Predicting Every SEC Football Game of Week 7
Last week wasn't the best for my picks. I incorrectly picked against South Carolina, Georgia and LSU. I'll try to get my act together with this week's picks.
Last weekend was the craziest the SEC has seen yet in 2010, with top-ranked Alabama losing to South Carolina, LSU pulling a victory over Florida out of the fire and Auburn surviving a tough, upset-minded Kentucky team desperate for a victory.
How will SEC games play out this week? Here are my picks...
Vanderbilt Commodores (2-3) at Georgia Bulldogs (2-4)
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It seems Georgia may have gotten back on track after the 41-14 stomping of Tennessee, what with the blowout win over a team that should have beaten LSU and what not.
You would think, seeing as Georgia is at home and Vanderbilt usually is horrible in football, that the Dawgs would pick up their third win of the season.
In the words of Lee Corso, NOT SO FAST, MY FRIENDS!
Vandy fights very hard with Robbie Caldwell at the helm. I think they spring the upset on Georgia between the hedges!
Vanderbilt 41, Georgia 34
McNeese State Cowboys (2-3) at No. 9 LSU Tigers (6-0)
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So... what are your picks for Auburn-LSU?
LSU 36, McNeese State 0
Ole Miss Rebels (3-2) at No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1)
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Alabama is searching for answers following their big loss to the Gamecocks.
Ole Miss seems to have gotten a little bit back on track since their 2OT loss to the Gamecocks.
Only difference is, Alabama lost to a top 10 team in South Carolina, while Ole Miss lost to Jacksonville State, where QB Ryan Perrilloux... had just graduated and left.
While Ole Miss is on a winning streak, Alabama is too strong for this one to even be interesting by halftime. Bama's defense finally breaks through, sacking Jeremiah Masoli at LEAST five times.
Alabama 48, Ole Miss 9
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
SWING GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 10 South Carolina (4-1) at Kentucky (3-3)
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South Carolina's looking to break into the clear in the SEC East title race. Kentucky might be their last chance to lose to an East team this year, because I don't see Florida staying competitive when that game comes around.
Kentucky, however, needs a win to avoid an 0-4 hole in SEC play. They just lost to Auburn in a heartbreaker, 37-34, by allowing an Auburn drive of 19 plays to end the game.
Something's got to give.
I just think, however, that South Carolina is more of a team on a mission than they have ever been in school history. They keep rolling along.
South Carolina 26, Kentucky 22
Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-2) at No. 22 Florida Gators (4-2)
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Dan Mullen returns to the Swamp, where he once coached the likes of Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin.
Now, he has Vick Ballard and other playmakers with him at Mississippi State.
Florida, meanwhile, has to be the most desperate team college football has ever seen. They played QB John Brantley against LSU while he had several injuries that were known to the staff: ribs, fingers, you name it. Brantley was sore.
Also, Urban Meyer just allowed Chris "Time2Die" Rainey back on the team. Back for good behavior, or back because Urban wants to win so badly he will accept almost criminal-minded players to start as long as it helps them win?
MSU has won three straight games, all in blowout fashion. MSU looks for a big fifth win that would all but put the Dawgs squarely in the bowl picture. Not a bad bowl, either, maybe a Chick-Fil-A or Outback Bowl.
They get it done in the Swamp.
Mississippi State 26, Florida 23 (OT)
SEC GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 12 Arkansas (4-1) at No. 7 Auburn (6-0)
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The Tigers have been rolling with Cam Newton, as they are unbeaten and the seventh-ranked team in the nation.
Arkansas lost to Alabama, but has won every other game.
We all know about Cam vs. Mallett in the "Possible-Heisman-Contender Bowl." Here are my predictions for how it goes down. This may take a while...
Prediction: After both teams get the ball once and move a little but don't score, Arkansas strikes first with a field goal for a 3-0 lead. Cam Newton responds, leading Auburn down the field before running in from five yards out to give them a 7-3 lead. After Demond Washington intercepts a pass, Auburn moves down the field, and in the second quarter, Wes Byrum nails a short field goal to make it 10-3 Auburn.
After another stop by Auburn, Cam gets the ball back, connects on a big pass play to Emory Blake, and the drive ends with a one-yard run by Mike Dyer. 17-3, Tigers all over Arkansas. But it isn't over by a long, long shot.
Mallett throws a touchdown to Greg Chiles to pull within 17-10. But, back comes Auburn. Cam Newton goes play-action and finds Philip Lutzenkirchen from 25 yards out. 24-10 Auburn. But, back comes Arkansas. Right before the half, Mallett finds Joe Adams, who makes a leaping one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone.
At the half, Auburn leads 24-17.
To start the second half, after bending but not breaking defensively, Arkansas gets the ball back to Mallett, who again leads the Hogs down the field. The drive ends on a TD catch by DJ Williams to tie it at 24.
But, back comes the "Dinosaur", Cam Newton. Using his arm and feet, the Tigers drive 75 yards before the third quarter ends, culminating with a four-yard TD pass from Cam Newton to Emory Blake. Auburn leads 31-24 after three quarters.
In the fourth, Mallett finds DJ Williams from 50 yards out. 31-31. Back comes Cam Newton, who leads Auburn down the field. Onterio McCalebb scores from 13 yards away, and Auburn leads 38-31. Guess what... here comes Arkansas.
On 4th-and-13, Ryan Mallett finds DJ Williams AGAIN, this time from 25 yards out. 38-38, two minutes left. But, guess who has the ball.... Auburn and Cam Newton. A big run by Newton, pushing him over 200 for the day in both running and passing, puts Auburn in Byrum range.
Finally, as the clock runs out, Wes Byrum connects from 43 yards away! Despite 420 passing yards from Ryan Mallett, Cam Newton takes the showdown in another barnburner!
Auburn 41, Arkansas 38
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
