The Biggest Game of the Year for Every SEC West Team
The SEC West is loaded with talented teams and has the makings of the best division in college football. Here is the game each team’s fans should be looking forward to in their hunt for the SEC crown.
Alabama
Oct. 8 vs. Texas A&M
Alabama rarely slips up in the regular season under Nick Saban, but the Aggies caught the Tide with a last-second field goal last season. This ultimately didn’t matter as Alabama still won the SEC Championship and made another NCAA Championship appearance, but the win may have given Texas A&M the confidence to compete with Alabama. Expectations are sky-high for the Aggies this season with ESPN ranking them as the fifth-best team in the country in their Way-Too-Early Top 25 and a win over Alabama could potentially land them in the SEC Championship if they don’t fault elsewhere. All eyes will be on Tuscaloosa for this game to see if Alabama can take care of business on its path to competing for another NCAA title.
Arkansas and Texas A&M
Sept. 24 in Arlington, Texas
This matchup between the Razorbacks and Aggies has the makings of the most entertaining contest of the season. Last year, Arkansas got out to a quick start and downed Texas A&M 20-10 in Arlington to snap a nine-game losing streak in the series. Now, both teams seem to be on a somewhat even playing field heading into the season. Arkansas returns star quarterback KJ Jefferson and a talented defense led by Bumper Pool. Texas A&M will have a new face at quarterback but owns the nation’s top recruiting class and has developed weapons all over the field. Both teams believe they can contend for the SEC West and this game will be a critical point in the rankings.
Auburn
Sept. 17 vs. Penn State
Bryan Harsin’s first year on The Plains was turbulent as the team finished with a 6-7 record. However, the off-season that followed was even more unstable. The boosters at Auburn have made it abundantly clear that they don’t want Harsin at the head of the program, yet he remains as coach. A collection of players headed for the transfer portal to find a fresh start but the remaining players seem bought into Harsin’s system. It is tough to tell how successful this Auburn team will do with all the surrounding controversy, but a Week three contest with Penn State will be a good litmus test to see how the season will play out. The Nittany Lions have been down the last two seasons but they are still a tough opponent that will test Auburn. Last season, the Tigers put up a good performance in a loss in Happy Valley. If Auburn can win or repeat with a good showing, even with a loss, then maybe there is hope that the Tigers can pull together a solid campaign. If they get blown out of the water, it may prove that Auburn doesn’t stand a chance against the rest of the SEC West.
LSU
Oct. 22 vs. Ole Miss
LSU will be fighting an uphill battle this season in Brian Kelly’s first year as head coach. A loaded SEC West will be unforgiving for a team that is trying to figure out its identity under a new system. However, a game that the Tigers may be able to steal is a home matchup with Ole Miss. The Rebels turned heads last season through a 10-win effort and a high-powered Lane Kiffin offense. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral is gone though, and a majority of the predicted production will come from the transfer portal. This leaves an opportunity for LSU to grab its first signature win with Kelly at the helm. Expectations should be reasonable in Kelly’s first year so a win over the Rebels and close games with tougher opponents would be a success.
Mississippi State and Ole Miss
Nov. 24 in Oxford, Miss.
The Egg Bowl is one of the most entertaining rivalry games every year and this season’s matchup indicates no difference. Since the turn of the century, Ole Miss leads the series by a narrow 12-10 margin with the last three contests all coming down to the wire. This year, the Rebels and Bulldogs appear to be evenly matched once again. Ole Miss brings in a haul of talented transfers ready to pick up where a 10-win Rebel team left off last year. Contrarily, Mississippi State brings back the most production in the SEC with experience all over the field. These contrasting approaches should make for two impressive seasons that come down to the battle for Mississippi. Both programs’ coaches have found success in their first two years but Lane Kiffin has captured both Egg Bowls. A win for Ole Miss could keep Rebel fans happy and cause Bulldog fans to become impatient with Mike Leach’s shortcomings in the big game. A win for Mississippi State could stoke the fire between the two programs and create an even bigger game the following year. Either way, it will surely be a high-scoring and intriguing game to watch.