SEC Football: Picks for Every Week 13 Game

Georgia LB Jarvis Jones
Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE

It seems like just yesterday when toe was meeting leather in Nashville and South Carolina and Vanderbilt kicked off the college football season, SEC-style.

Here we are, 13 weeks later, with Georgia locked in as SEC East champs and Alabama one win away from locking up the SEC West.

Who will take home state pride in their rivalry game, and whose BCS National Championship hopes will come crashing down?

Our Week 13 picks are in this slideshow.

2012 Record: 85-18 (43-44 ATS)

All lines courtesy: VegasInsider.com

LSU (-11) at Arkansas

LSU QB Zach Mettenberger
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Friday, Nov. 23 at 2:30 p.m. ET

LSU is finally on the right track offensively after spending the first two months of the season stuck in neutral.

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger has finally become the downfield threat that many expected him to be, and he will continue that trend on Friday against an awful Arkansas pass defense.

This will be Razorback head coach John L. Smith's swan song in Fayetteville. His players may love to play for him, but until they show they can play disciplined football, they won't reach the potential many—including myself—predicted prior to the season.

LSU will roll and make its statement for an at-large BCS bid.

Score Prediction: LSU 31 - Arkansas 16

Georgia Tech at Georgia (-13)

Georgia QB Aaron Murray
John Reed-US PRESSWIRE

Saturday, Nov. 24 at noon ET

All of the talk has been swirling around Alabama this week, but Georgia still controls its own destiny too. If the Bulldogs win out, they will likely play for the BCS National Title in Miami Gardens on Jan. 7, 2013.

But first, they must get by the tricky Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate."

The Jackets have scored more than 30 points in five of their last six games using the triple option offense. But if there's a knock against the triple option, it's that it is beatable when you have more than one week to prepare. Georgia played last weekend, but played Georgia Southern, which also utilizes the triple option.

Essentially, the Bulldogs have been preparing for this offense for two weeks.

But one or two blown assignments could make this interesting.

Quarterback Aaron Murray and running back Todd Gurley will be crucial in this game and will lead the Bulldogs to a big win that may be a little too close for comfort for Bulldog fans.

Score prediction: Georgia 35 - Georgia Tech 31

Kentucky at Tennessee (-13)

Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 12:21 p.m. ET

Kentucky may have been the first SEC head coach to dismiss its head coach, but Tennessee did it faster, firing head coach Derek Dooley on Sunday, effective immediately.

Joker Phillips won his last home game as Kentucky's head coach last week and has the shot to go out with two straight to close out the season and two straight against Tennessee on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.

He's going to do it.

Tennessee is in turmoil, can't stop anybody defensively and always seems to find a way to shoot itself in the foot at inopportune times.

Raymond Sanders and Dyshawn Mobley ran well last week, and Tennessee can't stop anyone. It will be ugly, but Kentucky forces the Vols to quit—which isn't that difficult to do these days.

Score Prediction: Kentucky 21 - Tennessee 20

Auburn at Alabama (-31.5)

Alabama QB AJ McCarron
Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

Friday, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET

For the second straight season, the Iron Bowl will feature the last two national champions. Although you'd never know it considering Vegas has installed the Crimson Tide as a 31.5-point favorite over the Tigers.

That's more of an indictment of the current state of the Auburn program rather than a compliment to the Crimson Tide, which has been regarded as a top-flight team essentially all season long.

Auburn quarterback Jonathan Wallace has played well in November, throwing for 516 yards and two touchdowns during the final month of the season, and Tre Mason has emerged as an every-down back.

But that won't be enough to keep the Tigers close.

You can throw the records out the window in rivalry games, but this particular rivalry game will be a blowout. The Tigers will cover the spread, though.

Score Prediction: Alabama  38 - Auburn 13

Florida at Florida State (-6)

Florida RB Mike Gillislee
Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Florida still maintains hope of sneaking into the BCS National Championship Game if Notre Dame were to fall to USC, but it must get by Florida State as well—and that won't be an easy task.

Quarterback Jeff Driskel will play for the Gators after he sat out last week's win over Jacksonville State with an ankle injury, but Florida hasn't been able to develop much of a passing game with him in the lineup.

That's unlikely to change this weekend against the Seminoles, who have the top defense in the country (236.6 YPG) and fifth-best pass defense (165.6 YPG).

Sure, those numbers may be inflated by weak competition, but Florida's offense falls in that same category.

This game will be an ugly, old-fashioned slugfest. I'll give Florida State the edge due to the game being at home and the fact that the Seminole offense is much more accomplished than the Gators.

Score Prediction: Florida State 21 - Florida 17

Vanderbilt (-11.5) at Wake Forest

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin
Don McPeak-US PRESSWIRE

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET

James Franklin is on the verge of an eight-win season at Vanderbilt.

If that isn't a shining endorsement of the job he has done in Nashville, I'm not sure what else can be said to convince you.

The Commodores offense has found its stride under running backs Zac Stacy, Wesley Tate and Brian Kimbrow, and the defense has been playing better down the stretch.

That bodes well considering Wake Forest has the nation's fifth-worst offense.

Commodores roll and post an eight-win season. That sound you hear is James Franklin's phone ringing off the hook.

Score Prediction: Vanderbilt 38 - Wake Forest 10

Missouri at Texas A&M (-22)

Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel
Bob Levey/Getty Images

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET

Johnny Manziel's final chance to impress Heisman Trophy voters is on Saturday night, when his Texas A&M Aggies face off against the Missouri Tigers in College Station.

Missouri has been getting better, but may have let its final chance at bowl eligibility slip away last week when it dropped a heartbreaker to Syracuse, 31-27.

The Tiger defense has been better than advertised, and getting defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson back will be a boost, but it won't be enough to slow down an Aggie team that is looking to secure a 10-win season.

Aggies roll, and Manziel sews up the Heisman with a win and more video game numbers.

Score Prediction: Texas A&M 42 - Missouri 17

Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss (-1.5)

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET

How many people thought Ole Miss would be favored over Mississippi State before the season started?

I certainly didn't.

That's a testament to the job that first-year head coach Hugh Freeze has done in Oxford, transforming the Rebels into one of the most dangerous offenses in the SEC.

Quarterback Bo Wallace, running back Jeff Scott and wide receiver Donte Moncrief are a dangerous trio that can make defenses pay from anywhere on the field.

Mississippi State got back on the winning track last weekend versus Arkansas thanks to a stellar game from quarterback Tyler Russell. A nine-win season would be great for the program, but losing to Ole Miss could drastically swing momentum in the state back to the Rebels.

A lot will be on the line in the Egg Bowl, and Ole Miss will get bowl eligible with a big win in Oxford.

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 38 - Mississippi State 35

South Carolina at Clemson (-4)

South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Saturday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET

South Carolina's season has been a minor disappointment this season, as the Gamecocks will miss out on the SEC Championship Game for the second straight season. 

But its second straight double-digit win season and a fourth straight win over intra-state rival Clemson would be a nice consolation, especially since it would likely knock Clemson from a potential at-large BCS bid in the process.

There is some doubt in Columbia this week. Quarterback Connor Shaw is nursing a sprained left foot, and star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney—who sat out last week's win over Wofford—has a right foot injury.

Shaw is certainly capable of exploiting the Clemson defense, even without star running back Marcus Lattimore. The same can be said for Clowney, who can disrupt the timing of that Tiger offense and quarterback Tajh Boyd.

If they play, the Gamecocks will roll. If one or both doesn't, I'm not sure Clemson could "Clemson" enough to throw away this BCS opportunity.

Score Prediction: South Carolina 31 - Clemson 28