ATHENS — Florida coach Billy Napier, just 1-7 in non-home games, discussed putting attention and resources into player sleep patterns.

“We put a premium on sleep the entire year .... I do think that when you come off the field on Wednesday, obviously it’s been two really challenging practices that are physical, that are intense,” Napier said on the SEC teleconference on Wednesday. “It’s important that you get to bed on Wednesday night and maximize those opportunities so, there’s tons of research behind this relative to injury rate, level of focus, your ability to retain information.”

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer, 2-3 overall and 1-2 this season, delivered a state of the program address of the “nothing to see here” variety with his program slipping.

“I think he state of the program is fantastic,” Beamer said this week. “Are we happy with being 2-3? No. Did we expect to be 2-3? No. Am I discouraged or do I feel like we’ve had any kind of step back? No.

“Based on the way most of you guys projected us the last two seasons, we overachieved in 2021 and 2022, and now the national progression that people think in their minds is we won seven, and we won eight, and now we’re supposed to win 10 or nine and we still may, who knows?”

So what will it be at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday (SEC Network) at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia: Well-rested and thus victorious Gators? Or a Gamecocks’ win and wake-up call?

Florida (4-2, 2-1 SEC) beat South Carolina by a 38-6 count last year in Gainesville, but the season before the Gamecocks topped the Gators 40-17 in Columbia.

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler is coming off a bye week, and he should be dialed in with a great game plan for the favored (-2.5) Gamecocks.

The pick: South Carolina 29, Florida 24

Georgia -31.5 at Vanderbilt, noon, CBS

The Commodores (2-5, 0-3) haven’t scored a TD against UGA since 2018. That will change Saturday, but not enough for the Vandy to cover the spread against the surging Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0).

Georgia likes that its leading the SEC in passing, and there’s no reason for the Bulldogs to stop throwing once Carson Beck comes out, as Kirby Smart looks to build more championship depth.

The pick: Georgia 48, Vanderbilt 10

Arkansas at Alabama -19.5, noon, ESPN

Tide coach Nick Saban has not lost to the Razorbacks (2-4, 0-3) during his Alabama tenure. Sam Pittman’s Hogs can’t catch a scheduling break, but the expectation is they’ll continue to battle behind senior quarterback leader K.J. Jefferson in Tuscaloosa against the Tide (5-1, 3-0).

The pick: Alabama 31, Arkansas 20

Texas A&M at Tennessee -3, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Do the Vols (4-1, 1-1) have enough weapons on the perimeter to move the ball on Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1)? Can the Aggies move the ball on Tennessee’s aggressive front? How much of a factor can Neyland Stadium play?

The pick: Texas A&M 27, Tennessee 24

Auburn at LSU -11, 7 p.m., ESPN

Hugh Freeze’s Tigers (3-2, 0-2) had an extra week to rest and prepare for an LSU team (4-2, 3-1) that seems prone to shootouts This one has the feel of an outlier.

The pick: LSU 24, Auburn 17

Missouri at Kentucky -2.5, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

Two teams coming off their first losses of the season meet in Lexington, where the Wildcats (5-1, 2-1) have won the past four meetings against Missouri (5-1, 1-1) in the series. Missouri’s pass game trumps Kentucky’s run game in a wild finish.

The pick: Missouri 34, Kentucky 31

Last week: 6-1 straight-up, 4-3 vs. spread

Season: 56-8 straight up, 33-27 vs. spread

On The Beat program looks at UGA win over UK and predictions for SEC season