Thursday, September 14, 2006

WHO'S GOT GAME?

We will learn a lot more on Saturday. Here are my picks and my attempt to redeem my 2-2 performance from last week.

LSU at AUBURN
Will Auburn kicker, John Vaughn, have an opportunity to redeem himself after his performance in Red Stick last year when he missed a fistful of field goals? Will LSU Coach Les Miles do something supremely goofy and provide bloggers with great material for the next week or longer? One of these teams will remain in the BCS hunt and gain the inside track to Atlanta. Both teams have posted points worthy of good basketball competition. Both defenses have been stingy, physical and inhospitable to their opponents. The home team has won 6 straight. HDD thinks Kenny Irons and the WarTigerPlainsEagleMen will play the Georgia fight song in triumph this Saturday. Auburn 20-LSU 14.

FLORIDA at TENNESSEE
There will be a lot of balls in the air at General Neyland Stadium as two excellent passing attacks square off in the Meteor Game. Florida people are happy with how the offense has scored points in bunches and have been smitten by freshman receiver Percy Harvin. Chris Leake and crew will face a depleted Volunteer defense who lost the services of two key starters in the USAFA game. The Florida defense is stout against the run and safety Reggie Nelson is a gamer. Can Erik Ainge connect with Robert Meachem enough to hang an L on the Gators? It will be tough, even on Rocky Top, where Florida got robbed two years ago. HHD will be rooting for the Meteor, but expecting the reptiles to take Smoky on a deathroll. Florida 27-Tennessee 16.

MICHIGAN at NOTRE DAME
By bitch-slapping Penn State out of the Top 20, the Domers made an impressive recovery after laying an egg in Atlanta the opening week. Defense seems to be the surprise of the early season in South Bend. Quinn and crew found their rythym last week. Michigan stinks in road openers. Notre Dame may not win the Michigan state championship this year, but they should get past the Maize and Blue in a close one. Notre Dame 24-Michigan 20.

MIAMI at LOUISVILLE
A few years ago, nobody would pick Louisville to beat Miami. These days, the Cardinal are an en vogue pick. I am too old school. Miami 26-Louisville 21,

NEBRASKA at SOUTHERN CAL
As if. USC 45 - Nebraska 17.

OKLAHOMA at OREGON
Hmmm. In my opinion, Oregon is the better team. But Adrian Peterson can win this game with a spectacular performance. Something tells me that the Ducks want this one so much that they will play tight. I am not comfortable with this pick, but HDD sees RED. Oklahoma 27 - Oregon 21.

ARIZONA STATE at COLORADO
I will pretend that I am picking this one because the Buffs are the Dawgs' next opponent. However, the truth is I want to pad my results with a sure win. Colorado is a terrible. If I was the AD, I would have fired the entire football staff after they lost by 70 points to Texas in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. Then I would have fired them again for losing to Montana State. I would then put in charge the coach from the winner of the sorority powder-puff championship game. The Sun Devils will score 50 and then next week the Dawgs will score 50, then Missouri and so on. Colorado may not win but one game this year. How can they not recruit well with the perks they have? ASU 50 - Colorado 10.

NAVY at STANFORD
Navy struggled to outlast UMass last week. Stanford failed against San Jose State. Stanford gives up 500 yards per game. If Navy runs for 300, they win. If Navy can get some consistent play from one of their quarterbacks and not put the ball on the ground, Navy will win. Stanford will get yards and points through the air, but will it be enough? I hope not. Navy 28 - Stanford 27.

UAB at GEORGIA
The Blazers put a scare into Oklahoma in the first week. They put a scare into Georgia in 2003 in a 16-13 game when the Dawgs ran out of defensive linemen. Matthew Stafford gets his first start and hopefully will have benefited from a full week of getting all of the reps with the first team. The Dawgs Defense will do Erk Russell proud again this week as they smother UAB's offense. The Dawgs will move the ball equally on the ground and in the air, but it will be the second half before the points begin to mount. The Dawgs will take a smallish half-time lead and turn it into a second half rout. Georgia 38 - UAB 6.


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