SEC Chick

LSU vs Alabama Take 2

2011-12-12T13:28:00.001-06:00

This blog post is not meant to debate whether or not there should be a rematch for the BCS National Championship. It's already set, and whether you or I like it or not it will be a rematch. My purpose in this post is simply to give you a little bit of info on why I think it will still be a great game. While LSU did win the first meeting by a field goal, I personally believe Alabama will win the National Championship. I'll give you a few reasons why.

Statistically during the first meeting Alabama had a slight edge over LSU. Alabama garnered about 60 more yards than LSU did, as well as getting more 1st downs and 3rd down conversions. This kicking teams and coaching strategy were the deciding factors in this game.

Another reason why I think Alabama has an edge is because the burden lies on LSU to prove themselves. Alabama has already lost once, so they really have nothing to lose as far as pride goes. Bobby Bowden has said himself that it is much more difficult to get a team that has already won once motivated to play in a rematch.

The last reason I expect Alabama to win is Trent Richardson. Trent is a proven workhorse. His low rushing stat from the first game will, I believe, prove to be an amazing motivator for him. I think he'll go at least over 100 yards.

I'm probably as excited about this rematch as anyone. I don't get super excited about the flashy, score every five minutes kind of games. I love to see two teams battle it out on the field. This game will be a true smash mouth battle. Hard hitting football with two strong defenses is something I love to see. There's no doubt that we will get that in this game. I can't wait.

It's Game Week!

2011-08-29T10:16:00.007-05:00

Game Week is finally here! College football is back with a couple of must see games this weekend. All of us are looking forward to seeing how our teams actually look on the field after months of speculation. The two most anticipated games of this week in the SEC will be Oregon vs. LSU and Boise State vs. Georgia. Comparatively the other SEC schools have easy openers. It's very possible that we could have a complete SEC sweep this week. The two questionable games for me are the ones that most fans are excited to see. Well, I'm back in full force this season so here goes...my picks for SEC Week 1.

Mississippi State vs. Memphis (Thursday, 9/1/2011 @ 7PM CT on FSN)

Mississippi State goes into Memphis having to leave their signature cowbells at home, but this is one game that I don't think they'll need them. Chris Relf at QB came on strong towards the end of last season. Relf along with RB Vick Ballard gives Mississippi a competitive running game. If the Bulldogs can improve their passing game they should do well this season. With a strong ground defense Mississippi State should be able to handle this Memphis team easily.

Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky (Thursday, 9/1/2011 @ 8:15PM CT on ESPNU)

There could be a different Newton making news this season in the SEC. Morgan Newton is taking over the helm at QB this season for Kentucky. Reports are that Newton looks very good in practice, and his confidence has been growing. Western Kentucky comes in off of a struggling season to face an up and coming Kentucky football program. I think Kentucky will win big this week.

Auburn vs. Utah State (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 11AM CT on ESPN2)

Utah State comes in with a decent team to face a very young Auburn team. It will be interesting to see a completely different Auburn offense without Cam Newton doing everything, much like Florida was after Tim Tebow left. While Utah State is no push over team giving the Sooners a run for their money and defeating BYU last season, I don't expect them to be able to pull off this one. Auburn has a very strong advantage when they play at home. I think it will be a good game, but I think the home team advantage wins this game for the tigers.

Alabama vs. Kent State (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 11:21AM CT on the SEC Network)

Alabama will open up the season with the QB question looming in the air. It's very possible that they could go with a two QB system. However, while the QB may be a question for fans of the Tide there is no doubt that fans are hoping for another Heisman winner in the form of Trent Richardson. Richardson, who reportedly doesn't even know his max bench press because the strength coaches always stop him at 460, is a beast. 460 seems like a good number to me seeing as how I doubt Richardson will come across any defenders weighing that much. Kent State was 5-7 last season, and I don't expect them to be able to put up a big fight against Bama. The Tide should win big this week.

Ole Miss vs. BYU (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 3:45PM CT on ESPN)

BYU has a strong offense with QB Jake Heaps running things for the Cougars, but their defense is lackluster to say the least. Ole Miss has an enormously talented and large O-line making their running game their biggest offensive threat. With no solid QB though they should struggle. BYU will come in with a strong offense battling a defense that is ready to perform in the SEC. If Ole Miss can find a way to score they can win this game. This will be a game to watch and should be a good match up.

Tennessee vs. Montana (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 5PM CT PPV only)

Tennessee comes in with a young team still struggling to get back to the top of the SEC. Montana thinks they have a shot to win this game, but I don't think their young offensive line will be able to handle the Vols defense. Tennessee should come out on top in this game, and may surprise a lot of people. They have not been a real topic of discussion in the off season, but you never know what can come out of the SEC.

Florida vs. Florida Atlantic (Saturday 9/3/2011 @ 6PM CT on ESPNU)

We finally get to see what Muschamp and Weis are doing with this Gator squad. Florida should win this decisively just because of the amount of talent they have. This should be a good chance for us to see what Florida is working with this season.

South Carolina vs. East Carolina (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 6PM CT on FSN)

East Carolina really doesn't stand a chance against the Gamecocks. South Carolina comes in with a seasoned QB in Garcia, an exceptional RB in Lattimore, and the oh so underrated Jeffrey. South Carolina is my pick to win the SEC East, and this game should just be a stepping stone on the way there.

Arkansas vs. Missouri State (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 6PM CT on PPV only)

There's really not much to say here. Arkansas QB gets to come out and get his feet wet with a game that should be an easy win for the Hogs. Missouri State just doesn't have the size, strength, or talent to hang with Arkansas. Arkansas should win this one easily.

Vanderbilt vs. Elon (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 6:30PM CT on CSS)

I honestly don't know much about Elon, and I'm going to pick Vanderbilt just because they can compete somewhat in the SEC. Now Vanderbilt does come in to this season with a new coach, but they are returning a somewhat experienced team. Hopefully this season will help Vanderbilt continue the improvement that we've seen in recent years.

Georgia vs. Boise State (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @ 7PM CT on ESPN)

This is without a doubt one of the must see games of Week 1. Georgia will have to be firing on all cylinders to win this game. Broncos QB Kellen Moore is a proven leader and winner. Boise State had no problems going in and pulling out the win against Virginia Tech last season, and I'm sure they're itching to do the same thing to Georgia. Technically Georgia goes in to this game as the underdog according to most of the bookies out there, but I don't see that. The SEC is the premier conference in college football, and even our worst teams can usually hold their own against the other conferences. The key for Georgia to win against Boise State will be their defense. If Georgia can put lots of pressure on Kellen Moore very early on they should be able to pull out the win. This will definitely be a game the nation will have their eyes on. I'm picking the Bulldogs to pull out the win proving that the SEC is a force to be reckoned with. Boise State hasn't faced an SEC team since Georgia stomped them 48-13 in 2005. No doubt they have been one of the top teams in the nation, but they haven't been to the SEC in awhile.

LSU vs. Oregon (Saturday, 9/3/2011 @7PM CT on ABC)

A week ago I didn't doubt that LSU would win this game, but the loss of QB Jordan Jefferson is a major blow for the Tigers. This game is the biggest game of the week by far. LSU could win this game, but they'll have to do it with defense. Oregon is loaded offensively with Darren Thomas and LaMichael James both returning, and they are ready to prove something against the SEC. LSU has strong lines which may help them pull out the win, but I really think the key is defense. If LSU can stop LaMichael James and the Mad Hatter can do what he normally does the Tigers may very well win. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick LSU to win this game solely because I think they may be able to battle a little better than Oregon. This should be an all out in the trenches battle, and I think SEC teams are more suited for those simply because they face more of them.

So, there you have it my preview of Week 1. I can't wait to see the action this week. Go SEC!

Has the NCAA lost control?

2011-08-18T12:14:00.001-05:00

With all the uproar about Miami right now many people are expecting the NCAA to come down very hard on the rule breakers. I guess I just wonder if there's really any point anymore. Has anyone noticed how truly busy student athletes are these days? Most of us would never devote that amount of time to anything we weren't getting paid for. I'm not suggesting the colleges start paying athletes as a rule, but what is the harm in students receiving a few perks?

It's funny because we are expecting college students to do what none of us would do in reality. I'd be surprised to find anyone who would turn down a free vehicle that has been offered to them. Plus, who's going to turn away a free vacation? It's been shown season after season that numerous improprieties happen at numerous schools in numerous sports. The NCAA has lost control in this area obviously. The question is should they really struggle to regain it?

I know that without regulations anarchy can creep in. So where do we find a happy medium between anarchy, regulated chaos, and strict legality? That's pretty much what we're dealing with. All I know is, I don't have an issue with who's worked hard to get to where they are receiving some benefits for it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Are you Ready?!?!?!

2011-08-14T15:44:00.003-05:00

There is absolutely no question in my mind that I am ready for college football to begin. With the NFL lockout finally over I have been able to whet my appetite by catching a bit of action on the gridiron. No matter what though my heart will always be with the college game. With all of that being said, I feel the need to relaunch and break out my blogging tools again. We'll start with a few of my thoughts on what this season in the SEC may hold for us. I'm feeling a little rusty, but so what here goes nothing...

First things first, who do I expect to be the SEC Champions at the end of this season? I have to go with Alabama. Now, if you have read or really even looked at my blog there is no doubt that my loyalty lies with the Tide. That being said there are numerous reasons why I believe Bama will top the SEC this year. First of all, Trent Richardson. The guy is a beast. If Richardson can stay healthy I agree with many who believe Alabama may have another Heisman contender on their hands. He finished with 700 yards rushing and almost 300 yards receiving last season, and that was running tandem with Mark Ingram. I expect him to dominate the ground for the Tide this season. On top of that, Alabama is returning 17 starters this season. With the likes of Richardson, Maze, and Hanks on offense Alabama has some great weapons. Don't forget the defense though with Dont'a Hightower, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Mark Barron just to mention a few. Alabama should come out very strong this season. The one question everybody has is about the QB race between McCarron and Sims. We'll find out who gets the spot soon, or maybe Saban will go with a 2 QB system. Hmmm...could be interesting.

There are also lots of other teams and coaches to watch this season. South Carolina should be strong this season with Garcia, Lattimore, and Jeffrey returning. The question is can Garcia stay out of trouble. Jeffrey proved against Bama last season that he is just as much of a threat as Lattimore is. I expect to see South Carolina make a real run for the East.

What is Florida going to show up with this season? Who knows, but with Muschamp and Weis at the helm it should definitely be interesting. Weis had a tough gig at Notre Dame no doubt, but he may find the SEC to be even tougher. Florida definitely has some talent as always, so I expect them to do well this season. Arkansas should be another team who comes out swinging. With 13 returning starters and a promising QB in Tyler Wilson, they should make the West tough.

Mark Richt at Georgia looks to have a shot at redeeming himself this season. He has a good bit of talent. He may put Georgia back among the top of the SEC. Houston Nutt on the other hand should just be thankful that most Ole Miss fans are really just interested in the tailgating. I don't expect Ole Miss to really show us much this season on the field. Mississippi State does have Chris Relf though. He could seriously be a breakout player this season. He started looking good at the end of last season. It will be interesting to see what kind of growth he's had during the off-season. Then we have LSU. One of the most talent filled teams in the West, but one of the craziest coaches in the entire NCAA. You never know what's going to happen when the Mad Hatter is in charge.

Finally, there is the returning National Championship team at Auburn. Unfortunately they are only returning with 8 starters. They are a virtually inexperienced team who will be crippled by the loss of their saving grace last season, Cam Newton. I don't expect a stellar season for the champs, but I could always be wrong.

Can't wait to follow the season with all of you. Keep checking my blog for updates, and let's keep it in the SEC for the 6th year in a row!

Relaunch Coming Soon!

2011-06-24T23:46:00.002-05:00

Thankfully, it isn't too long before the 2011 football season begins. Unfortunately due to some time demands and other things my blogging suffered last season. I plan to get back on the blogging bandwagon this season. Stay tuned for future posts!

South Carolina vs. Alabama Preview

2010-10-07T21:36:00.003-05:00

Saturday Alabama will travel to Columbia to face the South Carolina Gamecocks. I expect Alabama to come out with the win for a few different reasons. First of all Alabama's biggest weakness is their secondary. They were really put to the test a couple of weeks ago against Arkansas, but Bama still came out on top. Another reason I expect Bama to win is because I don't expect South Carolina to be able to run the ball on Bama.

Now South Carolina does have a few advantages going into the game. First of all they are coming off of their bye week like many other teams that Alabama will be facing this season. (Alabama will be playing 6 teams who have their bye week immediately before their games.) Also, Alabama has been dealing with some injuries to key players in last week's game against Florida. Julio Jones finally returned to practice late this week after dealing with a bruised knee. Also, Saban finally told the media today that Greg McElroy experienced some sort of head trauma during the Florida game. It was apparent that he was a little more than just shaken up in the 4th quarter when he began trying to run different plays than what he called in the huddle. I think he may have learned that sliding isn't such a bad idea.

I expect this to be a good game much like the Arkansas game was. I don't believe that Lattimore and Garcia will be able to carry South Carolina's offense enough to win this one though. As for me this will be my first live game this season. That's right, I'm making the trek to South Carolina to root the Tide on. Obviously, I'm a little biased in who I want to win. Hopefully I'll have some good pics to post next week. My prediction for this game is 31-24 Bama.

SEC Week 3 in Review

2010-09-20T19:30:00.005-05:00

Three weeks into the season and only 7 of the 12 SEC teams remain undefeated. Vanderbilt garnered their first win of the season, while some other teams continue what appears to be a steady decline. By the end of week 4 the SEC will only be able to maintain 4 of those undefeated records with 3 in-conference games, all between undefeated teams. This week definitely delivered a few surprises though.

Alabama vs. Duke (62-13)
There were really no surprises here as Alabama went to Duke and dominated. Mark Ingram and Marcell Dareus returned this week both playing very well. Duke just was not able to stop Alabama. The Tide came out of the game with 626 total yards, and still managing to dominate despite 3 turnovers. Alabama will need to execute better in order to beat Arkansas in Fayetteville next week. I think Alabama will come out with the win, but it won't be a blow out by any means.

Arkansas vs. Georgia (31-24)
Georgia looks like they may have a tough season ahead of them. They will need to strengthen the passing game a bit in order to open up the field for the rushing game as they go through this season. They ran the ball 41 times yet only garnered 139 rushing yards. They should be able to get the win against Mississippi State next week, but it probably will be a battle. Arkansas' Ryan Mallett is definitely here to show Heisman voters why his name was mentioned last year. Mallett threw 21 passes for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns. He has a real chance to be in the running if he can stay healthy. Arkansas faces Alabama next week. I think Bama will pull out the win, but it promises to be a great game.

Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss (28-14)
I missed this one. I did not expect Vanderbilt to go to Ole Miss and bring back the win after those first two losses. The biggest thing that Vandy had in their favor going into the game was probably how underestimated they were. Statistically Ole Miss should have won this game, but Vanderbilt made the big plays to get it done. Ole Miss moved the ball, but they couldn't get it into the endzone as often as they needed to. Vandy has the week off before they face UConn in week 5. Ole Miss welcomes Fresno State into Oxford. Offensively Fresno State may be able to give Ole Miss a good showing. I don't believe that their defense, however, will be strong enough to fend off the Rebels. I think Ole Miss will come out with the win, but not as dominating as it should be when the SEC faces the WAC.

Florida vs. Tennessee (31-17)
Florida was able to get a rather unimpressive win against Tennessee. With 2 fumbles and just over 300 total yards in the game the Gators are far from what we have seen in recent years. And while Tennessee has a somewhat decent passing game, they have got to start moving the ball on the ground some otherwise they won't have a lot of success this season. The Vols should be able to pull out the win next week against a struggling UAB team. Florida is going to be facing Kentucky. Normally this would be a no brainer, Florida should easily win facing Kentucky in the Swamp. Kentucky has had 3 impressive wins back to back though. They should be coming into Gainesville with confidence. I'm actually going to pick Kentucky to upset the Gators.

Kentucky vs. Akron (47-10)
Kentucky's QB, Mike Hartline, has been impressive so far this season. This week he completed 21 of 29 passes for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns. The interesting thing about this Kentucky team is that they have been set up very well to have a successful season. Coming into Gainesville with 3 impressive wins they may just have the confidence to get the upset against the Gators. A quarterback with a 70% completion percentage and a very capable running back in Derrick Locke should give Florida a very good game next week.

LSU vs. Mississippi State (29-7)
A struggling LSU team got the win this week thanks in great part to Josh Jasper. He nailed 5/5 field goals with his longest being 51 yards. LSU's defense did pull in 5 interceptions to stop Mississippi State. Cornerback, Patrick Peterson, is a major weapon for this LSU team. He definitely looks to be one of the Tiger's outstanding players this season. The only way that LSU will stop West Virginia next week will be with their defense. They are going to be an offense which dominates with the passing game. The defense will need to perform very well against the pass to beat them. I expect that it will be a battle for sure, and while I want the SEC to win I don't expect it. I don't think LSU has a good enough offense to win this game. The defense can't shoulder the whole game so I expect West Virginia to come out with the win. Mississippi State is facing a struggling Georgia team. I fully expect Mississippi State to put up a good fight, but I think Georgia will get the win in the end.

South Carolina vs. Furman (38-19)
The only surprise here was that South Carolina did not win more decisively. Spurrier's days of padding the scoreboard and completely dominating his opponents seem to be over. The Gamecock's seem to have a pretty balanced offense this season. Lattimore is obviously their biggest weapon which could be their biggest problem. Lattimore's ability and performance gives defenses one main target to focus on. This could be their biggest problem facing Auburn next week. They will be facing the Tiger's in Auburn which is always tough. This game could honestly go either way. Auburn was beat up badly this week by Clemson in a double OT nail-biter. I do believe that is South Carolina can contain Cam Newton they will be able to win.

Auburn vs. Clemson (27-24)
Finally we get to the most thrilling an brutal SEC game of the week. Clemson's QB, Kyle Parker, deserved a medal of honor after this game. After receiving a brutal helmet to kidneys hit during the second quarter, Parker played through what appeared to be severe pain. Clemson showed that Cam Newton is containable though. Auburn was able to get the win thanks to a flag on Clemson's field goal in the second overtime. It wasn't a pretty win, but hey a win's a win. It was a very hard hitting game with both teams having players carted off the field. I expect Auburn to have a fight on their hands this week. With Auburn losing offensive lineman A.J. Greene they may struggle with their line. I think South Carolina will squeak by with the win, but it won't be easy.

SEC Week 2 in Review

2010-09-12T14:20:00.007-05:00

Week 2 in the SEC wasn't really filled with too many surprises for me. Non-conference play went pretty much as expected with the SEC going 5-1 against their out of conference opponents. The one loss going to Tennessee. The only real surprise to me in that game was that it took the Ducks so long to get their land legs. That being said let's just go through the games for the week.

Auburn vs. Mississippi State (17-14)
Auburn definitely seems to be getting back into step this season with the help of QB Cameron Newton. It will still be another week before they face a ranked opponent so I reserve the right to give a concrete opinion until then. Statistically Auburn and Mississippi State were pretty even. I think Auburn came out on top because of their rushing. Newton's ability to run with the ball is a huge asset to this Auburn team. Clemson will be coming into Jordan-Hare next week to face Auburn. One thing's for sure the Tigers will win this one. (J/K I'm picking Auburn to win.) Mississippi State will likely lose to LSU next week when they travel to Death Valley. Unfortunately Mississippi State wasn't lucky enough to get a schedule like Boise State's.

Georgia vs. South Carolina (6-17)
Spurrier was right when he told his boys that they were no longer the step-child in the SEC, of course he has Lattimore's 37 carries to thank for that. Georgia just could not get the ball into the endzone. If they can't get their rushing game to at least open up the passing game for them Georgia is going to have a very long season. South Carolina should get through Furman next week with little difficulty as long as they don't look ahead to the Auburn game too quickly. Georgia on the other hand will be facing Arkansas. I fully expect Arkansas to dominate this game with Ryan Mallett at the helm.

LSU vs. Vanderbilt (27-3)
Honestly the only surprise here was that LSU just didn't score more points. Vanderbilt had a couple of major blows before their season ever started with the death of top-rated recruit Rajaan Bennett and then the retirement of Head Coach Bobby Johnson. This may end up being a season for Vandy just to survive. LSU on the other hand has a lot of improvements to make before they really show that they deserve to be in the Top 25. With that being said though, they should easily handle Mississippi State next week. Vanderbilt will likely head into Ole Miss for another loss, but it could possibly be an even game for the two teams.

Florida vs. South Florida (38-14)
Florida won this game, but they still don't look anything like the Gators that we've seen the past few seasons. It will be interesting to see them face Tennessee and Kentucky the next two weeks. I just really don't feel like this Florida team will stay in the Top 10, maybe they will surprise me though. Tennessee may be able to pull off the upset next week when the Gators come to Neyland Stadium.

Arkansas vs. Louisiana-Monroe (31-7)
Ryan Mallett still needs to show us if he's as good as they really say he is. His stats this week helped with 400 yards passing and 3 TD's. He should be able to lead the Hogs to a victory against Georgia next week with stats like that.

Tennessee vs. Oregon (13-48)
Statistically Tennessee should have been in this game a little longer. They really just struggled converting on third down, and the defense just allowed Oregon enough big plays to bury them. Next week Tennessee has a chance to redeem themselves a bit when a struggling Florida team comes to Neyland. This should be a monumental game for both teams.

Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky (63-28)
Kentucky dominated again this week. They should be able to do the same against Akron next week. The test will be during week 4 though. I'm anxious to see these Wildcats face Florida, without seeing them I still can't give a solid opinion. No doubt though, the wildcats are putting up some great numbers early on in their season.

Ole Miss vs. Tulane (27-13)
Ole Miss's stats weren't amazing this week, but they pulled off the win. This should give them a little boost in their confidence before facing Vanderbilt next week. They really have the opportunity to improve greatly as their season goes on. I expect them to win against Vandy and improve a little more.

Alabama vs. Penn State (24-3)
If you have followed my blog at all you know that I am a big Alabama fan. I honestly have a lot to say about this game so I will save most of it for another post. Alabama pulled out the win in this classic rivalry revisited. There are no doubts though that Alabama has some amazing players after that game. Alabama should have no problem bringing home a win next week against Duke. Check back a little later for my full recap on this game.

SEC Week 1 in Review

2010-09-06T13:04:00.004-05:00

Okay so this week the SEC showed for the most part that they are ready for this season. Out of the 12 SEC teams they came out with 10 wins. So here goes my short recap of week 1 in the SEC. Let's start with the two losses which were actually very close.

Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State (L 48-49)
Ole Miss's double OT loss to Jacksonville State was the surprise of the week. Turnovers seem to have been the deciding factor in this game along with Jacksonville State's gutsy decision to go for the 2-point conversion after their TD in the 2nd OT. Statistically Jacksonville State stayed with Ole Miss in the passing game, while Ole Miss clearly owned the rushing game. Time will tell whether Ole Miss can overcome such a devastating loss so early in the season. Thankfully for Rebel fans their season doesn't get too tough until October. This week the Rebs face Tulane, and hopefully they'll turn the tide on this season by defeating the Green Wave.

Vanderbilt vs. Northwestern (L 21-23)
The second loss for the SEC came with Vandy losing 23-21 to Northwestern. Vanderbilt's inability to convert for any points after their touchdowns was likely the major culprit for their loss. Statistically Vanderbilt should have come out with the win, but they just couldn't seem to pull it off. New coach Ronnie Caldwell is already facing some backlash for his decision to go for the 2 failed 2-point conversions after his place kicker missed the first PAT. Hindsight is always 20/20 when this stuff comes up, I mean really give the guy a chance to prove himself. This week will be no easy task for that though when they face LSU in the Music City.

Now to the wins:

Alabama vs. San Jose State (W 48-3)
The defending National Champion Crimson Tide came out strong Saturday against San Jose State. They played very well despite the absence of Mark Ingram and Marcel Dareus. In fact the Tide's offense performed so well that freshman punter, Cody Mandell, only got to punt 3 times during the game. Alabama clearly dominated this game showing that Alabama is ready to go this season. This week a classic rivalry will be revisited when Penn State comes to T-town to try and hand Bama a loss. Should be a great game!

Arkansas vs. Tennessee Tech (W 44-3)
Arkansas definitely showed that their strength is in their passing game with QB Ryan Mallett throwing for 301 yards and 3 TD's. Mallett was poised to be one of the top QB's in the nation last season, and he may be coming out strong to prove to critics that he is as good as they all said he was. This week Arkansas faces Louisiana-Monroe to get what should be win #2.

Auburn vs. Arkansas State (W 52-26)
Auburn's rushing game came out strong Saturday with 367 yards with the QB Newton getting 171 of those. He scored 5 of the team's 7 TD's. We'll get to see the Tigers venture into SEC action this week when they face Mississippi State in Starkville. Should be a match up not to miss.

LSU vs. North Carolina (W 30-24)
Statistically North Carolina gave LSU a good fight, but LSU still came out on top. We'll see how long Les Miles can keep this lucky streak up. He is definitely lucky he made it out of this one after almost blowing a 30-10 lead going into the 4th quarter. Once again we see the luckiest man in college football survive another game. This week LSU will face Vanderbilt in the Music City, and Les should get another win.

Mississippi State vs. Memphis (W 49-7)
There's really not much to say about this game. Miss State dominated this game from the beginning. Coach Dan Mullen has been working to improve this program, and it looks as though he may be doing it. I can't wait to see what happens when Auburn goes into Starkville this week to face the Bulldogs. That is going to definitely be one of the can't miss games in the SEC this week.

Florida vs. Miami-Ohio (W 34-12)
Florida really struggled with moving the ball in this game. They came out matching their opponent in total yards with only 212 yards in the game. They are definitely suffering the loss of their beloved Tebow. Honestly only time will tell if this Florida team is still gonna have what it takes to be one of the major powerhouses in the SEC this season. This week they face South Florida at home before they have to venture into SEC action against Tennessee during week 3.

Georgia vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (W 55-7)
The Ragin' Cajuns didn't stand a chance against the 'Dawgs of Georgia. Georgia dominated the game with 377 total yards and 7 TD's. I expect to see this Georgia team put up a real fight to win the East this season. This week they face South Carolina in a definite must see game.

Kentucky vs. Louisville (W 23-16)
Kentucky beat their in-state rival to kick off the season. They delivered 466 total yards to win this game. With their passing and rushing games almost evenly splitting the workload. Kentucky has a couple more weeks of non-conference action before facing Florida in week 4. This week they meet Akron, and we'll see if the Wildcats can maintain.

South Carolina vs. Southern Miss (W 41-13)
South Carolina delivered a beating to the Golden Eagles Thursday in Columbia. With 449 total yards South Carolina's offense was well-balanced. Garcia and Lattimore look to be the biggest weapons for the Gamecocks. This week they will welcome Georgia to Columbia for what could be a match up for the SEC East. I think these two may be the strongest teams in the East. I'd definitely say this is a must see game.

Tennessee vs. Tennessee-Martin (W 50-0)
The Vols ran all over the Skyhawks with over 300 rushing yards. Dooley has a shot at having a decent team this season. Tauren Poole and Denarius Moore look like they may be the big guns for the Vols. They will have a battle this week though when the Oregon Ducks come to Knoxville. If Tennessee pulls off that upset it will really look great for the SEC.

Finally!!!!

2010-09-04T11:19:00.002-05:00

I thought it would never get here, but today's the day. College football season is finally starting in full force. Definitely had an exciting one Thursday night with Utah and Pitt going into OT.

I think it's gonna be a great season, it looks to be promising for the SEC. Alabama is poised for a possible repeat, while other SEC teams look to come on strong this season. Chizik may have finally found what he needed to make things work this season. South Carolina showed that they've got some fight in them with the beating they handed Southern Miss the other night.

But what about all those questions? Is Dooley gonna be able to put the Vols back up in top ranks of the SEC? Is Vandy gonna keep getting better after having Bobby Johnson leave? Will Ryan Mallett finally show us how great of a QB he really can be? And honestly what's gonna become of Florida now that Tebow's gone?

These questions and many more I'm sure will slowly be answered in the coming weeks. For now we should just sit back and enjoy the ride. This week I can say wholeheartedly that I hope the SEC runs the table. Hopefully this season we can prove that the SEC is by far the best conference in college football. Happy Game-day everyone, and I have to say for my fellow Bama fans...ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

Alabama A-Day 2010

2010-04-17T11:08:00.005-05:00

Entrance to the Locker Room at Bryant Denny

Today Alabama will show the nation a glimpse of what we can expect next season. It's only a spring scrimmage in the grand scheme of things, but it's the first chance for many fans to see how the team will look next season. Maybe we'll find out if McElroy is still the strongest QB in the stable or if A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims are going to give him a run for his money. Hopefully we'll get to see Julio Jones back at full strength and playing better than ever. Plus it's a chance for fans to see how Dont'a Hightower has recovered from his surgery. Hopefully there will be a lot of questions answered today. You can see the game on ESPN at 2PM central time. So excited to get a taste of college football today. Enjoy it everyone and Roll Tide!

Wow!

2010-01-26T21:43:00.003-06:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged. I've had some other aspects of my life demanding my attention lately. As most of you may guess I was extremely excited with how this college football season ended. Finally after 18 years the University of Alabama won their 13th National Championship. Not only that, but the University also produced it's first ever Heisman winner. It was definitely an amazing season for the Crimson Tide.

The SEC has also seen it's fair share of changes and controversy. From Lane Kiffin to Urban Meyer, who knows what may happen next. Hopefully I will be able to get back to blogging regularly. With recruiting, the NFL draft, and all the coaching controversies I'm sure I'll have something to write about. Don't give up on reading!

SEC Championship 2009

2009-12-02T14:25:00.005-06:00

For the 7th time since the SEC Championship game has been played Alabama will be meeting Florida to decide who claims the title of SEC champions. In the past 6 meetings Florida has defeated Alabama 4 times. Out of Florida's total 9 appearances in the SEC Championship game they went on to win the National Championship 3 of those years. Alabama has appeared 6 times. Each time they played Florida, and they went on to win the National Championship after defeating Florida in 1992.

Many people are already saying that this is the National Championship game this season, reasoning that whoever wins will easily defeat Texas in the BCS National Championship Game. I, however, don't take any of that for granted. Many of you may recall last year's Sugar Bowl. Anyway right now most odds-makers have Florida picked as a 5-point favorite. I fully expect this to be a bitter battle, much like last season's game.

With the recent suspension of Carlos Dunlap Florida is facing some changes in their defensive line. Dunlap leads Florida's defense in sacks with 7.5 sacks this season for 47 yards in losses. His loss will definitely affect their pass rush. Alabama should be coming into the game completely loaded. Ingram is said to be well and ready to go, which makes for a battle between the two Heisman contenders.

I think the key in this game will be all about how Alabama performs. Can their defense stop or contain Tebow, and can the offensive line stand strong against Florida's defense? The interesting thing is that both of these teams have shown that they can win even when they haven't played their best. Florida has had a few close games this season, especially the Arkansas nail-biter. Alabama struggled against it's two biggest rivals Auburn and Tennessee. I think this game is going to be another nail-biter. The winner will be the team who chooses to impose their will on the other. Right now I'm picking Alabama to win a close one, 24-21.

South Carolina vs. Clemson

2009-11-28T08:42:00.004-06:00

Another big rivalry game today is South Carolina vs. Clemson. Clemson has won the last two games in this series. This will be the 107th meeting between the two teams. Clemson is ranked at No.18 while South Carolina is unranked this season. South Carolina did deliver a huge upset earlier this season when they took out No.4 ranked Ole Miss. They have the opportunity to upset another ranked team with today's game.

This game will definitely be one to watch. Will South Carolina hurt CJ Spiller's Heisman chances? Anybody who saw the Iron Bowl yesterday saw exactly what a rivalry game could do to hurt a Heisman hopeful's chances. Many would argue that Clemson has not faced a defense quite like they will today. South Carolina may not be the strongest defense around, but they have held all but one opponent to under 400 total offensive yards. They also played very respectable games against the No.1 and No.2 teams in the nation.

I think a major factor in this game will be the running backs. Can CJ Spiller break loose, or will Kenny Miles show what he can do against a non-SEC defense? This is definitely one game that I think will be decided by defense. Odds makers have Clemson as a 3 point favorite, and I do believe it will be a close game. The kickoff return is Spiller's biggest threat, and I think South Carolina will be able to contain that. My pick for this game is South Carolina 28-24.

Florida vs. Florida State

2009-11-28T07:59:00.003-06:00

Today Florida will be facing their big in state rival Florida State. This game often comes with it's share of drama. There have been a number of fights over the years due to the heated rivalry between the two schools. This will definitely be a battle between two legends, one who's relatively new to college football lore and the other who's been around for a long time. Bobby Bowden, who is arguably one of the best football coaches of all time, will be facing Florida's golden boy, Tim Tebow, once again.

No one really expects unranked Florida State to upset the No. 1 team in the nation, but anything can happen in rivalry games. Did you see yesterday's Iron Bowl or Thursday's Lone Star Showdown? If you did you know that No.2 and No.3 had more than a few nervous fans during their games. The biggest factor in this game is that Florida State has nothing to lose really. They can pull out all the stops. Florida on the other hand has everything to lose.

It will be interesting to see how this game goes. I think it will either be a blow out or a bitter battle between the two schools. Florida has decisively won the last two games of this series, and it may be the same this year. The key will be if the No.2 defense in the nation shows up and plays like the No.2 defense in the nation. Tebow also tends to perform very well in the Florida State game. One thing's for sure is there will be a lot of people watching to see if the upset can happen. Right now I think it's going to be a close battle. I just don't see Florida winning by the 24.5 points they are favored to win by. My pick right now is Florida 42-31. We'll see though Florida could run away with this game from the onset, but the rivalries don't seem to be working that way this year.

Iron Bowl 2009

2009-11-24T21:08:00.003-06:00

This year will mark the 74th meeting of Auburn and Alabama in the Iron Bowl. This season I think most would agree that this is Alabama's game to lose. The Crimson Tide is coming into this game undefeated and ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation. While Auburn has struggled in their SEC match ups this season. They come into this game with a 3-4 SEC record with losses to Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, and Arkansas. This game is a big rivalry game though, and often that means anything goes.

Mark Ingram and Ben Tate are sure to be battling it out in this game. Both are superb running backs who have already racked up over 1,000 yards each this season. Mark Ingram should fair well against Auburn's defense who has allowed over 100 yards in all but two games this season. Ben Tate on the other hand may struggle against an Alabama defense who has only allowed over 100 yards in two games this season. Auburn's best chance at scoring on this Alabama defense will be in utilizing their passing game. Alabama will have to be ready to stop Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery who together have over 1,000 in pass receptions this season.

Going into this game I feel pretty certain that Alabama will come out on top. Auburn's defense has struggled so much this season that I don't feel they will be able to shut down Alabama's offense. Whereas Alabama's defense has shown such great strength this season that Auburn will probably have a difficult time scoring on them. One thing that is going in Auburn's favor is the home field advantage. Alabama has only won twice at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Nick Saban has never won a game at Auburn during his college coaching career, maybe this will be the year. If Alabama's offense is firing on all cylinders I expect this to be very similar to last season's Iron Bowl, which was a 36-0 win for the Crimson Tide. However, if Alabama's offense can't perform it could be very similar to the Alabama/Tennessee game earlier this season.

The Iron Bowl is always difficult to predict, but I'm going to call this one for Alabama 38-10. One thing is for sure though the rivalry will be in full effect this Friday. Fans all across the state of Alabama will be hoping to come out with bragging rights for the next year. Let's see who gets em this year.

SEC Officials Under Fire

2009-11-10T09:49:00.004-06:00

SEC officials have been under fire this season from a number of different directions. First, there was Lane Kiffin who spoke about the officiating in the Tennessee/Alabama game in a less than appreciative manner. Then, there is Urban Meyer who received a fine of $30,000 (By the way, that's like a speeding ticket fine for most regular folks.) for his complaints that the officials missed a late hit call during their game against Georgia. Oh and Florida really needed that call in that close game, I mean they only won by 24 points. Now, we have the outrage over the "blundered interception call" in the LSU/Alabama game. Oh and let's not forget the unsportsmanlike conduct calls that very possibly changed the outcome of the LSU/Georgia game, as well as the botched calls in the Arkansas/Florida game.

Okay, now don't get me wrong I dislike striped shirts as much as the next fan. Probably more so because I regularly fouled out in my basketball games in school. While the officials have made some rotten calls this season, I often question if I could do any better. These guys are human, and they are under a lot of pressure this season. Plus this is a side job for these guys, they only make about $500 a week. Taking that into consideration the likelihood of a conspiracy is very slim, at $500 a week who's gonna risk criminal charges to fix a game. Now do I think personal preferences and opinions may come into the play calling? Of course! What human doesn't let their personal preferences and opinions affect their job? We've even seen judges do it. It's just a fact of life.

Unfortunately I don't think the officiating controversy is going to go away this season. With SEC commissioner Mike Slive enforcing fines and suspending crews it's going to be in our faces the rest of the season. Hopefully next year we will all be able to move on and enjoy the game again. Sure there may have been a couple of games that really would have turned out different without the officiating mistakes that we saw. Sad thing is we'll never really know for sure. I was always told when I was playing basketball that if you lose because of a bad call you didn't really deserve to win anyway. So for now I'll put aside my disdain for the black and white striped shirts, and just try to enjoy the games. As for next week, who knows if I'll feel the same way!

South Carolina vs. Arkansas

2009-11-06T16:17:00.004-06:00

Another big game in the SEC this week is South Carolina at Arkansas. Steve Spurrier takes his Gamecocks to face the Razorbacks in Fayetteville this Saturday. This is looking to be another big SEC battle. These teams are playing for their bowl game placements.

Arkansas has been putting a lot of points on the board this season. South Carolina's defense is relatively strong. It will be interesting to see how Mallett performs against this defense. He is an exceptional quarterback with over 2,000 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. South Carolina's Stephen Garcia isn't too shabby either. He's also accumulated over 2,000 passing yards this season and garnered 12 touchdowns. South Carolina also brings in a strong running back in Kenny Miles.

Right now most odds makers have Arkansas picked to win this game. I think if South Carolina's offense comes out strong they may be able to pull it out. Arkansas' defense has struggled this season when it comes to stopping other teams on the field. East Michigan scored 27 points against them last week. I am calling this as the upset of the weekend. I expect South Carolina to win by at least a touchdown. South Carolina wins 24-17.

LSU vs. Alabama

2009-11-05T20:17:00.007-06:00

LSU journey's to Tuscaloosa this week to face the No. 3 team in the nation, the Crimson Tide. This will be Nick Saban's third showdown with his former team. Coach Saban has tried to downplay that aspect of this game. Even without the history between Saban and LSU this is one of the most anticipated games of the season. It is a top 10 match-up that could have a major impact on the SEC championship. If Alabama wins Saturday they will clinch the SEC West, if they lose they could possibly miss the trip to Atlanta. Both teams have a lot of luck on their side. Nobody doubts Alabama's luck after their win against Tennessee, and who can doubt Les Miles' luck after their games against Georgia and Mississippi State.

LSU and Alabama are statistically very similar teams. Both teams have very strong defenses, and both teams quarterbacks have very similar stats. LSU's biggest weakness I think will be thir rushing defense which has been allowing an average of 114 yards per game this season. Alabama's achilles' heel seems to be their ability to convert in the red zone. With both teams weaknesses and strengths the performance of a few key players on each team could be the deciding factor.

LSU has two of the strongest receivers in the SEC in Terrance Toliver and Brandon LaFell. If they are able to break free consistently on Saturday it could spell disaster for the Tide. Add to that running back Charles Scott who seems to be ready for a breakout performance this season, and LSU's offense could cause some damage.

Alabama's big offensive weapon is obviously Mark Ingram. With already over a 1,000 yards rushing this season, Ingram will come into this game rested and ready to go I'm sure. This week will probably be the performance of the season for Ingram. Alabama also has Julio Jones, who just like LSU's Charles Scott, is prime for a breakout performance. Add to that Marquis Maze and Trent Richardson, and Alabama has the offensive weapons to reek havoc on the LSU defense as well.

I think this could be one of the best games of the season. Many are predicting this to be a relatively low scoring game. I think I agree with that. I do expect Alabama to pull it out by at least one touchdown. Right now my prediction is Alabama wins 24-17.

Is Tebow Really the Best?

2009-10-26T17:58:00.002-05:00

Questions are beginning to surface this season. Is Tim Tebow really the best QB in the SEC? Right now Tim Tebow's rating has him edging out Arkansas' Ryan Mallett for the number one QB ranking in the SEC. The interesting thing is that Tebow's stats have been getting less impressive after his Heisman win in 2007.

With only five regular season games remaining Tebow's stats are well below what he ended the season with in 2007. He has less than half the total rushing yards and less than half the completions that he ended 2007 with when he won the Heisman. It will be interesting to see how the stats play out at the end of this season. I'll be watching to see where Ryan Mallett is at the end of this season also. One thing I have seen though is that the SEC has some very strong defenses. This isn't making it very easy for the QB's in the south to wow the nation.

I think we can probably assume that Tebow will not be winning the Heisman this season. The best quality that Tebow has though, is that he doesn't really care about that. Right now he's happy to be the QB of an undefeated team in the SEC. He's got a point. Like so many have said before, "A win's a win even if it is ugly."

SEC Battles Continue

2009-10-25T21:43:00.004-05:00

There are many in college football who will continue to say that the SEC is not a very strong conference this season, but the battles have been close to epic this year. One thing about the SEC is that you can take no win for granted. Each team comes in to the games fighting for pride and bragging rights here in the football centered south. We've seen this more clearly than ever in the last couple of weeks.

Florida has struggled with Mississippi State and Arkansas, while Alabama has struggled with South Carolina and Tennessee. Many say this just shows that Florida and Alabama aren't deserving of the 1 and 2 spots in the polls, I think it just goes to show that the SEC is always unpredictable. These teams are a little better than the rest of the nation wants to give them credit for.

I'm anxious to see if Texas beats Texas A&M as soundly as Arkansas defeated them (47-19). Also let's not forget that South Carolina is the team that took Ole Miss out of the No. 4 spot. Mississippi State has given Florida and LSU a run for their money this season. And let's not forget that Tennessee came into Tuscaloosa fresh from a 45-19 thrashing of Georgia.

The SEC is going to continue to be a conference where teams have to fight for every win I think, and that's one of the reasons I love this conference. Maybe the rest of the nation thinks it is weak, but we've still got 5 teams in the Top 25. The conference games here are bitter battles, and that's what makes college football so great.

Third Saturday in October

2009-10-24T14:14:00.004-05:00

Today is one of the biggest games in the SEC, Alabama vs. Tennessee. Alabama is expected to win, but Tennessee will no doubt be looking to upset the Tide. This rivalry has become one of the biggest in the south. Alabama leads the series 45-38-7. These two teams have faced each other 90 times, with Alabama winning last season 29-9.

Lane Kiffin brings in a struggling Tennessee team that is trying to get back on track. They will surely come in to this match up with some confidence after their win against Georgia. And just like everyone else they want to upset the No. 2 team in the nation.

This rivalry became very heated during Phil Fulmer's years at Tennessee. Many Crimson Tide fans still blame him for much of the trouble they faced with the NCAA. To many fans this is the biggest game of the season. We will see what happens this year. While today is not the Third Sataurday in October, the classic rivalry still remains. One way or the other we can be assured that we will either hear Rammer Jammer or Rocky Top in full force at the end of this game. I predict that its going to be Rammer Jammer this year, Alabama 24-13.

Homecoming at the Capstone

2009-10-18T13:46:00.007-05:00

Just wanted to share of few of my pictures from Alabama's homecoming game with all of you. Enjoy!

SEC Still Going Strong

2009-10-13T20:46:00.004-05:00

I personally believe that the SEC is still going strong this season. After this weekend's games I was even more convinced that the SEC is the toughest conference around. Then I come across this article: "The Week That Was: SEC Served Their Own Slice of Humble Pie". I read it probably 4 or 5 times trying to see the writer's viewpoint. Then one statement jumped out at me, "Every other team aside from the big two has truly underperformed compared to their preseason projections." Think about that for a second.

Now, tell me what do preseason projections have to do with any of this? Just because the preseason projections were wrong means that, "The SEC is hardly challenging from top to bottom." That makes absolutely no sense to me. I don't see how that has any bearing on this at all.

The writer also blasts LSU and Ole Miss. Maybe they didn't have strong offensive performances this weekend, but they played two of the best defenses in the nation. On top of that they held the No.1 and No.2 teams in the nation to fewer points than either have scored in a game all season. Also the defenses of LSU and Ole Miss each only allowed one touchdown to the No.1 and No.2 teams respectively. I don't see how that makes the SEC any less formidable.

It's true that a couple of the regular powerhouses aren't as strong as they normally are, but as a whole the SEC is still going strong. The non-conference record right now for SEC teams vs. non-SEC teams is 24-5 for the season with 3 of those losses being to Top 25 teams. Numbers speak for themselves I think. Maybe the SEC could be stronger, but I definitely think it is still a very formidable conference.

The Luckiest Man in College Football

2009-10-08T16:03:00.002-05:00

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Les Miles is definitely the luckiest man in college football today. It will be interesting to see if his luck holds out this weekend. I really don't think it will. Florida will probably defeat LSU soundly with or without Tim Tebow.

So why do I call Les the luckiest man in college football? It's really pretty simple, he seems to have a knack when it comes to winning games that they are outplayed and out-coached in. LSU should have lost to Mississippi State a couple of weeks ago. Dan Mullen did not earn his paycheck during that game. The choice to call a pass play when his team was inches from the go-ahead touchdown was probably a move he will be regretting for a long time. Les Miles however got lucky once again.

Then of course it was the celebration call heard around the world when LSU faced Georgia last week. Georgia probably would have defeated LSU had it not been for that call. This just added to more of Les Miles luck. He was already known for calling crazy plays, and pulling them off half of the time. I guess we will see just how lucky he is this Saturday when they face the Gators. If they win this one I'm probably going to start wondering if Miles has one of those Louisiana witchdoctors trying to help him out.