Storylines, How to Watch Week Six of SEC Football

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As most SEC teams reach the halfway point of their respective schedules, several key matchups take place which will filter out pretenders and push contenders.

Ole Miss is coming off a surprising home loss to Kentucky last week and will now take a road trip to South Carolina in a crucial matchup for the Rebels. Missouri faces its toughest test yet traveling to College Station for this week’s only ranked SEC matchup.

WEEK SIX KICKOFF TIMES, CHANNEL, ANNOUNCERS

No. 9 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. No. 25 Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC)
Kyle Field in College Station, TX
11:00 AM on ABC
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Jordan Rodgers, Stormy Buonantony
Line: Texas A&M -2.5 O/U: 48.5

The Aggies are coming off a big victory over Arkansas in the final Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Aggies’ quarterback Conner Weigman remains questionable which will means another start for talented redshirt freshman Marcel Reed.

Missouri’s defense is quite stingy giving up only 12 points per game which ranks No. 5 in the SEC. The Tigers will need to get Brady Cook and Luther Burden’s connection going early and often to pull out a win.

Auburn (2-3, 0-2 SEC) vs. No. 5 Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC)
Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA
2:30 PM on ABC
Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath
Georgia -22 O/U: 52.5

The Bulldogs lost a heartbreaker in its 28-point comeback attempt while Auburn fell to Oklahoma with an 0-2 mark in SEC play. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck had a heroic second half against Alabama and nearly led his team to its first victory at Alabama since 2007.

I understand that the question on Carson Beck was his ceiling, but I’m re-evaluating. He put the team on his back and was making plays all over the place. Combine that with how advanced he is in a difficult offense and I’m running out of questions. pic.twitter.com/ASmYbZ7HGZ

— Max Toscano (@maxtoscano1) October 2, 2024

Auburn’s Payton Thorne is firmly established as Hugh Freeze’s quarterback and played well against Oklahoma completing 65% of his passes for 338 yards and three scores. While Georgia’s defense showed lapses in its efficiency against the Crimson Tide but with this matchup taking place between the hedges, Georgia ought to have an edge.

No. 12 Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) vs. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 SEC)
Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC
2:30 PM on ESPN
Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor
Ole Miss -9 O/U: 53.5

This is going to be a sneaky good matchup especially with the Gamecocks’ defense and special teams edge. Ole Miss is coming off its first defeat of the season and are 8-6 under Lane Kiffin after a loss.

It will be important to monitor how the Rebels’ loss to Kentucky last week impacts the team mentally. Kiffin’s Ole Miss teams have stumbled a bit after hot starts including a lengthy losing streak to close 2022.

No. 1 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1 SEC)
FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN
3:15 PM on SEC Network
Alabama -22.5 O/U 53.5
Tom Hart, Cole Cubelic, Alyssa Lang

No Nick Saban, no problem in Tuscaloosa so far. The Crimson Tide are rolling with quarterback Jalen Milroe gaining more composure with each passing week. Of course, 17-year-old true freshman wideout Ryan Williams is better than advertised early in his college career displaying exceptional skills.

ABSOLUTE SCENES IN TUSCALOOSA!!!

RYAN WILLIAMS WITH A 75-YARD TD TO RETAKE THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/pvc9ML7E7G

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 29, 2024

The Commodores are much improved under Clark Lea this season even its record doesn’t reflect such. It will be interesting to see how many Alabama fans pack First Bank Stadium in Nashville after Saban’s viral comment about Vanderbilt’s home game atmosphere.

“The only place you’re going to play in the SEC that’s not hard to play, Vanderbilt,” Saban said on the Pat McAfee Show Sept. 20. “When you play at Vanderbilt, you have more fans there than they have, and that’s no disrespect to them, it’s the truth.”

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC)
Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR
6:30 PM on ABC
Tennessee -13.5 O/U: 56.5
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe

Two weeks ago, Tennessee won decisively in Norman, Oklahoma against the Sooners with a 25-15 victory. Now, the Volunteers take the road again to face Arkansas in a night game with fans striping out Razorback Stadium.

Home game environments in Fayetteville have been lacking with the team not providing much energy whether it be against non-conference opponents or SEC rivals. Arkansas at one point was once feared as a rowdy, loud atmosphere but that’s lacked with the Razorbacks recent troubles dating back to last season against Auburn and Missouri.

Florida coach Billy Napier/Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

UCF (3-1) vs. Florida (2-2)
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL
6:45 PM on SEC Network
Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Tori Petry
UCF -2 O/U: 61.5

This is a huge game from Florida’s standpoint hosting an in-state rival but ramifications from possibly losing this matchup would be great. Gators athletic director Scott Striklin has reportedly been given the thumbs up to do end the Billy Napier era whenever he feels appropriate.

Some information from SEC Sports site