SEC Football Predictions - Week 6

by Dyke Marler
(Atlanta)

October 8, 2010

Atlanta, Georgia

Week 6 already?!!! Time flies, I guess.

From my point of view, the biggest story this week is not Les Miles going to the swamp ( sorry, am I still supposed to capitalize that?) or Bama playing their 4th Top Twenty opponent of the young season, or even the fact that this will be Alabama's first of six consecutive SEC opponents who will have the week off before playing Bama, nor is it that Gene Chizik says Cam Newton will be "greenlighted" to run the ball this week against Kentucky, (Coach, he leads the team in rushing attempts), it's the Vegas line on a couple of these games.

Namely Tenn/GA, Bama/South Carolina and Auburn/Kentucky.


Tennessee at Georgia
Tennessee
Georgia is a shocking 13 point favorite in this game. After so many years of watching college football, it is rare that I see something
I've never seen before. This is one of those things. Georgia can't win at home, on the road, in the conference or out of conference. The
offensive line is abysmal, the running backs fumble, defensive backs who, apparently, think they're playing a video game and not a real one
which requires tackling and a Head Coach who lost discipline and control a long time ago.
Tennessee straight up.

Arkansas at Texas A& M
Arkansas
In Cowboys Stadium or Texas Stadium or whatever we're calling that palace out there. I call it the place where Floyd Mayweather beat the
S%@t out of Sugar Shane Moseley. Arkansas has one of the best group of skill players in America, Bobby Petrino calling the offensive plays and Ryan Mallett pulling the trigger. That's why.

Alabama at South Carolina
Alabama
I'm probably going to get a little excited on this one, so you may want to cover the little ones ears.

Alabama is playing their 4th Top Twenty team in 6 games. South Carolina is the first of six consecutive SEC teams who will have the week off before playing Alabama. I said last August that Bama would win back to back National Titles so
they can, and will, handle the tough schedule but it's starting to seem a little imbalanced. Alabama leads the Nation in scoring defense. LB Courtney Upshaw and DL Marcell Dareus played for the first time, against Florida, on healthy
ankles. Look for the Bama pass rush to intensify this week now that Coaches Saban and Kirby Smart have their defense settled. Sophomore LB Nico Johnson, who had a key interception in the end zone last week defending Florida's jump pass, and Freshman LB CJ Mosley, who had a pick-six interception last week against Florida (in which he outran Jeff Demps to the endzone) have moved to the middle allowing Bama's best pass rusher, Dont'a Hightower, to move outside.

The 7 point Vegas line seems low to me. I'm not of the opinion that South Carolina is that much better than Florida, who Bama just beat by
25 points, and Williams-Brice isn't nearly as imposing as Razorback Stadium where Bama came back from a 14 point deficit to beat Arkansas.
Coach Spurrier has shown amazing patience with Stephen Garcia and I fully expect that to run out this Saturday. Garcia will see pressure in his face and when that happens he usually makes mistakes. Bama has won the past 26 games in which it posts an interception.

Eastern Michigan at Vandy
Vandy
The 'Dores are getting a little better and should take care of business. I would like to see this fanbase support their new Coach. Vandy is very good in basketball and baseball and it would benefit the SEC for them to take a forward step in football.

LSU at Florida
Florida
I think too much has been made about this game. Florida is the better team offensively and defensively. There is no Les Miles magic and LSU
still hasn't found a QB who can consistently get the ball to their elite playmakers.

Mississippi State at Houston
Mississippi State
Houston is without their top 2 QB's and their top receiver, James Cleveland. This one looked better in the preseason.

Auburn at Kentucky
Auburn
The line is 7. I don't know why. This will be Auburn's last game before taking off the training wheels. If Alabama beats South Carolina it will mean that Auburn will not have played a ranked opponent. Kentucky rushed for more than 200 yards and passed for more than 200 yards in their first 3 games and are averaging 450 yards per game. QB Mike Hartline passed for more than 300 yards last week. Stats of the game;
Auburn hasn't lost in Lexington since 1966, Auburn has never lost to Kentucky when Auburn scores more than 14 points. That's not a lot of points.