Written by Ell
| 24 October 2008
Glen calls the TCU upset and fails to gain ground - another banner week for nxojkt. We should had to Vegas!
| Player |
This Week |
Overall Record |
| nxojkt |
5-1 |
37-11 |
| Glen55 |
4-2 |
34-14 |
| Ell |
3-3 |
29-19 |
| Crump |
4-2 |
29-19 |
Crump catches me... or I descend to last. Not sure which, really.
Here are this week's picks:
| Game |
Ell |
nxojkt |
Glen55 |
Crump |
| Oklahoma St @ Texas |
Texas |
Texas |
Texas |
Texas |
| Georgia @ LSU |
Georgia |
Georgia |
LSU |
LSU |
| Texas Tech @ Kansas |
Kansas |
Kansas |
Kansas |
Kansas |
| Ole Miss @ Arkansas |
Ole Miss |
Ole Miss |
Ole Miss |
Arkansas |
| Penn St @ Ohio St |
Penn St |
Ohio St |
Ohio St |
Ohio St |
The Third Saturday in October is what we're all interested in...
nxojkt:
Bama has played its best ball this season away from Bryant-Denny Stadium and that trend continues this Saturday in Knoxville. Acts of desperation, like Eric Berry on offense, only indicate that this team doesn't think it can win a game by conventional means. The Vols' best defender playing on offense weakens their defense, which is all they really have going for them.
I don't expect a Georgia-like first half, but if that happens the second half will be played in front of a mostly empty Neyland Stadium. More than likely the Vols have enough talent on defense to keep the game close, but John Parker Wilson makes enough plays in the passing game to give the Tide the edge. Bama by 10.
Glen55:
Tennessee is probably the second-most talented team we have played this year. They may not have been up for a game all season, but they will be up for this one. Whether that can get them around some mediocre coaching and lack of leadership we shall see.
I do think that we will get a run for our money in the first half for the first time this season. Hopefully that will give us a chance - and we will take advantage of that chance - to show that our second-half doldrums have been a result of not being challenged, not a result of no fuel left in the tank. Fortunately, it's a road game so we can expect something good from John Parker Wilson. I think the seven-point spread is fairly realistic, but we will cover.
Ell:
Tennessee is fielding a brand new QB who completed nearly 50 % of his passes last week. And this is an improvement. Defense is supposed to be the strength, but they have played some of the worst offenses in the conference. When they didn't... well, let's just say that
Florida game didn't go well.
Nick Stephens will see things he hasn't seen all year from the Tide defense. He'll be confused, and hit more frequently than he'd like. This leads to mistakes, which leads to points. And, we'll be able to hold that first half lead we'll inevitably build.
Crump:
You wouldn't think Tennessee would have a lot to play for seeing as how they have no shot at the SE Championship game and a lame duck coach. But records don't matter much in this rivalry game.
Bama needs to establish Glen Coffee early to set up the passing game. Keeping Eric Berry close to the line of scrimmage to defend the run will make it easier for John Parker Wilson in the passing game.
This game could be a lot closer than it should be but look for Bama to pull away late and break their second half doldrums.
Submit your own picks for these games in the comments section.
