Topics for Discussion // 10.03.09
by cocknfire on Oct 3, 2009 11:58 PM EDT
in Football
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Which game will go further to deciding the SEC West Championship: Alabama-LSU or the Iron Bowl? It's debatable whether the Bayou Bengals will even be undefeated in the SEC when they go to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 7. They might be the most controversial Top 5 team in recent memory -- well, aside from Ole Miss a few weeks ago, anyway. Meanwhile, Auburn looks like a serious player for the division title, even if the Tennessee game shows they're not quite as good as they've looked the last four weeks.
More important to his team: Montario Hardesty or A.J. Green? Hardesty had two of the Vols' three TDs -- one rushing, one receiving -- and was essentially the best thing Tennessee had all night long. He averaged 4.3 yards on 21 rushes and 18.7 yards on three receptions. Meanwhile, Green's 99 yards receiving were more yards of offense than any other skill position player outside of Joe Cox. And, let's face it -- Georgia has more to play for this year.
When will Tennessee win its first SEC game this year? Is it possible that the Vols could go winless in conference this year? The rest of the schedule is Georgia next week, at Alabama on Oct. 24, South Carolina on Oct. 31, at Ole Miss on Nov. 14, then Vanderbilt and at Kentucky the next two weeks.
Is Ole Miss back to being relevant? That's 397 yards of offense in a 23-7 win over Vanderbilt -- which, I'd remind you, is just as good a job as LSU did against the Commodores. Jevan Snead wasn't great, gaining 7.0 yards per passing attempting and throwing 3 TDs and 3 INTs. But Shay Hodge's 122 yards receiving and a 160-yard performance by the ground game led the Rebels to the win.
Better odds of going to a bowl: Kentucky or Arkansas? Will either of them go? The Wildcats have their second straight awful game against one of the top-tier programs in the SEC, leading to plenty of questions about whether Old Kentucky has returned. Arkansas, meanwhile, has a good enough game against dubious Texas A&M to potentially reignite the "much improved" hype from the preseason.
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- At this point it looks like the Iron Bowl, but Auburn’s schedule is heavily back-loaded; the Eagles/Tigers/whatsits could be the last team in the conference to reveal their true capacity.
- Hardesty. Green’s the better player, but UGA has considerably more surrounding talent, including a competent quarterback.
- Tennessee could go 0-6, but 0-8? I’d be surprised if Hardesty, Berry et al can’t manage at least one win against Kentucky and Vandy. (You’ll recall that a limping UT with a lame-duck coach stumbled into that stretch at 3-7 last year – against Cats and Dores teams both bowl-bound – and promptly won both. And UT 2009 is really just UT 2008, only louder. Cue “Max Power way” joke.)
- Well, the slide into irrelevance is arrested. Snead’s not going to get away with three picks against better teams.
- Arky’s schedule is slightly stiffer – the Hogs will probably need one clear upset, besides taking care of business as a favourite. Kentucky could be a favourite as many as five times, though a couple of those are probably toss-ups, so holding serve could be enough. I say yes for the Cats (barely) and no for the Hogs (ditto) – but next week’s answer is not guaranteed to be the same.
by peachy rex on Oct 4, 2009 9:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
1. Iron Bowl, right now Auburn is looking like a team that can be an LSU squad that can’t find it’s rhythm. LSU probably will lose next week to UF, to ALA and to AU.
2. A.J. Green, UGA can’t win in the SEC without him, UT hasn’t won in the SEC with Hardesty.
3. UT could win any of their last three. I don’t think they have what it takes to beat UGA, ALA, or USC.
4. Ole Miss is relevant next week for the first half, once they lose to ALA they will no longer be a factor in the SEC since they don’t play UF this year.
5. Hogs have a better chance since they have the better offense. Kentucky just hasn’t put together a game against an SEC opponent so far.
by brandond03 on Oct 4, 2009 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'll take a go.
1. Iron Bowl, at least for right now. Auburn looks to be a better team than LSU, which really was given the victory last night by the officials and one of the least clutch defensive performances I’ve ever seen by Georgia in the final minute. Auburn, on the other hand, looks like a fairly complete team.
2. Hard to say. Georgia has more weapons, so in a sense, Green isn’t as important to his team as Hardesty. Tennessee really has very little on offense, so they have to rely pretty heavily on Hardesty and Bryce Brown. Green is more of a game breaker, though.
3. Tennessee will beat Vandy and probably Kentucky. Other than that, they’re in trouble. They may be capable of upsetting USC or UGA, but it’s unlikely. ‘Bama is going to slaughter them.
4. No, Ole Miss didn’t really play all that well against a terrible team. This Vandy team is probably the worst in recent memory. That win didn’t mean anything significant. The Rebels have to prove they can beat good teams, such as Auburn, LSU, or ‘Bama. I expect they’ll win one or two of those games, but I don’t think they’re going to challenge for a division title.
5. Hogs. They may get an upset somewhere along the way in a shootout.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Oct 4, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Tennessee loses all of their SEC games except to Vandy.
FIRE BRUCE BOCHY NOW!!!!!!
AND TAKE BRIAN SABEAN WITH HIM!!!!!
by 49er16 on Oct 4, 2009 11:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I disagree with this
—I think Tennessee will beat Vandy and Kentucky. Let’s not forget that Kentucky is not particularly good at football, and hasn’t beaten Tennessee since I believe the Carter administration.
—I am certain that Bama will dispatch of Tennessee with relative ease
—I think it a reasonable possibility that Tennessee beats one of Scarolina or UGA.
—I would be very surprised if Tennessee lost to all of Scarolina, UGA, and Ole Miss. I think they will get one win out of those games. Two wins is not outside the realm of possibility, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
—And I think Tennessee beats Memphis.
In other words:
-Like Scenario: 6-6
-Best case scenario for Vols: 7-5 (but I wouldn’t bet on this).
1) The Iron Bowl. Auburn looks way better than LSU right now.
2) Green. Hardesty is very good. But the dropoff from Hardesty to Brown is not as significant as the dropoff from Green to UGA’s #2 receiver (I don’t even know who it is).
3) Scarolina. And no it is not possible that Tennessee go winless in the SEC this year. I realize that Tennessee is not particularly good. But, at the very least, they will beat Kentucky and Vandy.
4) No. Bama will crush them.
5) Arkansas. Kentucky is not particularly good at football.
_______________________________
Eric Berry is better at football than you.
by kidbourbon on Oct 5, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Auburn is going to lose 3-4 before the Iron Bowl
That secondary is just plain bad; UT wasn’t able to capitalize on it…but WVU was and so was Ball State. Arkansas ends the brief run in the top 25.
"Hollywood made a movie of my life. The film had me proposing to my wife on the football field. I would never misuse a football field that way." -Crazy Legs Hirsch
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 5, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Even with the picks...WVU moved the ball at will.
"Hollywood made a movie of my life. The film had me proposing to my wife on the football field. I would never misuse a football field that way." -Crazy Legs Hirsch
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 5, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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