SEC Packets: Week Nine Schedule and Picks

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Kentucky vs Mississippi State 11:30am CST Lincoln Financial

OTS:
Florida showed us last week that the Wildcats aren't that good. And we know the Bulldogs are nothing great. But Kentucky should have enough to get by MSU. UK has the top scoring offense in the conference, and MSU has the worst. You figure how that one works out. I imagine UK's offense puts up big numbers on the way to a relatively easy win.

Todd:
It's time for the 'Cats to take out some frustration, and it's gonna get ugly. How ugly?

So ugly, I'm making it my Sandra Bernhard Game of the Week!

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Vanderbilt vs Miami (OH) 1pm CST

OTS:
In years gone by, the 'Dores would have choked this one away. Not this year, Vandy wins with relative ease on the way to a 5-3 record and hopefully an eventual bowl berth.

Todd:
After their big win over South Carolina, this is the kind of let down game Vandy would usually fall for. But this isn't your dad's Commies, so I feel safe going with them this week.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Arkansas vs Florida International 1pm CST

OTS:
You know the routine, McFadden runs for 80 trillion yards. And he may get to the end zone so fast that he goes faster than the speed of light, and if I remember my quantum physics correctly, that means he'll be in the end zone doing his TD dance while we are still watching him run at the 30. Hogs roll easily.

Todd:
No chance for a suck ass terrible FIU team.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Florida vs Georgia 2:30pm CST CBS

OTS:
Can you really not pick Florida? The Gators have taken 15 of the past 17 from the Bulldogs, and this Georgia team is simply not very good. A not-so-good Tennessee team annihilated them, and the Dawgs should have honestly lost to Vandy. Moreover, Florida will come in ready to play. The Gators have it simple: beat UGA and beat South Carolina, and they win the East and potentially get revenge on LSU. They won't sleep-walk in this one, and I say they'll make it 16 of 18. The only way I say that UGA wins is if Tebow gets hurt.

Todd:
The Gators own Georgia, and even though I was pretty high on the Dawgs in the preseason, I have no faith in them anymore.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Auburn vs Ole Miss 5pm CST

OTS:
This one may be closer than you think, as Ole Miss will rebound from a terrible showing last week, and Auburn will likely sleep-walk after an emotional heart-breaker in Baton Rouge. The Rebels aren't very good, but unless they just mail it in -- which is possible -- they are better than they showed last week. All I can say is that, for purposes of us winning the SEC West, we should all be praying for an Auburn loss, and I'll explain more as to why in a later post. That said, you really can't pick the Rebels considering they have less depth, less talent, and much worse coaching. I'll go with the Tigers, but I wouldn't be shocked at a close game. Stay tuned though, if Orgeron has a hangover and misses breakfast, he may eat the eagle for brunch. Also, keep your eye on the possible return of Brent Schaeffa!

Todd:
For all we know, Ole Miss spent this week looking at the Alabama film, too.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Tennessee vs South Carolina 6:45pm CST ESPN

OTS:
You know, it's really hard to pick this one considering that neither of these two teams happens to be particularly good. I'll go with the Gamecocks simply because Spurrier has always had Tennessee in the palm of his hand -- I mean this is the same guy who came to Knoxville in his first year in Columbia and beat the Vols on Peyton Manning Appreciation Night where they retired his collegiate number, how fitting was that? -- and the Vols may be about to implode. I wouldn't be surprised to see it go the other way though considering the Gamecocks performance against Vanderbilt. Make no mistake about it: this is a match-up of two mediocre teams. If Seinfeld was a 5 and The New Andy Griffith Show -- how many remember that one? -- was a 1, this one would be about a 2.5.

Todd:
The OBC owns Fulmer, and UT is spiraling into disaster right now. The 'Cocks should help with that.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Rutgers vs West Virginia 11:00am CST ABC

OTS:
The Mountaineers knocked off Rutgers in a close one last year, and I expect the same this year. Pat White looked good last week against MSU, and at this point Ray Rice has got to be beaten to a pulp. The Mountaineers win this one and keep their BCS hopes alive.

Todd:
Rutgers was good to me last week, and I think they get the better of the 'Eers too. West Virginia hasn't been exactly dominant on defense, so I like the Scarlet Knights to get just enough stops to pull this one out.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Oregon vs USC 2pm CST FSN

OTS:
The Trojans should be on their way to a national championship, but that's not happening. Yes they beat Notre Dame pretty badly, but that means nothing in 2007. Mark Sanchez is likely to start for the Trojans on the road in Eugene, and you have to pick the Ducks in this one. The USC defense has struggled at times this year with injuries, and Dennis Dixon is putting up Heisman like numbers. The Oregon offense has been simply unstoppable thus far this year, and I don't think USC will be able to change that. This is the toughest game remaining for the Trojans, and if they can win here on the road they may fight their way back into national championship contention. That said, I expect Dixon and the Ducks offense to deliver the knock-out blow to the Trojans' title hopes this weekend.

Todd:
This is the game where the Ducks really make their case for national title consideration. USC is a good team, but they're missing the veteran talent they're used to, and the turnovers on the coaching staff are starting to sting. Ducks it is.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Connecticut vs South Florida 2:30pm CST ABC

OTS:
I guess I'll go with USF here, but who knows? USF isn't great, but neither is UConn. I figure the Bulls are better though, and UConn really had a win given to them by an admittedly bad call by the referees last week against Louisville. I imagine the Bulls rebound with a win.

Todd:
The UConn story was nice until the Huskies stole a TD against Louisville that wound up being the difference in the game, so I'm going with Karma on this one.

That's a fair catch.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Texas vs Nebraska 2:30pm CST ABC

OTS:
Notre Dame is the most disappointing team in the country, but Nebraska is second, especially after being blown out, at home, by Texas A&M. If Texas plays like they should, this could be one of the worst losses in the history of Nebraska football. If Oklahoma State can make it 38-0 at halftime in Lincoln, you can only imagine what Texas can do in Austin.

Todd:
At this point, the Huskers aren't even bothering to show up for Callahan. Texas could probably start the second string in this one and run away with it.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Texas A&M vs Kansas 6pm CST ESPN2

OTS:
Yes the Aggies are 6-2, but they have beaten no one particularly good. They've played three half-way decent teams, and have been blown out by two of them. The Jayhawks are not as good as the 7-0 record would indicate, but they do have a great offense and a decent defense. The Aggies close the season with Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. I say the Jayhawks beat the Aggies and that begins a four-game losing streak that will culminate with a loss, at home, to Texas and the firing of Dennis Franchione.

Todd:
Another dead coach walking, and another team that's going to lose for him. Kansas isn't that good, but they're good enough to take it to the Aggies.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Arizona State vs Cal 9:15pm CST ESPN2

OTS:
The Sun Devils are 7-0, and while I don't know if they are that good, the past two weeks have shown us that Cal is not that good. Any team that loses by nine to a bunch like UCLA is simply not very good, end of story. So now the Golden Bears are coming off of back-to-back losses while ASU is coming off of arguably their most impressive win of the year. The Sun Devils had an extra week to prepare for this one, and Rudy Carpenter -- who has played great all year -- will likely light up the Golden Bears rather porous defense.

Todd:
I'm not being very contrarian this week, 'cause there just aren't that many tempting upsets to pick. If this were in Berkely, I'd be tempted to go with Cal, but I'm taking the Sun Devils to extend their win streak to eight.

Opponents	OTS 69-20	Nico 66-23	Todd 62-27
Penn State vs Ohio State 7pm CST ABC

OTS:
The Nittany Lions are no slouch, as they come in at 6-2 with the two losses coming in very close games to good teams (Michigan and Illinois). Moreover, the last regular season loss for the Buckeyes came here, in Happy Valley, in 2005. On the other hand, this Ohio State defense could be one of the best we've seen in years and years. At the beginning of the year all anyone talked about was the LSU defense, but in reality it has been the Buckeye defense that has shown itself as almost immovable. They've only allowed more than seven points one time through their first seven games, and last week Michigan State came in averaging over 36 points per game, and the Buckeye defense held them to only three points and nine first downs. The Penn State offense has been a bit anemic, and I imagine that Ohio State really puts the clamps down. The Buckeye offense won't do much, but they won't have to either. I say the Buckeyes roll with a dominating defensive performance. And suddenly people will realize that this Ohio State squad is for real as they move to only three weeks away from a trip to New Orleans.

Todd:
The Buckeyes will quietly and unspectacularly handle the Nittany Lions, prompting the pundits and bloggers to whine about how they haven't blown anyone out and don't deserve a #1 ranking. But they'll still win, and that's good enough for me.