SEC Week One Predictions: Alabama, UCLA Primed for Upsets

Thursday, Aug. 28

7:30 p.m.—Vanderbilt at Miami (OH)

Miami (OH) has a promising starting quarterback in Clay Belton, and its defense is anchored by three linebackers on the Dick Butkus watch list. Vanderbilt quarterback Mackenzi Adams should be shaky at best, especially with the offseason loss of wideout Earl Bennett to the NFL.

8:00 p.m.—North Carolina State at South Carolina

The South Carolina offense will have a solid game, and the South Carolina defense will stiffle the unexciting North Carolina State offense.

Saturday, Aug. 30

12:30 p.m.—Georgia Southern at No. 1 Georgia

Georgia Southern is good, but Georgia is better.

12:30 p.m.—Hawaii at No. 5 Florida

Hawaii has fallen off quite a bit from a season ago. Even so, we all saw what happened in the Warriors' Sugar Bowl matchup with Georgia.

5:00 p.m.—Appalachian State at No. 7 LSU

As much as I hate to say it, LSU is going to be too much for Appalachian State to handle.  In my opinion, coach Lloyd Carr took the game way too lightly last year with Michigan and had the Wolverines wholly unprepared.  Les Miles is not going to let that happen.

6:45 p.m.—Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech

Louisiana Tech be a middle-tier WAC team this year. Mississippi State will just put better players on the field and win off athleticism (if that's possible to say with MSU).

7:00 p.m.—Louisiana-Monroe at No. 10 Auburn

Auburn's going to have a strong team this year, especially in the front-seven of the defense. I don't think they're going to pull an Alabama. Louisiana-Monroe won't run through Auburn like butter like they did with Alabama.

7:00 p.m.—Western Illinois at Arkansas

I don't even know why this game is being played.

7:00 p.m.—Memphis at Mississippi

This should be a close matchup, but I think that Ole Miss' running game will ultimately be the difference. Memphis could potentially make this an upset game. This is one pick I am uncertain of.

8:00 p.m.—No. 24 Alabama at No. 9 Clemson

Alabama will win this game for two reasons: Clemson is overrated and Alabama is underrated. I believe that Julio Jones will be this year's Michael Crabtree. Watching the Alabama scrimmages, he is simply the best player on the field as a freshman.

Sunday, Aug. 31

3:30 p.m.—Kentucky at Louisville

Kentucky will beat a struggling Louisville team. Louisville's defense was atrocious last year and might continue a similar trend this season. Maybe it will line up correctly this year.

Monday, Sept. 1

8:00 p.m.—No. 18 Tennessee at UCLA

The Vols will head into California once again and get their asses handed to them. UCLA should be a middle-tier Pac-10 team this year, but, then again, so was California last year.