It’s Gimme Week at the SEC ballpark

I mean really. Four games versus the Division 1-AA is the sort of thing that the rest of the world looks at when they get sick and tired of the medias talk of the SEC as the single greatest conference of all time. So you know what that means?

Auburn
Ole Miss
Georgia
Kentucky

You get a gimme to better your bowl eligibility. Congratulations.

As for the ones with guts and nuts? 

LSU at -7.5 Alabama

Suddenly, this game gets interesting after Alabama goes on a bye and LSU blanked Tulane 42-0. In the perception game? It’s going to be a classic. In the actual game? Take Bama. They can run the ball and defend well enough that they should answer Florida with a 13-3 win over LSU on their own.

Vanderbilt +35 at Florida

The half game suspension and the half game self-imposed benching for Brandon Spikes will allow Vanderbilt to move the ball somewhat. Vanderbilt has always been somewhat unbreakable on defense, even in their weakened state. Last week was a bit of an abberation. I think Florida gets to 40. But Vanderbilt gets to seven. That’s a cover.   

South Carolina +7 at Arkansas

Ten weeks in and these two teams wax and wane so wildly that you cannot get a bead on these teams. Is South Carolina in a swoon? How could Arkansas let Eastern Michigan cover? Am I asking rhetorical questions in an effort to pad my word count?  Suffice it to say, take the fighting Stephen Garcias.

Memphis at -26 Tennessee

At least this game has a local justification. Even if this is as much of a gimme as the other SEC non-conference games on the docket. The defense is stout, and game manager Crompton is a force of competency that will get a four touchdown win.

Last Week: 3-4
Overall: 35-26