SEC Game of Interest (Week 9)

Last Saturday was this year's Upset Saturday. It happens one Saturday every season (or every Saturday in 2007). It cost us some ground in our conference picks. We correctly called one of last weekend's upsets (Mizzou over Florida), but we whiffed on the Volunteers' upset of Cocky and the RebelBlackBear's upending of the Bayou Bengals. All in all, the underdogs won five of six SEC contests last weekend. Only the Tide handled the overmatched Hogs. (Welcome to the SEC, Bret!) Going 1-2 last week leaves us at 9-7 on the season.

Only one conference game matters this week, so obviously it's this week's SEC Game of Interest: No. 21 South Carolina at No. 5 Missouri (-2.5). But to be perfectly honest, our hearts just aren't in it this week.

The pick: Mizzou -2.5

Why you should care: The Gamecocks are realistically the only thing standing between the Eastern Division Tigers and Atlanta.

Rationale: You know how good Missouri is on offense: their 44.3 points per game are second only to Texas A&M's 46.9. Their defense is allows allowing fewer points per game and yards per play than South Carolina's. And they're playing at home. And Connor Shaw isn't practicing this week due to a knee injury and is questionable for Saturday. Mizzou-Bama is going to be a play-in for the Natty.