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College Picks: SEC in spotlight with big Saturday
By Ralph D. Russo, AP College Football Writer
Thursday, October 08, 2009 | No comments posted.
Throughout the college football season, there will be at least a couple of weekends when the Southeastern Conference overshadows just about everything else going on around the country.
This is one of those weekends.
How is this for a double-header: No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi on Saturday afternoon, followed by No. 1 Florida at No. 4 LSU at night.
Two games with the potential to reshape the national title race separated by about 280 miles of I-55.
Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1) took some of the shine off this week’s SEC action when the Rebels lost to South Carolina two weeks ago and dropped out of the top five. Still, it’s the biggest game in Oxford, Miss., since Eli Manning left town for the NFL.
Jevan Snead, the Rebels’ latest star quarterback, has struggled in the spotlight so far. The junior has thrown five interceptions and is completing only 51 percent of his passes.
He’ll face an Alabama (5-0, 2-0) defense, led by linebacker Rolando McClain and cornerback Javier Arenas, that ranks second in the country in yards allowed at 222 per game.
The main event comes from Tiger Stadium, aka Death Valley to those in SEC country.
The Tigers (5-0, 3-0) have been this season’s great escape artist. Their offense has sputtered (it ranks last in the SEC at 321 yards per game), but they’ve made key plays late in games to stay undefeated.
The Gators (4-0, 2-0) have spent the last two weeks resting and hoping their leader, quarterback Tim Tebow, will be ready to play. Tebow sustained a concussion against Kentucky and his availability might be a game-time decision.
“We’re game-planning as if there’s a chance Tim could play,” coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday. “There’s a chance he won’t play. That’s going to be pretty much the response until the foot hits the ball down there.”
Even with Tebow, this trip to Tiger Stadium, where LSU has won 32 straight Saturday night games, looks like the Gators’ toughest regular-season test.
Without him, backup quarterback John Brantley will be making his first college start in one of the most hostile environments in the country against an opponent with its own national title aspirations.
The picks:
Today
No. 21 Nebraska (minus 3) at No. 24 Missouri: A rivalry once dominated by the Huskers, has been all Tigers recently ... MISSOURI 28-21.
Saturday
No. 1 Florida (minus 71⁄2) at No. 4 LSU: With Tebow ... FLORIDA 24-17. Without Tebow ... FLORIDA 17-14.
Colorado (plus 321⁄2) at No. 2 Texas: Buffaloes’ season is spiraling out of control ... TEXAS 50-17.
No. 3 Alabama (minus 6) at No. 20 Mississippi: No team has fewer weaknesses than Tide ... ALABAMA 24-10.
Boston College (plus 131⁄2) at No. 5 Virginia Tech: Eagles sneaking up on ACC again ... BOSTON COLLEGE 21-17.
Wisconsin (plus 16) at No. 9 Ohio State: Badgers sneaking up on Big Ten again ... OHIO STATE 28-17.
No. 10 TCU (minus 10) at Air Force: Frogs DE Jerry Hughes has six sacks ... TCU 28-14.
Florida A&M (no line) at No. 11 Miami: Rattlers would win battle of the bands ... MIAMI 48-10.
Michigan (plus 8) at No. 12 Iowa: Hawkeyes’ tenacious D-line has to hem in Tate Forcier ... IOWA 21-17.
No. 13 Oregon (no line) at UCLA: Ducks could be without QB Jeremiah Masoli (knee) ... OREGON 27-17.
Eastern Illinois (no line) at No. 14 Penn State: Banged-up Nittany Lions could use a break ... PENN STATE 42-10.
No. 15 Oklahoma State (off) at Texas A&M: Cowboys have WR Dez Bryant and RB Kendall Hunter hurting ... TEXAS A&M 35-28.
Iowa State (plus 191⁄2) at No. 16 Kansas: Jayhawks quietly staying unbeaten ... KANSAS 41-17.
No. 17 Auburn (minus 3) at Arkansas: Second straight road game for Tigers ... ARKANSAS 31-24.
No. 18 BYU (minus 161⁄2) at UNLV: Rebels allowed 63 points to Nevada last week ... BYU 38-24.
Baylor (plus 25) at No. 19 Oklahoma: Sooners can live without Sam Bradford for one more week ... OKLAHOMA 45-17.
No. 22 Georgia Tech (plus 3) at Florida State: Win one for Bobby? ... FLORIDA STATE 27-21.
Kentucky (plus 91⁄2) at No. 25 South Carolina: At least it’s not another top-three opponent for Wildcats ... SOUTH CAROLINA 28-14.
This is one of those weekends.
How is this for a double-header: No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi on Saturday afternoon, followed by No. 1 Florida at No. 4 LSU at night.
Two games with the potential to reshape the national title race separated by about 280 miles of I-55.
Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1) took some of the shine off this week’s SEC action when the Rebels lost to South Carolina two weeks ago and dropped out of the top five. Still, it’s the biggest game in Oxford, Miss., since Eli Manning left town for the NFL.
Jevan Snead, the Rebels’ latest star quarterback, has struggled in the spotlight so far. The junior has thrown five interceptions and is completing only 51 percent of his passes.
He’ll face an Alabama (5-0, 2-0) defense, led by linebacker Rolando McClain and cornerback Javier Arenas, that ranks second in the country in yards allowed at 222 per game.
The main event comes from Tiger Stadium, aka Death Valley to those in SEC country.
The Tigers (5-0, 3-0) have been this season’s great escape artist. Their offense has sputtered (it ranks last in the SEC at 321 yards per game), but they’ve made key plays late in games to stay undefeated.
The Gators (4-0, 2-0) have spent the last two weeks resting and hoping their leader, quarterback Tim Tebow, will be ready to play. Tebow sustained a concussion against Kentucky and his availability might be a game-time decision.
“We’re game-planning as if there’s a chance Tim could play,” coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday. “There’s a chance he won’t play. That’s going to be pretty much the response until the foot hits the ball down there.”
Even with Tebow, this trip to Tiger Stadium, where LSU has won 32 straight Saturday night games, looks like the Gators’ toughest regular-season test.
Without him, backup quarterback John Brantley will be making his first college start in one of the most hostile environments in the country against an opponent with its own national title aspirations.
The picks:
Today
No. 21 Nebraska (minus 3) at No. 24 Missouri: A rivalry once dominated by the Huskers, has been all Tigers recently ... MISSOURI 28-21.
Saturday
No. 1 Florida (minus 71⁄2) at No. 4 LSU: With Tebow ... FLORIDA 24-17. Without Tebow ... FLORIDA 17-14.
Colorado (plus 321⁄2) at No. 2 Texas: Buffaloes’ season is spiraling out of control ... TEXAS 50-17.
No. 3 Alabama (minus 6) at No. 20 Mississippi: No team has fewer weaknesses than Tide ... ALABAMA 24-10.
Boston College (plus 131⁄2) at No. 5 Virginia Tech: Eagles sneaking up on ACC again ... BOSTON COLLEGE 21-17.
Wisconsin (plus 16) at No. 9 Ohio State: Badgers sneaking up on Big Ten again ... OHIO STATE 28-17.
No. 10 TCU (minus 10) at Air Force: Frogs DE Jerry Hughes has six sacks ... TCU 28-14.
Florida A&M (no line) at No. 11 Miami: Rattlers would win battle of the bands ... MIAMI 48-10.
Michigan (plus 8) at No. 12 Iowa: Hawkeyes’ tenacious D-line has to hem in Tate Forcier ... IOWA 21-17.
No. 13 Oregon (no line) at UCLA: Ducks could be without QB Jeremiah Masoli (knee) ... OREGON 27-17.
Eastern Illinois (no line) at No. 14 Penn State: Banged-up Nittany Lions could use a break ... PENN STATE 42-10.
No. 15 Oklahoma State (off) at Texas A&M: Cowboys have WR Dez Bryant and RB Kendall Hunter hurting ... TEXAS A&M 35-28.
Iowa State (plus 191⁄2) at No. 16 Kansas: Jayhawks quietly staying unbeaten ... KANSAS 41-17.
No. 17 Auburn (minus 3) at Arkansas: Second straight road game for Tigers ... ARKANSAS 31-24.
No. 18 BYU (minus 161⁄2) at UNLV: Rebels allowed 63 points to Nevada last week ... BYU 38-24.
Baylor (plus 25) at No. 19 Oklahoma: Sooners can live without Sam Bradford for one more week ... OKLAHOMA 45-17.
No. 22 Georgia Tech (plus 3) at Florida State: Win one for Bobby? ... FLORIDA STATE 27-21.
Kentucky (plus 91⁄2) at No. 25 South Carolina: At least it’s not another top-three opponent for Wildcats ... SOUTH CAROLINA 28-14.
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