#15 LSU at #5 Auburn Preview and Predictions

Sep 21, 2013; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Cameron Artis-Payne (44) with teammates center Reese Dismukes (50) and offensive linesman Chad Slade (62) during the second half of a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Auburn 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction:

This big SEC showdown will live up to all the hype and then some. Auburn and LSU both know this is a must-win game if they want to contend for the national championship or, just as difficult, the SEC West championship.

I predict that Auburn will have a productive night on the ground after these past few rough weeks. I think that Brandon Harris will struggle mightily in the first half, prompting Anthony Jennings to come in and throw multiple touchdowns for LSU, almost becoming the surprise hero of the game.

Key word there is “almost.” I see Auburn winning this one in a thriller, advancing to 5-0 and moving on to the next big SEC West duel in Starkville, Mississippi.

#5 Auburn Tigers 31, #15 LSU Tigers 24

SEC Predictions:

#3 Alabama 27, #11 Ole Miss 10 (I think College GameDay‘s broadcast will be the most fun Ole Miss has all day. Bo Wallace is simply not good enough to beat Alabama’s suspect secondary. The Tide rolls in Oxford.)

#12 Mississippi State 38, #6 Texas A&M 33 (Mississippi State announces their arrival in the SEC West, Dak Prescott becomes a prime Heisman contender and the Bulldogs get their biggest win since… well, ever?)

#13 Georgia 38, Vanderbilt 24 (This one shouldn’t be that close, but we always say that about Georgia and they always surprise us.)

Tennessee 27, Florida 13 (Butch Jones gets a statement win for his program and Muschamp is… he is so fired, isn’t he?)

South Carolina 37, Kentucky 21 (The Gamecocks rebound nicely on the road against an improved Wildcats squad.)

Other Notable Games:

More from Auburn Football

• Ex-star Auburn DL confronts ‘slant man’ in MNF post-game video
• Ex-Auburn star laments not getting to face fellow Heisman candidate
• Analyst expects third-year RB to take AU rushing lead from surprising transfer
• Hugh Freeze was the right hire to truly embrace Auburn
• Auburn football Jack LB: ‘We’ve got to earn our respect back’

#2 Oregon 51, Arizona 21 (The Wildcats have a nice 4-0 record coming in, but the Ducks are way too powerful, especially in Autzen.)

#9 Notre Dame 17, #14 Stanford 16 (This is a difficult game to pick. My vote goes to the Irish simply because it’s in South Bend.)

#10 Michigan State 45, #19 Nebraska 14 (That great start Nebraska’s gotten off to will come crashing down. Sparty will roll over the Huskers.)

#7 Baylor 56, Texas 7 (There is zero chance Texas wins this game. They have little depth or talent and are in the midst of a massive rebuilding.)

#4 Oklahoma 34, #25 TCU 27 (The Horned Frogs will come to play, but the Sooners will be just too much in the 4th quarter.)

UPSET ALERT! Utah 31, #8 UCLA 30 (This is the perfect trap game. UCLA is high coming off a 35-point thrashing of Arizona State and big, bad Oregon comes to Pasadena next week in what could be a College GameDay game. Right in the middle is Utah, who started the season well but is recovering from the sting of wasting a 21-0 lead in a loss to Washington State. The Utes will rebound by upsetting the Bruins in the Rose Bowl.)