Homecoming 2020

We enter Week 7 of the Southeastern Conference schedule with many questions about many teams. There are several issues that affect teams each season. It is even more complicated and unpredictable this season. The lack of spring practices has clearly showed up in all teams, some more than others.

It is homecoming at Mississippi State. Obviously, it will not be a normal event. It makes me a little sad that tailgating and huge crowds, which are a huge part of what makes college football so enjoyable, are missing this year. This year is also the 10th anniversary of when former Mississippi State defensive end Nick Bell, a native of Bessemer, Alabama, passed away. Bell died after a battle with cancer. He will always be part of the Dawg Nation.

I look forward to seeing Mississippi State’s throwback uniforms this Saturday, which feature the historic Flying M logo. The logo was worn over a six-year period from the late 1960s and early ‘70s. I will be attending this weekend, and I hope to reconnect with some old friends and make some new ones. The opportunity to go home to Mississippi State for a visit will always be a blessing.

No. 7 Texas A&M @ South Carolina

Head coach Jimbo Fisher’s army of 12 has been on a fairly good roll lately. After having a little bit of pork barbecue, Reveille and the cadets head east to take a tour of the chicken farms around Columbia, South Carolina. Taking an hour-long tour of the farm is bound to wet Reveille’s appetite for fried chicken this week.

Head coach Will Muschamp’s Gamecocks were feeling good when they pulled the chicken hauler into Baton Rouge, Louisiana, two weeks ago. Thinking they were going to have some fun down on the bayou, Muschamp let his yardbirds relax a bit too much before finding out the Tigers had a hunger for chicken. It cost the Gamecocks quite of few of their best layers, but they made it back to the home barns only to find out that Fisher’s cadets are heading their way to have a picnic. They don’t realize that the Aggies’ preferred meat is chicken.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Texas A&M 34-20

Tennessee @ Arkansas

The Volunteers’ last delivery of gunpowder didn’t have the explosive punch needed to maintain their marksmanship. In fact, it was a little on the wet side. Head coach Jeremy Pruitt has used the off week to secure a new shipment of powder and special lead designed to bring down the biggest feral hog they could possibly encounter. The Volunteers have high hopes of bringing down enough of those Arkansas Razorbacks to stock up the meat lockers for the winter ahead in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Last week, head coach Sam Pittman’s Hogs couldn’t get a firm grip on the Aggies down in College Station, Texas. Before it was over, the three little pigs had no house and no pot to cook in. Pittman’s Hogs are making plans to hogtie the Volunteers and pull them into the pigsty where they plan to roll the Volunteers in a complete mud bath.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Arkansas 28-24

No. 8 Florida @ No. 5 Georgia (Jacksonville)

The Gators were having a little fun snapping at the Tigers’ heels last week until the felines began to fight back. Head coach Dan Mullen and company had more than enough to subdue the Tiger rebellion, but the cost of the force used won’t be measured until the Gators pull into Jacksonville, Florida, for a cocktail. The question is, will Albert Gator be able to handle the rum and take home the Okefenokee Oar?

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has been riding the strength of his junkyard dogs until his offense could get its act together. The offensive act might be able to qualify for an academy award this week because defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s Gator defense seems to be lost in deep water. Smart’s walk-on quarterback, Stetson Bennett, will attempt to play keep away with the pigskin, making Grantham gamble with his slightly inept defense. If this one becomes a defensive struggle, then Mullen goes down again.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Georgia 27-23

Vanderbilt @ Mississippi State

The Commodores have arranged for a traveling fair to have them some boat rides this Saturday in Stark Vegas. They are hoping to anchor down while distracting the young Dawgs with all the children’s rides. However, head coach Derek Mason’s sailors seem to keep dropping the load on their own feet this season. Mason will throw everything he has at the Dawgs in an attempt to knock them out, but cotton balls never seem to do that much damage.

The Pirate of Stark Vegas has yet to get his mates indoctrinated to all the ways of a true pirate’s way of life. There will be another lesson for his youngsters this weekend on how to make an opponent walk the plank. Lesson by lesson, step by step, the baby Dawgs will find their confidence and start to swing their swords in unison and intend to make the Commodores another victim.

T-Dawg’s Winner: Mississippi State 31–13

In SEC predictions for the year, I am 18–12. That isn’t great, but who is? Last week, I tried throwing out some other winners in other conferences. I went 11-6, which is on par with my average of 60 to 65% correct. I do not believe that DraftKings will be hiring me anytime soon. The Pac-12 joins in the scramble this week, so I am going to throw out three winners there. Wherever you are, enjoy watching and cheering for your team while being with friends and family.

This week’s other Winners:

Toledo, Army, ULL, Wyoming, Tulane, No. 6 Cincinnati, Boston College, No. 13 Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, UCLA, Oregon State, Washington and West Virginia.