Buffalo Rumblings
A couple of perimeter matchups to watch and an SEC stock battle
Week 12 of the college football season only promises two ranked matchups to note. Each passing game matters that much more as teams try to put their final touches on resume builders in hopes that they will be included in the 12-team College Football Playoff. We have just three game weeks (including this one) remaining until it’s conference championship time.
Twenty-first-ranked South Carolina is playing host to No. 23 Missouri in a late-season SEC matchup where the Gamecocks are looking to set a precedent as a possible three-loss team to make the 12-team Playoff. South Carolina’s three losses were to ranked teams in Alabama, Ole Miss, and LSU. All of those games were within a field goal except a blowout home loss to Ole Miss. Missouri has been reeling when tasked to play against higher-tiered teams in the college football landscape. A trip on the road to Columbia may prove tough as two touchdown underdogs.
The No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs are another team fighting for their College Football Playoff lives on Saturday as No. 7 Tennessee comes to town. There have been some questions as to if Volunteers sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava would be able to go in this game with an upper body injury. But all signs indicate he’ll be good to go. Both offenses have struggled mightily in games this season. On the other hand, both teams have had two of the better defenses in college football. It should be a slug fest in the trenches with both teams still having plenty to play for to keep title hopes alive.
Let’s talk three prospect matchups to watch this weekend as we hope to see even more fireworks across the landscape on a fairly forgettable slate of games.
Two of the best athletes in the SEC are set to do battle on Saturday evening as one of the best receivers in the country in Luther Burden, who looks to put a stamp on a marquee 2024 performance. His best trait is yards-after-catch ability at this time and a more complete skill set will be molded once he reaches the NFL.
Emmanwori has been a consistent productive element in a high-quality South Carolina defense. He’s about as rangy as anyone you will see at wide receiver in college and will be one of the only people on the field able to stay in phase with Burden.
Elic Ayomanor is one of the best receivers in the country that you likely don’t see every Saturday. He’s been a one-man offense this season plenty of times on a team that’s struggled on that side of the football. Ayomanor has desirable height-weight-speed elements along with special flashes of ball skills. He’ll need to be special against Louisville to have any chance at an upset.
Riley could have gone...
