I told RJ I would do a weekly review centering around the SEC conference. Then he caught me in a moment of weakness and prodded me into doing the same thing for the Big 12. So, here we are guys once again, lol. Today I will be offering up some thoughts revolving around the league. Tomorrow will be more of the same. These are not anything but my own gut feelings so to speak. Nothing real in depth here, too much work to do for my clients frankly. But to be honest, I have a passion for sports so just pretty much anything to do with it is all good with me. Some guys live and breathe science, some the law, some real estate. We all walk our separate paths and together we make up the world. My thing is sports and to be more specifically sports wagering. I was taking bets in the school cafeteria was in 8th grade. Sometimes you just were born to certain things. Anyway here we go today with the SEC. The league some folks worship and some others seem to loathe.
ALABAMA: Once again, I will state that I selected the Tide to win the conference this year. I am sticking to that pick. And that prediction will be put to the test this saturday in College Station against the Aggies. I pretty much felt last week that the Tide would be flat against the Hogs, and yes they were. They finally kicked it into gear late but it was not as impressive a win as many would have projected. It's tough to keep these kids motivated four quarters game in and game out. They were still feeling their oats after plastering Ole Miss. Well they they had better be focused on the task at hand this weekend because the Aggies will be loaded for bear. Last year Bama absolutely crushed Texas A&M like a bug 59-0. Teams don't tend to forget those kind of humiliating beat downs. Of course there is a mountain of difference between want to, and can do. This is a chance for the Aggies to put thoughts and preparation into action. The Tide will be there, on time and ready to rumble. They will not be hard to find Aggies.
AUBURN: Well the Tigers had a week off to kind of take a hard look at where they are as opposed to where they expected to be. Stark difference. I have been pretty hard on this team but have nothing negative to say this week guys. Of course the week off helped, lol. Now they come out for a prime time battle this week against a Kentucky team that is going to try and kick the giant while he is reeling. Make no mistake about it Tigers fans, your team will be walking into a hornets nest this week and most the nation will be skeptical that your team will respond. As a fan I am very curious to see just how Auburn responds here. If they want to jump start their season this is the perfect opportunity to do so.
ARKANSAS: Not so sure how much of that game against the Tide was a valiant effort from the Hogs and how much of it was pure, vintage hangover by Bama off that pasting of the Rebels. I have some friends down in Hog heaven and they still have high hopes to be planning a bowl trip and vacation. I say they will be in dire need over Auburn in their next game to make that feasible. Of course that is not nearly as daunting a task as it appeared when the schedule was gazed upon this summer. I still say the Hogs are a middle of the road team, nothing more or less. In the SEC you can be called a lot worse things.
FLORIDA: Impressive road win for the Gators last saturday night in Columbia against Mizzou. It was not a real popular thing when I told my buddies I had a release on Florida at the tailgate. But my friends know it is just a business deal with me. They've known me for years and know what I do. The Gators came to play and are impressive as hell on defense. Of course now with their talented young QB Grier getting suspended the whole dynamic changes. The timing on that whole thing just really sucks. This team had that swagger going and I think is legitmate. The Tigers were impressed with that Florida defense. I'm talking about the players themselves who were in the trenches. They were like, oh hell, that team is quick, flies to the ball and are physical when they arrive. Let's just say they left an impression. This week they venture into dangerous territory as they have a battle scheduled with Miles LSU Tigers. Don't count the Gators out. Just my opinion. Better team than most still suspect.
GEORGIA: Oh brother, what a week for Mark Richt and his Bulldogs. Sometimes I just feel like this team is jinxed. Weird shit happens to these guys. I mean really, what a miserable and night mare kind of afternoon for Richt's kids as they blow a three touchdown lead in a game they had to feel like they had a choke hold on and then to rub salt in the wound they lose their outstanding running back Nick Chubb for the season. Good grief, really. What kind of mood will the Missouri Tigers find the Bulldogs in when they arrive this weekend in Athens. This Georgia and Mizzou game was thought to be such a pivotal game to decide this thing in the east but now it has taken on a whole new complexion with both teams reeling somewhat. Georgia went into Columbia and hung up a beat down last year and the Tigers have not forgotten. Mizzou has had this one circled for a long time. But they clearly have their own issues. This is a 16 point number as I type this up. That is a ton of points for this game.
KENTUCKY: I personally have a decent degree of faith in Stoops and his Wildcats. Enough so I played them a few weeks back as my SEC game of the year when they took down Mizzou that saturday night in Lexington. Stoops has this program headed squarely in the right direction in my view. This thursday night will be an epic one for the Cats as they host a prime time ESPN game against Auburn. Admittedly, some of the shine has come off the Tigers but be that as it may, this is a stepping stone moment for Stoops Wildcats. As of this moment they are a home 2 point dog to the Tigers who have been preparing for this game coming off a bye week. The stubborn fact is this, with Auburn this week and Mississippi State on deck this is a crucial stretch for the Cats and their Bowl aspirations. I personally think Auburn could be in for a tough night here. The stars are aligning.
LSU: Off a weird week with their scheduling issues against South Carolina. Could not really take a helluva lot from that game. Les Miles club will get a severe test at home this week when the suddenly, very salty Florida Gators come into town to get it on. I cannot wait to see Fournette go up against that Florida defense. With Will Grier being suspended it presents the obvious of how the Gators will respond. Well, McElwain can clearly motivate and coach. These kids have invested so much into getting to this stage of the season and be in this position. The Gators will put up a valiant fight here, I guarantee that. The Tigers had better be ready for an alley fight. It is coming LSU, it IS coming.
MISSISSIPPI: Non conference action for the Rebels this week as they take on Memphis. We all know the Tigers are potent on offense and for crying out loud, who can take any non con game lightly after what we have witnessed this year. The Reb's have clearly shown the willingness and ability to beat the living hell out of inferior opponents. But I am still wondering what that punch in the mouth Florida dealt this team did to their confidence. Not the public, interview type BS, but what it did to this teams inner soul and resolve. One source told me at the outset of the season that Ole Miss had more legit NFL recruits than any other team in the entire league. Interesting battle this week against a Memphis team who will be wanting sorely to kick a giant in the balls here.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Well okay, you handled Troy. Avoided a bump in the road. Got to give props for that. I still consider the Bulldogs a middle of the pack team destined for a middle of the pack bowl at best. At least what seemed like a loss in the prime time game down the line on a thursday night at Mizzou now looks more than winnable. This week they host Louisiana Tech in an early morning kick off and I am telling you, they had better be ready to strap it on because this game has the potential to be a total pain in the ass for the Dawgs. Tech is more than capable of pissing all over their party.
MISSOURI: Oh where to even begin. The two time SEC East champions are reeling. They are on the ropes off a bad home loss to a Florida team that plain whipped them in their own house on a homecoming night. I saw this one coming, should have made it a triple. Let me say this, I do predict young Drew Lock will play on sundays. BUT, that is down the road guys. People were expecting WAY too much too soon from this true freshman who was thrown into the fire after Mauk screwed up and got suspended. He has an offensive line that has under performed all year. He has a running back in Hansbrough who is getting healthier but has not been sound all year. He has wide outs who struggle mightily to get separation with the possible exception of Nate Brown. BUT, the Tigers defense is proud and they are salty. That defense will keep Mizzou in games. Now this week they travel to Athens to battle the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia kicked the Tigers asses last fall. Humiliated them in front of their home crowd. This week is a game the Tigers have been pointing to all year long. Now they come down between the hedges with a kid at QB and a sputtering an offense, but with a defense that cannot wait to get on the field and hit some people. The odds makers have marked up the Dawgs as a whopping 16 point favorite. Hmmm!
SOUTH CAROLINA: Well hell, this is a sad deal. I like Spurrier. College football is more fun when Steve Spurrier is trolling up and down the sidelines tossing his visor and making funny faces. Shocked as many of you are that he is hanging it up, and in the middle of the season. Something does not pass the smell test here. I pray he is okay health wise. That is about all I have to say about this program today.
TENNESSEE: Impressive comeback obviously against the Georgia Bulldogs. Jones kids have to be feeling good about themselves going into the long layoff. Now they have plenty of time to prepare for the Tide in their next game. Good luck with that. I am sure the Vol's will be watching that Bama and Texas A&M game in College Station very closely. Not to disparage that win over Georgia guys. That was an impressive thing against what is obviously a very good team. I admit, this team dropped a lot in my eyes when they gagged that one up against the Sooners at home in prime time. Some losses linger in your mind longer than others.
TEXAS A&M: BIG, BIG game this week for Kevin Sumlin and his Aggies. Biggest game in College Station is awhile. Alabama brings that out in people. Thing is this guys, and this is important. The Aggies will be sky high for this battle. Well Alabama is used to that. They are used to being the Darth Vader that gets everybody's best shot. They won't blink. The Tide mutilated the Aggies last season to the tune of 59-0. Have things changed so much in one year that the Aggies will prevail this time around? Maybe, maybe not. Before you start jerking off to much over the Aggies just take a close and honest look at that schedule. No, I am not a Bama fan. Just respect the hell out of them. Must see game, case closed.
VANDERBILT: I am always kind of at a loss here. I don't believe in piling on. This is the weakest team in the conference and that is just a stubborn fact. BUT, if Vandy is going to snare a league win the prime opportunity presents itself this weekend when they butt heads with a pretty bad South Carolina club that is dealing with the sudden departure of their head coach. Impossible to predict this game in my opinion. Just being honest. To me the guys who bet on this game are the same guys who play the card game war and bet on it.
Okay, that is it for now. On the business end I have yet to load up and football featured releases for the upcoming weekend. Frankly there are quite a few games that look too good to be true which is rarely a good thing. I am currently doing my due diligence. As always, once I make my determination I will tweet it out. Now back to work. Good luck this week guys. This is a helluva great time of year.