Not sure if you all noticed or not but the SEC West was well represented in the BCS Standings, with three teams in the Top 10. It's showdown week in the SEC West, while the SEC East teams try to pull away from one another.
So here's a look at this week's games.
Last week: 3-3. Overall: 40-16
(Home team listed first. All ranking #'s refer to BCS rank.)
#24 Mississippi State vs. UAB
Dan Mullen's Bulldogs are a real surprise at 5-2, especially with the win over Florida. (No matter what the Gators' problems are, MSU beating them is impressive.) They get a tune-up this week against Conference USA opponent UAB, a team that pushed Tennessee to the brink a few weeks ago. MSU is not the kind of team UAB can push around. I suspect the Bulldogs to run early and often, keep it vanilla, and notch a win before heading back to conference play.
Mississippi State 27, UAB 7
Vanderbilt vs. #21 South Carolina
Vanderbilt's two wins are two more than many thought they'd get this year, and the Commodores have played well in most of their games. South Carolina's hangover from beating Alabama caught up to them in Lexington, Kentucky, last week and now the Gamecocks need every win they can garner. Because the East division of the SEC is incredibly down this year, South Carolina is still in first place. They won't be if they drop another conference game, however. Vanderbilt is no pushover but they don't really have enough to hold off South Carolina for an entire game. It should be close early but expect South Carolina to pull away late and get the win.
South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 13
Kentucky vs. Georgia
Georgia feels better after stopping the bleeding and getting a couple of wins, but the flaws are still present. The defense isn't great; Tennessee and Vanderbilt just don't have playmakers. The offense has grown under Aaron Murray and A.J. Green but they are far from dominant. Kentucky is a team that has found its footing and has established playmakers in Derek Locke, Randall Cobb, and Mike Hartline on offense. If Kentucky can withstand the early onslaught, they have the tools and make-up to put together a solid comeback. The biggest key to the game is pressure. The team that can put pressure in the backfield will get the win. I'll give Kentucky the edge with this at home, but it'll be close.
Article comments
1 - Orange and Blue Nation
Newcastle - how about some of that?
420 yards on the "best defense" in the SEC. Cam is unstoppable and so are the Tigers.
Maybe your lousy picking record would improve if you could remove the crimson glasses long enough to realize that Alabama is NOT the top team and WILL NOT win jack this year.
WAR EAGLE!