5 Keys to the Game
1). Slow down A&M DL – I think everyone is aware of Myles Garrett and how good he is by now. If you aren’t, he might be the best defensive end in the country and will probably be starting at defensive end on Sundays next year. The good news for South Carolina is that he might not be fully healthy this weekend. That will be something to watch, but even without him A&M is really good on the defensive line.
Everyone knows the story on South Carolina’s offense and the offensive line this season. It has been a disappointment for the offensive line so far and now they are about to face their toughest opponent yet. I don’t know how they are going to do it, but they have to slow down A&M’s defensive line long enough to give Brandon McIlwain a chance and also give the running backs some room to run. If you think it was bad when South Carolina played Mississippi State a couple weeks ago, it could be even worse this weekend. If they are going to have any chance, they can’t have another performance like that against a good defensive line.
2). Hit on big plays – If Texas A&M does have a weakness this year on their defense, then it is in their secondary, specifically at cornerback. Justin Evans is their best player in the secondary and he starts at safety. He is all over the field. Other than him, there are some opportunities for big plays in the passing game. South Carolina has been conservative on offense so far but I think they need to take some shots this week.
I think this is a big game for South Carolina’s receivers and tight ends. They are young but they are going to have to win some one-on-one matchups this week for South Carolina to have a shot. Obviously, the offensive line is going to have to hold up long enough for South Carolina to take some shots down the field.
3). Contain inside run – When people think of Texas A&M’s offense lately, it is mostly all about passing. That isn’t the case this year. Through four games, they are the best rushing offense in the conference. The play they have the most success with is the inside run with four wide. They do look better than they have been on the offensive line and the duo of Keith Ford and Trayveon Williams at running back is pretty good.
This offense rushed for over 350 yards last week against Arkansas. They do also use a lot of read option with Trevor Knight at quarterback and he can do some damage with his legs. South Carolina is going to have to tackle well and the defensive line needs a strong performance up the middle. It would also help if the offense can stay on the field longer than they have been and not let the defense get tired.
4). Turn Knight into pocket passer – This sort of goes with the previous key but South Carolina can’t let Knight beat them with his legs. That is basically what he did to Arkansas last week. He is at his best when he can run. South Carolina struggled with Mississippi State on the quarterback run and Knight is somewhat similar to that. They can’t have a repeat performance.
The thing I see in Knight where South Carolina can take advantage of him is he isn’t that accurate of a passer. He will have a 50-percent type of completion percentage if he is forced to stay in the pocket and throw the ball down the field. He will also turn the ball over. If South Carolina can force some third and longs, or get some pressure on Knight, then they can make him make some mistakes.
5). Take advantage of opportunities – South Carolina is a 17 or 18 point underdog in this game for a reason. They need a lot to happen to win this game. I’m not going to say they need to get lucky but they have to cash in on whatever opportunities or breaks Texas A&M gives them. They have to score touchdowns in the red zone if they get down there. They need to win the turnover battle. They have to play a lot better upfront then what they have. It would be a huge help if the special teams can help produce a score. If A&M plays well, then they are going to win. If they come into Williams-Brice just going through the motions, which is possible, then South Carolina needs to jump out front early and take advantage of the atmosphere.
SEC Power Rankings
1). Alabama
2). Texas A&M
The two most complete teams in the conference by far are Alabama and Texas A&M. Alabama is just rolling right now. They do have to visit Arkansas in a week. A&M had an impressive win last week and looks really good on both sides of the ball. A&M has been here before with a great start to the season and flopped, but this looks like a different team with a different quarterback.
3). Tennessee
4). Ole Miss
5). Arkansas
6). Florida
Tennessee and Ole Miss proved last week that they should not be forgotten in the race for the SEC. The Vols finally woke up in the second half against Florida and played flawless football. Ole Miss smacked Georgia up and down the field Saturday afternoon.
7). Georgia
8). Auburn
9). LSU
10). Mississippi State
Georgia drops down a group because of the way they were embarrassed by Ole Miss. They haven’t looked like a good football team all year. Auburn and Gus Malzahn got a much needed win over LSU. They might be a little better than some think. And Les Miles is no longer on the sideline for LSU. I actually picked them to win the whole thing.
11). Missouri
12). Kentucky
13). South Carolina
14). Vanderbilt
Missouri scored 79 points last week. I know it was against Delaware State but that is still impressive considering what their offense has looked like the last couple seasons. Kentucky moves ahead of South Carolina because of the head to head win. Vanderbilt is in the bottom spot but did win a game over Western Kentucky last week when they weren’t favored.
My Top 10
1). Alabama
2). Ohio State
3). Louisville
4). Houston
My top four remains unchanged for now. There are teams right below here that should jump Houston soon if they keep winning.
5). Michigan
6). Clemson
7). Stanford
8). Texas A&M
9). Wisconsin
10). Tennessee
Michigan, Clemson, and Stanford are still my top three teams on the outside looking in right now. All three have huge tests this weekend and could make a huge statement. Texas A&M is probably the biggest mover this week. Wisconsin got another impressive win last week on their resume. I have Tennessee in my top 10 over Washington because of the schedule and who they have wins over.
Also Considered: Washington
Big Game Predictions
It wasn’t a good week for me last week as I went 10-6 overall and 5-4 in the SEC. I’m now 48-22 overall and 34-10 in the SEC on the season.
Louisville @ Clemson
The battle of the quarterbacks. That is what this game is going to be built as and I think both quarterbacks will live up to the hype. I think Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson will play well. Gamecock fans aren’t going to like this but I’m picking Clemson to win because of their defense and where this game is being played. Clemson has more experience playing in these types of games, their defense is better, and they are at home. I think it will be close but I got Clemson.
Pick: Clemson 31 Louisville 27
Tennessee @ Georgia
This is a dangerous game to pick Tennessee in. They are coming off a huge/emotional win over Florida and Georgia just got embarrassed by Ole Miss. I could easily see a little bit of a letdown for Tennessee and Georgia coming out of nowhere and getting this win. With that said, I don’t think Georgia is a good football team and I’m not sure how healthy Nick Chubb is. I’m going to pick Tennessee but watch out for this game.
Pick: Tennessee 27 Georgia 24
Wisconsin @ Michigan
I’ve picked against Wisconsin twice this year already and they have proven me wrong both times. I think the third time I’m finally going to be right. Wisconsin’s defense is good but Michigan’s run game is better. Michigan has more fire power on offense than any other team Wisconsin has faced. And their defense is pretty good.
Pick: Michigan 26 Wisconsin 13
Stanford @ Washington
This is a Friday night game and should be a great atmosphere. Chris Petersen has things going in the right direction at Washington already. I just don’t think they are ready to be National Title contenders yet. Stanford is actually the underdog in this game and I like their experience. They also have Christian McCaffrey on their team. I think Stanford proves Friday night they are the team to watch out for in the Pac 12 this year.
Pick: Stanford 24 Washington 20
Other Notable Games
Florida over Vanderbilt by 14
Alabama over Kentucky by 24
LSU over Missouri by 6
Ole Miss over Memphis by 10
Auburn over Louisiana-Monroe by 27
Arkansas over Alcorn State by 34
Oklahoma State over Texas by 7
Miami over Georgia Tech by 13
Florida State over North Carolina by 14
Oklahoma over TCU by 3
Southern Cal over Arizona State by 6
Texas A&M @ South Carolina
This is a horrible matchup for South Carolina. The Gamecocks need a lot of things to happen to win this game.
The first thing is the offensive line has to play well against one of the best defensive lines and pass rushes in the country. This is game number five for South Carolina and the offensive line is yet to play well. It is hard seeing them turn a corner against the unit they are about to go up against.
A&M’s defense is big and fast. I think it is very fair to say this is the best defense South Carolina has faced so far this year. Considering what South Carolina has looked like on offense through four games, it could be an ugly looking performance for the offense Saturday.
A&M is led by Trevor Knight on the offensive side of the ball and they have a really good rushing offense. The defense is going to have to tackle well. They are also going to have to play well in the red zone and force some field goals.
I think South Carolina will keep it respectable in the first half mainly because of home field advantage and the defense. I don’t see the offense playing well against A&M’s defense and that will force South Carolina’s defense to be on the field too much. I think they will eventually tire out in the second half and A&M will pull away. I predict that Knight, A&M’s running backs and defensive line have big days Saturday.
Pick: Texas A&M 34 South Carolina 13
1). Slow down A&M DL – I think everyone is aware of Myles Garrett and how good he is by now. If you aren’t, he might be the best defensive end in the country and will probably be starting at defensive end on Sundays next year. The good news for South Carolina is that he might not be fully healthy this weekend. That will be something to watch, but even without him A&M is really good on the defensive line.
Everyone knows the story on South Carolina’s offense and the offensive line this season. It has been a disappointment for the offensive line so far and now they are about to face their toughest opponent yet. I don’t know how they are going to do it, but they have to slow down A&M’s defensive line long enough to give Brandon McIlwain a chance and also give the running backs some room to run. If you think it was bad when South Carolina played Mississippi State a couple weeks ago, it could be even worse this weekend. If they are going to have any chance, they can’t have another performance like that against a good defensive line.
2). Hit on big plays – If Texas A&M does have a weakness this year on their defense, then it is in their secondary, specifically at cornerback. Justin Evans is their best player in the secondary and he starts at safety. He is all over the field. Other than him, there are some opportunities for big plays in the passing game. South Carolina has been conservative on offense so far but I think they need to take some shots this week.
I think this is a big game for South Carolina’s receivers and tight ends. They are young but they are going to have to win some one-on-one matchups this week for South Carolina to have a shot. Obviously, the offensive line is going to have to hold up long enough for South Carolina to take some shots down the field.
3). Contain inside run – When people think of Texas A&M’s offense lately, it is mostly all about passing. That isn’t the case this year. Through four games, they are the best rushing offense in the conference. The play they have the most success with is the inside run with four wide. They do look better than they have been on the offensive line and the duo of Keith Ford and Trayveon Williams at running back is pretty good.
This offense rushed for over 350 yards last week against Arkansas. They do also use a lot of read option with Trevor Knight at quarterback and he can do some damage with his legs. South Carolina is going to have to tackle well and the defensive line needs a strong performance up the middle. It would also help if the offense can stay on the field longer than they have been and not let the defense get tired.
4). Turn Knight into pocket passer – This sort of goes with the previous key but South Carolina can’t let Knight beat them with his legs. That is basically what he did to Arkansas last week. He is at his best when he can run. South Carolina struggled with Mississippi State on the quarterback run and Knight is somewhat similar to that. They can’t have a repeat performance.
The thing I see in Knight where South Carolina can take advantage of him is he isn’t that accurate of a passer. He will have a 50-percent type of completion percentage if he is forced to stay in the pocket and throw the ball down the field. He will also turn the ball over. If South Carolina can force some third and longs, or get some pressure on Knight, then they can make him make some mistakes.
5). Take advantage of opportunities – South Carolina is a 17 or 18 point underdog in this game for a reason. They need a lot to happen to win this game. I’m not going to say they need to get lucky but they have to cash in on whatever opportunities or breaks Texas A&M gives them. They have to score touchdowns in the red zone if they get down there. They need to win the turnover battle. They have to play a lot better upfront then what they have. It would be a huge help if the special teams can help produce a score. If A&M plays well, then they are going to win. If they come into Williams-Brice just going through the motions, which is possible, then South Carolina needs to jump out front early and take advantage of the atmosphere.
SEC Power Rankings
1). Alabama
2). Texas A&M
The two most complete teams in the conference by far are Alabama and Texas A&M. Alabama is just rolling right now. They do have to visit Arkansas in a week. A&M had an impressive win last week and looks really good on both sides of the ball. A&M has been here before with a great start to the season and flopped, but this looks like a different team with a different quarterback.
3). Tennessee
4). Ole Miss
5). Arkansas
6). Florida
Tennessee and Ole Miss proved last week that they should not be forgotten in the race for the SEC. The Vols finally woke up in the second half against Florida and played flawless football. Ole Miss smacked Georgia up and down the field Saturday afternoon.
7). Georgia
8). Auburn
9). LSU
10). Mississippi State
Georgia drops down a group because of the way they were embarrassed by Ole Miss. They haven’t looked like a good football team all year. Auburn and Gus Malzahn got a much needed win over LSU. They might be a little better than some think. And Les Miles is no longer on the sideline for LSU. I actually picked them to win the whole thing.
11). Missouri
12). Kentucky
13). South Carolina
14). Vanderbilt
Missouri scored 79 points last week. I know it was against Delaware State but that is still impressive considering what their offense has looked like the last couple seasons. Kentucky moves ahead of South Carolina because of the head to head win. Vanderbilt is in the bottom spot but did win a game over Western Kentucky last week when they weren’t favored.
My Top 10
1). Alabama
2). Ohio State
3). Louisville
4). Houston
My top four remains unchanged for now. There are teams right below here that should jump Houston soon if they keep winning.
5). Michigan
6). Clemson
7). Stanford
8). Texas A&M
9). Wisconsin
10). Tennessee
Michigan, Clemson, and Stanford are still my top three teams on the outside looking in right now. All three have huge tests this weekend and could make a huge statement. Texas A&M is probably the biggest mover this week. Wisconsin got another impressive win last week on their resume. I have Tennessee in my top 10 over Washington because of the schedule and who they have wins over.
Also Considered: Washington
Big Game Predictions
It wasn’t a good week for me last week as I went 10-6 overall and 5-4 in the SEC. I’m now 48-22 overall and 34-10 in the SEC on the season.
Louisville @ Clemson
The battle of the quarterbacks. That is what this game is going to be built as and I think both quarterbacks will live up to the hype. I think Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson will play well. Gamecock fans aren’t going to like this but I’m picking Clemson to win because of their defense and where this game is being played. Clemson has more experience playing in these types of games, their defense is better, and they are at home. I think it will be close but I got Clemson.
Pick: Clemson 31 Louisville 27
Tennessee @ Georgia
This is a dangerous game to pick Tennessee in. They are coming off a huge/emotional win over Florida and Georgia just got embarrassed by Ole Miss. I could easily see a little bit of a letdown for Tennessee and Georgia coming out of nowhere and getting this win. With that said, I don’t think Georgia is a good football team and I’m not sure how healthy Nick Chubb is. I’m going to pick Tennessee but watch out for this game.
Pick: Tennessee 27 Georgia 24
Wisconsin @ Michigan
I’ve picked against Wisconsin twice this year already and they have proven me wrong both times. I think the third time I’m finally going to be right. Wisconsin’s defense is good but Michigan’s run game is better. Michigan has more fire power on offense than any other team Wisconsin has faced. And their defense is pretty good.
Pick: Michigan 26 Wisconsin 13
Stanford @ Washington
This is a Friday night game and should be a great atmosphere. Chris Petersen has things going in the right direction at Washington already. I just don’t think they are ready to be National Title contenders yet. Stanford is actually the underdog in this game and I like their experience. They also have Christian McCaffrey on their team. I think Stanford proves Friday night they are the team to watch out for in the Pac 12 this year.
Pick: Stanford 24 Washington 20
Other Notable Games
Florida over Vanderbilt by 14
Alabama over Kentucky by 24
LSU over Missouri by 6
Ole Miss over Memphis by 10
Auburn over Louisiana-Monroe by 27
Arkansas over Alcorn State by 34
Oklahoma State over Texas by 7
Miami over Georgia Tech by 13
Florida State over North Carolina by 14
Oklahoma over TCU by 3
Southern Cal over Arizona State by 6
Texas A&M @ South Carolina
This is a horrible matchup for South Carolina. The Gamecocks need a lot of things to happen to win this game.
The first thing is the offensive line has to play well against one of the best defensive lines and pass rushes in the country. This is game number five for South Carolina and the offensive line is yet to play well. It is hard seeing them turn a corner against the unit they are about to go up against.
A&M’s defense is big and fast. I think it is very fair to say this is the best defense South Carolina has faced so far this year. Considering what South Carolina has looked like on offense through four games, it could be an ugly looking performance for the offense Saturday.
A&M is led by Trevor Knight on the offensive side of the ball and they have a really good rushing offense. The defense is going to have to tackle well. They are also going to have to play well in the red zone and force some field goals.
I think South Carolina will keep it respectable in the first half mainly because of home field advantage and the defense. I don’t see the offense playing well against A&M’s defense and that will force South Carolina’s defense to be on the field too much. I think they will eventually tire out in the second half and A&M will pull away. I predict that Knight, A&M’s running backs and defensive line have big days Saturday.
Pick: Texas A&M 34 South Carolina 13
