It’s another week on the college football calendar, and with just a week until the Iron Bowl on the Plains between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers, it’s officially cupcake week in the SEC.
For the Tide and Tigers, it’s games against Eastern Illinois and Mercer respectively, while the Georgia Bulldogs will take on Charlotte, LSU faces Western Kentucky, and most of the country essentially has a week off before rivalry week.
There are still some great games worth keeping an eye on though, and they may have a direct impact on the race for the College Football Playoff. Here are the three you need to keep an eye on most closely.
#22 Missouri @ #8 Oklahoma
11:00 a.m. CST
The Sooners are fresh off their program defining and season saving victory on the road at Alabama last week, but now they have to gear up quickly for another test. Sitting at 8-2, Oklahoma is in the driver’s seat for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but a loss here in a game which many have already dismissed as a win would change all of that.
The Tigers are less than a touchdown underdogs, and this could wind up being an absolute dogfight as Missouri tries to salvage a solid season despite likely already being out of the playoff race. If the Sooners are not on their game, they can be beat here, so they had better be ready to play.
Arkansas @ #17 Texas
2:30 p.m. CST
Currently, Texas is on the outside looking in with the playoff picture, and with three losses, they need a borderline miracle. However, a looming game next week against undefeated Texas A&M offers a chance to make a final climb up the ladder and find their way in the discussion. Before that though, they must handle business against a hungry Razorbacks team who will be hoping to catch the Longhorns looking ahead to the Aggies.
Texas is currently favored by 8.5 as they try to keep their season alive one game at a time and bounce back from a defeat at Georgia last week. It should be a good one in Austin.
#20 Tennessee @ Florida
6:30 p.m. CST
Admittedly, there’s not a ton of juice here with both teams likely eliminated from playing for anything significant. With that being said, the Volunteers and Gators meet up for what is one of the SEC’s most underrated rivalries, and it will be under the lights in The Swamp as Josh Heupel tries to salvage at least a respectable season for Tennessee.
It’s going to be a tall task for the Vols against a Florida team which still has talent, and even more dangerously, has absolutely nothing to lose. Keep an eye on Gainesville to see if the Gators can pull another upset.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.

