Week Seven

Pretty great weekend of college football if you ask me. I know I picked Mississippi State to beat Florida but I don't really know if I truly believed it would happen. As I was watching in the 4th quarter I couldn't believe we are actually dominating the line of scrimmage against "better athletes" and about to pull the upset. What a great win for Mississippi State! Dan Mullen is an excellent coach and I'm glad he's at State. Now the athletic department needs to begin preparations for his raise. Even if we fall flat on our face and go 6-6 he should go from $1.2 to 1.5, win 7 raise it to 1.75, win 8 then 2 mil, 9 games go to 2.5 mil. And if he does the unthinkable and goes 10-2 then go all the way to $3 million because there will be head hunters from all over the country attacking Starkville. But before I start talking about how we finish I'm so happy we beat Florida, on the road especially, and it gives validity to the program and sets up the potential for a very memorable season.

In other news, I have to say that there is no doubt right now that Cameron Newton is far and away the best player in the country. It is not even close. The much heralded Terrelle Pryor, who has the game size and tools as Newton is soft, while Newton is tough..running over defensive backs like they are nothing. I'm not willing to say he is as tough as Tebow was or has the leadership qualities, be he is faster and more lethal of a weapon with his elusiveness.

I should have gone with my gut on the Kentucky pick, I knew that would happen...I just thought losing Derrick Locke would hurt too bad, but it didn't and Joker Philips got his first big win. I still think South Carolina will win the east and they will probably win the rest of their games to end 10-2. I knew Ohio State would lose because they are soft, they play like Jim Tressel looks...nice and they don't want to get dirty. After Nebraska said all offseason they were going to pound Texas they come out with that poor performance at home? What a joke. I went 5-1 in the SEC and 3-3 nationally. So that's 44-12 in the SEC and 25-17 nationally so far this year. Week 7 Power Poll:

1. Auburn, 7-0 (4-0) - I don't think anyone right now would argue with this. There are some major questions for their defense but I don't think that should affect them next week with LSU's mediocre offense coming to town. But that game will be HUGE nationally and in the SEC West race.

2. Alabama, 6-1 (3-1) - They got the job done against Ole Miss but they weren't overly impressive. They don't seem like the hunted anymore but they are very very dangerous there lurking in the bushes.

3. LSU, 7-0 (4-0) - After week 5 Les Miles is an idiot, then after week 6 he's a genius, so after a week 7 where he struggled vs. McNeese State and Mississippi State beat Florida in the Swamp as well, I'm sure he's back to being an idiot in the national view. All I know is they keep winning, we'll see if they can do it on the Plains next week.

4. Mississippi State, 5-2 (2-2) - Woohoo! That's right, #4! And I'm completely justified in this because State's only two losses are to undefeated Top 10 teams and they have won on the road twice and one of those wins was against Florida. Something neither South Carolina nor Arkansas has done so far this year.

5. South Carolina, 4-2 (2-2) - They fell into the trap at Kentucky but they are still a good team, just need to take care of business next week at Vanderbilt...the SEC East is still at hand.

6. Arkansas, 4-2 (1-2) - I thought Tyler Wilson's performance stepping in for Ryan Mallett was phenomenal. I was wondering why Bobby Petrino was smiling in his interview coming out of halftime, but I know now he knew he had a great backup quarterback. The Hogs are in good shape still to make a run at a Cotton Bowl bid.

7. Florida, 4-3 (2-3) - The Gators couldn't have an off week at a better time. They are a very talented team but they aren't playing up to their potential. We'll see how they bounce back in two weeks for the world's largest outdoor cocktail party.

8. Kentucky, 4-3 (1-3) - Beating South Carolina was a nice win for the Wildcats, battle for the 8th position next week hosting UGA. Great clutch play on 4th down for the go-ahead score. Mike Hartline is the most underrated player in the SEC this year.

9. Georgia, 3-4 (2-3) - After demolishing Vandy I move them down one spot, but that is because Kentucky deserves to be ahead right now with a win over a good team. They've got two straight beatdowns of opponents between the Hedges. It looks like they have regrouped and if they can string some wins together their season will be saved.

10. Ole Miss, 3-4 (1-2) - The Black Bears have an average team this year and will have to scratch, fight and claw their way to 6 wins if they want to get to a bowl. That should be easy for a bear to do but since they are really an old man at heart I'm not sure they can get it done.

11. Tennessee, 2-4 (0-3) - Good week for Tennessee, no loss and Vandy got beat so bad they were knocked out of the cellar.

12. Vanderbilt, 2-4 (1-2) - They looked pretty bad in Athens on Saturday. Anytime you get beat 43-0 you don't deserve much other than last place.

My Top 5:

1. Boise State, 6-0
2. Oregon, 6-0
3. Auburn, 7-0
4. TCU, 7-0
5. Alabama, 6-1/Oklahoma, 6-0

Oregon doesn't get my top spot because they have played one tough game and one kind of tough game...same as Boise State, and since I think Boise is better plus they beat Oregon in '08 and '09 I give them the edge. Auburn has played 5 good teams, they have the best player in the nation and would be #1 except that all their games have been very close and could've gone either way and I'm not sure they could beat the Top 2 teams, but if they beat LSU they will likely be #1 for their ability to consistently beat really good teams. TCU has been crushing teams but none of them are very good, it will take another absolutely dominate performance vs. Air Force next week for me to move them up. Alabama still makes the Top 5 because I think they are just as good as anyone and their only loss came on the road vs. their 3rd straight ranked conference opponent. Oklahoma is #1 in the BCS but barely crack my Top 5 because they barely escaped Utah State, Air Force, Cincinnati, and Texas...which are much less teams than the ones Auburn is escaping from.

I'm sad the Falcons lost, but oh well, I almost expected it. In the NFL the difference between physical skills is so small that is comes down to who wants it more. The Falcons were on the road, and being 4-1 they had some cause to relax. The Eagles are a good team who needed a win to stay with the Giants. The good news is 6 of the last 10 games are at home where I believe Matt Ryan is 14-1 in his career.

Too bad the Braves had to lose in the first round of the playoffs. But I will take Mississippi State winning at the Swamp in lieu of that every time! I am rooting for the Rangers the rest of the way out since they have Mitch Moreland and Jeff Franceour. I was 3 of 4 on my first round predictions...if I wouldn't have gone with my heart I would've been 4 of 4.

JB