Nov. 17, 2011

SEC Week 12: Little pain, but little gain

By SCOTT WRIGHT

Well, well. Shannon, Nolen and I all gained on the sixth grader last week. But I’m afraid our larger, more experienced brains and superior intellect (in mine and Shannon’s cases, at least) are still not going to be able to reel in that little rascal, whoever he or she turns out to be. 

WEIS End Zone Show producer Kurt Duryea is all a-titter about the “big reveal,” too. He wants photos of an entire panel of potential prognosticators to grace the pages of next week’s edition of The Post. Then, he’s going to “pull away the curtain” next week to show us all which product of the local school system is the more capable football “expert” than three guys who earn at least a portion of their living knowing all there is to know about SEC football -- from a media point of view, at least. Allegedly, that is. 

In the mean time, let’s see if I can conjure up another near-perfect week and jam a burr under Duryea’s overrated sixth-grader’s saddle. 

 

Georgia Southern at No. 3 Alabama

Alabama’s final home game of the 2011 season offers a chance for a lot of younger fans to see something that hasn’t taken place with any regularity since there was a “Bear” roaming the sidelines – the wishbone-style triple-option working its way towards the end zone in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Granted, it’s going to a slightly under-talented version of that once-famous offense, so it shouldn’t present a wealth of problems for the Alabama defense. But Nick Saban admitted last week that he hasn’t seen an option attack this old-school since he was head coach at Toledo in 1990. Shoot-fire, you reckon Georgia Southern might be able to run their way into the zone against the Tide? Nope, I reckon not. Final: 42-3, Alabama 

 

Mississippi State at N0. 6 Arkansas

Arkansas gets one final tune-up before next week’s showdown with No. 1 LSU. A year ago, Arkansas needed two overtimes to get past the Bulldogs in Starkville. This year, the Razorbacks are 9-1 and ranked No. 6 in the BCS standings and Mississippi State is … terrible, at least on offense. The Dogs’ defense is pretty darned solid, actually. But the running game has improved dramatically for Bobby Petrino’s team in the past few weeks. Therefore, I figure as long as the Arkansas offense maintains balance and produces as it should there is no way Dan Mullen’s team can hang with the Hogs. Final: 31-13, Arkansas 

 

Samford at No. 24 Auburn

This Auburn team, despite being 6-3, reminds me of the guys in “The Hangover.” Last season’s national title was like the Tigers’ big night on the town. This season, most every game has been like the morning after from the movie. Simple tasks (tackling, for instance) are difficult to perform. A tooth is missing. There’s a vague sense that at least one horrible thing has happened (the Georgia game), maybe two (the LSU game). Now, the Tigers find themselves staggering towards the final stop of a nightmarish trip with no reasonable expectation of a positive outcome (the Alabama game). We’ll have to wait another week to find out whether Auburn backs into a happy ending or ends up in the elevator with Carrot Top. In the mean time it’s homecoming and Samford is in town. Happy homecoming. Final: 35-17, Auburn 

 

No. 1 LSU at Mississippi

Remember what I wrote last week about Houston Nutt being able to pull his team together around him despite his impending dismissal? Well, forget it. I hope the guy can hold a microphone and smile into the camera, because based on what Nutt has (not) accomplished this season at Ole Miss, he may be watching football games from the press box for years to come. I mean, would you hire the guy to coach for your university? Heck no, not if you wanted to field a competitive football team! And the Rebels aren’t one. Final: 45-10, LSU 

 

Furman at Florida

Who cares? Final: 27-10, Florida 

 

Kentucky at No. 14 Georgia

Georgia fans always worry that the Bulldogs are capable of laying an egg when there’s something important on the line, and the boys in blue are the only hurdle between Georgia and a trip to the conference championship game. If the Bulldogs show their maternal side week against Joker Phillips’ hilariously inept Wildcats, they ought to be forced to play the Georgia Tech game without helmets. Kentucky is dead-last in the SEC in every offensive category except sideline wardrobe atrociousness (congratulations, Derek Dooley). Hang in there, Kentucky fans. Basketball season is almost here. Final: 43-6, Georgia 

 

Citadel at No. 12 South Carolina

If ever a team needed to bounce-back from a WIN, it is the Gamecocks after last week’s dismal 17-12 crap-fest against the Gators. South Carolina still has an outside shot at a trip to Atlanta, but their destiny is no longer in their hands. Whether he’ll admit it or not, the primary goal for the Old Ball Coach at this point in the 2011 season is probably to pee-pee in Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s Wheaties next weekend. That win, combined with a win Saturday against the Citadel, would earn South Carolina only is second ten-win season in a century of playing football. Navy utilized the triple-option attack earlier this season against the Gamecocks and nearly clipped their wings. They’ll see the same style of offense from FCS opponent The Citadel this weekend. This game may be a close one, at least on the scoreboard. Final: 23-17, South Carolina 

 

Vanderbilt at Tennessee

Vanderbilt is a favorite at Neyland Stadium. Let me repeat that, so you know you read it correctly: Vanderbilt is a favorite at Neyland Stadium this weekend. A win gets the Commodores bowl eligible; a loss gives the Volunteers their only conference win of the season. Vandy’s main threat on offense is its running game. Unfortunately, the lone aspect of the game of football that the Vols are not completely terrible at is stopping the run. This one’s a toss-up, folks. I just hope I pick the opposite of Shannon and the sixth grader, so at least I’ll have a team to root for if I stumble across this game while I’m channel surfing during commercials. Final: 17-13, Tennessee 

 

Jacksonville State at Tennessee State

Jacksonville State tried its darnedest to give away its fourth game in a row last weekend, but lowly Southeast Missouri State refused to take it. Somehow, the Gamecocks were able to get it together for long enough to stage a second-half comeback from two touchdowns behind and pull out a 22-21 win. Tennessee State isn’t terrific, but they’re every bit as good as Coach Crowe’s mediocre ‘Cocks. And they’re the home team. And the Tigers haven’t lost at home all season long. And I don’t think they’re going to start this week. Final: 28-23, Tennessee State 

 

Kansas at Texas A&M

Is it the Aggies’ turn to win this week? The win-loss column on A&M’s season reads like a tennis match: back-and-forth, back-and forth. Geez. I’ve lost track of which week this is. Did I mention Texas A&M is statistically superior to the Jayhawks in every significant offensive and defensive category, with the exception of net punting? It’s a good thing the Jayhawks can punt well; they are probably going to be doing it a lot, come Saturday. Final: 42-13, Texas A&M