Player Profile: AJ Green

This week we profile Georgia BullDawg phenom wideout AJ Green. You might be saying I'm just posting this because I'm a homer but in reality anyone who thinks he is overrated or says that Julio Jones is better, they should go check their temperature. Don't get me wrong Julio is a good player but AJ is a very special player. I'm talking about the special that can lead you to being one if not the greatest of all time in the program. The kid just has a cool and calm demeanor and all he wants to do is win. From day one, he has always been loyal to the red and black. He committed to UGA two years before he even stepped on campus. Never wavered or swayed to any other school. He played the majority of his freshman year with a groin injury but still was able to put up numbers that made him SEC freshman of the year. He has been compared to Randy Moss since high school and while he has a ways to go, he has not disappointed in the comparison. AJ has saved UGA in a couple of games including this past weeks against Arizona State, where he picked up SEC honors for offensive player of the week that included a TD catch where he side stepped the defender, which made the poor boy fall, a blocked field goal that would have put the Devils in front with 2 minutes left and a final catch that set up the game winning field goal. AJ is truly is amazing and I could write all day about him but I do have a job to do(which I prefer to be on here) I think when its all said and done Green will be up their with Herschel Walker..and maybe a little higher....maybe

I have to many videos to post so I figured, why not just see the whole page...Enjoy!

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=aj%20green&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#

Tigers on the prowl?

Much is still to be made of the 2009 Auburn Tigers but one can't help but notice that the War Eagles have made some serious strides in their quest to return to glory. First year head coach Gene Chizik has gotten the Plainsman offense rolling up yards on offense like the days of old.Only 27 teams in Auburn history have started a season 4-0. Eight of those occurred after 1974. Of the eight teams in the last 35 years that started 4-0, only two failed to win at least ten games. The 1994 Tigers reeled off nine before a closing with a tie and a loss. Auburn started 2000 with five consecutive wins before fading to 4-4 down the stretch.A lack of quality competition over the first four games is a valid criticism. None of the four teams Auburn defeated in 2009 were ranked at the time. That doesn't impact the trend, however. Of the eight Tiger teams that started 4-0 since 1974, only two beat a ranked opponent during the four-game streak. The 2009 Auburn Tigers have a long way to go before they can start considering double digit win totals. At some point during the SEC season, Auburn will run into a team that will put the clamps on the offense and the Tigers will need to lean on the defense to earn a win.

The Tiger stopping unit has so far shown no indication it is capable of holding up its end of the bargain. The next stop will be a visit to Tennessee this week, which we should get a better grasp of what both teams should be like for the rest of the year. Auburn has impressed me with the dual duo of running back Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb. As we know, the Tigers seem to have potent offenses when they have two legit backs(see Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams). Quarterback Chris Todd seems to have his confidence grow from week to week. He is coming off a 5 touchdown passes game and seems to really grasp the offense better than last year when he was benched in favor of Kodi Burns(who is now a wide receiver) The defense is still needing improvement as Ball State out up good numbers including 30 points. This seems to be the only factor of the Tigers really being back. The special teams have been terrific with a few blocks and touchdowns. All in all, we figure the Tigers to make it to a bowl this year and pull maybe one or two upsets along the way. We will be keeping check on the Tigers, Plainsman, and War Eagles.

Major contenders suffering from the injury bug

Alabama and Florida seem to still be on a collision course for a rematch for the SEC Championship in December but both suffered some major blows in the injury department over the weekend. While both teams have looked the real deal in every game so far this year, Injuries can derail dreams of a title quickly. Just ask the Georgia Bulldogs who were succumb to there own last year.

The Gator nation is in somewhat of a frenzy due to the injury of quarterback Tim Tebow. As he fell backward, his helmet struck teammate Marcus Gilbert's leg, violently bending his neck forward.Teammates and trainers rushed to Tebow's side, but several minutes passed before the quarterback sat up with help and then slowly made his way off the field. He eventually was carted off. My question for this is why was he playing anyways? They were up 31-7 midway through the 3rd quarter. Jeff Brantley is the future anyway so he might as well be getting in some work. Also, middle linebacker Brandon Spikes has been bothered by a Achilles problem and wide receiver Deonte Thompson missed his second game with a hamstring pull. Florida will have a much needed week off to get rested up for probably their toughest game of the year at LSU.

Alabama was not also safe from the bug as head coach Nick Saban confirmed the injury of sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower, he will undergo knee surgery to repair ligament damage, and Hightower is expected to miss the remainder of the season. It's a big loss for the Crimson Tide, as Hightower had been extremely versatile. He was one of their best pass-rushers and was lining up at the hybrid jack linebacker spot on passing downs. After he was injured last Saturday in the Arkansas game, he was replaced in the lineup by sophomore Courtney Upshaw. Here is Saban's statement on Hightower's injury:
“Dont’a Hightower’s MRI confirmed that he has ligament damage in his knee that will require surgery. Dont’a is a fine young man, has been an outstanding player for us, and we are confident he will make a full recovery.”(How weird is it that I could find a picture of both Hightower and Tebow in the same game)

Anyways, the lesson here is if the Tide and Gators can hold on to the top spots in the division. These teams are extremely talented and well coached, so it will be a great challenge for both coaches. As usual, a championship never comes without adversity and so far it has arrived for both squads.

Lets see what there made of...

SEC Rewind: Week 4

LSU @ Miss St.- Goaline stand at the 1 saves the tigers in this one. LSU agian didn't look impressive but made plays when needed. LSU heads to UGA next week.

Arkansas @ Alabama- Bama steam rolls the Razorbacks and look ready to hit the road at Kentcuky next week.

Florida @ Kentucky- Tebow suffers a serious concussion and leaves game. Wonder what Florida will look like. They get a bye next week, just in time for a injury riddles team.

Ohio @ Tennessee- Vols looked uninterested as they trailed at the half but got things together but agian the rushing was a non factor. Good test next week agianst Auburn.

Ball St. @ Auburn- Tigers put up big numbers agian on offense and roll along.

Arizona St. @ UGA- Dawgs need last second field goal for the win to make up for sloppy game.

Vandy @ Rice- Vandy puts out best performance of the season for a big win.

Sorry, for the short and to the point post, will have more later.

SEC Preview and Predictions Week 4

Before we get started, lets talk about last nights game between Ole Miss and South Carolina. I have never seen a top ranked team play so scared like I did watching the Rebels last night. Snead turned in a horrid performance and as it seems, Ole Miss is still not ready for the big time. Give credit to the Cocks, as usual the defense stepped up and shut down the offense. The play of Stephen Garcia wasn't flashy but I think Spurrier has finally found himself a quarterback that can get it done. Garcia has put 3 games together of good play and has built himself some confidence. The relentless pressure they put on the Rebels on Defense was outstanding. Ole Miss looked unfocused and shaken. The o-line was mostly dominated giving Snead no time to throw and we he did have time, Snead didn't make good choices by throwing into double coverage. Ole Miss failed to connect on two fourth downs which pretty much made the game in doubt. Even, the touchdown they threw Snead was about to be sacked and the fullback ran into the back of him. All in all, the Rebels still have a shot at the SEC West, which in my opinion is wide open for the taking. They get Bama and LSU at home which seem to be their only tough games left. The big question out of all this is, how good is this South Carolina team? Remember, there only one play away from being defeated.

LSU @ Miss.St- This is a dangerous game for LSU. The Bulldogs are a confident bunch after winning at Vanderbilt last week, and senior running back Anthony Dixon is running like he means business. This is also Mississippi State’s first game back home after two straight games on the road, so the cowbells will be ringing with renewed vigor. The difference will be an LSU defense that hasn't allowed a touchdown in the past six quarters and appears to be rounding into shape under first-year coordinator John Chavis. Tigers win in a sneaky game.

Arkansas @ Alabama- Watching Ryan Mallett go up against Alabama’s defense will be a treat, although it might not seem that way to Mallett when he’s got Marcell Dareus, Dont’a Hightower and Rolando McClain chasing him. The Hogs’ passing game is the real deal, but so is Alabama’s defense. The Crimson Tide will get Mallett out of the pocket, where he didn’t look quite as effective throwing against Georgia last week. Tide wins going away.

Florida @ Kentucky- The Gators have scored at least 45 points in three of the four games in this series since Urban Meyer arrived in 2005. The Wildcats had serious problems hanging onto the ball last week in their win over Louisville. If you turn the ball over against Florida, what happens is what happened to the Wildcats last season when they were clobbered 63-5. It won’t be that bad this time around, but the Gators will still take out a little frustration after not having their "A" game last week against Tennessee. The flu-stricken Gators win.

Ohio @ Tennessee- Well, it’s a different day on Rocky Top. The Vols are trying to work their way back to elite status under Lane Kiffin and hope to build off their hard-fought 23-13 loss to the Gators. The best way to do that is play with the same pride, purpose and toughness they played with at the Swamp from here on out ... regardless of its Ohio.

Ball State @ Auburn- Ball State limps into Jordan-Hare Stadium with a 0-3 record, including a loss to the same North Texas team that was trounced last week by Alabama. Look for the Tigers to go to 4-0 and pour it on in this game, almost as hard as the rain poured last weekend on the Plains.

Arizona State @ UGA- This game scares me a bit(just like every other) but with more rain on the way just in time for kickoff makes me nervous. The Dawgs have had a hard time holding on to the ball at the running back position and throwing rain into the mix just doesn't make me feel comfortable. Arizona State has the best defense in the nation but have played two high school opponents(not true, but close enough) I'm going to pick an x-factor is this and this is going to send shock waves through my friends and family but I think Caleb King will be the difference. I say shock waves because I have done nothing but bash the kid since I saw him play in high school when he was at GAC. I was actually calmed by the fact he returned last weekend and he looked good. So, I will take the Dawgs in this one.

Vandy @ Rice- If the Commodores ever needed a win, they need one now. They were able to get by last season with a strong defense and key plays on special teams, which masked a limited offense. There’s been no masking that offense this season, but a simplified attack and a few big plays from sophomore quarterback Larry Smith should be enough to keep the Owls winless. They’ve given up 140 points in their first three games. Vandy wins in a close one....hopefully.

Well there are the picks. So far, I'm 13 and 3 for picks so lets hope we keep rolling. I will be in person for the UGA game so check back Sunday as I review everything. Peace, be safe and Go Dawgs!

Rebels with a cause

Well, the time has come for Ole Miss to take its first big test in what is supposed to end with at least an SEC West title. The Ol' Ball coach has something to say about that so lets dig into this a little more.

With the school's highest ranking in nearly 40 years, Ole Miss opens SEC play with a trip to South Carolina. Jevan Snead, voted preseason first-team All-SEC by Steve Spurrier, is off to a so-so start with 5 TDs and 2 INTs. The Rebels are trying to win an SEC opener for the first time since 2003.Mississippi (2-0) has a short week to get ready for its SEC opener after defeating Southeastern Louisiana 52-6 on Saturday. The victory came after the team spent its bye week recovering from a case of the swine flu that affected more than a third of the roster."Jevan really came on (Saturday)." Nutt said. "I felt that he could have had five or six touchdown passes. He threw the ball very accurately."Mississippi, which expects to have star defensive end Greg Hardy(sprained left ankle) back this week, forced five turnovers Saturday and stopped Southeastern Louisiana on all 14 third-down attempts.Defensively you have to prove it every day," free safety Kendrick Lewis said. "What we did tonight doesn't mean anything at South Carolina."The Gamecocks (2-1, 0-1) are coming off their best offensive game of the season, but they haven't faced a defense as talented as Mississippi's.South Carolina compiled 516 total yards in Saturday's 38-16 win over Florida Atlantic. The Gamecocks led 17-16 at half, but scored on three straight possessions in the second half to break open the game.South Carolina's running game finally got on track, racking up 287 yards against the Owls after rushing for 222 in the first two games combined.The discovery of a running game meant quarterback Stephen Garcia didn't have to match the 53 passes and 313 yards he had in a 41-37 loss to then-No. 21 Georgia on Sept. 12."We run the ball like that, we're going to be pretty tough to beat," said Garcia, who completed 20 of 27 passes for 222 yards, throwing for one touchdown and running for another.
It likely won't be that easy to move the ball on the ground against a Mississippi team that limited Southeastern Louisiana to 86 rushing yards on 30 attempts."Things are going to get a lot tougher," running back Brian Maddox said.

This is becoming a tough choice to decide the winner but I still feel Ole Miss will pull this one out. I think they will make enough plays in the passing game to get it done. The Gamecock D struggles with the pass and tackling has become issue outside of Eric Norword. Should be fun! Plus the lovely Erin Andrews is on the sideline and that gives us plenty of joy.

Player profile: Eric Berry

I thought about posting comments about the catfight that is still raging between Lane Kiffin and Urban Meyer but I'm done talking about those two. There now just acting like school girls as if they weren't before. So, with that said we begin a new segment in which we highlight special players around the league. This isn't your daddy's "player profile" where we tell you the favorite ice cream or book. We just let the video's do the talking. First up is Tennessee safety Mr. do-it-all aka headhunter aka soul destroyer aka beast. As I get carried away with nicknames, most of you know him as Eric Berry...aka Terminator...sorry. While I still feel a little torn about the fact he chose the Vols over the Dawgs(family connection) He simply is the best defensive player in the country to me. When quarterbacks line up on offense, the first thing they check to see is where is the predator? Here you can see Tebow didn't http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWij0BlWsD0. Tyler Donovan thinks he won't pay the price for this TD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvro9N3LKfI Berry was tied for the national lead in interceptions, with seven, and has already set the all-time career SEC record for interception return yards with 487 yards. Berry also set the single season SEC record interception yardage mark with 265 yards. The NCAA record for interception return yards is 501, set by Terrell Buckley of Florida State, which Berry only needs 15 return to tie the NCAA record. Here is one those picks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HPERvTwnfk

"The fifth dimension" is not shy about making contact either http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZKTaC9-jDQ and last but not least just watch this work he does here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6s6ompZ7w.

I really enjoyed Berry never backing down on the mighty Tebow. 1 sack, 2 interceptions and a couple tackles on "superman"over his career.Alright already your probably saying and yeah, maybe we are over doing this but we should enjoy it, mainly Vol fans, because he will easily be a top 5 pick in the NFL draft come April.

SEC Rewind: Week 3

After seeing the sun for a few days and having a much needed break, it was time for me to return to home or as I like to call it Water world. If you have been in GA for the past week you know what I mean. Anyways, its time for the rewind...

Louisville @ Kentucky- I was able to watch the second half of this one, in which the game itself was just a a typical see-saw battle. Both defenses weren't that impressive as they both gave up yards and big plays. However, Kentucky made the big play on defense when it needed to with a game sealing interception in the closing minutes. Derrick Lott looked good at running back and won SEC honors this week. Next up for the Wildcats is the mighty(or flu riddled)Florida Gators.

North Texas @ Alabama- Nothing much to say here, we pretty much summed it up in the preview. Bama got off to a quick start and never looked back. Trent Richardson played good as Mark Ingram. Next up for Bama is a visit from the Ar-Kansas Razorbacks.

Tennessee @ Florida- Well, this game to much surprise was closer than what folks expected. I give the Vols alot of credit of hanging in there and making the Gators earn this game. To me, not only did Tennessee give them a fight, I think they also set up a blueprint for future Gator opponents. Stop the run and make Tebow beat you with his arm. The running game for Florida is what makes them tick. If Demps and Rainey get going, it will be tough for any team to win. However, if you shut that phase of their game down, you have a chance. Tebow ran the ball himself over 20 times and took some shots(including Eric Berry's spine busting hit). As mighty as Tebow thinks he is, no QB likes to hit over and over. Which by the way, when he started to yell at his offense, did anybody get the feeling that his antics are getting old? I noticed some of his teammates just put their head down as he looked like an idiot. I'm getting off task but to pretty much some this one up, the Vols didn't have enough offense. Crompton was awful yet again but with Kiffin has recruited, this game is going to be fun for years to come. Florida will head to Kentucky as the Vols will head back to Rocky Top to face Ohio. I can't believe the Vols have only 4 road games this year, now 3. hmmmm....

Louisiana-Lafayette @ LSU- LSU won to no ones surprise but again, they didn't look good doing it. I don't want to take much away from this game but the offense looked sluggish once again. Charles Scott put in a decent day but everyone else was plain as day. Maybe things will start to change as they hit the road for the next two games. You can usually find out what team you have on the road. They begin their two game road stretch of playing Bulldogs or I call it Bulldawgs. First up is Miss. St.

Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- The Gamecocks used a big second half to pull away in this one.They scored on three straight possessions in the second half to turn an uncomfortably close game at half into a rare blowout. Next up for them is Ole Miss on Thursday night...this game really has my attention.

Miss St @ Vandy- Ugly...only one way to describe this game. Not going to mention anything else...Miss. St takes on LSU this week, while Vandy travels to Rice.

Southeastern Louisiana @ Ole Miss- Blowout win for the Rebels as they get set to take on the Gamecocks Thursday night, should be fun.

UGA @ Arkansas- Love what I see from the UGA offense, not going to harp on them for now,but this is what is scaring me about this defense:

1) Last in the SEC in total defense
2) Last in the SEC in scoring defense
3) Last in the SEC in passing defense
4) Last in the SEC in interceptions
5) Second to last in SEC in sacks
6) Last in the SEC in allowing opponents 1st downs
7) Second to last in the SEC in allowing 4th down conversions
8) Last in the SEC in turnover margin

Has to be fixed, plain and simple. I blame both players and coaches for these problems. This is a great article from David Hale. Lengthy but real in depth http://dawg-extra.blogspot.com/2009/09/where-did-it-all-go-wrong.html

West Virginia @ Auburn- Auburn passed its first major test of the season, pulling out a 41-30 victory against West Virginia before a rain-soaked capacity crowd of 87,451 at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers (3-0) matched wits with the Mountaineers' high-powered offense, led by the passing duo of Chris Todd and Darvin Adams, who hooked up for three touchdown passes on the evening. Their third - a 17-yard strike with 12:07 left in the game - gave Auburn its first lead of the night at 34-30.Linebacker Craig Stevens sealed the win, tipping a screen pass from West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown to himself before dodging defenders for 15 yards on his way to the end zone with 3:41 to play. Auburn finished the game with five interceptions and six total takeaways. Auburn takes on Ball State this week.

Well, that's it, I'm going to get back in my raft as I hear more rain is on the way...Later!

SEC Previews and Predictions for Week 3

Well, I'm off to a wedding this weekend,I hit the road tonight so I'm gonna go ahead and do this a day early. I will try to post the reviews on Sunday but if not it will be early in the week.

Louisville @ Kentucky- I will be honest with this one. I haven't seen Kentucky play at all this year and only read about the drubbing the gave to Miami of Ohio so I really can't form an honest opinion of the team. Randall Cobb is a major threat with his feet and can be with his arm with quick passes. He is quite the athlete, as most know he made the switch from wide receiver to quarterback towards the end of the season last year. Kentucky is pretty banged up heading into this one and Coach Brooks noted that senior fullback John Connor, who missed the Miami game because of an ankle sprain, appears ready to play Saturday. Junior wide receiver Kyrus Lanxter did not participate on Tuesday and is doubtful for the game. Redshirt freshman Cartier Rice remains questionable as he recovers from a strained hip.Brooks also announced that freshman linebacker Ridge Wilson has been suspended for at least one week, including Saturday's game, because of a violation of team rules. However, I do like the Wildcats in this one because Louisville is simply not that good from what I have seen. Indiana State? Please, Wildcats win and then get prepared for UF and Bama to make trips to Commonwealth Stadium.

North Texas @ Alabama- Another easy game for the Bammers. Look for much of the same from last week. Ingram and Upchurch got a little beat up last week so look for freshman running back Trent Richardson to carry the rock some more like he did last week. Julio Jones may not play in this one(knee problem) but Bama is too strong and they will roll once again. Crimson Tide win big.

Tennessee @ Florida- As much as I would like to see a plane crash into the stadium Saturday(kidding) it dreads me to pick this game. Florida is going to be gassed up for this one and the only legit shot the Vols have is if Bryce Brown pulls a Knowshon and gashes the D for 174 yards and 3tds(ha) but more importantly Crompton has to have the best game of his career and not turn the ball over 3 times. Florida has to have an off day for any upset chance. Too many things have to happen for the Vols so I'm taking Florida and big. I'm curious to see what the post game handshake is like between the two head coaches, won't surprise me if it doesn't even happen.

Louisiana-Lafayette @ LSU- The Tigers to me has been shaky so far this year, I really don't know what to expect or think of them yet. The barely escaped Washington and scraped by Vandy last week. This is a game where the Tigers can get out to a quick start and gain some much needed confidence. The Ragin Canjuns at times look to pull upsets as they did last week against Kansas St but LSU is to talented. They win easily.

Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina- After last weeks heartbreaking loss at Georgia, look for the Gamecocks to spread the ball some more as Garcia should have confidence after passing 54 times and completing over 30 of them. The Owls have had two weeks off since the beating they took against Nebraska. Rest won't help in this one. Gamecocks pick up a fairly easy victory.

Miss St @ Vandy- The Bulldogs were the first team to beat Vanderbilt last season after a 5-0 start, and things were never quite the same for Bobby Johnson’s club. The Commodores again look to be strong on defense, although they lost senior safety Ryan Hamilton last week to a season-ending injury. The Bulldogs are trying to prove they’re not as bad as they looked on defense in last week’s 49-24 loss to Auburn. Vanderbilt gets it done at home I think but this one will be close.

Southeastern Louisiana @ Ole Miss- It’s a good thing the Rebels haven’t had to play anybody to this point. The team was ravaged by the flu last week, and several players were affected in the opener against Memphis. Either way, Ole Miss gets another glorified scrimmage this week and would like to look a little sharper for all four quarters before hitting the road next Thursday for its first real test against South Carolina.

UGA @ Arkansas- This is a game the Hogs have been pointing to since the summer and a game that will shape their season one way or the other. My heart tells me the UGA defense will make things hard for the Razorbacks but I'm afraid if we can't get pressure from the Defensive ends the Hogs offense will put some points. A big play or two on special teams might determine this one. As I mentioned before Arkansas will pull out all the stops in this one but I'm not sold on teams opening up a game with emotion cause if you get down 7-0 all that goes out the window. I'll take the Dawgs in this one, I think there special teams will be the difference with Boykin ,Smith and Miller returning kicks and what no one seems to be talking about in Dawg Nation is the resurgence of Blair Walsh. He missed 6 of his last 11 FG attempts at the end of the season last year and he has already made all three FG attempts. They have come from 40-plus yards, with two from 50-plus, including a career-long 53. Dawgs win a close battle again.

West Virginia @ Auburn-You can feel the excitement on the Plains right now, but Auburn coach Gene Chizik is doing his best to keep everything in perspective. That said, a win over the Mountaineers probably means the Tigers go into the month of October unbeaten. Their running game has been what’s separated them in the first two games and will again be the difference Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ben Tate, Onterio McCalebb and Co. roll it up for another 300-yard night on the ground. Tigers win a close battle.

Final thoughts-Should be another good week of games, I went 5 and 1 last week so will see how I fair. I'm trying to figure out how I can watch these games while I'm at a wedding reception so if anybody has any good ideas let me know because watching it on a phone doesn't really get me excited. Anyways, have a great weekend and Go Dawgs!

Arkansas uprising?

For the second time in three weeks, The Georgia Bulldogs will be facing a team that is out to make that "key" win in their programs quest to make a run at a conference title. First it was Oklahoma State which you recall beat the Dawgs but only to fall to the Houston Cougars...ugh...now enter the Arkansas Razorbacks or as Les Miles calls them "Ar-kansas" (see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBd3WOdVbBQ) As we all know, Bobby Petrino leads the Hogs after he flew the state of Georgia back in 2007 when he literally left the Falcons in the middle of the night. Although, clearly it has worked out for the better for both parties, The Razorbacks have takin the role of dark horse to win the SEC west this year. After a 5-7 season last year, many folks believe the Hogs could be that surprise team that no one is thinking about. With good talent on the roster such as running back Michael Smith(seen above) and tight end DJ Williams things could get surprising for them. Asked about this weeks game Petrino said "“For us to win a championship, we have to win all our home games,” Petrino added. “This is a game we’ve been looking forward to. We spent a lot of time in our preparation. We need to go out and play well and win the game.” Winning home games are huge in sports because the road is never a friendly place and this boads true for the Hogs. They are the only team in the league this season that has to play Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss on the road.....ouch. So expect Arkansas to pull out all the stops Saturday night, it should be another good game.

Rivalry reborn..

Well, the time has come for Lane Kiffin to back up his words that he first mentioned when he was brought on as the Vols headcoach. As you recall, he stirred things up by saying he vowed to end the program's four-game losing streak against Florida and sing "Rocky Top" all night long.

Don't forget he threw Urban Meyer under the bus back in February when he falsely accused Meyer of a recruiting violation. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley rushed to Meyer's defense and called for an apology. SEC commissioner Mike Slive reprimanded Kiffin, who then issued an apology. Well of course this isn't acceptable to Timmy Tebow as yesterday he stated "I don't like anyone talking about coach [Urban] Meyer," Tebow said. "I try to not let it affect me, although I always have coach Meyer's back in anything because I know what type of person he is and I know what he believes in, I know what he stands for.
"But I don't think coach Meyer worried about it too much. I think we kind of dropped it or moved past it." While, Timmy sounds more like a 8 year old boy rushing to defend his daddy than his head coach, let it be known, Florida will be ready. This game is going to be fun..oh and by the way Florida has opened up as a 28.5 point favorite.

The Return of Verne....and Gary

Ahh...yes....football commentating has become a lost art form over the past few years. It's hard for me to find anyone to listen to without putting the TV on mute. Then three years ago, a dynamic duo was born in the form of two guys who look like chairmans of a board than a broadcast team. Enter Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson...While this Saturday marks the return of the CBS, Tenneesee vs Florida if you have been living under a rock,we are extremely excited that Verne's "I just crapped my pants" type calls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wRfHpzdmg8 or Gary's love for Timmy Tebow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxWFDgQyZgo. We enjoy every moment! Gary is almost in the coaches head when he can correctly predict what play is coming or when these two decide to dance is even brilliant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLkHr61Z2M&feature=related.... They don't however win the award for best sideline reporter, Tracy Wolfson is cute but Erin Andrews is better..ahhh.....but anyways if u can't tell were ready for the return of college football's best broadcast team.

SEC Rewind: Week 2

What a WILD weekend it was...as I write this post, my voice is still recovering from last night I as was in person watching my Dawgs barely escape the scrappy gamecocks 41-37. It was close which was normal but not with all the high octane offenses that were on show.Anyways, some other games were played and I will touch on UGA a little later and while you have enjoyed ESPN showing the super bowl(the real USC vs oho state).. let's get started with SEC talk..

FIU @ Bama- Greg McElroy couldn't miss, Trent Richardson was running wild and the No. 4 Alabama defense was punishing Florida International physicallyDespite all that, the Crimson Tide (2-0) wasn't able to start feeling comfortable until the final 19 minutes of Saturday night's 40-14 victory.McElroy completed a school-record 14 consecutive passes before finishing 18-of-24 passing for 241 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown to Mike McCoy. Bama was half alseep in the first half but was able to close out. Look for much the same next week as the take on North Texas..

Miss. St @ Auburn- It seems like its been a long time since Auburn football was fun. New offensive coordinator Gus Malzhan is well on the road to changing that dynamic.In his first two games with the Tigers, Malzhan has helped shred the team's offensive record books, sent the scoreboard pinwheeling and put the Tigers at as solid a 2-0 as could have possibly been hoped for.The Tigers didn't quite get there, finishing with 589. Still, it was the second straight 500-plus yard outing for a Tiger offense that had difficulty gaining any yardage a year ago. Through two games, the Tigers have amassed a school-record 1,145 yards. Auburn didn't break the 1,100 yard mark as a team until the fourth game of 2008. Ben Tate and Onterrio McCalebb both topped the 100-yard mark for the second straight time. It's the first time in school history two backs have gone over 100 yards in consecutive games. Tate finished with 157 yards and didn't play a single snap in the first quarter. McCalebb added 115 on just 15 carries. Both Tate and McCalebb averaged more than seven yards per attempt. Whewwwwww...alot on that. Miss St wasnt too bad but the D was shredded..Auburn takes on West Virginia next week and the Bulldogs travel to Vandy.

Troy @ Florida- Not much to say, UF was asleep the first half but where still able to destroy Troy..ha..D was tough and able to cover for some of the early turnovers by the offense. Tebow lead the way and Hernandez impressed. Next up for the defending champs is the very humbled Vols, which also marks the return of CBS and Verne with Gary Danielson..we can't wait for that!

SC @ UGA- We learned something about these Bulldogs on Saturday night. We learned that they might not be as gifted or as polished as vintage Georgia teams, but we learned that they still have Bulldog-sized hearts.Yes, they played better — at least on offense and on special teams — than they had in Stillwater, but the revelation was that they played infinitely harder. They could never quite shake South Carolina, but if not for their resolve they wouldn’t have exited with a careening victory. They’d have left 0-2. The TE for SC was open all night like steak and shake and made the Dawgs pay.DeAngelo Tyson, blocked the automatic PAT, and Georgia still held the skinniest of leads. That’s the kind of play a defensive end doesn’t figure to make, a quick turnaround after the opposing D has just scored, but Tyson threw up his hand and kept the Bulldogs in front by being, not to put too fine a point on it, a bulldog.And that’s what Georgia fans could and should take from this one. This isn’t a great team by any measure, but it was never going to be. What was troubling about falling to 0-1 was how readily the Bulldogs succumbed to Oklahoma State (which just lost to Houston — hahah). What we needed to see this night wasn’t if Georgia was the nation’s most gifted assemblage — it isn’t — but if it still can play the full-tilt brand of football that made this program famous.It took a while, both literally and figuratively in a game that lasted four hours, but we have our answer. There’s still fight in these Dawgs. These 1-1 Dawgs.Cox looked good except for one play which should be blamed by Bobo but we still held on. UGA travels to Arkansas while SC plays home to Florida Atlantic

Vandy @ LSU- UGLY game...No. 11 LSU (2-0) appeared methodical at times offensively, but the Tigers turned in a much more solid defensive performance than they had in some time and a much better one than they did on the West Coast in the season opener against Washington.The solid turn defensively buttressed the predictions of several LSU players who had said throughout the week the Tigers faithful might be unduly alarmed by the opening-night game in Seattle in which the Huskies rolled up more than 470 yards.Vanderbilt, on the other hand, never established a running or a passing attack. Both teams contended with a steady downpour that began toward the end of the first quarter and intensified before petering out at halftime. The rain drove many of the 91,566 at Tiger Stadium home early.The Commodores (1-1) managed just 210 yards of offense compared to LSU's 326. LSU will play host to Louisiana-Lafayette, while Vandy will play host to Miss. St.

UCLA @ Rocky Top- The Vols were brought back down to earth with a very humbling 19-15 loss. Crompton looked like well...the Crompton of last year. UCLA played like an SEC defense and were able to manage enough offense (not much) to win. Where the Vols looking ahead to UF or are they just the Vols ust that bad..time will tell and their next stop is Gainesville where Urban and the boys have been waiting.

Ole miss returns to action with cupcake SE Lousiana(why does this state have so many crappy schools)

Kentucky will take on Louisville

SEC Previews and Predictions for Week 2

Well, week 2 is upon us and some of SEC begins league play so lets not waste anytime and get to it.....

• FIU at Bama- The usual cupcake game fitted right in for the home opener for Alabama after there very impressive win over VT last weekend. Look for the Bammers to get started quickly with a dose of Mark Ingram(which I'm starting to have a man crush on) and Roy Upchurch. Mix in that defense that just seems to play with a chip on its shoulder and it could get ugly quick. So, in a predictable manner, I like Bama big in this one.

• Miss St. at Auburn- It can't get any uglier than the game last year between these two when the Tigers won 3-2...an yes I'm talking about football not baseball. Both schools are coming off wins from far less talented teams Jackson St and Louisiana Tech but both games showed promise for the two new head coaches Gene Chizk and Dan Mullen. Starting QB Chris Todd for Auburn looks healthy and productive after off season surgery and RB's Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb are good balances to the offense. I like Chris Relf for the Bulldogs along with the always dangerous Anthony Dixon but I think the War Eagles Defense will be too much. Tigers win.

• Troy at Florida- Not much to say here, another cupcake, another win for the Gators.

• South Carolina at Georgia- After last weeks disturbing offensive output by both teams, the outcome of this one will be by the smallest of margins, which is normal when these two rivals meet up. Last year UGA won 14-7 needing a last second pick to seal the deal. Not to mention the Dawgs had a better offense than now which is really scary. This game is huge and LB Rennie Curran has already stated to the media that this game puts the Dawgs reputation at stake. Stephen Garcia of the Gamecocks seems like the norm for Ol' ball coach which have had no good play from any QB's since he has arrived. However, the Cocks Defense looks good as always run by DC Ellis Johnson, who in my opinion is the top assistant in the SEC, Clifton Geathers and Eric Norwood are beasts of the defense.I like Georgia in this one, at home and that defense is finally laying out WR's like the days of old. I think with all the negative talk from the OSU game will have the offense going.

• Vandy at LSU- Tigers are coming off a solid win agianst the Huskies and Vandy with a blowout of Western Carolina. I'm really impressed with the ability of Charles Scott, seems to have no drop off from his big year last season but I'm still not compeltely sold on Jordan Jefferson. Terrance Toliver looks like the next great recevier for the Bayou Bengals and looks to have a big year. Vandy QB Larry Smith looked good but left due to injury this week which makes the Tigers a lock for me because new DC John Chavis will have Mackenzi Adams, not so good QB, running around crazy.

• UCLA at Tennessee- This was an ugly game last year as UCLA won 27-24 and what began the final year of Fat Phil in Rocky Top. First year head clown(err..coach) Lane Kiffin had an impressive opening win over W.Kentucky 63-7. Yes it was a cupcake but Tennesee has had trouble putting away cupcakes of late(see Northen Illinois,UAB, Wyoming, etc.) Bryce Brown was impressive as did Nu'keese Richardson. Crompton looked solid, However, I fear the Rocky Toppers will be looking ahead to next weeks showdown with Florida and in return making this a closer game than expected. As much as I wanna see Lane lose it probably won't be this week. Vols squeek one out.

Check back on Sunday as I cover on how everyone did and preview to some good games next week! Peace and Go Dawgs!

As the Dawg turns....

Everyone knows the story on Joe Cox. 5th year senior from Charlotte, North Carolina. Played behind some good quarterbacks in his football career such as #1 draft pick Matthew Stafford, 2006 College National Champion Chris Leak,blah, blah,blah. It seems that the senior starting quarterback's final year at UGA is taking off at a weird and head scratching pace that seems to attract nothing but drama. Today, ESPN and Rivals reported that Joe would be benched in favor of Redshirt Sophmore Logan Gray because of a tired arm....with the way alot of his passes came out saturday against OSU ,that would make perfect sense. There was no zip and throws that were made at times made him look like a freshman in high school still. However, Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and Coach Richt have come out and said the story is false(which btw..thanks ESPN for proving that you suck as always when it comes to reporting anything thats not on the east coast) Still, this is weird due to the fact that ''dead arm" is likely to happen in baseball players than football. This also adds to the list of stories that seem to happen one or two days before kickoff..remember last week when people reported he had swine flu and would not make the trip to Oklahoma? Turns out he didn't have the piggie bug and was able to suit up. Whether he was 100% is another story in itself, which I will contuine to share my thoughts as we go along.Maybe Richt is pulling another "Celebration" or "Blackout" type gimmick not wanting the man in the visor to know his game plan. Guess will know when we kick it off Between the Hedges.....