Raise a glass. Take a side.

The college football season is getting interesting, and so is our competition at the Southern Sports Stillhouse.

Scott had the better week picking winners, going 6–4 straight up to my 4–6. Neither of us could gain any ground against the spread, finishing an even 5–5. And when it came to the over/under, neither of us had much to celebrate. Doug went 4–6, while Scott struggled to a 3–7 finish.

For the season, Scott continues to lead the straight-up and against-the-spread competitions. But Doug has built a commanding lead picking totals. Scott has a nine-game advantage against the spread; Doug leads by 14 games on the over/under.

Last Week’s Results

Season Standings

This week, we’re taking on another 10 games, including a showdown in Austin between Ole Miss and Texas. And because everything is bigger in Texas, Doug has brought along a trio of Texas bourbons to accompany the football.

Scott, meanwhile, is working through a collection that includes Sagamore, Ben Holladay and Ironroot.

There are some interesting differences in our whiskey selections. Unfortunately, there aren’t many differences in our football selections. We agree on the winners in nine of the 10 games.

So the race for straight-up supremacy may come down to what happens in Death Valley.

Let’s pour a little bourbon and get to the games.

First Pour: Sagamore and TX Texas Straight Bourbon

Scott started with Sagamore High-Rye Bourbon, a 108-proof whiskey with a dark copper color.

The nose offered cherries, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, along with a reminder of the proof. On the palate, the bourbon was very sweet, with caramel and vanilla standing out despite a little astringency. The high-rye mash bill seemed to make its presence known in the spice notes on the finish.

What really caught Scott’s attention was the texture. He described it as almost custardy, with a creaminess on the finish that reminded him of breaking through the hard sugar shell on a crème brûlée.

That’s a pretty appealing description of a bourbon.

Doug began his Texas tasting with TX Texas Straight Bourbon, a 90-proof offering that poured a solid amber.

His sense of smell is still recovering from a fall earlier in the football season, making the nose a little difficult to evaluate. He managed to find some light leather and possibly toasted nuts, but the real evaluation came on the palate.

The familiar Texas bourbon funk showed up quickly, accompanied by a surprising burst of proof for a 90-proof whiskey. Buttery corn, soft red fruit and light cinnamon followed.

The mouthfeel was something of a contradiction, almost oily in places but still threatening to turn thin. The finish was shorter than Doug would have preferred, with savory baking spices lingering after the other flavors disappeared.

A decent start to the Texas lineup, but there were better things to come.

Game of the Week: No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC

Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas

Spread: Texas -3 | Over/Under: 53.5

Texas may have the bigger name, but Ole Miss has been playing the better football.

The Rebels are coming off a convincing victory over Missouri, while Texas is trying to recover from a stunning loss to Florida. The Longhorns have lost two straight, and another loss would make their position in the SEC race even more uncomfortable.

Scott isn’t convinced Texas can turn things around, even playing at home. Outside of the Florida game, Ole Miss has been dismantling opponents, including Missouri. The key questions are whether Texas can contain Trinidad Chambliss and whether Arch Manning can avoid another costly performance.

Scott expects Chambliss to throw for more than 300 yards and deliver another big victory for the Rebels. He doesn’t believe Texas will lose a third straight game easily, but he thinks Ole Miss is simply too good.

Doug sees the game through the pressure each team will face. Texas is the better brand, but Ole Miss has been the better football team. Manning may be the bigger name, but Doug believes Chambliss is the best player on the field, perhaps even the best in the country.

Ole Miss will arrive in Austin believing it can win. Texas will take the field trying desperately not to lose again.

Those are two very different kinds of pressure.

Scott’s Pick: Ole Miss 31, Texas 24

Doug’s Pick: Ole Miss 31, Texas 27

No. 18 LSU at Auburn

Saturday, Noon ET | ABC

Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama

Spread: LSU -5.5 | Over/Under: 51.5

LSU is coming off a 31–0 demolition of Mississippi State. Auburn, meanwhile, pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the season by beating top-ranked Georgia.

Which team carries that momentum into Saturday?

Scott believes LSU is better than its record suggests, although the Tigers haven’t always been disciplined. He also has some personal history with this rivalry, having attended the famous 1988 Earthquake Game.

And then there’s the legendary claim that LSU fans smell like corndogs.

Scott says this one smells like an LSU victory. He believes the Tigers’ offense will be too much for Auburn’s defense.

Doug agrees, although he sees some danger in playing an Auburn team that has improved considerably. But there’s been a recurring theme this season: teams win a huge game, then stumble the following week.

Auburn just won its Super Bowl against Georgia. Getting emotionally ready for another major challenge might not be easy.

Scott’s Pick: LSU 31, Auburn 24

Doug’s Pick: LSU 30, Auburn 20

No. 6 Indiana at Michigan

Saturday, Noon ET | FOX

Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Spread: Indiana -7 | Over/Under: 42.5

Indiana’s remarkable 22-game winning streak finally came to an end against Ohio State, but it took an incredibly narrow margin to stop the Hoosiers.

Now Indiana heads into the Big House looking to prove that one loss hasn’t changed anything.

Scott believes the Hoosiers will be angry, and Michigan simply isn’t good enough to withstand that response. Playing at home won’t help the Wolverines much if Indiana gets rolling early.

Doug agrees that the loss to Ohio State shouldn’t diminish what Indiana has accomplished. The Hoosiers remain one of the best teams in the country, and a visit to one of college football’s most historic programs gives them an opportunity to remind everyone of that.

Michigan may have the stadium and the tradition, but Indiana has the better team.

Scott’s Pick: Indiana 34, Michigan 20

Doug’s Pick: Indiana 27, Michigan 17

Pitt at No. 1 Miami

Saturday, Noon ET | ESPN

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Spread: Miami -20.5 | Over/Under: 48.5

Miami survived a double-overtime scare against Florida State and remains the top-ranked team in the country.

Scott doesn’t expect the Hurricanes to suffer a letdown against Pitt. This is still 2 Live U, and he expects the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium to be rocking.

Doug sees Miami as the class of the ACC, with enough talent to compete in any conference. Quarterback Darian Mensah is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, and Doug expects him to put together another outstanding performance.

Neither expects Pitt to make this one particularly close.

Scott’s Pick: Miami 38, Pitt 17

Doug’s Pick: Miami 38, Pitt 13

No. 2 BYU at UCF

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | FOX

Acrisure Bounce House, Orlando, Florida

Spread: BYU -6.5 | Over/Under: 43.5

BYU knocked off second-ranked Notre Dame last week, announcing itself as a legitimate national championship contender.

Now comes the hard part: following that emotional victory with another win, this time on the road.

Scott thinks the Cougars will demonstrate that beating Notre Dame wasn’t an accident. He expects BYU to win by 10.

Doug sees some potential danger. UCF had a bye week to prepare, the Cougars have to travel across the country, and teams have struggled to maintain their intensity after major victories this season.

But UCF runs exactly the kind of offense BYU’s defense is built to stop. That matchup should be enough to overcome the potential distractions.

Both believe the Cougars will avoid the trap.

Scott’s Pick: BYU 34, UCF 24

Doug’s Pick: BYU 30, UCF 17

Bourbon Break: Ben Holladay and Uncharted

With five games behind us, it was time to return to the whiskey.

Scott reached for a 124.5-proof Ben Holladay single-barrel store pick, a bourbon with the dark color of strongly brewed iced tea.

The nose brought a hint of cherry cordial and cinnamon, but there was no mistaking the proof once he took a sip. It punched him in the mouth immediately.

Underneath that initial heat, however, were cinnamon, cherries and brown sugar. Scott found the bourbon delicious, with some interesting nuance, although it wasn’t quite as complex as the Sagamore.

And while the flavors made a strong entrance, the texture and finish didn’t quite keep pace. It hit fast, but it didn’t stick around.

Doug, meanwhile, had something that looked considerably less intimidating.

Uncharted Bourbon, bottled at 92 proof, came in the plainest bottle of the evening and poured the lightest copper color.

The nose was traditional bourbon territory: vanilla, caramel, roasted nuts and perhaps a little ripe fruit.

But the palate was a pleasant surprise.

Honey, cinnamon, caramel and light chocolate came together with just enough oak to provide balance. The mouthfeel had some light but pleasing viscosity, and although the finish wasn’t particularly long, the fruit and brown sugar notes were delicious while they lasted.

Uncharted makes a point of aging its bourbon on the Mississippi River, a concept that invites comparison with Jefferson’s ocean-aged whiskeys.

For Doug, the Mississippi River appears to have accomplished more than Jefferson’s ocean voyages. Whatever influence the river actually contributed, the whiskey in the glass was considerably better than its unassuming packaging suggested.

And Doug wasn’t finished with Texas.

His next pour was Ironroot Harbinger, a 115-proof bourbon that demonstrated why Texas whiskey deserves some attention beyond its distinctive regional character.

Like many Texas bourbons, Harbinger opened with a wave of leather. But give it a minute, and something interesting happened. The leather began to change, giving way to caramel and vanilla before developing into a rich, appealing pipe tobacco note.

At 115 proof, Harbinger was surprisingly restrained. The alcohol never hit as aggressively as the number on the label suggested.

Doug also had Sleight of Hand, the so-called Mother of Texas bourbon, at 92 proof. It was a nice whiskey, but the Harbinger justified stepping up in proof.

Scott responded with another Ironroot expression, Assemblage.

The nose was almost entirely apricots. On the palate, despite the high-rye influence, Scott found corn sweetness and a light touch of spearmint.

The texture was on the thin side, and the finish didn’t linger. But sometimes a whiskey doesn’t have to check every box to be enjoyable.

Scott was enjoying it anyway.

And with that, it was back to football.

No. 15 Iowa at Minnesota

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | FS1

Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Spread: Iowa -6.5 | Over/Under: 40.5

The battle for Floyd of Rosedale is one of those Big Ten rivalry games that doesn’t always require great offense to be entertaining.

And with a total of just 40.5 points, nobody is expecting a shootout.

Scott has been predicting some relatively high scores this week, but that stops here. He expects Iowa’s defense to dominate the afternoon.

Doug agrees. Iowa has one of the best run defenses in the country, and Minnesota has struggled to establish its running game. That’s a particularly bad combination for the Golden Gophers.

Rivalry games can produce surprises, but Doug expects Iowa’s strength and consistency to determine the outcome.

Scott’s Pick: Iowa 20, Minnesota 13

Doug’s Pick: Iowa 24, Minnesota 13

No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah

Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

Spread: Utah -6.5 | Over/Under: 56.5

Two ranked Big 12 programs meet in Salt Lake City, where the home-field advantage can be a significant factor.

Scott notes that Utah has never beaten Houston, but he expects that to change Saturday. The Utes’ offense has been clicking, and playing at home should give them an additional advantage.

Doug also likes Utah, and not just because of the offense. Rice-Eccles Stadium can be an intimidating place to play, particularly for visiting teams dealing with the altitude and a hostile crowd.

He believes the Utes are simply the better team, and that should be enough to get the victory.

Scott’s Pick: Utah 24, Houston 17

Doug’s Pick: Utah 30, Houston 21

Texas A&M at No. 13 Alabama

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Spread: Alabama -13.5 | Over/Under: 50.5

This isn’t your father’s Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama is coming off a loss to Tennessee, and the Tide suddenly look more vulnerable than they have in years.

Scott doesn’t believe Alabama will lose a third consecutive game, even with the challenges of playing a series of emotionally charged rivalry games.

Doug agrees. Alabama still has a decided talent advantage, and the Tide will be playing angry. They’ll also be playing in front of an even angrier fan base in Tuscaloosa.

That’s not an environment Doug expects Texas A&M to enjoy.

The Tide rolls.

Scott’s Pick: Alabama 34, Texas A&M 24

Doug’s Pick: Alabama 31, Texas A&M 17

Virginia Tech at Clemson

Saturday, 7 p.m. ET | ESPN

Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina

Spread: Clemson -2.5 | Over/Under: 49.5

Here’s the game that separates us.

Once upon a time, nobody wanted to play Clemson in Death Valley. The Tigers had built one of the most intimidating home-field advantages in the country, and visiting teams often seemed beaten before kickoff.

Scott still believes playing at Clemson matters. In a close matchup like this one, he finds it difficult to pick against the Tigers on their home field.

He’s taking Clemson by three.

Doug isn’t convinced the old Death Valley magic is enough anymore. The Tigers don’t inspire the same fear they once did, and Virginia Tech has an opportunity to walk into Clemson and take control of the game.

He expects the Hokies to bring the fight to the Tigers and leave with a victory.

And because this is the only game in which we disagree on the winner, it could have a significant impact on our season-long competition.

Scott’s Pick: Clemson 24, Virginia Tech 21

Doug’s Pick: Virginia Tech 27, Clemson 24

No. 16 USC at Wisconsin

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC

Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin

Spread: USC -3 | Over/Under: 50.5

A West Coast football program heads halfway across the country to face Wisconsin in one of the Big Ten’s most recognizable venues.

It’s still a little strange seeing USC travel to Madison for a conference game.

Scott believes the Trojans have more talent, although playing at night in Camp Randall Stadium will make the trip considerably more difficult. He expects USC to survive a close, lower-scoring game.

Doug also gives the talent advantage to USC, but he believes Wisconsin’s home-field advantage will help level the playing field.

Camp Randall remains a difficult place to win, especially under the lights. But the Trojans should have enough to get the job done.

Scott’s Pick: USC 21, Wisconsin 17

Doug’s Pick: USC 27, Wisconsin 23

The Final Pour

Ten games. Six (or maybe seven) bourbons. And remarkably little disagreement about which teams are going to win.

We’ve both picked Ole Miss to win in Austin, LSU to handle Auburn, Indiana to bounce back against Michigan, Miami to take care of Pitt and BYU to avoid a letdown in Orlando.

We’re also together on Iowa, Utah, Alabama and USC.

That leaves Virginia Tech at Clemson as our only straight-up disagreement. Scott is counting on the Tigers to defend Death Valley. Doug thinks the Hokies will demonstrate just how much things have changed at Clemson.

The bourbon provided considerably more variety.

Scott’s Sagamore High-Rye delivered a sweet, creamy experience that brought crème brûlée to mind. His Ben Holladay store pick offered more punch but less staying power, while Ironroot Assemblage provided a surprisingly enjoyable combination of apricot and spearmint despite its thinner texture.

For Doug, TX Texas Straight Bourbon was a respectable opening act, and Uncharted turned out to be a pleasant surprise. But Ironroot Harbinger stole the show among his Texas selections, offering layers of caramel, vanilla and tobacco with a surprisingly manageable 115-proof presentation.

Whether the whiskey or the football will produce the bigger surprises remains to be seen.

We’ll find out Saturday.

Until then, raise a glass. Take a side.

Southern Sports Stillhouse is a weekly conversation about college football, bourbon and the occasional questionable prediction. The scores are our opinions, the whiskey is our pleasure, and the bragging rights are very real.

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