SEC Week 9: Georgia-Florida headlines SEC slate as playoff stakes rise

Things to watch this week in the Southeastern Conference:

Game of the week

No. 17 Florida (5-2, 3-2 SEC) vs. No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 4-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party looks a little different this year as the Gators and Bulldogs meet in Atlanta in what is the first ranked-vs.-ranked matchup between the rivals since 2020.

[RELATED: Georgia-Florida game: Watch SEC GameDay on 2 primetime special, LIVE Friday at 8 p.m.]

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Georgia has won eight of the last 10 against Florida, including the past five. The Bulldogs have found success in minimizing a Gators offense that has exceeded 30 points just twice in the last 15 meetings.

Both teams were idle after very different Week 7 outcomes. The Bulldogs fell to Auburn in a turnover-filled upset, and Florida delivered a momentum-building 27-24 win over Texas. Georgia is 9-0 after regular-season losses dating back to 2019.

A productive day for running back Jadan Baugh and holding Georgia’s defense on third downs will be key for a Florida team that can’t afford another loss if it wants to keep its playoff hopes alive. It’s the first of three consecutive ranked matchups for the Bulldogs, who have first-round bye hopes for the College Football Playoff.

Georgia is an 11.5-point favorite.

The undercard

Auburn (4-3, 2-3) at No. 12 Ole Miss (5-2, 3-2), Saturday, 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)

A bounceback game for both teams: The Rebels are coming off a 34-27 road loss to Texas while Auburn was humbled 38-17 by LSU after its upset of then-No. 1 Georgia.

The Rebels will try to keep its title and playoff hopes alive without star running back Kewan Lacy, who will be sidelined after dislocating his shoulder against Texas. Makhi Frazier will take on the bulk of snaps with Lacy out.

Auburn dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown could prove to be a challenge for an Ole Miss defense that has allowed an SEC-high 161.1 rushing yards per game. LSU held Auburn’s rushing attack to 66 yards.

Ole Miss is a 13-point favorite.

Impact players

— Owen Heinecke: The sixth-year Oklahoma linebacker tied for a game-high 10 tackles vs. Mississippi State, which included a sack and two tackles for loss. He forced a fumble in the second quarter, which Oklahoma turned into a 96-yard touchdown drive.

— Sam Leavitt: The LSU quarterback had 432 total yards and four touchdowns in the win at Auburn. He completed 32 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 rushing yards and a score.

— Jackson Harris: The LSU receiver connected with Leavitt for a career-high 178 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches against Auburn.

A look at the numbers

The SEC has nine ranked teams: No. 3 Georgia, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 10 Alabama, No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 15 LSU, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 17 Florida, No. 23 Missouri. ... Georgia and Kentucky are the only SEC teams with one loss. ... Georgia maintains the highest-scoring offense, averaging 43 points per game while allowing the fewest points (15.86). ... Tennessee leads the SEC with 35 sacks through eight games. ... LSU averages a conference-high 510 yards of offense per game.

Injury updates

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will be out for the rest of the season with a surgery-requiring foot injury. Ole Miss will be without Lacy this week after the star Rebels running back suffered a dislocated shoulder vs. Texas.

Missouri standout running back Ahmad Hardy has returned to practice as a full participant after a long recovery from a gunshot wound in May.

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