Every week on wednesdays through the season I will be offering up some personal thoughts and observations regarding the SEC Conference. The league people seem to either love or loathe. The two conferences I follow most closely and have built up the most sources of information are the SEC and the Big 12. I will continue to also do the same for the Big 12 and have it up here tomorrow. I want to stress that this is precisely what I said, thoughts and observations. Fans of their teams in the SEC can by amazingly thin skinned. It's nothing personal guys.
GEORGIA & SOUTH CAROLINA: These two squared off last week in Athens and the Bulldogs are looking just about like I expected this year. I picked them to unseat Missouri as the divisional champions and they seem to be on course. Greyson Lambert had what could be possibly the game of the year for himself as he connected on every single pass on the day with the exception of one. I am going to have to say I am kind of surprised the Gamecocks defense is looking so suspect. I've known DC Jon Hoke since his days at Mizzou under the late Larry Smith. Hoke is a very sharp mind when it comes to defense and schemes. It is his first year back with Spurrier so he can only work with what he has. This past weekend I passed on this game because in the past spotting Steve Spurriers clubs that kind of number was not generally lucrative to say the least. But I am getting the drift now, this years South Carolina club is not good. Period. They have Central Florida on deck this weekend so hopefully some confidence can get restored. But then they travel to Missouri to play the Tigers. They won a crazy game last time at the Zou but I don't think this is the same team. As for Georgia they have a soft spot in the schedule as they host the Jaguars of Southern University. This will be a glorified scrimmage and then the following week a major collision is on course as Georgia will butt heads with Bama between the hedges in what will be must see football.
TEXAS A&M & ARKANSAS: The Aggies continue to impress as the manhandled the Wolfpack of Nevada last weekend 44-27. This is a very solid team Kevin Sumlin has constructed and a legitimate potential threat to win anywhere, anytime. And I mean exactly that. If someone had told me before the season kicked off that the Aggies would be a touchdown favorite at Arkansas this week I would have had them drug tested. Helluva lot more was expected from the Hogs who seem to be a hot mess at the moment. Kyle Allen seems to me to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league not many people talk about. The Hogs enter this contest in a desperate mood after dropping a pair of games in which they took the field not only as favorites but double digit favorites. The natives are restless in Hog country. One thing I love abot this years Aggies team is they actually defend. I always wondered what was possible if Sumlin fielded a more balanced team. Well, we are finding out now. New DC John Chavis has his kids executing at a very high level This was one of the worst units in conference play last year and although they are not on a level with the Rebs or Tide on the defensive end they are leaps and bounds better than before and clearly on the right track. VERY dangerous club here Sumlin has on his hands. I will be interested in how the Hogs respond this weekend.
MISSOURI! There was a mess here in Columbia last saturday. The Tigers continued to confound the fans and frankly the coaching staff. Something is not clicking on the offensive end and Pinkel is frustrated as hell. Excuses have never been part of who Gary Pinkel is and he is not starting now. It is no secret they have been hampered on offense with their star running back Russell Hansbrough battling an ankle injury. Add to that the fact the anchor of the O line Evan Boehm has also been contending with injury and is admittedly not close to 100% yet and it does not bode well for Mizzou. Maty Mauk was actually booed by the home crowd last week and the natives are restless to see Drew Lock given the job. Pinkel is the stubborn type almost to a fault, he will stick with Mauk longer than many coaches would in the same situation because he does not want to appear to be giving in to the grumblings from the fan base and alumni. The defense has been all I expected and maybe a little more but they are shouldering too much of the load. Kind of bad when the high point of your team at this point might be your punter. Pivotal game for Mizzou this saturday night as they travel to Lexington to battle the Wildcats. This is a a team that scored 9 points at home against U-Conn. Now they travel for a conference game in prime time on the road. Yes, there are a lot of worried folks in Tiger nation.
LSU & AUBURN: The Auburn Tigers might be the poster childs to illustrate just how silly the preseason polls truly are. Not only that I can well recall numerous talking heads on ESPN and such touting Auburn as contenders for the national title. Oh really? Will Muschamp was going to field a suffocating defense on par with anyone in the league. Hmmm, this much heralded unit is surrendering 29 points and 442 yards per game. What happened? On the offensive end Jeremy Johnson is struggling mightily and falling well short of expectations. I was skeptical this team was going to be a final four participant but I admit to being a little shocked at what I've seen to date. On the flip side LSU RB Leonard Fournette is emerging as a legit Heisman candidate. Les Miles takes a ton of grief for his sometimes bizarre decisions and game day actions but the guy can flat out recruit and coach. I knew when he was at Oklahoma State he was a special case. I cannot help but like the guy. LSU takes it on the road this weekend venturing north to meet Syracuse who is coming in at 3-0 by their own right. What I am seeing is the Tigers laying 24.5 on the road. Seems about right.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Been watching the Bulldogs with a careful eye as they have a big thursday night prime time game here in Columbia against Mizzou down the road. Big game for the Bulldogs this week as they clash with Auburn in what is suddenly basically a pickem game. Another case of who would have thought. The Tigers will have the obvious chip on their shoulders from last years whipping by the Bulldogs 38-23 and it is of course compounded by the earlier stated struggles they have endured to date this season. Dak Prescott has had success against Auburn in the past and appears to me he is supremely confident going into this game. Should be an electric atmosphere at Jordan Haire stadium saturday night. Both teams need a victory here and I suspect we will have a game still in question to the final minute.
VANDERBILT: Got to give the Commodores a little love this week. They prevailed by 40 points. Oh yeah, it was against Austin Peay. Side note, bear with me because I can tend to ramble and it is my post so live with it. When I was a youngster Austin Peay had a stud basketball player named Fly Williams. It was a hoot listening to the home crowd scream, The Fly is open, Let's GO PEAY! Okay, humor me. When talking about Vandy football you have to maintain some sort of sense of humor. Unfortunately this saturday they have to go on the road and get in front of the bus that is called Ole Miss. Sorry!
TENNESSEE: Well Western Carolina was in the wrong place at the wrong time last week. The Volunteers had just gotten shocked by a stunning Oklahoma comeback and they were in the mood to kick somebodys, anybodys ass. And well, they proceeded to do exactly that to the tune of a 45 point blow out winner. What did it prove? Not much to be truthful. This week they travel down to Florida in what shapes up as another compelling match up. I am used to programs that despise one another, when you grow up in mid missouri as a baby you are taught some things very young. As an infant being taught to speak you are drilled on the basics, momma, daddy, and Kansas sucks! So I know a thing or two about rivalries and from what I gather there is no love lost between these two. Maybe a Vols or Gators fan can chime in on this one. Seems like the Gators have owned the bragging rights for a long time now though. And yes once again, another great matchup this weekend in conference play. Lot of football to watch. Tough job but somebodys got to do it.
FLORIDA: Gators coach Jim McElwain is one intense dude. I like him That was an impressive win last saturday night in Lexington when his Gators went into enemy territory and left town with a hard fought 5 point win under their belts. That team can defend guys. Six sacks last week. It has to be driving the Kentucky fans straight crazy that the Gators have handled the Wildcats now in 29 straight games, oh that is ugly! We will have a better measure of where Florida is after the Tennessee game this weekend.
OLE MISS & ALABAMA: What a game! I had my featured release of the college weekend on the Tide and don't you just love it when you sit down to watch a big game you have a real stake in and your team fumbles the opening kick off. I sat and looked on in horror as the Tide seemed to be another team out there. They had five turnovers on the game and well, that is just lethal. It amazes me also that a team with the reputation of Alabama seems to so often struggle finding a premier place kicker. Really? It would seem to me they could recruit the nation and isolate the four strongest candidates in the country and bring them in for a visit and take their choice, it is Alabama after all. Just puzzling to me. BUT, to the credit of Ole Miss they overcame the hostile environment and those sissy looking baby blue helmets to play a stellar game. Hugh Freeze fielded a team I am told that has more NFL prospects than the Tide. Got news for you Reb backers, hold onto this guy. I cannot wait to get something off my bucket list, never been to a game in Bama and will be making the trip when Missouri goes down there for the first time in league play.
So there it is guys. Just some random thoughts on the league. No, it is not a detailed breakdown of every teams precise situations, injuries, etc. That is for my real job, handicapping games for my clients. And speaking of that I have always prided myself on being honest. My late dad taught me that it is always best to speak plainly. I could break down every game but the bottom line is last week I went 0-3 on my Triples. Those who know me know full and well that is a rare happening. My long term winning results with my football triples is well documented. But I showed a very, very human side last weekend. It was humbling to say the least. It is hard to convey just how determined I am to bounce back strong this week. I am currently working on my NFL card but have already loaded my big college release. I have my SEC Triple Star Game of the Year going this weekend. Now, I know a lot of people cringe when they hear that term. AND, I do not blame them. That term has been more abused than a rented mule. But I want to say, and this is important guys, it has not been abused by me. And I know there is a belief held by many that games of the year are jinxed and usually lose. Well, once again I must say that has not held true with me. No, I do not win them all, that dude has not been born yet. But in our year of 2015 I have had a total of 11 of these releases in various sports. I have cashed on 9 of them. My clients know it is not BS when I load one up. I have not released a single one since back on august 9th when I went with my triple star baseball rabid dog of the year. And yes, it won. The last one to go down was back on June 11 in the NBA finals. Anyway, the play is up and loaded.
Hope everyone has a great night and I will be back tomorrow with a run down of the Big 12. Thanks guys!