Week 4 SEC Football Preview and Predictions

by Dyke Marler
(Atlanta, GA )

September 24, 2010

Atlanta, Georgia

Six undefeated teams square off in SEC matchups this Saturday with the heavyweights going toe to toe in Fayetteville and Auburn.

Alabama has an opportunity to again show the Nation just how dominant a football program can be. Ranked number 1, undefeated in the last two regular seasons, the best tandem of running backs since The Pony Express, a QB who is not only unbeaten since the 8th grade but a Rhodes Scholar candidate, more true junior draft picks for the 2011 draft than most teams will have draft picks, a defense who has given up only one touchdown this year but has not given up 100 yards rushing to an individual back in almost three years and, oh yeah, defending
National Champions. Those guys.

Arkansas has a legitimate reason to be whoo-pig-sooeying this year but let’s not get carried away. They rank 12th in the conference in rushing offense and even though the defense has improved I will need to see a little more than beating an AJ Greene-less Georgia before I start wearing a pig snout.

South Carolina rolls into Auburn -because Auburn doesn’t play road games-to take on a somewhat resurgent Auburn team who is playing for the championship of the State of South Carolina. Excepting Arkansas State, Auburn’s first four games are against opponents uncannily matched to their strengths and weaknesses and for the third week out
of the first four, Auburn will be involved in the most interesting game on the schedule.

Kentucky at Florida is the third matchup of unbeatens but the game is in The Swamp and Florida is a 14 point favorite. Kentucky is on the right track and could score an upset with a break or two but I look for Florida to stretch out in the sun and flex a little. HOWEVER, if
the Gators have one eye on next week’s showdown in Tuscaloosa and show the same lack of focus and execution which persisted into Week 3…

UAB at Tennessee
Tennessee
Pretend it’s Bama and enjoy the victory Vol fans

Georgia at Mississippi State
Georgia Cowbells be damned. I can’t get my mind around Georgia being as completely average as their play and record indicate. Mark Richt has a great SEC road record but his lack of intensity is startling to me. Dan Mullen will spend little time at the SEC bottom and wins the games he’s supposed to. This could be a great football game and why it is not the 12:20 game instead of UAB/Tennessee really gets under my skin.

To win the SEC East, Georgia has to count on South Carolina losing to Auburn, Bama and Florida. Additionally, Florida must lose to Bama and
Georgia. But first Georgia has to leave Starkville with a W. That may not happen.

Fresno State at Ole Miss
I’ve lost interest- I mean Ole Miss. Fresno State has one of the nation’s best passing offenses. What does
Ole Miss have? I believe I understood the Ole Miss AD last week to have said that one of the mascots they are considering is the “Land Sharks.” If they decide on that one I say we trade ‘em out for Boise State. Sort of a
two birds with one stone kind of thing.

West Virginia at LSU
LSU
If it’s a night game in Death Valley against a Big East opponent, I’m going LSU. Noel Devine is fun to watch.

Kentucky at Florida
Florida
Both 3-0 but Florida puts a lot more talent on the field. This should be the beginning of the separation in the SEC East but if Florida is thinking about Bama, or committing more crimes or the fact that they have two new coordinators or Urban’s health or whatever it is they’re
thinking about down there, they could get embarrassed.

South Carolina at Auburn
Auburn
Auburn plays 8 home games this year. That is more than any team in the League. Not “The League,” but close.
Marcus Lattimore, Mike Dyer, tall talented receivers against a secondary with no interceptions, a good offensive line against a very good defensive line, a slightly over-pursuing LB Corp against a Coach who can exploit it. Carolina gives up 60 yards per game rushing,
Auburn averages 260. Auburn has shown excellent effort and resolve but their last two opponents have choked by missing routine plays which would have been game-winners. South Carolina always finds a way to blow this game.

Alabama at Arkansas
Alabama
I wouldn’t pick against Bama right now if they were playing the Marines.