SEC + 3: Week Nine

Keister and I both finished 6-3 with our picks last week, keeping him in front of me by two games, as we are 37-12 and 35-14 respectively. Here's our take on what's going to go down in the SEC in week nine:

UAB vs. Arkansas

Keister: 

A break from the tough conference schedule for the Razorbacks will be a welcoming contest. The Razorbacks' ground game shines early and often.  

The Pick: Arkansas 33 UAB 10 

Griff:

Arkansas gets a chance to release their frustration on a weaker opponent, and the Hogs will run the ball for over 300 yards.

The Pick: Arkansas 54 UAB 17

(1) Mississippi State vs. Kentucky

Keister:

Lack of run defense will hurt big time for the Wildcats, as Bulldog QB Dak Prescott will continue to make his case for the Heisman Trophy.

The Pick: Mississippi State 45 Kentucky 21

Griff:

Mississippi State's going to bring a physicality into Commonwealth Stadium that's going to be unlike any team they've seen so far this season. Kentucky's defense will wake up with a lot of bumps and bruises on Sunday morning.

The Pick: Mississippi State 49 Kentucky 10

Vanderbilt vs. Missouri

Keister:

This week will serve as another confidence building game for Maty Mauk, as he'll be able to pad his stats a bit against the Commodores.

The Pick: Missouri 28 Vanderbilt 13

Griff:

This game really isn't going to be very interesting. Honestly, the only thing that could prove to be somewhat exciting will be the special teams play, where both teams have had bright spots this season.

The Pick: Missouri 38 Vanderbilt 6

(3) Ole Miss vs. (24) LSU

Keister: 

Ole Miss will show their legitimacy for yet another week in Baton Rouge, handing the Tigers their third conference-loss. 

The Pick: Ole Miss 31 LSU 20

Griff:

Part of me wants to take LSU in this game, but I simply can't overlook the athleticism that makes up the Rebels' defense. If Ole Miss can take the run away from Cam Cameron's scheme, then it'll get ugly for LSU. However, it's tough to imagine that Hugh Freeze's squad will be able to completely shut down some of the best talent in the country behind a solid offensive line. Ole Miss wins in a close one, and it might come down to a classic Les Miles' clock management error.

The Pick: Ole Miss 24 LSU 22  

South Carolina vs. (5) Auburn

Keister:

The Gamecocks' shaky quarterback play plus zero run defense equals no contest on The Plains! 

The Pick: Auburn 40 South Carolina 20

Griff:

Tough game this week for Steve Spurrier's team that hasn't live up to the hype that was created before the season started. That being said, they have been the only team to beat the Georgia Bulldogs this season, but their defense will get them in trouble again this week against the incredibly versatile Auburn offense. Carolina will find a way to keep it close, but in the end, Steve Spurrier drops to 1-10 against top ten opponents on the road.

The Pick: Auburn 49 South Carolina 36

Plus three:

North Carolina vs. Virginia

Keister: Virginia 27 North Carolina 23

Griff: Virginia 21 North Carolina 20

Syracuse vs. (21) Clemson

Keister: Clemson 34 Syracuse 16

Griff: Clemson 27 Syracuse 17

(13) Ohio State vs. Penn State

Keister: Ohio State 28 Penn State 20

Griff: Ohio State 35 Penn State 14

Thanks for reading, folks! Be sure to give Griff a follow on twitter @griffaldo.