Sports columns

Week 13 provides fireworks across the SEC

Shane Shackleford

By Shane Shackleford, Sports Columnist
November 28, 2021

By no means am I a noted historian about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, but I am fairly certain that when they established the first Thanksgiving it was for a time of quiet reflection on thankfulness and a peaceful setting.

Not wide open rivalry football with blowouts and close calls all over the Alliance Killer known as the SEC.

But here we are.

What a week for the conference. Great games and established dominance were the norms. I can’t wait to discuss all of it with you. So come on this emotional joyride with me. And, as always, it’ll be fun for the whole family.

Week 12 SEC Wrap Up

Kentucky 52, Louisville 21

Why Should I Care- The Wildcats capped a 9-3 season with a whipping of the Cards in the Governor’s Cup. Quarterback Will Levis and the Kentucky offense eviscerated the UL defense to the tune of 511 yards and 52 points in a game that was never close. Exhibit 1 of “Why the ACC isn’t the same as the SEC.”

Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 0

Why Should I Care- This was a clean, old-fashioned Bulldog beatdown of the Yellow Jackets. Exhibit 2 of “Why the ACC isn’t the same as the SEC.”

Alabama 24, Auburn 22 (4 OT)

Why Should I Care- Bama was dead in the water until the fourth quarter

when Heisman candidate Bryce Young made the critical plays to salvage the Tide’s playoff hopes.

LSU 27, Texas A&M 24

Why Should I Care- The Tigers reached bowl eligibility with a late Max Johnson TD pass to upset the Aggies in Ed Orgeron’s last home game in Baton Rouge.

Clemson 30, South Carolina 0

Why Should I Care- For all the hope and confidence that South Carolina has been playing with, reality showed up in the form of the Tigers in Columbia. The good news is the Gamecocks are bowl-eligible.

Florida 24, Florida State 21

Why Should I Care- In the first game of the post-Dan Mullen era, the Gators defeated FSU to achieve bowl eligibility. I would hazard a guess that the Gator faithful are ready for the season to be over.

Tennessee 45, Vanderbilt 21

Why Should I Care- The Vols wrapped up a seven-win season by beating (or mercy killing) the Commodores. The big question is this: could Vol coach Josh Heupel, a former Oklahoma quarterback, be on the list for the now open coaching position at OU?

Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 21

Why Should I Care- The Rebs closed their first 10-win regular season by beating the Dawgs in Starkville. My question is when the SEC will realize cowbells are noisemakers?

Arkansas 34, Missouri 17

Why Should I Care- The Hogs closed their first eight-win season in a long time and solidified the candidacy of coach Sam Pittman as SEC Coach of the Year.

Championship Week Predictions

The season ends for the majority of college football. But wait, there’s championship weekend across these United States of America. Let’s talk about it.

C- USA Western Kentucky v. UTSA

Pac 12 Oregon v. Utah

Big 12 Oklahoma State v. Baylor

MAC Kent State v. Northern Illinois

Mountain West Utah State v. San Diego State

Sun Belt Appalachian State v. Louisiana

American Houston v. Cincinnati

SEC Georgia v. Alabama

ACC Pittsburgh v. Wake Forest

Big 10 Michigan v. Iowa

Instead of just making gameday predictions, let’s discuss possible bowl destinations for the SEC teams. To recap the year that was for the Backwoods Swami. Overall, I was pretty consistent, coming in at a respectable 124-30 (.801).

Of the 14 SEC member schools, 13 are bowl eligible (sorry Vanderbilt.) Let’s take a look at the bowl games with ties to the SEC.

(projections by CBS Sports)

BOWL LOCATION TEAMS