ATHENS — Georgia returns to home, sweet home Sanford Stadium needing a statement win over Auburn.
The Bulldogs have a school-record 26-game home win streak they will be trying to build on between the hedges.
There’s a lot of feel-good needed around the SEC for sure this weekend, with a handful of teams already on the verge of falling from contention.
The Missouri at Texas A&M game bears watching, as does Ole Miss’ trip to South Carolina and Tennessee’s road game at Arkansas.
The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs need an identity check after an uncharacteristically poor start led to a 28-0 deficit at Alabama en route to the 41-34 loss.
But Auburn might not be so fast to fall, even though it has lost seven straight in its series with UGA and been outscored 216-54 in Sanford Stadium in its most recent seven trips.
The Tigers actually out-gained Oklahoma 482 yards to 291 and had 26 first downs to the Sooners 11 only to be undone by a late Pick-6.
Georgia, meanwhile, saw Carson Beck throw three interceptions, fumble the ball and account for a safety in the 41-34 loss to the Tide.
Beck had not thrown more than one interception in any of his previous 17 starts prior to the game in Tuscaloosa.
This week’s SEC games
Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0) -2.5, Noon, ABC
The Aggies are just 3-11 at Kyle Field when ranked and hosting a Top 10 team, including Mike Elko’s season-opening loss to Notre Dame.
The Tigers are coming off a bye week after slipping past Vanderbilt in double-overtime.
The pick: Texas A&M 30, Missouri 27
Auburn (2-3, 0-2 SEC) at Georgia (3-1, 1-1) -23, 3:30 p.m., ABC
The Bulldogs will focus on fundamentals and getting a run game going on offense, and stripping the ball on defense.
Auburn has committed 11 turnovers in its past three games against Power 4 opponents, a minus-9 turnover ratio that ranks last in the nation among P4 schools.
The pick: Georgia 31, Auburn 7
Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) -9 at South Carolina (3-1, 1-1), 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Shane Beamer has won three of six games when facing a Top 15 team as an underdog and are looking for another upset.
The Rebels have NFL firepower at quarterback and receiver and will be looking to get into a shootout.
The pick: Ole Miss 31, South Carolina 24
Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) -23 at Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
The Commodores have lost 14 straight to Alabama in the series, and 24 in a row if a retroactively forfeited game is factored in, per The Tennessean.
Vanderbilt has not scored a touchdown in the three meetings since it got into the end zone in 2007.
The pick: Alabama 30, Vanderbilt 14
Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) -13.5 at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1), 7:30 p.m., ABC
The Vols are best is yards per play allowed against Power 4 teams (3.1 yards) and defense travels on the road in the SEC.
The pick: Tennessee 27, Arkansas 20
Central Florida (3-1) -2.5 at Florida (2-2, 1-1 SEC), 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
It’s the fourth-straight home game the Gators have been an underdog. For perspective, from 1992-2011, Florida was a home underdog in just four of 117 games against FBS opponents.
The pick: Florida 31, UCF 28
Open: Kentucky (3-2, 1-2 SEC), LSU (4-1, 1-0 SEC), Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2 SEC), Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 SEC), Texas (5-0, 1-0 SEC)
