Thursday, September 17, 2009

SEC Football Blogger

North Texas vs Alabama, Prediction Pick, 2009
Florida Atlantic vs South Carolina, Prediction Pick, 2009
LSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Prediction Pick, 2009

North Texas vs Alabama, Prediction Pick, 2009

Posted: 17 Sep 2009 05:20 PM PDT

North Texas vs Alabama, Prediction Pick, 2009. North Texas will be coming in to Tuscaloosa this week to face the No. 4 ranked Crimson Tide. Alabama showed during the Virginia Tech game that they should definitely be taken seriously this season. Last week against Florida International they were not quite as impressive. They played most of the game without two of the most dangerous weapons on their offense, Julio Jones and Mark Ingram. This week hopefully they will be back at full force.

North Texas comes in with a strong running game that has rushed for 411 yards so far this season. They have however lost their starting quarterback, Riley Dodge, to a separated shoulder. While they do have a strong running game they will be facing a defense that has only allowed 65 yards rushing this season. Add that to the fact that North Texas has a horrible record against ranked teams, and I think the Crimson Tide will definitely come out on top in this game.

Alabama needs to come back and show everyone why they are No. 4. I think the players know this especially after their performance against Florida International. This week I expect the Tide to come out with an intensity that was missing last week. I’m going to call this game for the Tide 45-7.

Florida Atlantic vs South Carolina, Prediction Pick, 2009

Posted: 16 Sep 2009 06:51 PM PDT

Florida Atlantic vs South Carolina, Prediction Pick, 2009
By- Flounder LOHD

This coming weekend the Owls travel to Columbia to take on the Gamecocks. The Florida Atlantic Owls enjoyed a weekend without football last week and had time to regroup after traveling to Nebraska on September 5, losing 49-3 to the Cornhuskers.

This game is Columbia will feature two of the 12 active coaches who own national championship rings (Spurrier & Howard Schnellenberger). The last time these two teams played was on September 23, 2006 when the Gamecocks defeated the Owls 45-6 in Williams-Brice Stadium.

These Owls aren’t quite Howard Schnellenberger’s 1983 Miami team, but the FAU coach will be looking for another upset victory versus the Spurrier lead gamecocks. And this is not a team to overlook with an Ole Miss game starring you in the face next week. The Nebraska score may seem like this way be a cake walk but if mistakes are made then it could result in a heartbreaking loss. And Gamecocks do not need that after "what should have been" versus Georgia last week.

I feel Spurrier will try out some new guys at positions, try a few new plays and keep it simple versus the Owls because the Ole Miss game is huge coming up. So look for USC to try to jump out to a quick lead then start changing personnel. If things go as plan this should allow USC not to stress too much and cruise to a win. But again – no overlooking this game.

FAU on Defense – Very strong in the secondary with 3 veterans but weak in most other areas. Linebacking corp was hit hard by graduations but have speed. Josh Savidge is a good tackle up front that will make running up the middle tough for USC but I feel the big nasty's for Carolina will figure out how to open some holes. Defense as a whole has lots of questions and USC will be looking to take full advantage of come Saturday night.

FAU on Offense – Rusty Smith will try to do better versus the gamecocks than he did versus the cornhuskers. In that game he was 15-31, 164 yds, 2 INT. There run game was bleak but did have Alfred Morris rack up 85 yds rushing. Go to guy is Cortez Gent and USC will try to stuff the run and shut down Gent.

USC on Offense – Look for Spurrier to do much of the same that he did versus Georgia with a variety of play-calling. Look for a nice balance between passing and rushing early but then to be more rushing as the game wears on. Spurrier wants to get a strong lead early so he can be a bit more conservative down the stretch so Ole Miss doesn't have much to review in tape. Expecting a healthy dose of rushing blended in with some timely throws to keep the clock moving. Garcia will put up over 200 yds passing and Carolina rushing attack will have over 175 yds.

USC on Defense – The Ellis Johnson coached boys are looking to prove why they are considered one of the best defenses in the SEC. Georgia did not go as planned so look for this group to be fired up and get after it. FAU is a little suspect up front so look for USC to attack thus to disrupt the FAU QB. Look for at least 2 TO's forced and a possible score.

What to watch for….improved play from Carolina with less penalties and better tackling on special teams. FAU will try to throw the ball on Carolina but that will not prove too successful. USC's D will be too much for FAU and FAU will not have enough in the tank to shut down USC's offense.

In Closing…Carolina wants to get some playing time for some new guys this game and leave this home opener with good things to talk about so I expect a good showing from the Cocks and a 34-10 win.

LSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Prediction Pick, 2009

Posted: 16 Sep 2009 06:43 PM PDT

LSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Prediction Pick, 2009
-McD Rumors and Rants

So LSU has played two games, the offense has underwhelmed in both, and the defense only truly played well against Vanderbilt. Saturday is when LSU puts it all together…or doesn’t.

Some have said Les Miles called out Vanderbilt when he said the Ragin’ Cajuns had a better offense than the Commodores but, I mean, isn’t he pretty much right? It’s not like saying something that actually kind of makes sense is against the rules for football coaches. Just because Vanderbilt is in the SEC doesn’t mean a Sun Belt team can’t have a better offensive unit. Besides, they’re freaking Vanderbilt. Which, by the way is what LSU fan was saying to themselves after the Tigers looked a hell of a lot like Ohio State (and not in a good way) against them.

The LSU offense once again lacked any kind of punch against Vanderbilt, and Charles Scott hasn’t looked good yet. On the bright side, Keiland Williams looked fantastic in both games and is the team’s leading rusher. To beat Louisiana-Lafayette, and I mean REALLY beat them, not just win, the offense is going to have to be mistake free and Williams and Scott cannot be invisible. Obviously, that won’t happen, but keys to the game are keys to the game because the only way the Ragin’ Cajuns are winning is if LSU beats itself. Yes, I respect what Chris Masson and the offense have done, but beating Southern and “upsetting” Kansas State by scoring 17 points isn’t the kind of thing that gets its own piece on E:60.

I’m going to put this game squarely on the running backs. Kansas State ran for 196 yards on ULL and the lost. LSU shouldn’t truly need the passing game for any reason other than to keep the defense honest. Which is fine because Terrance Toliver and Brandon LaFell forgot to get off the bus against Vanderbilt anyway. But Williams and Scott had better run wild Saturday afternoon, and Les Miles had better let it happen. It’s time for LSU to let their studs out of the box. LSU had to throw 29 times last week, which is way too many even though I have to applaud Jordan Jefferson’s 20-29 performance. Efficiency in the passing game is nice, but this team lives and dies with the run, not with the dink-and-dunk passes Jefferson threw last week. And that’s as it should be.

Thus, that 27 point spread is a bit high if they’re going to run the ball and dominate the clock. Based on how things have gone thus far, this ought to be a comfortable win, but not a 50 point blowout. And I’m saying that so LSU fan can be happy when the Tigers really do blow them out of the water because I’m being bull-headed and taking the cover. On a side note, I wonder if LSU/ULL is like IU/Purdue in which everyone knows each other and the tailgating is just a giant combined beerfest. Oh, and try not to drink two kegs before the game, okay LSU fans?

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