The only thing standing in the way of the most anticipated SEC
game of the year is a couple of huge underdogs with quarterback
issues.
Before No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama square off on Nov. 5 in a
game that could decide one of the BCS championship game
participants, the Tigers and Crimson Tide have business to take
care of Saturday.
LSU is a 22-point favorite against No. 19 Auburn at Tiger
Stadium. Alabama, favored by four touchdowns, plays Tennessee at
Bryant-Denny.
After that the Tide and Tigers each have a week off to prepare
for that monster matchup in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
No need to worry about either team looking past Saturday,
though. Not with big rivals coming to town.
The Alabama-Tennessee rivalry is no longer an annual Third
Saturday in October ritual. That tradition is a casualty of the
Southeastern Conference's last expansion in 1992.
The programs have been passing ships for much of the last 15
years. Usually when one has been up, the other has been down.
This will be the fourth year in a row that Alabama has been
ranked coming into the game and Tennessee has not. The two previous
years, the Volunteers were ranked and the Tide wasn't.
Three times since 1997 (99, 2002 and '05) both have been ranked
for the game.
The two storied programs have also never met in the SEC title
game.
The rivalry does have a history of one side dominating the
other. The Tide won 11 straight from 1971-81 and went nine games
without losing from 1986-94.
The Vols snapped that streak in 1995 and went on to win seven in
a row.
Alabama comes in having won four straight, outscoring the Vols
123-46.
Another blowout will be hard for the Volunteers to avoid,
especially with quarterback Tyler Bray on the shelf with a broken
thumb.
Last week against LSU, new starter Matt Simms was 6 of 20 for
128 yards and two interceptions -- and that was at home.
As for the Tiger tussle in Baton Rouge, for much of the past
decade LSU-Auburn has been about as good as it gets in the SEC.
Since 2000, LSU has won four West titles, tops in the division,
and Auburn three. This will be the ninth meeting since then in
which both sets of Tigers have been ranked and the games always
seem to be close. Six of the last seven have been decided by a
touchdown or less.
It might be difficult for Auburn to stay in this one, though,
even with LSU taking the field without three suspended players,
including star defensive back Tyrann Mathieu and leading rusher
Spencer Ware.
Coach Gene Chizik's defense has played better of late, but now
the offense is sputtering and the quarterback spot is unsettled.
Barrett Trotter started the first six games for, but Clint
Moseley took over in the second half of a 17-6 victory against
Florida.
"We always anticipate the change opponents make is for the
best," LSU coach Les Miles said.
No spoilers here.
The picks:
FRIDAY
No. 11 West Virginia (minus 14) at Syracuse
Mountaineers have won four straight at Carrier Dome ... WEST
VIRGINIA 38-17.
SATURDAY
No. 19 Auburn (plus 22 1/2) at No. 1 LSU
Auburn will put up a better fight ... LSU 31-14.
Tennessee (plus 28) at No. 2 Alabama
... than Volunteers ... ALABAMA 35-6.
Texas Tech (plus 28) at No. 3 Oklahoma
Sooners second in nation in sacks with 24 ... OKLAHOMA 48-21.
No. 4 Wisconsin (minus 7 1/2) at No. 15 Michigan State
Spartans handed Badgers last regular-season loss ... WISCONSIN
35-20.
Air Force (plus 31) at No. 5 Boise State
Current Mountain West game; future Big East game? ... BOISE
STATE 58-21.
UPSET SPECIAL
No. 6 Oklahoma State (minus 7) at Missouri
Cowboys' 100th-ranked defense will be a problem eventually ...
MISSOURI 38-28.
No. 22 Washington (plus 20) at No. 7 Stanford
Anybody outside Pac-12 noticing how well Huskies QB Keith Price
is playing? ... STANFORD 35-24.
North Carolina (plus 10 1/2) at No. 8 Clemson
Tigers feeling strong after surviving scare at Maryland ...
CLEMSON 31-14.
No. 9 Oregon (minus 32 1/2) at Colorado
Good timing for banged-up Ducks ... OREGON 48-14.
No. 10 Arkansas (minus 17) at Mississippi
Rebels are falling apart ... ARKANSAS 42-17.
BEST BET
No. 12 Kansas State (minus 12) at Kansas
K-State's Bill Snyder, coach of the year so far ... KANSAS STATE
38-16.
No. 13 Nebraska (minus 24 1/2) at Minnesota
Huskers DT Jared Crick (chest) lost for season ... NEBRASKA
45-17.
Boston College (plus 21) at No. 16 Virginia Tech
Eagles headed toward winless ACC season ... VIRGINIA TECH 31-3.
No. 17 Texas A&M (minus 20 1/2) at Iowa State
Homecoming for Cyclones ... TEXAS A&M 39-21.
No. 20 Georgia Tech (plus 2 1/2) at Miami
Jackets have lost last two to 'Canes by combined 68-27 ... MIAMI
28-24.
Marshall (plus 20 1/2) at No. 21 Houston
Case Keenum needs 130 total yards to break NCAA record ...
HOUSTON 48-31.
No. 23 Illinois (minus 5 1/2) at Purdue
Illini get right back on track after first loss ... ILLINOIS
27-17.
BONUS GAME
USC (plus 8 1/2) at Notre Dame
Yes, another measuring-stick game for Irish; this time for
Trojans, too ... NOTRE DAME 27-21.
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Last week's record: 13-4 (straight); 10-7 (vs. spread).
Season record: 119-21 (straight); 69-47-1 (vs. spread).
Best bets: 5-2.
Upset specials (vs. spread): 4-3.
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