HotFootballTake: SEC Saturday Preview and Early Takes

Big Games, Hot Seats, and Rivalries with Teeth

The SEC never eases into a Saturday, and this week is no exception. We’ve got coaches on the brink, playoff dreams hanging by a thread, and rivalries with just enough venom to make them must-watch. Let’s take a trip around the SEC.

Notre Dame at Arkansas (12:00 PM EDT, ABC)

Sam Pittman is staring straight at the edge. After two crushing road losses, this one could decide his future. Beat Notre Dame and he buys himself some time. Lose, and his seat turns to fire. Taylen Green has been a one-man offense for the Hogs, but Arkansas’s leaky run defense draws the worst possible matchup: a Notre Dame rushing attack powered by Jeremiyah Love. The Irish still have playoff ambitions (somehow), and they can’t afford another stumble.
HFT: Notre Dame 35, Arkansas 21

Utah State at Vanderbilt (12:45 PM EDT, SECN)

Is Vanderbilt… legit? Short Answer: Yes. The ‘Dores are 4–0 for the first time since 2008, and while the wins have come against questionable competition, momentum is momentum. Utah State is no pushover, hanging tight with Texas A&M earlier this year. But if Vandy handles business here, people are going to have to start taking them seriously as more than a cute story.
HFT: Vanderbilt 41, Utah State 18

LSU at Ole Miss (3:30 PM EDT, ABC)

There’s enough drama on the field in this (former) SEC West showdown, but now it’s got tabloid spice too: Lane Kiffin’s daughter, Landry, is dating LSU linebacker Whit Weeks. It’s Love & Football, with playoff stakes hanging in the balance. LSU, led by Garrett Nussmeier, has looked steady, but Ole Miss has the firepower to punch holes in the Tigers’ defense. Lane would love nothing more than to drag LSU into chaos and walk out with the biggest win of his year. Will he?
HFT: Ole Miss 26, LSU 28

Tennessee at Mississippi State (4:15 PM EDT, SECN)

It smells like a trap. Tennessee is rolling, but this is their first SEC road game, and Starkville is never kind. Mississippi State is fighting for its bowl life, and desperation can make dangerous football teams. Joey Aguilar needs to stay clean and avoid turnovers if the Vols want to keep their playoff dream alive.
HFT: Tennessee 35, Mississippi State 28

Alabama at Georgia (7:30 PM EDT, ABC)

Finally. For the first time in a decade, Alabama heads to Athens. Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs have a 33-game home winning streak, and they’d love to bury Alabama’s hopes right here. For Kalen DeBoer, this is the moment — his first true test in hostile SEC territory. His road record isn’t pretty, and this Georgia front seven will make it uglier. The winner controls the SEC and the playoff picture. The loser? Scrambling.
HFT: Georgia 32, Alabama 20

UMass at Missouri (7:30 PM EDT, ESPNU)

Mizzou’s got something to prove after the A&M loss. UMass brings Don “Doctor Blitz” Brown and his chaos defense, but they don’t have the bodies to hang for four quarters. Expect Brady Cook to light it up, and the Tigers to pour it on to reassert themselves.
HFT: Missouri 50, UMass 7

Kentucky at South Carolina (7:45 PM EDT, SECN)

Mark Stoops vs. Shane Beamer always gets spicy, but this one comes with extra weight. Kentucky is rolling out redshirt freshman Cutter Boley, and Williams-Brice at night is a different kind of test. South Carolina needs this win badly after back-to-back losses, and if they can pound the ball on the ground and get after the kid QB, they’ll claw their way back to relevance.
HFT: South Carolina 27, Kentucky 20

Auburn at #9 Texas A&M (3:30 PM EDT, ESPN)

Circle this one. Two stout quarterbacks, Jackson Arnold and Marcel Reed, step onto the same stage in what feels like a proving ground for both programs. A&M’s defense has been suffocating, Auburn’s run game has been punishing, and the Freeze–Elko chess match will decide who controls the tempo. Auburn already seen what might end up being the best defense in the country in Oklahoma, so there’s reason to believe they can hang in College Station. We’ll have the full breakdown on Friday, but make no mistake: the road to the Benz runs straight through Kyle Field.
HFT: wait and see...