Week 13: Early Thanksgiving Edition

LSU @ Arkansas (Friday, 1:30, CBS)- What a terrible game. Arkansas fans only have to endure this misery one more time. And then the coaching search begin. Which, in my opinion, is worse than a 4-8 season. I'm taking LSU in a blowout.

Georgia Tech @ Georgia (11:00, ESPN)- This game probably won't be exciting for either fan base. Georgia Tech is way outmatched but the Bulldogs might be caught looking ahead to next week's SEC Championship game. I'll take Georgia, in a very "Mark Richt" type game.

Kentucky @ Tennessee (11:21, SEC Network)- Your weekly edition of "Who Cares In The SEC'. Houston Nutt's reign as "last coach in the SEC to go 0-8" will be short lived as both these teams are 0-7 in the SEC. Tennessee finally finds a way to get a win, but seriously, who cares?

Auburn @ Alabama (2:30, CBS)- PAWWWWWLLLLL, IF BAMA DON'T WIN BY 50, DO THEY SUCK?? I THINK THEY DO. 

Florida @ Florida State (2:30, ABC)- A very exciting match up in a rivalry that has so much history. Florida has been struggling as of late against inferior competition. I think Florida State has a very SEC style defense, which will give them an edge. The QB play is also much better with the Seminoles. All these factors plus home field, put Florida State in position to win and maybe somehow sneak in the National Championship.

Vanderbilt @ Wake Forest (2:30, ESPNU)- All you need to know is Vanderbilt is going for their 8th win. Wow. And they win get it. Touche James Franklin...Touche.

Missouri @ Texas A&M (6:00)- Johnny Manziel has one last chance to perform for his Heisman. Because of that, I expect him to show out. Mizzou doesn't have the defense to stop him. And with James Franklin still not at full health, this thing could get ugly. Texas A&M in a blow out.

South Carolina @ Clemson (6:00, ESPN)- Because Clemson thinks this is finally their year, and probably have better talent, I completely expect Clemson to blow it. These are the kind situations the Ole Ball Coach thrives in. I'll take South Carolina in a heart breaker.

Mississippi State @ Ole Miss (6:00, ESPNU)- Finally after years of boring, the Egg Bowl has meaning. So many dynamics will play out through this game. Will Ole Miss become bowl eligible? Will Mississippi State get into a better bowl? Will Hugh Freeze finally learn how to win a game? Will all Dan Mullen's mouthing off finally come back to bite him? WILL SOMEONE WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP?? 

This is an intriguing matchup on paper. Both offenses are electric and can put up all kinds of numbers. Both defenses are struggling. Ole Miss has lost 3 absolutely heart breaking games. Do they have what it takes to find one more fight in them and scratch their way to the Liberty Bowl? Mississippi State is just as hard to read. They have lost to 3 teams with a combined record of 28-4 and all ranked in the top 10. Their 8 wins are against teams with a combined record of 34-53. Are they good or are they successful as a by product of their schedule?

I think this will be a high scoring game but played with a lot of emotion. When 19, 20 and 21 year olds play with a ton of emotion, mistakes will happen. It's a matter of who can keep those mistakes (turnovers, penalties, missed assignments, etc.) to a minimum. I think Ole Miss is 300% better than they were last year, I just don't think they have learned to win yet. I'll take Mississippi State in a very exciting Egg Bowl.

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

Week 9: 3-3

Week 10: 6-2

Week 11: 4-3

Week 12: 10-1

Overall: 82-19 (81%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Michigan @ Ohio State (11:00, ABC)
• Oregon @ Oregon State (2:00, Pac-12 Network)
• Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma (2:30, ESPN)
• Stanford @ UCLA (5:30, FOX)
• Notre Dame @ USC (7:00, ABC)

I'll leave you with this: Last saturday provided us with one of the best days EVER in the history of college football. We were reminded how special this sport really is. But this picture also reminds us of the raw emotions we put into our teams. When the lose, especially a big game, we hurt with them. It's what makes this game so much fun.

UTTER CHAOS

14. Kentucky- Glad to see the Wildcats get Joker one more win before he leaves town.

13. Auburn- Auburn won. That is the only analysis I care to give on this game.

12. Tennessee- It's my rule to not make of a team that has fired their coach...but this is really really hard.

11. Arkansas- As bad as you think Arkansas is, THEY ARE WORSE IN PERSON. Turnovers were their demise, 5 to be exact. You can't win in the SEC doing that.

10. Missouri- What a Missouri thing to do. To win their biggest game of the year then turn around and LOSE TO SYRACUSE. The Tigers better learn how to perform week after week if they wanna succeed in the SEC in years to come.

9. Ole Miss- How the Rebels keep losing these games is baffling. Think about this: Ole Miss SHOULD, not could but SHOULD, be 8-3 with 2 wins over top 10 teams. Instead they continue to choke these games away and sit at 5-6 fighting for a bowl birth in their last game of the season. Hugh Freeze is a master win it comes to Xs and Os, but he has to learn how to win. That is the name of the game.

8. Vanderbilt- The Commodores are getting hot at the right time. This has been a wonderful season for James Franklin and his gang. Any time you have a chance to win 8 games at Vandy is a stellar year.

7. Mississippi State- A tale of to halves for the bulldogs. The first half they came out and looked lazy, but give credit where credit is due, the coaches went in at halftime, made adjustments and they came out and reminded us all why they were 7-0 at one point in time. Russell looked like a top tier QB, just being effective and most importantly, not making any mistakes.

6. South Carolina- The Gamecocks struggled against Wofford. I have no analysis, because this doesn't deserve my attention.

5. Texas A&M- Johnny Manziel can't kick extra points :(

4. Florida- Florida is sitting back waiting on a perfect storm to brew, and they make the National Champioship. This is why I love SEC football.

3. LSU- For those of you who haven't seen it:

2. Georgia- Georgia probably benefitted as much from Saturday's chaos as much as anybody. Win out, and they play for a National Championship.

1. Alabama- PAAAAAWWWWWLLLL, WHY IS NOTRE DAME STILL RANKED AHEAD OF THE TIDE?!?!? THEY PLAY SISSY FOOTABLL. ROLL DAMN TIDE.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Kenjon Barner

4. Braxton Miller

3. Johnny Manziel

2. Manti Te'O

1. Colin Klein

My Top 10

10. Stanford

9. Texas A&M

8. Florida State

7. Kansas State

6. Florida

5. LSU

4. Oregon

3. Georgia

2. Notre Dame

1. Alabama

Week 12

Arkansas @ Mississippi State (11:21, SEC Network)- This game has "pretty boring" written all over it. This is senior day for the bulldogs and the hogs quit 7 weeks ago. I expect a lot of offense in this with home field bringing Mississippi State through. If the Dawgs can get some defensive stops early, this might be a blow out.

Western Carolina @ Alabama (11:21, SEC Network)- Western Carolina might die. I am not trying to be funny. People really might die.

Jacksonville State @ Florida (12:00, PPV)- On paper this should be a no brainer, but we all remember how lucky the Gators got last week. And they are playing with a back up QB. I still expect Florida to win, but I also think we might be laughing at them again.

Wofford @ South Carolina (12:00, PPV)- South Carolina in a routing.

Georgia Southern @ Georgia (12:30, PPV)- Georgia in a routing, however I expect many Mark Richt things to happen in this game.

Alabama A&M @ Auburn (1:00, PPV)- Let's have some fun with this at Auburn's expense. ALABAMA A&M WILL WIN. No, not really but it's fun to think about. I'm sure Auburn is ready to play this game with Alabama looming next week.

Ole Miss @ LSU (2:30, CBS)- For some reason, in recent history, the Rebels seem to thrive in Death Valley. Now that is clearly because the Tigers have no respect for Ole Miss, and the last few years, rightfully so. But this year Ole Miss comes in with a offense that can score, but can't stop anybody. If Ole Miss can win the turnover battle, this might be a game, but even then, I think the chances of the Tigers going down is very very small. LSU by 3 touchdowns.

Sam Houston State @ Texas A&M (2:30, PPV)- Coming off such an emotional high last week at Alabama, I expect to Aggies to play sloppy. But that will be plenty. With Johnny Football making a late Heisman push, I expect them to showcase him and get him some really gaudy stats.

Tennessee @ Vanderbilt (6:00, ESPN2)- You're weekly edition of "Who Cares In The SEC". I think this is actually a pretty evenly matched game, but Tennessee has more play makers on offense. I mean they have to win 1 SEC game, right? Well I think this is it.

Syracuse @ Missouri (6:00, ESPNU)- Coming off a huge win at Tennessee, I expect Missouri to do something stupid like lose to Syracuse. What an awful week in SEC football.

Samford @ Kentucky (6:30, CSS)- I couldn't think of a game I care less about in all the college football season. I expect Kentucky to win and send their coach the right way.

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

Week 9: 3-3

Week 10: 6-2

Week 11: 4-3

Overall: 72-18 (80%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• USC @ UCLA (2:05, FOX)
• Wake Forest @ Notre Dame (2:30, NBC)
• Oklahoma @ West Virginia (6:00, FOX)
• Kansas State @ Baylor (7:00, ESPN)
• Stanford @ Oregon (7:00, ABC)

I'll leave you with this: A picture to remind us all what the 2012 Auburn football has meant to all of us and their fans.

A Special Interview w/ Scott Stricklin and Ross Bjork

We, as Southerners, are passionate about sports, particularly football. As this blog progresses, I want to convey my opinions and relay the opinions of other important figures in college athletics. For this special entry, I hoped to find someone that could discuss sports and relate to those interested in the blog. It was obvious who I had to get: the Athletic Director at Ole Miss or Mississippi State. I was pleasantly surprised when both Ross Bjork and Scott Stricklin agreed to be a part of Blame the Kicker.

1) Where did your love of sports stem from? Have you always had a passion to do this?

Ross Bjork: I played and watched sports all my life from an early age and wanted to be a coach.  It was the only avenue to work in sports that I knew of.  From there I was fortunate enough to play college football at Emporia State and found out there were other avenues to work in sports.  I started volunteering in the athletics department at Emporia St. and gaining experience doing internships.  The passion to give back to collegiate athletes keeps me going every day.

Scott Stricklin: I grew up in Jackson and became a huge sports fan early in life. My older brother and I would play (football, basketball, baseball) in the backyard constantly. I consumed the Clarion-Ledger sports page every day and watched any sporting event that came on TV (this was before ESPN, so having a game on TV was periodic enough that there wasn't oversaturation). As I got older and was able to attend college football and basketball games, it solidified my interest and led me to a desire to work in athletics. 

2) What are some of the challenges you face being an athletic director in what most consider to be the greatest conference in the nation, the SEC?

Ross Bjork: Managing expectations of our fans and constituents in the best athletics conference in the nation.  In our ever changing landscape, we must continue to move our program ahead at the right pace while also understanding the context of the competition.   Funding, NCAA legislation, student-athlete welfare, and campus relationships are all challenges we face every day.

Scott Stricklin: The SEC is both a benefit and a challenge. Our student-athletes compete against the very best athletes in all of college athletics, which allows us to attract quality young people. But competing in this league is also a grind that you have to be mentally and physically prepared for. This league provides great revenue sharing opportunities, which is key because it takes significant resources for our programs to win consistently in the SEC.

3) Why do you think southerns are so passionate about their sports, especially college football?

Ross Bjork: Its been part of the lifestyle for southerners for multiple generations.  The passion of our fans has been developed on great football and great traditions – therefore its been passed down from one generation to the next.  It’s the best environment in all of college athletics.

Scott Stricklin: Great question. I think it stems from Southerners sense of regional pride, which you could probably trace back to the Civil War. Southerners like to win, and we like to share in the success of our region, states and athletic teams. SEC schools work like crazy to beat each other's brains in, but then throw complete support behind one another when facing a non-conference opponent. It's a cool dynamic. 

4) What has this football season, with so much success, meant to you personally?

Ross Bjork: We have made tremendous improvement this season based on what Coach Freeze inherited and the climate that I walked into.  Our charge was to build confidence back into our fan base and the Ole Miss family.  In addition, we have had to change the mindset of our team and the culture around the football program.  My satisfaction has been for the players – they deserve all the success they have achieved to date and I am proud they have bought into this new culture that Coach Freeze has implemented.  For me personally, I love to see our fans start to have confidence again and understand that we can and will make it happen.

Scott Stricklin: I'm happy for our athletes, coaches, students and alumni when our teams have the kind of success our football team has had this year. So many people give of their time, talents and resources to help our athletic department be successful, so it's rewarding when their commitment leads to winning. 

5) With the Egg Bowl coming in just a few weeks, what does that game mean to you?

Ross Bjork: I have been around some great rivalries working in college athletics.  Missouri and Kansas.  UCLA and Southern California.  Miami and Florida State. 

However, the passion we described earlier, takes the Ole Miss – Mississippi State rivalry to a whole new level for me.  It will be a great week to see everyone talk about the game and see this passion around the state.  Should be a great week with lots at stake for both programs.

Scott Stricklin: Growing up in Mississippi, the Egg Bowl has obvious significance to me. I've attended over 20 Egg Bowls (which is a pretty high total considering I spent 15 years working at colleges outside of Mississippi) so I understand the passion and intensity that the game produces. When you win, it makes for a fun holiday and bowl season and gives you important momentum heading into the offseason.

I want to say thanks again  to both Scott and Ross for their time. Hope you all enjoyed. See you Friday.

I Have No Idea What's Going On Anymore

14. Kentucky- Still not going to pick on a coach who has been fired...

13. Auburn- LOLOLOLOL

12. Tennessee- Well this game did it. Dooley has been digging his grave for a long time, but Saturday, he finally jumped into that grave and assured his fate. To lose to Missouri is unacceptable, but to lose the way he did with bone headed coached, is unforgivable and will lead him to unemployment next year.

11. Arkansas- This team is just outmatched week in and week out. It truly is sad to watch.

10. Missouri- Congrats to Missouri for catching the Vols at the perfect time. Now give credit where credit is due, the Tigers did a wonderful job coming back after being down 14 in the 4th quarter. But this win was as a result of a complete melt down by Derek Dooley and his staff. But congrats on their 2nd and last SEC win this season.

9. Ole Miss- I have no explanation for why this team continues to do this. All the Rebels have to do is find a way to win against an inferior team AND THEY ARE BOWL ELIGIBLE. But instead they squander a lead, let Vandy hang around, and blow it. Now the Rebs have to either go into Death Valley and win (hahahahaha) or beat the Bulldogs, something they haven't done since 2008. Now I'm not saying it's impossible, but this was their chance.

8. Vanderbilt- A good road SEC win, but this thing was handed to them. But I will say, James Franklin continues to impress. And a win is a win.

7. Mississippi State- First we'll go with the good: the offense. The Bulldog's offense finally came back to life Saturday against a very good LSU defense. Now the bad: the defense. They looked TERRIBLE. And what has to be frustrating for Bulldog fans, is knowing they have so much talent. The team just can't get pressure on any QB. And that is very problematic going into the last two weeks facing two very electric offenses and QBs. While 9-3 is very much a possibility, so is 7-5.

6. Florida- Pathetic and lucky. That's what the Gators were on Saturday.

5. South Carolina- They beat a team they should have, and looked good doing it. Typical Steve Spurrier style. Look poised to get that double digit win total for the 2nd year in a row.

4. Texas A&M- I mean all you can say is WOW. Coach of the year. Player of the year. Give it to them all. The Aggies came into Bryant Denney, with no fear, no reservation and a PERFECT game plan. This team is scary right now. And with their offense getting all this praise, we are forgetting how well their defense looks right now. I could go on and on with praise for this team, but I'm sure you've heard enough. I am now a believer.

3. LSU- It was very impressive to see the Tigers out and play with a lot of heart after such a demoralizing loss just a week ago. It seems as if Mettennburger has finally found some rhythm and is picking defenses apart with an incredibly strong arm. And while the defense struggled at times, they make the plays when they have to. Love him or hate him, Les Miles is one of the best in the business.

2. Georgia- The Bulldogs played Auburn, therefore we learned absolutely nothing new about this team. Except for, with an Alabama loss, they are right back in the hunt for National Championship, BUT I BET MARK RICHT FINDS A WAY TO SCREW THIS UP.

1. Alabama- This was the perfect storm for the Tide. Coming off an emotional win at LSU and running into a red hot Aggie team. Not even a Nick Saban lead team could work they're way out of a 20-0 hole. Now with all that said and walking away with a loss, I still think Alabama is the best team in the SEC and the best team in the nation.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Braxton Miller

4. Johnny Manziel 

3. Manti Te'O

2. Kenjon Barner

1. Colin Klein

My Top 10

10. Clemson

9. Texas A&M

8. Florida State

7. South Carolina

6. LSU 

5. Notre Dame

4. Georgia

3. Alabama

2. Oregon

1. Kansas State

Week 11

Arkansas @ South Carlina (11:00, CBS)- Not a great matchup, considering Arkansas quit 6 weeks ago. But the Ole Ball Coach has his team poised for back to back double digit win seasons for the first time in school history. South Carolina in a route.

Missouri @ Tennessee (11:21, SEC Network)- Your weekly edition of "Who Cares In The SEC"!!! Tennessee wins, but seriously, who cares?

ULL @ Florida (11:21, SEC Network)- Homecoming is mighty late for the gators. Should be a beat down if they've woken up from their pathetic performance last week.

Texas A&M @ Alabama (2:30, CBS)- Really the only game with any kind of substance in the SEC lineup this week. So many dynamics make this an intriguing game. Alabama is come off one of the most emotional wins in recent college football history. Can they get up to do it again, 2 weeks in a row? Well luckily they have the best coach in college football that doesn't allow let downs. On the other side of the ball, can Johnny Football continue to gash defenses in a way that is remarkable to watch? One columnist put it like this and I thought it was beautiful: "This will be a game of tag...and Alabama doesn't lose in the game of tag." Should be an exciting game, but the Tide roll yet again.

Mississippi State @ LSU (6:00, ESPN)- Two teams with identical records, but that's really the only similarity. The Tigers have 2 very respectable losses and truly thought they had the #1 in the nation, knocked off last week. The Bulldogs have 2 losses against 2 great teams, but the way in which they lost is very troubling. The defense has disappeared, and beyond Tyler Russell and Laderius Perkins, the offense is struggling as well. Death Valley is not the place to find yourself when you are struggling. I think this will be a sloppy game, with the best home field advantage in college football putting the Tigers on top.

Georgia @ Auburn (6:00, ESPN2)- A win for Georgia will wrap up the SEC East. So congrats to the Bulldogs. You'll win the East and be the team that gets Chizik fired. Thank you!!

Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss (6:00, ESPNU)- Two rebuilt programs under two great new coaches. I'm very excited to see how these 2 teams respond now that this game has some meaning. I just don't think Vanderbilt has the defense to stop this very electric offense by the Rebels. I'll take Ole Miss at home, gaining their bowl eligibility.

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

Week 9: 3-3

Week 10: 6-2

Overall: 68-15 (82%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Oregon State @ Stanford (2:00, FOX)
• Kansas State @ TCU (6:00, FOX)
• Oregon @ California (9:30, ABC)

I'll leave you with this: As a passionate sports fan, I think there is absolutely no place for cheating on the field. This man should be fired and never be allowed to coach again. The man is scum and defines everything that is wrong with college football coaches.

Man, I Love College Football

14. Kentucky- Well I am done picking on the Wildcats. They finally made the tough decision to fire Joker Philips. I just am not the kind of person to kick a man while he is down. What a long year it has been.

13. Auburn- Now Gene Chizik hasn't been fired yet so I can still make fun of him!!! But they won. Still Awful though.

12. Arkansas- Hahaha they beat Tulsa by 4 points. I seriously can not say enough bad things about the bottom of the SEC.

11. Tennessee- Seriously, I can't believe how bad these 4 teams are.

10. Missouri- Where has this kind of performance been all year? Finally the Tigers showed signs of life. If they continue to play like this the final 3 weeks of the year they will find their way into a bowl their first year in the SEC.

9. Vanderbilt- While any Vanderbilt win is a good win, let's not get too excited over beating Kentucky. Still looking good for a bowl game.

8. Ole Miss- The first quarter of this ball game, the Rebels offense showed us what they are capable of. Unfortunately, the last three quarters, their defense showed us what they could be as well. The Rebels are slowly but surely getting there, but in the SEC, that is always a rough process.

7. Mississippi State- What an embarrassing performance from top to bottom. This loss seems to lay squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. They seemed so ill prepared. They had no idea what to do on defense, and just absolutely atrocious play calling on the offensive side of the ball. If the bulldogs don't wake up, not only is 7-5 a giant possibility, it's probably a reality.

6. Texas A&M- Any other conference in America, Kevin Summlin would have to be coach of the year. It's unbelievable the things he is doing with this team. And Johnny Football is really really fun to watch in person.

5. South Carolina- The Gamecocks were off, so naturally Steve Spurrier played golf the entire time, not thinking one thing about football.

4. Florida- Understandable why the Gators came out flat after such a demoralizing loss, but this was pretty embarrassing. The gators need to realize they don't need to give up. They are still in the SEC East hunt and more importantly in line for the Sugar Bowl.

3. Georgia- The Bulldogs looked like they came out to play the Ole Miss of old, but little did they know the Rebels were gonna come out swinging. After they woke up, they then looked like one of the best teams in the nation. Just keep winning and the East is theirs.

2. LSU- Finally the Tigers played how we thought they were capable of. What an electric performance. They played good enough to win, however their coach let them down. That is the harsh reality of the situation.

1. Alabama- #1. Undisputed. Poised for National Championship #15. It's beautiful to watch.

Heisman List (Week 3)

5. Braxton Miller

4. Jarvis Jones 

3. Manti Te'O

2. A.J. McCaron

1. Colin Klein

My Top 10

10. Florida State

9. Louisville

8. South Carolina

7. Florida

6. Notre Dame 

5. LSU

4. Georgia

3. Oregon

2. Kansas State

1. Alabama

Week 10

Texas A&M @ Mississippi State (ESPN, 11:00)- A very intriguing matchup against two teams that many people believe are overachieving at this point in the season. This game hinges around one player, and that player is Johnny Football. This kid is electric, and teams haven't found a way to stop him, only slow him down. The Bulldogs defensive line has struggled with getting pressure on any QB it has faced this year, and if that trend continues, this could be a long day for Mississippi State. However if they keep him in check, I believe the offense can put some points on the board. Home field is gonna play a major role in Saturday's game, and what I believe to the determining factor. The Bulldogs find their winning ways again.

Against the Spread: Mississippi State (+7)

Missouri @ Florida (ESPN2, 11:00)- Poor Missouri...

Against the Spread: Florida (-17)

Vanderbilt @ Kentucky (ESPNU, 11:00)- Your weekly addition of "who cares in the SEC"!!! Again involving Kentucky!!! What a terrible terrible game to think about. Vanderbilt wins, but seriously, who cares?

Against the Spread: Vanderbilt (-7)

Troy @ Tennessee (FSN, 11:00)- HAHAHA it's like the SEC didn't even care this week. Tennessee, but they will struggle, which will make this even harder to watch.

Against the Spread: Troy (+18)

Tulsa @ Arkansas (SEC Network, 11:21)- Ok this is comical how terrible the week is. Arkansas. But let me assure you I did ZERO research for this game.

Against the Spread: Arkansas (-9)

New Mexico State @Auburn (CSS, 11:30)- Are you kidding me?!?! The only thing intriguing about this game is I am picking New Mexico State. Think about that.

Against the Spread: New Mexico State (+22.5)

Ole Miss @ Georgia (CBS, 2:30)- Hey look a game I care about, so let's get back serious. What an exciting match up for both teams, for different reasons. Ole Miss is just trying to continue to prove people wrong and Georgia is trying to win the East. I think both teams have great play at the QB position which means the game will come down to the defenses. And while Hugh Freeze has sold me as a offensive guru, they still struggle big time on the defensive side of the ball. With that and the fact their in Athens forces me to pick the Dawgs. But let me assure, Ole Miss will earn more respect than they lose this game.

Against the Spread: Ole Miss (+14)

Alabama @ LSU (CBS, 7:00)- This game continues to be the most anticipated matchup in the SEC year after year. Now let me first say this, I am excited to watch this game. But I'm gonna go against the grain and say this thing is gonna be one sided. Ok, the Tigers defense is a great unit and playing in Death Valley on a November Saturday night will be awesome, but if you haven't seen Alabama play this year, get ready. They move the ball efficiently behind the best offensive line in the SEC, probably the nation, so they will score. LSU's offense is AWFUL. So match that up against the best defense in the nation, I just don't see where the points will come from. I'm not saying this will be a blow out by any means, but Alabama will once again prove they are #1 on their way to a 15th National Championship.

Against the Spread: Alabama (-8)

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

Week 9: 3-3

Overall: 62-13 (83%)

Other Games I'm Excited About

• Texas @ Texas Tech (2:30, ABC)
• Oregon @ USC (6:00, FOX)
• Oklahoma State @ Kansas State (7:00, ABC)

I'll leave you with this: Week after week, CBS televises nationally, the best SEC game of the week. The broadcasting crew of Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson might be the best in college football. Last week in Jacksonville, the crew got to enjoy a nice meal together, where this little jewel was taken. Look how truly happy Uncle Verne is.