Tennessee Volunteers

All for Tennessee Official Week 9 SEC and Top 25 College Football Predictions

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the Vol Walk before the game against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Here are the official All for Tennessee college football predictions for Southeastern Conference and Top 25 games during Week Nine of the 2016 season.

Can you believe we are entering the final week of October games for the season? The heart of the year is upon us, and we have plenty of exciting match-ups to get to in our college football predictions this week that will begin to make things really interesting.

As we get set to predict games for Week Nine of the 2016 season, we have six SEC games to do and three non-conference games featuring two Top 25 teams.

All three games could eliminate legitimate contenders. At the same time, they could bring in new contenders.

After all, the season still has five weeks left. So a lot could change between now and then. This week alone could reset everything we thought we knew about the season.

On top of those Top 25 match-ups, you have plenty of ranked teams facing potential upsets. Heck two of those teams are playing difficult games in the SEC this week, which we’ll get to. For one, it’s a clear road game. For another, it’s at a neutral field.

And all of this could shape up to affect Tennessee’s chances of getting back into the College Football Playoff race. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out after this weekend before going there, though.

For now, let’s just look ahead to this weekend.

These are our official Week Nine college football predictions for SEC and Top 25 games.

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; An overall view of Faurot Field before the game between the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky Wildcats at Missouri Tigers

Saturday at Noon; Faurot Field; Columbia, Mo.

Line: Missouri -6; Over/Under: 70.5

Up until three weeks ago, we had determined that the Missouri Tigers would need to win this game in order to reach a bowl game while the Kentucky Wildcats were down.

Now, however, it’s the reverse. Barry Odom’s Tigers are done for this year while the Wildcats are looking at a potential bowl game opportunity. That is incredible.

Still, they have a difficult test given their skill level and Mark Stoops’s coaching in Columbia on Saturday afternoon. Kentucky’s defense is still extremely questionable, and Missouri can make plays behind Drew Lock against bad defenses.

The Wildcats have to get a few stops on defense, and behind the running of Stanley Williams and passing of Stephen Johnson, they could have a chance to pull off another shootout victory.

And with Austin Peay still on the schedule, a win likely assures them bowl eligibility. So this game is huge.

What Will Happen?

Through four years under Mark Stoops, Kentucky has been God-Awful on the road. They have a grand total of one win during that time.

If this game were at home, we’d have no problem picking the Wildcats. But his inability to coach down the stretch on the road will cost his team.

Kentucky will have a rare, mistake-prone game and spot the Tigers two touchdowns. Meanwhile, they’ll be unable to stop Drew Lock in the second half. Missouri comes away with a shootout victory.

Missouri: 38 Kentucky: 31

Oct 23, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; A general view of EverBank Field prior to a game against the Oakland Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Florida Gators vs Georgia Bulldogs

Saturday at 3:30 p.m.; EverBank Field; Jacksonville, Fla.

Line: Florida -8; Over/Under: 70.5

This is far and away the toughest game for us to call in our college football predictions. We honestly don’t know which way to go.

On one hand, you have the Florida Gators. They have dominated in every game they’ve played this year except for one half against the Tennessee Vols, the only good opponent they’ve faced, and then a hangover week against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Their secondary has been perfect this year except for the second half against the Vols, which is the only good passing team they’ve faced.

However, this week, they’re going up against the Georgia Bulldogs. Jacob Eason should be able to lead another great passing offense with his cannon for an arm, and the health of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel coming off of a bye week should be perfect for them.

But the last time we saw them out, they lost to Vanderbilt at home 17-16. To be fair, the Commodores played Florida close in Nashville.

Still, we have no read on the Gators. Georgia is just an inconsistent team that is really talented, evidenced by how they beat North Carolina and played the Vols close.

What Will Happen?

Jim McElwain’s Florida Gators have yet to prove themselves against real talent and lack the necessary depth to be able to consistently win down the stretch in the SEC this year.

That should force us to bet on Georgia in our college football predictions.

However, we are picking the Gators. Florida is very well-rested coming off of a bye week, and Luke Del Rio should have his way with the Georgia defense. Meanwhile, Eason will struggle throwing against the Gators’ secondary as a freshman.

And those two things combined with Florida’s ownership of Georgia will secure a Gator victory. That means the Vols will have to wait another week to take back the East.

Florida: 27 Georgia: 17

Nov 14, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; A general view of Davis Wade Stadium during a game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide game. The Crimson Tide defeated the Bulldogs 31-6. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Samford Bulldogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs

Saturday at 3:30 p.m.; Davis Wade Stadium; Starkville, Miss.

Do we really have to cover this game for our college football predictions? It features an FCS team playing one of the worst teams in the SEC, the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Well, don’t tune this out just yet. This is a game that could get very interesting.

The Samford Bulldogs are enjoying a very fun year right now. With their only loss to the Chattanooga Mocs, they are 6-1 and riding high on a three-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, Mississippi State is reeling under Dan Mullen and has probably accepted that it has nothing to play for after last week’s loss. That could all turn into a complete lack of motivation for the guys from Starkville.

And it gives Samford the perfect chance to head in there and steal a game that they shouldn’t.

What Will Happen?

Nick Fitzgerald will come out flat, and the Mississippi State offense will feed off of that. As a result, Mullen’s team will struggle all day and go into halftime trailing.

They’ll turn it on late in the third quarter and take a lead, but Samford won’t quit. Riding their momentum, they’ll take the lead in the fourth and send Mississippi State into a panic.

However, Mississippi State will rebound with a late score and barely pull this out, calling more people to question Mullen.

Mississippi State: 20 Samford: 17

Oct 8, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes fans react during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah won 36-23. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Washington Huskies at No. 17 Utah Utes

Saturday at 3:30 p.m.; Rice-Eccles Stadium; Salt Lake City, Utah

Line: Washington -11; Over/Under: 53

This is an epic Pac-12 match-up between two teams from opposite divisions. They are also the two surprise teams of the year standing in clear-cut first place on both sides.

So this could just be a preview of the Pac-12 championship.

The Washington Huskies have taken a huge step under Chris Petersen, blowing people out in his third year. His balanced offense behind Jake Browning, who should be a Heisman candidate, and Myles Gaskin has been unstoppable.

However, they’ve only faced one real test, against the Stanford Cardinal. Kyle Whittingham’s Utah Utes have no problem adjusting to another team’s style of play and can get just as physical in their balanced offense. The passing game is less consistent, but the rushing attack is still there.

And the Utes just know how to win football games when they’re at home.

What Will Happen?

Chris Petersen’s Huskies are very well-prepared for smash-mouth football and are very mentally tough. They also have better talent and better schemes than the Utah Utes.

But there is something magical about this Utah teams that throws our college football predictions for a loop. We just can’t ignore the fact that they’ve played in five close games and won four of them.

Washington is not ready for a close game, which is what will happen on the road in Utah. As a result, they’ll start to get some sweaty palms in the fourth quarter, and the Utes will squeak out a lucky victory.

Utah: 31 Washington: 30

Sep 17, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; General view of Camp Randall Stadium during the game between the Georgia State Panthers and Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin won 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

No. 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers

Saturday at 7 p.m.; Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wis.

Line: Wisconsin -8.5; Over/Under: 43

Talk about an interesting game! The Big Ten West has stepped up this year with these two teams, and both of them still have a ton to play for.

However, the lack of tests that one team has faced makes this another difficult call for us in this week’s college football predictions.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are thriving in Mike Riley’s second season at 7-0. Tommy Armstrong Jr. is having the year of his life, there is perfect balance with Riley’s ability to adjust to his personnel and focus more on running, and the team is clutch.

However, they are facing a team that makes a living out of taking you off your game. The Wisconsin Badgers did everything but beat the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes. They are the same physical team you’d expect them to be under Paul Chryst.

And they know how to get rough and tough for those ugly wins. So who takes control of the Big Ten West here?

What Will Happen?

It’s crazy to say this about Nebraska given their history, but they are simply not physical enough to handle the Badgers in Madison.

It doesn’t matter if Alex Hornibrook or Bart Houston is starting because Corey Clement will be the star. He’ll torch the Nebraska run defense, as Wisconsin has traditionally done over the past few years.

And that alone will secure a Badgers victory. Nebraska has squeaked by some easy teams so far this year. It’s why their undefeated.

That comes to an end Saturday.

Wisconsin: 21 Nebraska: 14

Sep 10, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; general view before the game between the Mississippi Rebels and the Wofford Terriers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

No. 15 Auburn Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels

Saturday at 7:15 p.m.; Vaught-Hemingway Stadium; Oxford, Miss.

Line: Auburn -4; Over/Under: 63.5

Things couldn’t get more brutal for Ole Miss. And they couldn’t get better for Auburn. However, the Rebels still have the talent to face the Tigers, and they’re playing at home.

That makes this another tricky one for college football predictions.

The Tigers’ dominant rushing attack behind Kerryon Johnson and Karmryn Pettway along with efficient passing from Sean White has been impressive. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has been atrocious at stopping the run.

However, the Rebels have a great passing game behind Chad Kelly, and the last time Auburn lost, it was against the last great passing team they faced. So this is truly a toss-up.

And while Ole Miss is fighting for relevance, Auburn is fighting to stay afloat in the SEC West.

What Will Happen?

They may be playing on the road, and Ole Miss may be more desperate, but Auburn has more to play for. As a result, Gus Malzahn will have his players much more motivated to play than Hugh Freeze will his players.

And as a result, the Tigers will run it down the throats of the Rebels, just like they did last week. Expect another dominant rushing attack where Auburn goes for at least 250 yards.

They’ll get a few nice plays from Sean White, and while Chad Kelly will also have some great throws, it won’t be enough.

Auburn pulls away in a high-scoring affair in the fourth quarter.

Auburn: 45 Ole Miss: 34

Oct 3, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; A general view of the Texas A&M University Aggies War Hymn Monument before the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

New Mexico State Aggies at No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies

Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Kyle Field; College Station, Texas

Line: Texas A&M -43.5; Over/Under: 71

Well, Kevin Sumlin’s Texas A&M Aggies at least stayed undefeated longer than they have the previous few years. But for the second straight time, that stretch was derailed by the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, coming off of that loss, they have a much better chance of rebounding than they did last year with a home game against the New Mexico State Aggies. Given that he is a veteran, Trevor Knight will make sure to keep his team focused and motivated.

They are hosting a New Mexico State team that is simply not good no matter how you slice it. This is a team with an awful defense, and Sumlin’s offense should be able to score all over it.

The key is having the motivation after last week’s tough game.

What Will Happen?

This is an easy one for our college football predictions. Texas A&M knows that there is no shame this year in losing to Alabama on the road, and they also know that they still have a lot to play for.

The College Football Playoff is not over for them, so they’re going to come out firing. Knight and Trayveon Williams will have a record-setting day, while John Chavis’s defense will be all over the field against this team.

In the process, Texas A&M will pull away in a blowout win. I never say to bet on huge spreads, but you might want to consider betting on the Aggies to cover the 43.5 point spread.

The game could get that ugly.

Texas A&M: 59 New Mexico State: 10

Sep 10, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminole cheerleaders celebrate a first half score against Charleston Southern at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Beil-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Clemson Tigers at No. 12 Florida State Seminoles

Saturday at 8 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium; Tallahassee, Fla. 

Line: Clemson -4; Over/Under: 60.5

After falling off the map with an embarrassing blowout loss and then a bad loss, Jimbo Fisher’s Florida State Seminoles have quietly rebounded with two wins against good teams: the Miami Hurricanes and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Then they got a bye week, the perfect time to get healthy and ready to host the Clemson Tigers, who nearly lost to the N.C. State Wolfpack their last time on the field.

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers have been playing with fire all year, but DeShaun Watson turns it on when needed. The only issue for them are their inconsistencies on defense.

Florida State could exploit that behind Dalvin Cook, and if they can keep the ball on the ground, there is a very good chance they’ll be in control of this game.

That factor alone makes this very difficult for us to call in our college football predictions.

What Will Happen? 

Jimbo Fisher is smart enough to try to control the clock, and he’ll do that by giving Clemson a huge dose of Dalvin Cook all day. Expect around 200 yards rushing from Cook mainly due to the number of carries he gets.

However, Deshaun Watson will simply be too much for the Seminoles. He thrives when turning it on in big moments, and this is a big moment. So Watson will have a field day, particularly against that suspect Florida State defense.

Clemson wins by scoring late, and once Florida State is forced to throw the ball, they won’t be able to do much. The Tigers aren’t great in the secondary, but they’re pretty solid when they know what you have to do.

Clemson: 45 Florida State: 31

Nov 1, 2014; Columbia, SC, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) passes against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers at South Carolina Gamecocks

Saturday at 7:15 p.m.; Williams-Brice Stadium; Columbia, S.C.

Line: Tennessee -13.5; Over/Under: 50.5

These are two teams probably feeling a bit down in the dumps right now.

Sure, Will Muschamp’s South Carolina Gamecocks are coming off a win against the UMASS Minutemen, but it was an ugly win. And they appear to be all but eliminated from their goal this year of reaching a bowl game.

Meanwhile, the Vols started the year 5-0, but two straight losses, including a 49-10 thrashing at the hands of Alabama, has knocked them out of first in the SEC East and out of the College Football Playoff race.

On paper, this should still be an easy game for us to call in our college football predictions. Tennessee has better athletes everywhere. However, the Vols have struggled to start fast, regardless of who the opponent is.

Tennessee lives and dies with Joshua Dobbs, but against a dominant South Carolina defense that focuses on forcing turnovers and stopping the pass, the Vols will want to use a now-healthy Jalen Hurd. He’s a workhorse who usually won’t fumble the ball, and South Carolina has had trouble stopping the run all year.

Meanwhile, the Gamecocks need to hope they continue to find something behind Jake Bentley. If they can mix it up just enough against Tennessee’s under-performing rush defense, they could make this a game.

What Will Happen?

Tennessee is rejuvenated after getting healthy during its bye week, and Joshua Dobbs knows how to rally the team.

The Vols will need to shake off the rust, but they’ll make sure to stick with the running game and grind out a steady but solid win against the Gamecocks.

Meanwhile, with Darrin Kirkland Jr. back, Tennessee will not allow South Carolina to generate anything on the ground.

So the Vols win a low-scoring, ball control affair to move to 6-2.

Tennessee: 21 South Carolina: 10

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