Auburn (5-2) at LSU (6-1)
9:00 EST ESPN Why to watch: Home loss to South
Florida? Yesterday's news. Home gaffe
against Mississippi State? Memorex.
Auburn is on a four-game winning streak
and can go from being the
"what's-wrong-with-this-team?" team of
the first few weeks of the season to the
SEC West leader in the clubhouse with a
win in Death Valley for the first time
since 1999. Apparently, LSU lost to
Kentucky in a triple overtime thriller
last week, but no one seems interested
in acknowledging it. Ask ten college
football types who the number one team
in America is, and at least nine will
say LSU. The scenario is still there for
the Tigers. Win out, and that includes
the SEC championship game, wait for the
inevitable losses from Boston College,
South Florida and Ohio State, slip into
the number one spot, win the national
title, be happy. Everything seems to be
that simple for LSU in the eyes of many,
but this isn't going to be a pushover of
a game, and it could be the toughest
test between now and early December.
These two teams have played thee of the
nastiest, toughest games of the last
three years, with Auburn winning 7-3
last season, LSU winning 20-17 in 2005,
and Auburn winning 10-9 in 2004. Expect
another great one. Why Auburn might win: The power
running kick that Les Miles and LSU has
been on over the first half of the
season might not work this week. Oh
sure, LSU has been able to show its
manliness in crushing the Virginia Tech
defense, rumbling over Florida and South
Carolina when it had to, and generally
powering its way over everyone else. The
Auburn defense, by design, is smallish
and quick, but that doesn't mean it
doesn't hold up well. The defensive line
is the equal of the LSU offensive line,
while the linebackers will rarely let
any of the LSU backs get to the next
level. Last week at Arkansas, Darren
McFadden ran for 45 yards. Felix Jones
ran for 42. You don't hold Arkansas to
67 net yards of rushing offense without
doing something very, very right. Why LSU might win: Auburn doesn't
score. There's no passing game to speak
off, the Auburn receivers will get
erased by the LSU secondary, the
offensive line has been mediocre, and
the points are usually generated from
good field position and help from the
defense. If LSU gets up by any
appreciable lead, this thing's over.
Auburn doesn't have the ability to pass
its way back into the game, and until
Brandon Cox starts beating someone deep,
LSU's safeties and linebackers will tee
off against the run. The LSU D line
could eat the Auburn O line alive if Cox
has to start throwing it every other
down. Who to watch: The Auburn
receivers are no big whoop; everyone
knows that, but the real shocker has
been the LSU receiving corps that hasn't
stepped it up since top target Early
Doucet got nailed with a groin injury.
Brandon LaFell has had his moments, but
he appears to have the hands of an
offensive tackle. Drops have been a
problem across the board for the Tigers,
and there hasn't been nearly enough
explosion to match the speed and
athleticism. It's partly by design, with
LSU having so much success running the
ball, but very soon, a consistent
passing game will have to remerge, and
so will a receiver. What will happen: It's the
rock-solid, lead-pipe lock of the year
... the Tigers will win. The LSU version
will get a bit more out of its offense
than the Auburn version will get out of
its attack. At home, LSU pulls out a
defensive slugfest that could come down
to a last second kick, or a fourth and
short call. CFN Prediction: LSU 17 ...
Auburn 13
... Line: LSU -11 Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 4.5
SEC Saturday,
Oct. 20
Vanderbilt
(3-3) at South Carolina
(6-1)
12:30 EST GamePlan Why to watch: All of a sudden,
South Carolina isn't just in the SEC
East race, it isn't just in the SEC
race, it's knee-deep in the chase for
the national championship. Firmly at the
No. 6 spot in the first BCS rankings,
the Gamecocks probably control their own
destiny if they actually want to start
dreaming about New Orleans for more than
just the Sugar Bowl. It's not an easy
road ahead, still needing to deal with
road trips to Tennessee and Arkansas,
along with home games against Florida
and Clemson, but first things first, USC
has to make sure it doesn't slip up
against a Vanderbilt team on a two-game
skid. The Commodores haven't beaten the
Gamecocks since 1999, and to stay in the
hunt for a bowl bid, it needs to pull
off the upset. Why Vanderbilt might win: South
Carolina is pulling it off with smoke
and mirrors. One game the defense is
nasty, the next it can't stop the run.
One game the running game is working,
the next it gets stuffed. This isn't a
consistent team, and there's no way it
can't be getting a little ahead of
itself and mentally planning for the big
road trips ahead over the next two
weeks. The Gamecocks can be run on. If
the Vandy ground game can find an early
groove, and if the defense can create a
few turnovers that turn into points,
this will be a much tighter game than
many expect. Why South Carolina might win:
This isn't an explosive Commodore team,
and it could have major problems if the
USC offense can get to a double-digit
lead early on. The passing game doesn't
generate yards in bunches, despite
having an elite talent in Earl Bennett
to throw to, and the running game isn't
nearly as effective as it should be,
considering the mobility at quarterback.
It's a simple formula for USC: score
early, don't turn the ball over, control
the clock, and get out with the win. Who to watch: Considering it's
the middle of the season, the
quarterback situations should be
solidified, not up in the air. Chris
Nickson has had a rough two games for
Vandy, completing just seven of 21
passes in losses to Auburn and Georgia,
opening the door for Mackenzi Adams, who
had a nice outing against the Bulldogs
completing seven of ten throws for 124
yards and a touchdown, and running for
46 more. If nothing else, the two might
rotate. .Adding to the uncertainty if
the Gamecock quarterback situation.
Chris Smelley has been fine since taking
over four games ago, and is coming off a
three touchdown pass performance against
North Carolina. But Steve Spurrier being
Steve Spurrier has hinted that Blake
Mitchell might see time, or even get the
start, after a good week of practice.
What will happen: It doesn't
matter who's at quarterback; South
Carolina will get another strong
defensive performance when it needs it
the most, and will keep the buzz going
with the trip to Tennessee ahead. CFN Prediction:
South Carolina
31 ...
Vanderbilt 13 ... Line: South
Carolina -13.5 Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 2.5
Tennessee
(4-2) at Alabama
(5-2)
12:30 EST GamePlan Why to watch: Among all the SEC
rivalries, some are big on a national
scale, some are obvious, and then
there's the old school SEC battles like
this one. The Florida - Tennessee
rivalry is nasty, but for the most part,
it only got to another level once Steve
Spurrier took over in Gainesville.
Alabama - Auburn is one of the most
intense in America, but that a whole
other animal. Tennessee vs. Alabama is
mean. That the two teams are in
different divisions doesn't matter; the
two fan bases really want this win. The
Vols have become the fringe pick for the
SEC East title, having already gotten
Florida and Georgia out of the way, and
missing Auburn and LSU from the West.
Kentucky, Arkansas and South Carolina
are certainly strong, but only the
season ender against the Wildcats is on
the road after this trip to Bama. The
Tide has managed to play heart-stopper
after heart stopper, with five straight
painfully close battles that all came
down to the end. While this is hardly a
finished product, the signs are there
that this might quickly grow into a
killer under Nick Saban. This should be
yet another down-to-the-wire game for
the Tide. Why Tennessee might win: The
offense has found its groove. Erik Ainge
is throwing the ball like a stone-cold
veteran, while the ground game has
stepped up its play over the last three
weeks, with 211 yards against
Mississippi State, and four touchdowns
against Georgia. This is a balanced,
effective offense that's starting to
connect on more and more big plays,
while the defense has settled down after
getting bombed by Cal and Florida early
on. In other words, this is a rock-solid
team that's playing well enough to win
the SEC East. Why Alabama might win: Bama isn't
beating itself. This isn't a good enough
team to overcome a ton of mistakes, and
the Tide offense isn't making them,
giving it away just nine times so far.
Tennessee won't get any cheap points.
Offensively, this is the type of team
that does what it has to do, when it has
to do it. In a perfect world, it'd like
to run the ball, and it should be able
to pound the ball a little bit, but when
push comes to shove, John Parker Wilson
should be able to throw well. The Tide
receivers are strong enough do their
part in a shootout. Who to watch: Eric Young, Anthony
Parker, Josh McNeil, Chris Scott, and
Ramon Foster. This is the starting
Tennessee offensive line, and it's
keeping Ainge's jersey squeaky-clean,
allowing a mere two sacks so far. Credit
Ainge for being able to get rid of the
ball in a hurry, but the front five also
needs recognition for becoming one of
the nation's tightest. This group is the
primary reason the Vols are back in the
race. What will happen: Alabama is
finding ways to make it happen, but the
lucky rabbit's foot won't work this
week. In what should be one of the SEC's
better shootouts, Tennessee will be more
effectively balanced in the second half.
Call this an Ainge over Wilson pick. CFN Prediction:
Tennessee
38 ... Alabama
35 ... Line: Alabama -1 Must See Rating: (5
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- 1 Ellen's dog plea) ... 3
