Things Starting To Shape Out

14. Kentucky- I have no more input on this team, probably the rest of the year, unless they win another game.

13. Auburn- Just wow. This team continues to embarrass it's fans week after week. Gene Chizik might be unemployed for many years to come. Who would touch him after such a pathetic job with this team?

12. Arkansas- Another embarrassing performance by a team that has no defense. I wonder if Bobby Petrino feels bad?

11. Missouri- Congrats to the Tigers on their first (and last) SEC win. Not a lot to brag about here but good for them, I guess.

10. Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt beat UMass, which means I could care less and have no desire to put any effort into figuring out how they play.

9. Tennessee- The Vols finally showed a pulse this week, only to throw the game away (literally) at the end of the game. Poor Dooley. I just can't put my finger on what is holding this team back. A real mystery. With the right coach, this team can succeed, no doubt. 

8. Ole Miss- Hugh Freeze has this team 1 win away from bowl eligibility. That is really all that needs to be said. Just an amazing job by him and his staff coming in and making these kids believe. If he can somehow find someone to come in and build a defense (which is still absolutely atrocious) they may can find some sustained success.

7. Texas A&M- Ohhhh Johnny Football. This kid is fun to watch. Not enough good things can be said about how great of a job Kevin Summlin is doing. And with the defense seeming to improve, look out SEC.

6. Mississippi State- Well the Bulldogs finally met their match. They went into a situation and allowed the enormity to overtake them. They were outmatched physically and they were outcoached, which is a recipe for disaster on the road. Now with that said, step back and look at this thing with some perspective. You know who else Alabama is gonna do this to? EVERYONE!!! Now I know you play to win the game, and believe me, I'm disappointed. But this team still has a genuine shot at a 9-10 win season. Enjoy it while you can.

5. South Carolina- Before I say anything about the game I need to say this. I was absolutely heartbroken and sickened to watch the injury to Marcus Lattimore. Such a wonderful athlete, and from what his teammates and coaches say, a wonderful man. I wish him the best of luck in his recovery. 

With that said, I think this game was close because of the injury. The wind was taken out of the sails of the Gamecocks after Marcus went down. I hope this team can rally around him and come out strong and finish the season for him.

4. Florida- The Gators chose the wrong game to choke. They made several uncharacteristic mistakes throughout they game. Which gave us this: 

3. Georgia- The best Game the Bulldogs have played all year. They saved it for a good time. With this win, they now control their own destiny in the SEC East. And with the only SEC games remaining against Ole Miss and Auburn, you couldn't hand pick an easier setup. They did something saturday against Florida that no team has done all year, they forced the Gators to make mistakes. If this team continues to play at this level, they will go 11-1 and no easy out in the SEC championship game.

2. LSU- The Tigers were off, but I assume Les Miles did some really cool stuff.

1. Alabama- I've watched a lot of football in my life, and I can say, with out a doubt, this is the best college football team I have seen play live. (And I've seen the last 6 National Champs play) Fundamentally they are perfect. I've never seen anything like it. Sit back and enjoy what Nick Saban is doing, one day we will look back at him as the greatest college football coach of all time.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Braxton Miller

4. Jarvis Jones 

3. A.J. McCaron

2. Manti Te'O

1. Colin Klein

My Top 10

10. Louisville

9. Florida State

8. South Carolina

7. Florida

6. Georgia 

5. LSU

4. Notre Dame

3. Kansas State

2. Oregon

1. Alabama

Week 9

Kentucky @ Missouri (11:00, ESPNU)- In another addition of "who cares in the SEC" we get a match up of 2 teams that are struggling. Luckily for Mizzou they final get an SEC opponent that isn't 100x better talent wise. I will assume no one outside of the families of the players will watch or care about this game. Home field will give the Tigers a slight advantage and ultimately win them the game.
Against The Spread: Kentucky (+13.5)

Tennessee @ South Carolina (11:00, ESPN)- This game is very very intriguing to me. Most think this is a complete mismatch and ultimately the last straw to break in Derek Dooley's employment. But both teams are coming off 2 demoralizing losses, and the Vols have so much more to play for. The USC defense that at one time looked like the best in the nation, has struggled the last few weeks. now with that said, I think the Gamecocks will pull away with a victory, but look for this game to be much closer than the experts think.
Against The Spread: Tennessee (+14)

Ole Miss @ Arkansas (11:21, SEC Network)- If you want offense, HERE'S YOUR GAME. Both teams are coming off a bye week, which always benefits the offense more than defense. Arkansas seemed to find somewhat of a rhythm going into the break, but still look horrendous on defense. Same recipe for Ole Miss. Should be a high scoring and the only edge I see is, not only are the Hogs at home, but they're in Little Rock which always seems to bring out the best in the Hogs.
Against The Spread: Arkansas (-6)

Florida @ Georgia (2:30, CBS)- What a cool match up this is. The 2 will meet up in Jacksonville with the East on the line. This (outside of Bama/LSU next week) has potential to be the defensive matchup of the year. And if that's the case, you have to take which offense you think is better, right? NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!! I've learned this year to not bet against Will Muschamp. What an incredible job he has done. Florida to once again solidify their spot at #2 in the nation.
Against The Spread: Georgia (+6.5)

Texas A&M @ Auburn (6:00, ESPNU)- Another nail in Gene Chizik's coffin. This is getting really really ugly. I expect a blowout.
Against The Spread: Texas A&M (-15)

UMass @ Vanderbilt (6:00, FSN)- Vandy will be just 2 more wins away from bowl eligibility. Wow. Amazing job by James Franklin.
Against The Spread: UMass (+32.5)

Mississippi State @ Alabama (7:40, ESPN)- Being so emotionally wrapped up in this game I felt it wouldn't be fair for me to pick. So instead here are my keys to victory for both teams:

Mississippi State

• Protect the ball.
• Run the ball effectively.
• Play sound special teams.
• Don't give up the big play.
• Pressure the QB and force him to make a mistake.
• Don't let the enormity of the stage overcome you.

Alabama

• Stay out of 3rd and long.
• Create turnovers.
• Take Tyler Russell out of his comfort zone and make him throw the ball quick.
• Play Nick Saban, mistake free fooball.

Against The Spread: Mississippi State (+24)

My Record For Predicting SEC Games

Week 1: 10-1

Week 2: 9-2

Week 3: 10-2

Week 4: 9-1

Week 5: 6-0

Week 6: 3-3

Week 7: 6-1

Week 8: 6-0

Overall: 59-10 (86%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Texas Tech @ Kansas State (2:30, FOX)
• USC @ Arizona (2:30, ABC)
• Notre Dame @ Oklahoma (7:00, ABC)

I'll leave you with this: This Texas season has been just awful. And here is a picture of exactly how Mac Brown feels to this point. HOOK EM' HORNS!!

A Special Interview With @edsbs

When I started writing Blame The Kicker, I really didn't know how people would take to it. But the response thus far has been so cool. It's simply been a dumb man's opinion about the greatest sport there is. So I want to thank all of you that have read it at some point or even to those that haven't read it but told me you have. Many of you have asked me what made me want to do something like this. Well complete boredom lead to this. As well as inspiration from other bloggers. Probably the most influential person out there was a blogger/ tweeter that goes by the name of @edsbs. If you even remotely like sports, and are not following him on twitter, stop what you are doing and go follow him right now. So this past week, I decided to try to contact him. So I got on his blog and found his contact information. Turns out Spencer Hall is the man behind it all. So I emailed him, not really planning on hearing anything back because he is such a busy man. Well within an hour he had returned my email that asked him to do a short interview with me. And this is what we got. The man is a brilliant writer as well as hilarious, so I hope you all enjoy.

Rob: What Lead you to the profession? How did you get where you are today?

Spencer: Complete randomness led me here. I was underemployed and didn't fit in on regular message boards, so I inadvertently made my own. I was terrible at it, but kept doing it. Timing mattered a lot: I did this in 2005 when very few people were doing it. Today I doubt that would be the same situation, but I lucked out. That's a big part of it, and no matter how untalented or talented you may be luck and randomness is always a huge part of it.

The rest was doing the same thing every day and not doing the same thing every day all at the same time. I'd try to write every day, and yet not write the same way every day. 

Rob: What you do at EDSBD and SB Nation, in my opinion, is the most informing/ funniest thing going in college football. Is it fun for you? Or is it like any other job?

Spencer: It's fun for me, though the management element is like any management. It's necessary, and it will make you rip your own teeth out at things like "how disorganized you are as a person," and "why can't other people read the brilliant and unspoken thoughts in my head on their own." As always, the only real disappointments I have are with myself in this department, not the people I work with.

Rob: In your opinion, why are Americans, and more specifically southerns,  so passionate about college football?

Spencer: The answer is pretty simple: market demand and supply. Pro football didn't have a team in the South, so the college teams filled that demand. Unlike NFL teams, those teams had the built-in branding of being from someplace distinctive, and thus could forever be far more distinct from one another (to the local, at least) than pro teams ever could.

Rob: I know you did a story on the Mississippi State football program this past spring. And as a lifelong resident of Mississippi, I realize we are for the most part irrelevant to the rest of the nation. How do you personally perceive Mississippi State and it's football program?

Spencer: Mississippi State is its mascot: undersized compared to larger dogs, cursed by basic genetics a lot of the time, and often unable to catch up with its short legs and breathing issues. Yet, in the right circumstances, it can take a leg or a hand off if you're not careful. Underestimated and overachieving: that's Miss State for much of its history.

Rob: Halfway though the season the Bulldogs are 7-0, but the argument is they haven't played anyone. Assuming you have watched them multiple times this year, are they legit? Can Dan Mullen compete year in and year out in such a tough conference?

Spencer: I've watched probably three full games, and they are legit, particularly on defense. The offense doesn't have anyone who will pop the eyeballs, but they don't turn it over, move the ball efficiently, and run better than you might think on first glance. If real is "competitive, and with breaks could beat Alabama?" then they are real. But you need a lot of breaks to do that, and zero injuries at key positions.


I want to thank Spencer again for taking time out of his busy life to chat with me. Seriously, go follow him on Twitter right now. See you guys Friday.

Mass Confusion

14. Kentucky- Finally saw a little life against Georgia, but it's all too little too late. Joker is counting down the weeks until unemployment. Now it's a matter of pride for these kids. As hard as it is to watch, it's the nature of the beast that is the SEC.

13. Auburn- And the farewell tour for Gene Chizik has official begun. He is exactly who we thought he was when he was initially hired, and that is a fraud. The job he has done this year is unacceptable. The man should be fired and never be given an opportunity to be a head coach again.

12. Arkansas- The Hogs were off, but I bet John L. Smith filed for bankruptcy again.

11. Missouri- The Tigers were off. I wonder if Gary Pinkle has quit crying yet. S-E-C!!

10. Tennessee- The Vols looked good in spurts, but just couldn't find any kind of rhythm against the #1 team in the nation. The Defense just can't seem to get any big stops. The seat of Derek Dooley is getting really really hot.

9. Ole Miss- EVEN DURING THE OFF WEEK, PARTIES WERE STILL WON.

8. Vanderbilt- Impressive win for Commodores. I continue to be impressed by job James Franklin is doing with Vandy. They took charge of the game and made a weak/demoralized Auburn team pay. Vandy's goal of making a bowl is in sight and can most definitely be obtained.

7. Texas A&M- No doubt about it, the Aggies had this game in hand, it was theirs to win, and they blew. That's life in the SEC. Johnny Manziel, who was somewhat effective, was mostly brought back down to earth by a swarming fast defense. A&M still, in my opinion is overachieving and making great strides under first year head coach Kevin Sumlin.

6. Georgia- What an embarrassment this Georgia team has been of late. To go to arguably the worst team in recent SEC history and struggle to win late is the most Mark Richt thing we've seen this year. Their "high powered" offense was held in check by a Kentucky defense that has struggled all year and is littered with freshman. Georgia better wake up, or once again a Mark Richt team will vastly underachieve.

5. South Carolina- The Gamecocks shot themselves in the foot the first play from scrimmage and then seemed to do it the entire game. Very uncharacteristic of a Steve Spurrier coached team. This two week stretch was gonna define the Gamecocks season, and they failed to come away with either victory. A lot of things need to happen now for them to have a shot at the East.

4. Mississippi State- Yet another uninspired 1st half performance, which is very discouraging. To only have 12 guaranteed games a year, you should come out fighting and hungry every game. With that said, the Bulldogs showed how good they could be in the 2nd half. A balanced attack with contributions from a number of players. Tyler Russell continues to impress, protecting the ball (for the most part). If the defense can find a way to get a pass rush these last few weeks, this really might be a special year.

3. LSU- Les Miles continues to just find a way. With zero offense, and a subpar defensive effort, the Tigers find a way and escape with a W. A lot of thing need to happen to have a chance to compete for the West, but LSU isn't going anywhere, especially with that kind of defense.

2. Florida- The Gators continue to impress me more and more. This defense is for real. Not enough good things can be said about the job Will Muschamp has done. They have just enough offense to keep them in every game, and a QB that simply manages the game. They 100% deserve to be the #2 team in the nation. Barring some serious craziness it seems that they might have played their way back to Atlanta.

1. Alabama- Just a another solid performance, solidifying their spot atop college football. To go to Knoxville, and shut down such a prolific offense is a thing of beauty. A.J. McCarron might be the best QB Saban has had in his short tenure, which is a scary thought. This team is fun to watch and Nick Saban is the elite coach of our time.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. A.J. McCarron

4. Matt Barkley

3. Braxton Miller

2. Manti Te'O

1. Colin Klein

My Top 10

10. Florida State

9. Oklahoma

8. Oregon State

7. Ohio State

6. Notre Dame 

5. LSU

4. Kansas State

3. Florida

2. Oregon

1. Alabama

Week 8

LSU @ Texas A&M (11:00, ESPN)- Time to finally see if "Johnny football" is for real. The kid has been incredible in his freshman campaign, but to be fair he really hasn't played a defense with a pulse since Florida came to College Station to beat them. And this is arguably the best defense in the nation. LSU is looking to regain it's credibility after stumbling 2 weeks ago. They will once again regain their identity and run all over the Aggies. I look for an exciting game, but the Tiger will just be too much.
Against the spread: LSU (-3)

Auburn @ Vanderbilt (11:21, SEC Network)- HAHAHAHA Auburn is an underdog to Vandy. I want that to sink in with you all for just a second...

I look for this game to be incredibly sloppy. But being at home is the only advantage I see to sway me one way or the other. That and the fact Auburn doesn't have a QB worthy of starting on a intramural flag football team. Vandy to win, putting the first of many nails in Gene Chizik's coffin.
Against the Spread: Vanderbilt (-6.5)

South Carolina @ Florida (2:30, CBS)- Oh what a matchup. The ole ball coach returning home. The Gators ready to prove they're for real. Everything about this game is exciting. Expect a defensive battle the whole game. The only edge I see is the fact Marcus Lattimore will not start and may not even play due to injury. If this is the case, the Gamecocks have little to no chance. Florida to defend home field and once again remind the nation they are legit.
Against the Spread: Florida (-3.5)

Alabama @ Tennessee (6:00, ESPN)- I would give any amount of money to be in the room when the first idiot reporter asks a question to Nick Saban regarding the rumors that the Cleveland Brown are actively pursuing him as their next head coach. I'm taking Bama in a route. Poor Derek Dooley...
Against the Spread: Alabama (-20)

Georgia @ Kentucky (6:00, FSN)- More people in the state of Kentucky cared about the first preseason basketball ranking coming out Wednesday than care about this game. Georgia is ready to get back on track, so this one could get really really ugly.
Against the Spread: Georgia (-26)

Middle Tennessee @ Mississippi State (6:00, ESPN2)- Coming off a huge program win for the Bulldogs, is this set up to be a trap game? Well I believe both yes and no. The Bulldogs seem to be hungry but have also shown a problem with getting up for these types of games. I expect the Bulldogs to try and dominate the game on the ground, giving the OL confidence going into next week. Although it might not be as pretty as some will want it, the Dawgs walk away 7-0.
Against the Spread: Mississippi State (-19)

My Record For Predicting SEC Games

Week 1: 10-1

Week 2: 9-2

Week 3: 10-2

Week 4: 9-1

Week 5: 6-0

Week 6: 3-3

Week 7: 6-1

Overall: 53-10 (84%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Stanford @ California (2:00, FOX)
• BYU @ Notre Dame (2:30, NBC)
• Texas Tech @ TCU (2:30, ABC/ESPN)
• Kansas State @ West Virginia (6:00, FOX)

I'll leave you with this: Last week, one of the best guys in the business of sports Scott Van Pelt, interviewed Les Miles in his office. It was revealed that these were the chairs in that office. A GROWN MAN WITH THESE CHAIRS. NEVER CHANGE LES, PLEASE NEVER CHANGE.

Things are starting to get heated.

14. Kentucky- Things are becoming increasingly sadder for the Wildcats. I really believe they will not win another game. The biggest question looming around this football team is who will they hire next year as their new head coach.

13. Auburn- This coaching job is simply unacceptable. I don't know that there has been a bigger drop off in the history of college football after winning a National Championship just 2 years ago. Karma is the only thing that can explain such performance.

12. Arkansas- Nothing like giving your team a little confidence with a game against Kentucky. The Hogs finally looked like we thought they would coming into this season. If teams aren't careful, Arkansas might play spoiler by year's end.

11. Missouri- So how you kids liking the SEC so far? This was a tall order to beat the #1 team in the nation, coming off a bye week with Nick Saban running the ship, without their starting QB. Missouri is learning very quickly that undersized linemen in the SEC just don't work.

10. Vanderbilt- This team seems to be competitive every game they play at home. Unfortunately that gets you no where in the SEC. Still very impressed with the coaching job James Franklin has done, but they are still a few playmakers away from being a serious threat.

9. Ole Miss- Probably the biggest turn around for an offense I've seen in a long long time. This team can put up points, and put them up fast. Bo Wallace can make things happen in a big way. If he can learn to quit throwing interceptions, the Rebels might can play spoiler this year in several games. The defense still has a long ways to go, but this team is on track to make a bowl, which was unthinkable at the beginning of the season.

8. Tennessee- This team was taken out of rhythm from the beginning drive and just never seemed to recover. The offensive side of the ball is littered with talent, but somehow, it seemed that they were never on the field enough to find that rhythm. Tyler Bray was held to his lowest passing total this year. And while he didn't make any giant mistakes, he seemed to be frustrated all night. Derek Dooley's seat, that was hot walking into this game, is getting scalding hot. He may not survive October.

7. Texas A&M- Winning is really all that matters at the end of the day, but this game was a huge let down in my opinion. To be up 21-0 with an offense that seemed to be able to score at will, and then struggle to stay alive in the final seconds is completely unacceptable. Johnny Manziel is slowly becoming the most electrifying player to watch in the SEC. The kid can play, and he's only a freshman. We'll see if this type of sloppy play comes back to bite them when they play a higher level of competition.

6. Mississippi State- It was time for the Bulldogs to put up or shut up. And they answered the call with an absolutely electrifying performance on the offensive side of the ball. Tyler Russell once again put up solid numbers while protecting the ball. He's managing the game exactly how Dan Mullen needs him to. And then, in true Mississippi State fashion, the "bend-don't-break" defense makes a huge play just when they needed it, via Jonathon Banks, to take away any momentum that Tennessee was starting to find. Half way through the season the Bulldogs are undefeated, tied for 1st in the SEC West and at #12 in the BCS poll. There is plenty of reason for excitement in Starkville.

5. Georgia- The Bulldogs were off this week, but I assume Mark Richt made some terrible decisions.

4. South Carolina- The Gamecocks ran into Death Valley and came out limping. What this team seemed to be the best at, run-defense, was taken advantage of and gashed for big runs all day. Death Valley really is a place where championship dreams go to die, as Les Miles claimed. The ole ball coach just couldn't find enough offense to get over the hump.

3. LSU- The Tigers reminded the nation that they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. And that they still might have the best defense in the nation. They put it to South Carolina, hitting them in the mouth and daring the Gamecocks to try and turn it into a physical game. That is a game you can not win against LSU especially when they are in Death Valley.

2. Florida- A classic hangover game coming off a big win, but the Gators walk away from Nashville with a win, which is all that matters. This defense continues to impress. In fact they have been so impressive the BCS has them at #2 in the nation. The Gators are back and might just be for real.

1. Alabama- This team is head and shoulders above any other team in the nation. And still, Nick Saban hates everything...

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Jedeveon Clowney

4. Braxton Miller  

3. Manti Te'O

2. Colin Klein

1. Geno Smith

My Top 10

10. Oregon State

9. Ohio State

8. Georgia

7. Notre Dame

6. South Carolina 

5. LSU

4. Kansas State

3. Florida

2. Oregon

1. Alabama

Week 7

I typed out a beautiful blog for week 7, and just as I went to publish it, it vanished. I then proceeded to throw my computer in anger. So instead of redoing it because I have no time, I'm just gonna pick the winners. Sorry to disappoint you all. (I realize no one is actually disappointed)

Auburn @ Ole Miss (11:21, SEC Network)- Ole Miss

Alabama @ Missouri (2:30, CBS)- Alabama

Florida @ Vanderbilt (5:00, ESPNU)- Florida

Kentucky @ Arkansas (6:00, FSN)- Arkansas but who cares!!!

South Carolina @ LSU (7:00, ESPN)- South Carolina

Tennessee @ Mississippi State (8:00, ESPN2)- Mississippi State. Time to put up or shut up...

Texas A&M @ Louisiana Tech (8:15, ESPNU)- Texas A&M

My Record For Predicting SEC Games

Week 1: 10-1

Week 2: 9-2

Week 3: 10-2

Week 4: 9-1

Week 5: 6-0

Week 6: 3-3

Overall: 47-9 (84%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Texas vs. Oklahoma (11:00, ABC)
• West Virginia @ Texas Tech (2:30, ABC)
• Stanford @ Notre Dame (2:30, NBC)
• USC @ Washington (6:00, FOX)

I'll leave you with this: A part of football season that we all cherish close to our hearts is waking up and watching College Gameday. Now the crew has given us some memorable moments, but this past saturday in Columbia, SC, we were given what might just be the greatest picture of all time.

This Is Why We Love College Football

14. Kentucky- Seeing this team play live, I can tell you things are much worse than originally thought. The score against the bulldogs did not reflect how one sided of a game this was. Joker Philips is a sitting duck, which is absolutely no fun to watch. It's sad to see a half empty stadium in the SEC and those who are there were unenthusiastic, just counting down the days until basketball season. This thing has no signs of getting better before years end.

13. Auburn- This is comical at this point, and it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people. Chizik looks completely lost on the field. They have no QB, they have no team unity and most importantly they seem to not care. I think no matter what happens, Gene has one more year, but if he isn't careful, he might be unemployed come December.

12. Arkansas- Oh just when you think this year couldn't get any weird, John L. Smith files for bankruptcy and in the same week takes his Hogs on the road in the SEC and gets a win. I have no input on how or why, just please enjoy him while you can. The man is crazy.

11. Missouri- This is unexcusable. To not be prepared for a team you are clearly better than at home is absurd. Welcome to the SEC...again.

10. Vanderbilt- James Franklin is still a good coach and he reminded everyone of that Saturday. To take a team that was struggling on the road and steal a win in the SEC is very impressive. They can right this ship and sneak into a bowl.

9. Ole Miss- Heartbreaking. That is the only word that comes to mind. To force 6 turnovers, dominate for 60 minutes and walk away with a loss is just silly. This loss lays squarely on the shoulders of Hugh Freeze. Which leads me to some advice for the coach. If your QB is 6'6", and you need half an inch for a first down, put him under center AND SNEAK THE BALL!!! I'm interested to see if they can recover from this loss. This is the kind of thing that can alter a season in a very very bad way.

8. Texas A&M- It says a lot about a team to never give up, even when things don't look good. The Aggies are very lucky to get out of Oxford with the W, but they did. Johnny Football is one of the most electric players in the SEC to watch. The kid makes plays. I'm starting to think this team is much better than we first expected. If they can find a way to patch up the defensive secondary, they could be dangerous down the stretch.

7. Tennessee- The Vols were off this week, but I bet Dooley did something to make more people hate them.

6. Mississippi State- The bulldogs still looked unenthusiastic at some points during the game, but make no mistake about it, they dominated from beginning to end. Tyler Russell once again looked very sharp and seemed to find somewhat of a rhythm. Offensive line still looked shaky, but when you play a defense that has completely sold out on stopping the run, that is to be expected. Now that the Bulldogs have slept-walked to 5-0 start, it's time to wake up and to see if these guys are for real going into the heart of the schedule.

5. Georgia- Simply embarrassing. Georgia just looked completely overmatched in every facet of the game, from beginning to end. Aaron Murray seems to have no idea how to perform in a big game. It's all just puzzling. Mark Richt seems to let this happen all too often. Georgia better regroup quickly and not let this ruin their season. They are too talented not to.

4. LSU- It's a shame that a defense as talented as the Tiger's has ZERO offense to compliment. Mettenburger looks lost on every snap, as well does his offensive line. No one is stepping up to be a play maker. Something better change and change quickly, because this schedule is about to get brutal.

3. Florida- The Gators might just be back. They played typical Will Muschamp style football: hit you in the mouth over and over again. With a defensive effort like they had saturday, you allow your young offense to do just enough to set you up with success. Look out SEC East, Florida is ready to be back to the glory days.

2. South Carolina- What a dominating performance. For the first time all season, the Gamecocks looked truly inspired and just beat the hell out of Georgia in every area of the game. This defense impresses me more and more each week. Clowney, in my opinion, is the best defensive player in the nation. You can't stop the kid. And what is really scary, the offense, which had looked mediocre all year, looked explosive. If this trend continues, the Gamecocks are set up for a date in Atlanta in December.

1. Alabama- The Tide had an off week. Now I have no idea what Nick Saban did, but I imagine he was miserable the whole time.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Braxton Miller

4. Manti Te'O  

3. De'Anthony Thomas

2. Colin Klein

1. Geno Smith

My Top 10

10. Georgia

9. Ohio State

8. Notre Dame

7. LSU

6. Kansas State

5. Florida

4. West Virginia 

3. South Carolina

2. Oregon

1. Alabama

Week 6

Arkansas @ Auburn (11:00, ESPN2)- The game of WHO CARES!!! Now who would have ever thought going into this season that this game would have absolutely no meaning? However Arkansas's situation is much worse than Auburn's. I actually see Auburn winning handily. They can't blow anybody out because they have no offense. So glad I will be in Lexington so I don't have to watch this.

Mississippi State @ Kentucky (11:21, SEC Network)- I will be attending this game. I'll assume Mississippi State will have somewhere around 2,000 fans there and that we will be much louder than any Kentucky fan. If the Dawgs have woken up after a terrible 2 week stretch leading into the bye week, then this should be a route. I'll take the Dawgs in another sloppy, but solid win.

LSU @ Florida (2:30, CBS)- What an exciting game. Probably the first SEC game that I have been truly excited about. So many questions surround LSU. Is the defense up to par? Is Mettenburger a true SEC QB? Is the offensive line any good? Well this week we will find all that out against the somewhat overachieving Gators team. I look for this to be a good old fashioned defensive battle. It's hard to bet against Florida in the Swamp, but I look for the Mad Hatter to wake up his team and find a way, in a low scoring game.

Texas A&M @ Ole Miss (6:00, ESPNU)- If you wanna see a lot of scoring and NO defense this will be the game you wanna watch. 2 teams that are surprising a lot of people around the country are set to meet in Oxford and score ALL THE POINTS. I still think Ole Miss's struggles on defense will keep them from being able to get over the jump. But look for this game to be really really close.

Georgia @ South Carolina (6:00, ESPN)- Fun to watch the 2 front runners of the East go at it. Both teams were caught looking ahead last week, and both struggled. But I expect this to be one of the best games all year. 2 of the best defenses in the nation, both complimented with average to good offenses. This game will come down which QB makes fewer mistakes. Home field is the ONLY separator I see in this match up. South Carolina and the ole ball coach, in a close game.

Vanderbilt @ Missouri (6:00, FSN)- Time for Mizzou to get their first SEC win. However it won't be easy. Vandy is ready to show everyone that aren't a laughing stock anymore. But being at home give the Tigers a sizable advantage. Also look for there to be major confusion with the name James Franklin given that both the Mizzou QB and the Vandy coach share that name. I look for Mizzou to pull away in the 2nd half.

My Record For Predicting SEC Games

Week 1: 10-1

Week 2: 9-2

Week 3: 10-2

Week 4: 9-1
Week 5: 6-0

Overall: 44-6 (88%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Arizona @ Stanford (2:00, FOX)
• Oklahoma @ Texas Tech (2:30, ESPN2 or ABC)
• West Virginia @ Texas (6:00, FOX)
• Nebraska @ Ohio State (7:00, ABC)
• Washington @ Oregon (9:30, ESPN)

I'll leave you with this: after their loss to Georgia, someone snapped this picture of Derek Dooley. This look completely sums up their season thus far.

More Question Than Answers

14. Kentucky- Well Kentucky comes out in the first half and starts taking it to South Carolina with a true freshman at quarterback. They looked how they haven't all year...good. And just as they are about to take it in to score again right before the half, THEY REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE KENTUCKY AND SOMEHOW DON'T SCORE. THEN PROCEED TO GIVE UP 31 STRAIGHT POINTS. They may not win another game this year.

13. Arkansas- I want to congratulate the Hogs on dropping the ranks of glory more than any team in my lifetime. They quit 3 weeks ago and things aren't getting better. However, this couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.

12. Vanderbilt- Being off might be the only thing that boosts the Commodores in the rankings.

11. Auburn- (see what was written for Vanderbilt)

10. Ole Miss- If you're into moral victories than this was a great game!! If you aren't a loser and care about championships (real ones, not ones made up by Dan Mullen), than this was bad. The quarterback play by the Rebs was the worst we've seen all year. If Bo Wallace's shoulder doesn't get well quick then things could get ugly. Now what the Rebels did was respectable, but to go in and play your best game exciting your fan base and STILL lose by double digits, it might be a long year.

9. Texas A&M- Manziel showed us something this weekend, but let's be honest, anyone should put these kind of numbers up against Arkansas. But this is their first SEC win and good for them. Now the road gets tough. Good luck...

8. Missouri- If you go back and read Friday's blog, this is exactly how I predicted the Tigers would perform. This is life in the SEC.

7. Tennessee- Now let's make no mistake about the Vols from this past weekend, Tennessee was in the game ONLY because Georgia allowed them to be. Through this month of October, Dooley will certainly be coaching for his job, which is sad (BUT REALLY FUN) to watch.

6. Mississippi State- DAN MULLEN WON A WING EATING COMPETITION DURING HIS OFF WEEK. #THIS #IS #OUR #STATE

5. Florida- I don't know what Will Muschamp did with his week off but I like this picture.

4. South Carolina- I love when the Gamecocks play just bad enough to get a classic Steve Spurrier halftime interview. South Carolina looked very suspect in the first half. Any other team in the SEC would have taken advantage and destroyed SC. The O-line has to get better if they want any kind of success from here on out.

3. LSU- I have no input on this team that will explain the struggles the Tigers are having. Honestly stumped on this LSU team.

2. Georgia- Well I said Mark Richt would be the only thing to get in the way of the Dawgs success, and boy did he try Saturday. This was the 7th highest scoring SEC game of all time. (!!!!!!) For a defense as stout as Georgia's has claimed to be, to give those kinds of numbers up to an offense led by Tyler Bray is unacceptable. Maybe they were caught looking ahead, in which case they were very fortunate to come away with a win.

1. Alabama- I want to apologize to you all who read the blog consistently for suggesting that A.J. McCaaron might be a Heisman candidate, because he is far from it. The offense looked terrible, the defense looked terrible and the crowd didn't care. This is recipe for Nick Saban to win the National Championship. No coach in America forces his team to learn from games like this better than Coach Saban. I fully expect this to be the game we look back on at the end of the season that boosted them into a 15th Championship.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Collin Klein

4. Geno Smith 

3. Geno Smith 

2. Geno Smith

1. Geno Smith

My Top 10

10. Florida

9. Kansas State

8. Texas

7. South Carolina

6. Florida State

5. LSU

4. West Virginia 

3. Georgia

2. Oregon

1. Alabama