The SEC has reached the finish line. In a year where the ending was obscure and unsure, the conference has made it to the end. Most teams have gotten all 10 games in and the conference champion will be crowned on Saturday. Bowl season is around the corner as we take a look at the final week.
Standings
Nothing really changed in the standings but some storylines made things interesting. LSU technically drops to the bottom of the SEC West after a self-imposed post season ban. Despite the news the Tigers upset No.5 Florida and ruined the Gators playoff hopes in a thriller Saturday night.
Florida had already won the SEC East before the game. They’ll see Alabama to finish off the season in the championship game. Florida will try to become just the second SEC East team since 2009 to win the championship game.
Rankings
- No.1 Alabama (10-0)
- No.5 Texas A&M (7-1)
- No.7 Florida (8-2) -1
- No.8 Georgia (7-2) +1
There were once again little changes in the rankings. Missouri dropped out of the top 25 after their loss to Georgia. Strangely Florida dropped just one spot after losing to unranked LSU. Georgia bumped up one spot after their win against ranked Missouri.
Week 12 Recap
The week 12 slate brought mostly blowouts but the night caps were very entertaining. The first three games of the day were not competitive. Georgia beat Missouri 49-14, Alabama beat Arkansas 52-3 and Tennessee took care of Vanderbilt 42-17.
After losing control late in the game last week against Texas A&M, Auburn used a strong fourth quarter of their own to down Mississippi State. The Tigers led just 9-3 against the Bulldogs before a pair of touchdowns sealed the deal. Bo Nix and Auburn were able to get the job done to get the 24-10 win.
The LSU vs Florida game was a wild back and forth affair that had a bizarre ending. With the game tied late after a third down stop, Florida cornerback Marco Wilson ripped of LSU’s Kole Taylor’s shoe and threw it down the field. The result was a personal foul and first down. LSU was able to add three points at the end of the drive and win the game 37-34, ending Florida’s playoff hopes.
Florida was flagged with unsportsmanlike conduct after this play: pic.twitter.com/BBsmOu64j9
— ESPN (@espn) December 13, 2020
Week 13 Predictions
*Odds as of 12/18
12pm ESPN: No.5 Texas A&M (7-1) @ Tennessee (3-6), Texas A&M -14
Texas A&M is waiting on a potential playoff bid. All they need to do is take care of business against Tennessee to give themselves a chance. They’ve consistently been able to wear teams down and take care of business even if it’s late in the game.
Tennessee had some success last week but it was against Vanderbilt. They’ll face a much better defense this week along with a strong rushing attack. The Volunteers lack of offensive effectiveness should show against the Aggies.
Prediction: Texas A&M covers
3:30pm SECN: Ole Miss (4-4) @ LSU (4-5), Ole Miss -1.5
The Magnolia Bowl shapes up to be competitive for the first time since 2015. Ole Miss comes in with one of the best offenses in the SEC against an LSU defense that has struggled all year. Matt Corral and company should be able to keep up a strong year and put up some numbers against the Tigers.
Fortunately for LSU the Ole Miss defense has been the worst in the SEC. The Tigers had a lot of success last week against Florida spurred by a strong performance by freshman quarterback Max Johnson. It looks to be another shootout that should come down to the final possession again.
Prediction: Ole Miss covers
3:30pm SEC Alternative: Missouri (5-4) @ Mississippi State (2-7), Missouri -1.5
This should shape up to be an interesting matchup. Missouri has finished strong this season despite a setback last week. Connor Bazelak had his first bad outing last week against a solid Georgia defense. Look for him to capitalize against a Bulldog defense that has been susceptible to the pass.
Mississippi State has played better in recent weeks but the offense was slowed down against Auburn. Will Rogers looked lost against Auburn and will need a strong showing against Missouri to earn the win.
Prediction: Missouri covers
8pm CBS: No.1 Alabama (10-0) @ No.11 Florida (8-2), Alabama -15.5
The SEC Championship game will put Alabama against Florida. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide have won the last six games, including a 3-0 showing in the SEC title game. Florida’s defense has been exploited a lot this year and faces a tall task against Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith.
The Florida offense has been their staple all season. They had a lot of struggles last week against what has been a bad LSU defense. Kyle Trask had his first multi-interception game of the season, as well as a fumble. He’ll need to be near perfect to take down the number one team in the country.
Prediction: Alabama covers
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