Curator & Coach - Week 5

Curator Sam Burnham
​Game of the Week - Auburn @ Georgia

The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. The schedule says "Week 5" and both teams are coming into the game undefeated - 1-0.

Weird.

​This one is usually late in the season and the game usually means something even beyond the rivalry. In this shortened and rearranged season, it all matters more. A loss could prove to doom a season, even this early on.

Auburn’s Bo Nix had a pretty strong game last week against Kentucky. He’ll need a strong showing in Athens when he faces a strong defense in red and black. The Tigers need to perform on offense and the sooner, the better.

Georgia will need to get moving earlier than they did last week at Arkansas. Kirby Smart has expressed a desire to develop all of his quarterbacks. That’s a great idea but this Saturday is not a time for personnel experiments. Blackshear’s Stetson Bennett came in for freshman D’Wan Mathis who struggled to get the offense moving. Transfer J.T. Daniels will also be available but if Georgia gets indecisive in a QB controversy, they’re bound to have a bad day.

If this is Georgia’s year, they need to prove it against Auburn. Faltering this week will have the Dawgs looking forward to next year...yet again.

Coach Drew Burnham
​Game of the week - Texas A&M @ Alabama

After picking a winner last week, lets try to ID another one in the opposite direction. 

If you're looking for face value "should be a good game" matchups, your attention may be drawn to Tuscaloosa Saturday. On paper, it should be one of the most exciting games of the week. it is one of only two matchups between 2 ranked teams. It showcases 2 traditional names and 2 of the highest funded programs in the country. While I believe that Alabama may be keep status quo this year, I just cant help but be unimpressed with Texas A&M. 

Jimbo got his ring and escaped the ensuing flames in Talahassee only to have that disaster blamed on Willie Taggert. Meanwhile he has been hauling in $20,000 a day in College Station (no that's not a typo) to do, well, extremely average things. ​QB Kellen Mond looked extraordinarily lackluster last week in a squeaker against mighty Vandy. The offense sputtered and again failed to live up to the Jimbo hype. 

620 Miles east of the Aggies, the Tide sit prepped to make yet another CFP run with an experienced QB and a talent rich defense. They say "Stars fell on Alabama" and they did....5 of them...5 stars everywhere. I picked this game not because I believe it will be a great game to watch, but because I dont want to hear any "Alabama should be in the NFL" cries after they beat A&M like a drum. Tide by 28.