Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 2010 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 3B
College Football News, Analysis and Prognostications
Visit www.gridirongazette.com for the latest college football analysis and picks • @gridirongazette on twitter
SEC Contests
#9 LSU AT #13 FLORIDA
Both these teams are struggling on offense. LSU ranks
91st nationally in total offense while Florida ranks
84th. Both of them are having trouble at quarterback
and along the offensive line. The Tigers’ defense is
slightly better, especially along the defensive front,
but the Gators have the home field advantage and a
few more playmakers on offense.
Florida 26 - LSU 23
#1 ALABAMA AT #17 SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina took last weekend off, and let’s hope
they didn’t watch what Alabama did to Florida. If
they did, they likely suffered from a case of night
sweats. The Gamecocks are the most physical team in
the SEC East and they’re giving up a respectable 128
yards per game rushing. But the Alabama offensive
line is mauling everybody it faces and they’ll continue
that trend in Columbia.
Alabama 28 — South Carolina 16
TENNESSEE AT GEORGIA
When Tennessee gets to Athens it will face the worst
team in the SEC and a team that is stumbling around
in the dark. But the Volunteers will also be carrying
their own disappointment, after a devastating loss to
LSU. It’s been said that true insanity is when you do
the same thing over and over and expect a different
result. Well, book our stay in the rubber room.
Georgia 25 — Tennessee 23
#15 ARKANSAS AT TEXAS A&M
Arkansas had last weekend off to lick its wounds
after losing to Alabama two weeks ago. Now Bobby
Petrino takes the Razorbacks to College Station where
Texas A&M ranks 6th nationally in total offense and
14th in total defense. The problem for the Razorbacks
is their imbalance on offense where they rank 2nd in
passing and 102nd in rushing. We’ll take the Aggies
in a home upset.
Texas A&M 30 — Arkansas 29
#8 AUBURN AT KENTUCKY
The Wildcats gained 350 yards against Florida a few
weeks back but still got crushed 48 — 14. Now they get
a visit from the second best team in the SEC. Auburn
leads the league in total offense with 475 yards per
game, but Kentucky has the best pass defense in the
conference. It won’t matter because Cam Newton and
the Tigers can run the ball with the best of them.
Auburn 31 - Kentucky 19
E. MICHIGAN AT VANDERBILT
The Commodores got shut out in the second half
in Connecticut last weekend and lost 40 - 21. With
Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia looking inept,
Vanderbilt finds itself in third place in the SEC East.
With all three of those teams left on the schedule,
Robbie Caldwell has a realistic chance of leading the
Commodores to a bowl game. They’ll take care of
Eastern Michigan before heading to Athens to face a
beleaguered Georgia team.
Vanderbilt 29 - E. Michigan 13
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT HOUSTON
The Houston Cougars averaged over 500 yards of
offense per game in their first three contests. Then
quarterback Case Keenum went down for the season
and they mustered only 349 yards in a win over
Tulane. Mississippi State got a big win over Georgia
and is playing with a lot of confidence, and that’s why
they’ll survive the trip to Houston.
Mississippi State 31 — Houston 28
ACC Contests
BOSTON COLLEGE AT N.C. STATE
Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson had thrown 11
touchdowns and no picks in his first three games. But
the last two games he’s thrown four interceptions,
including three in last week’s loss to Virginia Tech.
Wilson needs to get back on track and he will against
a Boston College team that ranks 98th nationally in
total offense.
N.C. State 33 — Boston College 14
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS AND NOTES
Rutgers University paid a public tribute Saturday at
a football game to a student who committed suicide
last week after his sexual encounter was secretly
streamed online. Most in the crowd bowed their heads
after a public address announcer requested a moment
of silence for 18-year-old freshman Tyler Clementi
before the start of Rutgers’ homecoming game against
Tulane. dementi’s name was shown on the stadium’s
huge scoreboard, and the crowd applauded politely
after the observation ended. Prosecutors say dementi’s
roommate and another student used a webcam to
broadcast on the Internet live images of Clementi
having an intimate encounter with another man...
North Texas freshman wide receiver Josh Rake died
from injuries suffered in an automobile accident. The
university said in a statement that Rake died Friday, a
day after he was injured. The 20-year-old Rake joined
the team in September as a walk-on..
LSU’s defensive line battered Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms. The Tigers held the Voluntters to
217 yards of offense and forced four turnovers, but barely prevailed 16 - 14 with 0:00 on the clock.
T o call Alabama the “number one team in college football,” or “the best team in college football” is to come
face to face with the limits of the English language. For the past six quarters, starting with the third quarter of
the Arkansas game, the Tide has been better than either one of those descriptions can convey. It would be more accurate
to describe them as paradigmatic in that they are the ultimate standard of excellence. Just look at how they dominated a
Florida team that is dripping with talent. The Tide beat the Gators 31—6. In the SEC Championship Game last season,
the Tide prevailed 32-13. That’s 63 - 19 in the past two meetings against the Gators. Total domination.
At LSU, the coach who replaced Nick Saban continues to make boneheaded decisions in pressure-packed late
game situations. This time around, Les Miles presided over a Chinese fire drill, while the time ticked away, which
culminated with his flustered quarterback dropping the snap and seemingly losing the game to Temiessee. But LSU
was given a second chance when Tennessee was called for having too many players on the field, and the No. 10 Tigers
then scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 0:00 on the clock to beat the Volunteers 16 - 14. Kentucky gained 424
yards against Mississippi but turned the ball over three times and handed the Rebels a 42 - 35 win. No. 10 Auburn and
Mississippi State both easily handled weak out of conference opponents. Vanderbilt and Georgia both got handled by out
of conference opponents. The Bulldogs fell to Colorado 29 - 27. They are lost in the wilderness.
No. 13 Miami went to Clemson and beat the Tigers 30 — 21. Virginia Tech forced N.C. State quarterback Russell
Wilson into 3 interceptions and beat the No. 23 Wolfpack 41 — 30. Georgia Tech scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass
with 15 seconds to play and beat Wake Forest 24 — 20. Florida State took care of Virginia 34-14. Maryland beat Duke
21-16. North Carolina rushed for 263 yards and beat East Carolina 42—17.
No. 2 Ohio State looked pedestrian in beating Illinois 24 — 13. No. 5 Oklahoma made it harder than it had to be but
beat Texas 28 - 20. No. 8 Oregon opened the floodgates on No. 20 Stanford and beat the Cardinal 52 — 31.
SEC Standings ACC Standings
Eastern Division
Conference
Overall
Atlantic Division
Conference
Overall
Florida
2-1
4-1
Florida State
2-0
4-1
South Carolina
1-1
3-1
Maryland
1-0
4-1
Vanderbilt
1-1
1-3
North Carolina State 1-1
4-1
Kentucky
0-2
3-2
Wake Forest
1-2
2-3
Tennessee
0-2
2-3
Boston College
0-1
2-2
Georgia
0-3
1-4
Clemson
0-1
2-2
Western Division
Conference
Overall
Coastal Division
Conference
Overall
LSU
3-0
5-0
Virginia Tech
2-0
3-2
Alabama
2-0
5-0
Miami (FL)
1-0
3-1
Auburn
2-0
5-0
Georgia Tech
2-1
3-2
Arkansas
1-1
3-1
North Carolina
0-1
2-2
Mississippi
1-1
3-2
Virginia
0-1
2-2
Mississippi State
1-2
3-2
Duke
0-2
1-4
tEbz OBri&irott (Bajette 3£op 25
Ranking
Power Rating
Ranking Power Rating
1. Alabama
160.3
14. Wisconsin
140.3
2. Ohio State
157.9
15. Arkansas
139.4
3. Boise State
156.5
16. Arizona
136.6
4. Oklahoma
154.8
17. South Carolina
136.4
5. Nebraska
154.4
18. Michigan
136.2
6. Oregon
154.2
19. Michigan State
136.1
7. TCU
153.9
20. Northwestern
132.7
8. Auburn
150.1
21. USC
132.5
9. LSU
149.9
22. Nevada
132.4
10. Miami (FL)
148.5
23. Stanford
132.0
11.Utah
141.1
24. Oklahoma State
131.9
12.Iowa
141.0
25. Air Force
124.7
13. Florida
140.5
Latest picks at www.gridirongazette.com
ACC Contests CONT.
C. MICHIGAN AT VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech has won three straight games since
losing to Boise State and James Madison, and it sits
atop the ACC Coastal Division. The key to the Hokies’
success has been their ball-hawking secondary. Central
Michigan is 2 - 3 but that includes losses to Temple
and Northwestern by a total of 8 points. This is exactly
the kind of game that Virginia Tech has been known to
lose, but Frank Beamer will have them ready.
Virginia Tech 35 - Central Michigan 19
VIRGINIA AT GEORGIA TECH
The Yellow Jackets have been on a football teeter-
totter, unable to win two games in a row. They sneaked
past Wake Forest in the final minute of last week’s
game but only mustered 339 yards against a pretty bad
defense. Now Virginia brings a defense to The Flats
that’s giving up only seventeen points per game. The
Cavaliers are an improved football team, but they’re
not improved enough to win in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech 28 — Virginia 23
CLEMSON AT NORTH CAROLINA
Clemson turned the ball over six times against Miami
last weekend, including 3 interceptions by quarterback
Kyle Parker. When the Tigers get to Chapel Hill, they
will face a defense that held East Carolina to only 17
points last Saturday. Clemson ranks 4th nationally
in sacks and 11th in TFL, but it’s also giving up 388
yards per game. This one is a coin toss. Heads it’s
North Carolina.
North Carolina 27 — Clemson 23
NAVY AT WAKE FOREST
The Demon Deacons have lost three straight games
including Saturday’s last minute defeat by Georgia
Tech. It doesn’t get any easier this weekend when
Navy brings an offense that’s rushing for 256 yards
per game and a defense that ranks 1st in the nation
against the pass. Wake’s problem is on defense where
they’re giving up 441 yards and 37 points per game.
But they slowed down Georgia Tech’s rushing attack
and they’ll do the same against Navy.
Wake Forest 22 - Navy 20
FLORIDA STATE AT #10 MIAMI (EL.)
This game used to have national title implications and
it might again in the coming years. Both these teams
are on two-game winning streaks after losing big to
non-conference opponents a few weeks back. The
Florida State defense has improved dramatically since
getting clobbered by Oklahoma, but the Hurricane
defense ranks 1 st nationally in sacks and 2nd in TFL,
and is only giving up 15 points per game. That and the
home field advantage will see them through.
Miami (FI.) 25 - Florida State 19
Other Contests
#19 MICHIGAN STATE AT #18 MICHIGAN
Michigan State and Michigan are both 5 — 0 and sitting
atop the Big Ten standings. The Spartans got a huge
win over Wisconsin last weekend despite 3 turnovers
and are playing for their coach Mark Dantonio who
is facing serious heart problems. Now they need
to find a way to stop Denard Robinson, who is the
nation’s most exciting player by far. The Spartans are
only giving up 101 yards per game rushing but they
haven’t faced the likes of Robinson, and that’s why the
Wolverines will prevail.
Michigan 34 - Michigan State 31
SOUTHERN CAL AT #23 STANFORD
Both these teams are trying to bounce back from
losses. Stanford ran into a buzz saw at Oregon and
Southern Cal lost to Washington for the second
straight year. The Cardinal defense was thought to
be pretty good until it gave up 626 yards including
388 yards rushing to the Ducks. Southern Cal doesn’t
have the kind of explosiveness that Oregon has, and
the Cardinal should be able to put the clamps on the
Trojans.
Stanford 36 - Southern Cal 31
Last Week’s Picks: 14-2
Georgia continues to confound The Gridiron
Gazette. The Bulldogs lost their third straight
game in Colorado on Saturday. They are now
1-4 overall. Two of their losses - Arkansas and
Colorado — came in the late stages of the game.
They allowed a game-winning touchdown with
14 seconds left against Arkansas, and running
back Caleb King fumbled away a potential game
winning drive last weekend. We have been wrong
about Georgia by far more than any other team this
season. Some will say that our proximity to Athens
has clouded our judgement, but, realistically, who
else thought that the Bulldogs would be 1 — 4 and
0 — 3 in the SEC? We were also wrong about N.C.
State. Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson threw 3
interceptions against Virginia Tech last week. Still,
14 - 2 is our best week so far and a record we can
be proud of.
£0Lawson Chevrolet
Locally Owned • Locally Operated
Over 70 Years in Business
North Georgia’s Truck Headquarters
www.lawsonchew.com
Located in Jasper on 515 across from the new Bargain Barn
706-692-3441
asper
706-692-6427 • Fax 706-692-3121
www.jasperdrug.com
drugs & gifts e-mail: jasperdrug@aol.com
Visit Our Pharmacy Location at Foothills IGA, Marble Hill • 770-893-3784
Celebrating over 50 years service
Ah
w
1 North Main Street • jasper, GA 30143
Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8-7, Sat. 8-4, Closed Sunday
Coldest Beer In Town!!
Tailgate and Party Supplies
TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS
hwy. 515- 706-253-2950
(200 yards South of Hwy 108)
515 S 53 - 706-253-
GO DAWGS