B&S Week 12 game-by-game previews 2023
It’s Cupcake Week in the SEC, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few good games to get excited for like UGA-Tennessee, Mizzou-Florida, and South Carolina-Kentucky.
By: Bossman Slim, Hammer
Cupcake Week is here in the SEC. Or lettuce week, as our friend Cole Cubelic kindly refers to it, since no one wants more lettuce but people actually like cupcakes. Whatever you call it, the slate is weak this weekend as most schools welcome in a directional school who’s job is to get pounded and take a check. We only have three conference matchups to look forward to as the season winds down.
Let’s check in on how the crew fared through Week 11:
With only two weeks left in the regular season, there’s not much up in the air for our weekly picks outside of Hammer and Bossman battling it out for first place in the straight-up category. Bossman should have first place against the spread locked up barring disaster, and the Waco Kid is so far behind in both that he has no hope of mounting a comeback.
Let’s dive into the previews.
Bossman Slim: I wish I could pick the upset here to gain a game on Hammer, but I just can’t do it. Georgia is absolutely rolling and Tennessee is going in the wrong direction. It just hasn’t been the season most expected on Rocky Top, as injuries have mounted, Joe Milton has been average, and the wide receiver room has thinned out. The defense has been exceptional this season, good for fourth in the SEC, and hasn’t given up over 40 once this season, something they did twice last season. Unfortunately this week, they go up against one of the best offensive lines in the country and a Georgia offense that is firing on all cylinders, scoring an average of 42.6 points in their last five games. In contrast, this Tennessee offense had trouble scoring on Mizzou’s defense last week, and now they have to do it without Dont’e Thornton while going up against the best defense in the country. I just don’t see it happening. Give me Georgia to win and cover. Sorry, Dolly.
#1 Georgia 41
#18 Tennessee 20
Hammer: Tennessee is in full wounded animal mode and returning home to what will be a raucous crowd at Neyland. The Vols have a lot to prove after getting whooped last week at Mizzou, so we’ll see what they are made of. Meanwhile, Georgia has not played a difficult road game since week five at Auburn, where they struggled and only won by seven. So could we see another close game here? It’s possible. The college football stars seem to be aligning for a close game, but I don’t buy it. I think Carson Beck and the Georgia offense are playing as good as any unit in the country. On the other side, the Vols offense has been decent but not nearly as potent as they were a year ago. They aren’t explosive and can we really trust them to methodically march down the field against Georgia? Maybe a few times, but not enough. The only way this game stays close is if Tennessee can force multiple turnovers that lead directly to points of their own, otherwise, I don’t see the Vols keeping pace.
#1 Georgia 38
#18 Tennessee 21
The Waco Kid:
#1 Georgia 34
#18 Tennessee 17
Bossman Slim: “Ten and two Mizzou.” Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Made it up myself. Thanks for stopping by. Missouri can get one win closer to that mark with a win over a pesky Florida team this weekend. The Gators aren’t bad, they aren’t great, but they are good. You can’t overlook them. It’s like the green beans at Thanksgiving. Are they the best part of the meal? No. Are they the mashed potatoes? Hell no. But they aren’t that dry stuffing either. They’re the green beans. Good, not great. Mizzou is playing great ball right now and I love the way Drinkwitz has them boys playing. According to Eli, the Tigers “Stand on business” and this week, they stand on the Gators. But Napier and the boys cover, especially with Missouri having to suit up without two of their starting linebackers in Ty’Ron Hopper and Chad Bailey.
#9 Missouri 38
Florida 30
Hammer: Missouri looks like they are on a warpath. They just dominated Tennessee last week and bullied them on both lines of scrimmage. They also gave Georgia a good game in Athens the week prior, and Florida got run out of Jacksonville by that same Bulldogs team. The Gators offense moved the ball against LSU a week ago, but so does every team against LSU. I could see the Florida offense having a solid day against Mizzou, but I worry about that Gator defense. They’ve been torched too many times this season to think they can stop this potent Tiger offense. What Eli Drinkwitz and Kirby Moore have done with the Mizzou offense is spectacular. The way they use motion to get mismatches is a thing of beauty, and I don’t think the Florida defense is disciplined enough to stop them. I expect Cody Schrader to have another big day in this one. Florida is 80th in the country in run defense, allowing 160 yards per game and nearly 5 yards per carry. Not a great matchup when going against the SEC’s leading rusher in Schrader. I’m taking Mizzou to win and cover.
#9 Missouri 41
Florida 27
The Waco Kid:
#9 Missouri 31
Florida 24
Bossman Slim: Toss-up here. I could see this one going either way, honestly. I just told you Florida is good. Well, these teams are bad. Kentucky has had one of the more disappointing seasons in the SEC compared to expectations (keep your head down, Aggies). South Carolina is keeping pace with that too and are still trying to get their head back above water fighting for bowl eligibility. South Carolina is so banged up it’s unbelievable, as it seems like a quarter of their roster is out with an injury of some sort. The good news for the Gamecocks though is twofold: 1) Spencer Rattler and Xavier Legette are healthy, which always gives you a chance and 2) this game is at night in Williams-Brice. Give me the Gamecocks over the struggling Wildcats in a nail-biter.
South Carolina 34
Kentucky 31
Hammer: This is the one game this weekend that I don’t have much of a feel for. Kentucky has slid this year, beating the teams they should beat and then losing to teams that are better than them, typically by big deficits. Meanwhile, South Carolina has been pretty bad all year but their losses have also come to teams that are flat out better than them. The Gamecocks have also won two games in a row and still have an outside shot to make it to a bowl game if they can win out. Plus, they are at home and the game is at night. Williams-Brice will be rocking as usual. This game comes down to what Devin Leary shows up. Given the preseason hype, it’s clear the Leary experience in Lexington has been underwhelming, but he has been playing better as of late, and the Gamecock defense is ripe to be picked on. South Carolina has the 121st pass defense in the nation, allowing 268 yards per game to opposing QBs. So Leary should be able to make some plays downfield. At the same time, Kentucky’s pass defense has been leaky, surrendering 241 yards per game, which is 92nd nationally. Given those leaky secondaries and South Carolina being at home, I’ll take the Gamecocks. I trust Spencer Rattler more in this situation and it just feels like the vibes are on the way back up in Columbia.
South Carolina 31
Kentucky 28
The Waco Kid:
South Carolina 34
Kentucky 31