Well, it's the middle of the college football season already. There have been some surprises, but I just looked at my pre-season predictions again and they were actually pretty close with the glaring exception of picking Georgia to come out of the East. But, hey the East is so open now that they very well could come back and win it. I said Auburn would start strong and fade down the stretch. As it stands right now, I'd take that back and say that Auburn probably only has one loss in them (to Alabama). I also said their new backfield would be good, and that was wrong, it's really good. Newton is a terror, a one-man wrecking machine.
This is still possible.
Alabama lost one of the games that "really scared me," to South Carolina. This team is not last year's team. That becomes more evident every week. But the maddening part is that the offense IS the same, but puts up crap numbers and can barely run the ball. No amount of nicknames, media hype, or Heisman talk moves the ball on the ground for Alabama. to me, that is the biggest surprise of the year so far - Alabama's offensive struggles. For the last two years, the other teams would know we were going to run, line up to stop and then get run over anyway. This year, we haven't been able to do that to anyone...anyone good, that is.
Hey, remember when we could run the ball?
While the defense showed their age against South Carolina, I have been pretty happy with them all year. There are numbers I look for - <>
I like Alabama to win out, but wouldn't really be surprised by anything at this point.
Some surprises:
"Everything is under control. I got it."
-Lucky Les is undefeated down at LSU. It has been said that anyone - ANYONE - can get 10 wins as head coach at Alabama (every single coach we've ever had has won 10 games in a season before including Dubose and Shula), which sort of cheapens it, right? Well that is how I look at Les Miles at LSU. I really believe with their resources, talent pool, etc. that he wins despite himself. Earlier in the year when they almost lost to UNC, ESPN panned the LSU crowd and they looked so nervous and scared. I was immediately struck with the proper analogy. Les is a terrorist and LSU fans are his hostages.
-Florida is in shambles. I have always had a healthy respect for Florida so this is not to pile on or anything. But the hubris of Urban Meyer is astounding sometimes. His playcalling in the Alabama game down by the goal line said, "I'm the smartest guy in the room, just watch how clever I am." But he forgets that he's only the smartest guy in the room when he has all the talent on the field and on his coaching staff. This is a program that has lost both coordinators, an all-everything QB, tight-end, corner back, and linebacker, and their coach took the summer off. This is why I thought they'd struggle this year, but I never thought this would happen. They lost at home to Mississippi State!!! They got swept by the SEC West this year.
The spread that Florida runs is just like any offense - only as good as the players running it.
-Auburn is still undefeated. Not surprisingly, they opened 6-0 against a weak schedule that still had plenty of close calls. But each week the chirping gets louder from these AU fans. Understandably so. They've had to hear all about Alabama for more than two years now, they have an incredibly exciting player, and they've just passed their first real test of the season. At this point, it looks like they're going to go undefeated into Tuscaloosa. And yes, that is annoying.
Here's the case for Auburn: they've got a player who is unstoppable so far. They've got a schedule that sets up very well for them, and they've got momentum.
Here's the case against them: If a Clemson receiver can catch the ball, they've lost at home to a mediocre team. If Spurrier doesn't pitch a hissy fit and pull his QB who'd thrown for 300 yards already, they might have lost at home to South Carolina. And if Kentucky had one or two more breaks, they lose to the Cats on the road. Those are three games that could have become losses. The Arkansas game was a strange one, but I think it could have gone either way. The score doesn't reflect how close that game was (and AU still gave up 500 yards of offense to a backup QB).
Bottom line: their defense will lose them a game, maybe two. But even I have to acknowledge that the Cameron Newton mania (while annoying and filled with half-assed puns like 'War Cam Eagle') is deserved. He is good.
Now, it is Tennessee week. Which means that a maniacal rage will wash over me around daybreak on Saturday that will then be followed by a lit cigar and smug smile to all those in orange by 9:30 pm. No one hates them like I do (except my dad). And even though they are down and having a bad year, it is still Alabama-Tennessee. We must break them.
Prediction: Alabama wins in another ho-hum kind of way which is actually the most satisfying way to beat rival. You beat them in a way that says, "Yep, it's just another year, just another win, just another example of how we are superior to you." I hope to say that on Black Friday too.
