LCB Picks: SEC Games of the Week

Tennessee vs. Florida -29.5 @ 3:30 on CBS:
Langston: Even though I gave a bunch of reasons for Vol fans to look at this game in a positive light, I am still dreading this game. Sure it will be Tebow's last game against the Vols, but this is the type of game where you barcade yourself in your house in fear of scaring your neighbors with your desperate screams. It's also the type of game, that typically leads to lots of whisky and having to avoid Sportscenter for the following week in fear of extended torture. With that misery to look forward too, I'm picking Florida to win big but not enough to cover, 42-14.

Teach: Every year there is one day where I become a Tennessee Vol, and that one day is when they lineup against the Gators. This ritual never helped Peyton Manning, and I doubt it helps this year's Tennessee team. I have no idea why Kiffin called out the Gators multiple times this offseason. It's like he never listened to what The Clash were saying: "I fought Tebow, and Tebow won." The Gators win this one handily: 38-17. Good luck breaking rocks in the hot sun, Kiffin.


West Virginia vs. Auburn -7 @ 7:45 on ESPN2:
Langston: Pat White is gone, Jarret Brown is in, and I don't envy him one bit. Jordan Hare is a tough place to play for experienced QBs, let alone a QB starting his first game on the road. Mix that inexperience in hostile environments with Gene Chiziks re-energized offense (86 points in first two games), and you get a Tiger win. Auburn 35- West Virginia 21


Teach: Auburn is 2-0, but they are largely untested, and the same can be said of West Virginia. Neither of these teams has yet to play a tough opponent, which is why this game matters. I'm going to pick the Tigers to win because I believe in the strength of the SEC, as if it were the law of inertia: an SEC team will maintain its momentum unless playing another SEC team, at which point friction brings everything to a halt. West Virginia is not a product of the SEC, and they only defeated Liberty by 13 points, in Morgantown. Auburn will put up 31 to West Virginia's 24.

Georgia vs. Arkansas -1 @ 7:45 on ESPN:

Langston: Looking at the stats and history of these teams, the obvious choice in this game appears to be UGA. Under Richt, the team is 24-4 on the road. They currently have a 5-game SEC road winning streak, and they're 3-0 in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks have lost eight of their last 10 against ranked SEC opponents. These are the types of things that lead you to pick one team over the other,but I'm not buying it. Even though they are the more talented team in this match-up, the Dawgs have had two tough games back-to-back, and now they have to fly to Fayetteville. That fatigue won't help with their defense's current inability to stop opposing offenses. Last week they narrowly escaped with a win over the Gamecocks, but not before allowing 300 passing yards and 37 points. I like Ryan Mallet and the Hogs to keep Georgia fans in a state of shock over their defense, winning 48-44 in a can't miss shoot-out.

Teach: Georgia escaped an 0-2 start against South Carolina and held onto a spot in the nation's top 25. Now they travel to Arkansas to face a tough Razorbacks team. Honestly, I don't know much about the Arkansas team. The only game they've played this year was against Missouri State, which they won by 38 points. In two games, the Georgia defense has given up 61 points to their opponents, which is uncharacteristic of a Mark Richt team. I expect the defense to play better this week after last week's stand, inside their own ten, against South Carolina. Mark Richt teams also play well on the road. Georgia wins 27-17.

Deckfight Game of the Week
Mississippi State vs. Vanderbilt -9 @ 7:00 on Fox Sports South:
The Mississippi State cowbell. The Vanderbilt foghorn. This game is like that one Christmas where your five year-old sister got a Casio keyboard--full of idiotic sounds and godawful playing. Vanderbilt squeaks by in this battle of perpetual irrelevance 23 to 20.