This Weekend In The SEC

EDIT:  Ask and ye shall receive.

Someone really needs to make a new one of these.  Looking at you, blastin_02.

With Kentucky being the last team to open its SEC play this weekend, the league standings will finally start to take a little shape.  Suddenly you have a reason to watch the games our conference-mates play, outside of seeing if that thing on Nick Sabans head gets up and leaves at half time.

Here’s the slate for the weekend:

-UAB (1-2) @ Tennessee (1-2, 0-1): Tennessee showed some life against the Gators last weekend, and against Oregon in the first quarter, and are likely better than their record suggests.  Expect them to roll this C-USA opponent, but even if they do, I still think they’re a ways off from the Vols of old.  Obligatory: This is the year!

-Alabama (3-0, 1-0) @ Arkansas (3-0, 1-0): Outside of rooting interests, this is the game of the weekend.  Arkansas has displayed the offensive firepower Bobby Petrino is known for, and in any other division in any other league they would be getting ‘contender’ talks.  But Alabama got their mojo back in the form of Heisman Mark Ingram last week, when it didn’t even seem like they missed him.  Still, the Tide have to go to Arkansas, and most signs point to this being a great game.  Or at least a telling one.

-Kentucky (3-0, 0-0) @ Florida (3-0, 1-0): One programs fans have guarded optimism about the season, one programs fans have guarded pessimism.  Which is which is for you to decide.  You’ve heard most every angle on the game so far, other than what impact Urban Meyers short lived retirment last spring will have on the game, so there is no need to go into it too much.  Kentucky can win this game.  Kentucky doesn’t have to, to have a successful season.  But it does have to, to earn the respect of Red Lobster hostesses everywhere.

-Georgia (1-2, 0-2) @ Miss State (1-2, 0-2): Georgia was supposed to be good, right?  The bulldogs are currently sitting at the bottom of the SEC east, and even if they manage to win against Mississippi State, Kentucky will still lead them in the standings regardless of their outcome this weekend.  On the other hand, Miss State has looked so-so, minus a strong first half against Auburn.  The winner of this game will be the team that wants to avoid embarassment the most.

-Fresno St (2-0) @ Ole Miss (1-2, 0-1): Can the Admiral Ackbar-less Rebels complete the hat trick this week, and lose to an OVC school, WAC school, and Vandy?  The folks in Arkansas have to be grinning from ear to ear right now watching Houston Nutt scramble to not become the laughing stock of the SEC once again.  I think the Rebels pull this one out, but they may be caught looking ahead to the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats next weekend.  (Probably not, but I just wanted to use this joke.)  Say it with me Fresno State fans… “It’s a TRAP!”

-South Carolina (3-0, 1-0) @ Auburn (3-0, 1-0): In a battle of teams that are probably over rated right now, Spurriers ‘Cocks take on Auburns Cam Newton.  One team will escaped unscathed, and likely be headed to a better than average season (until they come to Commonwealth.)  One team will lose and, in the fashion Auburn and South Carolina trend, begin a spiral into mediocrity.  Which one will be which, I’m afraid to guess.  But because I don’t want to be quoted saying “I’ll take the ‘Cocks,” I’m going with Auburn to win.

-West Virginia (3-0) @ LSU (3-0, 2-0): I am just now realizing how many SEC West teams are 3-0.  Weird.  Anyways, this is one of the SEC’s last chances this season to lay a beat down on the perenially bad Big East conference.  Even with Les Miles questionable intelligence, and West Virginia being ranked again, I’m going to take LSU.  It’s a night game in Louisianna, and LSU rarely loses those.  Unless this is a contest in which team has the coolest names (in which case ‘Tom Ferrari’ and ‘Brantwon Bowser’ win it for WVU,) look for LSU to eek out a win.

This is the week we see what teams are made of.  Until, you know, next week.

Go Cats.

Free Enes.