Week 2 Picks

Well here we are ready to go for week 2. However week 2 looks alot like week 1 with only 2 maybe 3 tough picks on the schedule. Initial impressions after week 1... It is going to be an interesting race in the East behind Florida. Everyone except Georgia (who played the toughest game) came out with a win and all except South Carolina won big. Who is going to come out of that group next to Florida? My pre-season thought was Georgia but watching them struggle so much on offense and seeing them lose LT Trinton Sturdivant again makes me wonder.

In the West, Bama and Ole Miss staked their claims as the two front runners in the division. LSU looked surprisingly shaky although they did get the win and were a long way from home. Arkansas' Ryan Mallet opened with a 300 yard passing game and both Auburn and Miss St got big opening wins for their new coaches.

So what is on the menu for this week? Last week, I went 3-0 on the games against BCS opponents correctly prediciting Bama's win and Georgia's loss.

Miss St at Auburn (6:00 on Fox Sports South)
This may be the most interesting Auburn/Miss St game ever. Yes that was not a misprint or an exaggeration. As a 40 year old Auburn fan I have watched my share of Auburn/Miss St games. These games personify the "old fashioned SEC slugfest" stereotype. Either that or other than the Jackie Sherill era a blowout win for Auburn. I can't remember an Auburn/Miss St game where both teams were trying to run exciting fast paced offenses. I can't remember it because I don't think it has ever happened. Now both teams run a version of the "spread" offense. I am actually really looking forward to an Auburn/Miss St uh shootout?

Both teams opened with big wins last week although Auburn opened with a tougher opponent in La Tech who I believe beat Miss St last year. Miss St beat FCS SWAC opponent Jackson St. Both teams started a bit slow but got in the groove in the second half and put the other team away. Both teams still appear to have pretty salty defenses so while I have talked about the offenses alot this game will probably end up being like most Auburn/Miss St games, a defensive struggle.

Who could forget last year's classic 3-2 Auburn win. I believe it was the ugliest game I have ever seen. Here is hoping for something better than that. The analysis on this game is pretty easy, I think Auburn simply has more offensive playmakers than State including SEC freshman of the week Ontario McCalebb who rushed for 148 yards against La Tech. That will be the difference...

AUBURN OVER MISS ST.

South Carolina at Georgia (6:00 on ESPN2)

THE GAME OF THE WEEK
Always considered the start of SEC league play. This game is usually always the first big SEC game of the year. It has also in the last few years also always been a defensive struggle devoid of much offense. I definitely see more of the same this year. There will not be alot of points scored in this one. Ellis Johnson has the South Carolina defense looking really good in his second year at DC. They just choked the life out of a decent NC State team last week. Meanwhile Georgia's defense did a pretty good job against one of the best offenses in the nation at Oklahoma St.

Unfortunately both offenses could only manage 1 TD a piece. I look for the OBC to take some chances in this game and try to manufacture some big plays. He has made comments about opening it up this week. However I have to agree with Mr Barhart here that he should probably reconsider. Meanwhile I look for Mark Richt to do what he has always done when his offense has struggled and he is playing a team that he probably has more talent than and that is RUN THE BALL. I look for Georgia to pound the SC defense and then play-action to AJ Greene.

They have to get somebody else to step up catching the ball though. Georgia went right down the field throwing to Greene and scored on their first possession against OSU. OSU then quickly worked to take away Greene and Georgia could not get anything else going. I look for SC to do the same thing. This really looks like it is going to be really tough low scoring game. However with Georgia at home and more talent on offense I have to go with...

GEORGIA OVER SOUTH CAROLINA

UCLA at Tennessee (3:00 on ESPN)
Lane Kiffin gets his first chance to shine on the national stage. This game last year really was the beginning of the end for Phil Fulmer. Tennessee started pretty strong but their offense collapsed in the second half and a bad UCLA team beat them. Both teams are supposed to be better this year and both have confident outspoken coaches trying to make a splash on the national scene.

UCLA opened with a decent win over San Diego St while UT crushed Western Kentucky. UCLA is starting freshman QB Kevin Prince and he did OK last week although he did toss 2 INTs. UCLA's RBs and WRs are also almost all freshmen and sophomores. This caused 3 fumbles last week. Their defense was OK but allowed SDSU's best WR 139 yards receiving. This is just not a tough pick. UCLA is bringing a very young and inexperienced team to Knoxville to face a VERY hungry Vols team that has alot more talent than they do. Also, as I said Lane Kiffin is trying to make a big splash nationally. I still think QB Jonathan Crompton will be a liability for UT in games against tougher competition but not this week. I look for the Vols to win BIG... TENNESSEE OVER UCLA

As for the rest...
LSU OVER VANDERBILT

BAMA OVER FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

FLORIDA OVER TROY

ARKANSAS, KENTUCKY AND OLE MISS ARE OFF THIS WEEK