Picking the Rivalry Games

Ole Miss at Miss. St (Friday game): 

It's hard not to cheer for Sly Croom these days; he battled through a ton of losses, but now has his team headed in the right direction. 

While my gut says MSU will squander its first opportunity at the postseason in years, I want to believe in what Croom is doing. 

MSU wins a close one—and as crazy as this sounds, Sylvester Croom is going bowling.  

Arkansas at LSU (Friday game): 

I can’t imagine LSU would blow its chances this late against a one-dimensional Arkansas team.  Crazier things have happened this year, but the Tigers can smell the National Championship game.  LSU big in this one.

Kansas vs. Missouri: 

This has all the makings of an instant classic.  Call me a cynic, but I’m still not a believer in the Jayhawks, despite their impressive string of victories over unranked teams.  I’ve heard all the "Kansas is legit" talk, but I can’t buy into it. 

Maybe I’ll eat my words in a few days.  For now, however, I see Mizzou taking control of this game early, and winning by a couple touchdowns. 

Tennessee at Kentucky: 

Tennessee has won this game 22 times in a row—a streak which stops this weekend.

Kentucky needs to get back on track to raise their bowl game status, and Tennessee’s schizophrenic pass defense has no clue how to play on the road this year (see the Cal, Florida, and Alabama games). Something tells me Andre' Woodson is going to have a big day. 

Losing the cross-state rivalry for the first time in 23 years, and blowing a shot to play in the SEC Championship game...Rocky Top will be feeling this pain for a while.   
 

Georgia at Georgia Tech: 

Yellow Jackets, prepare to get rolled.  Hope your jerseys look cool. 

Georgia by a truckload—and, courtesy of Andre' Woodson, a birth for the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship game.     
 

Florida State at Florida: 

Memo to Florida State:  You have to be good to run your mouth.  That means you, Geno Hayes. The "Tebow-is-going-down" mantra has been done before, with limited success—if any. 

Just a gut feeling here, but it’s going to take a bench-clearing brawl and the subsequent ejection of the entire Florida offense for FSU to pull off a stunner in the Swamp. The Seminoles might keep it close for a half, but that’s about it. 

Gators by 17.
 

Virginia Tech at Virginia: 

Two households, both alike in overrated status, break to new mutiny. Shakespeare aside, the Hokies will bring the Cavs back to reality. 

Hokies win an ugly one.
 

Oklahoma St. at Oklahoma: 

The only interesting part of this game is that Mike Gundy is a 40-year-old man.  Conventional wisdom says OU rebounds and wins at home.  However, something tells me Coach Gundy is going to get it done. 

Cowboys in a close one.   
 

Clemson at South Carolina: 

See "Clemson Meltdown."
 

Alabama at Auburn: 

After destroying Tennessee several weeks back, Saban had the Tide rolling.  It looked like Bama would challenge LSU for the West crown. 

Since then, a close loss to LSU, and then—gulp—back-to-back losses to Miss. St. and lowly Louisiana Monroe.  9/11?  Pearl Harbor?  And now a night game in Jordan-Hare Stadium.  Hmm…sounds like War Eagle time to me.

The streak continues.  Auburn by a touchdown.   
 

Bonus Game – Duke at North Carolina: 

Duke is making its second national television appearance in a row this weekend. 

You'd be better off watching "Beverly Hills 90210" reruns. 

North Carolina by three touchdowns.