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Southern Exposure: SEC Preview, Week 7

October 16, 2010  |  By Benjamin Miraski

Last weekend was tough here at Southern Exposure.

After a race to get my picks in, I watched them crumble one by one as they day went on.

Even Auburn, who was covering until late, decided it wasn’t going to be the week for me by letting Kentucky believe it could play football again.

Oh well. Everyone is bound to have a week like that now and then.

Unlike the rest of the country, we have some games this weekend (nice of the Pac-10 to give almost half the conference the week off.)

So here you go.

Vanderbilt at Georgia (-14.5) - Apparently all Georgia needed to get better was to play Tennessee. But beating up on a Vols team that was still hung over from its inexplicable loss to LSU isn’t going to cure all that ails the Bulldogs. Good thing they have Vanderbilt this week to continue the good times. While the Commodores were all over Eastern Michigan in week six, things return to normal this week against a defense that knows how to shut things down. Aaron Moore has another nice day for Georgia, but don’t expect Vandy to roll over and play dead like Tennesse. Bulldogs win, but Vandy covers.

Arkansas at Auburn (-4) - This is the game I have been waiting for. Nothing we have seen yet has proven to me that the Tigers have it together when defending the pass. It has come back to bite them in every game they have played. Just when they should be salting the game away and forcing the other quarterback to beat them with spectacular play, they trip over themselves allowing mediocre plays to succeed. They haven’t lost yet because of this, but for any Tiger fans, the ulcers tell the story. So here comes Ryan Mallett to put Auburn’s defense to the toughest test of the year. That is why you have to take the Razorbacks and four in this one.

South Carolina at Kentucky (+4.5) - Steve Spurrier has never lost to Kentucky. Even if South Carolina has to come down from the high of beating a No. 1-ranked team, I guarantee that the Ol’ Ball Coach knows that this streak exists and doesn’t want it to end. The Gamecocks have managed to hold down two of the best offenses in the SEC this season in Auburn and Bama last week. Expect the same with the high-powered Kentucky offense, which might be limping in with Derrick Locke on the sidelines. Take South Carolina and lay the points.

Mississippi State at Florida (-7.5) - Oh Florida. I chose you to cover against Alabama and you got steamrolled. I chose you to win a close one against LSU and you let scatterbrained Les Miles pull out some trickeration on you. So what team are you? With Mississippi State’s balanced attack, are you going to be able to key on one thing on defense and pray it doesn’t hurt you. Are you going to have to win a shootout? Florida, speak to me, tell me who you really are?

Silence huh? Well, fine.

I think you can win this game, but you have been so nuts this season, I am going with the Bulldogs to cover. See how you like that. Last time I did that to you, you lost. Go ahead, see if you can blow them out.

So yes, I am going with Mississippi State and the points. But don’t expect that to change our relationship in any way.

Mississippi at Alabama (-20.5) - Here is who you don’t want to be this week: Houston Nutt, or Jeremiah Masoli, or Mississippi in general. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe that Nick Saban, Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram are going to enact a certain measure of revenge on the Rebs (Rebel Black Bears that is)?

You want proof?

How about this quote from Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower:

“We haven’t had this feeling in a long time and we don’t want it again.”

So there is absolutely nothing in my mind to keep these guys from scoring and scoring often against Mississippi. This could get ugly.

Take Bama even with the ginormous line.

Patsy Party: LSU figures out how badly they have to mismanage a game to let McNeese State keep it close.

Lazy Saturday: Tennessee licks its wounds

Southern Exposure went 3-4 last week to bring its record to 24-20-1 on the season.

Posted October 16, 2010 9:45 AM