The first week of the season brings new hope to a lot of teams. Is this the year of Ole Miss? Can Vanderbilt make it to a bowl can for consecutive years? Will Alabama or Florida make another National Championship run, marking 4 years of SEC glory?
Kentucky vs. Miami (OH)
The Wildcats are favored by 15, which should be plenty. No chance of an upset.
W. Kentucky vs. Tennessee
The Lane Kiffin era officially begins with a ridiculous matchup. Vols by 30, which means they cover the 29.5 line.
Jackson St. vs. Miss. St.
The “other” Bulldogs should be embarrassed for this travesty of an opening game. I understand that some schools need to find a filler team on their schedule, and the fillers often need the money, but this one is ridiculous.
Louisiana Tech vs. Auburn
Auburn may be favored by almost a TD, but the Tigers from the Plains will be the SEC Shame of the Week. If fans were saying WTF is a Chizik imagine their surprise after this upset.
Missouri St. vs. Arkansas
The Hogs will run wild, but no one will care. Another silly SEC opening day matchup. This kind of scheduling should be banned.
5 Alabama vs. 7 Virginia Tech
Perhaps the best matchup on the plate, certainly the best of the night after the Dawgs/Cowboy game wraps up. The Tide is favored by almost a TD; I say they roll.
11 LSU vs. Washington
Horary of decent scheduling. SEC vs. Pac-10. Even if it does not feature a top Pac-10 team, at least LSU is more than willing to travel to get a better than decent opening day matchup.
CSU vs. 1 Florida
Speechless. No comment. Gator fans everywhere should be appalled.
W. Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is going to be well on their way to a 6 win season.
13 Georgia vs. 9 Oklahoma St.
Saving the best for last, we find our beloved Dawgs 5.5 point dogs. I do not get all the love for the Cowboys. This is like déjà vu all over again; remember what happened a couple of years ago when the Oklahoma St. paid a visit to Athens? All the pundits said that Georgia was in for a rude surprise, but the Dawgs romped 35-14.
While I do not think this one will be a repeat of the 2007 game, I do think the top of the SEC is better than the top of the Big-12, which does not know how to play defense. Wild-wild-west and all that.
If the Dawgs can keep the Cowboys in the mid-20s, Georgia will pull out a victory and be on their way to a solid season. If the Dawgs get in a scoring race this one will not end well, and it will not get any easier as the Dawgs will have to come home and get ready for the Fighting Chickens.
Georgia 31-27. Go Dawgs!
*I did not get this written in time to predict South Carolina’s 7-3 victory over N. Carolina St., but it is a safe bet that I would have gone SEC over ACC.
