These are Abby Dalton’s Tennessee football Volunteers, SEC and top 25 picks for the first week of SEC season in 2020.
As the SEC opens the season a little later than usual this year due to the pandemic, Tennessee football kicks things off with a trip to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Here is a look at All for Tennessee contributor Abby Dalton’s picks for all SEC and top 25 games this weekend. There are nine games to pick in total.
Florida Gators: 56 Ole Miss Rebels: 17
Florida -13.5; Over 57.5
Florida is going to be coming out of the gates at a fast rate. It is going to be tough for anyone to stop them including Ole Miss. The Gators’ defense will be hard core and hard for Ole Miss to score on it. I don’t see the Rebels making it to the end zone much in this one. Ole Miss’ new head coach, former Tennessee football head coach Lane Kiffin, will face too big of a transition, and Florida will take the easy win.
Auburn Tigers: 52 Kentucky Wildcats: 16
Auburn -6.5; Over 49
Kentucky is going to have a tough first week because this Auburn team is ready to go. Sophomore Bo Nix will be outstanding behind his offensive line. It’s going to be a blowout win for Auburn. The Tigers team is really sound and it’ll be hard for Kentucky to pull off the upset, especially on the road. Mark Stoops’ team is also trying to find the players they are going to rely on.
Louisville Cardinals: 35 Pittsburgh Panthers: 28
Louisville +3; Over 554.5
This will be really close, but I see Louisville taking the win at Pittsburgh. Coming off of a loss to Miami, the Cardinals will be coming for redemption in this game. I like the quarterback matchup in this game between Malik Cunningham and Kenny Pickett. Cunningham will get the win here. Pittsburgh has a lot going on for them in this game, but it’ll be too much for them to pull off the 3-0 start.
Cincinnati Bearcats: 42 Army Black Knights: 21
Cincinnati -12.5; Over 44.5
Cincinnati started out the season with a big win over Austin Peay. They have around 16 starters coming back this year which is huge. Army is starting out strong as well, but I just don’t see them pulling off the upset against the group of veterans of Cincinnati. Although anything can happen, Army will have to have a flawless game to take down the No.14 ranked Bearcats at their home.
Mississippi State Bulldogs: 42 LSU Tigers: 41
Mississippi State +17; Over 56.5
Go with the huge upset here. LSU is rebuilding as well as Mississippi State. Coming off their national title, the Tigers had a lot of people take their careers to the NFL. Myles Brennan is taking over at quarterback for Ed Orgeron. This is his fourth year, and he knows the offense, but can he deliver? Mississippi State has quarterback KJ Castello and running back Kylin Hill. I have them getting this upset win in a very close shootout.
Georgia Bulldogs: 38 Arkansas Razorbacks: 6
Georgia -27.5; Under 54.5
Georgia is starting out their season away against the Razorbacks. There is a lot of uncertainty here for both teams. The Bulldogs don’t have Jake Fromm and are having to put all of their chips on a new quarterback to handle the offense. Arkansas’ first-year head coach Sam Pittman worked at Georgia, so he knows that Smart will not overlook this game. Pittman has put together a great group of guys but it won’t be enough to take down this revenge seeking Georgia team. Georgia will handle the Razorbacks in Arkansas.
Alabama Crimson Tide: 42 Missouri Tigers: 16
Missouri +28.5; Over 55.5
Missouri has had a huge issue with players being unable to play due to Covid-19. However, they have cleared a good amount to participate on Saturday. It’ll be hard for them to regroup, though, and they won’t be able to put a run on Alabama. Alabama has won the past 13 season openers under Saban and is on the hunt for their 6th title. I don’t see the Tigers, under first-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, being able to handle the Tide so early and with this set up.
Texas A&M Aggies: 35 Vanderbilt Commodores: 12
Vanderbilt +30.5; Over 45.5
Vanderbilt has had a rough couple of years, and it’s not going to get better for them this year. Texas A&M is coming off an 8-5 record and has senior quarterback Kellen Mond who needs to step into being a team leader this year. Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies lost two key starters, but Vanderbilt is in the same position. If there was any way for Derek Mason’s Commodores to pull off the upset, they would have needed to have every key player ready to go. That’s not the case here. Texas A&M will not have trouble fighting off Vanderbilt.
Tennessee Volunteers: 42 South Carolina Gamecocks: 38
Tennessee -3.5; Over 43.5
Tennessee football will take on South Carolina in Columbia, and they should handle business. It’ll be a close game, but I see the Vols pulling out the win. Jeremy Pruitt has the same offensive line back, and Jarrett Guarantano knows what is expected. South Carolina is starting out with new players in different areas. It’ll be hard for them to come together in this game. I am taking the Vols in a hard-fought win.