Last week my predictions were 8-2, with my biggest miss being the Tennessee game. Clearly, I did not give UT enough credit, or maybe I just gave Cincinnati too much credit. Either way, I went out on a limb and the limb broke. So much for that. Also, Vanderbilt narrowly escaped their contest with UConn so I wasn't as off on that one, but I still got it wrong. On the season I am 18-4, but let's be honest, these first two weeks have been kind of easy.
Moving on to Week 3...
Game of the Week
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| LSU's Michael Ford |
#3 LSU at #25 Mississippi State (Thursday, 8:00 PM, ESPN): This game is on during prime time on Thursday, and lots of college football fans will be watching. Mississippi State had a rough game last week, coming up just short of tying the score up against Auburn as time expired. The one thing that MSU did well against Auburn was run the football. They ran the ball very well and Auburn pretty much couldn't stop them even when they knew that Relf or Ballard were going to come right at them. They will not be able to do that against LSU, as they have a very stout run defense. If you combine that with the fact that MSU has a short week to recover from a game where they left it all on the field and prepare for a good LSU team, they don't have much of a chance.
Prediction: LSU 27-14
Top Tier Games:
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Will Da'Rick Rogers and the Vols pull an upset
in The Swamp? |
Tennessee at #16 Florida (3:30 PM, CBS): This game has the potential to go down to the wire. Neither one of these teams have really faced much in the way of opposition in their first two weeks. Tennessee beat a decent Cincy team last week, and Florida has had two gimmes in FAU and UAB. This will be the first real test for the both of them. If this game was at Neyland, I would say that UTK would definitely win, but being at The Swamp makes this a whole different story. The Gators have had the Vols' number lately, winning six in a row in the series, and I don't expect that to change this weekend although it's a tough call.
Prediction: Florida 27-24
#21 Auburn at Clemson (12:00 PM, ABC): Auburn got a scare from Utah State in their season opener, and then squeaked by a quality Mississippi State team with a
stop at the goal line as time expired this past Saturday. This young, resilient team once again just refused to lose. Clemson struggled to beat Troy and Wofford who most would have thought to be cupcakes for them prior to the season. This game at the ACC's version of "Death Valley" will be the first road test for a very young Auburn squad. I think it will be close, but Auburn will come out on top. As Scott Van Pelt said on SportsCenter on Saturday, "it's like they literally have forgotten how to lose."
Prediction: Auburn 45-41
Interesting Unimportant Game:
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt (12:21 PM, SEC Network): Ole Miss just seems like a program that is going down and going down quickly. Vanderbilt looked pretty good coming from behind to beat a solid UConn team last week to push their record to 2-0. Vanderbilt will beat the sinking ship of Ole Miss at home.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 21-13
The Rest:
Coastal Carolina at Georgia (1:00 PM, PPV): Georgia 49-10
Navy at #11 South Carolina (6:00 PM, ESPN2): South Carolina 35-24
North Texas at #2 Alabama (7:30 PM, FSS): Alabama 42-7
Troy at #14 Arkansas (7:30 PM, CSS): Arkansas 48-17
Louisville at Kentucky (7:00 PM, ESPNU): Kentucky 21-13
*All Times Eastern
Lucas' Week 2 Record: 8-2
Lucas' Season Record: 18-4
Do you really think Kentucky wins? If so give me some reason to follow you on that? Though outside the SEC you have got to say something about the Oklahoma v Florida State game. Season lasting implications in that game. Florida State better than they have been in years, they have it at home. Oklahoma does have a history or under performing at the big game. Any thoughts on that match up? Lastly, does Notre Dame finally win won this week over a good Michigan State team. You would think at some point they have to put a win together, especially after a good game last week.
ReplyDeleteKentucky game is a coin toss. I picked Kentucky because it's at Kentucky and Louisville lost to FIU who is not very good earlier this season. I watched that game and thought Louisville looked horrible.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I just have a really good feeling about Oklahoma this year. I know they usually choke, but if they are going to choke I think it will probably be later in the season. I don't have any confidence in EJ Manuel to perform well in a big game for Florida State. I think I'm going with Oklahoma in that game. That one will be fun to watch.
Notre Dame loses to Michigan State. I think Michigan State has a good football team this year, and Notre Dame has shown no ability to beat a big opponent for the last two years. Michigan State has a lot of key cogs back from a team that went 11-2 last year.