last 4 NCAA Tournaments? That’s more than bothersome. It’s sickening. It’s vomit-inducing, even if it’s just the Vols’ peak surpassing the heights of UK’s valley.

Tuesday night’s result, difficult as it may have been to swallow in the moment, was encouraging. For much of the game, the offense looked clunky. The defense was borderline non-existent. Yet, when crunch time arrived, Kentucky had an opportunity to win on the road against a top-12 foe. One that is, at worst, on par with the best the SEC has to offer in 2025-26.

Would a win over the Cardinals feel better today than a loss? Of course. Do we need to see the Wildcats play better when they face Michigan State in the Champions Classic? And when they tussle with North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana and St. John’s to round out nonconference play? And in SEC competition? Undoubtedly.

At the same time, all that matters is what things look like in March. Every game until then is a testing ground. What does the offense look like when Jaland Lowe has his sea legs under him? How does Jayden Quantaince’s return impact the defensive end of the floor? What kind of forces do Malachi Moreno and Kam Williams develop into over the course of the season? Those questions, and so many others, are still unanswered.

We’re roughly 2 weeks into a 5-month journey. Yeah, little brother got one over on the Wildcats. It’s going to happen from time to time. There’s no point in being bothered by it.

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Neither Indiana nor Alabama looked like world beaters in Week 11. The Hoosiers prevailed over Penn State on the back of a tremendous catch with less than a minute to go in regulation. The Crimson Tide smothered LSU’s offense, but didn’t light up the scoreboard like we’ve gotten accustomed to seeing. Regardless, Alabama’s struggles came against a much better opponent, so they’re now holding down second place for Phil Steele.

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Steele has been doing Vegas Power Rankings for years. They give insight into who would be favored on a neutral field in a particular matchup. For much of the year, that would have been the Hoosiers by a slight margin. Today, it’s the Crimson Tide. Who will it be if/when they actually face off? There are still a few weeks of games left to decide that.

Here are the SEC’s full Week 12 Vegas Power Rankings (Parentheses show rating and overall ranking from Week 11):

• No. 2 – Alabama (130.98 power rating; +1 from Week 11)
• No. 4 – Texas A&M (130.27; +3)
• No. 6 – Georgia (129.99; -1)
• No. 9 – Ole Miss (127.79; no movement)
• No. 10 – Texas (126.87; no movement)
• No. 11 – Oklahoma (125.81; +1)
• No. 12 – Tennessee (125.44; +3)
• No. 14 – Vanderbilt (124.86; -1)
• No. 18 – Auburn (121.66; +3)
• No. 20 – LSU (120.22; no movement)
• No. 22 – Missouri (119.32; -4)
• No. 34 – Florida (117.01; -15)
• No. 38 – Arkansas (116.14; -1)
• No. 40 – South Carolina (115.95; -2)
• No. 42 – Mississippi State (115.27; -8)
• No. 45 – Kentucky (114.56; +2)

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When the regular season ends, award season begins. This afternoon, the Joe Moore Award — given to the most outstanding offensive line unit in the country — revealed its 10 semifinalists. Two SEC teams (Texas A&M and Vanderbilt) made the list, along with Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Oregon and Utah.

Neither Texas A&M nor Vanderbilt have won the Joe Moore Award before. The only semifinalist schools that have won the Joe Moore Award are Iowa (2016) and Michigan (2021, 2022).

There’s more to offensive line play than rushing yards, but a strong ground attack is usually the result of great offensive line play. The Aggies rank 6th amongst the semifinalists in rushing yards per game (204.9). The Commodores, with 185.2 rushing yards per game, slot in the No. 8 spot. Utah leads the semifinalist teams in rushing yards per game (267.1).

Texas A&M ran for 243 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns in its 38-17 victory over Missouri last weekend. Vanderbilt also poured in 3 rushing touchdowns in its overtime triumph against Auburn in Week 11. The Aggies and Commodores will try to perform even better when they battle South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively, in Week 12.

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Alabama is currently a 6-point favorite over Oklahoma on DraftKings Sportsbook, and the Crimson Tide boast the longest active home winning streak in the country (17 straight wins). It’s not easy for any visitor to win in Tuscaloosa, but David Pollack believes the Sooners will get the job done.

“The reason I think ‘Boomer Sooner’ is going to win is because, they’ve got the pass rush,” Pollack said on his See Ball Get Ball podcast. “They’ve got the dudes up front… that can get to a 1-dimensional Alabama offense. Boomer Freaking Sooner, 24-20.”

Pollack believes John Mateer’s mobility will also cause major problems for Alabama’s defense. Last season, Jackson Arnold gashed the Crimson Tide for 131 rushing yards in Oklahoma’s dominant 24-3 win that effectively knocked Alabama out of the CFP. Kalen DeBoer and Co. have revenge on their mind for that loss, but if they can’t contain Mateer’s legs, they could fall once again. Kickoff between the Sooners and Crimson Tide is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday (ABC).

Can Oklahoma pull off the upset at Alabama? Wager on the outcome at prediction market Kalshi!

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Four of Week 11’s 6 games involving an SEC team ended with 20+ point margins of victory. LSU and Alabama combined for less than 30 total points. Thankfully, we had Auburn-Vanderbilt to save us from a complete absence of competitive contests.

There are a couple buy games in Week 12 — one of which could be a barnburner (more on that later) — but we also get Oklahoma-Alabama and Texas-Georgia in Week 12. As teams fight to lock up their College Football Playoff spots, there’s real opportunity for drama to unfold. So, as always, keep the popcorn on standby.

Games are listed in order of approximate start time. Plays mentioned are based on win probability added, via ESPN analytics. Rankings are from the Week 11 College Football Playoff committee.

No. 5 Georgia vs. Mississippi State (41-21 Georgia)

Play: 14:42 Q2, 3rd-and-11, Mississippi State 28-yard line. Gunnar Stockton pass complete to Elviss Williams for 24 yards to Mississippi State 4-yard line. First down Georgia (+6.9%).

Kirby Smart‘s team had played with its food for 3-straight games before going to Starkville and winning in convincing fashion. Georgia still has an opportunity to reach the SEC Championship Game, but a loss to Texas in Week 12 would eliminate any hopes of another trip to Atlanta.

The Citadel vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (49-0 Ole Miss)

Play: 6:34 Q1, 3rd-and-1, Citadel 15-yard line. Kewan Lacy runs 15 yards, touchdown 14-0 Ole Miss (+0.1%).

No play in this game had greater than a 0.1% impact on the Rebels’ win probability. Their second touchdown moved the needle from 99.8% to 99.9%, where it sat until the final whistle, so it gets the nod for us here. The only thing Ole Miss could have done better in this game — for any bettors out there — is cover the 50-plus point spread.

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 22 Missouri (38-17 Texas A&M)

Play: 0:57 Q2, 3rd-and-10, Missouri 42-yard line. Matt Zollers sacked by Daymoin Sanford. FUMBLE, recovered by Dalton Brooks, returned 26 yards to Missouri 2-yard line. First down Texas A&M (+7.7%).

The Tigers were missing starting quarterback Beau Pribula in this game, but were a desperate outfit, coming off a bye, playing at home. And Mike Elko‘s bunch thoroughly dominated anyway. Barring a Buckeyes loss, there may not be anything the Aggies can do to yank the No. 1 spot in the CFP rankings away from Ohio State. If they can beat Texas to end the regular season and (presumably) Alabama in the SEC championship, though, they’ll have a strong argument to be the bracket’s top dog.

Auburn vs. No. 16 Vanderbilt (45-38 Vanderbilt, OT)

Play: Overtime, Vanderbilt possession, 2nd-and-10, Auburn 25-yard line. Diego Pavia pass complete to Junior Sherrill for 21 yards to Auburn 4-yard line. First down Vanderbilt (+29.4%).

Vanderbilt is 8-2 (4-2 SEC) because of this overtime win. The Commodores need to beat Kentucky and Tennessee in the final 2 weeks of the regular season — and get a little bit of help — to steal a College Football Playoff spot. If you’re rooting for Clark Lea and Co. to get in, you’re hoping Alabama and Georgia hold serve at home versus Oklahoma and Texas, respectively, this weekend. Wins by Pittsburgh (over Notre Dame) and Baylor (against Utah) would also aid Vandy’s cause.

LSU vs. No. 4 Alabama (20-9 Alabama)

Play: 6:01 Q4, 2nd-and-10, Alabama 45-yard line. Ty Simpson pass complete to Isaiah Horton for 21 yards to the LSU 34-yard line. First down Alabama (+6.8%).

“You can throw out the record books between these 2 teams” is a cliche that could apply to nearly every major SEC rivalry, including this one. The Crimson Tide didn’t look dominant versus the Brian Kelly-less Tigers last Saturday — they were actually out-possessed by 3:38 — but held LSU’s moribund offense to 232 total yards. Perhaps they were peeking ahead to this weekend’s much more important matchup with Oklahoma.

Florida vs. Kentucky (38-7 Kentucky)

Play: 10:43 Q1, 3rd-and-12, UK 44-yard line. DJ Lagway pass INTERCEPTED by Ty Bryant, returned 17 yards to the Kentucky 49-yard line. First down Kentucky (+14.2%).

There may be no bigger indictment against Florida‘s football program than its recent performances vs. Kentucky. The Gators are 1-4 against the Wildcats in the past 5 seasons. This year’s 31-point loss is their largest in this “rivalry” since 1950 (40-6). Meanwhile, Mark Stoops‘ team continues fighting for him after its atrocious start. Kentucky still has a chance to become bowl-eligible, but this weekend’s battle with Tennessee Tech — a 10-0 FCS squad ranked No. 6 in the nation — is no gimme.

The post The most important play of each SEC team’s Week 11 game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Right now, Miami (7-2, 3-2 ACC) is No. 15 in the CFP rankings, but has claim of the No. 11 seed for the bracket as the highest-ranked ACC team (and de facto fourth highest-ranked conference champion). For the Hurricanes to have any shot at an at-large berth, CFP committee chair Mack Rhoades believes they need to perform steadily on offense the rest of the way.

“The conversation with Miami has been about their consistency, especially on offense. They’ve been really, really good on defense,” Rhoades said. “We’ve got great respect for Miami. When you think about the eye test… [they] need to be a little more consistent on offense.”

Miami is viewed as the best team in the ACC by ESPN’s Football Power Index. Despite this, the Hurricanes — who are currently seventh in the ACC standings — have the seventh-best odds (3.7%) of winning the ACC Championship.

They need a lot of help if they’re going to capture the ACC crown or sneak into the field as an at-large. For that potential assistance to matter, though, they must win their remaining regular-season games. They face the NC State Wolfpack this weekend at 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN).

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The Longhorns’ jump came as a result of BYU’s loss to Texas Tech. Now that the 7-2 Longhorns are in the bracket, ESPN’s Heather Dinich thinks they are almost guaranteed to make the CFP.

“Texas is now safe. There’s your 2-loss team that’s the most interesting for 2 reasons,” Dinich said. “One, they’re in that 10 spot, which is the safest place to be [for the current 2-loss teams], but 2, because no team in the country has a better chance to impress the selection committee.”

Dinich pointed to the Longhorns’ upcoming matchups with No. 5 Georgia this weekend and No. 3 Texas A&M to end the regular season as a “double-edged sword.”

Win both of those games, and Texas will likely host a first-round CFP contest. Lose both, and Steve Sarkisian’s team will miss the event entirely. But a victory over just one top-5 school could earn them a berth, meaning no “bubble” team has a clearer path to sealing their bid.

The Longhorns and Bulldogs will kick off at 7:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC) on Saturday night.

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The latest SEC Shorts episode features Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, and LSU making a stop at a high-end store to find their next head coach. And it roasts them tremendously.

The skit starts with a quick mention of the Razorbacks, then shifts focus to Baton Rouge, whose coach search is seemingly being spearheaded by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. When asked if Landry would be accompanying the Tigers on this trip to the shop, LSU lets the attendant know he’s close by.

Unsurprisingly, many different coaches garner mentions in the skit. Lane Kiffin is shown off as the apple of everyone’s eye. Eli Drinkwitz is offered as a plausible second choice. Joe Brady, James Franklin, Jon Sumrall are brought up as viable alternatives. Steve Spurrier, Will Muschamp, and Ed Orgeron are included to induce some laughs.

You can watch SEC Shorts’ latest fun — and unexpected — video below:

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The Tigers have lost 4 of 5 games and are looking at a hard reset of their program once the offseason arrives. For now, though, they’ve got to get through the remainder of their games. According to interim head coach Frank Wilson, Nussmeier is not a lock to start this week’s game versus Arkansas. He told reporters that both Nussmeier and Michael Van Buren Jr. will play against the Razorbacks, but that Nussmeier “will be the first guy that goes in” at practice today.

Nussmeier and Van Buren combined to throw for 173 yards in Saturday’s 20-9 loss at Alabama. The two signal-callers have completed roughly 67% of their passes (Nussmeier 67.4%, Van Buren 66.7%) this year. LSU’s offense as a whole has struggled to both run the ball and push the ball downfield, though, all season, leading to mundane passing yardage totals.

The Tigers need 1 win in their last 3 games to secure bowl eligibility. They face Arkansas at 12:45 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (SEC Network).

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Daboll, the offensive coordinator for the 2017 national championship-winning Alabama Crimson Tide, went 20-40-1 as the Giants’ head coach. He led New York to just a 2-8 record this season.

New York’s decision to fire Daboll comes after yet another blown lead on the road. The Giants have led by double-digits in 4 different road contests this year, but are 0-4 in those games:

• Week 2 at Dallas: Led 13-3 (Q2, 5:37), lost 40-37 (OT)
• Week 5 at New Orleans: Led 14-3 (Q2, 13:01), lost 26-14
• Week 7 at Denver: Led 26-8 (Q4, 5:18), lost 33-32
• Week 10 at Chicago: Led 20-10 (Q4, 3:57), lost 24-20

Daboll entered the year on the hot seat, but appeared well on the way toward saving his job after inserting 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart — from Ole Miss — into the starting lineup. Dart has completed 62.7% of his passes (128/204) for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in 9 games (7 starts) this year. He has added 317 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rusher.

With Daboll, Dart looked like the Giants’ next franchise quarterback. New York believes it needs a new voice in the locker room, though, to return to true contender status. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as the team’s interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The Giants will host the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 (1 p.m. ET).

The post Brian Daboll fired amid disappointing 4th season, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, Gonzales told reporters Lagway would be taking first-team reps at Florida’s practice. That response, and an admission that “competition is good for everybody,” came when he was asked if Lagway was going to start against the Rebels.

If Lagway is relegated to the bench, Tramell Jones Jr. would step into his spot as QB1. Jones replaced Lagway in Week 11, completing 9-of-17 passes (52.9%) for 60 yards. On the season, he has completed 60% of his passes (21/35) for 191 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Gators (3-6, 2-4 SEC) have to win out to become bowl-eligible this season. That means they’d have to beat Ole Miss, Tennessee and Florida State to end the campaign. If they can do so, Billy Gonzales would presumably have a solid argument for becoming Florida’s full-time head coach. The Gators and Rebels will kick off at 7:00 p.m. E.T. (ESPN) on Nov. 15.

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Cubelic released his takeaways from every SEC team’s Week 11 performance early Monday morning. He believes Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson was “outstanding” in the Crimson Tide’s victory versus LSU. Cubelic also shouted out defensive back Bray Hubbard for playing “the best game I’ve seen” from him this year in that matchup.

Following the Alabama praise, Cubelic labeled Auburn’s latest setback a “brutal one to drop” and Florida’s blowout loss to Kentucky a “rough one.” On the flip side, he praised Vanderbilt for a “gutsy win” over the Tigers and Kentucky for reviving itself after being “left for dead a few weeks ago.”

Additionally, Cubelic gave props to Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo for “dialing up some cool stuff” against Mississippi State. He said Gunnar Stockton “works [the offense] really well” and thinks his “gamer/playmaker qualities are really starting to show up.”

You can read through Cubelic’s full thread of takeaways below:

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The episode begins with Georgia pitching itself to a 3-member cast of ESPN, the CFP and the SEC Championship game. The Bulldogs admit they “start slow,” “play down to their competition,” and “find new and unique ways to let inferior competition hang around,” but “just played their most complete game of the season.” The SEC Championship presents a contract to Georgia after hearing all that, but the Bulldogs won’t commit.

Once Georgia leaves the tank, Virginia and Louisville show up and announce they’re out after losing at home to Wake Forest and Cal, respectively. Ole Miss gets its pitch for more on-campus playoff games denied by ESPN, and Indiana gets bashed for its strength of schedule. The ESPN app also catches some strays that many fans may feel are deserved.

This week’s skit wraps up with the CFP showing its infatuation with Notre Dame, Texas A&M turning down a 3-way offer because of “Battered Aggie Syndrome,” Mizzou being shut out of the tank entirely, and Alabama getting instant approval from each of the “Sharks.” You can watch the full episode of SEC Shorts below:

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The Cavaliers, ranked No. 14 in the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings, were in the initial CFP bracket as the highest-ranked ACC team. They gave up just 1 touchdown to Wake Forest. It came on special teams, courtesy of Carlos Hernandez, who housed a punt from 88 yards away.

Virginia (8-2, 5-1 ACC) is now in a 4-way tie atop the conference with Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and SMU. Duke, at 4-1 in ACC play, is lurking just behind the aforementioned foursome. Both Miami — who beat Syracuse on Saturday — and Louisville — who lost at home to California in overtime — are 4-2 in conference.

The Cavaliers played a large chunk of Saturday’s game without starting quarterback Chandler Morris. The senior signal-caller was knocked out of action in the second quarter after taking a big hit from a pair of Demon Deacon defenders. Backup quarterback Daniel Kaelin threw for 145 yards in relief of Morris.

Virginia heads to Durham for a big matchup against Duke next Saturday, Nov. 15 (3:30 p.m. E.T.).

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LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson benched Nussmeier in the third quarter of the Tigers’ game at Alabama in Week 11. The senior signal-caller exited the contest after completing 18-of-21 passes (85.7%) for 121 yards. His final play was a 14-yard sack on 3rd-and-Goal that led to a field goal attempt.

Nussmeier entered Week 11 with 1,806 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions across 8 games. The numbers are a far cry from the 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns he recorded as a junior.

Michael Van Buren Jr., a transfer from Mississippi State, entered the game in Nussmeier’s stead. The former Bulldog appeared in 2 games this season prior to Week 11. He completed 13-of-16 passes (81.3%) for 172 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions during those showings.

Which direction LSU will decide to go in for the rest of the season is a mystery. The Tigers, barring a late comeback, will be 5-4 (2-4 SEC) after tonight’s game. All they really have left to play for is bowl eligibility. LSU welcomes Arkansas to Baton Rouge in Week 12.

The post LSU benches Garrett Nussmeier against Alabama appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Durkin, Auburn’s interim head coach, has been with the team all year. He lived the early highs and has absorbed the recent lows, same as his players. Amidst a time of trials and tribulations for them as individuals and the program as a whole, he applauded them for continuing to battle for each other after this latest setback.

“There’s some character in that [locker] room. Every coach in the country is calling this team, trying to drag them in the portal and go in other directions,” Durkin said. “And those guys… they stuck together.”

Saturday’s game was Durkin’s first as a head coach since the 2017 season. Quarterback Ashton Daniels produced 442 total yards of offense against the Commodores, but Diego Pavia countered with 489 total yards of his own. Pavia’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spence in overtime proved to be the difference in the end.

Auburn hosts Mercer on Nov. 22 (2:00 p.m. E.T.) before ending the regular season versus Alabama on Nov. 29.

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Mizzou (6-3, 2-3 SEC) is now all but eliminated from the CFP hunt, and the team knows it. After the game, head coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters his locker room was “devastated” by the result.

“That’s one of the toughest locker rooms I’ve been in, because we all believed that we were gonna win,” Drinkwitz said. “But our guys will pull it together.”

The Tigers have lost 3 of 4 contests following their 5-0 start. All 3 defeats came against teams in the top 16 of the initial CFP rankings (Alabama, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M). Each of those schools were ranked in the AP poll’s top 10 when they played Missouri. Unfortunately, when you play in the SEC, you’re going to have to navigate a gauntlet.

Mizzou hosts Mississippi State on Senior Night in Week 12. Following that game, they’ll wrap up the season with road trips to Oklahoma and Arkansas. Kickoff between the Tigers and Bulldogs next Saturday is slated for 7:45 p.m. E.T. (SEC Network).

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Ashton Daniels recorded 442 total yards — 353 passing, 89 rushing — and 4 total touchdowns for Auburn. DJ Durkin’s offense lit up the scoreboard, and the Tigers’ roster had some life throughout the contest. This led some Auburn fans to declare Durkin should be the full-time replacement for the recently-fired Hugh Freeze.

Here’s some of the reaction on social media:

There’s definitely a vocal contingent that is in Durkin’s corner after the Tigers’ Week 11 performance, but there are still more voices against him having the interim tag removed.

Those fans focused on the defensive side of the ball. Entering action, Auburn hadn’t allowed more than 24 points in a game all season. In giving up 45 to the Commodores on Saturday, the Tigers had their worst showing of the year by a wide margin.

Durkin went 10-15 across 2 seasons as Maryland’s head coach roughly a decade ago (2016-17). He has not been a full-time head coach since then. A win on Saturday against a ranked Vanderbilt team with legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations could have done wonders for his chances to be Auburn’s replacement for Freeze.

But at the end of the day, winning matters. And he didn’t get the job done in that regard.

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In Phil Steele’s humble opinion, the College Football Playoff rankings could be even more misleading. While the CFP committee has BYU at No. 7 and Texas Tech at No. 8, his Vegas Power Rankings have Texas Tech at No. 8 and BYU all the way down at No. 22.

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The Vegas ratings reflect who would be favored in a particular matchup on a neutral field. So, when you consider Texas Tech’s rating (128.11) is roughly 7 points higher than BYU’s (120.65) and that the 2 schools are facing off in Lubbock this weekend — home field is worth roughly 3 points — you get the Red Raiders as a 10-point favorite. If you open up DraftKings Sportsbook right now, you’ll see Texas Tech is, indeed, a 10-point favorite.

SEC teams claimed 4 of the top 6 CFP slots in the initial rankings. In Vegas, the conference is home to 8 of the country’s top 14 squads. If Texas is able to fight its way into the CFP with a 9-3 record, it’ll have the SEC’s depth and strength to thank. Here are the SEC’s Week 11 Vegas Power Rankings:

• No. 3 – Alabama (131.80)
• No. 5 – Georgia (129.87)
• No. 7 – Texas A&M (129.22)
• No. 9 – Ole Miss (127.78)
• No. 10 – Texas (126.87)
• No. 12 – Oklahoma (125.80)
• No. 13 – Vanderbilt (125.72)
• No. 14 – Tennessee (125.43)
• No. 18 – Missouri (122.93)
• No. 19 – Florida (122.48)
• No. 20 – LSU (121.13)
• No. 21 – Auburn (120.78)
• No. 34 – Mississippi State (116.29)
• No. 37 – Arkansas (116.15)
• No. 38 – South Carolina (115.96)
• No. 47 – Kentucky (113.22)

The post Vegas Power Rankings for every SEC team entering Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Richard made his first NBA start on Wednesday night, and led Golden State with 30 points in the Warriors’ 121-116 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Richard shot 10-of-15 (66.7%) from the field and connected on 5 3-pointers in 34 minutes against the Kings. He added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.

Golden State was very much a skeleton crew on Wednesday night, as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all missed the game. Regardless, Richard got his opportunity and took advantage of it, like he has done all offseason since winning the national championship at Florida.

Richard has not hit fewer than 2 field goals or shot worse than 40% in any game this season. Earlier in the year, Curry applauded him for having no fear and making a critical play in an overtime triumph versus the Denver Nuggets. This showing should only enhance the confidence both Curry and Steve Kerr have in the former Gator moving forward. Golden State’s next game is against the Nuggets on Friday night (10:00 p.m. ET).

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On the Aggie Football Hour, Mike Elko revealed he sent McMillan a congratulatory text about picking up a victory in his debut. McMillan appreciated the gesture, and offered a tremendous reply, saying he “couldn’t lose a game” before Elko did.

No offense to McMillan, but Aggies fans are probably hoping he loses before Elko does. Texas A&M should be fine versus Texas Southern on the hardwood tonight (8 p.m. ET, SEC Network+). Elko and the football team face much stiffer competition on Saturday, traveling to No. 22 Missouri. A win there would improve the Aggies to 9-0 and all but lock up a CFP berth.

If the football team can get by Mizzou, it hosts South Carolina (Nov. 15) and Samford (Nov. 22) before heading to Texas on Nov. 28. The basketball team would have to beat a pair of Big 12 foes (Oklahoma State, UCF) and prevail on home court versus Montana, Manhattan and Mississippi Valley State to reach the same date unbeaten. The night of Nov. 28, they battle Florida State.

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In Joel Klatt’s opinion, the most notable piece of information from Tuesday’s reveal was Texas’s placement.

“The biggest takeaway from these rankings is Texas at 11. Now, that tells us a lot about how the committee is valuing not only Texas, but obviously the SEC,” Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show. “Them at 11, I think, is going to draw some people’s ire… [but] I get it… and candidly, I don’t disagree with it.”

Klatt believes there’s a strong push “behind closed doors” to “make sure” the committee “values teams that schedule difficult non-conference games,” like Texas did against Ohio State.

He supports that effort, and considers the Longhorns a strong contender to make the CFP even if they lose to Georgia or Texas A&M and finish 9-3.

“If we’re just going to penalize a team like Texas for playing… and losing [to Ohio State], then we’re going to lose that game on the schedule. And we don’t want that in college football, Klatt said. “And guess what? Texas has so much ammunition left on their schedule… they’re still in a good position whether they win out or not… [the Longhorns] at 9-3 is absolutely alive.”

Texas is on bye this weekend and travels to Georgia on Nov. 15. Kickoff for the Longhorns-Bulldogs showdown is 7:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC).

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We had our lightest slate of conference action since Week 6 to kick off November. But the quality — 5 different 1-possession games — made the quantity irrelevant.

Four of our most important plays this week had a double-digit percentage impact on who won the game. Five of them were turnovers or touchdowns. Naturally, the lone exception occurred on The Plains, where it felt like nobody wanted to score.

Games are listed in order of approximate start time. Plays mentioned are based on win probability added, via ESPN analytics. Rankings are from the Week 10 AP poll.

No. 9 Vanderbilt vs. No. 20 Texas (34-31 Texas)

Play: 15:00 Q1, 1st-and-10, Texas 25-yard line. Arch Manning pass complete to Ryan Wingo for 75 yards, touchdown. 7-0 Texas (+5.9%).

The Texas Longhorns needed all of 11 seconds to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish vs. the Vanderbilt Commodores last Saturday. Texas, who debuted at No. 11 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, would throw a serious wrench in things with a victory over Georgia in Week 12. Hopefully the bye week doesn’t quell all of Arch Manning’s momentum ahead of the trip to Athens.

No. 5 Georgia vs. Florida (24-20 Georgia)

Play: 4:36 Q4, 1st-and-10, Florida 36-yard line. Chauncey Bowens runs 36 yards, touchdown. 24-20 Georgia (+28.0%).

Kirby Smart‘s team has gutted out wins over Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida this year. Perhaps those triumphs are evidence of just how tough life is in SEC play. A contest in Starkville — with Texas looming — shapes up as a battle of similar ilk for Georgia. If the Bulldogs get caught peeking ahead, their CFP chances will face real jeopardy with the Longhorns and Georgia Tech still on the schedule.

Mississippi State vs. Arkansas (38-35 Mississippi State)

Play: 0:51 Q4, 4th-and-5, Arkansas 18-yard line. Blake Shapen pass complete to Anthony Evans III for 18 yards, touchdown. 38-35 Mississippi State (+66.8%).

Arkansas had a 97.2% win probability after sacking Blake Shapen at roughly the 11-minute mark of the fourth quarter in Week 10. The Razorbacks had a 90.9% chance at victory with 2:13 remaining in regulation. Mississippi State has fought valiantly all season long, and come up short so many times. This one felt great for Jeff Lebby and Co., who could make it 2 conference wins in a row on Saturday afternoon vs. Georgia.

South Carolina vs. No. 7 Ole Miss (30-14 Ole Miss)

Play: 7:56 Q3, 4th-and-16, South Carolina 47-yard line. Oscar Bird punt MUFFED by Jalon Kilgore, recovered by Andy Jaffe at South Carolina 13-yard line. First down Ole Miss (+9.7%).

The Rebels have no care for style points the rest of the way. If they win their games, they’ll be in the College Football Playoff. It’s easier said than done to not get caught up in all the noise surrounding Lane Kiffin‘s future, but the simpler they can keep their operating procedure, the better.

No. 18 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Tennessee (33-27 Oklahoma)

Play: 8:01 Q1, 1st-and-10, Oklahoma 24-yard line. Joey Aguilar sacked, FUMBLED, recovered by R Mason Thomas. R Mason Thomas returns 71 yards, touchdown. 7-7 Tie (+19.5%).

Tennessee had never lost in its “Dark Mode” uniforms before Week 10. To say Oklahoma may have saved its CFP hopes with this play — which came when Tennessee was on the verge of going up at least 10-0 on home turf — could be a massive understatement. If the Sooners can carry their momentum through their bye and parlay it into a win at Alabama, they’d (presumably) all but lock up a CFP spot. Note: ESPN FPI had a glitch and made the score of this game 19-13 (instead of 16-13) shortly before halftime. For that reason, we chose a play we know was unaffected by that mistake, even though multiple plays after show a larger win probability jump.

Kentucky vs. Auburn (10-3 Kentucky)

Play: 10:37 Q3, 3rd-and-11, midfield. Cutter Boley pass complete to Fred Farrier II for 32 yards to the Auburn 18-yard line. First down Kentucky (+11.2%).

Mark Stoops‘ Wildcats hadn’t won an SEC contest in quite some time prior to Saturday night. You could see how much it meant for him to get this victory afterward. Whether he remains in Lexington beyond this season is to be determined, but there’s no denying his status as the best coach in Kentucky history. If this is the end of the line, Big Blue Nation wouldn’t mind seeing him leave on a high note.

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During the CFP rankings reveal, Rece Davis asked committee chair Mack Rhoades which team was “impacted most” by the sport’s overhauled strength of schedule and strength of record metrics. Rhoades told Davis that the Oregon Ducks suffered more than any other squad in that regard.

“[The metrics] came up when we talked about Oregon. When you look at them in the top 10, our lowest ranked in terms of record strength,” Rhoades said. “The committee had a lot of conversation, rigorous debate, about Oregon… their 1 loss is to our No. 2 ranked team… when we looked and evaluated Oregon, we really looked, in terms of just quality of team and how they looked on film.”

Dan Lanning’s team (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) has faced just 1 team that’s in the initial CFP rankings (Indiana). Is that necessarily their fault? No. But teams that have faced stiffer competition to this point are being rewarded for doing so. And that, generally speaking, hasn’t always happened in the past.

Oregon has a chance to enhance its résumé with games against 3 CFP-ranked schools to end the year. The first of those opportunities comes on Saturday, at No. 20 Iowa. Kickoff between the Ducks and Hawkeyes is set for 3:30 p.m. E.T. (CBS).

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Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss hold the top 6 spots in the first ranking of the season. Together, per SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic, they give just 2 conferences the top 6 teams for the first time in the CFP’s history.

The SEC’s top 4 and the Big Ten’s top 2 teams have a combined record of 47-3. Two of the losses — Ole Miss to Georgia, and Georgia to Alabama — have come to one another. The only negative result to not feature 1 of those 6 squads is the Crimson Tide’s 31-17 beatdown from Florida State back in Week 1.

There’s a chance the SEC and Big Ten could, at some point, contain the nation’s top 7 teams. Oregon is currently ranked No. 9, but has only a loss to Indiana on its ledger. Wins against CFP-ranked Iowa (No. 20), USC (No. 19), and Washington (No. 24) in the coming weeks could potentially vault them above BYU and Texas Tech, who matchup this weekend in Lubbock.

College GameDay is in town for that massive Big 12 showdown, which kicks off at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (ABC).

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The Davey O’Brien Award named Manning to its “Great 8” passers for Week 10. The Longhorns’ signal-caller’s acknowledgement comes after he completed 75.8% of his passes (25/33) for 328 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He was joined on the list by 3 ACC quarterbacks — Duke’s Darian Mensah, NC State’s CJ Bailey and SMU’s Kevin Jennings — as well as West Virginia’s Scotty Fox Jr., New Mexico’s Jack Layne, San Jose State’s Walker Eget and UTSA’s Owen McCown.

Manning has erupted for 674 yards, 6 touchdowns and just 1 interception over his past 2 games. In the process, his Longhorns have discovered their mojo. Now, they are mounting a late charge for the College Football Playoff.

Prior to this stretch, most people wouldn’t have given Texas more than a puncher’s chance against Georgia or Texas A&M to end the season. If Manning can maintain this level of play, the Longhorns may be able to meet the massive expectations laid upon them at the beginning of the year. Texas is on bye this week and faces Georgia at 7:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC) in Week 12.

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Steve Sarkisian has his team playing its best ball at the most important time of the year. The question is, will it be too little too late? The Longhorns have just 3 games left to prove they belong in the CFP. Two of those contests — at Georgia, vs. Texas A&M — are against top 5 teams. The other is versus a pesky Arkansas squad that can light up the scoreboard.

Results around the country over the past couple weeks have potentially given Texas more room for error than previously theorized. We know with certainty that the Longhorns cannot lose 2 games — or go 2-1 with a loss to the Razorbacks — and make the CFP. If they can find a way to beat the Bulldogs or Aggies, and handle business versus Arkansas, they’ll be 9-3 (6-2 SEC). Would that be enough to nudge out a likely 10-2 Notre Dame team? Nobody can be sure.

Here are the FPI projections for Texas’ remaining games:

• Nov. 15 at No. 5 Georgia – 42.4%
• Nov. 22 vs. Arkansas – 85.4%
• Nov. 28 vs. No. 3 Texas A&M – 56.7%

The Longhorns have a bye in Week 11 to prepare for the Bulldogs. Kickoff between Texas and Georgia in Week 12 is set for 7:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC).

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With a loss, Oklahoma’s odds to make the Playoff would be sitting roughly where Tennessee’s odds (1.8%) are right now. Instead, they’re at 34.6% — 11th-best in the country — because of the victory, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

FPI gives the Sooners (7-2, 3-2 SEC) a 9.7% chance of winning their final 3 regular-season contests. If Brent Venables and Co. do that, they’ll be in the CFP. Unfortunately, they have to make another road trip following their Week 11 bye. The destination? Tuscaloosa, to face Alabama. It’s not impossible to win at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but nobody will envy Oklahoma trying to lock up a CFP bid on that field.

Here are the FPI projections for the Sooners’ last 3 games:

• Nov. 15 at No. 4 Alabama – 27.1%
• Nov. 22 vs. No. 19 Missouri – 59.5%
• Nov. 29 vs. LSU – 65.7%

Oklahoma and Alabama will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) in Week 12.

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Auburn hasn’t finished .500 or better in SEC play since Malzahn’s final season (2020). The program is in desperate need of revival. In a cycle with 3 other SEC schools — plus Penn State, Virginia Tech and UCLA — already searching for new coaches, the Tigers will likely have to pay up for whoever they believe is their man. Before that, though, they have to put a bow on the 2025 campaign.

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Auburn a 42.7% chance of reaching bowl eligibility. Accomplishing that feat would mean the Tigers went 2-1 under interim coach DJ Durkin and beat either Vanderbilt or Alabama to end the season. FPI obviously doesn’t forecast a win over either the Commodores or the Crimson Tide, but you never know what can happen in college football.

Here are the FPI projections for Auburn’s remaining games:

• Nov. 8 at No. 18 Vanderbilt – 29.1%
• Nov. 22 vs. Mercer – 95.5%
• Nov. 29 vs. No. 4 Alabama – 22.1%

The Tigers and Commodores will kick off at 4 p.m. ET (SEC Network).

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Nolen recorded his first NFL sack in Arizona’s 27-17 victory. He ended the game with 4 combined tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a QB hit and a pass defense in addition to the sack.

Nolen, who just turned 22 in October, spent his freshman and sophomore college seasons at Texas A&M. He transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2024 campaign. In Oxford, he blossomed into a superstar, recording 48 combined tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks for the Rebels. He earned All-American status for his efforts.

Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon joined the Cardinals after serving as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He saw the value a dominant defensive tackle can provide first-hand with Jalen Carter in Philly. Arizona is hoping Nolen can become their version of Carter. He still has a long way to go to reach those heights, of course, but Monday’s performance was a terrific start. He’ll look to provide a strong encore when the Cardinals battle the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10.

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If Georgia wants to remain ahead of the CFP bubble fray, it will need to beat Mississippi State this Saturday. Starkville’s Bulldogs (5-4, 1-4 SEC) have been a tough out all season and finally got over the hump — ending a 16-game SEC losing streak — last weekend at Arkansas.

Kirby Smart and Co. have narrowly escaped multiple losses on road and neutral fields this season. They’re going to get all they can handle on Saturday afternoon, and want all hands on deck for the game.

Fortunately, there’s a chance Georgia will have multiple players who were hurt against the Gators back for Week 11. According to Smart, linebacker Chris Cole and defensive back Demello Jones could play at Mississippi State, but defensive lineman Jordan Hall will be out “for some time.”

Jones is tied for 3rd on the Bulldogs in passes defended (3). Cole is Georgia’s fourth-leading tackler (27 total stops) and is tied for the team-high in sacks (3). The all-Bulldogs battle between Georgia and Mississippi State will kick off at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (ESPN).

The post Kirby Smart gives injury update on several key Georgia players ahead of Week 11 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The AP poll’s teams may have taken a hit, but only 1 school in Joel Klatt’s Week 10 top-10 rankings (Miami) absorbed a loss to start November. As a result, 9 schools carried over into his Week 11 list. Texas Tech entered the rankings at the Hurricanes’ expense, filling the No. 10 spot behind conference rival and College GameDay opponent BYU.

Georgia (No. 6) fell out of Klatt’s top 5 following a tight triumph over Florida. Klatt called Kirby Smart‘s bunch a “high floor team” that can’t “be killed.”

The Bulldogs were Klatt’s third-best SEC squad, just ahead of Ole Miss (No. 7). Klatt is worried about the Rebels potentially slipping up down the stretch due to the distraction of Lane Kiffin‘s potential departure following the campaign.

Klatt’s top 4 teams — Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama — remained the same as last week. Oregon swapped placed with Georgia to enter the top 5. You can catch Klatt’s full rankings and explanations below:

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Freeze finished 15-19 (6-16 SEC) in nearly 3 full seasons at Auburn. He won 3 SEC games his first year, but went 3-11 over his last 14 conference games. Inconsistent offensive performances — and questionable decisions of all kinds on that side of the ball — spelled his doom.

Paul Finebaum, speaking on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, doesn’t think Freeze did worse than his predecessor, but still flopped in the gig.

“The only positive thing I could say is that it was better than Bryan Harsin, but it was still a complete and total failure. There’s no getting around that,” Finebaum said. “He does not seem, to me, to be the same coach that I remember at Ole Miss. And even at Liberty. Something was missing. He just didn’t seem to have that one molecule necessary that could get him over the top.”

Finebaum believes Auburn’s administration is not to blame for Freeze’s shortcomings. He thinks Freeze received the necessary assistance to succeed, but wasn’t able to find the right recipe. If that’s the case, the Tigers need only to find the right chef in this coaching cycle to turn their program’s tide.

Auburn heads to Vanderbilt in Week 11.

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This week, the SEC schools called in the AP wire, gamecasts, digital antennas and pirated streams to stay locked in on all of Saturday’s contests. When those weren’t effective enough, they called on Zoltar, the fortune teller, to provide. Unfortunately, Zoltar’s price — thanks to new representation — has gone up substantially, making it less feasible than one would think.

From there, we get a nod to Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell’s incredibly short pants and a tease of LSU‘s chaotic coaching search. We see “Hope” giving Texas A&M flirty glances. Then, just when it looks like Mississippi State is going to lose another SEC game, we get a collective celebration of the Bulldogs’ comeback win over Arkansas. And, of course, Auburn‘s misery finally ends when Hugh Freeze is fired.

You can watch SEC Shorts’ full recap of the conference’s Week 10 action for yourself below:

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