Week 8

Ole Miss vs Georgia- Ole Miss is sitting at 6-0 the last time they went 7-0 in a season was in 2022 and they ended up going just 8-5 after getting destroyed by LSU, they were never able to recover. The last time the Rebels were at 8-0 was in 1962 and they won the sugar Bowl with a 10-0 record. This UM team is a bit different than the ’22 squad. First off, they have already beaten their nemesis, LSU. For some reason the Bayou Tigers have a terrible habit of ruining Ole Miss’s season. Now the Rebs are guided by QB Trinidad Chambliss who has a habit of catching fire, he’s thrown for 1,200 yards, six TDs and just one INT and that is just over the last four games. This offense produces over 500 yards per game and they play at a very fast pace, and that keeps defenses on their heels. This is going to work out great for Ole Miss because Georgia has a terrible problem of putting in pressure on opposing QB’s. It is highly doubtful that UGA is going to stop this offense. That being said, the Rebels did not have a good outing against Washington State last week. They were projected to walk all over the Cougars, but they didn’t, the Rebels still won the game but it was the sloppiest they’ve played all season. Maybe just maybe they were looking ahead to this game. Georgia is not the dominate Bulldog team they were supposed to be. They got lucky against the ugly orange team ( tennessee), they played from behind the entire game against Alabama, their only loss and last week against Auburn, even I have to admit there were some serious questionable calls in that game that allowed UGA to come back and win it, and I hate Auburn but facts are facts, without those calls UGA loses. In the first half, Georgia couldn’t stop Auburn no way no how and not only that they couldn’t move the ball against them either. However, after those calls, HC Kirby Smart, the master of second half adjustments was able to get his team to mount a big time come back and win the game. Auburn helped in that as well as they forgot how to complete a pass. Under no circumstances can the Dawgs allow Ole Miss to get a two-score lead, no way, no how, HC Smart is great at making adjustments but if Ole Miss gets going it is highly doubtful there will be any sort of a comeback. Ole Miss is on fire right now, red hot, and they want this game, they need this game. Taking down LSU and Georgia in one season well that hasn’t been done since 1962 way before I was even born. The Rebels are the pick to win, which should make my brother very happy.

tennessee vs Alabama -   The Vols come into Tuscaloosa with some serious questions. Yes, they are just 5-1 but their last two games raised some eyebrows. They had a tough loss to Georgia which in all honesty they should have won, a good kick and the game was theirs. But since that game they have not looked sharp. They needed overtime against Mississippi State, and last week against Arkansas they just couldn’t put the Hogs away and allowed them to mount a comeback that almost cost them the game. ut needs their running game to function at a high level for them to win, and it just so happens that it takes a quarter or two for Alabama’s defense to adjust and stop anyone’s running game. So, at least the first half tenn has a chance of getting a lot of yards on the ground. QB Joey Aguilar has been a bit of a surprise, the Vols were very weak at that position and Aguilar came in and has performed rather well. He has moments of being inconsistent during the game but when he is on point he is very good. The Defense of the Vols needs work. They haven’t been able to shut down anyone all season, they even let Mississippi State which doesn’t like to run the ball to get over 200 yards rushing. With the tennessee defense performing like a shive instead of a wall that is not going to go well against the Tide. Alabama is facing yet another top 25 team, this makes their fourth game in a row of ranked teams. Anyone else in the nation pulled that? Anyone? The answer is no, as a matter-of-fact Alabama will play more ranked teams this season then Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana combined! Alabama comes into this game with the best passing game in the nation and with the best QB Ty Simpson. Who by the way didn’t like the fact that the Crimson Tide offense couldn’t put Missouri away last week and on Monday this kid called the entire offense together and even though no one will say what was said, Simpson apparently tore into them for not living up to the Alabama standard. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Last year the Tide lost to the ugly colored team, and that doesn’t sit well with us spoiled fans, losing to ut is not and never has been acceptable and its not now. If this Alabama team wants revenge like its fan base wants revenge then the vols don’t stand a chance. The biggest weakness for the Tide right now, and this hurts to say, but it’s the defense. They start off very slow, and allow teams to move the ball at will, they do get their act together later on in the game, but they just can’t do that on Saturday. They’ve got to come out of the gate with a vengeance. They need to become the Crimson Tide, and just flood that backfield, disrupt the vols timing don’t let them get comfortable with their offense. The way the Bama offense has been playing, they’ll eat up plenty of time on the clock to cool the heels of tenn offense, if the defense can force some early three and outs, it will change the entire game.  Alabama is going to win this game, it’s more than likely going to be a high scoring game with both teams throwing haymakers at the other, but Bama’s defense can stop people they just don’t do it the entire game. That will make for the Alabama faithful to be the ones smoking cigars at the end.

Utah vs BYU – for the first time since 2009 both teams come into this game ranked in the top 25, and both of them are in the running for the Big 12 title. Yet both fan bases are a bit uneasy. BYU sits at 6-0 but there are some that just aren’t buying them as a major factor because they needed comebacks against Colorado and Arizona which has left doubt hanging over this team. Last week Utah needed only seven complete passes to beat Arizona State, the Utes ground game was so good, they didn’t need to do anything else. Even QB Dampier got into the act of running as he ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns. Utah has looked good most of the season, they did not perform well against Texas Tech, it was honestly embarrassing how bad they did. Since that game they’ve recovered. If they are able to open that rushing attack against BYU like they did last week, this Holy War game is going to go to the Utes very quickly. BYU is undefeated at the moment, but the odd’s makers, whoever they are, just aren’t buying this team as they’re not even giving the Cougars home field advantage. Last week against Arizona BYU didn’t score in the 2^nd or 3^rd quarters and they had to mount a comeback late in the fourth to force overtime and then win the game in 2^nd overtime. The Mormon Cougars rely on their rushing attack, they believe in pounding the ball as much as possible. Their workhorse this year has been RB Martin who last week carried the ball 25 times for 162 yards. If BYU can keep the ball away from the Utes and control the clock they’ll have a great chance of winning. Both teams have struggled with passing the ball, BYU gets hot when they have to come from behind but not until then. Both defenses have had great moments and then not so great moments. This is going to be a very run dominated game, and whoever makes the least mistakes is going to win. Utah cannot afford to lose this game, BYU can, so the Utes backs are up against the wall which should give them more of an edge. Utah is the pick to win.

Short Smokes

LSU is not going to have it easy with Vanderbilt, they’ll more than likely win but it won’t be easy

Duke is going to get stung by Georgia Tech

Washington vs Michigan should be a good game with the Huskies coming out on top

Boston College is not having a good year and it’s not going to improve against UConn

Arizona is a better team than Houston

Army should win against Tulane but the Green Wave is very good and they could pull out the victory

Oklahoma has no choice but to recover against South Carolina if they don’t their season is done

West “By Golly” Virginia will not enjoy their trip to Florida as they take on UCF

Purdue vs Northwestern in the battle of the eggheads, going to go with Northwestern

Ohio State is going to walk all over Wisconsin and it will not be pretty

Indiana is not going to slip up against Michigan State

Texas A&M normally has trouble against Arkansas but not this year. Gotta keep the Daughter smiling.

There is no telling what Clemson team is going to show up against SMU

Texas Tech is on a tear and they’re going to continue this run against Arizona State

Memphis is still undefeated and UAB isn’t equipped to stop these Tigers

Mississippi State should beat Florida…should

Oregon got a wake up call against Indiana and Rutgers is going to pay the price

Virginia will continue their surprise season against Washington State

Texas makes a trip to Kentucky and they’ll leave as the winners

Penn State has given up on their season and Iowa is going to take advantage of it by beating them

UCLA is on a two game streak but it’ll end against Maryland

Notre Dame has lost to every ranked team they have played this season and that will continue against USC

Pitt vs Syracuse is a toss up

Missouri vs Auburn is going to be a smash up game with Auburn looking for redemption and Missouri looking to regain their status

The late game will feature Florida State doing their best not to continue their downward fall against Stanford.