ATHENS — The SEC may want to consider a bugler to cue the Saturday action, the race for the league’s championship game once again underway.
LSU’s game at Texas A&M — recently a high-scoring affair — headlines an afternoon of action that carries SEC Championship Game and CFP 12-team field implications.
The Tigers (6-1 overall, 3-0 SEC) are riding a six-game win streak, having not lost since a season-opening 27-20 neutral site loss to USC.
The Aggies (6-1, 4-0) have also won six in a row this season after losing to Notre Dame, 23-13, in their season-opener at home.
It’s a game that pits LSU’s prolific pass game (322.4 yards per game, 8th in the nation) and sack attack (3.43 per game, 7th in the country) against a balanced Texas A&M program that features the country’s 13th-best rushing attack (218.6 yards per game).
LSU won last year’s game in Baton Rouge 42-30.
SEC Games this week, TV times, channels and picks
Oklahoma at Ole Miss (-20), noon, ESPN
The Rebels (5-2, 1-2) are home after a bye week, desperately holding on to SEC Championship Game and CFP hopes against an Oklahoma team (4-3, 1-3) that ranks 128th in the nation in total offense.
The pick: Ole Miss 45, Oklahoma 10
Arkansas (-8) at Mississippi State, 12:45 p.m. SEC Network
The Razorbacks, with two conference losses, have no margin for error when they travel to play a battle-tested Maroon Bulldogs team that has played Texas, Georgia and Texas A&M in successive weeks.
The pick: Arkansas 27, Mississippi State 20
Missouri at Alabama (-13), 3:30 p.m. ABC
The league’s marquee afternoon is in Tuscaloosa for a matchup of programs battling to stay in SEC Championship Contention. Alabama (5-2, 2-2) is 39th in the nation in scoring offense (38.1 points per game) while the Tigers are ninth in the nation in total defense and passing defense.
The pick: Alabama 30, Missouri 27
Texas (-17) at Vanderbilt, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Few would have guessed the allure of this game when the schedule came out, but Vanderbilt’s impressive home win earlier this season over Alabama will have fans tuned in. The Commodores (5-2, 2-1) are 17th in the nation in turnover margin, while the Longhorns ( 6-1, 2-1) feature the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (9.7 points per game).
The pick: Texas 37, Vanderbilt 17
LSU at Texas A&M (-3), 7:30 p.m., ABC
The Tigers and Aggies have traded wins seven times in their most recent meetings, the home team winning each time.
The pick: Texas A&M 30, LSU 24
Auburn at Kentucky (-3), 7:45 p.m. SEC Network
Two teams desperately in need of win meet in Lexington with second-year coach Hugh Freeze looking to gain his footing against the longest-tenured coach in the SEC, Mark Stoops (12th year).
The pick: Auburn 30, Kentucky 24
Last week: 5-3 straight-up, 2-6 vs. spread
Season: 54-20 straight-up, 37-36 vs. spread
