SEC
East
Florida
| Georgia
| Kentucky
| South Carolina
| Tennessee
| Vanderbilt
West
Alabama
| Arkansas
| Auburn
| LSU |
Ole Miss
| Miss State
SEC Fearless Predictions
Sept. 1 | Sept.
8 |
Sept. 15 | Sept.
22 |
Sept. 29
Oct. 6 | Oct.
13 |
Oct. 20 | Nov. 3 | Nov.
10 |
Nov. 17 | Nov.
24 | Dec.
1
How are the picks so far? SU: 52-11 ... ATS:
33-21-1
SEC Fearless Predictions, Week
9,
Part 2
SEC Game of
the Week
Florida
(5-2) vs. Georgia
(5-2)
(in Jacksonville) 3:30 CBS
Why to watch:
In one of the wildest years ever for the
SEC East, every game means more than
ever, and every battle between
superpower, league championship-caliber
teams becomes that much more intense.
Florida has won eight of the last nine
in the Cocktail-don't-call-it-a-Cocktail
Party series and is back in the hunt for
a second straight title after the
thrilling 45-37 win over Kentucky. Still
spotless against the East this year, the
Gators still have to deal with a road
trip to South Carolina, but gets Vandy
at home next week. The offense has been
effective, if not diverse, the defense
has been spotty, and Tim Tebow has been
terrific. However, a loss to the Dawgs
would end SEC title and BCS at-large
hopes. Georgia is the wild-card in the
race, with a young team just good enough
to potentially beat anyone in the
league, and just inefficient enough to
lose badly if things don't start out the
right way. After getting its doors blown
off at Tennessee, Georgia came up with a
decent road win at Vandy. After this,
it's three straight home dates,
including battles with Auburn and
Kentucky, so a win could set the tone
for a big final month. The last five
Cocktail Parties (oh let's just call it
what it is) have each been decided by a
touchdown or less.
Why Florida might win:
Can Georgia handle the physical Gator
offensive line? Florida has never been
thought of as a power team, but that's
what it's turned into as the season has
gone on, partly because Tebow is the
lone rushing weapon and he's not exactly
Devin Hester as far stopping and
starting on a dime, and partly because
the line has been terrific. Florida's
line has allowed just five sacks so far
while paving the way close to 200 yards
of rushing offense despite being as
one-dimensional as it gets. The Georgia
defensive line has been fine at times,
but it doesn't do enough to get into the
backfield and hasn't had to deal with an
O line like this yet.
Why Georgia might win:
The Florida secondary is beatable.
Georgia might not have a receiving
corps, and Matthew Stafford isn't Andre
Woodson quite yet throwing the ball, but
the Gators have been bombed on by the
good (Kentucky for 415 yards and five
touchdowns), the bad (Ole Miss for 310
yards and two scores), and everyone in
between, with the exception of LSU, who
spent all its time pounding away with
the running game. It's not like Georgia
is Texas Tech, but it's been able to
throw for around 200 yards per game and
has been, for the most part, effective
when it's had to be. When pushed,
Stafford and the passing game should be
able to get the Dawgs back in the game
if Florida gets up early.
Who to watch:
It's time to start putting Tebow in the
Heisman mix as more than just a guy
who's running the Florida offense. How
has he handled being the main man so far
now that Chris Leak is gone? He leads
the nation in passing efficiency with 17
touchdown passes and three
interceptions, has run for ten scores,
with at least one in every game, and is
ninth in the SEC in rushing. He's done
it all for the Gators, and it's starting
to take its toll with a hurt shoulder
and several other bumps and bruises from
getting pounded on for seven games.
What will happen:
Georgia's not ready to win a big game
like this. Florida has several question
marks and is hardly unbeatable, but the
lines will control the momentum, while
the running game will power its way to a
win. However, Stafford will have a huge
afternoon and will make it interesting
late.
CFN Prediction:
Florida 24 ...
Georgia
17...
Line: Florida -8.5
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model - 1
Marie Osmond on DTWS) ... 4.5
Mississippi State
(4-4) at Kentucky
(6-2)
12:30 GamePlan
Why to watch:
In this wild and crazy season, Kentucky
remains in the thick of the SEC title
chase despite losing to Florida and
South Carolina. Several things have to
happen for the Wildcats to win the East,
but with four conference games left,
including dates with Georgia and
Tennessee, they have a chance, at the
very least, to get really, really close.
Mississippi State is still within range
of bowl eligibility with Alabama, at
Arkansas and Ole Miss to follow. Coming
off a blasting by West Virginia, the
Bulldogs have to take advantage of what
should be a mentally tired UK team
coming off a brutal three-game stretch
against South Carolina, LSU and Florida.
This has been a relatively dead-even
series over the years, but Kentucky has
won four of the last five.
Why
Mississippi State might win:
Kentucky can be run on, and since that's
all MSU doesn't relatively well, it's a
good fit. The Bulldog O line should be
able to pound away against a decent, but
not rock-solid UK defensive front that
makes plenty of plays, but not enough of
them up on the line. UK has given up two
300-yard rushing days and was pounded on
by LSU for 261 yards and Florida for
171. After a physical last few weeks, UK
should be a bit worn down. If MSU can
keep it relatively close, it might be
able to drive well late.
Why
Kentucky might win: It could be as
simple as Mississippi State not being
able to outscore Kentucky. The Wildcats
are averaging 42 points per game with a
balanced offense that's doing a little
of everything right. It's not like LSU
and Florida are known for soft defenses,
and UK put up 80 points on the two. MSU
has yet to score 42 points this season
while continuing to struggle to get
passing production. Wesley Carroll has
had his moments, but MSU is next-to-last
in America in passing efficiency.
Who to watch:
Kentucky has offensive weapons to spare,
but it'll be without a few key parts.
Top back Rafael Little continues to be
out with a lingering thigh injury, while
backup Tony Dixon is hobbling on a
sprained ankle and leading receiver
Keenan Burton might be sidelined with a
sprained knee. All of a sudden, the UK
running game could come down to freshman
Derrick Locke and sophomore Alfonso
Smith, who have been productive in
limited roles. MSU hasn't been able to
stop the run, so don't expect UK to
avoid the ground game just because
things are thin.
What will happen:
Kentucky will hardly be at its sharpest,
but it won't have to be. MSU will run
the ball well enough to keep Andre
Woodson off the field for stretches, but
it won't be able to do it often enough.
CFN Prediction:
Kentucky
40 ... Mississippi State 23 ...
Line: Kentucky -13.5
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model - 1
Marie Osmond on DTWS) ... 2
South Carolina
(6-2) at Tennessee
(4-3)
7:45
ESPN
Why to watch:
Everyone's in the SEC East race from top
to bottom, with five teams with two
losses and Vanderbilt with three. Call
this an elimination game, and call this
a chance for each to make amends after
seeing their seasons take an ugly turn
for different reasons. Losing to Alabama
on the road isn't anything to get too
upset about, but the Vols got blasted
41-17 to get the fan base grumbling
again. All can be right with the world
with a second straight win over South
Carolina as they begin a nice four-game
homestand before finishing up at
Kentucky. For the Gamecocks, everything
was set up perfectly having gotten LSU
out of the way and with nice East wins
over Georgia and Kentucky, but they blew
the home date against Vanderbilt with an
ugly 17-6 loss. Now there's a chance for
the dream season to go into the tank
with road games against Tennessee and
Arkansas before facing Florida and
Clemson. The tension will be high in
what should be one of the most intense
battles of the weekend.
Why South
Carolina might win: Tennessee's
defense has been inconsistent to say the
least, and it's all due to the problems
on the defensive line. The Vols aren't
generating any pressure and aren't
making any plays in the backfield, and
it proved costly last week against the
Tide, as John Parker Wilson was able to
sit back, relax, and bomb away for 363
yards and three touchdowns. South
Carolina's biggest issue has been pass
protection, and now, for the first time
in weeks, the quarterbacks should get a
little bit of time to operate.
Why
Tennessee might win: If Tennessee
can somehow get up early, it should be
in great shape. This isn't an explosive
South Carolina team, needing big plays
from the defense and for the offense to
take advantage of every opportunity.
This isn't the type of offense that can
crank out 45 points or keep up in a
shootout, so if Tennessee can find the
hot streak that blitzkrieged Georgia a
few weeks ago, the Gamecocks probably
won't have an answer. South Carolina
might have the nation's top ranked pass
defense, but that's partly because
everyone's running the ball. The
occasionally hot Vol ground game should
roll because of ...
Who to watch:
... junior Arian Foster, who has taken
over as an explosive playmaker who's
making the offense go. He has six
rushing touchdowns in the last four
games with 98 yards against Georgia, 139
against Mississippi State, and 91
against Alabama. Now known for being a
big-play back, at least compared to
other Vol options, he's been a pleasant
surprise. The big question will be the
South Carolina quarterback situation,
with Chris Smelley and Blake Mitchell
each in the mix for the starting job,
and even third-stinger Tommy Beecher is
being considered as an option. Smelley
is most talented option of the trio, but
Spurrier will look for any sort of spark
he can find.
What will happen:
It won't be a repeat of the Georgia
game, but Tennessee will play at another
level now that it's back at home. It'll
get up early, but will have a few rough
moments as USC will air it out better
than it has in weeks.
CFN Prediction:
Tennessee
27 ... South Carolina 23...
Line: Tennessee -3
Must See Rating: (5
America's Most Smartest Model - 1
Marie Osmond on DTWS) ... 4
SEC Fearless Predictions, Week
9,
Part 2