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Let’s face it. Auburn’s success in 2010 and the difference between 14-0 and 9-4 were squarely dependent on quarterback Cam Newton and D-lineman Nick Fairley. Without them, the Tigers lose to Clemson, LSU, Alabama and possibly Arkansas, Mississippi State and Kentucky. But those two are gone and have left big gaping holes in the team.  That said, it could be a loooong year for the War Eagle.

Utah State Win
Mississippi State -  this game is a  toss-up. MSU is much improved and dangerous but the game is at Auburn.
at Clemson – another toss-up. Clemson will be hard-pressed to forget last year’s heartbreaking loss, when they missed an easy OT touchdown and an easier field goal. Played at Clemson.
Florida Atlantic Win
at South Carolina is going to have a better team than last year. 19 of the 21 projected starters are seniors and juniors and some of them will probably be leaving for the NFL (Alshon Jeffery, Stephon Gilmore). It is now or never. Plus, Steve Spurrier is getting old. Prediction: LOSS
at Arkansas – on the road against a team that also might be better even without Ryan Mallett. Prediction: LOSS
Florida – what a  tough SEC stretch! Finally, the Tigers get a home game. Too bad the also get another  LOSS
at LSU – and Baton Rouge makes four straight:  LOSS
Ole Miss – finally a  Win
Open Date
at Georgia – in Athens = LOSS
Samford Win
Alabama =  LOSS

*Bonus Prediction: reports of the deaths of the Toomer’s Corner trees were greatly exaggerated.

SEC WEST:

ALABAMA
Start of spring practice: March 21
Spring game: April 16

ARKANSAS
Start of spring practice: March 15
Spring game: April 16

AUBURN
Start of spring practice: March 23
Spring game: April 16

LSU
Start of spring practice: March 11
Spring game: April 9

MISSISSIPPI STATE
Start of spring practice: March 4
Spring game: April 9

OLE MISS
Start of spring practice: March 28
Spring game: April 16

SEC EAST:

FLORIDA
Start of spring practice: March 16
Spring game: April 9

GEORGIA
Start of spring practice: March 10
Spring game: April 16

KENTUCKY
Start of spring practice: March 30
Spring game: April 23

SOUTH CAROLINA
Start of spring practice: March 15
Spring game: April 9

TENNESSEE
Start of spring practice: March 22
Spring game: April 16

VANDERBILT
Start of spring practice: March 18
Spring game: April 17

It is probably best for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft ONLy if theythink they can go in the first round. Many of these guys will, but some of them are delusional:

SEC (14)

Alabama: Marcell Dareus, DE; Julio Jones, WR; Mark Ingram, RB – these three could go in the top 15.
Arkansas: Ryan Mallett, QB – mid-first round to mid-second round
Auburn: Nick Fairley DT; Cameron Newton, QB; Darvin Adams WR – UnFairley should go top 10; SCam in late 1st round; Adams 3rd round
Florida: Will Hill, S – meh, shoulda stayed
Georgia: Justin Houston, DE; A.J. Green, WR – AJ is a top 10 pick. Houston probably 2nd round or later
Kentucky: Randall Cobb, WR/KR/QB – interesting prospect but not a first rounder; maybe 3rd
LSU: Patrick Peterson, CB; Stevan Ridley, RB – Peterson is top 5; Ridley, are you kidding me?
Ole Miss: Jerrell Powe, DT – 2nd to 3rd round
South Carolina: Tori Gurley, WR – insane

ACC (9)

Clemson: Da’Quan Bowers, DE; Jamie Harper, RB – Da’Quan is a top 10
Georgia Tech: Nick Claytor, OT
Maryland: Torrey Smith, WR/KR; Kenny Tate, S
Miami: Brandon Harris, CB
Virginia: Zane Parr, DE
Virginia Tech: Darren Evans, RB; Ryan Williams, RB

BIG TEN (7) – I am truly surprised none of the Ohio State Tattoo-gate 5 are going pro.

ILLINOIS: Mikel Leshoure, RB; Corey Liuget, DT; Martez Wilson, LB
INDIANA: Tandon Doss, WR
IOWA: Tyler Sash, S
WISCONSIN: John Clay, RB; J.J. Watt, DE

BIG 12 (3)

MISSOURI: Blane Gabbert, QB; Aldon Smith, DE – not good for Mizzou. Blane will be 2nd or 3rd rounder
TEXAS: Aaron Williams, CB

BIG EAST (5)

CONNECTICUT: Jordan Todman, RB
PITTSBURGH: Jon Baldwin, WR; Henry Hynoski, FB; Dion Lewis, RB
WEST VIRGINIA: Robert Sands, S

PAC-10 (7)

ARIZONA STATE: Lawrence Guy, DT
CALIFORNIA: Shane Vereen, RB
OREGON STATE: Jacquizz Rogers, RB
UCLA: Akeem Ayers, LB; Rahim Moore
USC: Jurrell Casey, DT; Tryon Smith, OT

CONFERENCE USA (1)

SOUTHERN MISS: DeAndre Brown, WR.

MID-AMERICAN(1)

TEMPLE: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

UTAH: Brandon Burton, CB;  Sealver Siliga, DT

INDEPENDENT (1)

NOTRE DAME: Kyle Rudolph, TE

After their debacle in Norman, Oklahoma, Florida State reeled off five straight wins against some lesser opponents and got themselves back in the rankings (#16). Then they traveled to North Carolina State and lost 28-24. Look for the Wolfpack to find their way into the Top 25. Look for the ‘Noles to be heading the other direction.

Miami lost Jacory Harris to injury and then decided to stop playing. Virginia almost blew a 24 point 4^th quarter lead settling for a 24-19 win. Losing your QB is no excuse. If the ‘Canes expect to be taken seriously they cannot lose to teams like UVa.

Missouri, Michigan State: welcome back to reality. You heard it here first. As predicted, Nebraska throttles Mizzou 31-17 and Iowa destroys Sparty 37-6. B’bye. Thanks for playing.

Georgia got a little big for their britches after three straight wins against some lame-o teams. Saturday they returned to Big Boy football and lost a close one to Florida 34-31 in OT.

It’s always good to see Lame Kiffin lose: Oregon 53 Southern Cal 32.

HAHA of the Week: Notre Dame loses at HOME to Tulsa – HAHAHA! The Dames are now 4-5 and will have to win two of their last three games to be bowl eligible. Those opponents are #8 Utah, Army (played at Yankee Stadium), and Southern Cal. ND will be lucky to win one.

I heard some announcer mention that when Missouri beat Oklahoma that they were acting like they had just won the National Championship. And that is exactly why they will lose on Saturday to Nebraska. Much like another game played in another city named Columbia a few weeks ago (South Carolina-Alabama), the underdog home team topped the #1 team and the city went crazy. Moron Mizzou fans stormed the field in celebration. You will NEVER see fans do this at schools of top tier programs because they expect to win these games. Therefore, I say, so sorry Tigers fans, you blew your wad and it is all downhill from here. Nebraska wins big.

On that note, Michigan State has overachieved and congratulations to them. Iowa puts an end to this silliness in Iowa City.

ESPN has never met a hyperbole they did not like. I understand they are in the business of getting eyeballs to their network but they are trying so hard to blow up the Southern Cal vs. Oregon game into something it isn’t. Matt Barkley is NOT Carson Palmer. He is closer to John David Booty. Oregon romps. Again.

UGA and their unrealistic fans just cannot except that they are not an elite team. Georgia has two National Championships, 1942 and 1980. They are still living off the fumes of the latter even though none of the current players were alive at the time and Mark Richt was backing up Jim Kelly at Miami (Fla). Long story short, UGA fans are insane. After losing four in a row, the Dawgs have won three in a row against the SEC bottom feeders and now they think they are hot sh*t. Florida is working on a surprising three game losing streak of their own. Coming off a bye week, I have a feeling the Gators will arrive in Jacksonville ready.

I didn’t expect #1 Ohio State to lose this soon nor this easily. #18 Wisconsin in the upset 31-18. This is what happens when you depend on the QB to provide all the offense (see Michigan, Nebraska, Auburn, Virginia Tech).

#5 Nebraska got a might bit too big for their own britches. They were already looking ahead to the Big XII Championship game in December. Unranked Texas, loser of two in a row, had other ideas 20-13. This is what happens when you depend on the QB to provide all the offense (see Michigan, Ohio State, Auburn, Virginia Tech).

A week after playing a perfect game vs. former #1 Alabama, #10 South Carolina lays a big fat egg to Kentucky who had just lost three straight.

Did you see the “Evil Genius” (aka: Steve Spurrier) at the end of the SC-UK game?? He pulled a Les Miles:
Down 31-28, 1st & 10 at UK’s 20 yd line with 11 seconds AND THE CLOCK ALREADY STOPPED, he calls his final timeout! After that, pretty much the only play you can call is a pass into the end zone. It was intercepted – game over.

Urban Meyer and #22 Florida lost their 3^rd straight game. Mississippi State wins in “the Swamp” 10-7. Well, I guess Tebow was pretty important to that program after all, huh?

Somebody tell me HOW IN THE HELL did #19 Nevada (loss to Hawaii) and #23 Air Force (loss to San Diego State) get ranked. Ridiculous.

When are folks going to stop believing Oregon State (#24) is ever going to do anything worthwhile? The go to 3-3 after losing to Washington 35-34.

BCS:

I don’t get this. How does Oklahoma get the top spot? They beat Utah State by 7, Air Force by 3 and Cincinnati by 2. I am unimpressed. I predict they lose AT LEAST one regular season game and the Big XII championship game to Nebraska.

As always, Boise is a joke.

** It is a darned shame it took this long but I am happy welcome the team of the week #18 Southern Cal to the 2010 Hahas. Many pleasant returns. Washington 32 USC 31. **

Gators fans thought they had righted the ship with the second coming of Jesus… oops, I mean Tebow in Trey Burton. Wrong. After scoring 6 TD vs. Kentucky, Burton was 0-1 passing with an end zone INT, 4 rushes for 5 yards, 0 catches, 0 TDs. #1 Alabama 31 #7 Florida 6.

Oblivious UGA fans who thought the absence of AJ Green was the reason for all their losses. Colorado wins 29-27 and the stupid fans storm the field. For beating a 1-4 team???

What did I say about #9 Stanford? Every year they make a little noise that the media wants to make into a big noise and they fall flat on their faces (52-31 loss to Oregon). No disrespect to the Ducks – who I now see as the co-number one team with Alabama – but I see a bumpy road ahead for the Cardinal.

#11 Wisconsin – same as above. They will always be a second tier. Michigan State wins 34-24.

#21 Texas – has gone from BCS runner-up to dropped from rankings in a few short months. Oklahoma 28-20.  †

It took an extra week, but now there are no more undefeated teams in the ACC. Va Tech over #23 NC State 41-30.

Haha on Charles Barkley and his best friend Turner Gill who wasn’t hired at Auburn – according to Chuck – because he is black. Kansas loses to li’l ol’ Baylor 55-7. #10 Auburn is 5-0.

Rutgers loses at home to Tulane 17-14. How’s that career move working out for you, Greg Schiano? Still think he is heir apparent in State College, PA?

Tommy Tuberville is 2-2 at Texas Tech losing to Iowa State(?!) 52-38.

†  The above rankings represent pre-game positions.