Posts Tagged ‘SEC’
Alabama 2010 Prediction
It feels like football in Topeka and that is a great thing. Nothing better than wearing shorts and Keens in 60 degree weather. Can’t wait for the first frost!!
And so my annual prediction of the season for the Crimson Tide. This year’s schedule looks brutal and while I think they can repeat as national champions, I doubt they will be undefeated. To the schedule…
09/04/10 vs. San Jose State
I guess they needed the huge payout or ‘Bama wanted a scrimmage. Should roll here.
09/11/10 vs. Penn State
It’s a home game so that is a huge advantage for the Tide. The Tide is more talented than Penn State but … it’s Penn State. They have a habit of playing down and up to the level of their competitor.
This is also the National Championship of All-Time College Uniforms. Both of these looks are awesome and any athlete would be proud to wear either one of these unis.
Pick: Tide
09/18/10 at Duke
Thank God it’s not basketball. Another W.
09/25/10 at Arkansas
And here is where the road gets rocky. It’s AT Arkansas, then Florida, then AT SC. Not an easy 3 game stretch. Alabama always seems to get the upper hand on the Hogs since Saban has been around. Mallet will be better but he doesn’t play defense.
The Tide in another nail-biter.
10/02/10 vs. Florida
Tide could lose this game — but I’m betting no because they’ll be at home and all hyped up. Another close game but no Tebow. He’s wearing another shade of orange and blue.
10/09/10 at South Carolina
This is one of the two games I think ‘Bama will go into flat and have a let down. The other one is the LSU game. Both on the road, both coming off big rival games, both home teams coming off a bye. Just spells ambush for the Tide. I’m picking the Tide to win this one…not as confident going into Death Valley.
10/16/10 vs. Mississippi
Ole Miss could be in for a long year – injuries, NCAA issues, and the always present Houston Nutt discovering another way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Tide wins.
10/23/10 at Tennessee
Another win. Knoxville is one of the coolest stadiums in the world though.
11/06/10 at LSU
In Red Stick, LA. This is an ambush game and you wouldn’t think so with Saban having coached there but it is. No one (except LSU fans) expects much out of the Bayou Tigers and that’s when they are so dangerous. My head says it’s a loss, my heart thinks it’s a loss.
11/13/10 vs. Mississippi State
Rack ‘em up. It’s a win.
11/18/10 vs. Georgia State
This is Georgia State’s first year to play football and this game could get ugly quick. Why is it on the schedule? Bill Curry, former Alabama coach is starting up this program and needs cash to get some stuff done. “Bama said — come on over. We’ll give you a big fat check along with a big fat punch in the mouth.
11/26/10 vs. Auburn
The other team in Alabama is deeper this year (24 seniors return to this squad) and they’ll be plenty motivated as they pushed Alabama to the 4th quarter last year. It’s on the plains so anything could happen. I’m going with the Tide.
Overall — an 11-1 season and a birth in the SEC championship game. A W there and it’s National Championship game all over again.
To much to hope for?
Football Musings, Week 2 NFL
The Broncos handled the Browns nicely yesterday. It was nice to actually see them win a game. Actually, I didn’t get to see them win…but that’s a whole other issue.
Would you believe that the Broncos would be 2-0 and on top of the AFC West?
Yes. I did. Because I figured the Chargers would beat the Raiders and lose to Baltimore. Turner and the Chargers have a habit of blowing games they should win at the beginning of the year. The Ravens however look to be a beast of a team this year with Flacco having no sophomore slump so far. I had a hunch KC would lose to the Ravens but beat Oakland. That left Denver as 2-0 and on top of the division. It lasts one more week as Denver plays the Greatness (sarcasm). After this week — the descent begins.
Watching the Chefs implode, squander scoring opportunities, and mismanage the clock was painful on Sunday. The truth of the matter is that KC is talent poor right now. I think Todd H. and Scott Pioli will change that eventually but this is going to be just as long if not longer season for Chief fans as it is Bronco fans.
Alabama/Arkansas square off this Saturday and there will probably be ample enough trash talk for Hog fans that read this blog. Up until last year, the games were very close. I think the Hogs will make it interesting in the first half, then Bama pulls away in the second. Although I’m very proud of one of my former students – Clay – who is on the Razorback team. Roll Tide…then after this weekend Go Hogs.
Gators Can’t Swim In High Tide
Nobody is pickin’ ‘Bama. I love it. Everyone is impressed with the speed and athleticism of the Gator offense. Let ‘em.
Here’s what I know – Florida hasn’t seen a defense like ‘Bama’s. Of course, Alabama hasn’t seen an offense like Florida’s either. And the Georgia Dome will be a fast track. Alabama has had to win at Georgia, at LSU. Florida hasn’t had to leave the state this year except to play Tennessee.
Going to be a great game.
Roll Tide.
Here’s hope to be saying Rammer Jammer later.
35-0, 9-0, #1
Arkansas State was not the real threat. The real threat is believing the press clippings.
Alabama is Number 1 in the polls for the first time since 1980. We’ll see if Alabama can stay focused. With LSU this weekend, Auburn two weeks after that, then more than likely Florida in the SEC Championship – the road is far for done.
Texas Tech played lights out and jumped over Penn State in the rankings. I don’t have a problem with that. Penn State is a good team that really has only played one other good team – Ohio State. Yes, they have Michigan State left but is anyone really going to compare them to Florida, LSU, Oklahoma State or Oklahoma? I don’t think so.
In other sweetness – USC wins a blowout shutout and falls two spots. There is justice in college football after all.
The bottom line for Tide fans is this – IT ISN’T OVER YET!!!! Yes, they are starting to play their best football of the year right now – which is awesome. But one loss sends this thing into mass chaos.
There is a part of me that wishes it would send it all into chaos. They way the FBS picks a national champion is ridiculous and it’s the only division that does this. Can you imagine Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Florida, and Oklahoma State all finishing with one loss? Then trying to pick which team is the best out of that mix? Any one of those teams would destroy Penn State or USC.
But for now…time to focus on Tigers.
5-0, 41-30
I thought Alabama could win. I said Alabama WOULD win. I just didn’t think it was going to be that dominant.
31-0 at half. Bama didn’t have to punt until the 3rd quarter. Never trailed in the game. Haven’t trailed all season.
After the offensive line pushed Georgia down the field to score 7, the defense did their thing. The front 7 kept Moreno in neutral. Yes, there were some pass plays down the field but the trade off was worth it.
Concerns?
Focus…3rd quarter looked awful. I don’t think they had any yards. Saban will chew their tails out for giving up 30 points in the second half, a punt return TD and a blocked punt. He’ll make them watch the 3rd quarter over again.
The Tide rolled.
SEC Football Best Ever
This is a ridiculous post. I’m half ashamed to even publish this.
Is there even an argument that there is another conference better in football than the SEC?
(Insert cricket chirping noise here.)
Tide vs. Dogs
Number 3 vs. Number 8
Black vs. White – jerseys that is.
East vs. West
It’s a big game…arguably the biggest so far in the SEC season. (Stow it, Auburn fans. LSU vs. Auburn was sooooo last week.)
Let get all the variables out of the way…
Georgia will be at home, between the hedges with the new UGA sporting those incredibly awesome looking black jerseys. In spite of myself – I love the unis. My only prayer is that it is 110 degrees on Saturday night for all of these are hugely in the favor of the Dawgs.
Alabama will be in the all white unis, highest they’ve been ranked in years with the best team they’ve had in years. None of that really matters except I’m hoping they’ll be sporting the black shoes with the white unis.
But I digress…what this game will ultimately come down to is this – can the Alabama front 7 stop the running game of Georgia. Moreno is a beast and if the Tide have to roll a safety in the box to stop him, the corners will have a long night trying to stop the passing game. It’s not that Georgia’s passing game is awesome. It’s not. It’s lethal and opportunistic. They may only get 150 to 200 yards passing, but it’s when they get those yards that just kills a team.
Alabama’s offense is serviceable and opportunistic as well. They’ll take advantage of field position and turnovers. They’ll grind it out with their backs but it’s not built to run a track meet. Defense has got to show up and play big…
And despite what Clay thinks (ha ha), I think they will.
I originally had ‘Bama dropping this game but that was before what they did to Clemson and Arkansas. Georgia still has the edge on offense and a huge home field advantage. Whatever chance Alabama had to slip in under the radar was gone when this week’s poll was released. Georgia will be UP for this game. Georgia showed up in Tuscaloosa last year and won in overtime.
Here’s hoping ‘Bama can return the favor this year.
Pork…The Other White Meat
Alabama is 3-0, sitting pretty for a great SEC run that starts this weekend with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
I have a large number of Razorback readers. So I will try to be gentle. First step to recovery is acceptance. Let’s look at some facts…
Arkansas 28, Western Illinois 24 – at home. Last minute heroics against a team that they shouldn’t have needed last minute heroics on.
Arkansas 28, Louisiana-Monroe 27 (Little Rock). The theme repeats itself.
This is just not a very good team, with limited offensive weapons. They play hard but they will be outgunned in every SEC match-up this year save the Ole Miss game.
Alabama is a team on the rise, finding itself, figuring out how to finish games. Arkansas is a team trying to figure out how to play for the most despised coach in recent history. (By the way, Alabama fans across the world want to say thank you to Bobby Petrino for taking the attention away from Nick Saban.)
Alabama is looking like a team that given the right bounce or break, could upset LSU or Georgia. Arkansas given the right bounce or break, beat Louisiana-Monroe.
The Piggies have two things going for them. Alabama doesn’t hate Arkansas like they do Tennessee, Auburn, and LSU. So there is a chance that the Tide is overlooking the Hogs. But not likely seeing how pork is the best way to serve BBQ.
Second, the game is in Fayetteville – one of the loudest places in the SEC to play a game. Fans are great, tailgating is awesome and you’ll find plenty of people willing to share their spreads. Traditionally, Alabama field goals and extra points are allergic to the uprights in that stadium. I can’t remember a straight kick from the Tide.
Alabama is a young team and could be prone to lose focus. That was the theme last year. Having said all of that, I think it will be a blow-out. I think the gap between Arkansas and Alabama has widened with the loss of McFadden, Jones, the other transfers and a new coaching staff. I think Petrino’s introduction into SEC football is a harsh one.
Let the smack talk fly…
Alabama, 1-0
What the domination of Clemson really means:
1. That Alabama can get juiced up for a big game and deliver.
It was nice to see Alabama respond to the second half opening kickoff going for a touchdown. Last year, that would have sparked a 21-0 run by Clemson and the game either being decided on the last play or overtime.
Not this weekend. Alabama just ran down the field, shoving the Clemson defensive line around for a couple of 14 play drives and some touchdowns.
2. Clemson was overrated or underprepared or both.
Clemson was supposed to be the beast of the ACC. They were supposed to be the leaders in the resurgence of ACC football. They didn’t look that way. They looked confused, angry at each other, and tentative. In short, they looked like Duke…the football team.
To make matters worse, the rest of their conference mates didn’t do much better. NC State gets shut out by South Carolina. VT gets upset by East Carolina. Virginia rolled over and died to a USC team that lost 10 players to the NFL draft. The big win of the weekend? North Carolina holds off McNeese State in the 4th quarter or I guess you could take the Wake Forest win over that Texas powerhouse Baylor.
3. Alabama will take some chances…but not with the ball.
Last year was a highlight reel of big plays and game saving scores. I think Saban would be okay if that never happened again. They gambled on defense and special teams. When Tippet trotted out to kick a 54-yard field goal to start the game, I groaned. This is the kid that missed an extra point and a field goal and another field goal in a loss to Arkansas. He’s shanked the easiest of kicks.
He drilled it. On defense, they blitzed, went for some pics, and even got a couple. But on offense – they kept it simple. Run left, run right, toss right, easy passes to number 88 – (Hey Clemson, that’s called a Tight End and he can run and catch the ball past the line of scrimmage. Might want to cover that position in your next few games.)
So congrats to the Tide…but there are more to play.