Last week was another solid week for our panel with a combined 25-5 record. I’m currently in the lead for the year with at 26-4. Andrew Robertson and Thomas Duggins are tied at 23-7.

South Alabama at Tennessee (-19)

Andrew: Tennessee really missed an opportunity for a huge win last week at Florida. That game was there for the taking, but all the first half turnovers put them in a hole they couldn’t get out of. Where will their heads be this week against an inferior opponent? Similar to the Western Kentucky game (who the Jaguars beat), this game is getting some notice as a possible upset pick. It’s not going to happen. Tennessee will win comfortably and we might get a glimpse of Ferguson and/or Dobbs in the process. Winner: Tennessee

Thomas: Tennessee has major quarterback questions and its offense will continue to sputter until they find consistently OK play from that position. South Alabama did beat Western Kentucky and has played some other BCS programs close over the last few years. That said, I think the Vols notch their third win in front of their home crowd, although this game could be closer than everybody thought at the beginning of the season. Winner: Tennessee

Reed: I know South Alabama beat Western Kentucky this season, but I also know the Jaguars aren’t very good. They have some players on offense who can put some pressure on the Vol defense, but as long as Tennessee remains the disciplined team we’ve seen thus far, the Vols will win this one handily. The bigger story is the Vol offense. Is this the week we’ll finally see a true freshman get some snaps at QB? I think so. Tennessee simply has to get more dynamic play at QB to earn a bowl bid this season and this should be the week we get to see if Ferguson and/or Dobbs can provide a spark at some point during the game. Winner: Tennessee

LSU at Georgia (-3)

Andrew: Georgia started very slow against North Texas last week before pulling away in the second half. LSU’s performance was the direct opposite, starting fast and then fading towards the end of their game with Auburn. This game is ripe with storylines, the biggest of which is Zach Mettenberger’s return to Athens, his former school and his mom’s current employer. This might be Les Miles’ best offense since he took over as coach in Baton Rouge. That offense will grab the majority of the headlines in the Sunday papers as they will score just a few more points than Georgia’s powerful offense in what promises to be an SEC thriller. This is a must-watch game. Winner: LSU

Thomas: The Bayou Bengals come into this top-10 matchup with a balanced offense keyed by the improvement of quarterback Zach Mettenberger. LSU also has a formidable defensive front that could cause UGA’s offensive line some major problems. LSU already has a couple of solid wins over TCU and Auburn. However, with this game in Athens and UGA’s experience already playing two top-10 programs in South Carolina and Clemson, I feel that the Bulldogs will prevail in this game and firmly establish themselves as the top team in the SEC East. Winner: Georgia

Reed: LSU comes into the game with a balanced offense (ranked 3rd in the SEC) and a surprisingly stingy defense (5th in the SEC). They have been the best team in the SEC thus far and I don’t expect that to change this weekend. Georgia’s defense is dreadful (second to last in the SEC) and LSU’s offense under the direction of a resurgent Zach Mettenberger (64.8% passing, 1026 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception) should put up enough points to pick up a big win. Winner: LSU

Ole Miss at Alabama (-14)

Andrew: What can we take from this Alabama team’s performances to date? They’ve been way more Jekyll and Hyde than we’ve been used to since Nick Saban has taken over. Ole Miss, on the other hand, has been solid to date with big wins over Vandy and Texas already on their resume. If Ole Miss had more experience to go along with their young talent, I would feel more inclined to call for an upset here. Don’t forget that the Rebel Black Bears played the Tide close last year, and this year’s Ole Miss team is far more talented than last year’s. I’m still going with the Tide, but I think it’s a close game that will be entertaining. Winner: Alabama

Thomas: This matchup should provide plenty of entertainment as Ole Miss is one of the hottest teams in the nation while Bama has been the nation’s top program the last two years. If this game were in Oxford I would be tempted to take the Rebels, but I just do not see Bama dropping a winnable conference game at home. Look for Ole Miss to put up a fight and maybe hang for three quarters, but the Tide will eventually pull away. Winner: Alabama

Reed: Ole Miss is clearly on the rise and Bama hasn’t been the Bama we’ve seen the last few years. The Rebel Black Bears have enough weapons on offense to put pressure on Saban’s defense, but the Mississippi defense is riddled with question marks. Alabama wins this one, but don’t be surprised if Ole Miss covers. Winner: Alabama

Texas A&M (-15) at Arkansas

Andrew: There is no such thing as a sure thing in gambling, but the Aggies being less than a touchdown favorite (as the line opened) against the Hogs without their starting QB might be as close as you can get. However, maybe Vegas knows something we don’t? I’m going with what I’ve seen to date. Aggies win big. Winner: Texas A&M

Thomas: Arkansas is bad. A&M’s defense is shaky but the Aggies will score as many times as they feel suitable. JFF puts up some video game numbers as the Razorbacks get roasted and Bret Bielema gets a rude welcome to the SEC. Winner: Texas A&M

Reed: Arkansas doesn’t have the defense needed to keep Johnny Manziel from scoring at will, and that’s exactly what the Aggies will do. Arkansas will be able to run on an inept A&M defense, but it won’t be near enough to outgun Johnny. Winner: Texas A&M

Florida (-12) at Kentucky

Andrew: Did Florida’s team upgrade at quarterback with the Driskel injury last week? It sure looked like it in the Tennessee game. Driskel and Murphy, at the very least, are comparable in talent. Losing Dominique Easley, however, is a huge blow to the Gator defense. It probably won’t matter this week, but that will leave a huge void further down the line against tougher competition. Look for Tyler Murphy to look even sharper this week having had a full week of reps with the 1st team offense. Winner: Florida

Thomas: I will not be shocked if Kentucky beats the 13.5 point spread (now down to 12) in this game. Florida will play ugly and win ugly like they always do. Losing Dominique Easley for the season hurts, but the Gators are deep on defense and will not see much drop off from one of the nation’s strongest units on that side of the ball. The offense will score enough to keep the Wildcats at bay. Winner: Florida

Reed: Let’s face it, Florida’s offense has been abysmal BUT Tyler Murphy showed last week that he adds another dimension to the struggling Gator offense. But that won’t matter against a Kentucky team with the least talent in the SEC. Florida has won 26 straight against Kentucky, they’ll make it 27 this Saturday. Winner: Florida

South Carolina (-7) at UCF

Andrew: The Golden Knights have already proven themselves as a solid football team by going to Happy Valley and defeating the Nittany Lions. That was a big win for their program, but a win over a ranked SEC team would take UCF to another level. It’s definitely a game the Gamecocks had better take seriously, or they’ll be leaving Orlando with a loss. UCF should be able to keep it close for a while, but expect Carolina to wear them down in the second half and grind out what will be a hard-fought victory. Winner: South Carolina

Thomas: UCF is a good team and the Gamecocks would be wise to not sleepwalk through this game. I don’t think they will. This game might be close for a while, but Steve Spurrier is too good of a coach to let his team slip up in a game they should win by at least a couple of scores. Winner: South Carolina

Reed: The Gamecocks are on many upset alert lists this weekend but Connor Shaw won’t let South Carolina lose this one. He’s averaging close to 300 yards of offense per game and has yet to throw an interception this year. Winner: South Carolina

Oklahoma (-3.5) at Notre Dame

Andrew: Is the “Bell-Dozer” finally ready to take the reigns of the Sooner offense and be the quarterback most people thought he would be? If their last game against Tulsa is any indication, then the answer is yes. If Oklahoma rolls into South Bend and puts a lot of points on the board, there is no way the Irish can keep pace with them. I don’t think it will be a high scoring game, but I think the Sooners get revenge for last year’s game with a strong performance from Bell and a drastically improved defense. Winner: Oklahoma

Thomas: My reasoning for this game is simply that Oklahoma has failed on almost every big nonconference stage over the last three years.I don’t think either team has a significant advantage, so I am taking the Irish at home. Winner: Notre Dame

Reed: This is the toughest game of the week for me to pick. On one hand, Stoops is no stranger to losing a big game. On the other, Notre Dame has been bad this year (like almost losing to Purdue and Michigan State bad). Bottom line: Oklahoma should have enough offense to hand Notre Dame a loss. Winner: Oklahoma 

Wisconsin at Ohio State (-7)

Andrew: Ohio St. has a quarterback controversy. Not because of poor play, but rather, because both quarterbacks have played outstanding. It’s totally possible that Braxton Miller (my pre-season Heisman pick) has gotten “Wally Pipped” by Kenny Guiton. Wisconsin is a blown call away from possibly being undefeated going into this game, as well. These teams always play each other close, and this game will not be any different, but the Buckeyes superior talent will ultimately make the difference. Winner: Ohio St.

Thomas: OSU is having a mild quarterback controversy due to the brilliant play of Kenny Guyton as Braxton Miller has recovered from injury (Vol fans wish they had this problem). The Buckeyes win this game by a comfortable margin. I am really going to be pissed if Ohio State gets into the National Championship having played their sorry schedule. Winner: Ohio St.

Reed: Ohio State has played a pathetic schedule thus far and Wisconsin will easily be the best team they’ve faced this season. That said, the Badgers simply don’t have the talent to compete with the Buckeyes for four quarters. Winner: Ohio St.

USC at Arizona State (-4)

Andrew: Have the Trojans turned the corner? Last week’s 3 point win over Utah St. doesn’t look that impressive on paper, but that was probably the best team the Trojans have played to date. Their defense is solid, but what it the deal with that offense? Arizona St. is going to score some points, and if the Trojan offense can’t pick up its production, the Sun Devils just might embarrass USC Saturday night in Tempe. (I know everyone in Knoxville would hate to see that) I don’t have the confidence in the Trojan offense (or their play-caller) to score the amount of points it will take to defeat this Arizona St. team. Winner: Arizona St.

Thomas: One more stop that is prolonging the inevitable firing of Lane Kiffin. That’s the only reason I might watch this game, to see those priceless shots of Lane’s face while his team loses again. Whoopee. Winner: Arizona St.

Reed: This one is easy: I have absolutely no confidence in USC to win a road game. Winner: Arizona St.

Arizona at Washington (-10)

Andrew: It’s hard to gauge the Wildcats, since they have not played anyone of any substance to date. Washington, on the other hand, has already scored 2 solid wins over Boise St. and at Illinois. With them already having played tough competition and having home field advantage, I’m rolling with the Huskies. Winner: Washington

Thomas: The Huskies take out Rich Rod’s kittens. I kidd. Arizona is not a bad team, but I genuinely think that Washington is finally taking that next step to PAC-12 contender. Winner: Washington

Reed: Former Vol defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox has the Husky D ranked 12th nationally while the Washington offense is averaging over 600 yards per game. They’re simply too balanced to lose a home game to Arizona. Winner: Washington