SEC predictions: Against Vols pass defense, even UMass is a threat

Excuse me while I stretch, but the Tennessee-UMass matchup reminds me of one of my favorite movies, “An Officer and a Gentleman.”

Richard Gere, who had the lead, attended UMass for two years on a gymnastics scholarship. David Keith, who also had a prominent role in the movie, is a UT graduate and one of its biggest football fans.

In the movie, Gere got the girl; Keith hanged himself.

Keith gets payback Saturday.

Tennessee 45, UMass 20: The Minutemen don’t have a conference. They don’t have much of a defense, either.

But they’re averaging 322.5 yards per game passing. And, as we were reminded Saturday, anything airborne is a threat against Tennessee’s defense.

Alabama 37, Vanderbilt 0: The Commodores registered one of the program’s biggest victories when they upset Kansas State on Saturday. But their timing was bad.

They got Alabama’s attention.

Texas A&M 27, Arkansas 23: Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin is the only coach in this matchup on the hot seat. Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema is on the hot seats.

He’s too big for one seat.

Georgia 24, Mississippi State 20: After Mississippi State handled LSU with such ease Saturday, you might be wondering whether it’s the second-best team in the West. However, it’s way too early for Mississippi State fans to start shaking their cowbells in Alabama’s direction.

After playing Georgia in Athens on Saturday, the Bulldogs will be at Auburn next week.  

South Carolina 34, Louisiana Tech 27: No other team in the SEC suffered a bigger loss than the Gamecocks did Saturday. And I’m not referring to the 23-13 defeat against Kentucky.

Star wide receiver/kick returner Deebo Samuel is out for the season with a leg injury. South Carolina’s offense won’t be the same without him.

Florida 27, Kentucky 17: The oddsmakers were so impressed with the Gators’ 26-20 victory over Tennessee on Saturday they have made them only a three-point favorite against a program they have beaten 30 consecutive times.

LSU 37, Syracuse 10: Remember all the stories you read in the offseason about how Tigers quarterback Danny Etling had improved after surgery? Forget it.

But LSU won’t need an SEC-caliber quarterback to beat the Orange.

Auburn 45, Missouri 20: Auburn’s offense has been terribly inconsistent. If Missouri can’t cure that, Gus Malzahn might need to reclaim play-calling duties.

Record: 25-10 (.714 ) overall, 15-10 (.600) against the spread.

Reach John Adams at john.adams@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6284 and on Twitter @johnadamskns.