Top 5 SEC Games of the Week

The Southeastern Conference has built a reputation as being one of the most physically demanding football conference s in the country as conference foes battle it in week in and week out. However for many SEC teams, this will not be one of those weeks.

Due to the grueling schedule that most of these teams have endured, this is normally the week reserved for the “money” games against smaller schools, allowing the powerhouse programs to rest while still getting reps. Regardless, here are the top five games in the SEC for week 12.

1. Mississippi at LSU
The Ole Miss Rebels have been on the brink of pulling off a signature win on more than one occasion this season which is why this is such a dangerous game for the Tigers. Inconsistent at times, when the Rebels are on they can be a scary team. However if Zach Mettenberger keeps throwing the way he has in the past two weeks, there might not be many teams that can touch the Tigers in Baton Rouge.

2. Arkansas at Mississippi State
The Razorbacks will come into this game fighting for their bowl season lives as Arkansas will try to respond after a miserable start to the 2012 season. Meanwhile, the Mississippi State Bulldogs will try to find their first win in three games after starting the season a red-hot 7-0. This is a game of desperation: Arkansas wants to keep their bowl hopes alive and Mississippi State just wants some respect.

3. Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Tennessee comes into this game with Derek Dooley’s job in limbo and a chance to go to a bowl game up in the air. At 4-6 on the season, If Tennessee were to lose this game, missing out on a bowl game, I can not imagine any circumstance in which Dooley would be back. Meanwhile Vanderbilt has momentum on their side after winning the last four games. However, if Commodores coach James Franklin keeps on winning, some may wonder how long he sticks around.

4. Syracuse at Missouri
After knocking off the previously unbeaten Louisville Cardinals the Orange of Syracuse come into Columbia with all of the confidence in the world. Confidence however has not been a word associated with Missouri Football this season as the Tigers have been beaten up by their new conference foes. 2012 has not been an easy season for Missouri, but they can make it easier on themselves by beating a team from the Big East.

5. Western Carolina at Alabama
Alabama will more than likely win this game, but this game will be interesting to watch. We’ll get a much better idea of what kind of Alabama team will finish out the season by the way the team plays after a heart-breaking loss to Texas A&M last week. Will we see a team eager to reestablish itself in every phase of the game as they did at the beginning of the season? Or will we see a team the hurts themselves with turnovers, but still coasts to an easy victory? Only time will tell.