SEC + 3: Week Five

Special teams miscues from Clemson, a Mississippi State road win and a shocker in Missouri attributed to all three of my losses last week, putting me at 8-3 for my picks in week four. My counterpart, Mr. Gabe Keister, took the week, going 9-2 with his picks. My 8-3 record places me at 41-12 for the season. 

With some good games going on in the SEC this week, let's take a look at our picks for week five:

Tennessee vs. (12) Georgia

Keister: Look for the Vols to come out hitting hard and playing tough defense early, but Mark Richt's not going to keep the horse in the barn much in this divisional game. Tennessee's lack of playmaker on offense hurts them in this one.

The Pick: Georgia 31 Tennessee 13

Griff: I agree with Keister on this one, and Georgia's going to gash the Volunteer defense with the running game early and often.

The Pick: Georgia 34 Tennessee 20


Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky

Keister: This is a game that intrigues me this week because it will serve as a boost for one team's season, while the losing team will continue to try to find answers. I like what both coaches are trying to do with their teams, but in the end, Kentucky's speed makes the difference.

The Pick: Kentucky 33 Vanderbilt 16

Griff: Derek Mason's Commodores looked inspired playing against South Carolina last weekend, and even though they didn't get the job done, there's still some positives that can be found. That being said, Kentucky's simply got the better athletes in this matchup, and the home field advantage doesn't hurt their case either.

The Pick: Kentucky 24 Vanderbilt 21


Arkansas vs. (6) Texas A&M

Keister: Look for a similar game plan from the Aggies as the one they executed against South Carolina in the opener. Kenny Hill's going to have ice in his veins, even on a neutral field, and Kevin Sumlin's offense is the most explosive in the SEC, if not the country.

The Pick: Texas A&M 41 Arkansas 23

Griff: If you would've asked me to predict this game at the beginning of the season, I would've discounted the success that both teams have had at the beginning of this season. Arkansas might be able to hang with the Aggies early but not for much longer than that.

The Pick: Texas A&M 45 Arkansas 17


Louisiana Tech vs. (5) Auburn

Keister: Unless Karl Malone and Terry Bradshaw decide to suit up Saturday for their alma mater, there won't be many highlights other than Nick Marshall and the Auburn offense returning to form after returning from a road trip to Manhattan.

The Pick: Auburn 39 Louisiana Tech 10

Griff: Auburn was able to sleepwalk through their matchup against Kansas State last week, and this game will be a nice tune-up for Gus Malzahn's squad before hosting the Bayou Bengals next week.

The Pick: Auburn 48 Louisiana Tech 13


Missouri vs. (13) South Carolina

Keister: Pinkel's team losing to Indiana last week will hurt the Gamecocks' faithful more than they believe. In the end, South Carolina playing down to their opponent's level catches up to them and stuns the crowd in the Williams-Brice.

The Pick: Missouri 35 South Carolina 30

Griff: Missouri played awful against Indiana last week, and the Tigers pick a tough week to try to rebound on the road in Williams-Brice Stadium. Missouri and South Carolina both face a lot of questions in their respective defensive backfields, but the Gamecocks' ability to run the ball wins this shootout.

The Pick: South Carolina 41 Missouri 31


Memphis vs. (10) Ole Miss

Keister: Memphis makes Bo Wallace's draft chances look a lot more certain. I'll be on the look for his highlights from this game on YouTube Monday morning!

The Pick: Ole Miss 48 Memphis 14

Griff: I'm still on the fence deciding whether Ole Miss is a contender or pretender in the SEC West. I'll still be on said fence after this game, as this game won't tell us much.

The Pick: Ole Miss 35 Memphis 3


New Mexico State vs. (17) LSU

Keister: New Mexico State really couldn't have picked a worse time to visit Baton Rouge after the Tigers' loss to Mississippi State last weekend. Garth Brooks' music and the LSU crowd will have Death Valley rocking all night long on Saturday!

The Pick: LSU 58 New Mexico State 3

Griff: Les Miles' team gets a chance to vent some frustration following a tough conference loss. I feel bad for New Mexico State in this one.

The Pick: LSU 42 New Mexico State 0


(16) Stanford vs. Washington

Keister: I'm not a big PAC-12 guy, but even though the Cardinal dropped a home game to a team that couldn't handle mighty Boston College, I have to stick with Stanford.

The Pick: Stanford 23 Washington 10

Griff: Going into the season, I really thought that Washington could be a team that could turn heads. Now that we are several games into the season, the Huskies haven't impressed me as much as they did on paper before their first snap.

The Pick: Stanford 28 Washington 18


Cincinnati vs. (22) Ohio State

Keister: Tommy Tuberville's "Riverboat Gambler" alias sufaces and stuns the Buckeyes this week, making Urban Meyer look like an urban myth.

The Pick: Cincinnati 27 Ohio State 17

Griff: The Bearcats will make this a closer game than expected, but Ohio State's going to be outlast a good effort from their inner-state competition.

The Pick: Ohio State 31 Cincinnati 23


North Carolina vs. Clemson

Keister: Freshman Deshaun Watson makes his first official start, but he's not exactly playing against a stellar defense. I expect Clemson to win big. 

The Pick: Clemson 45 North Carolina 6

Griff: After seeing what happened to North Carolina at the hands of East Carolina last week, it'll be tough to imagine the Tar Heels giving Clemson any trouble. The Tigers will end this one early.

The Pick: Clemson 49 North Carolina 13

We hope you enjoyed our picks this week. As always be sure to give me a follow on twitter @griffaldo, and check out my new column on ChatSports.com starting next week called "Griff's Helmet Stickers" that'll highlight the best performances of the upcoming week in college football!

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