There are serious SEC Championship implications at the top of the list this week. Post-season we will look back at this week as the story of how the East was won. Here are our top five SEC games for week 12:
#5 Abaline Christian at Texas A&M
11:00 CT, November 18th, 2023, on ESPN+
This game makes the list not because of the quality of matchup but the circumstances under which it is being played. Jimbo Fisher is out at Texas A&M, and this is the first game post-Fisher era. How will the Aggies look, galvanized or defeated?
#4. New Mexico State at Auburn (AUB -25.0)
3:00 CT, November 18th, 2023, on SECN
This is probably the best of the cupcake matchups this weekend as Auburn takes on an 8-3 Aggies team. Now….has that 8-3 been against the best competition – no, but Ole Miss is taking on 2-8 UL Monroe so it could be worse.
#3. Kentucky at South Carolina (SC -0.5)
6:30 CT, November 18th, 2023, on SECN
This is an underrated matchup nationally. This should be a highly entertaining game in the 6:30 window between two teams that really cannot afford a loss here. South Carolina will be looking to avoid being excluded from bowl eligibility while Kentucky looks for a resume boost on the road.
#2. Florida at Missouri 9 (MIZ -11.0)
6:30 CT, November 18th, 2023, on ESPN
Missouri has had to get up for a big game two weeks in a row with this being the third. Will they hit a wall this week against a solid Florida squad, or will they continue their momentum into a New Year’s bowl? Florida sure hopes it’s the latter as they will be attempting to become bowl-eligible with Florida State on deck.
#1. Georgia 1 at Tennessee 18 (UGA -10.0)
2:30 CT, November 18th, 2023, on CBS
Well, this game isn’t nearly as big as it could have been if the cards fell right last week, so… it’s heart check time for the Vols. They will be playing for pride and against this rival that should matter. They will have to come ready to go on Saturday and be fired up to defend their home winning streak that reaches back to the last time Georgia visited Knoxville. Georgia, however, needs to stay perfect over their next three games to guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs and this is the first step. Can they take the crowd out of the game in Neylad?
