Week 5 - Games to Keep an Eye On

The last weekend in September has us at Week 5 for College Football and I'm convinced this is the quickest month of the year. It truly flies by.

Amazing game last weekend as FSU steps up and comes from behind to beat Clemson at home. E.J. Manuel stepped up big, and the Chris Thompson + James Wilder Jr. tandem looks stout and like its January football ready.

Oregon State picked up a big road win, South Carolina destroyed Missouri, LSU escaped with a key road win against Auburn, Notre Dame held Michigan in check and they crack the Top 10, and Georgia put down Vanderbilt.

Here are this week's Games to Keep An Eye On:


Baylor at West Virginia (Noon)

• West Virginia opens Big XII play this weekend at home against Baylor
• Its going to be a shootout and watching these true to fashion conference passing attacks go at it will be fun
• WVU has too many weapons for Baylor to handle this weekend and Geno Smith will shine in this one
• Geno has thrown to Tevon Austin and Stedman Bailey for over 60 completions, 677 yards and 10 TDs - and he's been ultra efficient with 0 interceptions
•  Look for West Virginia to pull this one out as Baylor will keep up but WVU will pull away late
• Take WVU by 10

(Photo courtesy of Justin K. Aller)

Tennessee at Georgia (3:30 PM)

• This is the CBS Game of the Week and its is shaping up nicely
• I wonder how much intel Coach Vince Dooley is shipping out of state to his son up in Knoxville as the Vols prepare for UGA this weekend?
• All kidding aside - this is going to be another really good installment in this heated rivalry
• Georgia's offense has been performing well, putting up great numbers behind Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. The pair have combined for 670 yards and 9 TDs
• Not to be overlooked Todd is averaging 9.2 yards/carry!
• Can Georgia stay crisp and start out strong?
• Tyler Bray is an amazing prospect and his primary targets this year are Justin Hunter and Cordarelle Patterson - he's thrown for 510 yards & 6 TDs between the pair
• Georgia's secondary will have their hands full
• Which Offensive Line steps up here the biggest?
• Bottom line Georgia has been building depth dealing with some suspensions and doing a great job, but now they are finally back to 100% on the defensive side of the ball
• Alec Ogletree is back
• Bacarri Rambo is back
• And always keep an eye out for Jarvis "Sackman" Jones he's got a nose for the ball and he's been arguably the best defensive player in the country
• Look for this one to be closer than Georgia wants it but look for Malcolm Mitchell to come up with a big grab - he's been lightly used on offense this year and he could be utilized to deliver the knockout blow
• Take Georgia by 13

(Photo courtesy of John Kelley)

Ohio State at Michigan State (3:30 PM)

• This has Ohio State written all over it.
• Braxton Miller is playing some of his best ball as the centerpiece of the offense
• If MSU wants to have a chance they will have to shutdown running lanes and force Braxton to pass
• Le'veon Bell is going to be the focus, but the passing game will have to take it to another level - and I just don't see it happening with Ohio State's new leadership
• If Ohio State cannot stop Le'Veon Bell then it could easily swing the other way
• Notre Dame handed Ohio State the blue print on how to shut MSU down
• Ohio State's defense returns 9 starters
• This is the first really big test for Urban Meyer's spread offense in conference play
• Take OSU by a 7

(Photo courtesy of Jamie Sabau)

Texas at Oklahoma State (7:50 PM)

• OK State is 2 weeks off an upset blow delivered by Arizona. Of all teams Arizona?!
• They beat up on Louisiana Lafayette last week, but they are going to have their hands full as Texas comes to town Saturday night
• Statistically Texas is much improved from last year - most notably on the defensive side of the ball
• If anyone remembers their struggles last year against UCLA where they literally forgot how to tackle - then you'll understand where I'm coming from
• Texas is explosive and playing solid ball with a balanced offensive attack
• I think this one comes down the wire and who has the ball last
• David Ashe is noticeably more accurate this year and not throwing it away
• Take Texas by a field goal

(Photo courtesy of Edward A. Ornelas)

Week 4 - Games to Keep an Eye On

Anyone familiar with what crazy looks like?

Its really hard to describe it, but you know when you see it. Webster's Dictionary just updated it and you'll notice a fresh picture of John L. Smith., Arkansas' Head Coach. Please check this video and let me know if you think otherwise.

Yeah something is not right there. Word on the street is Arkansas will have a new Head Coach by Christmas, and my money is Tommy Tuberville. Born and raised in Arkansas, SEC tested and approved, he's got the inside track to me, but stranger things have happened before.

Week 4 is here and without further adieu here are this week's Games to Keep an Eye On:


Oregon State at UCLA (3:30 PM)

• First off both of the these teams are much improved from last year
• For UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel out and Coach Mora in this is a noticeably improved squad
• Mainly their QB situation looks much better with Freshman, Brett Hundley 
• And their ground game is looking improved as well with Senior, Jonathan Franklin holding his own
• UCLA ripped up Nebraska a couple weeks ago 36-30
• Oregon State beat a down Wisconsin program last week by 3 and while I think the program looks better, I still think The Beavers are just PAC-12 middle of the pack material, as the Wisconsin win is mis-leading (The Badgers are down this year)
• Look for UCLA to win this by 2 touchdowns

(Photo courtesy of Stephen Dunn)

Missouri at South Carolina (3:30 PM)

• This is the CBS Game of the Week
• Missouri's first SEC road test and it will be an amped up and an unfriendly Carolina crowd which will be very unwelcoming come kickoff
• The Tigers coming into town with Spurrier still sipping on champagne from his 200th win and Marcus Lattimore going into the Carolina records books as the all-time RB with the most TDs in school history (43) passing legendary George Rogers.
• Look for Carolina's defense to hold court at home at give the offense some good field position
• Question many South Carolina fans are asking with what the future holds for the QB position, and those are not great questions to be asking as October looms
• Conner Shaw is going to get the start, but with a deep should bruise on his throwing shoulder combined with a coach that calls a ton of deep downfield plays and a sometime shaky offensive line, you get the idea - Shaw could get banged up and pave the way for upstart Sophomore, Dylan Thompson
• Many Carolina fans think he's the future and this is typical vintage Spurrier having 2 QBs to work with
• Missouri is no slouch and they have a pretty good squad
• Look for Dorial Green-Beckham to get some passes thrown his way. He's a freshman that is just waiting to standout and turn it loose. AT 6-6, 220 he's hard to miss. If Mizzou can pull it off on the road, DGB will be key. Be on the lookout for the home run ball
• Tailback Kendial Lawrence will get some touches but Carolina's defensive front should be fine there
• Carolina will be without D.J. Swearinger for a helmet to helmet hit last week and this will have an impact. DJ is one of best players in the Carolina secondary
• Carolina could be in for an upset, but I like The Gamecocks at home with Spurrier on the big stage and Lattimore to handoff too
• Carolina wins this one by 10

(Photo courtesy of Bill Greenblat)

LSU at Auburn (7:00 PM)

• Brian Van Gorder's presence in Auburn will have a positive impact on The Plains but not in time to handle LSU when they come to town tomorrow night
• Statistically LSU is right where they should and Auburn is on the verge of dropping off the map
• Auburn is plagued by QB issues with Kiehl Frazier. He's currently got just 2 TDs and a whopping 5 interceptions, and 2 losses this season (and we're just 3 games into the season)
• Auburn's defense is bad too. Basic fundamental tacking is off. BVG will get that tuned up in due time, but LSU will have a its way with Auburn tomorrow night
• LSU's defense is loaded 
• LSU's ground game is no joke
• Plus they actually have a down-field passing Quarterback - something that was really and very apparently missing last season. Yep Zach Mettenberger is going to a star for LSU. This is his first road test and he might be a little shaky but he'll come out with a W
• Keep an eye on the LSU offensive line and the ground game. Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue are going to light it up. Together they've combined for 573 yards and 8 Touchdowns, and they've been used sparingly
• I like LSU by 17 

(Photo courtesy of 247)

Michigan at Notre Dame (7:30 PM)

• All the Notre Dame haters stop reading!
• Notre Dame under Brian Kelly is getting back on the scene, and under the bright lights of an NBC nationally televised game tomorrow night, they will get another W and advance to 4-0 and a Top 10 ranking
• Give it up to Manti Te'o he is the real deal.He's an All-American and boy does this guy have heart. He recently lost his grandmother and his girl friend (both passed away recently) and the entire stadium is paying respect and tribute to thier captain this weekend. Students will be wearing leis to show their support. He had a monster game last weekend against Michigan State after he just received the news.
• Look for him to take it out again - this time on Denard Robinson 
• Look for Bob Diaco to take a page from Alabama, who laid down the blue print for how to stop The Wolverines from doing what they want - get Denard out in space
• Look for Myrtle Beach standout Evertt Golson (QB) to have a good game along with Cierre Wood at RB
• If Michigan is going to have a chance, Denard is going to have to have a monster game (something he is very capable of having) and The Wolverine secondary is going to have to shut it down
• I like The Irish by 10

(Photo courtesy of Sam Wolson)

Vanderbilt at Georgia (7:45 PM)

• No love is lost between these 2 programs after last year's chippy game if you missed it - in short - there were a number of take-out-their-knees shots taken by Vanderbilt, Georgia fought back
• At the end of the game it got really testy when Vandy Head Coach Franklin stepped up to the wrong man in Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham and state troopers had to intervene- VIDEO
• Last year's shouting match aside, Georgia has been pretty darn good even with a number of guys on the bench due to mary jane issues.
• Georgia has been propelled by a defense that is tightening up every week. Jarvis Jones is having another All-American year
• D Line is another strong suit for Georgia with Abry Jones, Cornelius Washington, John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers - all have upped their game from last year
• Malcolm Mitchell is guy to also keep your eye. He should be playing both sides of the ball in the lost art of iron man football
• Look for Vandy to put a good fight but ultimately get road graded as reports out of Athens Coach Grantham was blessing out the Defense for not playing good enough
• Somebody is going to get it come Saturday night and I've got a good feeling its not going to be The Dawgs
• Keep an eye on the Georgia backfield (Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall) behind a constantly improving O Line
• Take Georgia to win by 3 touchdowns and an amped up home crowd

(Photo courtesy GeorgiaDogs.com)

And now for the Game of the Week - the marquee matchup...

Clemson at Florida State (8:00 PM)

• You're not going to want to miss this one
• Sammy Watkins, Tajh Boyd, and Andre Ellington are one of the best trios in the ACC
• Problem with Clemson is the defense - very suspect if you keep a close eye on them
• I'm not sure they are up to the task considering of the FSU weapons
• FSU's defense on the other hand is 2nd best in the country good
• FSU also has a season QB in EJ Manual 
• RB Chris Thompson is averaging a whopping 14.1 yards a carry!
• And with a pair of talented wideouts in Kenny Shaw and Kelvin Benjamin it looks as though the Noles are back
• I like FSU in this one with an off the richter scale crowd tomahawk choppin at The Doak
• Noles by 14

(Photo courtesy of Melina Vastola)

Week 3 - Games to Keep an Eye On

What a great Week 2. Arkansas goes down in flames to ULM,  Nebraska gets man-handled by UCLA. I don't think anyone had both those upsets on the radar.

Arkansas is a full blown grease fire right now, and Nebraska is another loss away from one. Who had UCLA putting up an astonishing 648 yards against Nebraska? With Burkhead on the bench injured, and with starting defensive tackle Chase Rome leaving the team, some might wonder if the wheels are starting to come off a bit.

Anyone catch the end of the Notre Dame game? I've watched the last 2 minutes Notre Dame marching down the field a couple times now, and I am convinced the Irish got some favorable calls to edge out the win. Take the 1:45 marker where the officials missed 2 egregious calls (1) Tommy calls a timeout when they had none. The penalty, which again did not get called, should have resulted in a loss of down. Plus (2) They let the play run as the center snaps the ball with 0 left on the play clock. The play utlimately resulted in a first down, and kept the ball moving toward the go ahead score. The officials also missed a definitive offensive pass interference call that could have been a Purdue interception. Just something to keep an eye on.

With that said let's jump into Week 3's Games to Keep an Eye On:

Wake Forest at Florida State (Noon)

• Much has been made of recent history where Wake Forest has won in recent history
• Wake won 35 - 30 in 2011
• Wake lost 31 - 0 in 2010
• Wake lost 41-28 in 2009
• Wake won 12-3 in 2008
• I think FSU's is going to rise up and shut it down against the Deacs this year.
• Brandon Jenkins is out for the season and just how big of deal will that be
• Look for FSU to win by 4 TDs after FSU makes them 1 dimensional

(Photo courtesy of Reid Compton)

Alabama at Arkansas (3:30 PM)

• I hate to say it Razorback fans, but you guys are a grease fire right now.
• Petrino once again has left a program better than he found but seemingly in shambles
• Its a complex problem and John L. Smith is not the man for the job - plain and simple
• Saban and his squad will lay waste to Arkansas
• Look for The Tide to win this one going away
• Alabama's defense is once again too good. Keep an eye on #54 Jesse Williams.
• I like the Tide by 2+ TDs

(Photo courtesy of www.texarkanagazette.com)

North Carolina at Louisville (3:30 PM)

• Now this has the makings for an overtime game, if I ever saw one
• UNC in Week 1 lit it up against Elon, then losses to Wake Forest in a close one
• Louisville lapped Kentucky in Week 1, then beat Missouri State soundly
• Bryn Renner is a pretty efficient QB for UNC
• I like UNC to pull this one out by a field goal in overtime

(Photo courtesy of Keith Coward)

Virginia at Georgia Tech (3:30 PM)

• This is a stark contrast in ground games
• Georgia Tech's running attack is pretty good
• Virginia's not so much
• Tech's defense is better too
• Georgia Tech will be riding high, especially after everyone gets revved up after seeing the newly unveiled Bobby Dodd statue this weekend
• Georgia Tech wins this one by 2 TDs

(Photo courtesy of www.fromtherumbleseat.com)

Florida at Tennessee (6:00 PM)

• I'm really surprised CBS didn't pull and SEC double header on this one
• None the less ESPN has it and Game Day will be there
• Lee Corso shenanigans aside this should be a doosie
• Florida won a big road test last weekend in College Station with no relevant game footage to go on
• They essentially shutdown A&M in the second half and that's where Florida's defense came into their own this year
• Tennessee is looking much better this year, with essentially a new coach staff around Coach Dooley
• But let's be honest NC State is middle of the pack ACC and Georgia State? C'mon
• Edge goes the Gator Defense behind: Shariff Floyd, Dominique Easley, Jon Bostic, and Jelani Jenkins
• If you don't know these guys, you will after Saturday
• Tyler Bray is a heck of QB and I think he'll have a good day - if not a tough one, but a timely interception will prove to be the difference
• Gators series winning streak is at 7
• Gators win this one by 7 and move it to 8 in a row on the Vols

(Photo courtesy of Kim Klement)

Southern Cal at Stanford (7:30 PM)

• This is the west coast game of the day
• Both teams have played a little cat and mouse in preparations for this one
• Its a tight balancing act, showcasing your stuff on a national stage, but keeping some the finer details hidden from an upcoming in-conference opponent
• Another game that on paper looks like it could go to overtime, but I like Matt Barkley in this one
• He's a 5th year senior who is taking 1 class this year, so he's got all day- check that all week to study film and practice for the upcoming opponent
• In contrast Stanford's Junior QB, Josh Nunes is nothing to scoff at, but taking 1 class at USC versus a full load at Stanford...you do the math
• Too many weapons for Stanford to deal with this year: Silas Redd (RB), Robert Woods (WR), and Marqise Lee (WR) will be too much to handle minus Coach Harbaugh and Andrew Luck (both are in the NFL now)
• Southern Cal wins this one by 7

(Photo courtesy of Tom Melton)

Notre Dame at Michigan State (8:00 PM)

• A perfectly timed we're kind of in the ACC press conference and oh yeah Notre Dame is on during prime time this Saturday night on ABC = Ratings Bonanza
• You saw my notes at the top, I think the officials propped Notre Dame up a little during the 2 minute drill. 
• Not saying they would not have won, but you go pop in the tape and tell me something does not smell a little fishy
• That aside both coaches are steering their teams in the right direction for sure
• MSU's defense is stout but so is ND's
• I think this one comes down to QB play + RB
• I give the edge to MSU and this is by virtue of one man - Le'Veon Bell. He's on my watch list this year. As a Junior he's approaching 2000 yards. 
• If anyone is up to the task is Manti Te'o
• Looks like an epic showdown and worthy of a primetime slot
• Take the phone off the hook for this one, because if history serves us right this one is coming down the  wire
• Could easily go either way, but Coach Dantonio, one of the best in the biz, pulls out another against The Irish
• MSU by a field goal

(Photo courtesy of Gregory Shamus)

Texas at Ole Miss (9:15 PM)

• I'm bucking the system and still calling them The Rebels
• The nation will be flipping back between this and Notre Dame and this will hold the audience for sure
• Can Coach Mack Brown get his act together?  Doubtful but he's got Manny Diaz running his Defense and he's no slouch
• Does Texas have enough to stop the Ole Miss ground game which has been electric?
• Probably
• If you were paying attention, you noticed that a Rebel defensive back, Trae Elston, was suspended for this game for a nasty goal line play to stop a touch down. I use the word nasty loosely here, as it was a potential scoring play for the opponent. People will reply with defenseless play, but I honestly thought in the heat of the moment that it was a helluva play, and he should be playing in this game. Just my 2 cents
• Decide for yourself: VIDEO
• Bo Wallace could have one helluva coming out party if they can pull this one out in Oxford
• Texas wins by 10

(Photo courtesy of www.clarionledger.com)

Week 2 - Games to Keep an Eye On

We've got one week in the bag. Michigan was destroyed by Alabama. Southern Cal, Clemson, Tennessee all put on good shows. I was extremely impressed by Le'Veon Bell (Michigan State), Andre Ellington (Clemson), Matt Barkley (Southern Cal), Tyler Bray (Tenn.), Todd Gurley (Georgia), Marcus Mariota (Oregon) and T.J. Yeldon (Alabama). They all had monster week 1 games, and it will be fun to keep an eye on them as the year progresses.

With Week 2 upon us, let's dive into the key matchups.


Miami at Kansas State (Saturday Noon)

• Miami is coming off a pretty good road win to start the season. They beat up Boston College, but the game was a little sloppy and lackluster for my taste.
• Duke Johnson is the real deal for Miami. He blew it up last week (7 carries, 135 yards & 2 TDs).
• This weekend's matchup versus K-State is a much different animal. Remember K-State beat Miami last year, and they play much better ball the Boston College
• K-State has not been shutout in over 190 games (longest streak in BIG-12)
• Look for Kansas State to have their hands full, but to win this one by a field goal with solid D and a great running attack

(Photo courtesy Al Diaz)

Auburn at Mississippi State (Saturday Noon)

• These two programs really hate each other. Last year's matchup or the year before for that matter.
• Bottom line these games are always exciting and close
• Keep both eyes on this one
• Auburn got a little roughed up against a solid and not yet 100% Clemson squad last week in the Dome. Tackling was poor and the offense was pretty vanilla.
• Miss. State is fired up for this one and Dan is looking for Win #2 and with a solid QB in Tyler Russel at the helm, I can understand why
• I see Auburn going 0-2 and loosing this one by 7

(Photo courtesy of Vince Ferrara)

 

East Carolina at South Carolina (Saturday 12:30 PM)

• Scary news out of last week's game. Conner Shaw with a deep bruise on throwing arm. Look for more of the same as he really likes to run
• Lattimore is back and after a 1st touch fumbe he reeled of 2 TDs and 110 yards
• And boy did DJ Swearinger get away with a pass interference late in the game. Vandy would have had the ball late in the game on the other side of the 50 with less than 2 minutes to play down by 4. Deep sigh of relief USC fans the SEC officials had your back.
• South Carolina should be concerned in the big picture - I don't see anyone on the edge that scares me. Maybe a WR will step up in Alshon's absence...either way they've got Lattimore and a stingy defense up front
• South Carolina will pull away around halftime and never look back

(Photo courtesy of Streeter Lecka)

Florida at Texas A&M (Saturday 3:30 PM)

• Welcome to the 2012 season and to the SEC
• A&M did not play last week, so it's a blessing and a curse
• They have plenty of time to prepare for Florida, who really has nothing to game plan against since there is no relevant game footage of them, but they could come out a little rusty due to no live reps
• Florida looked rough against Bowling Green. For a second there, I thought we were going to have an upset. Florida is very bland on offense and lacking in confidence
• Driskel is the QB but I'm not so sure if it will not take him until mid-season to hit stride behind that shaky Offensive Line. Defense is pretty good, but there are holes.
• I'm looking for A&M to make a splash and pull an upset

(Photo courtesy of Sam Greenwood)

Washington at LSU (Saturday 7:00 PM)

• LSU trotted out ex-UGA quarterback Zach Mettenberger and he looked as UGA predicted pretty darn good.
• LSU's ground game and defense picked up right where they were last year and they played and all around solid game
• Washington will have their hands full in this
• Look for LSU to win by 4 TDs

(Photo courtesy of Richard Reddman)

Nebraska at UCLA (Saturday 7:30 PM)

• Taylor Martinez lit it up against Southern Miss. You might say well its Southern Miss. 354 yards passing and 5 TDs is stout whatever you're measuring against.
• Coach Pellini has Nebraska charting towards the top in almost every statistical category and I expect them to keep it up with solid play again on Saturday and lace up UCLA
• Nebraska has a solid ground game that balances everything out with Ameer Abdullah and Rex Burkhead in the backfield
• Look for Nebraska to win by 10

Georgia at Missouri (Saturday 7:45 PM)

• This weekend's marquee game of the day as Missouri is formally introduced with an in-conference matchup against Georgia.
• This is the 5 star take the phone off the hook game of the day
• Expect a lot of UGA fans to be in attendance (with the Falcons in KC on Sunday, many are making a big football weekend out of it)
• Missouri will be pumped and Franklin is an amazing dual threat QB
• Missouri also has a stud freshman in Dorial Green-Beckham, but don't get caught looking because WR Jimmie Hunt can get it done too
• If UGA's defense is up to the task they should handle business and come home with a W
• Aaron Murray is veteran at this point, Todd Gurley made a big Freshman splash last weekend
• UGA will have to play sound defense where they keep their lanes to mitigate Franklin's running out of the pocket
• Latest from the program is Alec Ogletree, Bacarri Rambo, Chase Vasser, & Sanders Commings will not play in Saturday night's game (all starters)
• All that aside, I like GA by 10+ in this one

Week 1 - Games to Keep an Eye On

So the new season is almost here. It has been some time since we saw Bama vs LSU in the rematch game. Glad to put that one behind us. SEC vs SEC is not the way it was intended. Diminished the regular season and proves that its harder to win SEC Championship than National Championship. All that aside, we've got a new season in front of us, and we have some tasty match ups for Week 1.



South Carolina at Vandy (Thursday 7:00 PM)

• This is the Thursday night ESPN College Football season opener
• I've been really impressed with the changes going on at Vanderbilt, expect them to continue to get better and steal recruits from the competition. Coach Franklin is the real deal, and I like his fire.
• In the end South Carolina has good QB and one of the best, if not the best tailback in the country with Marcus Lattimore.
• Gamecocks win this one but its a little closer than they like.
• And be sure to catch Coach Spurrier as he heads into the locker room, its just about the best part the game.

(Photo courtesy of ESPN)

Tennessee vs NC State (Friday 7:30 PM)

• This one is in the Georgia Dome
• Tennessee dropped Da'Rick Rogers this week and lost some offensive firepower, but also cut off some of the drama & distractions - hurts up front, but probably best in the long run
• I am not overly impressed with NC State. The running backs need to step up. 
•  I expect this one to be tight, but I like Tenn to pull away late and win by 7

Boise State at Michigan State (Friday 8:00 PM)

• Michigan State at home coming off a really good season last year, combined with Boise State loosing everyone essentially of consequence this year, has me going with The Spartans in this one
• Coach Dantonio is a class act.
• Sparty by 14

Notre Dame vs Navy (Saturday 9:00 AM)

• This is being played in Dublin, Ireland and you have to give them credit, as this is a pretty cool locale for a season opener
• East Coasters get to live like West Coasters and get some College Football for breakfast - finally!
• Coach Kelly is getting The Fighting Irish pointed in the right direction.
• Look for Notre Dame to run it up, respectfully. I like The Irish by 21.

Buffalo at Georgia (Saturday Noon)

• Aaron Murray has a lot to prove in many Dawg Fans' eyes. Can he win the tight games again highly ranked opponents?
• Luckily today is not the day he has to worry about that.
• Dawgs will get to showcase the new offensive line and trot out all the tailbacks to further define the RB rotation
• Dawgs Defense should be exemplary. Coach Gratham has been the man behind the Dawgs resurgence.
• I like Georgia in this to win by 5 TDs

(Photo courtesy of Danny Bishop)

Marshall at West Virginia (Saturday Noon)

• Marshall puts a lot of importance on this game. WVU not so much, but that's because they win these games.
• Expect the trend to continue here. Coming off the bowl thrashing against Clemson the last time we saw them, I highly expect West Virginia to make a statement game.
• I like WVU by 35

Southern Miss at Nebraska (Saturday 3:30 PM)

• Coach Pelini has Nebraska heading in the right direction
• Southern Miss has the ability to sneak up on people
• I don't think they'll beat Nebraska, but I do like them to cover
• I see Nebraska winning by 14 or so

Clemson vs Auburn (Saturday 7:00 PM)

• This is one of the better southern cross-conference rivalries out there
• No love is lost between these two programs and from Dabo's crying episode the last time they met (when Clemson won), I'm sure Chizik & company have not forget and hope to make Dabo cry with a different outcome this year.
• Look for Auburn to come out gunning and Clemson will struggle to keep up minus Sammy
• Auburn by 7

Michigan vs Alabama (Saturday 8:00 PM)

• This one is being played in Cowboy Stadium
• Many wonder if Alabama is overrated this year. They did lose a lot of talent to the NFL, but that seems like every year.
• Coach Saban is stacking up talent like no other
• I'm going with the Tide until I see different on the field
• Take The Crimson Tide. I like them winning by 17

Kentucky vs Louisville (Sunday 3:30 PM)

• As far as in-state rivalries go in college football, this one is pretty tame
• It is however the best game of the Sunday College Football action
• Can Joker turn this thing around? He is experiencing a post-Coach Brooks dip
• Look for Louisville to hold serve at home this year, but not cover
• I like Louisville by 10

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (Monday 8:00 PM)

• Ahh the Labor Day ACC closer.
• You have to give props to Coach Beamer and Coach Foster. Those guys have held it together like no other.
• They face a good test on Monday night, but I like VA Tech in this one by a field goal

Week 13: Friday's Games to Keep an Eye On

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I caught the Texas @ A&M game last night, and I thought the personal foul call late in the game was ludicrous. This was a great opportunity for a no-call, and not allow the game to be determine by an unnecessary penalty. But Big XII officials have a reputation for propping up Texas and stepping in to lend them a hand. Last night was no different and it seemed like another moment in a long line of head scratchers that have benefited The Longhorns.

Hopefully the Big XII egos can be set aside and this rivalry can be salvaged. The SEC handles rivalries a bit different. No one said the teams liked each other, but we never let that get in the way of good rivalry.


ARKANSAS (#3) at LSU (#1)
A lot, rightfully so, has been made of this game. The line has LSU -12, and I think Arkansas' lack of a true road win has many skeptics of Arkansas that might catch up with them today. The last time Arkansas saw a great defense (Alabama back on Sept 24th), they got shutdown when it counted most. LSU seemes to be on a path of destiny, but The Razorbacks will have their shot today in a similar fashion to '07 game. LSU had the better squad on paper, but a motivated Arkansas team walked away with the win. Petrino's offense is the 10th best passing attack in the country, and that will account for something. Matching up against LSU and finding a crease in that defense will be tough going. They'll have to use LSU's aggressiveness against them. Expect a lot of crossing routes, pick plays, and screens. I like LSU in this one. Their defense and run game are too strong, and I seem them getting more 3rd downs converted, controlling the clock and controlling the line of scrimmage.


HOUSTON (#8) AT TULSA (#27)
This game does have some extra juice on it as the CUSA West claim is at stake. This one might be closer than many think as Tulsa has been playing tough opponents throughout the year (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise), but failing to win one. Tulsa has reeled off 7 wins in a row, and Houston has not lost a game November 27th of last year. Today just might be there day, but its highly unlikely as Case Keenum continues to astound and beat up on lesser foes.

What’s Wrong With Playing College Football on Friday Nights?

As it turns out a lot.

Oklahoma State fell to Iowa State last night, in an epic double overtime thriller. #2 in the Country, on the road, got knocked off their spot and the door has been seemingly taken off its hinges.

Let the 1-Loss Beauty Pageant begin. BCS chaos. Ratings gold, right?

Thing is last night was a Friday night.

I think we’re missing the bigger picture here.

Didn't Friday night used to stand for High School Football?

College Football on Friday night just does not sit right with me, and I’m one of the biggest college football fans around. For everything that ESPN has done to promote and accentuate college football, I believe there is an equal or lesser part where they have detracted from it, and this is Exhibit A.

In their hunt for the story and ratings and the truth, ESPN is always one of the first to stick their cameras or mics in the face of someone when there is a controversy or scandal. I’m all for the truth and getting a story out that is corroborated and backed up. But this time I’m pointing that light on them. Maybe it’s a moot point as many Americans will probably not see it my way, but bear with me for 2 seconds.

If we are trying to promote good core family values and expect people to have some moral and ethical backbone (which seems to be in question a lot these days), then should we not also give a family a simple Friday night with uninterrupted time to watch, enjoy and support their high school football program.

Imagine for a minute that you’re an Oklahoma State graduate living in Iowa. You have 2 boys playing high school football. They have big game lined up for Friday night, and guess who is in town. Your alma mater, ranked #2 in the Country. You’re torn. You’re an OK State season ticket holder and you try to never miss a game. You’ve got your boys in the playoffs, and you’ll be there supporting them. Of course, family first. But you’re taking your phone and you’re going to keep an eye on it.

With all the time in the week, I find this just flat out wrong. It sends the wrong message.

We should not even be having this conversation, but ESPN in their quest for more EVERYTHING has disrupted the beautiful balanced ecosystem that once existed coast to coast. Now in its goal for a game to be in every crevice of the week and more ratings and more money, they have left us with this seemingly unbalanced Friday night situation.

I’m all for giving Friday nights back to the kids and families, so here is my vote to take back Friday night.

With all due respect, ESPN, please back off Friday night.

Don't get me wrong, I love ESPN. I remember watching the first College Football GameDay show. I remember Herbie's first show. They have one of the best on campus and in the studio shows ever put together. I've been a supporter for years.

But in this case, I think they've gone off the tracks.

It has been said often, “It’s all about the money”. Well friends, I disagree. Sometimes it should NOT be all about the money.

This time…it should be about the kids.

WEEK 12: 3rd & Long

The season is closing in on a landmark photo finish. Despite all the talk, LSU and Oklahoma State are out in front and in the driver seat. Everyone seems to be playing out doomsday what-if scenarios, but with a couple weeks to play and the Thanksgiving weekend just around the corner, it looks like we’re coming down the stretch in style.


#1 LSU has to get past Ole Miss in The Magnolia Bowl. Fans and alums in Oxford are ready to rid themselves of the grease fire in Oxford. Houston Nutt’s squad has gone nowhere fast this year, and Nutt will not be back. While Ole Miss opponents want him stay, it’s the right move. It is astounding just how much money Houston has accumulated with people paying him to leave. Next Friday the much anticipated SEC West Showdown between Arkansas and LSU, and this game looms big for LSU. With their eye on the prize, LSU will try to stay focused and handle the task at hand. This week’s game should a good primer game, where the backups will see some good playing time.

#2 Oklahoma State has jumped out to the best record in school history. At 10-0, many are clamoring for Brandon Weeden for the Heisman and for good reasons. He’s thrown for over 3600 yards, with a 73.1% completion ratio, 31 TDs and just 9 picks. Justin Blackmon has been sensational. He’s currently #6 in the country in receiving yards (1142) and tied for 1st in receiving touchdowns (14). I have him going #2 in the upcoming NFL draft. They travel to Ames, Iowa for a Saturday night matchup against Iowa State. And don’t forget about Randle. At RB he’s currently #3 in the nation in rushing touchdowns (21). To say Oklahoma State is all revved up and hitting on all cylinders, would be the understatement of the year.

#3 Alabama hosts Georgia Southern this weekend. Holding teams to very few points and yards is the name of the Crimson Tide’s game this year. Bama has been holding opponents to just over 7 points per game and just over 181 yards per game. Georgia Southern is currently 9-1, but Saturday should be a bad day at the office for them as Alabama is hoping to win this one and have a couple chips fall their way in the coming days at the top of the BCS rankings discussion.

#4 Oregon is coming off a big-time win last weekend against Stanford. The defense was primed and ready for then-Heisman-frontrunner, Andrew Luck. Getting 2 interceptions on Luck helped keep the Cardinals at bay and secure the big conference win. As for this weekend, Southern Cal is coming to town, and despite the spread this game is shaping up to be one of the best of the weekend. The Matt Barkley to Robert Woods show will be interesting to watch against an Oregon D that Nick Aliotti has pointed in the right direction.

#5 Oklahoma has never lost to Baylor (#22) in the series history. The Sooners have won all 20 previous matchups against The Bears. Recently losing OU All-American receiver, Ryan Broyles, was a huge loss for the Sooners. Oklahoma has plenty of players, but being stopped just yards short of the Oklahoma all-time record books in reception yards is a tough pill to swallow. With that being said Robert Griffin III has never looked better. To get an idea about just how good Robert Griffin III is…74.2 completion percentage, 3093 pass yards, 29 TDs, and just 5 interceptions. Oklahoma is in the same boat as Alabama down, they have to have something happen at the top go their way.

#6 Arkansas aside from a loss to Alabama has been quietly whipping up on people this year. At 9-1 many know The Razorbacks can play with anyone. Just ask Tyler Wilson. He’s leading the SEC in passing yards (2850). He’s second in the SEC in touchdowns (18) behind Aaron Murray (27). They have a team playing sound defense and a Bobby Petrino style offense that many in the league know that is hard to stop, with very few teams out there qualified to stop them. Bama was up to the task, but many are wondering if LSU is up to it. LSU has yet to see a passing game as dynamic as the Razorbacks. Miss State has struggled this year and at .500 (for the moment), all eyes are on next week’s Arkansas-LSU annual regular season finale in The Battle for the Golden Boot. Through the years this has been one of the most interesting endings to the regular season in all the country and this year looks no different.

#7 Clemson hits to road with a game in Raleigh against NC State. Sammy Watkins is still questionable, but Clemson has its eyes on the ACC Championship game. NC State is very similar to Miss State currently at 5-5, but they are in serious jeopardy of falling below the .500 mark. Coach Swinney has this Clemson heading the right direction and all signs point to a rematch between VA Tech and Clemson. Tajh Boyd is leading the ACC in passing yards (3017) and passing touchdowns (27). Ellington and Watkins have been wonderful in moving the ball, racking up the yards and balancing the attack.

#8 VA Tech took care of business Thursday night by beating up North Carolina in a close one. UNC pulled within 3, but could not convert the onside kick. Frank Beamer holds on for his 250th win, with his 6th win in a row. David Wilson is leading the ACC in rushing yards (1442), and with this kind of production the Hokies might give Clemson a run for their money in the rematch in Charlotte.

#9 Stanford hosts Cal in “The Big Game”. I was in doubt of this Stanford team minus Coach Harbaugh for the 2011 season, and last week proved to be the tipping point. Look for Stanford at home to bounce back. Cal’s defense is…just not that good. The problem with this Stanford team is the receiving crew is…just not that good.

#10 Boise State has to be reeling from another installment of their own version of the twilight zone. With another field goal kick missed, so go their hopes at a national championship. The kick again proves costly because they will get knocked down to a less than stellar bowl game (and expect a much less glitzy bowl payout – we are talking millions of dollars difference). They should bounce back against San Diego State and dismantle the outmatched opponent.

Other notables:

#11 Houston has been scorching opponents all year and they look to set more records this weekend as they host SMU. If you like points tune into this one. The total in this one is 75.5 and look for this one to hit. Houston can drop 50 in half easy, and Houston is currently “making their case”. Case Keenum is has been blistering defenses all year. He’s currently the national leader in passing yards (3951) and passing touchdowns (37).

#14 Georgia is playing some of the best ball this squad has seen in years. The offensive and defensive lines have really come into their own, and the defense in its 2nd year in Coach Grantham’s 3-4 is getting downright stingy. Jarvis Jones is leading the SEC in sacks (10), and Bacarri Rambo is leading the SEC in interceptions (7). Highly touted freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell is the front runner for SEC Freshman of the year, and he’s had a very positive impact on the offensive balancing act. One of the greatest surprises to come out of Athens is the post-AJ Green wide receiving corps that has stepped up in a big way. They have to beat Kentucky to secure a return visit to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. The last time they were in ATL under the bright SEC lights was back in 2005, so this one has been a long time coming for Coach Mark Richt.

WEEK 10: 4th & 1

Word from Nashville is Jonathan Krause (#17) of Vanderbilt is in OK condition. He took one of the cheapest shots of the year from Marquel Wade (#1) of Arkansas. Krause is a sophomore from Snellville, Georgia, that attended South Gwinnett High School.


Hopefully, the offensive hit from Wade is something he can learn from. Hopefully, he'll learn that if repeated, he he can expect to be banned from more games. Thank goodness for strength and conditioning Coach Jason Veltkamp for getting Wade out of there. He was about to go ballistic, claiming the player had the ball. Regardless...Krause did not have the ball, and I’m pretty sure from the numerous viewings and angles, that Wade knew it too.


I'm happy to report that I am in Arkansas this weekend. Look for an epic battle. A game with implications, that I see going to The Razorbacks tonight. I can't wait to see what this banged up Carolina team has in the tank. A highly documented team that comes in tonight without (QB) Garcia, star (RB) Marcus Lattimore, their center, They are also battling some key neck injuries at safety. They have seen good performances from Shaw and Wild. One thing is for sure, (All-American) Melvin Ingram will have a ball of a game tonight. NFL scouts will in attendance just to watch him and Jadaveon.


I like Petrino in this one, as the wheel's come off The Gamecocks season.


Arkansas 35 - USC 24.


..And Now for Tuscaloosa


Between these two coaches they have an amazing 100-28 combined record. 


Miles has been in Baton Rouge for 7 years and Saban has been in Tuscaloosa for 5. The two programs have hovered near the top of the pack for years.  Both with recent titles. Both with top of the pack recruiting, coaching, facilities.


They both share excellence in preparation and execution.


Friends, we are about to witness two of the greatest coaches of the day square off. We are about to see one of the SEC's best regular season games in its entire history.


We have already hit Week 10, and the long awaited game between LSU and Alabama is finally here. If you're like me, then this was the game you were thinking about way back February - just after the signing day buzz wore off.


CBS pulled rank and moved the game from 3:30 to primetime. I can’t blame them and the game of the century (version 2) will deliver under the lights. I actually think it might be the behind-the-scenes call of the year.


LSU is talented. No doubt. Same for Bama. Both ground games will get tested, hit, hit some more and banged up. Which one is the toughest? 


Signs point to Bama, and I call it a draw (slight edge to Bama). Reason being I don't think we've seen the best game from Spencer Ware yet. I know he has many, many more amazing game in store for his career. In my opinion the same can be said for Trent. Richardson has a reputation for stepping up BIG. He's my Heisman front-runner. Which one shines the brightest tonight?


Receivers are a tougher consideration. I give a slight edge to LSU. Between the two, I feel like LSU is better playing from behind team. If LSU needed to score quick, I think LSU's receivers would step Reuben Randel is a Top 3 Receiver in the country. I can't say the same for Maiz, but I could easily reconsider.


Special teams will see a least one, if not two big special teams plays.

Both have incredible staffs. Question: How will first year Offensive Coordinator, Greg Studrawa, respond in a game of this caliber? A challenge like this will test you. Good thing he’s backed by one of the sharpest eyes in the business (Steve Kragthorpe).

Saban has been working on getting to this stage for years, relentlessly, and if you don't appreciate all the hard word that has gone into this game: long hours, blood, sweat and long nights, then, my friend, something is not right.

This is the kind of weekend, where you find out what you're made of, and I really see Bama Nation bringing a level of intensity and fan participation that will make your head spin.


Can Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide get any better? The answer is, Yes. Will this team answer the call at home to supplant LSU? Yes. 


Miles has a current edge in the series, but I think Coach Saban turns it around tonight.


Bama. At home. 8 PM. 


Alabama 21 - LSU 17

WEEK 8: 1st & Ten

1. LSU - Looks like the Tigers will be minus a few players with Auburn coming to town Saturday afternoon (3:30 CBS). Tyrann Mathieu (CB), Tharold Simon (D-back) and Spencer Ware (RB) will be sitting this one out. Don't sleep on Chizik. Will Michael Dyer (RB) and Emory Blake (WR) be enought against a stout LSU defense? Crazy enough, this could be a good thing for LSU. I see them getting in some good reps for the backups building better depth, who could very easily be starting elsewhere.

2. Alabama - Bama hosts TN Saturday night. Without Tyler Bray the Volunteers are looking very thin at QB. Look for Sims to be dismantled, and somebody better warm up the 3rd string QB. Could be a really, really long night for Dooley and company. Saban is 16-1 since October '07.

3. Oklahoma - Nation's longest home winning streak plays center stage Saturday night in Norman (39 straight home W's for Oklahoma). OU is tuning up for next week's matchup against a Kansas State team which is in the midst of a revival.

4. Oklahoma State - Noon kick in Columbia as talk of the SEC swirls. This one is on upset alert. Missouri is banged up, and Gundy has Oklahoma State out to a 6-0 start. Can they stay focused? The tigers in loosing efforts gave Oklahoma and K-State a run for their money. Weeden + All-American Blackmon = Dangerzone. Weeden is completing almost 73% of his passes with 16 TDs.
Blackmon has caught 7 of those.

5. Boise State - At home, heavy favorites. Last time Boise lost a home conference game was 1998 - that's 46 straight conference home game wins.

6. Wisconsin - 8:00 PM in East Lansing will be a sight to see. Two heavyweights in the B1G square off, and these 2 could be squaring off again for the B1G Championship Game at the end of the season. The Spartans are coming off an emotional thrashing of in-state rival, Michigan, and Coach Dantonio will have them on point for a home game against The Badgers - just without #2, William Gholston. He's the 2nd leading tackler on the team - a difference maker.  I'm just not sure how long Michigan State's defense can hold up with bone crushing style Wisconsin has been flexing all year.

7. Clemson - Clemson is some of the hottest action in the country right now. They have reeled off 7 straight wins and are enjoying being the BCS limelight. Boyd, Sammie Watkins and Ellington have absolutely been sensational. Between the 3 they have racked up 2012 passing yards & 19 TDs (Boyd), 740 rushing yards (Ellington) and 728 receiving yards & 8 TDs (Sammie Watkins).

8. Stanford - The Cardinals (6-0) host Washington (5-1) Saturday night (8:00 ABC). The Huskies remain right on Stanford's heels. Their only loss of the season came to Nebraska, and they will have thier hands full against Andrew Luck. He has 18 TDs and just 3 interceptions. With Coach Harbaugh gone and causing a stir in the NFL, one has to wonder if anyone can derail Stanford's season.

9. Arkansas - Coming off a bye week, Arkansas (5-1) heads to Oxford to face a 2-4 Ole Miss squad that is reeling. The Razorbacks will descend upon the Grove. How Ole Miss has won an SEC game this year is beyond me. They are not very good - at all. Look for Petrino to make life miserable for Coach Houston Nutt.

10. Oregon - Oregon (5-1) heads into Boulder, CO to enjoy a nice road game at Folsom Field. Too bad for Colorado - they are a grease fire. They are 1-6 this year ,and they have yet to even sniff a PAC-12 victory. Look for the trend to continue for the Buffaloes. They will be 1-7 come Saturday evening.

SEC RACE HOTTER THAN EVER

It is still early and a lot can happen, but the SEC race looks like it has slimmed down to 4 teams.

The SEC’s divisional races are ratings gold. In the latest edition of the South’s edition of "Must See TV", the SEC West race between Alabama and LSU is barreling down the tracks to November 5th in Tuscaloosa. This game will be out of hand, and no doubt be one of the best games of the year. Both have had their downs, but South Carolina and Georgia are both improving and appear to be on the upswing.


Over in the West...
LSU has been sensational. This team is playing with so much confidence, even their punter is talking trash. Les Miles has to be one of the most entertaining coaches in the history of the game. His players love him, and it is easy to see why. Tyrann Mathieu is making a claim for the Heisman and he's a cornerback, so that gives you a good indication of the talent in Baton Rouge. The QB situation has largely been a non-issue, and LSU's ground game has been solid behind Spencer Ware and Michael Floyd. Both LSU and Bama are body slamming opponents with clinical grade nasty-jaw dropping defense. Looking ahead, LSU heads to Rocky Top, then to Auburn, then has a bye week, and then Tuscaloosa.

Bama has been trotting out, quite possibly, Nick Saban’s best defense ever. They have pitched 2 shutouts they have a legit shot a pitching a couple more. Gameballs to Hightower and the entire defensive secondary at this point. The offense is clicking behind AJ McCarron, Trent Richardson, and Marquis Maze. Trent Richardson is another Heisman hopeful. He's been having a solid year. There are still some games left to play, but The Crimson Tide have to head to Oxford, then to Rocky Top, off week, then host LSU. The Crimson Tide could have a legitimate shot at another undefeated season.

Back in the East...
With South Carolina losing to Auburn back in Week 5, the door is still cracked open for Georgia to hang around. The Gamecocks, behind Conner Shaw (for the moment), look to continue the momentum they harnessed in this past weekend’s game against one the SEC’s most futile teams, Kentucky. They have to hit the road, head over to Starkville and face a damaged Mississippi State team, then an off week, then the Gamecocks go to Rocky Top, to Arkansas, and then host Florida. This could be a rocky 34 days for Carolina fans. With the offense appearing to be on the rebound this Carolina team could be tough to stop. The defense has been stellar this year. Melvin Ingram, Jadaveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore get the Carolina mid-season game balls.

As for Georgia, they have seen the ship righted on the defensive side of the ball. A few Dawgs get some mid-season game balls: Jarvis Jones, Brandon Boykin, Bacarri Rambo on the Defensive side and Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell on the offensive side. Showing tremendous upside, Todd Grantham’s defense is getting that foamy-at-the-mouth look that Georgia fans have been praying for in Athens. The offense for Georgia is showing signs of running smoothly, just not for long. As Georgia came of the second half gates and put up 14 points, they quickly popped the clutch in the second half and kept Tennessee in the game. Let’s give Tennessee credit. Injured, they have one of the best passing attacks around that is on the verge of full tilt. Isaiah Crowell and the return to a legitimate running threat at Georgia, have been the other driving forces in Georgia’s leveling off of the program. Malcolm Mitchell has stepped up in the wake of AJ Green.

Georgia heads to Vandy, then have an off week (which comes in at a big time with Crowell and Mitchell both needing to heal up), then head to The Cocktail Party, host New Mexico State, host Auburn, host Kentucky, and finish the season in Atlanata against GA Tech. The regular season finale has nothing to do with the SEC race, but watching GA Tech's ground game, against Georgia's increasingly stingy defense will be a fun one indeed.

Odds are muddy on Coach Richt bringing home the "W" from Jacksonville and running the table AND The Gamecocks dropping another SEC game, maybe Arkansas on the road. Who knows?

Both SEC matchups are equally interesting to keep an eye one. One matchup, The West, is a race between 2 thoroughbreds. The Dysfunctional SEC East is going to really show us what the 2 teams trying to find their way really have in them. Who wants it?

Look for Garcia to get thrown back into the fire before this one is done and on a big stage.

This is surely going to be fun watch pan out.

WEEK 5 PREVIEW

As we head into October and the second month of the 2011 college football season, there are a handful of games that you really just can’t miss this weekend. Conference standings are starting to shape up, and the pretenders are being exposed. Who had Clemson undefeated midday on October 1st? They travel to a very tough Blacksburg, VA, and many are tuning in for the Tajh Boyd – Sammie Watkins show. And there’s one thing for sure The Swamp will be off the charts Saturday night with Alabama in town as two undefeated SEC teams face off.

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas will be the site for the Texas A&M (#14) – Arkansas (#18) matchup. The Aggies will have to put last week’s devastating loss to Oklahoma State out of their mind. Last week Oklahoma State just had more in the tank down the stretch. Great coaching shows and it rose to the top just before halftime and out of the second half gates. And Oklahoma State showed in the 3rd quater how to get it done. A&M went into the half up 20-3 only to see the most unbelievable 3rd quarter imaginable where they gave up 21 points and scored none themselves, the Aggies will have to learn the lessons and just flush the bad from memory. Arkansas is in the same boat coming off a tough loss to Alabama. This should be a good early October test determining who can bounce back and who continues to fall from grace. A&M’s ground game has the edge here, but don’t ever count out Bobby Petrino’s passing attack. I’m positive The Razorbacks came away from Tuscaloosa with a number of things to work on during this week's practices.


Mississippi State at Georgia will be another noon kickoff where we’ll find out who this Georgia team really is. Georgia is currently favored by a touchdown. Last week’s win on the road in Oxford was a largely unimpressive win. The kicking game specialized in missing and the offense should have blown out the Rebels. In a game where the backups should have played almost the entire 4th quarter and received some solid reps (working toward the future), the starters were in late trying to hang on to the lead. Sure the Georgia Defense is showing some great progress and picking it up big time, gravitating towards the upper half of the SEC’s Defensive elite. But it is hard to miss - UGA's red zone offense is pathetic. For a team with tons of tight end talent you would think Mike Bobo would bring out the big boys down in the red zone and punch in for a couple TDs with Crowell or play action to some wide open sure handed tagets. So for Georgia: expect the unexpected. In a season where many were pumped for Miss. State it’s hard for State fans to come to grips with an 0-2 SEC start. Question: Can Georgia plug the middle and keep State off the edge? Question: Can Coach Bobo stop popping the clutch and let this offense just turn it loose? If not, it’s going to be another tough pill to swallow in A-town.



It’s a big day for football in the state of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (#10) host Auburn, and this will be a great barometer as Clemson took care of business beating Auburn at home back in week 3. South Carolina is currently favored by 10, but things are not all good in Columbia. The dysfunction is rising up and boiling over. Spurrier’s headset is taking a beating and his visor is in tatters. Thank goodness he has Lattimore and one of the most exciting defenses around to carry the load. That combination is tough to beat despite Garcia’s bumbling. Look for the Gamecocks to expose Auburn this year. Both teams have yet to lose an SEC match, but something has got to give. Queue up Sandstorm and look for Lattimore on the national stage to really make his mark for the Heisman.


Clemson (#13) at Virginia Tech is a big time cross divisional ACC clash. These two teams could easily be seeing each other again, squaring off in Charlotte for the December 3rd ACC Championship game. Bud Foster has no doubt been watching countless hours of new on the scene Chad Morris and Clemson’s revved up offense. Coach Morris is the right fit for Clemson at Offensive Coordinator, and his offensive scheming is the breath of fresh air that this team needed. Virginia Tech is favored by 7, but I’m just not seeing it. VA Tech has struggled this year – just pop in the tape of the East Carolina game, and I like Clemson’s run defense. Look for Dabo and company to keep the Boyd-Watkins-Ellington-Hopkins show rolling. Bottom line, there are too many Clemson weapons for Virginia Tech to stop them all. Plus I see Logan Thomas having trouble on 3rd and long situations, but Blacksburg...at night. Look for a really close one.


Alabama #3 travels to The Swamp to square off against #12 Florida. This is far and away the marquee game of the day. Coach Will Muschamp has this Florida squad back on track and he’s playing to his team's strengths. The run game is on point again, and the defense is playing really, really good. The Florida defense only gave up 36 points for the entire month of September. On the other side, you’ve got Alabama, who has been playing great defense with a solid run game, and a fairly unproven passing game. The Crimson Tide only surrendered 32 points in December. The matchups to watch in this one are Florida’s run game against The Tide D, and Florida’s QB play from John Brantley against The Tide secondary. And finally how will AJ MacCarron perform on 3rd and long situations? Because, to me, it is clear that Alabama’s Offense has not seen a defense all year with this kind of prowess.


Another primetime game of the night is the Nebraska (#8) at Wisconsin (#7) game. Good luck getting a ticket to this one. Two of the best rushing programs in the country square off in this new found Big 1G rivalry. Both teams have laid waste to their competition. A cross divisional game, all chips will be on the table come Saturday night. Look for Taylor Martinez to take a beating against the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin has only given up 34 points in the month of September, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at regardless of who you’re playing. These guys are BCS grade. I expect Wisconsin to get into the red zone behind the Russell Wilson - Montee Ball – James White ground game, and punch in TDs in the redzone via the tight ends. Look for a close one early, but Wisonsin to pull away late.

WEEK 3: REVIEW

With another weekend in the books, the 2011 College Football picture is beginning to take shape. We saw Oklahoma go on the road and take down FSU in Tallahassee. We found out just how big and strong this Oklahoma team is. West Virginia had a late interception against a driving Maryland team to seal the victory, and Marcus Lattimore proves again that he’s the real deal. If he keeps this up, he’s going to give the voters something to think about this December, and watch out for Florida. They have quickly turned things around down in Gainesville.




Thursday Night Was an SEC West Clash

LSU (#3) travelled to Starville, MS and held Mississippi State (#25) to just 193 total yards. LSU outgained MSU’s rushing attack 148 yards versus 52. To say that LSU’s defense stepped up would be a huge understatement. With John Chavis at the help, this LSU defense is clearly one of the best in the land. The forced a couple MSU fumbles and managed to disrupt MSU the entire game. At the end of the day LSU was just too much, and Spencer Ware (22 carries, 107 yards) showed that he’s got what it takes. LSU wins a big SEC West road test and stays in the national title discussion. LSU 19 – MSU 6.



Friday Night Was No Surprise

Boise State (#4) whipped up on Toledo. Kellen Moore had 455 and 5 TDs on a decent team from the MAC. Toledo was no match for The Broncos who put up 610 yards. Boise marched up and down the field all night. Boise’s defense was solid which forced 2 turnovers. Kellen Moore was 32-42 Boise State 40 – Toledo 15.



Saturday Took Down the Defending National Champ



Auburn (#21) was in Death Valley for a noon kick, and they were out to a 14-0 lead against Clemson to end the first quarter. It was all downhill from there. Auburn’s luck ran out, as a fired up Clemson squad showcased some of the newer talent in the ACC. Auburn’s defense was, shall we say, exposed. Tajh Boyd went 30-42, 386 yards, and 4 TDs, and he takes the QB Game Ball for the weekend. Sammy Watkins blew it up. He had 7 carries, 44 yards and 10 receptions for 155 yards and 2 TDs. With about 9:30 to in the 4th, Auburn is down 24-38, Auburn is driving. It’s 2nd and Goal and QB Barrett Trotter, with awful mechanics, gets picked off by Coty Sensabaugh (CB) to seal it. Clemson racked up 624 yards on the day. Auburn 24 – Clemson 38.



West Virginia (#18) at Maryland – WVU got up early in this one, and held off Maryland who was driving late for the go ahead score. Geno Smith had an OK day, with 1 TD and 1 interception (this kind of performance will not fly against LSU in week 4). Denny O’Brian had some questionable throws into coverage that resulted in picks. Davin Meggett in a losing effort was spectacular with 19 carries, 113 yards and 1 TD. WVU 37 – Maryland 31.



Michigan State (#15) at Notre Dame – Brian Kelly and company got their first win. It took the friendly confines of Notre Dame stadium, and Cierre Wood putting up 2 big TDs in additional to a dandy of a special teams play by George Atkinson to get out in front. It was MSU 10 – Notre Dame 21 at the half, and Notre Dame never looked back. MSU 13 – Notre Dame 31.



Tennessee at Florida (#16) – I got to be honest with you. I’m impressed with Florida. Muschamp and this turn it loose defense have The Gators quickly back in the SEC East discussions. Chris Rainey did what he does best. He ran for a yards and TDs. He had 233 total yards, a TD, and a blocked punt. Tennessee just could not get it done against Florida’s stout defense. They had -9 yards rushing on the day (Ouch). Tennessee 23 – Florida 33.



Navy at South Carolina (#10) - If Gamecock fans tell you they were not sweating bullets in this one, they’re lying. They had their hands full with Navy all day. Carolina was stacking the box to stop the option, and if Navy connects on a couple of those play action passes, this one easily goes the other way. Ultimately they hung on and advanced. Thank goodness for Marcus Lattimore. He had 37 carries, 246 whopping yards and 3 TDs, and he gets my RB Game Ball for the weekend. If he keeps this up, he belongs at the top of the Heisman discussions. Navy 21 – South Carolina 24.



Ohio State (#17) at Miami -  Ohio State is a grease fire. Al Golden took care of business at home. I really expected for Ohio State to bring something to the table, but I was wrong. Ohio State was out of position, missing tackles, and their secondary was atrocious. Miami looked good and got up by 14 early. Lamar Miller is a speedy fellow. He had 26 carries for 184 yards. Keep him on your must watch list. Ohio State 6 – Miami 24.



Oklahoma (#1) at Florida State (#5) – This was a heavy weight matchup down in Tallahassee, and the bigger stronger team prevailed. Every time I looked up someone from FSU was getting hurt and carted off the field. In what many expected to be a physical matchup, this one did not disappoint. Landry Jones overcame 2 interceptions, and Oklahoma pulls out the win with clutch receivers like Stills and Broyles. EJ Manuel was injured and Trickett had to step in. He brought FSU back and tied it up at 13-13 midway thru the 4th. But Oklahoma does what great teams to, come right back and counter punch with a TD and an interception to seal it. Oklahoma improves to 6-1 all-time against FSU. Oklahoma 23 - FSU 13.


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