Week Five

While I was watching the clock run down to the final seconds and Jordan Jefferson was lost and had no clue what to do I couldn't help but think how dumb he is and how awful a coach Les Miles is. How do you send a player on the field to run the ball and not have him prepared in case you don't get in the endzone? Les Miles is a terrible coach but his clock management skills aren't even good enough for pee wee football. In 2007 against Auburn he let the clock go down to nothing and they got totally lucky when Matt Flynn threw a touchdown as time ran out when all they needed was a field goal and if they don't score that touchdown the game is over. I don't know if Miles doesn't ever practice this stuff or just doesn't care because he's so cocky they will make it. LSU has boatloads of talent and that is the only reason that win any games, and right now they may be the worst 5-0 team ever. I fully expect LSU to lose 4 of their last 7 games and Les Miles to lose his job.

Florida has taken a big step back from where they were the last two years. Alabama is a great team and that game was in Tuscaloosa but the Gators did not play well at all...I guess that offensive explosion against Kentucky was really due to UK's poor defense than Florida getting back on track. Next week's LSU at Florida game looks to be a battle of most talented yet inept offenses in the country. Ohio State almost lost, and they don't impress me so I'm moving them out of my top 5. Oregon does impress me, Chip Kelly is a solid coach. I think Michigan State has to be commended as well for beating a good team without their head coach. And I've got to laugh at Colorado fans for storming the field after beating a 1-4 Georgia team...seriously? I had a mediocre week with the picks going 4-3 in the SEC and 4-2 nationally. So that's 33-10 in the SEC and 19-11 nationally. Here's my SEC power rankings Week 5:

1. Alabama, 5-0 (2-0) - Not much needs to be said about Bama, they are solid to the core.

2. Auburn, 5-0 (2-0) - Auburn is hard nosed, battle-tested, senior-laden, and they have a favorable schedule down the stretch leading up to the iron bowl. Things are looking really good on the plains right now.

3. Arkansas, 3-1 (1-1) - I'm moving them up one spot even though they didn't play because they are a good team and Alabama creaming Florida makes the tough test they game them look more impressive.

4. Florida, 4-1 (1-1) - What is Florida right now? Are they even a top 20 team? I'm not sure and I don't know if they'll ever get it together. Huge game vs. LSU next week which could determine the path of their season.

5. LSU, 5-0 (3-0) - I don't truly believe they are the 5th best team in the SEC but they beat Mississippi State and they have played and beaten better competition than South Carolina so here they are. Somehow they have survived to this point and actually have the best SEC record. It's just a matter of time before everything crumbles.

6. South Carolina, 3-1 (1-1) - I hope they settled things at quarterback during this off week because they are going to need stability and turnover free football to upset Alabama next week. Huge game.

7. Mississippi State, 3-2 (1-2) - I feel great about the position State is in right now, they have positioned themselves well for a good bowl game and there is potential for a great season. They are a very solid #7.

8 - 12. Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Vanderbilt - This entire group is a mess of teams that hasn't been able to prove anything. Georgia is having a terrible season and way underperforming. Tennessee has played good and bad but they make tons of mistakes and aren't a very good football team. Kentucky has the worst defense in the SEC and after a promising start are playing terrible in the SEC. Vanderbilt is just Vanderbilt, they're not that good but playing hard. Ole Miss has bounced back pretty well the last two weeks but still hasn't really played anyone and has two bad losses on their record. This whole group is very distant from everyone else right now.

My national Top 5 looks like this:

1. Alabama, 5-0
2. Boise State, 4-0
3. Nebraska, 4-0
4. Oregon, 5-0
5. TCU, 5-0/Auburn, 5-0

Three weeks ago I thought the Braves would have to go 12-6 in the final 18 games to make the playoffs but they managed to go 9-9 and still make it in! I'm really happy they are in and they think they stand a great chance to make it past the Giants. It is quite a different feeling to watch the baseball playoffs when the Braves are involved, one I haven't felt since 2005 and I'm looking forward to Thursday.

JB