Things to watch this week in the Southeastern Conference:
Game of the week
No. 9 Missouri (4-0, 1-0) at No. 25 Texas A&M ( 4-1, 2-0), noon ET Saturday (ABC).
Yes, it’s early, but the Aggies are the only 2-0 team in Southeastern Conference play so far and could make their biggest statement yet about where they’re headed under first-year coach Mike Elko.
Texas A&M went back and forth with Arkansas before Marcel Reed’s 5-yard pass to Tre Watson in the fourth quarter proved to be the game winner. The Aggies, ranked 24th last week, fell into a tie for 25th with UNLV despite the victory.
Le’Veon Moss is third in SEC rushing yards with 471 yards for the Aggies.
Missouri hopes to start 5-0 for a second straight season and, so far, are doing it with defense. They are second overall in the SEC in yards allowed at 219 a game. They’re fourth in the league in points given up at 12 a game.
Missouri has won five of the past seven meetings with Texas A&M, although the Tigers fell to the Aggies 35-14 the last time they played in 2021. The previous meeting in College Station came in 2014 with the Tigers coming out on top, 34-27.
Texas A&M is favored by 1.5 points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The undercard
No. 12 Mississippi (4-1, 0-1) at South Carolina (3-1, 1-1) with the Rebels eager to get back on track after a loss to Kentucky.
Couple of things for Ole Miss to watch out for: The Gamecocks won at Kentucky easily earlier this season, 31-6, and the team has not stopped smarting since blowing a 17-0 lead at home in a 36-33 loss to LSU.
The Rebels lead the SEC in total yards, passing yards and scoring. South Carolina is third in total SEC defense and fourth against the pass.
Top heavy
No. 1 Alabama, No. 4 Tennessee and No. 5 Georgia are all in action against SEC opponents they are expected to handle without much problem.
The Crimson Tide are 23.5-point favorites at Vanderbilt, the Vols are 13.5-point favorites at Arkansas while the Bulldogs host Auburn. Georgia is a 24-point favorite.
Impact player
Alabama receiver Ryan Williams showed what a talented 17-year-old player can do with his performance last week against No. 5 Georgia. Williams had six receptions for 177 yards in the 41-34 win over the Bulldogs, including the electrifying, 75-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter.
Williams, a true freshman who reclassified to enroll early at Alabama, was named the SEC’s freshman of the week for the second time.
Inside the numbers
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has passed for at least two touchdowns and run for at least two scores in all four of his team’s games. … Georgia had allowed only six points a game heading into it’s matchup with the Crimson Tide. The Bulldogs gave up touchdowns on Alabama’s first four drives. … Mississippi’s Antwane Wells Jr. will look to get his season on track in a familiar spot. The transfer wideout played at South Carolina the previous two seasons. He’s had just one catch for four yards. … Texas quarterback Arch Manning had a stellar SEC debut, throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 35-13 win over Mississippi State last week. Manning also ran for a score. … South Carolina defensive end Kyle Kennard leads the SEC with 8.5 tackles for loss and is tied in sacks at 5.5.
Getting warm?
Are things starting to heat up for the head coaches are Arkansas and Auburn?
The Razorbacks led Texas A&M in the fourth quarter before giving the go-ahead score and had opportunities to retake the lead in the 21-17 loss. Coach Sam Pittman is 5-13 in SEC play the past three seasons.
Auburn, too, had a lead on No. 19 Oklahoma before getting outscored 17-0 in the fourth quarter to fall 27-21 at home. Second-year coach Huge Freeze has lost seven of 10 SEC games and went 2-3 as the Tigers started this year with five home games.
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