This weekend’s cupcake games
There are some good national games tomorrow and a couple of good SEC games, but overall this is almost as bad as a bye week for fans of Alabama and Auburn as far as entertainment value goes. I guess Auburn fans haven’t gotten too much entertainment in anything their football team has done this year. Basketball doesn’t look too swift at this point either after a blowout loss to Murray State. That’s OK. Basketball has never mattered much at Auburn. But football does. And the talk of a new football coach is the paramount issue at Auburn.
You get to see your teams play this weekend, so that’s better than a bye week, and you want them to be as good as they can be. But after the last couple of weeks, this weekend is a real yawner. But Alabama is still playing for a lot, so the Western Carolina game matters to them. Maybe they both need these games. Alabama needs a break from a brutal two weeks and AU, what can you say, they just need a win any way they can get it if anybody cares.
So Western Carolina and Alabama A &M come to ‘Bama and Auburn respectively this weekend to get blasted, though A &M should do better against an Auburn team that has slid downward to its lowest point maybe ever in its proud football history. I don’t know how Auburn brings Chizik back next year. He’s lost the program. If this year is not proof, what else do you need? They’ll finish 0-8 in the SEC and win three games overall if they can get by A&M. Auburn has to get a new coach and a new athletic director.
For ‘Bama, a more exciting game is tonight’s basketball game vs. Villanova in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. Game will be at 6:30 PM CT on the Deuce. Should be a pretty fun game to watch. The Tide beat a good Oregon State team on a three-pointer from the left corner by Rodney Cooper last night in the final 10 seconds. It was very exciting. Expectations should be high for the basketball team. Anthony Grant is an exceptional coach.
But back to football. The Tide needs to win out over Western Carolina, Auburn and Georgia and HAS to get some help with two out of the three of K-State, Oregon or Notre Dame losing for the Tide to get a shot at the national championship. Western and AU will be wins, though Auburn should be up for ‘Bama, but Georgia now that’ll be a challenge. ‘Dawgs are a good football team and playing very well on both sides of the ball right now. Todd McShay has three of the Georgia defensive players in his mock draft going in the first round. Linebacker Jarvis Jones is projected by McShay to be the first pick overall. That’s pretty heady stuff. Defensive tackle John Jenkins (16) and linebacker Alec Ogletree (17) are also in McShay’s first round. They are highly talented on defense. And Aaron Murray looks like he can win big games now. He’s always had talent, but he’s struggled in the big games. That Florida win with his clutch game-winning throw to Malcolm Mitchell may have changed his fortunes in big games. The ‘Dawgs could give the Tide some trouble. That’s three weeks away though.
Here’s a look at this week’s games with predictions.
Last week: 7-3; Overall: 102-30 (77%)
Western Carolina @ Alabama
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
When: 11:21 AM CT
Network: SEC Network (WTTO-21 in Birmingham)
Line: No line
Western Carolina is 1-9. Should not be a big problem. Tide just needs to play well and stay injury-free to get ready for the Iron Bowl and the SEC Championship game and hope for some help from USC, Stanford, Baylor or Oregon State.
Tide 52, Western Carolina 0
Alabama A&M @Auburn
Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn
When: 2 PM CT
Network: Pay Per View
Line: No line
Surely Auburn can win this game. I don’t know how they can keep Gene Chizik regardless of this game, but if he loses this one, he might as well have the moving van waiting in the driveway when he gets home or Yella Fella and Pat Dye will gladly oblige if he doesn’t.
Auburn 31, Alabama A&M 10
Tennessee @Vanderbilt
Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville
When: 6 PM CT
Network: ESPN2
Line: Vandy by four
Should be a very interesting game here. If James Franklin wants to really change the culture at Vanderbilt–which he has done a tremendouns job doing so far in his two years at the helm–he needs to beat the Vols. Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle pose problems for the Vanderbilt secondary, which has talent, but just can’t make stops or get interceptions this year like they could last year. But the Vanderbilt offense looks to be clicking pretty well right now. Big question is will running back Zac Stacy play. Franklin does not disclose any information on injuries, so all I can assume is that Stacy is questionable. I read where he practiced Wednesday Night, so that’s a good sign for VU. Should be the best SEC game of the weekend. Looking forward to this one. VU wins this and beats Wake they finish the season 8-4. That would be historic for Vandy.