SEC Mike picks the Aggies to push win streak to six on Saturday night

Key notes from Michael Bratton interview

• We had a listener, Tristan, who is an Aggie, and he got us the American flag that flew over Notre Dame when Texas A&M went up there and beat the Irish. This is the coolest thing anyone has ever given us. Tristan has been a loyal listener for years, and he sent us an Aggie towel. He's in the Marine Corps, so thank you for your service. This is the coolest thing anyone has ever sent us.
   
• I know the final score shows that A&M dominated Mississippi State, but it was 7-3 in the third quarter. When you look at that, you might think I hate the Aggies, but there's not much of a separation between No. 1 and No. 7 in the SEC. If A&M puts it together, they could be No. 1, and I still think they'll make the College Football Playoff. They just don't look like a consistent team yet. They can get a lot better, and there is a lot more meat on the bone.
   
• I love the defense and how it's coming together, but there is inconsistent play, especially with Marcel Reed. He has thrown more uncatchable passes than any quarterback in the SEC, but he's not awful or horrible. They don't beat Notre Dame without him, and he has it in him to play a lot better. They're going to need him to be a lot better to beat LSU on the road in a few weeks.
   
• What were we saying about the first three games of the season? "Where is A&M's defense?" They have corrected that. The offense right now is not where it was a few weeks ago, and we just need to see it be more consistent. They dominated the final score, and that's all anyone cares about. Mississippi State gave them a good fight, but when it started rolling downhill, they tapped out. That's a credit to A&M for making them tap out because SEC teams don't just tap out on their own.
   
• Saturday's performance was the Florida I thought we were getting. The defense has been better than expected, but the offense has been a travesty. I picked Texas to shut out Florida. Where in the world this performance came from, I'm not even sure. Dallas Wilson, a five-star freshman, was the MVP of the spring game, and I've heard nothing but great things. He missed the entire season until Texas, and he gets inserted back into the lineup vs. a top-10 opponent. He's incredible, but I think that was a one-off. If he does it vs. A&M, he'll be one to watch as maybe the best freshman in the conference. Florida is 0-13 vs. ranked teams on the road under Billy Napier, and I don't think Florida has any shot to walk into College Station and come away with a win this week.
   
• I'm taking some heat for this take, but Texas got its welcome-to-the-SEC moment last week in The Swamp. Their only tough road game last year was at A&M, and it was a madhouse down there until A&M got stuffed on the goal-line. It was the exact opposite at Florida. The Gators jumped on them early. You're not in the Big 12 anymore.
   
• I didn't realize Steve Sarkisian was Alex Golesh's agent, but maybe he is! This is a guy who is running out of answers here, and I heard he had God's gift to football at quarterback. Doesn't look like it. They didn't splurge in the transfer portal for offensive linemen and now need it, so this is 100 percent on Sarkisian. I still see the talented with Arch Manning, but they're not helping him with the play calling or the offensive line. This is on Sarkisian. He has to put Manning in a better spot, and he's not making the adjustments necessary on offense.
   
• It's fair to question Missouri. I think this will be a high-scoring game. I don't expect Missouri will have a lot of success stopping Ty Simpson and this Alabama receiving corps, which might be the best three-deep receiving corps in the league. Missouri is going to have to get after Simpson. Ahmad Hardy is No. 1 in the SEC and the nation in rushing, and he's a bowling ball. The key to the game will be Beau Pribula, and Alabama will have to force him to beat them. I have Missouri beating Alabama by double digits, and this is the most important game in Missouri history, at least since they joined the SEC. This is the SEC grind for Alabama, and I have them at No. 1 in my power rankings right now. It's just going to be up and down like that this year in this league.
   
• I like Auburn to knock off Georgia. This is not the Georgia of old. We look at that logo and say, "They always beat Auburn and these teams." I'm very suspect of Georgia's defense right now. Tennessee went up and down the field on them. Alabama did it for the first half. Auburn looks awful on offense, but I think that had more to do with Oklahoma's and Texas A&M's defense. Playing at Jordan-Hare, this could be a different story. I don't think Georgia can get after them quite like A&M or Oklahoma. Auburn has to get Cam Coleman more involved, and I've got Auburn. I'm not super confident because I think Hugh Freeze is a fraud as an SEC coach. He might not be the coach in two weeks if he loses this one.
   
• A&M-Florida is my lock of the week. What are we doing here? Aggies win, 24-13.
   
• I had Texas winning the Red River Rivalry before the injury report came out. Their backs are against the wall, and the season is on the line, and now I'm switching my prediction. I don't think Oklahoma can be beat in this one with John Mateer.