SEC WEST – WEEK 12
Disgrace. Shame and disgrace. LSU plays footsie with LA Tech. Troy shames the mighty Sunbelt Conference and the Vols played like a prison team facing the Patriots. At least Bama and Georgia covered. Another slow week in the West in week 12. Auburn continues the bye they started in the 2nd half last week and Bama gets a chance to see if undefeated and NC hopes can hold a full house for the entire (or any part) of a game against UT – Chattanooga. We went 2 – 3 last week, bringing this season’s record to 30 – 21 against the spread. There is nothing easy about the two games worth picking this week, but what the hell why should that stop us? We just make it up as we go along anyway.
Mississippi State at Arkansas (-10.5) Ryan Mallett has certainly lived up to his build up. I have to admit, I was skeptical. Guys who quit a program never work out. Look at Troy Aikman. Bobby Petrino might be the craftiest coach in the league. His team always seems to be prepared for the week’s opponent. They may be outperformed, but they aren’t running around wondering what the hell is going on, like past Hawg teams. Dan Mullen is doing more with less than any coach in the conference. Anthony Dixon is it. It is hard to run the option when you only have one. Thing is, Dixon is a damn good one to have. Bama held him to under 100 yards, but R – Kansas is not Bama. The MSU defense is quite good and getting better. The Arkansas D is mediocre and getting less so. Well, Mallett or Dixon? I like Dixon and the points. Mississippi State covers.
LSU at Ole Miss (- 4) Whoever is this week’s starting QB for LSU is still the league’s worst. The only choice for Les is would he rather die by interception or mass confusion. The Tigers have talent, but have not been able to convert that into consistent talented play. Maybe the only team less consistent is Ole Miss. Houston the Nutt pulled a Mark Richt and almost forgot that Dexter McCluster plays for the Rebs, much like Richt’s lack of use of Moreno in the first couple of games a couple of years ago. Well, the Rt. Rev is getting his money’s worth now. McCluster might be one of the best three or four players in the conference. LSU has the talent on defense to stop or at least slow him, but they won’t. The Tigers have quit for the year, if they ever really started. Elsewhere on this page, I picked LSU to win, though. That shows you the kind of confidence I have in these teams and that I am convinced that all of the changes in the Tiger coaching staff were merely cosmetic. Also, I simply changed my mind over the course of 24 hours. Once again, based on one game, I will predict that Ole Miss is on track. It is risky to predict that the Rebs will perform well two weeks in a row, but – Ole Miss covers.
Alabama is facing UT – Chattanooga in a warm up to next Friday’s Iron Bowl. Nick Saban likes to say that he doesn’t have anything to do with scheduling and he obviously doesn’t. When CBS exercised their contractual right and moved the Auburn game up a day, he was one pissed little coach. He was never particularly pleased with this week’s game anyway. There is really nothing either he or Mal Moore could do about this, the SEC and CBS rule, but the ass whipping coming to Florida will come in the Tide’s fifth straight game, after having their only off week after game eight. More on all of that, the Iron Bowl and the entire second tier, wannabe classic rivalry games next week. One interesting sidelight to the UT-C game, the Moccasins star QB is none other than B.J. Coleman. You will remember BJ as the QB who Lane Kiffin ran off after spring training and a great many Vol watchers and fans considered a possible savior from another year of being Cromptoned. Funny how this stuff works out.
Auburn prepares to host the next National Champion by taking a nap. Word is they are going to clean the streets and put fresh water in the troughs and the tailgating should be great with the sandwiches made from the leftover traditional Thanksgiving opossum. Jordan – Hare is a great place to watch a football game and it being Saturday, all of the breeding stock should be off of the field and in the stands.