SEC East Game of The Week: Lane Kiffin Vs. Florida Gators

Original Article Published on SEC Sports Report

ATLANTA, Ga—It’s a rainy night in Georgia.  It has been raining all week, and it looks like the South will be wet for SEC football Week Three.  Funny thing about the rain is that it can change the outcome of a football game.  Turnovers tend to happen more frequently.  Anything can happen.  I’m 16-2 (89%) for the first two weeks.  Here are my SEC East predictions for Week Three:

SEC Game of the Week:  Tennessee Volunteers vs Florida Gators in the Swamp. This could be the most highly viewed football game, outside of a Championship, in NCAA history.  Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin drew blood early in this rivalry by mentioning in his very first speech how he would enjoy beating Florida. 

Needless to say, it has all the theater of a cocky Freshman talking trash about the biggest, strongest Senior in the school.  Everybody knows how the story ends.  The bell rings and the Freshman gets his tail whipped in front of half the school.  The only difference in this scenario is that the Vols will get beat in front of a national TV audience for all the world to see. 

There was some finger pointing in the Vols' locker room after the UCLA game which sends up a big flag for me.  I liked the way Coach Kiffin took the pressure off his quarterback by blaming the play calling and offensive line. 

If Kiffin didn’t defend quarterback Crompton, nobody else would.  Even Crompton’s Mom refused to talk to the media.  The rain is the only thing that can slow down the Gators in this one.  Gators chomp Kiffin and company 45-10.

SEC East vs SEC West:  Georgia Bulldogs vs Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.  Looks like the Bulldogs are walking into another big game.  The Bulldogs have had two tough early games while Arkansas has had an easy game and a week off. 

Arkansas will be better than last year with quarterback Ryan Mallet and a much improved backfield.  Georgia has some playmakers that can score at any time.  This should be a great game to watch.  I like the Dawgs in another close one 31-28.

SEC East vs SEC West:  Miss State vs Vanderbilt in Nashville.  Vandy has proved to be scrappy in their first two games and could give the Miss State defense problems.  Miss State should still be nursing some wounds from the Auburn game.  We like Vandy 28-21.

SEC East vs Big East:  Louisville Cardinals vs Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. This rivalry game is played for the Governor’s Cup.  Just so happens, Governor Beshear is a Wildcat graduate.  I like quarterback Mike Hartline and I know Randall Cobb brings explosiveness to the Kentucky offense.  Kentucky wins 27-14.

SEC East vs Sun Belt:  South Carolina Gamecocks vs Florida Atlantic Owls in Columbia.  Coach Spurrier will play a lot of players in this one as he prepares for Ole Miss on ESPN Thursday.  Gamecocks win.

I wouldn’t miss the Florida-Tennessee game for a new laptop.  My brother-in-law is a big Vol fan and usually invites me over for this game, but I haven’t heard a word from him this week.  With a 30 point line on the game, the Vols could beat expectations.  Either way, it will be great SEC football. 

I will see you on the ball field.

Jay Holgate is an SEC sports analyst, freelance writer and editor of SEC Sports Report.  He can be heard on sports radio around the South.  He can be reached at editor (at) SECsportsReport (dot) com.

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