T-Dawg’s Winners (Week 8)

The season is in high gear as everyone has now reached half way. It is not what we had expected or hoped for but with a little pixie dust great things can still be ahead. I took my biggest hit since I started this last year going 3 and 3 this past week thanks to Auburn, Arkansas and Vanderbilt collapsing. For the year my totals are 54 and 12 (82%). If I was a betting man would I be loaded? Who knows? I haven’t bet since I worked for Steve Cohern in the early 80’s. I can’t help but feel that there are other crazy turns still to unfold this year. Yeah I know others will snicker at this but I just truly don’t see a TOTALLY dominant team so far this year. Of course Alabama is strong with Tua but even Saban would admit that he has some holes that he hasn’t had in years passed. Every team has big games still to play, heck they are ALL BIG!

Auburn Tigers @ Ole Miss Rebels – The Land Sharks found just enough water in Little Rock to take down the Razorbacks. The Sharks were ripped open pretty well by the Hogs but managed to deliver the last fatal bite themselves. Meanwhile Gus couldn’t keep his Tigers from wondering into the streets where the Volunteers left a Tiger carcass on every corner. The rest wandered back to meet Gus and try to calm their nerves before boarding the bus to Oxford.

The “Gus Bus” is nowhere near fixed after the last road trip but it’s all Gus has. The Land Sharks are extremely hungry after getting back to town. From all appearances these Tigers don’t have much in the way of deadly claws or teeth so the feeding frenzy may be intense. If Gus’s offense can’t find a way to show life this week then plug on the life support can be pulled.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Auburn 31 -- 28

Tulsa Golden Hurricane @ Arkansas Razorbacks– The Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa have nearly blown the doors off of every team they have faced for the last five weeks but ran out of wind each time before the job was done. This Saturday they take their high winds to Fayetteville in search of their second win of the season. Chad Morris has been doing his best to feed his “Oinkers” a high-energy grain and slowly it seems that it is catching hold. He took his truck down to the bakery this week and picked up a huge load of bread and sweets to fatten his boys up so no little wind will toss them around. After being competitive for the last four weeks the Razorbacks get down to the bone this time.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Arkansas 30 -- 27

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ Tennessee Volunteers – Nick Saban has tried to find everything to complain about that he can. Tua is quietly nursing a tender knee and may try to sit this one out with a vacation week ahead. So Saban’s big red elephants will attempt to step carefully in Knoxville trying to keep perfection rolling before heading to Baton Rouge in two weeks with their dream of another perfect season.

Jeremy Pruitt passed out the lyrics to “Rocky Top” last Saturday in Auburn where many people were ready to sing-along rather than watch their Eagle crash and burn. Pruitt thinks he has finally hit on the right ammunition for his sharp shooters and they will attempt to bring down big game this Saturday. While they may land some body shots don’t bet on the kill shot.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Alabama 45 -- 24

Memphis Tigers @ Missouri Tigers – The Missouri Tigers left Tuscaloosa licking their deep wounds hoping to heal enough so they can fully engage any invaders from Memphis. This has every indication of being a pure catfight. Drew Lock seems to have lost some of the zing in his golden arm and hasn’t lit up the scoreboard near as much. That’s quite a shame because his defensive kin in the pride have improved immensely. When the blue-stripped cats begin to pick a fight Lock had better have his arm greased and ready to match claw for claw or see their post-season hopes begin to fade into the sunset.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Missouri 41 -- 31

Vanderbilt Commodores @ #14 Kentucky Wildcats – Derek Mason’s navy had all the little geckos rounded up and were about to harvest them when someone spilled super-sizing lizard oil on Mullets creepy crawlers. The Commodores may have not have a clear picture of what they are about to encounter.

The Wildcats left a bad “Snell” in College Station when they couldn’t cross the fifty-yard line even once. Stoops took his confused and pouting little kittens back home to re-motivate them before ships are spotted on the southern horizon. You can bet when some irritated Wildcats board ship the Commodores will be looking for the quickest way out of town.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Kentucky 34 -- 17

#22 Mississippi St. Bulldogs @ #5 LSU Tigers – The Bayou Bengals seek to make their case in two more weeks when them dang big red pachyderms stroll into town. Last week some Georgia canines thought they would be top dogs but things just didn’t work out that way. Now another brand of Dawg comes into the bayou ready to make a statement themselves. They have been trying to get a bad taste out of their mouth after early disappointments. After years of being dominated in the series the Dawgs have split the last four including winning in Baton Rouge. If Jo Mo can keep taking his pills regularly and his Bulldozers up front open holes then “Big Baby O”’s dream will be he one to die this week as Sweat and Company deliver the pain personally. Keep the faith Dawg Nation.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Miss. State 24 – 13

We must take one week at a time and try to find a way to realize much of the early expectations. Anything is possible if our team keeps blending together and fighting in positive ways for each other. Several teams that shouldn’t have seem to have and some that should have, HAVE. That’s what makes college football so enjoyable and nerve racking at the same time.

See you in StarkVegas next week for the College of Forestry Alumni Tailgate and Texas A&M. Until then… PTLGD!