T-DAWG’s Winners

It is hard to find words to describe what State was able to accomplish last week. At least words that haven’t been said already. We cannot get caught looking ahead because that is what happens to most deer trying to get to that area on the other side or following a doe and get tunnel vision thus ending up as road kill. Yes there can be great things down the road but we never get there unless we play this week better than last week. Then next week better than this week. One game at a time ladies and gentlemen, one game at a time. Just keep building the DAWG House.

Last week I made some choices I didn’t feel strongly about but I still made them. I went 6-6 last week (glad I don’t know a bookie anymore, right Steve :)) Overall I’m 30 - 8 now. Not bad. Now for this week’s games.

Texas A&M @ Arkansas — Well the Aggies found something in the second half last week to overcome ULL but of course the Rajun Cajuns seemed to invent ways to give the game away also, disappointing. I shouldn’t have picked against the SEC and I usually do not. This week Rin Tin Tin and his buddies run into a pack of Razorbacks that are in search of a meal. This actually should be an interesting game because we will all be wondering who wants it the least. Both of these coaches seem to be dead men walking. It is not really a home game for either one since it is being played in Arlington with Bret’s boys dressing up like Cowboys (say what?). If a Hog is trying to be a Cowboy somehow I don’t see how that does anything except add more confusion to what they already have. Ever heard a cowboy squeal or seen a porker riding a horse? Well at least while you were sober? Both teams have serious problems so it could go either way depending on who gets hot in the 2nd half. A&M has won 2 of the last 3 with the Razorbacks so I’m thinking Sumlin and his Aggies have pork steak after the game.

T-DAWG’s Winner - A&M 35 - 31

UMass @ Tennessee — The Minutemen come sneaking into town through the back roads and under the cover of darkness. These soldiers have been close every week but haven’t been able to get out of the trenches yet and are wearing the collar of 0-4. Butch can’t get all the voices out of his head because everyone around is letting him hear it. There was no excuse for how they lost to the Gators, none. That would seem to fall squarely on the coaches and on Butch Jones most directly. The Volunteers should run wild in the streets this Saturday because the boys from Massachusetts haven’t got any dry powder to shoot with in defense. I’m not sure any score Ole Smokey can run up will quieten down the chatter in Knoxville though.

T-DAWG’s Winner - Tennessee 51 - 20

Alabama @ Vanderbilt — Whoa Neelie, as Keith Jackson use to say (Man do I miss his broadcasting). I know Keith Jackson would love to do this game and no-one would do it better. The Crimson Tide is surfing into town with a #1 ranking and a really good team. Lord please don’t hold it against me but I’m not sure Saban has the horses at this time that he did last year. He is getting his missing defensive players back but Alabama is evolving. They better be careful in Nashville, yes they should win but Vanderbilt has been dropping a heavy anchor on people so far. Their quarterback, Shurmur is the #1 rated passer in the NCAA so far but I think that is a little flawed because the competition hasn’t been overly strong.

I think Vandy will be put up a real battle for a while but if the Tide doesn’t boot it around they should prevail here but understand, the Commodores will challenge in the SEC East. When all is said and done the Commodores will not be able to hold back them charging pachyderms.

T-DAWG’s Winner — Alabama 34 - 21

La. Tech @ South Carolina - The Techsters roll into town after overcoming Western Kentucky at their place last week. La. Tech is 2-1 and they are going to give the Gamecocks a ball game I promise you. Exactly what happened to Muschamp’s yard birds last week is confusing but they couldn’t run the ball with any real success against the Wildcats. Total yards was almost dead even but the Gamecocks couldn’t offset Stoop’s run game. The Gamecocks know they can’t let a non-conference game slip away with the heart of the SEC East waiting ahead. Mr. Bentley hopefully just had an off game last week and his defense can pull it back together. If Carolina has a less than average game then the outcome may not be so nice.

T-DAWG’s Winner - South Carolina 32 - 20

Syracuse @ LSU — The CUSE takes a journey down to Baton Rouge Saturday night thinking they will put all the natives into shock when they see Orange people while they are drinking with old Jim Beam. They are currently 2-1 after spanking Central Michigan last week but they did drop one to MTSU the week before. Orgeron’s Bayou Bengals will not be in a welcoming mood with the Orangemen after getting curb stomped in Starkville last week. Orgeron has been shaking all week after his world seemed to go back to the days of black bears in Oxfart. LSU is a good team but has issues to work through. They should find some feel good “medicine” when Syracuse walks onto the field and LSU starts making Purple Pushovers from the leaking Orangemen.

T-DAWG’s Winner - LSU 38 - 17

Auburn @ Missouri — The Auburn Tigers pull the Gus bus into Fayetteville to pick up some take-out so they can get home and try to head off a butt whooping they have coming next week. This is another game that will build the crowd that wants to get rid of someone and quieten the other mass talking about change. Neither team can afford to lose with the tough games that lie dead ahead. Missouri would like to think they have this one in the bag and they might just have that but the problem they will quickly discover is that their bag has no bottom in it to slow down what is steamrolling through it. I can’t see Awwburn dropping this one but if they do Gus may have to call a taxi to get back to College and Magnolia.

T-DAWG’s Winner - Auburn 33 - 7

Florida @ Kentucky — The Gators found themselves a little bit last week but they also had a bunch of Volunteers lending a helping hand. This week they swim the rivers up to Lexington to take on Mark Stoops and his Blues Band. He finally got his string instruments tuned last week as they throttled South Carolina. If Stoops has his merry band hitting on all chords again this week they just may break a streak of losing to Florida for the last 30 years. I think this could be a nail bitter for both sides filled with moans and groans for all around. Both must have this game if they expect to be a serious player in the East. A 30 year losing streak tells me to take the Gators and run but I just can’t. All streaks end at some point, can this be the year for Kentucky??

T-DAWG’s Winner - Kentucky 27 - 23

Miss. State @ Georgia — Again this week, both teams have something to prove. Georgia is desperately trying to get it rolling with the meat of their East schedule staring them in the face. State has the upper hand in many ways even surprisingly the ground game. You always worry about a letdown after spanking LSU’s booty so completely but hopefully that lack of focus doesn’t happen. Georgia will defend home turf with everything they have but you have to believe that Fitz, Simmons and all the MSU DAWG family has their focus crystal clear and will accept this challenge. I think we will dominate on the ground on both sides of the ball while hopefully staying away from turnovers. Hopefully Miss. State ends up licking their lips after consuming what their hosts wanted for themselves while the Georgia kin goes to lay down and lick his many wounds.

T-DAWG’s Winner — Miss. State 37 - 20

Believe we can do this DAWG Nation but keep our focus on 1 game at a time. Let the season come to us instead of becoming the deer in the headlights. One step at a time, one step at a time. Point the way and “Don’t Stop Believing!!!!! Man don’t you want to hear Fitz sing another verse? Play it Dawgs, play it again for us all!