By Theo Colli

As the season turns over to Week 9 on the schedule, the Southeastern Conference continues to churn out a close standings race that includes familiar faces, as well as new ones.

The slate this week includes seven games, in which all teams are going head-to-head against a respective in-conference team. 

No. 17 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2) at Kentucky (2-4, 0-4)

Tennessee is coming off of one of its worst team performances of the season after the Vols dropped last week’s road contest to the Alabama Crimson Tide 37-20 at Brian Denny.

Now the Vols return to action for their second straight road matchup. A major concern is the availability of LB Arion Carter. He's battling turf toe and was listed as questionable.

One of the bigger storylines remains the Vols' ability to put together four complete quarters on the road. While the matchup against Kentucky isn’t as frightening as Alabama, the Vols can’t take the situation lightly.

On the other hand, Kentucky hasn’t defeated the Vols in four consecutive meetings; its last time beating Tennessee at home was 2017, 29-26. PREDICTION: Tennessee 30, Kentucky 22

No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1) at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1)

A noon meeting between two Top 15 teams could shape up to become one of the day's most competitive meetings, not just in the conference, but on the entire day.

Ole Miss dropped its first game of the season last weekend against the Georgia Bulldogs, despite leading all the way into the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs responded with 17 unanswered points.

On the other hand, Oklahoma got back into the win column last week over South Carolina as QB Johnn Mateer found his footing, continuing to work back from a hand injury. 

Now, Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss and Mateer, both of whom have made quite a name for themselves this season, gear up for the school’s second official in-conference meeting. PREDICTION: Ole Miss 32, Oklahoma 25

Auburn (3-4, 0-4) at Arkansas (2-5, 0-3)

By the time the clock strikes zero in Fayetteville on Saturday for these two schools, one of the two will have landed its first conference win of the season.

Both Arkansas and Auburn have had quite an up-and-down season; the Razorbacks fired their head coach, Sam Pittman, earlier this season, and since then have seen a sudden shift in competitiveness on the field.

Even if their last two results have finished with losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M, the Razorbacks lost both games by a combined six points.

Auburn, on the other side, just dropped a heartbreaker to Mizzou on the road; the Tigers have lost four in a row heading into Arkansas. One of the two streaks will have to end this Saturday. PREDICTION:  Auburn 30, Arkansas 28

No. 4 Alabama (6-1, 4-0) at South Carolina (3-4, 1-4)

Since the Crimson Tide’s Week 1 loss to Florida State sent the campus into a frenzy, coach Kalen Deboer and the team have soundly found their footing with six straight wins.

After a ranked win over Tennessee, the Tide heads to South Carolina for a meeting against LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks, who have lost four of their last five meetings.

Despite Sellers' obvious talent, the Gamecocks won’t be able to handle Ty Simpson and company. fPREDICTION:  Alabama 34, South Carolina 14

No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1) at No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1)

The stopping point of the week for ESPN’s College GameDay, both Mizzou and Vanderbilt have given good reason to be coined as the game of the week.

The Commodores are coming off of one of the school's best wins in decades, a 31-24 win over LSU, while Mizzou just claimed an overtime win over Auburn.

Diego Pavia loves the spotlight, and he’ll keep his team on track in what should be a tight game between two pretty evenly matched teams. PREDICTION:  Vanderbilt 27, Mizzou 23

No. 22 Texas (5-2, 2-1) at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3)

The Texas Longhorns have been one of the stranger cases in the conference this season. Starting the year ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, to now find themselves slotted at No. 22, there have been a lot of up and down.

Despite the Bulldogs' 0-3 record in conference, two of their three losses have come within one possession. There’s a fight in this Mississippi State team that may not have existed a year prior.

As Arch Manning continues to attempt to find his footing as a quarterback, it may be an ugly win once again for the Longhorns in front of a dangerous, cowbell-loving Starkville crowd. PREDICTION:  Texas 27, Mississippi State 19

No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0) at No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2)

A game with the potential to be one of the highest-scoring meetups of the night, the Aggies are aiming to end an almost 31-year drought at Death Valley against the Tigers.

This may be one of their best chances yet. The Aggies are sporting their most electric offense yet, including Mario Craver, Reuben Owens II, and KC Concepcion. All three, led by QB Marcel Reed, have led the Aggies to one of their more exciting runs in recent memory.

On the other hand, Brian Kelly may be coaching for his job as the season trudges forward. Despite being ranked, the Tigers have already two losses and still have two ranked meetings on schedule after the Aggies.

It will be a battle of the offenses, but home-field advantage will play the biggest factor in it all Saturday night. PREDICTION:  Texas A&M 34, LSU 31