Justin Houston Failed A Drug Test In February...But, Ummm, It's April

Photo Credit: Brant Sanderlin/AJC

Justin Houston, the former Georgia Bulldog linebacker who parlayed his great 2010 season into a possible late-first round selection at this year's NFL Draft, reportedly failed a drug test at the NFL Combine in February.

Okay, so now that it's May, can someone please elaborate on why anyone should care?

Let me make this clear, I don't advocate the use of marijuana. I have never used it, never cared to use it, and don't see it being used anytime in my foreseeable future—unless I develop severe cataracts and just need a hit (sorry, bad form there)—but what Houston did seems irrelevant now.

Maybe if we had not been privy to Ryan Mallett's admission of recreational drug use during his time at Arkansas, I might be more inclined to raise a little sand. But, in fact, the main issue (at least from my perspective) isn't the fact that Justin Houston was using sometime last winter, but whether or not he was using while he was still enrolled at Georgia—which given the party atmosphere that has been known to surround the UGA football team and Athens, GA, in general, would not surprise me one iota.

If he was in fact using when he suited up, then it's possible he wasn't the only one and, if that's the case, then a whole other can of 'what the hell' is about to be opened in the blogosphere.

But back to the question at hand: what will this news do to Houston's draft status? If I had to take a guess, I'd say nothing. He's not a bad character guy and it's clear that he could excel if placed in the right system at the next level.

Plus, forgive my license here, but the NFL hasn't exactly been all that great about keeping it's players clean and sober—just saying. And, even if this latest revelation hurts his stock a bit, it's not likely to carry any more weight than the questions that were already being lobbed his way—the most important of which appears to be is he a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 linebacker?

Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana and that's unfortunate for him as that could tarnish his legacy for some Georgia Bulldog fans who came to respect him as a person and a player, but none of that will mean much come April 28th.

NFL Draft 2011: Cam Newton Says Criticism of Him Is "Ammunition"

Cam Newton is still the topic of most conversations where the NFL Draft is concerned and, for good reason, people continue to wonder if can get it done at the next level. The same sorts of questions plagued one Tim Tebow who, against all odds, ended up being a first-round pick in 2010.

Cam Newton, if I may be so bold, is a better quarterback prospect—physically—than Tim Tebow was at this stage and, adding even more creme to the coffee, he has some nice intangibles that are hard to overlook when you are considering building a franchise—including confidence in himself and a fierce need to prove every single one of his doubters wrong.

That said, there is no reason, yet, to believe that Newton will be able to do that given the questions surrounding his ability to read defenses, take snaps from under center (consistently), and transition from the "simple" offense he ran at Auburn to the more complex one he will likely execute at the pro level.

Even still, he remains optimistic that he is much better than his critics keep telling us he is and, in the end, he will kill us all with his ability and success at the next level.

Check his one-on-one interview with John Gruden:



For the record, the last quarterback Jon Gruden selected in a draft was Josh Johnson—just saying—yet
he has given Newton his seal of approval saying, "I think Cam Newton's the best player in the country...I agree with the Heisman Trophy people that gave him the award. He's got everything I'm looking for.''

While there can be no denying Newton as one of the best players in this year's draft, does that necessarily mean he will be the best quarterback? Is he a better quarterback prospect than Blaine Gabbert or Ryan Mallett? At this point does he even have to be?

Mallett is still battling character questions after  admitting he used drugs while at Arkansas and, just this morning, skipped out on a meeting with the Carolina Panthers due to illness (illness that's rumored to be due to a hangover). Which, if that's true, he is looking a lot less like a pro prospect than a massive problem—a la Ryan Leaf.

As for Gabbert, well, he may have some believers still hanging onto his potential as a No. 1, but the his spotlight seems to fade with each new Cam Newton interview, article, or editorial. Gabbert just hasn't been able to maintain public attention he seemed to have coming up to the NFL Combine. 

While some have already stated that Gruden is not qualified to make an assessment of any potential prospect's talent at the next level, you still have to respect a guy who is better known for telling it like it is than blowing smoke up your rear, so Gruden just joins a few others in the NFL camp who feel that Newton is the real deal.

As for the rest, I suggest Newton keep that gun handy—I see plenty more "ammunition" headed your way.

Related articles

• Cam Newton: Further Exposed by Jon Gruden's Coach 'Em Up Segment (football.rawsignal.com)
• Dilfer calls Cam Newton no-brainer for Bills (football.rawsignal.com)
• Broncos take final look at Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Jon Gruden gushes about Cam Newton (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)

Wonderlic Revealed: It's A Good Thing Cam Newton's Got Other Skills

According to Chris Mortenson, a well-known NFL analyst, teams "get uncomfortable" anytime a quarterback scores less than a 20 on the Wonderlic. Well, if that's true, GM's must have done some collective shifting in their seats when they got word of Cam Newton's score—who scored an unimpressive 21 on his test.

Newton's score, along with other notable quarterbacks, was released today and—aside from Jake Locker's damning 20 (I hope that kid still has some baseball skills)—Newton's was the lowest. Even Ryan Mallett, the guy whom many thought was the biggest question mark as far as intelligence was concerned scored a 26. So, what does this mean for Newton?

Will his draft stock plummet? Not likely.

If the past has proven anything, it's that teams are willing to take chances on guys whose skill-sets are as special and potential-laden as Cam Newton's. Take Vince Young, for example, he scored a 16 on his Wonderlic in 2006, but still managed to be selected No. 3 overall and I'm willing to bet that the decision to select him had more to do with his body of work than anything—so Newton may still be sitting pretty despite his eye-brow raising score.

The highest score was achieved by former Alabama quarterback, Greg McElroy (43), but it's tough to see him being anything more than a career back-up, if anything, in the NFL. By contrast, Blaine Gabbert's 42 can only help his rising stock as he appears to be steadily climbing up draft boards everywhere.

If Gabbert can impress scouts at his pro day, he could easily leapfrog Newton as the most coveted quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft.

It will be interesting to see the spin the QB conversation takes now that this information has been leaked—I mean, honestly, the comparison to Vince Young can go either way, ya know?— then again, with the NFL big wigs and their "slaves" still not finding any common ground, it could be 2012 before any of this even matters and by then, perhaps, no one will care who scored what.

College Football ATS Picks: Will Wisconsin Be Able To Run Up The Score Against Michigan?

56-64 is where the Lady Sportswriter currently stands. However, there is still hope—at least that's the story we'll agree to stick to.

So, without further ado, here are 15 more spread picks for Saturday, November 20. All courtesy of VegasInsider.com.

1. Purdue at Michigan State: Michigan State (-20)

Purdue has not been very good on the road, against the Big Ten, this season and the Spartans have too much offense to be stymied.

The Lady's Pick: Michigan State

2. Wisconsin at Michigan: Wisconsin (-4)

The Badgers pounced all over Indiana last week and posted a score that could have been easily mistaken for a basketball game. Considering Michigan's propensity to not know how to play anything resembling a defense, it seems likely that the Badgers will be able to find some room to score big points again this week as well.

The Lady's Pick: Wisconsin

3. Ohio State at Iowa: Ohio State (-3)

Iowa plays well at home and I'm not convinced that Ohio State is the best team in the Big Ten.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa

4. Iowa State vs. Missouri: Missouri (-11)

The Cyclones only need one more win to make it to bowl eligibility and while it doesn't seem likely that they will get that win here, they will be motivated to play better than they did last week against a measly Colorado team.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa State

5. Oklahoma State at Kansas: Oklahoma State (-24)

It could be 34 and the Cowboys would still be the safer bet. Turner Gill has no offense on this team and he knows it. He's probably just hoping he can get enough out of the defense to keep it interesting—good luck.

The Lady's Pick: Oklahoma State

6. Arkansas at Mississippi State: Arkansas (-3)

The Razorbacks have their running game clicking now and that has just made Ryan Mallett that much more dangerous. The Bulldogs unraveling began last week in Tuscaloosa and continues today.

The Lady's Pick: Arkansas

7. Illinois vs. Northwestern: Illinois (-7.5)

The Illini have had trouble with mobile quarterbacks this season and they will have their hands full with Dan Persa today. Despite the goofy display of football we are likely to see—based on the fact that the field couldn't hold two fleas at a square dance—Persa should still be stellar.

The Lady's Pick: Northwestern

8. Virginia Tech at Miami: Virginia Tech (-2)

Virginia Tech looked skechy last week against Carolina, but don't expect that to happen two weeks in a row. They'll be back firing again.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech

9. New Mexico State at Nevada: Nevada (-37.5)

The Aggies are awful, but you have to be cautious giving this many points to the Wolfpack at this point in the season. With Boise State looming large, Nevada could get caught sleeping a little bit—not enough to lose—long enough for the Aggies to cover.

The Lady's Pick: New Mexico State

10. West Virginia at Louisville: West Virginia (-4.5)

After a big win last week, the Mountaineers have to be feeling good about themselves, and that's just the kind of attitude that can set you up for a fall against a lesser opponent.

The Lady's Pick: Louisville

Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Oregon State (+3) vs. USC

12. South Carolina (-21) vs. Troy

13. Texas (-21.5) vs. Florida Atlantic

14. South Florida (+3) vs. Pittsburgh

15. NC State (+2.5) at North Carolina

SEC Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week 11

See week ten here.

1. Cam Newton, Auburn (12/15 for 148 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 30 carries for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Georgia.

Newton continues to be the driving force behind the high-powered offense of the Auburn Tigers. His ability to distract and destroy defenses has led to the success of other talented players like Michael Dyer and Onterrio McCalebb—making Auburn a tough proposition for any team this season.

2010 stats: 135/198 for 2,038 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 206 carries for 1,297 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

2. Aaron Murray, Georgia (15/28 for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns) at Auburn. 

Give Murray his due, he played some tough football on Saturday and, despite the outcome, Georgia fans have to feel good about the future with Aaron Murray standing behind center. Now, if they could just get the offensive line working more consistently so he doesn't get killed...

2010 stats: 173/285 for 2,580 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Four rushing touchdowns. 

3. Tyler Bray, Tennessee (18/34 for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns) vs. Ole Miss.

Listen...ya hear that? That's the sound of Derek Dooley wading in a pool of satisfaction—he just found Tennessee's next starting quarterback.  See ya, Matt Simms—been nice knowing ya.

2010 stats: 62/114 for 950 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

4. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (19/26 for 215 yards and 5 interceptions) vs UTEP. 

UTEP looked like they might make a game of in Fayetteville in the early-going, but Mallett killed that dream on the next play...and then the next...and then the next, etc. as he led the Razorbacks to 35-points on five successive offensive possessions.

2010 stats: 212/315 for 2,967 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 

5. Greg McElroy, Alabama (12/18 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs Mississippi State. 

McElroy had two big passes in the second quarter to put the Tide comfortably ahead of the Bulldogs and help put an exclamation point on a solid win for Alabama.

2010 stats: 170/246 for 2,231 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

6. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (15/23 for 232 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Vanderbilt. 

Thanks to some nice running by Randall Cobb (10 carries, for 170 yards, and 2 touchdowns), Hartline didn't have to do too much to lead the Wildcats to victory. It also didn't hurt that they were playing Vanderbilt, a team that, at this point, just needs this season to be over.

2010 stats: 237/361 for 2,906 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 

7. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (15/22 for 156 yards and 1 rushing touchdown) at Florida.

When your featured back is killing the opposing defense for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns, there is little you have to do except not be careless with the football. Garcia owes Marcus Lattimore all the glory for being the primary reason the Gamecocks finally won an SEC Eastern Division Championship.

2010 stats: 166/245 for 2,221 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. 

8. John Brantley, Florida (16/31 for 130 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. South Carolina. 


Willing to make a bet that not many Florida Gator fans believed John Brantley would be this ineffective when the 2010 season began. This system is not made for a player of Brantley's skill-set. It doesn't matter what Adazzio does, Brantley doesn't fit and everyone knows it—including Urban Meyer and John Brantley.

2010 stats: 172/282 yards for 1,746 yards, 8 touchdowns, and  7 interceptions.

9. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (10/26 for 128 yards and 1 rushing touchdown) at Kentucky. 

Larry Smith is probably ready to get the heck out of Nashville after this season. He still has one more year to play but, after seeing a coaching change, numerous injuries, and getting the gift of an anemic offense, he can't be too thrilled about what 2011 has to offer.

2010 stats: 106/220 for 1,106 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. Four rushing touchdowns. 

10. Tyler Russell/Chris Relf (12/23 for 150 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) at Alabama.

Mississippi State's offense has been suspect all season, to be honest, and they finally ran out of time against a Tide defense that was determined to play well on Saturday—despite the knowledge that Auburn was taking their SEC West title.

11. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss (7/18 for 80 yards and 3 interceptions) at Tennessee.

 Masoli looked pretty awful on Saturday. Of course, it didn't help that his offensive line had no answer for a swarming Tennessee defensive front. He was pressured and punished all day long as Tennessee coasted.

2010 stats: 128/229 for 1,601 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. 99 carries for 468 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

12. Jordan Jefferson, LSU (4/10 for 51 yards) vs. Louisiana-Monroe. 

Ya know, they say if you can't say anything nice, then say nothing at all.

2010 stats: 79/146 yards for 815 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 88 carries for 304 yards and 5 touchdowns. 

Georgia Football: It's Not A "Head-Scratcher", Mr. Bradley, Aaron Murray Can't Do Everything

The Atlanta Journal Constitution's pot-stirrer resident sports columnist/blogging fool, Mark Bradley wondered why Georgia is 5-6 this season when Aaron Murray has been so good?

More to the point, shouldn't Georgia be more than a below .500 team that's, currently, struggling for bowl eligibility?

In his words:

The Bulldogs were 9-3 in both Zeier’s and Carter’s freshman seasons, 8-4 in Greene’s, 9-4 in Stafford’s. How is it possible that a team returning every offensive starter save the quarterback could see that new quarterback perform so ably — and still be 5-6? (And of those six losses, only the Florida game,  in which Murray threw half of his total of six interceptions, could be debited to the quarterback — and it must be noted that even on his worst day Murray led the rally that forced overtime.)

Not much about this Georgia season has made sense, but this part makes the least. The one offensive variable has come up trumps, and still the team enters its final scheduled game needing to win to become bowl-eligible.

While it's easy to understand Bradley's question—if it weren't such a thinly veiled attempt at, yet again, pointing out the ineptitude of the current staff—the answers aren't hard to find.

For one, Aaron Murray doesn't play defense. He wasn't on the field when Ryan Mallett dissected and dismantled the Georgia secondary in four plays to lose their game against Arkansas. He's also not a part of the secondary that suddenly failed to remember their assignments in the second-half against Auburn—leading to a 42-13 run by the Tigers.

Secondly, he doesn't play running back.  On multiple occasions, a lost fumble either changed the complexity of the game (South Carolina and Mississippi State) or lost it altogether (Colorado).

Third, he's not on the defensive line that, at many points this season, couldn't stop a flea from scoring. Obviously, the 3-4 needs some personnel changes if it's going to be effective in season two because what's in the cupboard now is not a proper fit.

Lastly, as spectacular as Murray has been, he's not capable of catching his own passes.

A.J. Green was missing for the first four games of the season and, as a result, the offense struggled to find anything that resembled productivity—another clear indication of how in over his head Mike Bobo truly has been this year.

It's painfully obvious to many that Bobo planned 85 percent of his playbook around the presence of A.J. Green. Take away A.J., take away points—the stats don't lie.

Does that about clear it up for you, Mr. Bradley? Hope so but, for some reason, it feels a lot like you were never really that confused in the first place.

SEC Football: Power Ranking The Quarterbacks After Week 10

See week nine here.
1. Tyler Bray, Tennessee (19/33 for 325 yards and 5 touchdowns) at Memphis. 

Yes, it was Memphis and, yes, the Vols were expected to whip up on the Tigers. Still, you have to give credit where credit is due.

Bray didn't make many mistakes and he played one heckuva game—giving his team a much-needed victory.

2010 stats: 44/80 for 628 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

2. Cam Newton, Auburn (15/21 for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns. 8 carries for 24 yards and 1 
touchdown) vs. Chattanooga.

It's Cam Newton. He's been making defenses look silly all season—this week was no exception.

2010 stats: 123/183 for 1,890 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 176 carries for 1,46 yards and 15 touchdowns.

3. Aaron Murray, Georgia (19/27 for 228 yards and 3 touchdowns) vs Idaho State.

For a minute, it looked like Murray was still suffering from the headache that beset him after performing so uncharacteristically at Florida. The offense was sputtering and, by the end of the first quarter, they only managed to score three points against one of the worst defenses in college football.

However, he seemed to find his bearings by the second quarter—leading Georgia to 35-points before retiring to the sidelines early in the third.

2010 stats: 158/257 for 2,307 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Four rushing touchdowns.  

4. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (21/30 for 303 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. 4 carries for 6 yards and 1 touchdown) at South Carolina.

Bobby Petrino's club really has that running game going now and that has opened up even more possibilities for Mallett in the passing game.

Mallett played, nearly, lights-out in capturing a huge road win for his Razorbacks—aided in large part by the tough running of Knile Davis and a defense that came ready to shut the Gamecocks down.

2010 stats:  193/289 for 2,752 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 3 rushing touchdowns. 

5.  Greg McElroy, Alabama (21/34 for 223 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) at LSU.

McElroy has taken his fair share of lumps this season as he's already seen more losses this year than he did in the previous two. However, he still played well enough on Saturday to lead the Tide to a win—if not for the maverick playcalling of LSU's Les Miles.

2010 stats: 158/228 for 2004 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 1 rushing touchdown. 

6. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (15/24 for 272 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs Charleston-Southern.

Hartline finally got the Wildcats back in the win column against a, tougher than expected, Charleston-Southern team that looked like it might steal one early on.

2010 stats: 222/338 for 2,674 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 1 rushing touchdowns. 

7. John Brantley, Florida (11/18 for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns) at Vanderbilt.

The Commodores are falling apart at the seams and Florida took advantage of it by routing them—setting up an SEC Eastern Division showdown at the Swamp this weekend.

2010 stats: 156/251 for 1,616 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 

8. Jordan Jefferson, LSU (10/13 for 141 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Alabama. 

He didn't appear to be his, usually, head-scratching self on Saturday—that helped. However, the biggest pass of the night belonged to Jarrett Lee (a 47-yard bomb to win the game).

2010 stats: 75/136 for 764 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 5 rushing touchdowns. 

9. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (14/29 for 161 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions) vs. Arkansas.

Garcia didn't have the complimentary rushing game from Marcus Lattimore to help him out this week (the freshman gained only 30-yards on the day) and that, obviously, hurt the passing game.

2010 season stats: 151/223 for 2,065 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. 4 rushing touchdowns. 

10. Nathan Stanley, Ole Miss (6/14 for 108 yards) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.


Jeremiah Masoli looked to be on his way to a good game before being knocked out with a concussion (5/7 for 72 yards and 1 touchdown. 3 carries for 17 yards and 1 touchdown), but Stanley came in to manage in relief. He got the win for the Rebels, but deferred to his running game for most of the dirty work.

11. Jared Funk and Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (10/36 for 63 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) vs. Florida. 

It seems to go without saying, Vanderbilt needs some help at quarterback.

College Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Nine

See week eight here.
1. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (27/44 for 409 yards and 3 touchdowns) vs. Vanderbilt. 

Mallett is finally coming back from the haze that beset him when he was knocked out of the Auburn game a couple weeks ago—he and his big arm came to play on Saturday.

Vanderbilt looked over-matched, tired, and defeated long before halftime and, not surprisingly, failed to show up in the second half at all as the Razorbacks traipsed all over them en route to another win.

2010 season stats: 172/259 for 2,449 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. 

2. Cam Newton, Auburn (18/24 for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns) at Ole Miss. 

Okay, so he wasn't SuperCam this past week, but he still accounted for 21 of Auburn's 51 points in their rout of Ole Miss.

Most impressive in this game was he added a third-dimension to his march towards the Heisman (is there really anyone else that can touch him?) by acting as wide receiver—scoring on a 20-yard touchdown touchdown pass. 

2010 season stats: 108/162 for 1,573 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 168 carries for 1,122 
yards and 14 touchdowns. 

3. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (13/22 for 223 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. 10 carries for 18 yards and 2 touchdowns) at Tennessee. 

Garcia wasn't brilliant as a passer, but his legs and arm led the way for the Gamecocks as they managed to withstand a determined Volunteers team—the return of Marcus Lattimore (who rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown) didn't hurt his efforts much either.

2010 season stats: 137/194 for 1,904 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. 62 carries for 86 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

4. Tyler Bray, Tennessee (9/15 for 159 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. South Carolina. 

It was a noble effort for Bray who rallied the Volunteers' offense to 14 second half points to tie the game at 24. However, as has been the case all season for Dooley's bunch, they simply couldn't sustain their intensity for the whole 60 minutes—giving up 14 points to the Gamecocks late in the fourth quarter—ending their comeback bid.

2010 season stats: 25/47 for 302 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 

5. Chris Relf, Mississippi State (7/16 for 111 yards and 1 touchdown. 16 carries for 79 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Kentucky.

Relf sealed the win with a late touchdown run in the fourth quarter and, as has been the case for this entire season, he didn't have to be impressive—just deliberate—as he led Dan Mullens crew to their 7th win of the season.

2010 season stats: 70/131 for 926 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 123 carries for 507 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

6. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss (20/33 for 189 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) vs. Auburn. 

There was little Masoli could have done to stop the Newton train from plowing through Oxford on Saturday. Auburn had too many weapons and Masoli's average effort wasn't going to be enough to stay in the same league as the Tigers.

Still, he gets marginal credit for being, for the most part, smart with the football and not leading his team to a worse beating than they could have suffered.

2010 season stats: 116/203 for 1,449 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. 89 carries for 429 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

7. Aaron Murray, Georgia (18/37 for 313 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions) at Florida. 

Well, for the first time this season, Aaron Murray looked like the redshirt freshman that he is—fumbling once and throwing three picks. While he gets an 'A' for the effort he took in bringing the Bulldogs back in the fourth and forcing overtime, his costly interception in the overtime period all but sealed the deal on a Georgia loss—a painful one to be sure.

2010 season stats: 139/230 for 2,079 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 62 carries for 181 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

8. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (23/41 for 258 yards 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions) at Mississippi State.

It has been an emotional ride for the Wildcats all season as they always seem to be just a few minutes shy of sealing the deal on a win. This past weekend was no different as the team let another one slip away late in the game. Hartline wasn't nearly as impressive this week—throwing the last-minute interception that ended all hopes of the Wildcats upsetting another Top 25 team.

2010 season stats: 207/314 for 2,402 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

9. John Brantley, Florida (16/25 for 193 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Georgia.

Lucky for Florida, they really didn't need Brantley—who saw the turf more than he saw the endzone—as Trey Burton (17 carries for 110 yards and 1 touchdown), Chris Rainey (16 carries for 84 yards and 1 touchdown), and that opportunistic Florida defense led the way to a Gator victory.

2010 season stats: 145/233 for 1,459 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 

10. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (4/12 for 25 yards and 1 touchdown) at Arkansas.

25 yards?...Really. What else can you say about Larry Smith as an SEC quarterback?

2010 season stats: 89/176 for 1,030 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 75 carries for 351 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Kentucky Wildcat QB, Mike Hartline, Gaining Ground As NFL 2011 Draft Prospect

The Kentucky Wildcats offense has been nothing short of explosive this season.

Some might think that was to be expected given the presence of both Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, but that would be short-changing the above-average job that senior quarterback Mike Hartline has done for the team this year.

Hartline ranks 13th in the nation, 1st in the conference, in passing (2,402 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions)— a surprising feat given the fact that Ryan Mallett, Greg McElroy, and John Brantley were mentioned ahead of Hartline as the conference's top quarterbacks to start the year.

His strong play has started to peak the interest of NFL draft scouts too as his name is moving up on some draft boards as a potential late-round selection in the 2011 draft.

As of now, he is projected as a 6th or 7th round selection and, before you scoff at the notion of that being relevant, recall the sheer number of players who were either drafted beyond the fifth-round, or not at all, yet managed to have great success at the pro level.

The last two Kentucky quarterbacks to be drafted—Jared Lorenzen (who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants in 2008) and Andre Woodson (drafted in the sixth-round in 2008)—are not currently playing professional football.

Woodson was signed to a contract with the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League (UFL) in summer of 2010, but was later released. Lorenzen is the quarterback's coach at his old high school.
 

College Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Eight

See week seven here.

1. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss ( 21/36 for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns. 15 carries for 98 yards) at Arkansas.

Masoli played some of his best football of the season, accounting for 425 of the 512 yards the Rebels tallied against the Hogs on Saturday.

Down early to Arkansas, the Rebels seemed headed for a rout by Mallett and his crew, but Houston Nutt's team showed a lot of heart in rallying from an 18-point deficit to make a game of it late. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Rebels only trailed by seven.

But, alas, the tough running of Knile Davis was the difference in the fourth where, minus Mallett,  Arkansas staved off the rally and won the game.

2010 season stats: 96/170 for 1,260 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 75 carries for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns. 


2. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (27/43 for 353 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Georgia


Mike Hartline did all he could do to get his team back in the game on Saturday, but the 'cardiac cats' just didn't have quite enough steam to overcome another early deficit.
 

2010 season stats: 184/273 for 2,144 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

3. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (31/39 for 355 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception) at Vanderbilt.


The Gamecocks averted another disaster at the hands of the Commodores, and they didn't even need Marcus Lattimore to get the job done.

Garcia took advantage of his team's strong rushing attack—led by a 146-yard effort from Brian Maddox—to get the ball rolling through the air, as he made mince-meat of the Commodores' secondary. 


2010 season stats: 124/172 for 1,681 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 

4. Greg McElroy, Alabama (21/32 for 264 yards) at Tennessee


McElroy didn't have eye-popping totals through the air, but his steady-handed play put Mark Ingram in position to score two big touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.


2010 season stats: 137/194 for 1,781 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

5. Cam Newton, Auburn (10/16 for 86 yards. 28 carries for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns).


It would be easy to place Newton in the top spot again this week based on his rushing totals alone—they are simply other-worldly. That said, a quarterback, by definition, is supposed to spend the better part of his game passing the ball, not running it.

Spread or no spread, the lack of genuine playmakers around Newton will become a problem at some point—he can't keep doing it alone.

2010 season stats: 90/138 for 1,364 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 157 carries for 1,077 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

6. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (13/24 for 196 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) vs. Ole Miss.

Mallett's night ended early for the second straight week, this time due to a bruised shoulder, but his team managed to seal the victory on the strong running of Knile Davis in the fourth quarter.

2010 season stats: 145/215 for 2,040 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

7. Aaron Murray, Georgia (9/12 for 113 yards) at Kentucky.

Murray wasn't spectacular on Saturday, but he didn't have to be. He kept it simple, let Ealey do the dirty work, and didn't hurt his team by throwing ill-advised passes.

The kid has been steady, focused, and smart with the football all season. It's a trend that will, hopefully, continue to be seen next week when Georgia faces Urban Meyer's Gators. 

2010 season stats: 121/193 for 1,766 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 54 carries for 165 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

8. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (13/31 for 142 yards. 15 carries for 48 yards and 1 touchdown).

Smith has never been a world-beater. He's got some skills at running the ball, but his arm is nothing to write home about on a weekly basis. Vandy made a valiant effort at upending the Gamecocks on Saturday, but it just wasn't meant to be.

2010 season stats: 85/164 for 1,005 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 66 carries for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns.   



9.  Chris Relf, Mississippi State (8/19 for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. 20 carries for 51 yards) vs UAB.

It's hard to say what's more amazing: the fact that Mississippi State manages to keep winning with Relf or the fact that they might be worse off without him.

Hats off to Dan Mullen for maximizing the potential of his junior quarterback—he's been just good enough to get the job done.


2010 season stats: 63/114 for 815 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 107 carries for 428 yards and 2 touchdowns. 


10. Matt Simms, Tennessee (12/22 for 117 yards and 1 interception) vs Alabama.


Simms is a tough kid but he's been beat up this season—badly. Clearly, it's beginning to take its toll, too, after a big hit from Marcel Dareus, the junior called it a night.


2010 season stats: 100/176 for 1,253 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.


11. Jordan Jefferson, LSU (7/14 for 46 yards and 1 interception. 16 carries for 74 yards and 1 touchdown) at Auburn. 

Jordan Jefferson is awful. He's been awful all season. He was benched in favor of the, slightly less awful Jarrett Lee, but after Lee's atrocious performance against McNeese St. last week, LSU's coach, Les Miles, was looking for a spark.


Well, in case he hasn't figured it out yet, Jefferson is not "THAT" guy—he never will be.

2010 season stats: 65/123 for 623 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 78 carries for 281 yards and 5 touchdowns.

College Football Odds (ATS): Can Northwestern Pull The Upset Over Michigan State?

The 'Lady' is getting killed against the spread (ATS) over the last couple weeks as another below average finish sets the site record at 29-36. However, it's not time to give up on this weekly pick em' yet, even though it's been heavily contemplated.

That said, we will dive head first into another slate of possible spread-breakers—there are plenty to choose from this week.

As usual, all lines are quoted via courtesy of VegasInsider.com.

1. Northwestern vs. Michigan State: Michigan State (-6)

People are figuring that Michigan State has to lose one eventually. After all, there is no way they are really THIS good, right? Well, the verdict is still out on that point but, one thing is for certain, the Wildcats will have their hands full trying to contain Kirk Cousins, Edwin Baker, and Le'Veon Bell.  The home field advantage will help, but, it may not be enough.

The Lady's Pick: Michigan State

2. Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh (-13)

It's not that Rutgers is phenomenal on offense, but they do have a good rushing defense—despite the impression the Army game might have given you. That said, Dion Lewis hasn't been nearly as dominant this season as he was in 2009 and Greg Schiano has a way of getting his team ready for the big game.

The Lady's Pick: Rutgers

3. Iowa State vs. Texas: Texas (-21)

This seems like an awful lot of points for the Longhorns to cover, especially given the fact that they are coming off a huge upset victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers last week. Iowa State's defense is deplorable, but Texas has had some questionable play over the season too—remember Wyoming?

Keeping that in mind, it just seems unlikely that the Longhorns get it done this week.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa State

4. Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina: South Carolina (-12.5)

Vanderbilt was embarrassed last week—getting shut-out by Georgia—and South Carolina is clearly a different offense minus Marcus Lattimore.

The Lady's Pick: Vanderbilt

5. Arkansas vs. Mississippi: Arkansas (-9.5)

You can bet that Houston Nutt will be ready for whatever Bobby Petrino has for him in Fayetteville. If there is one thing that Nutt has, historically, done well, it's getting his team prepared for big games.

Jeremiah Masoli will have more room to run than he did last week and, although Ryan Mallett is ready to play (suspect given he sustained a concussion just six-days ago), this game will come down to pride for Houston Nutt. 

The Lady's Pick: Mississippi 

6. BYU vs Wyoming: BYU (-10.5)

BYU should not be favored by anything more than three points over any opponent for the rest of the year. They are deplorable this season.

The Lady's Pick: Wyoming

7. Mississippi State vs. UAB: Mississippi State (-20)

There is no denying the fact that the Bulldogs are on a roll this year, but it seems premature to start giving them this much respect against a UAB team that has shown no hesitation in going toe-to-toe with any opponent this season—including a near defeat of Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. Buyer beware.

The Lady's Pick: UAB

8. Oklahoma vs Missouri: Oklahoma (-3)

Either you like Oklahoma or you don't.

The Sooners might be ranked the No. 1 but, as usual, that ranking is premature given the fact that they've looked just a touch average over mediocre opponents this season. Missouri will have the home crowd on their side, and this seems just the spot for the Sooners to choke.

The Lady's Pick: Missouri 

9. Tennessee vs. Alabama: Alabama (-18)


There's something wrong with Alabama's run game right now. Neither Mark Ingram, nor Trent Richardson, look as dominant as they did earlier in the year. Not to mention, Julio Jones is banged up and Marcel Dareus is doing the best he can working with a bum ankle. Add all that together and you have a team that is in desperate need of a break.

Tennessee may not be very good right now but, fortunately for them, they won't need to be.

The Lady's Pick: Tennessee

10. LSU vs. Auburn: Auburn (-6)

The easy pick here is Auburn. No team has been able to slow Cam Newton in the slightest and he's been money all season long. That said, the Tiger's have been suspect against even the most moderate defense and, if not for the Razorbacks atrocious secondary, that game might not have been the blowout it became.

LSU has a ton of questions on offense but their defense has been solid.

The Lady's Pick: LSU

College Football: Power RankingThe SEC Quarterbacks After Week Seven

See week six here.

1. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (32/42 for 349 yards, and 4 touchdowns) vs. South Carolina.

Don't look now but, the SEC has a new passing leader, and his name is not Ryan Mallett. 

Mike Hartline took another big step towards legendary status, in Lexington, as he led his team to a big victory over the No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks. The senior has been nothing but steady-handed all season long and that has been the primary reason for the success this team has had through the air.

He's definitely come along way in four seasons and this year is most certainly his best yet.

2010  season stats: 157/230 for 1791 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

2. Cam Newton, Auburn (10/14 for 140-yards, and 1 touchdown. 25 carries for 188-yards and 3 touchdowns) vs. Arkansas.

You ever get the feeling that it's just not fair that Cam Newton has been able to be this dominant? People like to compare him to Tim Tebow but, if memory serves, Tebow did most of his damage inside the 20-yard line, on dives, and on designed QB sneaks. Newton is, literally, a runner who happens to have an arm—how on earth do you stop that?

Newton, again, took the game in his own hands as his Auburn Tigers outlasted the Arkansas Razorbacks in a 65-43 shoot-out at The Plains.

2010 season stats: 80/122 for 1278 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 129 carries for 860 yards (net) and 12 touchdowns.  

3. Aaron Murray, Georgia (15/24 for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Vanderbilt

Murray left the running game to his running backs this week and just let his arm do the talking—and did it talk. The redshirt freshman continues to show poise and character in the pocket as he settles into this offense and gets to know his receivers.

On Saturday he sent a stern message to all of those who believe he only has eyes for A.J. Green as he made it a point to pass the ball to Georgia's other receivers—particularly Kris Durham, Tavares King, and Aron White—and proved that this team will no longer succumb to being a one-trick pony where the air game is concerned.

Murray continues to, quietly, impress and mature into his role as the Bulldog's quarterback of the future.

2010 season stats: 112/181 for 1,653 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 51 carries for 158 yards and 4 touchdowns.

4. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas (25/34 for 332 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions) at Auburn.

Give the young man a little credit for keeping the Razorbacks close—for a time—in a game that most wrote off after Ryan Mallett exited with a head-injury. Wilson did his best impression of Mallett, leading the Hogs up and down the field against a porous Auburn pass defense that can thank the, equally, porous Arkansas secondary, as well as the legs of Cam Newton, for their big win.

If Mallett is out for an extended period, there are no guarantees that Wilson can duplicate this performance, but with Greg Childs, Jarius Wright, and Joe Adams on the field to catch his passes, you have to like his chances to remain an able substitute for at least one more week.

2010 season stats: 26/37 for 338 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 

5. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (20/32 for 382 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions) at Kentucky.

It was a losing effort, but Garcia looked good for, roughly, 58 minutes, and he nearly brought his team to victory in the closing seconds.  However, Kentucky proved too strong and too determined and the Gamecocks utter elation from defeating No. 1 Alabama the week prior, became utter deflation as they watched their BCS hopes fall yet again.

That said, Garcia has done a fine job this season of not making too many mistakes and keeping his team in the hint, but now the team will be forced to find out how much of their success is due to the presence of Marcus Lattimore's running, rather than the progression of Garcia's skills.

2010 season stats: 93/133 for 1,326 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 45 carries for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns.

6. Greg McElroy, Alabama (17/25 for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Ole Miss.

McElroy didn't have to do too much, despite a still-absent rushing attack, but he managed to do what was needed to secure a win for the Tide—while letting the defense do the dirty work.

2010 season stats: 116/162 for 1,517 yards, 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. 

7.  John Brantley, Florida (24/39 for 219 yards, and 1 interception) vs. Mississippi State

Brantley is floundering in this Gator offense and he needs an exit-strategy if this is all this team has planned for him. He's been average all season and, in the Gator's last three losses, he's been as unimpressive as a Florida quarterback can be without being on the bench (56/129 for 566 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions).

That's not going to cut it in Gainesville, folks.

2010 season stats: 129/208 for 1,266 yards, 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. 

8. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss (18/40 for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) at Alabama. 

Masoli tried his best to find room to run against Alabama's defense, but he found no success. Once he was shut down, there went the Rebel offense as well.

2010 season stats: 75/134 for 933 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. 60 carries for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

9. Jarrett Lee, LSU (9/16 for 75 yards) vs. McNeese State. 

LSU is desperate for good quarterback play and, for a moment, it seemed Lee was the answer they were looking for. Well, the chariot has returned to its pumpkin status and the Tigers are back to looking for a better alternative—unfortunately for them, there isn't one.

How much luck do you think Les Miles has in his headset because he's going to need it this weekend.

2010 season stats: 36/50 for 405 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 

10. Chris Relf, Mississippi State (4/9 for 33 yards. 22 carries for 82 yards and 1 touchdown) at 
Florida. 

If someone had told you, at the start of the season, that Chris Relf would be the quarterback of a team  ranked ahead of both Georgia and Florida, would you have believed it?

2010 season stats: 55/95 for 708 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 87 carries for 377 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

11. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (5/14 for 70 yards and 1 interception) at Georgia.  

Larry Smith didn't stand a chance against a Georgia defense that was playing for pride as much as they were a win. The junior found few passing lanes, no running lanes, and no points for his Commodores.

2010 season stats: 72/133 for 863 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 51 carries for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns.

BCS Rankings: Should The Auburn Tigers Be No. 1?

Lets try and forget for a moment that Ohio State is getting their backside handed to them by Wisconsin right now—after all, there is still plenty of football left to play in that particular game.

That said, Auburn and Arkansas have played their game and, minus the arm and skill of Ryan Mallett, the Hogs did fall 65-43 to the Tigers in "The Plains".

If you negate the 43 points that the Auburn defense gave up, and look solely at the sheer domination of the offense—most notably, Cam Newton—you have to start asking yourself this one question: can any team in the country beat Auburn right now?

Newton has been an absolute beast this season, he's done everything he was advertised to do and then some, leading an Auburn team that, two seasons ago, became a mockery in the SEC after hiring the likes of Gene Chizik. A guy who no one felt was an SEC-caliber head coach after tallying a horrific 5-15 record at Iowa State—that crowd of naysayers included some of the Auburn faithful.

What a difference a, potentially, undefeated season, consecutive top 20 recruiting classes, a top 10 ranking, and a big time quarterback can make, eh?

Auburn hasn't won any Division-I football games as convincingly as they won over Arkansas today and, despite the absence of Ryan Mallet, it's hard to say that there is another team they will face this season that will have the necessary personnel to stop this roll they have started.

Cam Newton is the Heisman winner...not just a candidate—the winner. No one comes close to doing what he's done against the SEC this year. The performances, or lack thereof, of both Denard Robinson (vs Iowa) and Taylor Martinez (vs. Texas) today showed just how much distance there is between a great player and Cam Newton—trust, it's quite a margin.

Through today's game, Newton now has close to 900 yards rushing—he leads the SEC—and he will, assuredly, reach the 1,000 yard mark this year. When he does, it will be impossible not to lock him in for the Heisman because he'll likely have close to 20 rushing touchdowns as well—that's unreal.

Either way, Auburn has found lightning in a bottle and, for the moment, it seems that there are no legitimate contenders to rain on their parade. 

SEC Injury Alert: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett Leaves Game With Possible Head Injury

Uh-oh...that can't be good.

Ryan Mallett, the star quarterback of the Arkansas Razorbacks and the SEC (in the minds of many) has left the game with a head injury according to coach Bobby Petrino. His return, at this time, is questionable.

Speculation is that Mallett will not return but, if he doesn't, his backup, Tyler Wilson, would be an adequate—if not stellar—replacement.

The junior QB came into the game late in the second quarter and led the Hogs on a 66-yard touchdown scoring drive to trim the Tigers lead to three points—21-24 with less than 3:00 minutes to go til the half. That said, if the Hogs can't find an answer for Cam Newton, it won't matter who is playing quarterback.

Newton already has 230 yards of total offense for the Tigers—143 yards rushing—and has had no problems finding the passing lanes when he wants to. By stark contrast, the Razorbacks have 81 yards rushing—total—and are relying on the passing attack to move the chains.

While this is Arkansas' usual method of getting the job done, it's difficult to say how effective it will be for them the rest of the way—especially if Mallett is unable to return.

At the half, the score is 27-21 Auburn.

Here's the halftime interview with coach Bobby Petrino on both Ryan Mallett and what Arkansas will need to do to contain Cam Newton:



...think Bobby's a little miffed?

College Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Six

See week five here.

1. Aaron Murray, Georgia (17/25 for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns. 7 carries for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs Tennessee.

It was only a matter of time before Aaron Murray made his presence felt against an SEC opponent. The reconfigured offensive line, and a healthy A.J. Green on the football field, made the passing and running lanes easier for Murray to take advantage of as he scrambled, passed, and tip-toed his way into SEC Freshman of the Week Honors. He's for real folks...don't let any one tell you otherwise.

2010 season stats: 97/157 for 1366 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 45 carries for 122 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

2. Cameron Newton, Auburn (13/21 for 210 yards and 1 interception. 28 carries for 198 yards and 4 touchdowns) at Kentucky.

People talk about the run of luck that Les Miles has had over at LSU, but Gene Chizik has had quite a run of good fortune himself—thanks in large part to Cam Newton. The junior transfer has been the x-factor in four of the six come-from-behind wins the Tigers have this season. Against Kentucky, he was the driving force behind several key downs where a first down was necessary if Auburn were going to have any chance at winning the game.

Newton showed, yet again, why he is one of the most dominant players in college football.

2010 season stats: 70/108 for 1138 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 104 carries for 672 yards and 9 touchdowns).

3. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (17/20 for 201 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Alabama.

Garcia finally came up big in a big game. The junior found redemption for his mishap at Auburn two-weeks ago (where his last-minute gaffes contributed to a Gamecock loss)—upending No. 1 Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium, and getting Steve Spurrier one step closer to realizing his goal of winning an SEC Championship at South Carolina.

2010 season stats: 73/101 for 944 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 42 carries for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns).

4. Greg McElroy, Alabama (27/34 for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns) at South Carolina. 

McElroy finally faced the first loss of his collegiate, starting, career at the hands of a better-than-advertised South Carolina team that had plenty of time to prepare for his Tide's arrival. McElroy spent much of the day on his back—thanks largely to holding on to the ball too long in multiple situations—but he still managed to protect the ball and keep his team close for a time.

2010 season stats: 99/137 for 1238 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (27/38 for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception) vs. Texas A&M.

This game was likely too close for comfort for Razorback fans, as it took a last-minute interception of Aggies quarterback, Jerrod Johnson, to seal the victory at home. However, Mallett continues to be stellar this year—ringing up yet another 300+ yard passing game to add to his season total.

The senior is averaging just under 350 passing yards per game.

2010 season stats: 122/176 for 1748 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.  

6. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (16/27 for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Eastern Michigan.

The Commodores had no problem dispatching Eastern Michigan, relying mostly on the rushing talents of Warren Norman and Zac Stacy, but Smith tossed a couple touchdowns in the second quarter for good measure.

2010 season stats: 67/119 for 793 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

7. Jarrett Lee, LSU (9/11 for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns) at Florida. 

Given the opportunistic nature of the Florida Gator's secondary this season (they lead the nation with 13), you have to be impressed with the poise of Jarrett Lee. After coach Les Miles called for a fake field goal late in the fourth, Lee tossed the game-winning touchdown to seal the victory for the Tigers.

2010 season stats: 27/36 for 330 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. 

8. Mike Hartline, Kentucky (23/28 for 220 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Auburn.

Hartline was as steady and poised as you would have wanted him to be for this game against the Auburn Tigers. He didn't hurt his team with costly mistakes or turnovers and he kept his cool when his Wildcats were down early in the third quarter—tossing the touchdown that, eventually, led to the start of a Wildcat rally.

Sadly, Cam Newton proved to be too much for the defense, and Kentucky simply couldn't hang on.

2010 season stats: 125/188 for 1442 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

9. Matt Simms, Tennessee (9/13 for 178 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) at Georgia. 

Simms did all he could to get the offense going but the Volunteers were mauled on both sides of the football field by a motivated Georgia Bulldog team. Still, Simm's scramble to shake off a potential Justin Houston sack and find Justin Hunter for the score, early in the game,  was one of the few shining moments of the day for the offense.

2010 season stats: 88/154 for 1136 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

10. John Brantley, Florida (16/24 for 154 yards and 1 interception) vs. LSU

Cracked ribs or no, Brantley is not the right guy for this Florida offense so long as his new coordinator, Steve Adazzio keeps calling the plays. Brantley is a pocket-passer trying to run a spread offense that is built for a guy like Trey Burton. It seems only matter of time before either Brantley or Adazzio is replaced because this offense has been anything but fluid this season.

2010 season stats: 105/169 for 1056 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 

11. Tyler Russell, Mississippi State (5/9 for 72 yards) at Houston.

Russell came in to replace Chris Relf who, to be honest, did more damage with his legs than his arm (rushing for 96 yards and a score).

2010 season stats: 35/58 for 555 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. 

College Football: Who Is The Best Dual-Threat QB in The BCS This Season?

It's been a long time since the BCS saw three quarterbacks who were able to dominate the game, with their arms and their legs, the way Denard Robinson, Cam Newton, and Taylor Martinez have this season.

Patrick White, of West Virginia, was a product of the very system that Rich Rodriguez brought to Michigan. The very one that Denard Robinson is excelling in today. However, not even White was as impressive as Robinson has been through his first six games of the year.

So far, the sophomore has compiled 991 yards on 119 carries (19.83 avg)—that includes two 200 yard games. As a matter of fact, prior to his being stymied by a motivated Michigan State team, there seemed to be no team in the country capable of slowing him down.

While he tends to rely on his legs more than his arms, he has been very proficient in the passing game as well—completing nearly 68 percent of his attempts and passing for more than 1200+ yards and 8 touchdowns.

He's been superhuman on the football field and he is the biggest reason why the Wolverines are 5-1:



Taylor Martinez is the starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He hasn't gotten nearly as much publicity or love as Robinson, but he's no less impressive.

Martinez has a little over half the rushing attempts of Robinson (68), but has already accumulated 737 yards on the ground (10.84 avg) and scored 12 times.

As a passer, there is still plenty of work to be done. Where Robinson is more efficient with his passes, Martinez has been prone to making careless mistakes while trying to do too much. That has led to as many interceptions as it has touchdowns, and partially explains his reliance on his legs to get the job done when his arm would be more than sufficient.

Nebraska is currently ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll and there are high hopes that with Texas, seemingly, in a rebuilding year, it will come down to Oklahoma and Nebraska for the Big 12 title.

Martinez also has the luxury of additional offensive playmakers to compliment his game—both Rex Burkhead and Roy Helu provide a fierce ground attack. Then there's that tough Nebraska defense to help keep the other team from making his job too difficult.
 


Cam Newton has been a dream player for Auburn this year. Not only has he proven to be clutch over the last six weeks—averting losses to Mississippi State, South Carolina, Clemson, and Kentucky via last minute heroics—but he's remained cool in each of the four pressure-cooker situations he's faced.

It is clear that the offense will live and die with Newton's play. He's Auburn's ace-in-the-hole because he will either beat you early or break your heart late.

The true test of his mettle will come in the next few weeks of the season, where he will be forced to take on a Ryan Mallett-led Arkansas, a luck-led LSU, and a pride-led Georgia...all before meeting up with Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

That said, he still has much to prove about how good he truly is, but there are no doubts about his talent.


So, who's the best of the three. Well, considering the overall level of competition, you have to give the edge to Newton. Martinez hasn't really been tested against an upper-level defense, and Robinson's showing against Michigan State proves that there are limits to what he can do—if a sufficient challenge is mounted.

Who's the best in your mind? Who's done the most for his team this season?

College Football: The SEC's Wild, Wild West And It's Effect on the BCS

As of Sunday morning, seven SEC teams are in the Top 25 of the Associated Press Poll (AP). Four of those seven teams are from the western division of the SEC—three of them are in the Top 10.

The SEC West became very interesting after the Alabama Crimson Tide got rolled up in Columbia, by the South Carolina Gamecocks, over the weekend.
No. 7 Auburn, the team that few gave a chance, rallied to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.

That made their record 6-0 coming into this weekend's match-up with No. 12 Arkansas, down on 'The Plains'.

Arkansas will come in with "upset" on their mind as they try to get back into the Top 10 at the expense of their division rival.

Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU are all in a position to win the division, and represent the western half of the conference in the SEC Championship Game in December.

As things stand right now, Arkansas would need a little help because they lost to the Tide, but none of the other teams (Auburn, Alabama, or LSU) have played each other yet, so there is still plenty of SEC Championship hope for the Razorbacks.

Even more, after Alabama's loss to South Carolina, the BCS will be looking for a new SEC team to hitch it's wagon to, and the story of the "Cardiac Cats" (Auburn) or "Lucky Les" (LSU) seems fitting in this year of anything can happen in college football.

Who has the best chance to come out on top?

At this stage, Auburn's schedule sets up the most favorably. They face Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia at home in the coming weeks, and will have a bye prior to taking on Alabama in the Iron Bowl on November 27th.

Alabama still has a chance to get back on track as well, however, after all, the loss they suffered was not within their division and , if they can reshuffle the deck a bit, they have just as much a shot as any one in the west to come out on top.

LSU seems to be playing with fire, but the replacement of Jordan Jefferson for Jarrett Lee may prove to be the best decision Les Miles has made this season. Jefferson was reeling and his poor play was becoming a drain on what little offense his team could muster.

Add to that, Miles seems to be back to his old 2007 tricks—calling plays like a Maverick and getting all the lucky bounces he can possibly hope for on the football field.

As for Bobby Petrino's crew, Ryan Mallett may be the catalyst for that offense, but the team will win or lose with Mallett's poise—or lack thereof. If the senior quarterback can maintain his focus, Arkansas can still be the surprise team that many picked them to be at the start of the season. The game against Auburn could be the start of something big or the end of a dream.

The SEC West has become a wild place to be this season. What team will be the last one standing when the smoke finally clears?...

College Football Betting Odds: 10 ATS Picks For Saturday (10/9)

The Lady had a terrible run of luck, missing on all but two picks last week. The finally tally once all the days picks were in came up to a disgustingly awful 2-8—ugh.

As of now, this season's record stands at a horrendous 22-23. But, alas, there are another round of picks coming this week and, hopefully, this time the Lady sees a touch more luck.

Take a gander at the disaster that was last week here—if you dare. Otherwise, let's move on to the next slate of games:

(All lines courtesy of VegasInsider.com)

1. Georgia vs. Tennessee: Georgia (-10.5)

This line was as large as -13 early on this week, but now has regressed to a more respectable 10.5 points—favoring the Georgia Bulldogs. After losses to both Mississippi State and Colorado, it's difficult to imagine that this team is capable of beating any one by more than a touchdown.

The Lady's Pick: Tennessee

2. Air Force vs Colorado State: Air Force (-26.5) 

Air Force is better than Colorado State. There is no denying that and the Falcons will utilize their rushing attack to steam roll the Rams for the better part of this contest. That said, as bad as Colorado State is this season, they still aren't awful enough to lose by this many points.

The Lady's Pick: Colorado State

3. Florida vs LSU: Florida (-9)

It makes no difference whether or not Jarrett Lee or Jordan Jefferson plays at quarterback this weekend, LSU is not a good team and they will not win this game. Even still, the Tigers defense is stout enough to keep them in the game and make this match-up close.

The Lady's Pick: LSU

4. Texas Tech vs Baylor: Texas Tech (-3)

This is the same Texas Tech team that allowed Iowa State to put up 52 points, right? Home field advantage or not, Robert Griffin has made fools out of just about every opponent his team has played this season—and there is little reason to believe that streak will stop here.

The Lady's Pick: Baylor

5. Arkansas vs Texas A&M: Arkansas (-7.5)

The Razorbacks have too many weapons and Ryan Mallett has a chip on his shoulder after giving the game away to the Tide two weeks ago. Expect the Aggies to bear the brunt of his anger.

The Lady's Pick: Arkansas

6. Nevada vs San Jose State: Nevada (-38)

San Jose State has a ton of trouble scoring points but, last years match-up aside (Nevada won by 55 in 2009), this is a game that is usually a lot closer than 38 points. Prior to 2008's thrashing, the biggest win deficit the Wolfpack have had over the Spartans, in the last six seasons, is 24.

The Lady's Pick: San Jose State

7.  Houston vs Mississippi State: Pick Em' (PK)

Houston is not the same team without Case Keenum and there should be a ton of doubt about their ability to win this game against the Bulldogs. The Cougars have a horrific run defense and the Bulldogs are more than willing to win this game via time of possession—keep the Cougars off the field and there is little else about them that is intimidating.

The Lady's Pick: Mississippi State

8. Stanford vs Southern California: Stanford (-7)

The Cardinals were rolling along just fine before the Ducks spoiled their undefeated party. To their credit, they made a game of it early before Oregon took over—as they have done all season long. This week, Stanford gets to settle onto their home field to face a USC team that, suddenly, no one is afraid of.

The Lady's Pick: Stanford

9. Alabama vs South Carolina: Alabama (-10)

South Carolina is much better than advertised and they have had a whole week to get ready to face the Crimson Tide who, coming off a blowout of the Florida Gators could get caught sleeping a little bit too comfortably. The Tide should win this one, but the Gamecocks won't be rolling over at home.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina

10. Kentucky vs Auburn: Auburn (-6.5)

This could be considered a trap game, except for the fact that Cameron Newton has been playing out of his head and Kentucky seems to have a lot of trouble stopping the run.

The Lady's Pick: Auburn

College Football: Power Ranking The SEC Quarterbacks After Week Three

See the power rankings for weeks one and two at the respective links:

1. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas(21/33 for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns) at Georgia.

The senior leader of the red hot Razorbacks continued to prove why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this season. His dismantling of the Georgia Bulldog offense, including tossing the game-winner with only seconds left to play, sent a message to the rest of the nation that he is for real.

2010 season total: 70/100 for 1081 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 

2. Greg McElroy, Alabama (14/20 for 258 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception) at Duke

Speaking of senior leaders, the Crimson Tide once again took care of business against a lesser opponent. Mark Ingram made his season debut and he didn't disappoint. The dynamic duo will need to be at their very best this week as they prepare to take on the Razorbacks high-powered offense led, of course, by Ryan Mallett.

2010 season total: 43/60 for 705 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 1 interception). 

3. Matt Simms, Tennessee (19/31 for 259 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions) vs. Florida

The Vols are going to be a good team, at some point, they simply need to find a way to keep up their intensity for 60 minutes. Simms did a fine job getting against a talented Florida secondary that leads the SEC in interceptions this season (10). His maturation process grows with each passing week.

2010 season total: 48/84 for 591 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.

4. Aaron Murray, Georgia (15/27 for 253 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception) vs. Arkansas

For all the question marks the Bulldogs have on both the offense and defense, one thing is very clear: Aaron Murray can play ball. The redshirt freshman engineered the comeback that nearly won the game for the Bulldogs. He's still got a lot of growing to do, but he's done a fine job thus far.  

2010 season total: 46/74 for 605 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.


5. Cameron Newton, Auburn (7/14 for 203 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions) vs. Clemson

For a while it looked like the Tigers would be upended by Clemson, but Auburn showed why they have every bit the reason to be optimistic about their chances of winning the west. The offense finally woke up in the second half (scoring 21 points), thanks in large part to Cameron Newton, and Auburn was able to stay undefeated on the year.

2010 season total: 27/47 for 525 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. 

6.  Mike Hartline, Kentucky (21/29 for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns) vs. Akron

The Wildcats have done well this season. Hartline's team stands at a comfortable 3-0 so far this season. Of course, they haven't played anyone yet, we'll have to see how well they do once they get into conference play. That said, Hartline continues to manage the game as well as anyone and his confidence appears to grow with each win under his belt.

2010 season total: 54/75 for 680 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.  

7. John Brantley, Florida (14/23 for 167 yards and 1 touchdown) at Tennessee

Brantley managed to escape his first true road test with a win—the accolades end there. The Gators offense continues to look mediocre and all the hype about Brantley still seems as if it may have a come a year too soon. He's not awful, he's just not as impressive as many thought he might be.

2010 season total: 49/79 for 452 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. 

8. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina (13/20 for 150 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions) vs. Furman

Garcia looked about as uninspired as he could playing against Furman and, although the Gamecocks offense put 24 points on the board against the Paladins, they didn't look nearly as crisp as most might like. Perhaps Spurrier's team was simply saving some of that fire for next week when they face the Auburn Tigers...at least, that's what Gamecock fans should be hoping.

2010 season total: 41/60 for 508 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 

9. Jordan Jefferson, LSU (10/16 for 97 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions) vs. Mississippi St.

Jefferson...what can you say about him at this point? He's been bailed out each week by a particular unit. In week one, it was Patrick Peterson (special teams). In week two, it was Stephen Ridley (running backs), and this week it was his field goal kicker. At some point, Jefferson's luck is going to run out.

2010 season total: 33/57 for 344 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

10. Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss (19/35 for 190 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 19 carries for 104 yards and 1 touchdown) vs. Vanderbilt.

Masoli's mobility has to be the only thing keeping him from being completely worthless to the Rebels this season.

2010 season total: 40/65 for 580 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions 

11. Tyler Russell, Mississippi State (5/10 for 81 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions

Russell is a long way from his week one performance. He's not proved to be nearly as prolific against better defenses and his performance against LSU last week just shows that he's still got a long way to go yet.

2010 season total: 22/35 for 356 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.

12. Larry Smith, Vanderbilt (9/19 for 73 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions)

Larry Smith is not good. There is little that can prove the contrary right now. The Commodores won on Saturday, but not much of that was due to the play of Smith.

2010 season total: 36/67 for 383 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception

Georgia Bulldog Football: Mark Richt Needs More Than A.J. Green To Win Games

The Georgia Bulldogs, in case you didn't know it, are now 0-2 in SEC play after a heartbreaking loss to Arkansas today. The team fought hard, in the fourth quarter, but fell short as the Razorbacks walked out of Athens, GA sporting something they had not since 1993—a win.

It would be easy to make excuses for the team but, in the end, the truth would be simple: Ryan Mallett played like Ryan Mallett and the Georgia defense had no answer for him.

You see, all week long, the media and the journalists have tried their best to make Georgia Bulldog fans believe that without A.J., this team cannot win. However, in two weeks, the team has proven that it can indeed win—if they can ever get out of their own way.

Today, the run defense showed up in against the veteran running presence of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Aside from the one-yard touchdown run by Knile Davis in the first quarter, no other tailbacks made a significant contribution to the running game for the Hogs. As a unit, they carried 20 times for 59-yards (less than three yards per carry).

So, unlike last week, the run defense did a nice job of stopping the run and forcing the quarterback to make plays. Unfortunately for Georgia, they couldn't do two things well, on defense, at one time because Ryan Mallett had a field day with Georgia's secondary.

He was rarely pressured into a poor pass and every touchdown he threw, of which there were three, his man was left wide open. By the end of the day, the receivers had all-star numbers: Joe Adams snagged six balls for 130, Greg Childs caught three for 82, D.J. Williams...six for 61—see a poor trend here?

The secondary never seemed to show up today and that cost Georgia big time—none bigger than on Arkansas last possession of the game (a 36-yard, game winning touchdown). 

Truthfully, if you didn't know any better, you might have actually believed that Willie Martinez never
left the sidelines because it was deja vu all over again.

But, this article is not meant to be a recap. If you watched the game, you know what happened, and you can surmise from your own intelligence how it transpired—no need to do it for you here. That said, what is perplexing is how everyone seems to keep telling themselves that A.J. Green would have been the difference.

 While it cannot be denied that Green is a catalyst, a playmaker, and a genuinely wonderful weapon to behold, he cannot play defense. He cannot run block for the offensive line, he cannot pass rush for the linebackers, he cannot punt for Drew Butler, he cannot cover kickoffs for special teams, he cannot playcall for Mike Bobo, and he cannot cover wide receivers for the secondary.

As outstanding a football player as A.J. Green most certainly is, he is one guy and, as much as some outlets would like you to believe it, he is not the only piece this team needs to win on Saturday.

Furthermore, to say that A.J. is the only guy worthy of catching the ball on Saturday is disrespectful to Kris Durham. Durham has done a tremendous job in A.J.'s absence. No, he doesn't have the speed, the highlight reel grabs, or the NFL pedigree, but he does have 13 receptions for 260 yards and one touchdown (through the same number of games last season, Green had 17 receptions, for 275 yards, and three touchdowns). Durham may not be Green, but he's done a phenomenal job filling in for him this season. 

Even more, a great point was made by Quinton McDawg over at the Georgia Sports Blog following the game on Saturday. He stated that the Alabama Crimson Tide have been without their Heisman winning playmaker for the last two weeks and they haven't missed a beat. His point, great teams can survive the storm—that's what great teams do.

Is this Georgia Bulldog team a great team?...No, it's a young one, with a redshirt freshman quarterback and a new defensive scheme—period.

This loss will lead to a lot of "hot seat" talk—be prepared. Some of the arguments for the inconsistencies of Richt's team this season will be valid, while others could likely be chalked up to the ridiculous rantings of a message board maniac. Neither argument will make a difference where this season is concerned—that's a fact. Richt is not going to be fired this season, but he could be under a lot more pressure if this 1-2 start turns into a 7-5 or 6-6 finish.

Curious to hear your thoughts after three weeks of play by this Georgia Bulldog team. Where do you stand on them now? I haven't given up on them but I certainly have begun to temper my expectations a bit more after today.