What to watch in the SEC: Tigers try to stem the Tide, and a quieter Red River Rivalry
Things to watch for this week in the Southeastern Conference:
No. 8 Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC) at No. 14 Missouri (5-0, 1-0), Saturday, noon ET (ABC)
Fresh off convincing wins against ranked foes Georgia and Vanderbilt, Alabama takes a four-game winning streak to No. 14 Missouri, which has hammered three overmatched opponents and won closer games against Kansas and South Carolina.
The Tigers average a conference-best 547.6 yards per game. Running back Ahmad Hardy plays a major role, accounting for an FBS-high 730 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Alabama is just 87th in rushing yards allowed but is a 3-point favorite, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
No. 6 Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Texas (3-2, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Texas and Oklahoma in the historic Red River Rivalry game is usually a must-watch game and maybe this is too, though it’s lost some luster with a second loss for preseason No. 1 Texas. Arch Manning and Co. get an Oklahoma team that has lost two of the last three in this series but won five of the past seven. The Sooners allow just 7.2 points per game, second-best in the FBS behind Ohio State.
Oklahoma has some uncertainty at quarterback, with starter John Mateer recovering from thumb surgery. Sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. filled in for Mateer in Week 6, leading the Sooners to a 44-0 win over Kent State. The Texas defense is far more formidable and the Longhorns are a 1.5-point favorite, per BetMGM.
— Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell became the first Aggie to record several three-sack outings in a season since Von Miller (2009), helping the team to a 31-9 win against Mississippi State. Howell’s three sacks upped his season total to seven, the most in the SEC. He gets a chance this weekend to chase Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who threw for a season-best 289 yards and two touchdowns in the upset of Texas.
— Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson earned co-defensive player of the week honors after a standout performance against Vanderbilt, accumulating a team-high 14 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss.