Today's S.E.C. PICKS

Now it REALLY starts. After a surprisingly easy win over Arkansas, The Crimson Tide rolls into Athens for a big game on ESPN on the national stage for the second time this season. ESPN's Gameday crew will be on hand for the Georgia game to hype/promote/report/jump on the bandwagon. (As an aside, to see some of the best ESPN Gameday signs held up behind the set go to http://www.bustedcoverage.com/?p=7340 . And yes, I suggest you look up the meaning to any words about Corso style reference!)

Last year, an under-manned heavy underdog Alabama took a young Bulldog squad to the wire, losing in overtime. The young squad of Saban recruits this year have kicked it up a notch, and are seemingly putting it together earlier than anticipated. We match up pretty well on both sides, and this looks to be a great contest with several great matchups all over. It will be exciting, but I think The Tide will be ready. The Dawgs will be unable to top Mount Cody, and I think we will see some different offensive looks from Bama. We should be able to pressure their quarterback enough to make up for the height advantage they have over our speedy defensive backs. Again, we should see something different. Tide rolls, moves into Top 5.
ALABAMA 31, Georgia 20

Okay, now to the rest of the Conference:

auburn faces tennessee in a freakish orange clash which the tigers/plainsmen/war-eagles (MAKE UP YOUR F*****G MIND!) should prevail. Another nail-biter. cow college 14, vols 7

KENTUCKY 34, Western Kentucky 10 Kentucky should break into the Top 25.

Gamecocks get much-needed practice. Spurrier may finally get to see his offense play close to what he envisions. SOUTH CAROLINA 31, UAB 14

LSU 45, Mississippi State 14 Tigers are too much for these Bulldogs.

In a make-up game from a hurricane delay, the Arkansas Razorbacks travel to take on the Texas Longhorns. I don't think the Hogs are as bad as Bama made them look last week, and some of their mistakes will be corrected. This one, surprisingly, will be closer than many people think. Texas 21, Arkansas 20

Ole Miss IS steadily improving and Nutt has a few tricks up his sleeve, but I don't think the Rebels will be able to sneak up on Florida this time. They always play the Gators tough and took them to the wire last year, but I believe it will end up Florida 45, Mississipi 17

Nationally, Penn State should top Illinois 28-10. They say Joe Paterno has one foot in the grave, but if that's the case he has the other one on somebody's throat!

On a side note, I was shocked--SHOCKED-- that once again the highly-touted 'possibly-the-greatest-team-in-college-football-history-EVER' USC Trojans were upset by the OREGON STATE BEAVERS. I was honestly surprised, but it has happened before. And it is quite satisfying after hearing the hype annually about how invincible Southern Cal is.