SEC picks including Hogs, Texas Tech

By Jason Pattyson

FAYETTEVILLE — The CFP was nice but not nice enough, as Tennessee got blasted by Ohio St., and Texas handled its business against Clemson. This weekend, the SEC has five chances to prove that the conference was tough from top to bottom. 

Last week was good, going 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread. The weekend, we all try to recharge from the holiday rush, and Friday gives us all a chance to watch some college football for 12 or more hours. It’s all about the SEC. So lets get into it. 

Bowl games on Friday, December 27th

The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl 

Navy vs Oklahoma -3 ESPN 11 a.m. 

Oklahoma and Navy are facing each other for the first time in 60 years. Navy won 10-0. The Sooners will rely on Michael Hawkins, who replaced Jackson Arnold during the season only to lose the job and hand it back to Arnold. Navy started off great, 6-0, but tumbled down the stretch and finished the season 9-3 with a loss to Arny last weekend. 

If Sooner head coach Brent Venables finishes the season with a loss, he will have started his tenure in Norman with two losing seasons in three years, not a great recipe for staying at one job for very long. If they do win, the slate can be wiped clean, and OU will have a win against every service academy. I like the Midshipmen in this one, sinking the Boomer Scooner to victory.

Oklahoma – 13

Navy – 24

The Birmingham Bowl 

Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech -2.5  ESPN 2:30 p.m.

This marks the 39th meeting of the two schools, as they were founding members of the SEC at one point. This game could be the jewel of the day. Two teams that garnered low expectations pre-season made a lot of noise in week one: Tech’s win over FSU in Dublin and Vandy’s win over the Hokies. The Ramblin wreck just about pulled off a miracle in the season’s final game against Georgia, and the Doors beat Bama at home and almost snagged the Longhorns, too. So when you look at it, they mirror each other in the spotlight, which leads to the anticipation in this one.

The portal has affected every turn of every game for the teams not in the CFP. Vandy has had twelve players enter the portal, and Tech has also lost a plethora to it. Haynes King will have his chance to outduel Diego Pavis in this one, but the game will come down to turnovers. If Vandy can play a clean game, it could come down to who has the ball last in this sure-fire classic.

Georgia Tech – 21

Vanderbilt – 17

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl 

Arkansas -1.5 vs. Texas Tech ESPN 6 p.m.

The last time these two schools met, Patrick Mahomes led the Red Raiders to a 35-24 victory at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in 2015. Fast forward nine years, and the portal makes most college football teams’ rosters look like Swiss cheese. Here we are for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. 

Tech will be missing the bulk of their offense with their starting signal caller Behren Morton out after having his shoulder surgically repaired, 1,000-yard receiver Josh Kelly opted out for the NFL Draft, and starting running back Tahj Brooks could be out even though he is practicing with the team in Memphis and Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire is letting Brooks decide if he will play on Friday evening. McGuire said that it’s a toss-up if he will play at this point, and signs point to him playing, having that he traveled with the team and is practicing. 

Arkansas has been hit with 24 portal entries, and both sides of the ball will have a different look. However, you will see and hear more of the names we heard at just points during the season. The defensive line could be the biggest question mark for the Hogs. It’s not about the starters; it’s about the second—and third-rotation guys and how effective they can be in logging more playing time. 

This is how the Hogville crew sees it going down in the 901

Otis Kirk / 34-31

Dudley Dawson / 42-37 Hogs

Jerry Meadows / 34 – 21 Hogs

Drake Priddy / 31-27 Hogs

John James / 25 -16 Hogs

Jason Pattyson / 48 – 31 Hogs

The SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl 

Texas A&M -3 vs. USC ESPN 9:30 p.m. 

Sin City is calling, and the Aggies are ready to ring the bell, facing off with the Trojans at the late start on Friday night. The Trojans took some lumps in their inaugural campaign in the Big10 this year with a 6-6 record. They get no rest facing an Aggie team that at one point was the hottest team in the nation after suffering a tough opening weekend loss to Notre Dame. USC had their own aspirations of postseason glory, knocking off LSU in week one, then proceeded to fall flat and end the regular season at .500. 

Both teams entered the season ahead of the curve, looking at CFP berths, but that didn’t pan out. USC leads the series 3-0, and last beat Texas A&M 47-28 in the Bluebonnet Bowl in 1977. USC has lost 22 players since the season ended, and since the portal opened 19 to the portal, and 3 opted out for the NFL Draft. The Aggies have lost 18 to the portal and 2 to the Draft. Marcel Reed could have a field day in the one with a depleted Trojan defense. The Aggies could make a nice home on Allegiant Field Friday night. 

USC – 17

Texas A&M – 37

Monday, December 30th 

The TransPerfect Music City Bowl

No. 19 Missouri -3 vs. Iowa 1:30 p.m. ESPN 

The storyline of this game will be how healthy Senior Brady Cook will be for his final go-around for the Tigers. Kirk Ferentz’s defense allows 17.1 points per game, ranking them 9th in the nation on defense, while Mizzou averages 29 points per game. Ferentz’s defenses in the past have been a staple and a punch line, as fans hoped the defense scored because the offense wouldn’t.

Mizzou had two huge opt-outs on offense: Luther Burden and Armand Membou are down. Iowa will be down quarterback Cade McNamara, who is transferring, and will hand over the keys to Joey Labas, who last took a starting snap in 2022. You add that with a 1,500-yard rusher in Kaleb Johnson moving on to prep for the NFL Draft, and the points might come at a premium in this one. I have it all Tigers in this one. 

Iowa – 6

Missouri – 34