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Western Kentucky (2-2) at
Kentucky (3-0),
7:00 EST GamePlan
Why to watch: Kentucky
has had two weeks off to bask in
the glow of a 3-0 start
highlighted by a great defense
and a erratic offense. With a
trip to Alabama next week to
kick off its SEC season, this is
a game for the offense to start
working. In a role-reversal from
last year, the UK defense is
carrying an attack averaging 337
yards per game. WKU is coming
off a blowout win over Murray
State, but has lost to Indiana
and Alabama by a combined score
of 72-20. The future Sun Belt
member goes to Virginia Tech
next week.
Why Western Kentucky might
win: The Hilltoppers get
their star back. The offense was
just fine last week with David
Wolke at the helm in the 50-9
win over Murray State, and while
he’ll still play a role, the
offense needs K.J. Black back.
Black suffered a dislocated
shoulder in the win over Eastern
Kentucky, but when he’s right,
he’s the team’s most dangerous
rushing option.
Why Kentucky might win:
WKU only came up with 158 yards
against Alabama and 282 yards
against Indiana. The running
game went nowhere in those two
games and it’s not likely to get
rolling this week against a UK
run defense allowing 50 yards
per outing. WKU isn’t getting
anything out of its running
backs.
Who to watch: The
Kentucky defense will be without
two of its key cogs, MLB Micah
Johnson and DT Ricky Lumpkin.
Each has a high-ankle sprain
suffered against Middle
Tennessee, and while they might
not be needed this week,
Johnson, the team’s leading
tackler, has to be healthy once
SEC play starts. Fortunately for
UK, Braxton Kelly is a natural
inside linebacker and will move
back to the middle to take over
for Johnson.
What will happen:
Kentucky’s offense will remain
an issue, but the defense will
keep this from being a battle.
CFN Prediction: Kentucky 31
… Western Kentucky 13 ... Line:
No Line
Must See Rating: (5
Debate No. 1 - 1 The 2008
Primetime Emmys) … 1.5
-
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Consultants FREE selections
UAB (1-3) at South Carolina
(2-2),
7:00 EST
Why to watch: Where would
South Carolina be without the
play of Ellis Johnson’s defense?
It would not be a pretty sight.
The Gamecocks barely got by
Wofford a week ago, needing a
late touchdown to finally put
the game out of reach. As bad as
the quarterbacks have been
playing in Columbia, it might be
time to hand the ball to Stephen
Garcia, the impish redshirt
freshman who’s been hailed as
the savior ever since signing a
letter-of-intent. UAB got a
well-deserved break from a
rugged early-season schedule,
pounding Alabama State for its
first win of the season. Unlike
this week’s host, the Blazers
have a quarterback to build
around for the next two seasons.
Junior Joe Webb leads the team
with 401 yards rushing and has
thrown two touchdown passes in
three of the first four games.
Why UAB might win: South
Carolina showed last week that
regardless of the opponent, it’s
vulnerable when it can’t punch in
touchdowns. The offense moved
the chains, but struggled to
score. Wofford had no
business being in that game in
the fourth quarter, but it was,
which gives hope to the Blazers.
UAB comes in battle-tested,
having played Tulsa, Florida
Atlantic, and Tennessee, and
confident after winning for the
first time. Led by S Will Dunbar
and LB Joe Henderson, the
defense has a chance against a
Gamecock offense that lacks
playmakers and has reached the
end zone just four times in the
last three games.
Why South Carolina might win:
In Columbia, it’s all about the
defense these days. The
Gamecocks have the nation’s
top-rated pass defense, allowing
just 96 yards a game and a
single touchdown pass in four
games. UAB has a one-dimensional
offense, which South Carolina
will have no problems
containing. The way CB Captain
Munnerlyn, LB Jasper Brinkley,
and the rest of the defense are
performing, Webb alone won’t be
enough to put a dent in this
group. In fact, label it a minor
upset if the Blazer offense
produces more than 10 points
Saturday night.
Who to watch: Whether
he’s in the huddle or on the
sidelines, all eyes in
Williams-Brice Stadium will be
on Garcia. While it’s not
exactly fair or rationale, many
Gamecock fans believe he’ll
solve most of the offense’s
woes. Whether it’s Garcia or
Chris Smelley at the controls,
he’ll benefit from improved play
out of receivers Moe Brown and
Dion Lecorn. Neither has really
lit it up since Kenny McKinley
went down with a hamstring
injury.
What will happen:
Although UAB plays with a
no-quit demeanor, its inability
to move the ball on the South
Carolina D will foil any
possibility for a signature
upset. Garcia will play, as
expected, but will fail to walk
on water, as some Gamecock fans
had hoped. Even so, it'll be a
relatively easy win.
CFN Prediction: South
Carolina 24 … UAB 9 ... Line:
South Carolina -24.5
Must See Rating: (5
Debate No. 1 - 1 The 2008
Primetime Emmys) … 2
-
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Consultants FREE selections
Mississippi State (1-3) at LSU
(3-0),
7:30 EST, ESPN2
Why to watch: Mississippi
State hasn’t just had problems
with LSU in recent years; it
hasn’t been even close. The
Bulldogs lost to the Tigers
45-38 in 2000, and have been
blasted over the last six years
in the seven-game losing streak.
MSU doesn’t just need to pull
off the upset to stop this bad
run, but it needs a win to
kick-start its season. There was
the win over SE Louisiana, and
that’s it. Louisiana Tech,
Auburn and Georgia Tech beat MSU
by a combined score of 63 to 23,
and the offense has gone into
the tank over the last two
games. Meanwhile, LSU has to
avoid a letdown after its
tremendous 26-21
come-from-behind win over
Auburn. While that win was a big
step to winning the SEC West, is
was just part one of a nasty
schedule with a trip to Florida
coming up next in two weeks with
South Carolina to follow.
Why Mississippi State might
win: This is the ultimate
sandwich game. How can LSU keep
its focus and fire with Florida
up next and with Auburn just
barely in the rear-view mirror?
The LSU passing game took off
with Jarrett Lee waking up in
the second half in time to lead
the way to a win, but with
Andrew Hatch still getting over
a concussion, MSU has a chance
to prepare fully for Lee. MSU
has problems, but the pass
defense isn’t one of them.
However ...
Why LSU might win: The
run defense got gashed by
Georgia Tech last week with the
Yellow Jackets ripping off 438
yards and four touchdowns on the
ground. Auburn only managed
three points in its win over MSU,
but it cranked out a tough 161
yards. The LSU offensive line is
playing well enough to dominate
the battle up front to open the
holes for …
Who to watch: LSU RB
Charles Scott. The junior got a
few carries here and there last
year, rushing for 324 yards and
five touchdowns, but he has been
the offensive star so far this
year rushing for over 100 yards
in each of the first three games
with four touchdowns. He didn’t
score against Auburn, but he ran
for a solid 132 yards on 21
carries. With Lee still getting
his feet wet, the more Scott can
do, the better.
What will happen:
Mississippi State won’t come up
with two defensive clunkers in a
row. The secondary will give Lee
major problems, but the run
defense won’t hold up in the
second half as LSU pulls away
with a power running game. Don’t
expect anything fancy from LSU.
Run the ball, rely on the
defense, repeat.
CFN Prediction: LSU 27 …
Mississippi State 6 ... Line:
LSU -24.5
Must See Rating: (5
Debate No. 1 - 1 The 2008
Primetime Emmys) … 3
-
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Consultants FREE selections
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SEC Fearless Predictions, Week
Five |