Each week I will continue to post some random (very) thoughts about the conference. It is the conference I probably follow the closest since my own team, gulp, Missouri resides in it. As always, I want to stress I have no axe to grind. Mizzou does not really have a natural rival in this league. Weird deal, our rival was always Kansas and now we don't play them anymore at all. Just something wrong about that. Not that it would be a game anyone with any sense would want to actually pay to watch this season. Be like going to pick up my little grandson at his day care and seeing two little guys mixing it up in a sand box.
Might as well start at the top. I have this feeling we could be in for a three peat of Bama and Clemson eventually. The Tide has not been tested since the opener against the Seminoles. Last week they cruised past Colorado State. This week they step into league play and what looked like an easy w at the outset has actually turned into a game of some intrigue in some circles. Personally I cannot see the Tide in truly serious trouble here. Make no mistake about it, Vandy can defend. Kansas State found that out last saturday night in a defensive battle. I still think the Wildcats got royally screwed on a touchdown being called back, the review seemed to confirm the fumble actually, but for reasons that made zero common sense the Commodores got a early christmas gift and they took the points off the board. Would it have changed the ultimate outcome? We will never know. Just frustrating when they cannot get it right even with the benefit of a replay. Sad. Yes, I was on Kansas State large but even had I been on Vandy I would have seen the same thing. Anyway, now that I have vented I will get back on the rails here. Vandy is well coached, aggressive and plays a defense that is fun to watch. They can and will be a pain in the ass for a lot of people. They will be all jacked up with the Tide rolling into town. But, reality check. Bama is used to this, they get everyones best shot week in and week out. As I type this up Sabans machine is laying 19, big number on the road against a team as salty as Vandy. A ton of people are salivating over Vandy and the generous points at home. I'm not one of them. Vandy knocked off a very good team last week in Kansas State, even with some help, but the stubborn fact is Bama presents a different dilemma. Well, lot's of them, lol We shall see.
Should be a very entertaining game in Athens as the Bulldogs host the other Bulldogs from Mississippi State, As I type this Kirby's crew is laying 3.5 to Mullen's mutt's. (just kidding). Georgia is a spotless 3-0 and has that impressive road win in South Bend on their resume. Now they will be rooting for the Irish the rest of the season to help put some more luster on that win. It is no state secret what the key to success is for Georgia. It's Chubb and Michael. Probably as good a tandem in the backfield as I have seen in some time. Clearly Mississippi State DC Todd Grantham has been working some late hours this week scheming to stop them. It's called loading the box, learned it in high school. lol. It is going to be another big test for young Jake Fromm who has stepped in under center for Eason. A stiff test. The best defense he has lined up against this season will be this bunch, not the one with the shamrock on their jersey. I will be real candid here, I would not be the least bit surprised to see the visitors leave Athens a very happy group saturday. This will be a snot bubbler.
HUGE game in Lexington. I have a friend from over there and he said the joint will be jumping saturday night when the Gators come into town. Lord only knows how badly the Cat's want to beat this Gators team. I almost played South Carolina last week against Kentucky but a little voice was screaming, not whispering, in my head. NO, NO, NO! I am sure some of you guys have that same little voice. Sometimes we listen and sometimes we are stubborn dumb asses and don't. Well, if you didn't know it that little voice is the smartest cat in the room. Like many of you I was shaking my head last week at that crazy ending with the Gators over the Vol's. Kid launched a pass that would have made Aaron Rodgers proud, hit him right in stride. Well, here's the deal in case you don't know. Florida has knocked off Kentucky the last THIRTY games! That is the definition of being someones bitch. This is not a case of trying to get that "monkey" off their backs, this is more like having King Kong residing in your own home, breeding your old lady, making you watch and then lighting his cigar for him when he is done. Oh, and then go fix him something to eat and get to work on cleaning your house for him. That kind of own. So yeah, it would be kind of huge for Kentucky to finally whip the Gators and to do it at home would be gravy. I have a feeling this will be a close game and the Wildcats will lose in the very end in some gut wrenching fashion. Maybe be down by two points with one second on the clock and the kicker will hook a game winning 27 yard field goal. I know, that's sick.
Texas A&M will host the Hogs saturday morning down in College Station. At the outset of the season I thought this would evolve into a big game. Well, not so much. The loser of this game will be in deep crap. I am not so sure the Aggies have recovered from that melt down in Los Angeles against the Bruins and that epic gag job. Now they get the Hogs who are off a pretty sound whipping at the hands of Gary Patterson's TCU Horned Frogs. Kevin Sumlin has had some legit issues getting the program on a consistent winning track but beating the Hogs has not been on that list of problems. He is a spotless 5-0 against Arkansas since taking over in College Station. I do not suspect this will be a game eagerly watched by other than fans and relatives of the players but it will be a pivotal spot for these two teams. It is my opinion the Aggies will try and run the ball down the throats of Arkansas here. I saw how much trouble they had stopping TCU on the ground. I think Sumlin will give them a heavy dose of Trayveon Williams. Will it work, stay tuned.
Those are what I consider the most note worthy games. Yes, Auburn takes the road for a league game in Columbia against Missouri. Let me be as blunt as humanly possible regarding this game. I could say a lot here, and a lot of it would be juicy stuff I know. But I won't. I have my own personal reasons. Giving opinions is one thing, breaking confidences is altogether something else. In some other games Tennessee and Butch Jones thankfully have Massachusetts on the schedule this saturday. Nice spot to try and rebound and regroup after that vomit inducing loss to the Gators last week. If you have every been royally kicked in the nuts square on that gives you at least an idea of what Butch Jones and his kids felt last saturday down in florida. Takes a little time to heal that kind of pain. U-Mass should be just what the old doc ordered. I think South Carolina is in an interesting spot coming off the loss to Kentucky. They remain home in Columbia and take on a capable Louisiana Tech club. Presently the Cocks are laying 9.5 so the odds makers know what could be in store here for them. Muschamps club should take care of business here but they had better be bringing it. This smells of upset. I have a very strong feeling Syracuse will wish they had never stepped off the plane when they meet up with LSU saturday night. Frankly I think the Orange sucks. And I think LSU will be looking to stick their foot up some Orange ass all night long. Yup this could be like clubbing baby seals all the way.
That will do it for this week. Time to get back to work. I will get in trouble if I do not mention the business side of things. I have a hard enough time staying out of trouble without bringing it on myself. Lol. I DO have a featured release loaded up in the NFL game thursday night. We cashed on the Lions over the Giants monday night and I am honestly very confident we will again here. I have actually cashed now on 71% of my football featured releases thus far this season. Overall, the football is off to a very, very solid winning start for my clients and I. I also have my one & only SEC Triple game of the year loaded for saturday. I do not do a ton of these types of releases. My last college football game of the year came back on december 31st when I told my clients Clemson would handle Ohio State. We all saw how that turned out. I also have a sunday NFL Triple loaded and ready. I have had a total of 5 NFL Triples this season, we have cashed on 4 of them.
So that is a wrap for this one. GREAT time of year. Football in full swing and the baseball winding down towards their post season. My Cardinals at least still have a pulse. We shall see. Take care guys and best of luck this weekend with your action.