Ranking the SEC Games this weekend (Week 14)

One final weekend, everything on the line for several SEC teams... Here's how they stack up:

1. Texas A&M @ Texas (Friday 7:30, ABC)
Texas A&M is having a dream season. Undefeated, Heisman candidate QB, good defense, and finally shaking off the 8&4 jibe that's stuck with them for so long. It is officially impossible for them to lose 4 games at this point. Texas is out of the CFP picture. Arch found his groove a little too late this year, but just in time to start the hype train for next season. So what happens Friday night in Austin? I have absolutely no clue. There is a world where the Longhorns whip the Aggies. There is a world where the Aggies rout the Longhorns. There is a world where A&M only loses one game all season but is left out of the SEC Championship game. Whatever happens, I'm here for it.

2. Alabama @ Auburn (Saturday 7:30, ABC)
The only reason I'm ranking this second is because the turmoil in Auburn this season has taken just a little of the shine off the buildup to this game nationally. However, I can guarantee you this: If the game is close in the 4th quarter, the college football world will be glued to this one. I don't know if any one game has provided more heart-stopping, gut-wrenching, insane, could-never-happen-in-a-million-years plays than when Alabama takes on Auburn, especially in Jordan-Hare. The Tide's postseason goals are all still ahead of them if they win this game. Auburn's bowl eligibility hangs in the balance. Deboer loses to mid teams, especially on the road. Will the plains voodoo strike again?

3. Ole Miss @ Mississippi State (Friday Noon, ABC)
This could end up being a clunker, but the noise surrounding this game is deafening, and it's all focused on Kiffin. He has worked hard to rehabilitate his image since getting fired at USC, but if Ole Miss loses this game he will be the laughingstock all over again. Talking to other teams about their head coaching vacancies, allowing it to become a national story, then losing to your rival while also getting knocked out of the playoffs is an amazing fall from grace. Meanwhile, MSU can put a beautiful bow on a season that has had its ups and downs, and get bowl eligible while doing it.

4. Vanderbilt @ Tennessee (Saturday 3:30, ESPN)
The Commodores need some help to make the playoffs. I think they deserve to get in over the likes of BYU, Virginia, SMU, and maybe even Notre Dame. Unfortunately, the committee doesn't ask my opinion yet, so Vandy just has to win and hope it all shakes out. If Ole Miss loses, if Oklahoma were to drop the LSU game, or the other OU were to lose to Washington, things could get interesting. All that is meaningless if the Vols beat them in Neyland Saturday. Vanderbilt has lost 6 in a row to Tennessee, going all the way back to Diego's sophomore year in college. The game has never meant as much to the Commodores as it does this weekend.

5. LSU @ Oklahoma (Saturday 3:30, ABC)
The Sooners are in if they win and they don't even have to worry about the SEC Championship game. What a sweet deal! Unless they inexplicably lose to the Tigers... then they're out of the playoffs and some of the bubble teams would start rejoicing. This shouldn't be close, but things seem to tighten up on the last weekend, especially for the team that has a lot to lose. "But Goombaw, LSU struggled against WKU for Pete's sake!!" Watch and see if a turnover or two flips the field for the Bayou Bengals, if Mateer is a little off... This one could turn some heads.

6. Missouri @ Arkansas (Saturday 3:30, SECN)
Arkansas finally broke the trend of losing games by a score or less! Unfortunately, they did it by losing to Texas 52-37. Arkansas' offense has kept them in most games. Missouri's offense is getting back healthy, so I expect this to be a higher scoring affair, which is good, because there isn't much else to get this one on the radar. This normally would've been the late SECN game, but the powers that be made the decision to Simulcast the Iron Bowl instead.

Meanwhile the other SEC teams are taking part in the ACC/SEC challenge, and I've gotta tell you, I'm not sure the SEC is going to come out the winner here.

Georgia vs Georgia Tech (Friday 3:30, ABC)
Want a real shakeup at the top next week? What if the Bulldogs lose to the Yellow Jackets, A&M loses to Texas, and Virginia and SMU both win? That would put Georgia IN the SECCG and have Georgia Tech OUT of the ACCCG. What does the committee do with that?

Clemson @ South Carolina (Saturday Noon, SECN)
Which formerly highly touted QB will disappoint their team one last time?

Kentucky @ Louisville (Saturday Noon, ACCN)
Kentucky basketball ran into a buzz saw at Louisville earlier this month. Can the football team take up the slack?

Florida State @Florida (Saturday 4:30, ESPN2)
Yikes. Weird time and weird channel really encapsulates what this rivalry has become.

And that'll do it for the 2025 SEC season! As my dad used to say: "It's been real and it's been fun, but it ain't been real fun."