VIDEO FLASHBACK: Georgia Beats Auburn, Wins Third Consecutive SEC Title

November 13, 1982: the Georgia Bulldogs were the No. 1 team in the nation with one of the nations best players on their roster, Herschel Walker, poised to take home the Heisman Trophy.

Georgia's task that day was understood—beat Auburn and wrap up a third straight SEC Championship—but Auburn made the Bulldogs work harder than they had all season in securing the victory. 

The Tigers fought the dogs tooth and nail for four quarters, and led for a time before surrendering the lead late in the fourth. Even so, with less than a minute to go in the game, the Tigers still had the opportunity to win the game.

Georgia led 19-14 when Auburn quarterback , Randy Campbell, stepped up to the line of scrimmage—hoping to make something big happen on 4th-and-17. Once the ball was snapped, Campbell came under immense pressure from Georgia's front seven and, in response, heaved the ball toward the blue jerseys in the endzone—he didn't hit any of them. Ronnie Harris and Jeff Sanchez, two of Georgia's defensive backs, knocked the ball to the ground.

Game over.

(h/t apgarbin)




Herschel was the difference in this one.

(h/t apgarbin)




Interesting note: If you listen closely, Buck Belue—former teammate of Walker and QB for the 1980 Championship team—is one of the color commentators for the game. Belue essentially walked from the football field to the press box after his career at Georgia and he's been in broadcasting ever since.

Friday Links: Will A.J. Green Be The No. 1 Pick?

Friday is here and that means the 'Lady' will take a break from writing about sports, but not before I drop a few interesting links to buffer your morning web wandering.

Could A.J. Green go No. 1?

According to Adam Schefter, a noted NFL Insider, A.J. Green is considered by many to be the "top-rated player in the draft". Does that mean he could go No.1 overall—defying the opinion of some pundits who felt that Julio Jones' great combine, coupled with Green's bizarre pro day, made the former Dawg slip down many a draft board. We shall see what happens with this one, but it sounds to me like Green is still in a very good position.

Domonique Wilkins in brawl.

Apparently someone didn't give this man the memo. Didn't he know that Wilkins is known as the "human highlight reel"? Surely, he didn't think he was going to get a punch in on this former Bulldog great—tsk, tsk. According to this publication, Wilkins was attacked by a former NBA ref seeking to collect a debt of $13,000 from 'Nique.

Jakar Hamilton and Shawn Williams: dueling safeties.

Neither Jakar Hamilton, nor Shawn Williams, were better than true freshman Alec Ogletree last season. Now, on 2011, with Ogletree moving to linebacker, these same two players are hoping to do what they couldn't do last year—win the starting safety job and play it well. I hope that they both are committed to getting the job done, Georgia's options here are relatively slim.


Could the Bulldogs run the table in 2011?

This mailbag question by a college football fan prompted this response from a Rivals writer, "...
even if Georgia did go unbeaten in the regular season, it still would have to play in the SEC championship game, where Alabama or LSU likely would be looming. Your optimism is respected, but I cannot share it." Read the whole response here.

What's next for Auburn after the HBO report?

"The NCAA would need more than just allegations made by these players to bring a case against Auburn. But it’s enough for it to start asking questions." I don't know if the NCAA will ask questions that actually lead them anywhere, but perhaps they'll do their due diligence—you recall how they handled the Cam Newton situation, right? They'll just ask. 'did you cheat'? to which Auburn will reply, 'no'. Okay, carry on then.

Not everyone is convinced Cam Newton will be successful at the next level.

"Newton has only been exposed to basic coverages in the SEC due to the nature of the Tigers' offense, leaving scouts and coaches diligently working to determine his football acumen in workouts and meetings." So, what you're saying is, Newton looks good in person, not on paper? Well...who didn't know that?!?

Oh, I get it now, it's okay for Auburn to pay players—if they did. 

Funny, I don't think this guy would have this opinion if Alabama were the school on the proverbial hot seat for running an elaborate pay-for-play scheme, "...It's time to say, yes, Auburn paid players. And that did everyone else does too." So, as long as everybody else is doing it, Auburn shouldn't be penalized. Well, I'll buy that convenient logic for $1.


Steve Spurrier is unimpressed with his quarterbacks—as usual.

This is hilarious. I love the part where Spurrier says the mediocre play of his quarterbacks is likely why they'll be "running the ball about 50 times a game with Marcus". You hear that, SEC? Focus on the run!

(h/t GamecockAnthemTube)




HBO Roundtable With Rich Rodriguez, Jason Whitlock, etc. 

Former Auburn Player Not Impressed With HBO's Choice of Interviewees

You have to love Twitter for it's ability to catch the instantaneous thoughts of it's Tweeters.

Kody Bliss, a former punter for the Auburn Tigers—yes, the punter—had this to say about the guys HBO chose to interview for the expose on Auburn:

 

I guess Mr. Bliss would know a dummy if he saw one, he was an academic standout at Auburn—sporting a 3.45 cumulative GPA in marketing as a student there.

Bliss didn't stop there, he went on to say this about Stanley McClover:

I don't know if that clears things up or not, but I suspect the HBO story will get more interesting by the day as more people weigh in on it's participants and the motives behind them coming forward—particularly Chaz Ramsey who sued the athletic department at Auburn in 2009. His case was dismissed in February.

Rumor has it, the restaurant/bar where Ramsey works has been boycotted by some of the Auburn faithful until the owner fires him—hope this kid has a backup plan...outside of Auburn, that is.

Careful, Cam, Someone Might Think You've Got A Big Head

Cam Newton may need to temper that god-like complex he's developed since leading the Auburn Tigers to a national championship, winning the Heisman, and securing a million dollar endorsement deal with Under-Armour. If there's one thing people don't like, it's an arrogant SOB and, despite his intention, Newton came off as such when making the following statement to Sports Illustrated's Peter King—as revealed via King's Twitter account last night,

an "icon", eh? Alrighty then. However, if that wasn't enough, he had this to say about his one-year of college domination, "I don't want to sound arrogant but I did something in one year people couldn't do in their whole collegiate careers."

Yeah, okay. Well, perhaps the one thing you didn't do in that one year is learn a little bit about humility. And, for the record, you didn't win that national championship all by yourself—Nick Fairley, Michael Dyer, and a few other guys on that team made a contribution as well.

Wow, a No. 1 pick you definitely will not be—hope you're ready to sit in the green room for a few slots past that point.

Jeez, some people. I don't mind confidence in one's ability, but this is borderline narcissism in my humble opinion and Newton would do well to keep his egoist ways in the parking lot when he starts his rounds of interviews at the combine this weekend if he expects his stock to rise even the slightest bit.

The Destruction of Toomer's Trees Was An Unnecessary Act With Zero Justification

As an SEC football fan, I know a little something about being passionate about your team. I cheer as loud, if not louder, than any other fan I know on Saturday afternoons. I engage in the good-natured ribbing of my teams' rivals and I don't pause when saying "I hate Orange". However, I also try to be rational where wins and losses are concerned—you have to draw a line—integrity still has to be maintained no matter what.

So, when I read the story about the trees on Toomer's Corner, located in Auburn, Alabama, being destroyed, it bothered me.

In case you haven't heard the story, here it is in a snapshot: "A tree killing herbicide was intentionally applied in lethal amounts to the soil around the 130 year-old live oak trees at Toomer's Corner and there is little chance the trees will survive." (Courtesy of CBS42)

The incident was brought to the attention of Auburn officials after a caller to the Paul Finebaum show stated he had poisoned the trees. Listen to that clip here:


What struck me as most disturbing about the caller was his justification as to why he did what he'd done. He did not appear to be troubled, concerned, or bothered by the enormity of his act as, in his mind, it was an "eye for an eye".

For those of you who would say they're just a bunch of trees, you're missing the point. It's about respecting the pageantry and tradition of another school—no matter your differences—and what this man did, if he truly did it, is criminal and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Rivalries can be a glorious thing, but they can also be dangerous if they are taken too far and this, make no mistake about it, took it too far. The officials at Auburn are now concerned not only about the likelihood of saving Toomer's trees—which as already stated, seems unlikely—but also about the trees and shrubbery contained within the surrounding area as the herbicide used was powerful enough to taint the soil system as well.

So unnecessary.

Hopefully the madness will end here and there won't be any retaliation, but something tells me this won't be the end of this story.

Related articles

• Auburn: Oak trees poisoned at Toomer's Corner (cbssports.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: What Would Searles' Departure Mean For Recruiting?

It is being reported tonight, by multiple news outlets, that Georgia offensive line coach, Stacey Searles has accepted the same position on Mack Brown's coaching staff at the University of Texas.

Searles has been the target of much finger-pointing over his last two seasons at Georgia due to the disappointment of his offensive line units. To be fair, however,  it is uncertain how much of their problems were due to conditioning as opposed to coaching.

Either way, he appears to be on his way to Austin to begin anew and, less than two weeks until signing day, Georgia is labored with the task of starting a new coaching search. While possible replacements have only been mildly kicked about—Hugh Nall, Mac McWhorter, and former Vanderbilt head coach, Robbie Caldwell, have all been mentioned—the real concern is what will become of Georgia's 2011 offensive line prospects?

Well, the biggest fish of the group, Watts Dantzler, has already spoken via his Twitter account and he looks to be solid:

Dantzler was close to coach Searles, and his commitment became a concern the moment news of a possible departure hit the airwaves.

Dantzler was highly recruited by a number of schools, but his decision ultimately came down to two—Auburn and Georgia. Georgia won out and any chance the Tigers might have had to swoop back into the picture was seemingly killed long ago.

Reportedly, Dantzler is "done with Auburn" after the way he was treated during the football game against Georgia. Said Dantzler, "I left with about 10 minutes left in the game...I got treated very poorly while I was there. A lot of the fans were getting on me, saying they didn’t want me there. I even wore blue and everything. It wasn’t a very good day for me over there."

For now, it appears safe to say that Dantzler will remain a Bulldog.

Dean Legge of Scout.com reportedly has the same feelings about both Hunter Long and David Andrews.  He doesn't get the feeling that either is a threat to be lost by Georgia if Searles is indeed gone—particularly not Hunter whose brother is already enrolled at Georgia.

As for DeBell, there is no word on him as of yet, but there is little reason to believe he won't remain committed to Georgia. Just as a side note, Debell is projecting out as a tight end or fullback at the next level and it's possible that Georgia has other plans for him—just putting that out there.

In the meantime, it doesn't appear that a Searles' departure would spell doom for the 2011 class.

Urban Meyer Says He "Had Oregon Ranked No. 1 For Quite Some Time"

There was a collective head-scratch when people found out that Urban Meyer was the ONLY SEC head coach who did not rank the Auburn Tigers No. 1. Some perceived it as sour grapes—Meyer was just mad that Auburn was winning with his cast-off quarterback.

While others didn't feel Urban needed to make any explanation at all. He had his vote, he used it on Oregon—it is what it is.

Well, Urban Meyer finally let the world know exactly why he dismissed Auburn in favor of Oregon, here's what Meyer had to say about his decision not to vote Auburn No. 1:

"It could have been 1A, 1B,'' Meyer said. "I watched that SEC Championship game and to say they are not the best team in America would be incorrect. I have not watched Oregon as much, earlier in the year I did. I've had Oregon ranked No. 1 for quite some time now. And it's just like when we were up there in the rankings _ unless you deserve to lose that ranking _ that's no disrespect to Auburn obviously. But it's 1A, 1B in my mind. I just had Oregon No. 1 for a longer period of time.''

Okay, Urban...whatever you say, buddy.

Alshon Jeffery on Auburn: They Aren't Great...It Was Just Their Day

Talk about having sour grapes.

South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery skipped the normal, sportsmanlike, commentary and simply decided to let the world know how he really felt after his team got spanked by the Auburn Tigers this afternoon—56-17.

When asked what he thought about Auburn, Jeffery stated that "...we could have won that game. I wouldn’t say they were a complete team. It was just their day." And, if that weren't enough, he had this to add "...I wouldn’t say they’re a great team. To me, ain’t nobody a great team."

It would be nice to see what a great team looks like in Alshon's world because, in the world of the real, Auburn comes pretty darn close. They completely dismantled South Carolina's defense—simply picked it to pieces. 


The Tigers defense was on point from snap one and they made it difficult for the South Carolina offense to find it's rhythm at any point during the game.


As for their offense, Cam Newton was Cam Newton—just as he's been all season He went beast all over the Gamecocks tonight—contributing 407 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. The Gamecocks had absolutely no answer for him or his favorite target all season, Darvin Adams. 


His performance tonight all but puts a guarantee on him winning the Heisman in a matter of weeks. There is simply not a better player in the nation than him right now.


As for Jeffery, his comedy didn't end with those comments about Auburn's lack of greatness. No, he had the good grace to explain away his ineffectiveness by stating that we should "talk to Coach about that."

Wonder how the ol' ball coach will feel about that one? Last we checked, it wasn't Spurrier who was out there running routes and getting punked by Auburn's secondary. If anything, Jeffery might have thought he was in for a big game again based on the success he had in their first meeting. 

Unfortunately, Auburn had a plan for him this time and it worked to perfection. 


Don't worry, Alshon, there's always next year. 


*All quotes courtesy of Wes Rucker.

College Football ATS: Can South Carolina Defeat Auburn This Time Around?

After a 13-7 haul last weekend, the 'Lady' finally was able to get above that elusive .500 (79-76) mark. So, with that goal met, and only a few games left to go before championship football and bowl season begin, this site now shifts to picking ATS winners for the next few weeks—every game, every match-up.

The slate this weekend will be a small one, but the biggest one, for those of us who live in the southern part of the country, is likely to be tonight's game between Auburn and South Carolina. South Carolina nearly pulled the upset over the Tigers in their first meeting, but the Cam Newton show took over late in the game—with a little help from a mistake-laden Stephen Garcia—and sealed the win for the Tigers.

So, the natural question this weekend has to be, can Auburn do it again?

At stake for them is a trip to the BCS National Championship game, while South Carolina is hoping to win its first ever SEC Championship. If either feat takes place, both coaches will be lauded as pure genius as it only took one player to make their teams come to life.

For Steve Spurrier, his capture of South Carolina's biggest in-state running back prospect since George Rogers—Marcus Lattimore—has been the catalyst behind the Gamecock's resurgence. Popular opinion has always been if Spurrier could ever find a good back, he might be able to make a little more noise in the SEC East. Lattimore not only exceeded expectations but, in week two, he made his glorious presence felt against a Georgia Bulldog team that often got the better of their match-up.

However, it was his 212-yard, three touchdown performance against Florida that really made heads turned. The Gamecocks had finally arrived and Steve Spurrier has found his man for, presumably, the next three years.

As for Gene Chizik, Cam Newton has been the difference. The SEC's best player has been a menace to all opposing defenses, scurrying and passing his way into record books on his way to leading Auburn to an undefeated season.

If he can make it happen one more time, the Tiger faithful are likely to see their season end with a championship—a national one.

That said, let's jump into the picks for this week:

1. Miami (OH) at Northern Illinois: Northern Illinois (-14.5)

The Huskies enter this game on a nine game winning streak and, during that time, they have been absolutely dominant at home. By contrast, the Redhawks have played many of their games close to the vest and often only manage to win in the final minutes. That said, the Redhawks are prepared for a battle, if need be, even against the No. 1 ranked scoring offense in the conference. This should be a tight one. 

The Lady's Pick: Miami (OH) to cover.

2. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: Cincinnati (-1.5)

Pittsburgh was embarrassed by West Virginia last week, while the Bearcats were summarily dispatched by Connecticut. Both teams were thought to be Big East factors at the start of the season—neither has impressed. So, this game is about who has enough motivation to come on the field and salvage a disappointing season.

The Lady's Pick: Pittsburgh to cover.

3. Rutgers at West Virginia: West Virginia (-21)

West Virginia is on a roll and Rutgers has been terrible—against just about everybody. It's time for the Scarlet Knights to go back to the drawing board. By contrast, the Mountaineers will just be approaching this game with a win on their mind.

The Lady's Pick: West Virginia to cover.

4. UConn at South Florida: South Florida (-2.5)

The Huskies have been hard to peg this season. They are either lights out or awful. However, South Florida has been equally enigmatic—particularly B.J. Daniels. If the big quarterback, with the talented arm, and fluid mobility can find his groove, he can be the most dangerous man on the football field for the Bulls. That said, if he gets rattled or fails to hit his marks, he can be every bit the disaster.

The Lady's Pick: South Florida to cover.

5. Utah State at Boise State: Boise State (-43)

Clearly, the better team on the field will be the Broncos. However, 43 points just seems ridiculous given the fact that the Broncos are no longer playing for much. Will they have enough energy or motivation to shellac another bad football team?

The Lady's Pick: Utah State

6. Nevada at Louisiana Tech: Nevada (-7.5)

The Wolfpack are coming off a huge win against Boise State and this game may be just an after-thought to them at this point—usually a dangerous mindset to have. However, Colin Kaepernick is not likely to let the Bulldogs break his team's stride.

The Lady's Pick: Nevada to cover.

7. Southern Cal at UCLA: USC (-6.5)

Lane Kiffin will be on the hot seat before too long as it will take a miracle for him to explain how this Trojan team isn't at nine wins—considering the perceived ease of their schedule to start the year. Either way, the Bruins are either as bad as they've looked all or just playing possum. No clue if it's the former or the latter but, in this game, it's probably just safe to go with USC.

The Lady's Pick: USC to cover.

8. Oregon at Oregon State: Oregon (-16.5)

The Beavers play very well at home and they won't be looking to lay down against these Ducks—no matter how good everyone says they are.

The Lady's Pick: Oregon State to cover.

9. Florida State at Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech (-3.5)

The Hokies are a better football team, overall, than the Seminoles. Their experience and the leadership of Tyrod Taylor will be the difference here.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech to cover.

10. Auburn at South Carolina: Auburn (-5)

The Auburn Tigers are nowhere near the same team that the Gamecocks nearly defeated back in week four. Nick Fairley has become a dominant force on the Tiger's defensive line and, despite the ineptitude of Auburn's secondary, the front seven of Auburn can wear down an offensive line like nobody's business.

If that happens, Garcia will be in trouble as his best games seem to happen when Marcus Lattimore is finding space and being effective—Auburn shut Lattimore down the first time. Can they do that again?

The game will come down to line play and Auburn simply has the best of that match-up on both sides of the ball.

The Lady's Pick: Auburn to cover.

The Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Washington over Washington State (NL)


12. Idaho (-13) over San Jose State


13. UNLV (+34.5) at Hawaii


14. Florida Atlantic (-4.5) vs. Troy


15. Middle Tennessee (+5) at Florida International

16. Central Florida (-9) vs. Southern Methodist


17. Oklahoma (-4.5) vs. Nebraska

Auburn Fans Respond: Nick Fairley Was Just Doing His Job (VIDEO)

Ya know, this would be funnier if it weren't so dead wrong. Of course, have to admit, the dialogue does give a slight chuckle in some places—particularly the "All Auburn fans should be killed" retort by the "Georgia" fan.

For the most part, though, it just amazes me how differently two sides can see a ball game.



Here's to killing Auburn, on the football field, next year in Athens!

Related articles

• Nick Fairley Won't Face Suspension For Hit On Aaron Murray (sbnation.com)

Georgia Bulldogs Football:Will Georgia's 2011 Class Be Boom or Bust?

Georgia is 5-6.

We can talk all we want about near-misses, bad calls, the absence of A.J. Green, and the plethora of injuries that always seem to plague the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball—the fact is this is a 5-6 team that may or not be bowl eligible at the end of the season.

That said, what happens with recruiting now that the season is nearly done? To this point, none of the big fish have given their commitment to Mark Richt and that has to be a bit of a concern to those of you who are hoping for a big class to offset the disappointment that was 2009.

As a disclaimer, it has to be said that this site has no "insider" information on where guys like Ray Drew, Isaiah Crowell (although that photo can't be comforting—better hope that's an Atlanta Braves hat), or Jay Rome will be signing come February.

However, it doesn't take much research to get an idea that Georgia's record could become a factor in their final decisions.

Jay Rome has been fairly quiet for some time now, but Georgia is in the mix with several schools—including Clemson, Alabama, and Tennessee. The feel is it will still come down to Clemson (his father's alma mater) and Georgia. Georgia has Rome's family first attitude in their favor—only slightly—as coach Richt is lauded for the family atmosphere he fosters at Georgia. Furthermore, Rome could feel more comfortable remaining in-state.

Isaiah Crowell is an Alabama lean but he was wearing, what appeared to be, an Alabama hat at the Auburn game on Saturday. Crowell was in attendance at the game with his teammate, Gabe Wright—a player who many already feel will sign with Auburn come February. Crowell stated that Alabama held a slight lead over Georgia, but is now considering Auburn as well—he was very impressed with the gameday atmosphere at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Ray Drew has been as even-keeled as you would hope, but he was open in his support of Cam Newton after the Auburn game on Saturday—saying as much on his facebook page—although he did stress that his message of support had nothing to do with his football considerations.

Malcolm Mitchell continues to vascillate between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and it could come
down to which school offers the best atmosphere on his official visit—he plans to take one to each school after the season.

Georgia currently has 16 verbal commitments, and a potential Top 10 class if they can close on a few of the guys mentioned above. However, the chatter surrounding Mark Richt's job security hasn't helped matters much, and the Bulldogs now have to wager on a win against Georgia Tech to secure a bowl bid—not exactly the dream season the fans were hoping to see.

It's still a long way until February and plenty can happen before that time, but Georgia needs to hunker down on the recruiting trail—they cannot afford to miss big again this year.

College Football ATS Picks: Can South Carolina Seal The Deal Against Florida? (UPDATED WITH SCORES)

The Lady is getting tired of losing. Last week's 8-7 haul was okay, but, more will need to happen to get the site anywhere near the goal of finishing above .500 on the year.

So, no more chatter, just straight to 15 more picks—against the spread—this week. Find all lines at VegasInsider.com and, again, for clarification, these are spread picks only.

Here we go:

1. Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh (-5.5)

The Huskies are undefeated at home this year but the Pitt Panthers not only come in on a three-game winning streak, but are going for their third straight over Connecticut as well.
I like the Huskies to play the Panthers close tonight.

The Lady's Pick: Connecticut to cover. 


Final: UConn 30, Pitt 28—The Lady Wins!

A close one, just as I expected, with a thrilling finish by the Huskies late in the fourth quarter. The Big East is no longer Pitt's to win—it just got interesting. 

2. Boise State at Idaho: Boise State (-34.5)

It's Boise. They've been bored all season playing the mediocre talent of the WAC and the Idaho Vandals will offer them no respite from that trend.

The Lady's Pick: Boise to cover.

Final: Boise 52, Idaho 14—The Lady Wins! 

Boise State beat up on another under-manned opponent. Yawn. 

3. West Virginia vs. Cincinnati: West Virginia (-7)

The Bearcats lost Zach Collaros to a leg injury a couple weeks back, but he is set to return this week against the Mountaineers. Cincy's offense is far more productive and dangerous with Collaros at the helm and the Mountaineers have struggled to find their footing the last two weeks.

The Lady's Pick: Cincinnati to cover. 

Final:West Virginia 47, Cincinnati 10—The Lady Loses

Wow, way to NOT show up Cincy. Geez—miss Brian Kelly and Mardy Gilyard much?


4. Auburn vs. Georgia: Auburn (-8)

More than a clinch of the SEC West is at stake for the Tigers in this one. Georgia currently holds a four-game win streak over the Tigers as well. Add to that, an angry Cam Newton, and you have an Auburn team that looks set to rout the Bulldogs on Saturday.

That said, Georgia is playing for every bit as much as the Tigers. They want to end the season on the upswing and what better way to do so than to beat the No. 2 team in the country—at home?

Georgia has a good defense, some solid playmakers, and a golden opportunity. Expect them to be in this one til the bitter end.

The Lady's Pick: Georgia to cover. 

Final: Auburn 49, Georgia 31—The Lady Loses

It looked promising for Georgia, early, but the Newton train proved too much to contain in the end. Now the Bulldogs will have to scare up win number 6 in their final game of the season—can they handle the pressure?

5. Florida vs. South Carolina: Florida (-6.5)

Okay, so the Gators are feeling groovy after two straight wins and, despite their three-game losing streak, they still have a shot at the SEC East title if they win—at The Swamp—this weekend.
Steve Spurrier's group has had their ups and downs this season with big program wins over Alabama and Georgia, but heartbreaking losses to Auburn and Arkansas. However, they can sweep all that under the rug if they can upend Urban Meyer's team.

Expect the Gamecocks to make a game of this one.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina to cover. 

Final: South Carolina 36, Florida 14—The Lady Wins!

This was kind of like watching a horror film. I didn't want to see a good outcome for either team, but settled on Spurrier because he was the lesser of two evils. Still, it was great to see Chris Rainey be rendered a non-factor.

6. Alabama vs. Mississippi State: Alabama (-14.5)

Mississippi State lacks a lot in the offense department. Chris Relf isn't a very good quarterback and Vick Ballard has had good games against midling run defenses. The Bulldogs are where they are in large part because of their defense—period. So, a hat tip to their defensive coordinator, former Middle Tennessee head coach, Manny Diaz is in order.

That said, don't look for Alabama to run all over MSU this weekend. They have struggled mightily against physical front sevens and the talent in the secondary can be opportunistic when they are on their game.

14.5 points is too much to give to an Alabama team that has not shown much dominance this year.

The Lady's Pick: Mississippi State to cover. 

Final: Alabama 30, Mississippi State 10—The Lady Loses. 

Now the Tide play like winners. Hope they have a plan for Auburn next week—personally I hope they decimate Cam Newton and ram road the heck out of Nick Fairley.

7. Iowa State at Colorado: Iowa State (-2.5)

This is a tricky one because Colorado has been every bit the atrocious team we thought they would be to start the season—culminating in their embarrassing loss to Kansas last week. By contrast, the Cyclones beat Texas and have an under-rated leader in quarterback, Austen Arnaud.

So, the Cyclones should easily cover that 2.5, right? Wrong.

This is exactly the sort of game that just screams for big performances out of the Colorado players who just saw their coach get fired and want to save face. Plus, to be clear, Iowa State is not as good as their win over Texas seemed to allude.

The Lady's Pick: Colorado

Final: Colorado 34, Iowa State 14 —The Lady Wins

Ah yes, the coach gets fired and the Buffs play one of their best games of the season—who could have imagined that?...oh yeah—ME. 

8. Notre Dame vs. Utah: Utah (-5.5)

The Irish are just trying to get out of the season and into full recruiting mode. They lost their top quarterback for the season and don't seem to have much life left.

Plus, Utah is mad as a hornet after being trounced by the Horned Frogs last week. They're looking to do some trouncing of their own on a bruised and battered Irish team.

The Lady's Pick: Utah

Final: Notre Dame 28, Utah 3—The Lady Loses 

Ouch, TCU took Utah's pride AND their will to live. 

9. North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech (-3.5)

The Hokies have gotten back on the winning track in a big way since losing to James Madison in week two—rattling off seven straight wins.

Butch Davis' Tarheels have rebounded well, too, playing themselves into bowl eligibility after many left them for dad following an agent scandal that, all but, decimated their defense. Can they keep up with Tyrod Taylor and upset the Hokies this weekend?

The last loss the Tarheels suffered was at the hands of Miami—Virginia Tech has a much more balanced team.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech. 

Final: Virginia Tech 26, UNC 10—The Lady Wins!


Oh those Heels' sure made a game of it for a little bit, but Virginia Tech woke up and remembered they still had plenty to play for and closed this one out before it got too out of hand.

10. Purdue vs. Michigan: Michigan (-13)

Michigan's defense is terrible and no one can feel confident that Denard Robinson is capable of finishing any game in which he takes a big hit. That said, Purdue has a halfway decent defense—despite their record—and they are playing at home.

For some reason, I like the Boilermakers chances to make a game of it on Saturday.

The Lady's Pick: Purdue

Final: Michigan 27, Purdue 16—The Lady Wins!


All I can say is, whew.

The Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Kentucky (-14) vs. Vanderbilt

Final: Kentucky 38, Vanderbilt 20—The Lady Wins!

12. Colorado State (+6.5) vs BYU

Final: BYU 49, Colorado State 10—The Lady Loses. 

13. Penn State (+18) at Ohio State

Final: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14—The Lady Loses.

14. Illinois (-21) vs Minnesota

Final: Minnesota 38, Illinois 34—The Lady Loses.

15. Kansas State (-13) at Missouri 

Final: Missouri 28, Kansas State 38—The Lady Wins! 

Final tally: 8-7...just great *sarcasm*

Kenny Rogers: "I Didn't Talk to Cam, I Talked To Mr. Newton"

Kenny Rogers laid all his cards on the table this afternoon on ESPN 103.3 FM's Ian Fitzsimmons Show. In that interview, he made it clear that Cecil Newton—Cam Newton's father—initiated the pay-for-play conversation—not him.

Furthermore, Rogers stated that the Newton's knew he was approaching Mississippi State for money and any thing said otherwise is, essentially, untrue. 

Now that Rogers has come forth to offer his account of the situation, we a"know" the following:

1) Cecil Newton approached Rogers with the idea of soliciting his son's services for money.

2) Rogers never personally approached John Bond to ask him for said money (an amount Rogers states was between $100,000 and $180,000.

3) Cam Newton may or may not have been made aware of what his father was doing.

4) Bill Bell, a Mississippi State booster, was contacted, on behalf of Cecil Newton to request the money.

5) Auburn's involvement in this whole mess is still not understood or known. Rogers could not confirm or deny that the Tigers paid to get Newton—his knowledge ends with what transpired between himself and Mr. Newton.

The natural question now is, what can be done with this information?

The main sticking point for the NCAA is whether or not Cam Newton, or Auburn University, had any knowledge of what Mr. Newton's dealings were with Mississippi State boosters, coaches, or otherwise.  If they can connect those dots with any consistency, they can make a decision on the appropriate actions to take. As of now, it is still he said/he said and there is little than can be done with that.

Either way, the water just got a whole lot hotter for the Tigers now that Rogers has, essentially, passed the buck back to Mr. Newton and his gang of merry men.

That said, if you've followed this story closely, two things are liable to be nagging at your noggin right now—assuming you're just a casual observer. First, why is everyone so intent on bringing this story to light now—10-months after it was reported to the NCAA?

How has a scandal of this scale escaped scrutiny for nearly a year?

Even more, would any one be so intent on solving the mystery if the Tigers were tanking and Cam Newton were playing bad football?

Secondly, who can you believe at this point? Everyone has proven to be a liar.

Cecil Newton now has at least two people on record stating he asked for money. There is also proof that Mr. Newton made the decision to go to Auburn, despite knowledge that a Mississippi State booster was willing to pay the amount he requested.

Was that because Auburn paid more or because, as Mr. Newton would later say, he didn't want his son to become a "rented mule" at a school like Mississippi State where, despite the presence of Dan Mullen, he was bound to be playing with a lesser talent pool?

All Rogers did by coming forward is bring about more questions, more speculation, and more finger-pointing. 

This whole thing stinks and, unfortunately, for Gene Chizik and Cam Newton, it's the story that just doesn't want to go away. 

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Revisiting 2002's Game Against The Auburn Tigers

On November 16, 2002, the Georgia Bulldogs still had plenty riding on a win over their oldest rival—the Auburn Tigers. Georgia came into the game ranked No. 7 in the nation, with the SEC's best redzone defense, and a hungry second-year coach in Mark Richt.

The team was facing a red hot Auburn team who, with names like Jason Campbell, Ronnie Brown, Karlos Dansby, and Travaris Robinson, were not lacking in the talent department.

Their potent offense was ranked first in the conference and the Tigers led the league with 28 rushing touchdowns.

Add to that, Auburn was carrying the bragging rights in the series—riding high on a three-game winning streak entering the game.

The Tigers were also ranked 24th in the nation and had, eight times prior, played spoiler to Georgia's bid for an SEC title. They felt confident that they could do so again—despite the fact Georgia was favored by two points.

The Bulldogs had endured a crushing loss to the Florida Gators in the two weeks prior, ending their shot at an undefeated season, but that made their resolve to win this game that much stronger because a loss would place their fate in South Carolina's hands.  They didn't want to see their first chance at an SEC title slip away based on a tie-breaker that failed to go their way.

The game turned out to be one for the ages.

Despite the shoddy performance of Auburn quarterback, Jason Campbell, who had two first half interceptions, the Tigers led 14-3 at the half—due in large part to the hard running of Ronnie Brown and a Georgia offense that couldn't seem to get out of their own way.

However after an ankle injury to Auburn's Ronnie Brown, the defense seemed to find it's groove against the Tigers running game. Even more, the offense started finding some success against Auburn's secondary. The combination of the two translated into 14 points for the Bulldogs in the third quarter.

By the start of the fourth, the score was 21-17 and, for a time, that looked like it would be the last points either side would score.

The Tigers defense got tighter in the fourth, forcing a fumble by Michael Johnson and an interception by David Greene. Luckily for coach Richt, his defense was equal to the task as they kept the Tigers from mounting any moves either.

So, after multiple stalled drives on both sides, it came down to one more Bulldog possession to either win it or go home.

A 40-yard completion to Fred Gibson placed the Bulldogs within field goal range, but at 21-17, they needed six, not three—it was the endzone or game over.

Three straight incompletions by Greene, coupled with a five yard penalty, meant Georgia was now facing 4th and 15 on the Auburn 20. For many, the game was all but over, and Georgia's shot at their first SEC Championship in 20 years was done—finished.

Then came an unforeseen miracle...it's name 70-x Takeoff AKA David Greene to Michael Johnson:



Georgia would win the game, secure a spot in the SEC Championship game, and finish their dream season by giving Georgia fans their first SEC Championship since Vince Dooley and Herschel Walker roamed the sidelines together. 

This weekend, the Georgia Bulldogs of 2010 have an opportunity to play spoiler and, even though the stakes won't be quite as high as they were in 2002, it would be nice to see a little magic from these Dawgs on Saturday, wouldn't it?

Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things Not To Do Against The Auburn Tigers

This is the time of week that this site offers a "10 Things To Know..." section, discussing the upcoming opponent.

Well, by this point in the season, we have all seen, read, and heard so much about the Auburn Tigers, that it would be a near impossibility to offer anything of substance.

With that in mind, this week will be a bit different as we will touch on the things that Georgia does not need to do if they expect to have a chance at winning this Saturday.

So, let's just jump right into it: 

1. Come out flat.

Georgia should have come out firing against the Bengals last week but, as they have often done this season, the offense came out looking mediocre and out of sync. If they do that against Auburn this weekend, they will find themselves in a hole very quickly.

They cannot come out looking dazed and confused like they did last week or the week prior against the Gators. The Tigers will bury them early if they do.

2. Concentrate too much on Cam Newton.

Cam Newton might be the most recognizable and talked about weapon on the field for Auburn, but he's not the ONLY weapon for the Tigers.

Michael Dyer leads the SEC in rushing—for a freshman. He has more yards than Marcus Lattimore and he's been a perfect compliment to Newton this season. Add to that, both Darvin Adams (WR) and the emerging Terrell Zachery (WR), are every bit the playmakers they appear to be.

Georgia cannot allow No. 2 to occupy so much of their mental and physical attention that they leave the other guys on the field free to beat them.

3. Forget how to pass protect—again. 

Nick Fairley is a beast and, if left unattended, he will feast on Aaron Murray.

For all the chatter about how poised and steady Murray has been this season, he has yet to truly face a defense as athletic, tough, and fierce as this Auburn front seven, and he's going to need a competent line, giving their best effort,  if he hopes to have a shot at picking apart Auburn's secondary.

4. Turn the ball over.

This is obvious, but it had to be said.

Georgia has both lost and gained momentum on turnovers this season. They need to be stingy with the football this weekend. No bobbles, no bad snaps, no forgetting how to secure the ball on long-gainers, etc.

Hold onto the football and be purposeful with every pass. 

5. Blitz too early and/or too often. 

While the "attacking style" defense of the 3-4 has been effective at points this season, Newton isn't going to crumble under the pressure of whatever Georgia has to offer. He's got a passer efficiency rating of 258.4 and a completion percentage of better than 70 percent against the blitz.

In other words, it hasn't worked on him.

The best thing Georgia can do is neutralize the running game and concentrate on jamming the routes of the Auburn receivers. If they can do that, they will flush Newton out of the pocket.

While that may seem like a poor option—given the fact that he's tallied more than 1,100 yards on the ground this season—it's the one that offers Georgia (which is currently No. 2 in the conference against the run) the best chance at disrupting the Tigers offense.

6. Over-commit to the running game. 

If Auburn's pass defense is shaky, then their rush defense is the steadying force that evens things out.

The Tigers are third in the SEC in rush defense (114.0 ypg). More to the point, Auburn has been
deadly good against the run this year and the three-headed monster of Caleb King, Washaun Ealey, and Carlton Thomas isn't likely to leave them with nightmares.

The most important players on the field for Georgia will be Kris Durham, A.J. Green, Tavarres King, and Orson Charles.

Should they abandon the run? No, but if they see it's not effective, they shouldn't remain so committed to it, that they fail to consider other playcalling options.

7. Allow Auburn to set the tempo. 

Auburn hasn't been the kind of team that grinds out plays. They have, for the most part, been quick to strike and quick to score. Georgia cannot allow the Tigers to control the tempo of this game, they don't run the kind of offense that would allow them to go toe-to-toe with Auburn for 60 minutes and if they have to get into a shout-out with Cam Newton and his trusty brigade, the defense could be sucking wind before halftime.

Georgia has to find a way to control the clock, keep the Auburn offense off the field, and slow the game down enough that Auburn has to adjust to them—not the other way around.

8. Get too caught up in this being the "Best Team In The Nation".

Part of Murray's problem against the Gators was he let his emotions control his play for the better part of 30 minutes. He was too pumped, too anxious, and too embedded in it being "Georgia-Florida". He cannot do that on Saturday if he expects to run an efficient, focused, and productive offense.

Ditto that for the defense. They need to play this game like it's just another opponent—don't let the ranking or "what this win means for the program" come onto the field of play.

Finish. The. Drill.

9.  Fail to maintain defensive intensity on third down.

All season it has seemed that Georgia goes full-out on first and second downs, then completely falls apart on third downs—no better example of this than against the Kentucky Wildcats a few weeks back.
Georgia needs to maintain a consistent level of intensity on every. single. down.

Defensive lapses have killed them all season and, more often than not, have led to momentum-changing plays.

10. Tighten up if the game is close. 

Cam Newton has proven that he only gets more resolved, more focused, and more calm as the game winds down. He's ready to play for all 60 and he's willing to take the team on his back if he has to. By contrast, Georgia hasn't found their formula for doing the same.

The tighter the game, the more prone to mistakes they become.

If they find themselves in a position to win on Saturday, they need to play like they both deserve and CAN win. If they don't believe it, their play on the field will reflect it, and they will have already lost.

What say you, do you like the Bulldog's chances to make a game of it this weekend?

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Has Mark Richt Stopped Expecting "Perfection" from His Team—Self?

This post may seem odd given the fact that the Georgia Bulldogs are coming off a 55-7 drubbing of the Idaho State Bengals. After all, a win is a win, Georgia did what they were expected to do by pounding an inferior opponent.

However, before we go talking about what Georgia has to do to beat Auburn, something that many fans (on both sides) don't feel the Bulldogs are capable of doing this weekend, we should answer the simple question of whether or not coach Richt has stopped expecting perfection from his players?

There was a time when anything less was unacceptable to him.

As a young man of 40 years, coming from an environment (Florida State) where winning meant everything, coach Richt didn't like to settle for average seasons. He wanted national championships, division titles, and Top 25 finishes—every year.

That's what he preached and that's what he felt his team could do if they executed perfectly each and every week.

Are those standards still present now?

Let's take a little walk down memory lane, shall we? The time and place, July 2001, Birmingham, AL—SEC Media Days. Coach Richt was in his first season as the Georgia Bulldogs head coach and he chose Curt McGill, Georgia's starting center, as one of the team's representatives.

McGill, green to the nuances of handling such a large media contingency, was open and honest about the differences between his former coach, Jim Donnan, and the new guy—Mark Richt.

The most interesting parts reveal some startling similarities between the Jim Donnan of 2000 and the
perception some now hold of Mark Richt:

"In the past, you'd get to know how a coach was going to be and how far you had to go for him,'' McGill said... I felt guys rested on their laurels a little bit thinking, 'I played a lot last year, I won't have to push myself hard because I'll be guaranteed a spot next year.' With new coaches, that all changed."

He said Richt expects more out of his players than Donnan ever did.

Hmm...where have we seen that sense of entitlement before? It's definitely reared it's ugly head several times in the last few years (refusal to sit Bryan Evans, redshirting Knowshon Moreno, keeping Aaron Murray on the bench in light of Joe Cox's struggles, etc.).

At some point, coach Richt seemed more intent on giving the veterans their time to shine—regardless to better alternatives—rather than rolling the dice on the guy who was performing at a higher level.

Another interesting tidbit from the interview was in regards to how important it was that the team be accountable on every play. Coach Richt expected "perfection" and he required hard work and concentration from every man on the football field:

The example McGill used was running "perfect plays" that they must now run every day in practice.
   "We do them over and do them over until we get them right, which is a big key,'' McGill said. "I felt like last year if something went wrong our concentration would slip and the other team would take advantage of it. These new coaches saw that on film and are drilling that in our heads."
   McGill said the attitude has changed from being self-centered to a team concept. He said he saw it take place with the off-season mat drills, which he called "the toughest thing I've ever done in my life.
   "If one person messes up, the whole group goes back, and then you kind of get on each other,'' McGill said. "You say, 'You can't slack off or we're going to do it again.' I guess that carries over to the game [emphasis added]. If they get a penalty or mess up a play, that hurts everybody. That's the whole idea."

Imagine that, a team where accountability and responsibility are part of the team mentality.

Has Mark Richt's philosophy changed or has everyone else in the SEC gotten that much better?

Perhaps it's both and the effect of that transition is a team that struggles to make it to bowl contention and a coach whom some feel has lost his winning touch over the last three-years.

Either way, at present, this is still a team that is searching for answers about who they are and who they can be.

Their next chance to show the world what they are made of comes this Saturday against the Auburn Tigers. And, despite what many believe, they have the talent, the coaching, and the ability to win this game—they just need a little more perfection.

Cam Newton: Paid or Not...It Was All About What Daddy Wanted

ESPN.com has reported that Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton, was offered to Mississippi State for the sum of $180,000. That was the discounted price that Kenneth Rogers (a supposed associate acting on behalf of Newton's camp) was willing to accept in exchange for Newton's signature on a letter of intent.

Newton, it's no secret, was going to Mississippi State. He liked Dan Mullen and felt comfortable with the Bulldogs. Many fans and boosters of the program were touting Newton as a done deal and felt secure that there was no way he would sign elsewhere.

Well, unfortunately for them, they didn't count on the influence that Newton's father, Cecil, had in the decision.
In an interview given after Cam Newton decided to sign with Auburn, his father gave his reasons for why he didn't feel Mississippi State was the place for his son:

"...They (Mississippi State) just don't have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He'd have to do everything himself. I didn't want him to be a rented mule. Auburn has far more varsity players returning, they have more skill players, they're attracting more highly recruited players and it's right down the street."

So, location and talent level played a part but, correct if wrong, isn't Newton a "rented mule" at Auburn? Seriously, does anyone really believe that the Tigers would be 9-0 without him as their quarterback?

Yet, no need to digress.

Mr. Newton didn't bother to stop there with his comments. When asked point blank if the Bulldogs were Cam's choice, he says the following:

"Absolutely they were. Auburn came on strong at the end. A lot of people pre-supposed that (Cam) would hook up with Dan Mullen. He made an official visit around Thanksgiving and that went really well. I just wasn't sure about it. I like Dan Mullen and I think he has a very bright offensive mind. He's just having to go against the odds in Starkville. I just didn't want Cam to be blinded by an affiliation."

Daddy Newton held all the cards in this situation and Cam had very little choice in the matter.  With that being said, you have to wonder if there is any validity to the rumors—especially when you start throwing in allegations about a sinking church and a pastor who is suddenly able to guarantee that all will be well within six months.

ESPN reports that "Cecil Newton said the family received a letter from the NCAA "about a month ago" asking for financial statements. He said he submitted bank statements and records for the church where he is pastor, Holy Zion Center of Deliverance in Newnan, Ga., along with other records."

The only question worth asking about the above information is how much did Mr. Newton divulge in turning over the financial statements of Holy Zion? It may seem like an ignorant question to ask, but, what if the money were received in cash or via an anonymous donor?

Better still, if he's involved with five other churches, why not siphon the money through another of his ministries? Wouldn't that make Holy Zion's financial statements irrelevant?

Hopefully this story turns out to be a whole lot of hogwash and innuendo based on a wild rumor, started by a disgruntled party. But, where the NCAA has been concerned this season—where there is smoke, there's fire.

No doubt more information will be forthcoming but for Auburn, and Cam Newton, this little distraction can't be fun to have with an undefeated season, a Heisman Trophy, and a potential spot in the BCS Championship all, seemingly, on the line. 

Related articles

• Meet Cam Newton's Father, Cecil Newton (sbnation.com)

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Breaking Down The Bulldogs Bowl Picture

There are three games left this season for the Georgia Bulldogs, and they need to win two of them to be bowl eligible. At 4-5, things have gotten tight for Mark Richt's team and a margin of error that seemed miniscule three-weeks ago seems non-existent now.

While there is chatter that a 5-7 SEC team could make it to a bowl game, thanks to the extra locales added this year, it would be far better to see Georgia actually make it to a legitimate bowl game this year—despite their record—and do so because they actually earned the right. 

If you're a fan or follower, you want to see the team finish strong. This weeks matchup against the Idaho State Bengals will be just what the doctor ordered for these tired Bulldogs as that game should offer the team a chance to catch their breath and prepare for the remaining schedule ahead—which includes both Auburn and Georgia Tech.

There can be no guarantees made that Georgia can beat both Auburn (on the road) or Georgia Tech (at Sanford), but if they do, they will have a legitimate shot at seeing their bowl options open up quite nicely. Either way, if we assume they finish with the necessary six wins, here are some possibilities for their postseason. 

The Liberty Bowl—December 31, 2010 at 3:30 pm

If Georgia were invited to play in this game, they would likely be matched up against the Conference USA champion—the University of Central Florida—and the payout would be in the neighborhood of $1.7 million.

The game is held in Memphis, TN at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium—home of the Memphis Tigers and the Southern Heritage Classic.

The Outback Bowl—January 1, 2011 at 1:00 pm 

Don't laugh, the Outback bowl would be a legitimate possibility for a 7-5 Georgia Bulldogs team. The payout is substantially better at $3.3 million, and the location would be amenable to many of the traveling Georgia Bulldog fans—the game is held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. 

Their most likely opponent would be either Iowa or Illinois.

The Birmingham Bowl—January 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm

The formerly-named Papajohns.com Bowl pits the No. 8 or 9 finisher in the SEC against the Big East's No. 5 finisher. The payout is a paltry $900,000, and the location is Birmingham, AL.

As of now, it would seem that the expense of traveling to this game would hardly be worth the trouble.
However, it is doubtful that Georgia would dismiss any bowl bid they are offered this season, regardless of the amount of prestige that is, or is not, attached.

The Music City Bowl—December 30, 2010 at 6:40 pm 

There seems to be a good bit of buzz surrounding the possibility of Georgia heading to this one. The Music City Bowl is held in Nashville, TN and the Bulldogs last appearance there was 2001—when they lost 20-16 to Boston College.

The Chick-Fil-A Bowl—December 31, 2010

A win over Auburn would, at least, place Georgia in the conversation for this one. It would be a welcome gift considering most fans, at this point, don't think Georgia has a chance of staying within striking distance of the Auburn Tigers this season—not with Cam Newton patrolling the field.

However, if they can steal one from The Plains, they could be an attractive candidate for the Chick-fil-A  bowl committee as the game would be close to Athens, GA and Georgia fans, historically, have traveled very well to this venue.

College Football Betting Odds: Will The Auburn Tigers Be The Next No. 1 To Fall?

The Lady got back to being average last week, finishing the weekend slate with a 5-5 record. The challenge for this site has become to complete the season ABOVE .500 and, sitting at 34-41 on the year, there is still plenty of work left to do before that goal is accomplished.

So, this week, the usual ten picks will be upped to fifteen—just for kicks. To keep it interesting, there will be no "cupcakes"—all Division-I. The Lady will either sink or swim with her choices but, there again, she always does.

The time stamp offered by this posting may not reflect the lines as you may find them to be as of Thursday morning, but as of 8:33 Wednesday night, these were the lines offered by VegasInsider.com.

Let's get it going, shall we:

1. Ole Miss vs. Auburn: Auburn (-7)

The Tigers are really feeling like winners right now, aren't they? They're the No. 1 team in the nation, undefeated in the SEC, sporting a Heisman contender (likely the Heisman winner) at quarterback...things are looking sweet on The Plains right now.

Well, here's the thing about that, Auburn has looked lights out all season EXCEPT on the road where they've struggled against both Kentucky and Mississippi State. Ole Miss has one of the most mobile quarterbacks the Tigers have faced all season and Masoli is coming off one of his best games of the season.

Don't sleep on the Rebels.

The Lady's Pick: Ole Miss

2. Southern Cal vs. Oregon: Oregon (-7)

Oregon is mad as hell, and they aren't gonna take it any more!

If you're Chip Kelly's bunch, you have to be wondering what on earth you have to do in order to see some BCS respect—a little No. 1 love? Well, the best way to get that is to go to L.A. and stomp the living crap out of Lane Kiffin's boys.

If they can do that, they might be able to get enough of a boost to pull those Auburn Tigers right off their mantle.

The Lady's Pick:  Oregon

3. Connecticut vs. West Virginia: (-6.5)

Connecticut has to break in another quarterback this week and, although, they are playing at home, they have looked another shade of awful over the last two weeks—against both Rutgers and Louisville.

Are they really going to improve that much between then and Friday?...Not likely.

The Lady's Pick: West Virginia

4.  Illinois vs. Purdue: Illinois (-17.5) 

What did Illinois do to deserve this much respect?

Purdue hasn't been good this year, but they've played every team they have faced in a tough fashion this season. Illinois beat the crap out of Indiana last week, and no disrespect to the Hoosiers, but that's not saying much.

The Lady's Pick: Purdue

5.  Iowa vs. Michigan State: Iowa (-6)

Michigan State averted a disaster in Illinois last week against a tough Northwestern team. That won't happen again in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes will be ready to get stop the Spartans streak in Iowa City.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa

6. South Carolina vs. Tennessee: South Carolina (-17.5)

Tennessee doesn't look good. The lack of depth, the issues on the offensive line, the quarterback spot, etc...all look completely exhausted at this point.

By stark contrast, the Gamecocks will be playing at home...with Marcus Lattimore.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina

7. Mississippi State vs. Kentucky: Mississippi State (-6.5)

Kentucky is better than their record. Mississippi State isn't as good as theirs.

The Lady's Pick: Kentucky

8. Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State: Oklahoma State (-5.5)

Brandon Weeden just, unexpectedly, lost his No. 1 receiver. That means the Cowboys offense just got run-heavy. The Wildcats would be wise to take advantage of the Cowboys period of adjustment.

The Lady's Pick: Kansas State

9. Nebraska vs. Missouri: Missouri (-7.5)

The Cornhuskers were on the opposite side of this line two-weeks ago against the Longhorns—they blew it. Don't look for Pelini's bunch to make the same mistake twice.

The Lady's Pick: Nebraska

10. Oregon State vs. California: Oregon State (-2.5)

The Golden Bears feel pretty good about themselves after a huge win over the Sun Devils last week, but they should be careful not to bring too much of that ego into Oregon this weekend. The Beavers play well at home and the Bears have been woeful on the road.

The Lady's Pick: Oregon State

Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Washington State (+21) at Arizona State


12. Minnesota (+25.5) vs. Ohio State


13. Penn State (-3) vs. Michigan


14. Miami (-15.5) at Virginia


15. Kansas (+19) at Iowa State

Heisman Hopeful: Is The Cam Newton of 2010 Better Than The Tim Tebow of 2007?

Is Cam Newton better than Tim Tebow was in 2007—the year he won the Heisman Trophy?

It's an easy debate to get embroiled in lately as Cam Newton has set the SEC ablaze this season with both his arm and his legs. He's carried the Auburn Tigers to new heights in just his first year and the Heisman Trophy chatter that surrounds his name has gone from a dull whisper to an all-out roar.

Some feel that the honor is already Newton's to lose. It's much the same as when Tim Tebow won it in 2007 as a true sophomore. The numbers No. 15 put up in Gainesville that season didn't seem natural for any football player—regardless of the system. Tebow was a god in 2007 and there were few who believed that any player would come close to doing what he's done anytime soon.

Enter Cam Newton, who, through eight games already has more rushing yards, on less carries, and is a mere nine touchdowns away from matching Tebow's 23 rushing scores from that 2007 season.

That said, it seemed only fair to see just how closely these two players really are in what they were able to do in their respective seasons.

Rushing:

Cam Newton: 8 games, 157 carries, 1077 yards, and 14 touchdowns 

Tim Tebow: 13 games, 210 carries, 895 yards, and 23 touchdowns

A lot of Tebow's damage came on third downs. He wasn't a running back type player but, rather, a big hulking body who was capable of moving the pile on third-and-short, or picking up the first on a n 8-12 yard draw play.

Newton, by contrast, can flat-out run the ball. He's as dangerous with the ball in his hands as a running back as he is as a passer. He's got the size, the speed, and the elusiveness to break one at any time and that makes him hell to defend.

2010 Regular Season Projection: 236 carries for 1,616 yards, and 21 touchdowns.  

Passing:

Cam Newton: 90/138 for 1,364 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions (Pass Eff. Rating: 172.08)

Tim Tebow:  234/350 for 3,286 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions (Pass Eff.  Rating: 172.47)

Tim Tebow had guys like Louis Murphy, Percy Harvin, Cornelius Ingram, and Andre Caldwell at his disposal. Finding a legitimate target to get the ball to that season was not the problem. On the contrary, it was a bigger issue just keeping the many speedsters on the roster happy with the touches they were able to get.

Cam Newton has Darvin Adams (mainly) and then a conglomeration of guys who may or may not be considered as legitimate—Terrell Zachary has made a small contribution this season, but no one else has really stepped up. Acknowledging that point makes explaining the rushing yards Newton has amassed this season, much easier.

Even so, there is no denying the arm and accuracy of Tim Tebow during his time at Florida.

2010 Regular Season Projection:135/207 for 2,024 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions

Strength of Schedule:

In 2007, Florida had the toughest schedule in the SEC and finished the season 9-4:

Auburn, arguably, has the toughest schedule in the SEC this season and they are, currently, undefeated:

If the Tigers manage to finish the season without a loss, Newton will have navigated a slate that is every bit as challenging as what Tebow faced—except with less weapons to compliment his play.

Points Responsible For:

Cam Newton: 162 total points (through 8).

Tim Tebow: 330 total points.

There is no denying how important each player was/is to his team. During his sophomore year, Tebow was responsible, on average, for 25.38 points per game. Cam Newton, so far this season, is responsible for 20.25 points per game.

Both players led the SEC in that category.

The difference is the way Cam Newton has taken over games. Tebow had a way of rallying guys and getting every one on the field ready to make plays—he was a team focused guy. Newton is content to put the team on his back and find a way to make it happen—all by himself.

He's been successful at doing so thus far, at least four of the Tigers' wins are a direct result of what Newton has been able to do with his own skills to guide him.

Is Cam Newton better than Tim Tebow was a mere three seasons ago? That point is debatable.

However, there is no doubt that Newton deserves to be sitting front-and-center come Heisman time. His presence is the one certainty that cannot be denied.

What say you?

*Stats appearing in this article are courtesy of ncaa.org and cfbstats.com