Mr. CFB Pick Six: Week 7

After losing to Alabama last week, Texas A&M faces a huge game at Tennessee

Okay. Here we go. Saturday marks the start of the second half of the 2023 season. 

How is that even possible?

Last week we went 4-2 as LSU beat Missouri 49-39, Alabama played its best game of the season winning at Texas A&M (26-20),  and Florida smashed Vanderbilt 38-14. Georgia finally looked like Georgia, beating Kentucky (51-13). The losses were Ole Miss winning but failing to cover 12 against Arkansas and Oklahoma winning straight up over Texas 34-30.

So after six weeks your humble prognosticator is 15-22.

All six of our picks this week  are SEC games. Let's see if we can make up some ground.

Georgia (6-0) (giving 30.5) at Vanderbilt (2-5): I had several people I trust tell me last week that No. 1 Georgia was getting close to playing  a complete game. 

Well, good morning Kentucky, which wasn't competitive in a 51-13 beat down by the two-time defending national champions. This week the talent differential is huge and Georgia has next week off to get ready for the annual trip to Jacksonville to play the Florida Gators. Kirby Smart will go to his bench early and that may make it difficult to cover 30.5. 

Nah. Dawgs win and cover.

Arkansas (2-4) at Alabama (5-1) (giving 19.5): Alabama was impressive  last week in winning at Texas A&M 26-20. The good news for Bama fans is that that quarterback Jalen Milroe is starting to figure some things out.  Last week he threw for 321 yards and found his big-play receiver, Jemaine Burton (9 catches, 197 yards). Alabama will win but will they cover 19.5? I say yes.

Texas A&M (4-2) at Tennessee (4-1) (giving 3.5): This is a very important game because both teams have only one conference loss and are still in the hunt in their respective divisions. Here's the key: Tennessee had last week off and is playing at home. Texas A&M will have the hangover that always comes the week after  playing Alabama. Tennessee still has Alabama and Georgia down the road. The Vols win and cover the 3.5

Florida (4-2) at South Carolina (2-3) (giving 2.5):  Two teams in desperate need of a quality win. The Gators, who are still mathematically in the SEC East race, need some kind of momentum builder before next week's open date and the Oct. 28 showdown with No. 1 Georgia. The Gamecocks were trounced by Tennessee in their last outing on Sept. 30. I like the Gamecocks at home by a field goal.

Auburn (3-2) at LSU (4-2) (giving 11.5): If this game was being played in Jordan-Hare I would be very tempted to take Auburn because LSU's defense is so bad. But LSU is an 11.5-favorite at home. Auburn will move the ball but it won't be able to keep pace with LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels who had 259 yards passing and 130 rrushing in a 49-39 win over Missouri last week. Those 11.5 -points look pretty big but I think LSU wins and covers.

Missouri (5-1) at Kentucky (5-1) (giving 2.5): A week ago these two teams were undefeated. But Missouri lost a shootout (49-39) to LSU and Kentucky got taken to the woodshed at Georgia (51-13). The winner of this game can still have a very special season. The Wildcats need to get more production out of quaterrback Devin Leary, who completed only 10 of 26 passes against Georgia. Missouri quaterback  Brady Cook threw for 411 yards against LSU. I have Kentucky winning at home by a field goal.