Rivalry Weekend 2012

If there's one thing we know about here at 365SIO, it's rivalry games. That's what started this blog in the first place. Of course, the rivalry that berthed this site hasn't been much more than a one-sided slaughter for the past few years, but I digress.

This week is full of interesting matchups and storylines, but I think it’s safe to assume that there are three or four games that will be getting the majority of the attention. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up.

Florida –Florida St.

No. 5 Florida will travel to Tallahassee to take on No. 10 Florida St. in a game that could have BCS Championship implications should chaos rear its ugly head at any point in the remainder of the season. The Seminoles don’t have a shot at getting to the big game, but a win for the Gators is essential to putting them in prime position to play for it all should a couple of other teams go down in the coming weeks. A loss by top-ranked Notre Dame this weekend would move No. 2 Alabama up a spot, followed by Georgia, and leave the Gators sitting pretty at No. 3. From there, Florida would be poised to slip into the second BCS title game slot after the SEC Championship, when either the Crimson Tide or the Bulldogs go down. Another all-SEC BCS title game probably isn’t what the rest of the country wants to see, but at this point, it is a possibility. However, the Gators already weak offense will continue to stall this weekend, when quarterback issues become a factor. I like the Seminoles to pull off the victory, thereby eliminating the chance of another SEC monopoly in the title game.

Alabama- Auburn

The Iron Bowl returns to Tuscaloosa this week, but the game won’t be what everyone is talking about come Monday morning. The Tide will be too much for the Tigers, and the latter will finish the season out with no conference wins. I don’t expect coach Gene Chizik to be retained after this season, and a blowout in Tuscaloosa could speed the process up significantly.

Georgia-Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s quirky offense makes it an unusual game to prepare for, but the Bulldogs are two victories away from the BCS Championship game. This one might seem close for the first half, but Georgia will adjust and end up cruising to victory.

That leaves one more game to talk about.

Notre Dame – USC

The Fighting Irish will travel to sunny California to take on the pre-season No.1 USC Trojans. After several disappointing losses, can USC have gotten any further away from competing for the championship? While a victory here would do little to make up for what has become an incredibly disappointing season, an upset of No. 1 Notre Dame this weekend would go a long way in cooling the ever intensifying heat of Lane Kiffin’s coaching seat. Last week I would have picked USC to get the win, but since QB Matt Barkley went down with a shoulder injury against UCLA, I've flipped my pick to the Irish. USC will make it a competitive venture, but inexperience at the QB position will eventually be the deciding factor.

That’s all for now folks.

Until next time, Roll Tide.

One Week Makes All the Difference

When Texas A&M knocked off No.1 Alabama last week in Tuscaloosa, SEC fans across the country saw their conferences aspirations for a seventh consecutive BCS title game appearance fade away. As the Aggies exited Bryant-Denny Stadium to a chorus of chants uplifting Johnny Football and his team's upset of the top ranked team in the land, the SEC's unprecedented streak of six straight BCS championships had apparently come to an end.

Fast forward seven days, and the conference with six straight titles has been given new life. It was a long shot, but did anyone ever think that both the BCS No.1 and 2 would go down and give the SEC another chance at making history?

Well, that's exactly what happened when the unranked Baylor Bears thrashed No.1 Kansas St. 52-24 and the Stanford Cardinal upset the No.2 Oregon Ducks in overtime 17-14. Maybe CBS commentator Gary Danielson shouldn't have cursed the Ducks last week when he made the remark that he could see the Oregon head coach smiling all the way from Tuscaloosa, as the Aggies managed a 4th quarter goal line stand and defeated the Crimson Tide 29-24. I for one, thank you Mr. Danielson.

So what now? How about an Alabama - Notre Dame BCS championship game? It would mark the 40 year anniversary since the two played for title, and I cannot think of a more tradition filled atmosphere than what that potential game would offer. Two of the top teams of all time squaring off once again for all the marbles.

But, it's still a little early for such talk. Alabama has still got to get by a struggling Auburn team and then defeat a resurgent Georgia Bulldogs squad that has seemingly been firing on all cylinders since their embarrassing loss to South Carolina earlier in the year.

Then there's Notre Dame. The Irish will travel to the Coliseum next week to take on a depleted USC team that may be without it's starting quarterback.

What does all this add up to? Well, it means that chaos is only a game or two away from rearing it's ugly head once again.

Should Notre Dame lose to the Trojans, and should Alabama defeat Georgia in the SEC championship, would the Florida Gators be next in line and offer us another all SEC BCS title game? Well, Florida would have to get by Florida St. first, but it could happen. I can hear the rest of the country now, "Oh no, not again."

It's all too much for me to handle at this point, so I think it best to take the remainder of the season one game at a time.

Next up, the Iron Bowl.

Until then, Roll Tide!

Win Some, Lose Some, and the BCS Title Picture

Now that I've had a few days to digest the most recent loss for the Crimson Tide and I've cooled down a bit, I've decided to write a column that will hopefully be filled less with disgust and more with non-biased commentary, if I am indeed capable of such a feat.

So, big bad Alabama finally fell this past weekend to the then No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies came out strong, and had a 20-0 lead over the Tide by the close of the first quarter. I'm sure there were more than a few Crimson faithful who were covering their eyes at that point, but Alabama managed to make a game out of it in the end when they responded with 17 unasnwered points.

Of course we all know how the game ended. The Aggies pulled of the 29-24 upset of the No.1 team in the country and fixed permanent smiles across the faces of Oregon Duck fans everywhere.
The issue I find so hard to swallow is not that the Tide lost, but it's how they lost.
With about a minute left in the game, Alabama threatened to regain the lead after AJ McCarron hit Kenny Bell with a deep pass and set up first and goal from the six yard line. From then on, I was probably as confused as anybody.

Over the course of the next four plays, the Tide ran the ball only once. Even after McCarron scrambled to the two yard line on 2nd down, the Tide still deferred to the passing game. Call me crazy, but a team like Alabama, a team that prides itself on the power of its run game, abandoning the very asset that brought it to the dance just didn't sit well with me. Are you telling me that Eddie Lacy couldn't take advantage of that offensive line and pound his way for two yards into the endzone? Two yards!

Most people are saying it was over when the Tide took an off sides penalty shortly after giving the ball back to A&M, but in all honesty, in was over the second Alabama refused to run the ball. They were conceding that they could not fight for two yards on the ground against the Aggies.

In the aftermath, the SEC saw its BCS title hopes fade away. There will be no seventh straight for the most dominant conference in BCS history.

Sure, the possibility does still exist, but two of the top three teams need to lose and I don't forsee that happening. It's not because they're that good. Heavens no. It's because they don't play anyone, and for the most part, haven't all year.

Kansas State's best chance of a loss comes with a matchup against the Texas Longhorns. The probability of that upset happening are a long shot at best. Texas just doesn't have the experience.

Oregon will continue to roll through the Pac-12 unimpeded, and even with the obstacle of a conference title game looming, the Ducks will continue to put up ridiculous numbers. Razzle + Dazzle, no substance.

Notre Dame has by far the best chance of losing one of their remaining games, when they travel to the Coliseum to face the USC Trojans. Who'd have thought SEC faithful would be rooting for a Lane Kiffin coached team to pull of an upset so late in the season?

Still, even if Notre Dame falls to the Trojans, the SEC would still need one of the other aformentioned programs to faulter, and I just don't see it happening.

What does this all add up to? Well for me, it adds up to one hell of boring title game, as Oregon will steamroll Kansas St., and win their first BCS championship by at least 40 points.

Thank you Texas A&M. You played your heart out and that's all that can be expected in this great conference. Kudos to you. But know this, you are now a marked team, and Johnny Football has the bullseye squarely drawn across his back.

Unless your being coached by Les Miles, teams don't fair so well against Nick Saban the second time around.
Until next time, Roll Tide.

Happy Veteran's Day Sports Fans

Happy Veteran's Day to our prior and current service members. Above is a picture of me and my brother. A little Army/Navy rivalry does the family good. There is one thing we agree on: We both love Tennessee Football.

That's a picture of our family. My parents, my brother, his kids and his wife.

Today's post is about the present and the past. It's about what college football means to our service members.

Hawk and I disagree on sports matters. But when we were deployed it's what kept us at home. Our love of our teams is what gave us hope. It's what helped us get through every week. You can even say it's where our slogan here on 365 Saturday in October came from. Is it Saturday yet?

Every week we would count down the days until we could come back home to our loved ones. Come back home to the games we wanted to watch instead of the game the Armed Forces Network (AFN) decided to broadcast.

I remember the Third Saturday in October was set to air on AFN, but it was to be delayed. Hawk and I agreed not to check any scores or read any news so we could watch the game, trash talk and enjoy the event like it was happening live. Talk about a nightmare for a couple of guys who spent hours reading over every article we could get our hands on.

The time finally came for the game and our patience was to pay off. Then the AFN source feed, controlled in Texas, changed from sports to a religious program. You could imagine our horror. After calling every techie aboard the ship to try to get the game we finally took a look at the score. Of course, he was happy and I had to suffer another year of Bammer torment.

I tell you this to sum up how important sports are to those who are deployed. Not everyone has a professional sports team to cheer for. Just ask someone from Idaho. But all of us had our college teams.

College sports keeps us connected. With the states that are thousands of miles away. With the homes we left when we joined the military. With the traditions we grew up with. With the memories that help turn a day that would normally drag into a reminiscent comfort.

As a veteran, I am proud of those who have gone before me and made what we can do possible. They have ensured we can spend our Saturdays cheering our teams in the safe comfort of our homes.

Veterans like General Neyland who left his beloved Tennessee Vols in the peak of his coaching career to serve his country and help win the war.

So maybe you know someone who is deployed right now. Why not send them a little piece of home? A t-shirt, a hat, a DVD of their favorite football team. Believe me, it means the world to have that piece of home.

Until next time,

GO BIG ORANGE and HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!

-Dusty 
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class
USS George H.W. Bush

What just happened?

What just happened? I mean really? This is the same A&M team that lost to Florida and LSU. And here they are, in Tuscaloosa, coming up with the biggest win of their college lives.

You got to hand it to A&M. They played damn fine defense tonight. They played SEC caliber defense. Giving AJ MacCarron his first, and second, interception of the season. They played great offense against an amazing Bama defense.

And it all came down to an infraction of the neutral zone call in the end of the game. By the Tide. THE TIDE! The most disciplined team coached by the a man that puts the highest sense of respect on discipline shot themselves in the foot by jumping on the last chance to take home a win.

This is unbelievable. I am in some kind of shock.

As a Tennessee fan, you got to like seeing Bama getting a little humbling from time to time. But as an SEC fan, this is heartbreaking. We now have no undefeated teams left. We will probably miss a role in the National Championship. No seventh straight national championship. The rest of the country must be rejoicing right now.

Bittersweet.

Just a note to add: 

The Bear's last game coaching A&M was a loss too. To Tennessee.

Chalk another one up to bad coaching

 Tennessee beat Mizzou today. They had a far superior team. Sure, the defense sputtered in the second half, and sure Bray cracked a bit under pressure, but the fact is, Tennessee had the better team.

I really thought it would be the other way around. But sure enough, being a Tennessee fan watching the first half I was filled with hope. And it's like Bane said in the Dark Knight Rises, "There's a reason why this prison is the worst hell on earth... Hope."

Bad coaching was why the Vols lost. A team with such athleticism should be competing for the SEC championship, not trying to keep their head above water. But teams reflect coaches. And Tennessee was confused.

You don't let the clock run down in fourth quarter with Tyler Bray and the arsenal at his disposal coming onto the field... with over 40 seconds on the clock... and great field position.

The General has turned off his TV. He won't even roll over anymore.

Now we all wait for the Monday morning press conference. We'll sit around the threads all day, waiting for news. Hoping for a little red-headed luck to head our way.

Obi-wan Kenobi couldn't even help us now.

God have mercy on our orange souls.

Pregame Nov 9

It's IS Saturday, and what a day it is. A lot of lopsided games in the SEC today, so I'm going to talk about the two that are going to matter. To me anyway.
Mizzou @ Tennessee
This is the one it all comes down to for the Vols. With a win here, you show the Tigers who's boss and let the world know that Tennessee hasn't dropped to the standards of Kentucky. With a loss, Dooley goes bye-bye by Monday and the Vols are back at sqaure one while all the Big Orange faithful sleep with visions of Chucky dancing in their heads.
The fact is, Mizzou is the stronger team coming into Knoxville. Tigers QB, James Franklin, looks to be back to full health as Mizzou comes to Rocky Top and that will mean trouble for Sal Sunsari's lack-luster defense.
The Tigers have something to prove, and seem to be more driven than the Vols. Case and point: Last week's bare-knuckle-brawl with Florida/ last week's broadway musical with Troy.
Both the Tigers and Vols have a bowl game oppurtunity hanging by a thread, and a loss for either team spells d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r.
There is no doubt in my mind that Tennessee comes into this game with the better offense. They are a great running back shy of the best offensive unit in Tennessee history (going to hear an earful from the Manningites about that one). The offensive line is a thing of beauty. Brays arm is what NFL scouts drool over. And with all the targets he has to throw to (Patterson, Hunter, Rivera, ect) the receiving corp is as breathtaking as a clear autumn night high atop the Great Smoky Mountains.
But with a defense that can't stop a 50 year old Hershel Walker, the offensive unit is going to stuggle with daring come from behind victories that seem to never work in our favor.
If Derek Dooley really is responsible for our offense, and is now working more with the defense, we can only hope it, too, will turn to gold.
Tennessee has to put Mizzou in its place. For the sake of the SEC. It's a welcoming ceremony for the Tigers. And don't ever say we play "Old Man Football."
FINAL: 41-28 VOLS

Texas A&M @ Alabama
With last week's showing against Mississippi State, A&M proved they were well beyond the comparisons to a second teir SEC team. But they aren't yet quite a first teir either.
They have had tough losses against Flordia in week one (20-17 @home) and LSU (24-19 @home) and now they have to travel to the yellow hammer state to take on the best defense in college football. A&M right now is hanging in a strange SEC limbo, and a big upset win against Bama could be just the thing to push them to top.
There is a lot of speculation about how the hard-fought LSU game will affect Bama, but I think it's nonsense. This is the undefeated, defending national champions. Actually, that can't hold a candle to the fact that this a Nick Saban team. A football team reflects the attitude of the coach, and this team is nothing but focus.
Jonny Football showed he can make mince meat out of a secondary with last week's win against Miss. St. But here's the thing: In all their wins, the Aggies are averaging 52 points-per-game. But the wins come against teams not known for their defense. In their losses they're averaging 18 points. Now they're facing the best.
As a Vols fan, I can tell you, offense is awesome. But it don't mean jack-diddility-squat against a true-blue SEC defense.
This one is going to hurt their feelings, but get ready to hear rammer jammer. Early.
FINAL 35-17 ...Give 'em hell Alabama.




Until Next Time
Go Big Orange!

Johnny Manziel Arrested...by the Alabama Defense

"Johnny Manziel, a.k.a. Johnny Football, was arrested yesterday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, AL by the Crimson Tide defense." That's the story that will be running across the country tomorrow.

All I've heard since last week's close call in Baton Rouge, was how LSU exposed Alabama, and how Texas A&M freshman sensation Johnny Manziel would put the vaunted Crimson Tide defense through it's biggest test of the season. Really? Come on people. I know sports writers have to sometimes make up talking points just to keep the down time between football games interesting, but give Alabama some credit already.

The entire year has gone something like this for the Tide. Alabama plays someone. This team is hyped up by the media as being in a perfect spot to upset the No. 1 team in the country. Then Bama beats them by 30. The next week is spent talking about how that team wasn't "what we thought" and how Alabama's next opponent would prove a better test. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It happened with Michigan, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Miss. St. In fact, the only team to get any credit after playing the Tide was LSU.

I'll give credit to the Tigers. They played hard and really took Alabama down to the wire. But wasn't that expected? Baton Rouge is arguably the hardest place to play in all of college football and the atmosphere that night did not disappoint. Add in the recent rivalry these two teams have put together and the fact that the Tigers were playing with a BCS title game chip on their shoulder, and you had all the makings of a close game.

Such will not be the case in Bryant-Denny Stadium tonight. Expect the Tide O-line to push around the A&M defensive front and get the running game going early. As for the Alabama defense vs. Johnny Football, I'd expect a sort of feeling out process to occur much of the first quarter, until Tide Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart tightens up his unit and really cracks down on the freshman QB. Sure, Manziel will scamper around, make a couple plays, and is probably good for a touchdown or two, but don't expect much more than that. His recievers are going to be covered up most of the game, and Bama has the speed to get to the outside and contain Johnny Football.

The Alabama faithful are going show up in droves tonight, as a win here clinches the SEC West and a spot in the SEC Championship game.

I like Manziel. He's a firecracker on the offensive side of the ball and will become a realistic threat in the SEC, but not tonight. No freshman is going to waltz into Tuscaloosa and take this special season away from the Tide.

Alabama wins big again.

Bama 42 - A&M 21

Until next time, Roll Tide!

Dooley Once, Shame on You. Dooley Twice...

Derek Dooley is a very nice guy. He's charming, southern and has a diverse football background. He's a lawyer, who like many of the great preachers of the south, didn't choose his now profession, but was called to it. Best of all, he isn't Lane Kiffin. Great coach on paper, right?

Dooley took the reigns of a Vols program that was in the worst place it has ever been in it's history. The guy could have stuck it out at LA-Tech, and it probably would have been easier for him. But he took the chance to coach in the big time.

It has been nothing short of a failure. Derek Dooley is the son of legendary Georgia Bulldawgs head football coach Vince Dooley. Walking in big shoes no doubt, but let's compare these coaches in a "fair and balanced" way.

Derek Dooley's record (at Tennessee) 15-19, 1 bowl appearance,0 bowl wins

Vince Dooley's record (first 3 season at Georgia) 23-8, 2 bowl appearances, 2 bowl wins.

We already talked about the program that Derek took over, so let's talk about the one the one Vince took over.

Vince Dooley was an assistant coach at Auburn before being hired by the Bulldawgs in 1964. In the previous season the Dawgs went 4-5-1 (2-4 SEC) under Johnny Griffith with no ranking. Under Coach Griffith (a three year HC) Georgia had a combined record of 10-16.

No doubt, a program in trouble when Vince came a-callin'.

THE FIRST SEASONS:

Derek Dooley walked into the Kiffin mess and had one promising showing against #12 LSU. It was still a loss and Dooley didn't beat a single ranked opponent. Tennessee finished the season with a 6-6  record and made it to the Music City bowl... where they were beaten in 2OT 30-27. Against North Carolina. I say again. North Carolina. A team known more for basketball than football.

Vince Dooley walked into the Griffith mess but managed a win against #9 Florida and finished the season 6-3-1. His team made it the Sun Bowl against Texas Tech with a 7-0 win.

THE SECOND SEASONS: 

Derek Dooley now had some sort of grip on what football is like on Rocky Top and one of the toughest schedules in all of college football. He would play Alabama, LSU and Arkansas who at one time were ranked 1-2-3. He would go on to lose the longest rivalry game win streak in college football history to a Kentucky team that finished 5-7, the same record as the Vols. No bowl.

Vince Dooley was now aquainted with life between the hedges and had a chance to show off his second year squad. The season seemed to begin with a Bulldawg bang, beating #5 Alabama and #7 Michigan in the first three weeks. But losses against unranked Florida State, Kentucky, Florida and Auburn (the only home loss of the season), took the chance for a bowl game away from the Dawgs. He finished '65 with a 6-4 record.

THE THIRD SEASONS: 

Derek Dooley had elevated expectations with one of the most explosive offenses ever established on Rocky Top. With the Vol's first ranking since the Fulmer-era going into the Florida game, most fans thought the Vols were back. But a disappointing showing against Florida took away the ranking and Dooley remained winless against ranked opponents.  CURRENT RECORD 4-5. Still a chance with a bowl appearance with wins against Mizzou, Vandy and Kentucky.

Vince Dooley now had the team he desired come '66. And the Dawgs rolled over every opponent with great defensive showings. Even in his sole loss against the Miami Hurricanes, the Dawgs held the Canes to 7 points. Dooley would claim his first SEC championship that season and a win in the Cotton Bowl 24-9 against SMU.

Two coaches, same blood. Two completely different journeys in the SEC. In just three seasons, Vince Dooley turned Georgia into a powerhouse and would go on to win 2 National Championships, all four major bowls and six SEC Championships.

He did it on the back of great running and great defense. Derek Dooley has relied on the passing game and what I can only assume is a holographic rendering of a defense.

For all the folks who say that Dooley needs more times, please go back to talking about your college team. Only fans of other SEC teams would ever want us to keep Derek Dooley. Vince did it in three. Derek won't ever do it. Sorry Vols fans. But it's the truth.

It's time we stop obsessing over Jon Gruden and start talking about the proud program the University of Tennessee use to know. It's time to pack Derek Dooley's bags and send him out of Knoxville on the first Greyhound. I don't care where it ends up.

Remember the old saying, "Dooley once, shame on you, Dooley twice, shame on me."

USC Cheats to Win, Still Loses

Who let the dogs air out? Well if you ask USC head coach Lane Kiffin, the culprit in the mystery of who purposely deflated footballs before last weeks USC-Oregon game, was a lowly student-manager acting completely on his/her own. That seems unlikely.

Are you having a hard time believing this story too? I can't imagine a "student-manager" taking it upon himself to fix a game of this magintude for two reasons:

1. Someone might (and they did) notice that the air in the football isn't quite up to par. Kudos to the referees on this one for recognizing this diabolical plan.

2. Is a student-manager, someone at the bottom of the totem pole, really going to jeapordize his future in the sport by doing something so ridiculously stupid? I understand being a die-hard fan and all, but the risks here far outweigh the benefits.

I find this explanation far more likely. Lane Kiffin has had a pretty rough season so far. I for one don't think he is in any danger of being fired or anything, but his name has been tossed around as being on the possible hot seat at the end of the year. USC has failed miserably to live up to pre-season expectations, and a win over the No. 3 team in the country would have been huge. Sure, the Trojans BCS title hopes have crashed, burned, rolled over, and sunk to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, but beating the rival Ducks and spoiling their title hopes would have gone a long way.

This is how it all played out to me.

INT
Coach Kiffin walks into a quiet equipment room and strikes up a conversation with the student manager in question.

Kiffin: So, Timmy is it? How do you like working for the mighty USC Trojans so far?

Timmy: Uh, it's great coach. It's been my lifelong dream.

Kiffin: Well then you probably know that we've got a big game coming up this week huh?

Timmy: Oh yeah, Oregon's going to be a tough team to beat. Real tough.

Kiffin: Yup. So then, I guess you know what you have to do, don't you?

Then Kiffin grabs a football off a nearby shelf, pulls a knife out of his pocket, and stabs it directly into the football. A whooshing noise fills the quiet room as the air rushes out of the ball. Kiffin puts a hand on the young man's shoulder.

Kiffin: You know son, if we lose this one, I might have to fire my old man. You don't want me to have to fire my old man do you?

Timmy: No sir.

Kiffin: Good. I knew you didn't. Now, let's go grab a taco.

And with that, the game plan to take down the Oregon Ducks was put into motion. At least, that's how I see it.

That's all folks. I'll have a preview of the Alabama-Texas A&M game tomorrow.

Until next time, Roll Tide.

At season's end, Gene Chizik is as good as gone.

Who would have ever thought that only two years removed from winning a BCS championship, Auburn's first in almost 50 years, head coach Gene Chizik would be spiraling toward obscurity and getting booted off the Plains?

Well, that's what happens in the SEC. After finishing 14-0 in 2010 and defeating Oregon in the BCS title game, Auburn finished the following year with an 8-5 record and will probably wrap up the 2012 season at and embarrassing 3-9. To make matters worse, Chizik has beaten in-state rival Alabama only once, in a thrilling 28-27 come from behind victory in Tuscaloosa. In the other two games in which Chizik has been the head coach at Auburn, the Tigers have been outscored 68-35 by the Crimson Tide and Chizik's teams trail the series at 1-2. Barring an unforseen collapes of the Alabama football program, that margin looks to expand to 1-3 on Nov. 24th, when the Tigers roll into Bryant-Denny Stadium once again to take on what will probably still be the No.1 team in the country.

Sure, Auburn lost Heisman winner Cam Newton and 1st round draft pick Nick Fairley to the NFL after the 2010 season, and some rebuilding is to be expected, but this 2012 season has been an utter embarrassment down on the Plains. This begs the argument --would the combination of Newton and Fairley have been enough to propel almost any other team to a BCS title? Was the caliber of the 2010 Coach of the Year masked by two phenomenal players to the point that we elevated the man to a level that he had no business being elevated to? Well, he finished his tenure at Iowa St. with a record of 5-19, so one would think that the Tigers had an idea of what they were getting themselves into. Maybe they saw the perverbial diamond in the rough when they gave Chizik the keys to the castle and the reigns to the Auburn football program. I'll admit, I was among doubters when he first took the job at Auburn, but by the end of his second year, he had won a BCS title. For those keeping score, that's one year quicker than it took Alabama head coach Nick Saban to lead the Tide to its first of what has now become 2 championships in the past three years.

Doubt seemed to fade quickly after the 2010 season, but fast forward to 2012, and Chizik's true colors are beginning to shine through. Don't get me wrong, the man seems like a nice enough guy. He cares about his players and is genuinley concerned for their well-being, both on and off the field. But that's not enough in the SEC. If you want to stick around, the formula is simple: WIN.

Alas, there isn't much optimism on the Plains right now. After major coaching changes that were intended to improve the Tiger program, Auburn has plummeted to the bottom of the SEC. Now, I for one will always contend that Auburn is a 2nd tier school in the SEC, and will always be the little brother to the big bad Crimson Tide, but 3-9 is unexceptable even by Kentucky standards.

Expect Chizik to be let go shortly after the massacre in Tuscaloosa in three weeks. Losing to Nick Saban is perfectly acceptable. Losing to Alabama, (when you're the head coach of the Auburn Tigers) is not taken lightly. And in the SEC, losing every conference game in a single season will not be tolerated..

So to Gene Chizik I say this --Keep your head up kiddo, and if you can't find another coaching job on par with the big boys in the SEC, there's always guidance counselor.

Until next time, Roll Tide!

Will the SEC remain dominant in 2014?

Since 1998, when the Bowl Championship Series began, the SEC has won the big game a total of 8 times, and the last six of those titles have been consecutive. Here's a quick overview of how each conference has stacked up over the last 14 years.

The Big 12 leads all other conferences besides the SEC with six appearances in the BCS championship. Out of those six, the conference came away with a win and the title only twice. Both the Pac-12 and the ACC have three appearances,and one title victory. However, that USC title has since been vacated. The Big-10 and Big East have also been in the BCS championship a total of three times and they have only been victorious once as well.

What is the reason behind the SEC's dominance? For starters, the SEC has long been considered the strongest conference in the country, and that consideration has been a major player in influencing voters over the years. The lone exception would be 2004, when an undefeated Auburn team was left out in favor of USC and Oklahoma. The Tigers are still steaming about that one.
Another major factor, at least in head-to-head competition with the other conferences, has to be speed. The SEC boasts more speed, top-to-bottom, than anywhere else in the country. It's all over the field. Sure, Oregon often appears as though they could rival African cheetah's on the offensive side of the ball, but ask them how quick those Auburn defensive backs moved sideline to sideline during the 2010 BCS championship game. Boy's that big aren't supposed to be that fast. There must be something in the water down there.

So the big question on everyone's mind, at least everyone not in the SEC, is can the boys in the south keep up their winning ways when the BCS gives way to a four team playoff in 2014? To answer that, let's pretend that 2014 is already here and our playoff is about to begin.

In the first round, No. 1 Alabama will be facing off against No. 3 Oregon and No. 2 Kansas St. will be matching up with No. 4 Notre Dame.

Alabama vs. Oregon will be the best game hands down. The Crimson Tide defense will certainly be tested, as the Ducks offer the most viable threat to another SEC title. In the end, ball control wins out, and the Ducks just don't get the ball enough to put up the numbers they're used to. The stout Alabama O-line eventually breaks the will of the Quack Attack's undersized defensive front, and the Tide pull out the victory.

Kansas St. vs. Notre Dame has the potential to be a snooze fest. The Wildcats remind me of a less talented Alabama team and I'm already sick of the hype machine that has taken ahold of Notre Dame football. Kansas St. wins.

That leaves us with another SEC vs. Big 12 title game, and like I previously said, Kansas St. is less talented than the Crimson Tide. Bama, and the SEC, win again.

Of course the wild card in all of this would be Oregon. The possibility does exist that they could overcome Alabama in a close game. But I'm going to go with history on this one and stick with the Tide on the biggest stage of them all.

So, in short, will the SEC remain dominant in 2014? I think so. But this trend can't continue forever. I mean, they've got to lose one eventually, right?

Your Very Own SEC Team!

If you are a coach looking to find a job with a prestigious team that happens to be in the best conference in college football, now is the time for you.

With four SEC teams looking like a change in the Head Coaching department is imminent, it's a great time to be an up-and-coming coach.

So for this beautiful Monday evening, we talk about the best fits and predict what the 2013 SEC season will look like.

Auburn

My pick for Auburn is former offensive coordinator Gus Malzhan. I know what you're thinking, he worked under Chizik and that is what Auburn wants to move away from. I don't think that is going to be much of an issue as Auburn chooses a head coach.

The fact is, Auburn is only two seasons removed from its National Championship run. If I were a "War-Eagle," I would not be so quick to wan to throw Chizik out. Being a Tennessee fan has made me realize that down seasons are to be expected. You have to rebuild after a championship season (unless your Nick Saban).

But living in the same state as obnoxious Bammers running around could be the nail in the coffin for Auburn. And that's why Auburn should go with Malzhan.

Malzhan knows the long term plan Chizik was working with. He can also leverage the fact that it wasn't until he left the program that it fully fell off. He knows the program and he's taken the next step to HC in the SEC and that's take a job at a lesser institution and show what you're working with.

As a first season head coach, he hasn't really been able to show how competitive he would be, but I think Auburn can overlook that.

Games Malzhan lost were to far superior teams. Western might not be considered as a FAR superior team, but they have been highly competitive at levels higher than they are used to. Malzhan has won every game he was supposed to.

This weeks game at Louisiana-Monroe is going to be the tell-tell sign. If Arkansas State blows out L-M, keep your eye on Malzhan.

ALSO POSSIBILITIES:
Bobby Petrino
James Franklin
Tommy Tubberville

Dark-horse:  Kirby Smart

 Arkansas

This one hurts to write. I really wanted this guy at Tennessee. But the next head coach at Arkansas will be... Charlie Strong.

This guy has done wonders at Louisville, and right now they are flying high and undefeated. Strong has all kinds of SEC connections and is from Arkansas.

This is a no-brainer for the Razorbacks. Bring in the dumptruck full of cash and give Strong the job. He is going to turn the Razorbacks into a real powerhouse (again) in the West.

Only problem here, is that Strong continues to say he will not leave Louisville. I don't really think this will put a stop on his SEC coaching future. I just think it's going to take a lot to lure him away.

ALSO POSSIBILITIES:
Tommy Tubberville
Kirby Smart
Marks Stoops

Dark-horse: Phil Fulmer

Kentucky

This one is a coin-flip for me. I have read in so many places that Sonny Dykes is the front runner here. I agree with this in some circumstances, but I want to choose something people are not going to really be talking about, which I think is a real possibility.

Phil Fulmer will be taking over for the Cats. Yes, the old coach from south of the border with Kentucky's life long rivals.

Fulmer has been dying to get back into coaching and Kentucky might be the perfect fit for Fat-Phil. He knows the SEC east, he knows how to coach and he might be in the price range Kentucky is looking for.

And imagine the salt in the wound this would be for all the Tennessee fans. It would hurt. I can tell you that, but it would be the best choice for Kentucky.

ALSO POSSIBILITIES:
Sonny Dykes
Kirby Smart
David Elson

Dark-horse: Chris Peterson 

Tennessee

I shouldn't even write this as a Tennessee fan. Emotion gets in the way of logic. But my prediction is ...Mike Gundy.

He's a man. He's 40. He has put together a successful program at OSU. And I am one of the Tennessee fans not on the Gruden band wagon.

I'm not going to write more over fear of yet another "transition" in Big Orange Country.

ALSO POSSIBILITIES:
Chris Peterson
Tommy Tubberville
Dana Holgorsen

Dark-horse: Jon Gruden

Until next time,

GO BIG ORANGE!

-Dusty

Bama gets it done.

My heart skipped more than a few beats Saturday night, when No. 1  Alabama took on No. 5 LSU in Death Valley, and the Tide got all it could handle.

For the most part, the Tigers dominated the game and it looked like Alabama's national title hopes were finished, when with about a minute left and trailing 14-17, Tide QB AJ McCarron connected with TJ Yeldon for a 28 yard screen pass and the game winning touch down.

CBS commentator Gary Danielson has said it several times over the course of the season, "Every championship team has to have one of these close games." Alabama did not play its best game by any means, but when it mattered most, they got it done. Give credit to LSU. They fought like the wild Tigers they are, and it seemed as though they had the formula to take down the juggernaut that has been the 2012 Crimson Tide squad.

 But it wasn't to be. Not on this night. This game was one of those season defining moments that Nick Saban can look back on and know that when adversity came calling, his team answered. So what can I say? How about, wow. That's about all I can say. That and, Roll Tide.

In other news not near as exciting, Oregon defeated USC, Notre Dame held on in 3OTs against Pitt, and Kansas St. handily finished off Oklahoma St. So the top four all remain undefeated, but the showdown in Baton Rouge stole the show. Call me an SEC homer, but that's just the way I see it.

Goodnight everyone. Until next time, Roll Tide.

The Pain Of Winning

I have never been in so much pain after watching a win. But after that Vols performance, that's all you can feel. I've heard of moral victories and how many we have had this season. But this is our first Moral Defeat.

Troy ran the same five or six plays over and over to their success. To the Trojans credit, they played an excellent game against a sadly evenly matched opponent.

I have NEVER, in all my years watching football, seen a teams defense perform so poorly and win. The Vols looked like a PAC-10 team. All offense.

This is worse than the last four straight losses. We have officially reached the point of Kentucky football. If something isn't done soon, the big orange will become a sub-SEC program to join the ranks of Vanderbilt and Kentucky. We will never be able to dig ourselves out of the Dooley sized hole we have dug ourselves into.

Next week Tennessee takes on Mizzou at home, an after watching the Gators/Tigers game (I had the double TV set up), Tennessee is going to be destroyed. This is the saddest day in Tennessee Vols proud and tradition littered history. And we won...

Help us Dave Hart. You're our only hope.

*UPDATE* What I should have called this post is "That's why all the folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar" but it's just to long. Got to have strong drink after a performance like that.

-Dusty 

Gameday Nov 2

So there are two major stories today. Bama @ LSU and Oregon @ USC.

The Bama game is a no-brainer. LSU is good, there is no doubt about it. But this Alabama team is going to roll over them.

 It is said that defense wins football. Both teams come in with great defenses. The fact is, Alabama's is better. Add that to the fact that Alabama has one of the best offensive units in the SEC and Baton Rouge is painted crimson.

36-17 and the Tide rolls......



The Oregon @ USC game is the more interesting of the bunch. I know we spend most all of our time talking about SEC, but my hatred of Lane Kiffin has pushed me to acknowledge this game.

Last season, this game is what pushed Oregon out of the national championship picture. This season, it's not going to happen. The fact is, Oregon is more prepared.

The Trojans are coming off of a hard loss to Arizona and they have something to prove.  And that snake in the grass Lane Kiffin is going to pull all the stops to get this win. He might even pull a couple of spare jerseys to do it.

With a loss here a new conversation starts: Is Lane Kiffin on the hot seat? What happens to Monte Kiffin?

If Lane or Monte lose their job, would a Tennessee Gruden hire Monte to clean up the big orange defensive mess? Would Tennessee fans accept it? Since Monte did work for Gruden in the NFL. Highly unlikely. But something worth considering.

Expect a high scoring game with God awful defense, something to make an SEC fan cringe.

56-41 Ducks.



Texas A&M heads over to take on Miss St. in a #16 vs #15 showdown.

To me this is the first real test for the Bulldogs this season. We all knew Bama was going to crush anyone they play this season. A&M is going to be a much more evenly matched game. This is going to be the real game to watch today.

Johnny Football is not going to be able to come into Starkville and be able to pull off this upset. This is one of those games in the SEC in which home-field advantage is what makes the difference. It stays close, but State pulls off the victory and earns a little respect.

32-28 State. We believe...


Missouri @ Florida: One sentence sums this one up: Grown Man Football.

36-10 Gators.



And of course, because as a Vol For Life (another Terrible Dooley PR stunt that caught on), I have to talk about the Tennessee game.

I have read that this Troy team has a real shot to beat Tennessee on Rocky Top. Ok folks, let's get real here. I realize that this Tennessee team has fallen short of every expectation this season, but the Vols are coming out with something to prove. This is going to be a slaughter. And yet, it really doesn't matter.

44-9 GO BIG ORANGE!

Until our next update:

GO VOLS GO!

-Dusty

Bama/LSU and that other game nobody cares about...

Greetings once again from the center of hell, otherwise known as Djibouti, Africa. Another Saturday is upon us, and that means all of us die-hard college football fanatics have yet another reason to wake up in the morning. Or, if you're like me, a reason to stay up all night.

 When you lucky men and women back home are rolling out of bed at 9:00am to catch College Gameday, I'm finishing up the workday at 5pm. From there I'll grab a quick to-go meal from the Galley, (Saturday is steak night, so it's not so bad) and then settle in for another 12 hours of game time fun.


There are two notable games this week: Alabama @ LSU and Oregon @ USC. The latter doesn't seem to be getting much attention heading into the weekend, and rightfully so. Oregon travels to the Coliseum to take on a twice beaten Southern Cal squad that, in my opinion, has very little chance of making this much of a game.

 USC came into the season with title aspirations, only to seem them fade away faster than Pete Carroll catching the next bus to Seattle after he found out the NCAA was preparing to throw the sanction book at the Trojan program. This USC team was BCS title bound or bust, and now, they're just busted.
Oregon wins big, again. USC 21 - Oregon 52

Now on to the main course of this week's college football feast. Is there a more difficult place to play in all of college football, than in Baton Rouge? The answer is yes --Try playing in Baton Rouge at night. Death Valley will be as loud as it's ever been come kickoff on Saturday.

Those cajun kings and queens are going to be so liquored up and pissed off, that the noise level alone might trigger an earthquake down on the bayou. It wouldn't be the first time. This is a revenge game for the Tiger faithful, pure and simple.

LSU was one game away from and undefeated season, and coach Les Miles second BCS title last year when the Crimson Tide showed up in New Orleans and built a brick wall in front of the 50 yard line. This time, this year, it will be different.

I agree with Tiger nation, this year it will be different. However, I think the only thing that's going to be different this time around, is the number of points Alabama hangs on the scoreboard. The Crimson Tide defense has been relentless so far this season, allowing no team to score more than 14, while their offense has put at least 33 points on the board in every game.

Now don't get me wrong, I think the LSU defense is about as stout as anybody's, and they'll probably limit the Tide to a season low in scoring, but it won't be enough to keep up. The LSU offense is marginal at best and they're going up against just that, the best. In order to beat Nick Saban's team, LSU is going to have to pass the ball and that's something they haven't done with any consistency all season.

Am I really supposed to believe that just because LSU is seeking revenge from last years embarrassing defeat in the title game, that QB Zach Mettenberger is going to come out and pass the ball down the field like Drew Brees? No, I am not. I know, I know, magical things happen in Death Valley, the Hat is always good for one miraculous 4th and 20 play call that completely flips the script against his opponents.

Not this time Les. Alabama is on a mission, and don't think they've forgotten about that 9-6 loss in OT at home last season either. LSU will fight for a good portion of the game, but Bama's balance will prove too much for the Tigers.


Alabama 24 - LSU 10

Enjoy the football this weekend folks, it's almost over. Before you know it, we'll be sufferring through another incredibly too long and boring MLB season when the Braves will no doubt let me down again.

-Hawk