SEC Football: Larry's Losers in the SEC Week 5, 2011 Edition

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) Well sports fans, last week we put out a powerful prose, predicting perfection in playing with the pigskin and while we hate to toot our own horn, this is our second week of selections without a loss.

However, to keep us humble, we still have that three-loss week posted on the wall to remind us why they call some games long shots.

Still, that gets our winning percentage back up to over 85 percent and with a record of 33-5 for the year.

Another great week will get us back in tall cotton, so let's get pickin' and see if that's within reach this week.

Buffalo at Tennessee

The last time Derek Dooley's Volunteers went huntin', they went gigging for Gators and that didn't go so well, but with a week to bandage the bite marks and heal the hurt, they aim to keep their feet on dry ground and bag some Bulls when they wander into Neyland Stadium this Saturday.

Now you have to wonder why a team from Buffalo couldn't have a buffalo for a mascot. Why'd a a team from Buffalo choose a Bull?

Anyway, the football Bulls are as confused about the proper way to win a football game as the people who named them were in picking mascots, so it ought to be an easy day for Volunteers.

Larry's Loser: Buffalo

Auburn at South Carolina

Now a good bird fight is illegal in most states but there's going to be a lot of peckin' and pluckin' going on in Williams-Bryce Stadium this Saturday afternoon.

Gene Chizik's run of bad luck looks to get longer as his flock of fowl look more like worn Eagles than warring ones. But the Old Ball Coach's Cluckers didn't look too fantastic last week with Stephen Garcia completing so many of his passes to the wrong team.

Still, in the end, the fowl with the biggest pecker won't win this fight; it'll be the one with the largest amount of talented peckers.

Larry's Loser: Auburn

Kentucky at LSU

Joker Phillips pussycat parade paws on down to Tiger country to try and socialize with their feline bayou brethren. But Les Miles and his terrible Tabbies don't aim to be too social. This ain't no cat show, but a cat fight, even if there's going to be only one cat swinging.

LSU has their eyes on bigger days down the road, but that won't mean they'll overlook these mildcats and send them scurrying back to the bluegrass in bandages.

This one could be as ugly as Miles lets it get and he might just let it get downright ugly.

Larry's Loser: Kentucky

Mississippi State at Georgia

Dan's Doggies just haven't lived up to the expectations that Bacardi and I built them up to at the first of the year. That poor pooch of mine is still in denial of just how bad those Bulldogs have behaved up to now.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs from the other division seem to be trying to shed the fleas and shine again and at least seem like they're getting a little better each week, unlike the Mississippi Mutts who struggled with little Louisiana Tech last week. Those Bulldogs from Georgia ain't going to take kindly to another pooch raising his hind leg on his hedges and the fur will start flying as soon as the whistle blows.

Earlier this season, I predicted this one would be a loss for Richt and a game that would heat his seat even hotter; now I think it's looking like a win and the beginning of an SEC turnaround for those red clay hounds from Athens.

Larry's Loser: Mississippi State

Alabama at Florida

The Reptiles from down Sunny State way have made the transition from Meyer to Muschamp look easy and last week showed a bunch of bluegrass mildcats that though Gators have little short legs they sure can run, and they rolled up over 400 yards of rushing on the Kentucky Kitties.

Meanwhile, Alabama's elephants were trampling anyone in another color who dared to touch the ball and stomped the Razorbacks running backs into the turf.

So this is a battle of strength verses strength and the strongest will win, not the fastest. My daddy always said a great defense will always beat a great offense and that's the way I see this one headed, but not without a fight worth watchin'.

Larry's Loser: Florida

Ole Miss at Fresno State

These Rebels are not just without a cause; they're without an offense and a defense too! Earlier this season, I would have picked the Rebels over this California collection of mutts, but now I have no faith in the SEC West's worst warrior.

Fresno State is a pack of powerful little pooches that took the Nebraska Cob Knockers down to the fourth quarter before going belly up.

They won't have to wait that long for these bunch of Rebels to throw up a white flag this time though. Houston Nutt is always a pain in my back pocket area, but I don't see another miracle coming this week.

Larry's Loser: Ole Miss

Arkansas vs. Texas A&M at Jerry's World in Dallas

Bobby Petrino's Pig posse parades down to Jerry's World in Dallas for a game at as neutral a site as a pig fighting a shark in the ocean. Last week, each of these teams got a good reality check of problems they need to address for the future by losing.

Mike Sherman knows he needs to Sherman tank these Hogs and keep that Hog air attack on the bench. But Bobby Petrino knows a thing or two about stopping a Sherman in its place and aims to knock the Aggies off their tracks.

This is going to be a toughie to tabulate and in the end, it's going to come down to who wants it the most. That's why it's good to play in Texas, because there's so many mommas and daddies in the stands to make the Aggies want it just a little more.

Larry's Loser: Arkansas

Well that's it for this week folks. Come back next week when the pigskin pickin' pooch and I will be pontificating the predictions practically perfect for you.

Till then, keep a smile on your face but never let the wife know why you're smiling.