Tide looking to make it seven in a row; Should be a yawner on the Plains
Here’s a look at this week’s showdowns in week 9 of college football both with Bama in the old third Saturday in October contest and AU in a momentum game along with key SEC games and national picks.
‘Bama looks to keep on truckin; so does AU. Some key games nationally. All the rankings are in the BCS this week. It’s really the only poll that matters at this point.
Last time: 9-1; Overall: 55-16 (77%)
No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) vs. Tennessee (4-3, 1-2)
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa (101, 821)
2:30 PM CT
CBS: Verne, Gary, Trace
Line: ‘Bama by 28
UT has gotten better and grabbed a huge win over South Carolina last Saturday in Knoxville. But this is in Tuscaloosa and this is the number one team in the country, and they look about unstoppable right now. T.J. Yeldon (657 yards, 6.8 yards per carry, seven TDs) and Kenyan Drake (402 yards, 8.2 ypc, seven TDs) are the one-two punch this year in the backfield and look as just as prolific as Ingram-Richardson, Richardson-Lacy and Lacy-Yeldon. The line has really come on, A.J. has been brilliant (125-182, 69%, 1,587 yards, 14 TDs, 3 ints), the perimeter weapons are explosive led by Christion Jones (20-275, 2 TDs), DeAndrew White (20-300, 3 TDs) and Kevin Norwood (17-236, 2 TDs), and the defense, led by middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, has been dominant of late leading the nation in scoring defense once again, giving up only 9.7 points per game. There’s no weakness. The injury to Vinnie Sunseri hurts because he is a leader and a very good player, but I’m not so sure Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Landon Collins aren’t just as good a combination as Vinnie and Ha Ha were. This team is a winning machine. It’ll be a pretty long afternoon for the Vols, though they’re getting better and making great progress in recruiting with the number two class in the country behind the Crimson Tide according to Rivals and 247 sports. But they have a long way to go to catch up with Alabama. LSU, Auburn and maybe Missouri are standing in the way of another SEC title, and Florida State and Oregon are two teams that are standing in the way of a fourth national title in five years. Ohio State is good and a possibility, and you can’t count out Baylor and Stanford. Still like the Stanford team a lot. You don’t know what you’re going to get from LSU, but I expect that game to be a pretty good fight, and AU at Auburn on Nov. 30th is looking very interesting right now. But tomorrow is the first order of business for ‘Bama, and they’ll take care of business. The players will be lighting up the stogies, at least those who want to partake, some don’t, after their seventh consecutive victory over the Vols.
‘Bama 52, UT 10
Florida Atlantic (2-5) @ No.11 Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC)
Jordan-Hare Stadium, Pat Dye Field (87,451)
6:30 PM CT
Fox SportsSouth
Line AU by 24
Florida Atlantic has beaten South Florida (28-10) and UAB (37-23), and lost to two pretty decent teams in 5-2 Rice (18-14) and 4-3 Marshall (24-23), so they’re a decent football team. Auburn needs to keep building on the momentum from last Saturday’s huge 45-41 victory over A&M. The defense is playing really well, creating turnovers and playing very physical football. The offense is keeps progressing well. Really like AU’s offensive line and running back Tre Mason (693 yards, 5.8 yards per carry, 6 TDs) is having a phenomenal year. Cameron Artis-Payne has 417 yards and four TDs, quarterback Nick Marshall has 388 and 4 TDs, and the electric Corey Grant has 376 yards, 9.9 per carry, and three TDs. Nick Marshall is getting better and better throwing the football. He is 82-143 (57%) for 1,138 yards, six TDs and four ints. Nick was really good last week against the Aggies going 11-of-25 (with a couple of drops) for 236 yards and two TDs against zero ints. He also ran for a couple of scores, one from 16 yards out and another from 13, which was a key play in the huge victory. The defense has excellent. They have nine interceptions this year. The defense may have had one last year at this point. Safety Robinson Thereze leads the defense with three. Therezie also leads the team in tackles with 33. The defensive line has been a huge story also this season. Gabe Wright and Dee Ford lead the team in tackles for loss with 6.5 apiece; Wright for -27 and Ford for -57. Ford also has five sacks on the season for -55 yards, including a crucial sack on Johnny Manziel on fourth down last week that clinched the game for the Tigers. They have both been spectacular as has the whole front line of the defense. Actually, both lines have been outstanding. The oline is excellent. Auburn needs to take care of business tomorrow, guard against a letdown, and get ready for a trip to Fayetteville next Saturday where they’ll play a very winnable game at Arkansas, then a trip to Knoxville for a road contest at UT. This season has gotten extremely interesting and exciting for the Tigers.
AU 42, FAU 10
Vandy (4-3, 1-3) @ No.16 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2)
Kyle, Field, College Station, Texas (83,002)
11:21 AM CT
SEC Network: Dave, Andre, Cara
Line: Aggies by 17
This is a tough one for the Vandy defense. It’s always tough against Manziel, Mike Evans and the rest of the explosive offensive attack of the Aggies. The A&M defense is less than stellar, which is putting it mildly, so Vandy may score some points. But they won’t be able to stop’em.
A&M 52, Vandy 31
No.16 South Carolina (5-2, 3-2) @ No. 5 Missouri (7-0, 3-0)
Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri (71,004)
6 PM CT
ESPN 2: Tess, Matt, Maria Taylor
Line: Mizzou by 3
This Mizzou team is for real. I see them as No.5 in the country with James Franklin at quarterback, and he’ll be back at some point, but I also see them emerging as No.5 with redshirt freshman Maty Mauk under center. Heck, Franklin may not get his job back. Missouri is loaded with offensive weapons. L’Damian Washington has 32 receptions for 539 yards and seven TDs. Marcus Lucas has 36 catches for 358 yards and Dorial Green-Beckham has 30 for 451 and four TDs. They have some others. They are loaded on the perimeter. But the difference between this Mizzou teams and Mizzou teams of the past (at least last year) is they can run the ball and play defense. Henry Josey has run for 494 yards and 8 TDs. He is a stud. Russell Hansborough (438 yards) and Marcus Murphy (357 yards) are a little banged up and questionable for the game. But the defense can make up for any offensive issues. Defensive end/outside linebacker Michael Sam is a beast. He has 13 tackles for loss of 67 yards and nine sacks. Mizzou is tied for the lead in the country in interceptions at 14 with Oregon State. E.J. Gaines and Kentrell Brothers lead the team with three apiece. Gaines is banged up and questionable too. But the Gamecocks have their own issues with Connor Shaw out and Dylan Thompson starting, though I don’t think that is much of a drop off and really an upgrade in passing maybe. Mike Davis is stellar at running the ball. I don’t know if Clowney is just sleep walking through this season. He had a good first half last week against Tennessee, but was laughing at halftime walking off the field with his team down 17-7. That’s not a sign of a guy who cares too much. Maybe he can get it together and not ruin his draftability; at least as a first five pick. I think he’s slipped from number one overall possibly, if you don’t believe in drafting on potential. This should be a good game, but Mizzou is better. I like the Tigers to move to 8-0 and 4-0 in conference and if they remain healthy at important positions the rest of the way, I see them winning the East.
Mizzou 31, SC 27