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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21,2010 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
#6 LSU AT #4 AUBURN
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is at the helm of
an offense that’s averaging 481 yards and 41 points
per game. Now he must find a way to move the ball
against an LSU defense that’s as stout as any in the
country. The Bayou Bengals rank 3rd nationally in
total defense and 6th in rushing defense but they
haven’t played against a quarterback who can move
like Newton. Immovable object meet unstoppable
force.
Auburn 28 - LSU 24
#14 SOUTH CAROLINA AT VANDERBILT
Steve Spurrier’s visor did so much flying last weekend
that it might have earned a free roundtrip ticket to
Hawaii, but the Gamecocks definitely hurt their
chances of earning a trip to Atlanta for the SEC
Championship. Now their defense, which ranks 105th
nationally against the pass, visits the land of the
dropsies. South Carolina will win with or without
Marcus Lattimore.
South Carolina 29 — Vanderbilt 12
MISSISSIPPI AT #18 ARKANSAS
The big question heading into this one is the state of
mind of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet after being
concussed by Auburn. The Razorbacks will pass the
ball no matter who’s under center. You have no choice
when you rank 2nd nationally through the air and 96th
on the ground. The Ole Miss defense gives up 242
yards per game in passing yards, ranking them 96th in
the country, and that’s a problem for the Rebels.
Arkansas 41 — Mississippi 27
UAB AT #23 MISSISSIPPI STATE
Even though Mississippi State doesn’t often get to
play Florida and Georgia in the same season, they
beat them both this season for the first time ever, and
that’s a real breakthrough for Dan Mullen’s team.
Now he has to keep them from playing down to their
competition. Tennessee learned the hard way when the
Blazers took them to overtime but won 32- 29. Mullen
is a heck of a coach and he won’t let his Bulldogs slip
on a banana peel this weekend.
Mississippi State 28 - UAB 17
#7 ALABAMA AT TENNESSEE
The third weekend in October means that Alabama
and Tennessee meet. The Volunteers had last weekend
off to try and recover from the thumping it suffered
in Athens. The problem for Tennessee is along the
offensive line where they’re giving up an average
of 3.83 sacks per game, which ranks them 116th
nationally. That doesn’t bode well when you’re facing
one of the toughest defensive lines in the country.
Alabama 34 — Tennessee 13
GEORGIA AT KENTUCKY
Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips got the signature
win of his rookie season when he defeated South
Carolina last weekend. The Wildcats victimized a
Gamecock defense that ranks 105th nationally against
the pass. This weekend they get a visit from a Georgia
team that’s surging, but has problems of its own
stopping the pass. The difference this time is that the
Bulldogs have the offensive firepower to come out
ahead.
Georgia 38 — Kentucky 30
ACC Contests
DUKE AT #22 VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies have won five straight since their loss to
James Madison and they’re undefeated in the ACC.
Now they get a visit from a Duke team that is not very
good but good enough in the passing game to give
the Virginia Tech defense fits. The Blue Devils rank
119th in turnover margin and their defense gives up
38 points per game. That’s why Virginia Tech should
have little trouble this weekend before heading into
the gristle of their ACC schedule.
Virginia Tech 36 - Duke 20
Ranking the Heisman
Candidates
1. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
3. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
4. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
5. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
6. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
7. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska
Newton, Moore and James all have one thing in
common: Their teams are undefeated. Newton had a
huge game against Arkansas on national TV. James
gets his chance against UCLA Thursday night. Moore
is toiling in the shadows and plays a weak schedule.
Just one week after upsetting No. 1 Alabama, South Carolina took its number ten ranking to
Lexington and got sacked by Kentucky 31 - 28. The Gamecocks had four turnovers in the game.
C CThe king is dead! Long live the King!” That was the theme of the week in college football after newly crowned
No. 1 Ohio State fell to No. 13 Wisconsin 31 - 18 and opened the national championship race wide open. The
Buckeyes were bludgeoned by the Badgers’ power running game. Now Wisconsin must go to No. 12 Iowa.
That’s not the only college football royalty that was mistreated. Mississippi State went to The Swamp and beat
No. 18 Florida 10 - 7. It was the Gators’ third straight loss and the second straight at home. The Bulldogs rushed for
245 yards. There wasn’t a whole lot of defense played on The Plains of Alabama where No. 8 Auburn beat No. 15
Arkansas 65 -43. It was the highest scoring total in the history of the SEC and the teams combined for over 1,000
yards of offense in a blow to the SEC’s image as a conference that plays hardnosed defense. No. 10 South Carolina
felt like a king after knocking Alabama off the throne a few weeks back, but then they lost to Kentucky 31 - 28 in
Lexington last week. Now the Gamecocks have to avoid their annual swoon. No. 5 Alabama was workmanlike in its
23-10 defeat of Mississippi. Georgia appears to have come alive. It destroyed Vanderbilt 43-0 and gained 550 yards
in the process. No. 9 LSU looked ahead to this week’s epic contest at Auburn by beating McNeese State 32 - 10. It
was not as easy as the score would have you believe.
Florida State is 4 - 0 in the ACC after beating Boston College 24 - 19. The Seminoles played a sloppy game,
turning the ball over four times. Georgia Tech beat Middle Tennessee 42 - 14 and rushed for 389 yards along the way.
Miami (FI.) forced seven turnovers in its 28-13 win over Duke. Clemson stopped the hemorrhaging of a three-game
losing streak by crushing Maryland 31-7 despite gaining only 213 yards. Virginia Tech and North Carolina were
both big winners against Wake Forest and Virginia, respectively. Hokie quarterback Tyrod Taylor accounted for four
touchdowns in the win over the Demon Deacons. N.C. State is in meltdown mode. The Wolfpack lost to East Carolina
33 - 27 in overtime. The Pirates gained 496 yards.
SEC Standings ACC Standings
Eastern Division
Conference
Overall
Atlantic Division
Conference
Overall
South Carolina
2-2
4-2
Florida State
4-0
6-1
Florida
2-3
4-3
North Carolina State 2-1
5-2
Georgia
2-3
3-4
Maryland
1-1
4-2
Vanderbilt
1-2
2-4
Clemson
1-2
3-3
Kentucky
1-3
4-3
Wake Forest
1-3
2-5
Tennessee
0-3
2-44
Boston College
0-3
2-4
Western Division
Conference
Overall
Coastal Division
Conference
Overall
Auburn
4-0
7-0
Virginia Tech
3-0
5-2
LSU
4-0
7-0
Georgia Tech
3-1
5-2
Alabama
3-1
6-1
Miami (FL)
2-1
4-2
Mississippi State
2-2
5-2
North Carolina
2-1
4-2
Arkansas
1-2
4-2
Virginia
0-3
2-4
Mississippi
1-2
3-
Duke
0-3
1-5
Wqz OBri&irott (Bajette 3£op 25
Ranking
Power Rating
Ranking Power Rating
1. Oregon
159.4
14. South Carolina
140.3
2. Boise State
158.1
15. Florida State
139.4
3. Oklahoma
156.1
16. Stanford
136.6
4. Auburn
156.5
17. Missouri
136.4
5. TCU
156.4
18. Arkansas
136.2
6. LSU
154.2
19. Arizona
136.1
7. Alabama
153.9
20. Oklahoma State
132.7
8. Ohio State
150.1
21. West Virginia
132.5
9. Utah
149.9
22. Virginia Tech
132.4
10. Wisconsin
148.5
23. Mississippi State
132.0
11. Michigan State
141.1
24. Texas
131.9
12. Iowa
141.0
25. North Carolina
124.7
13. Nebraska
140.5
Latest picks at www.gridirongazette.com
ACC Contests CONT.
MARYLAND AT BOSTON COLLEGE
The Boston College offense exploded for 19 points
and 266 yards against a stout Florida State defense.
Well, “exploded” is a relative term, and the Eagles
were helped by four FSU turnovers. The Terrapins
got their heads handed to them by Clemson last week
despite out-gaining the Tigers by 120 yards. Maryland
has a tough row to hoe in the weeks ahead so if they
don’t win this one then Ralph Friedgen might be
looking for employment at season’s end.
Maryland 27 — Boston College 19
GEORGIA TECH AT CLEMSON
Clemson expected a little more offense when
quarterback Kyle Parker decided to turn down major
league baseball. But the Tigers are only averaging
345 yards per game and mustered a paltry 213 against
Maryland last weekend. Now they have to figure out
how to keep up with a Georgia Tech offense that’s
scoring 31 points per game. The Clemson defense has
the studs up front to slow down the Yellow Jackets
rushing attack and that’s why they’ll spring the upset.
Clemson 30 — Georgia Tech 27
E. MICHIGAN AT VIRGINIA
The Cavaliers have not beaten a division I-A (FBS)
opponent yet this season, and their game this weekend
seems designed to solve that problem. Of course,
when you’re giving up nearly 200 yards per game
rushing and have a -1 turnover margin nothing is a
given. Eastern Michigan allows 44 points per game
which ranks 119th nationally and that means Virginia
will get off the snide.
Virginia 31 — Eastern Michigan 13
#25 NORTH CAROLINA AT MIAMI (EL.)
The Tar Heels have had a remarkable season under the
circumstances. They’ve won four straight against the
weaker teams in the ACC and now they begin the meat
of their conference schedule. Their success has largely
been due to a 1.17 turnover margin, which ranks 7th in
the nation, and their eleven interceptions. That is not
something the Hurricane quarterback Jacory Harris
wants to face. Harris has thrown 9 INTs and will likely
throw a few more on Saturday.
North Carolina 27 — Miami (El.) 23
Other Contests
#3 OKLAHOMA AT #17 MISSOURI
The Sooners and Tigers are both undefeated and
sitting atop their respective conference divisions. The
strength of Missouri is a defense that is allowing only
eleven points per game. Of course they haven’t yet
played a team of Oklahoma’s character. The Sooners
are explosive on offense and their defensive line might
be the best on the country, and that’s why they’ll win
in Columbia.
Oklahoma 26 — Missouri 24
#13 NEBRASKA AT #20 OKLAHOMA STATE
Nebraska was everybody’s darling until it lost to
an unranked Texas team at home. Now people are
wondering just what these Comhuskers are made of.
We’ll find out this weekend when they face an offense
that’s averaging 535 yards and 50 points per game.
The Cowboys have racked up those numbers against
some pretty weak competition and now they face the
country’s best defense against the pass.
Oklahoma State 30 - Nebraska 25
#10 WISCONSIN AT #12 IOWA
Wisconsin head coach Brent Bielema need only point
to South Carolina’s result to show his team what can
happen after knocking off number one. Of course,
while the Gamecocks were clear favorites against
Kentucky, the same can’t be said of the Badgers. Iowa
is as tough as a two-by-four and most teams have
reported feeling like they’ve been hit by one after
they’ve faced a Hawkeye defense that’s one of the tops
in the country.
Iowa 30 — Wisconsin 26
LAST WEEKS PICKS 11-5
It seemed inconceivable to us that Florida could
lose three in a row and two straight in The Swamp,
but that’s exactly what happened when Mississippi
State beat the Gators 10 — 7 despite being a 9.5-point
underdog. We looked past the fact that the wheels
usually fall off South Carolina in the second half of
the season and that their defense is terrible against
the pass and picked the Gamecocks to prevail in
Lexington. Instead, they turned the ball over four
times and lost 31 - 28. We thought that Ohio State
would take seriously being the new number one, but
the Buckeyes ran into a buzz saw in Madison and lost
to an amped Wisconsin team. Texas was a ten-point
underdog to Nebraska in Lincoln. We went with the
Huskers and lost. And East Carolina, which has the
worst defense in FBS football, beat N.C. State in
overtime even though we commanded a different
result. Oh, well, some teams are so bad they can’t do
anything right — even lose.
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