The SEC is set to get into the meat of conference play in Week 6 with several key games on the schedule for Saturday. The contest between No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Alabama is the lone game between two ranked SEC teams, and promises to be an emotional roller coaster after the Commodores knocked off the Crimson Tide 40-35 last October.
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Ole Miss has a bye on Saturday after defeating then-No. 4 LSU 24-19 in Week 5, the best win in conference play thus far. The Rebels are atop the standings in the SEC with a 3-0 record in conference play before they take a snap in October.
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It should be no surprise then that Joel Klatt of Fox Sports predicted Ole Miss to make the SEC Championship Game after a strong start to the season. However, he made a bold projection by taking No. 9 Texas to be the Rebels’ opponent at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 6 after a slow start for quarterback Arch Manning in non-conference play.
“You look at the win that they had last weekend over LSU and it’s Ole Miss,” Klatt said on his show this week. “So I think Texas and Ole Miss are really good chances to go to the SEC championship game. Now again, this could be anybody. This could be one of six or seven different matchups. I think this league is very balanced at the top is how I’ll say it. I don’t think there is a great team in the SEC.
“I do think that it’s balanced at the top. So this would be my guess right now, Ole Miss, Texas. And I think Texas would win that game as the SEC champ. They still have an elite defense, folks. And that’s going to mean something in these types of games. And I think Arch will continue to get better as the season goes along.”
Manning struggled in Texas’ season opener against Ohio State, leading the offense to one touchdown drive in a 14-7 loss to the Buckeyes. He didn’t play particularly well against San Jose State and UTEP, but showed progress in the Longhorns’ 55-0 win over Sam Houston on Sept. 20.
How Manning develops in SEC play will determine the Longhorns’ season. NFL scouts are worried about his play during the non-conference part of the schedule.
Texas’ defense is averaging giving up just 7.8 points per game. The unit should keep the Longhorns in games, but Manning needs to play at an elite level to beat No. 5 Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, No. 12 Georgia and No. 6 Texas A&M.
Texas’ matchup at Florida on Saturday should be a test case on how Manning can play against SEC competition. While the Gators are a disappointing 1-3 entering the contest, the offense has been the cause of Florida’s shortcomings. The Gators defense is averaging surrendering 21.3 points per game, and they’ve played tough offenses in LSU and No. 4 Miami.