Friday, December 3, 2010

Auburn vs. South Carolina -- who you got?

Mr. Gordon is still off wandering the wilderness, muttering to himself: "We had them 24 to nothing... We had them 24 to nothing..."

He's due back Monday. I'm sure we'll all hear from him them. In the meantime, there's an SEC championship game to play. Two quick notes before we get to the picks:

-- You know this already, but the SEC title game dwarfs the other conference championships. There are 20,000 people on the waiting list for tickets. Although I suspect a few Bama fans dropped off this week.

-- You also know this already, but I don't think Bear would have done it this way. At SEC football banquets, the inspirational music is generally Hank Jr., Slayer, or something Wu-Tang. Michigan players, come south and be men.

On to the picks.

Peter: The most remarkable thing about this Auburn team is its ability to overcome - tight first quarter play, Cam Newton questions, all of it. Now, for the first time in weeks, it's merely a big football game against a scary football team. Will the Tigers finally come out loose, now that the road to Glendale has been officially cleared for them by the NCAA? The Gamecocks are better than they were when they almost beat Auburn in Auburn back in September, but the Tigers also are a different team, with a more complete offense and a defense that can slow teams just enough. If Auburn starts well, it's hard to pick against a trip to Glendale. Auburn 34, South Carolina 31.


Tommy: Wouldn't it be funny if Auburn lost now? OK, if you're an Auburn fan, that doesn't fall anywhere in your definition of "funny." But this almost falls into the category of a trap game between the Alabama epic and an expected national title game. Two differences, though: One, Auburn has to win to make that title game, and two, South Carolina is really good. The Gamecocks had two big road games at the end of the season -- Florida for the SEC East, and Clemson for bragging rights -- and thumped both teams. They led Auburn in the fourth quarter back in September. And they beat Alabama worse than Auburn did. All that should add up to a close game in Atlanta. But you know what? I can't see it. Auburn's running downhill these days, and I don't think anybody -- including Oregon -- can keep up. Auburn, 44-24.

Gordon: Checking in from the edge of the Abyss, still wondering if Cam Newton can overcome his bruising treatment by the NCAA and his own school. All those minutes wondering if he would have a chance to live his dream . . .

Let's make something clear: The best team won the Iron Bowl and the best team now comes to Atlanta and hour away from a shot at a national championship. And yet there's this eerie feeling that the Tigers will have to fight like crazy to get to the Arizona. South Carolina can win this game if it tackles for 48 minutes and their quarterback keeps his inner Jeckyl in check until the post-game celebration. Auburn will win, and comfortably, if it figures out how to turn its second half against Alabama into four quarters of effort. Heck, three quarters will do. WDE: 34-24


R. Trentham: You know it's your year when the NCAA actually CLEARS you. Auburn 31, South Carolina 26.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have done my best to keep the chatter going this week in Gordon's absence, offering rebuttal after rebuttal to some fool named "Anonymous" who kept ranting that the NCAA's finding that Cam & Auburn are innocent is a complete fraud, based solely on the fact that the NCAA "needs Auburn & Oregon in the title game." The hardest pieces of evidence anyone offered were "UNC players got punished, so Auburn should too" and "Kenny Rogers said Cam knew everything, and we must accept every word from his mouth as gospel." So I guess the ACC folks were really here all along. They will have bigger problems to worry about as the SEC title game again plays to a capacity crowd and again produces a fine game while the ACC title game barely fills the lower bowl, as the tiny threat of a snowflake or two scares all locals into making panicked bread & milk runs before scurrying to the comfort of their homes to watch Va Tech beat the living hell out of Florida St. The ACC will again watch in envy as TEN SEC schools go to bowls this year, while John Swofford makes seedy backroom promises to get bowls to take more than the 3 teams his conference has that actually deserve to go to bowls (VT, FSU, NCSU).

I would also like to reveal that I know where Mike Gordon is. He's with the family of Julio Jones, making good on all those things he said in the live blog about being available to do the dishes, fold the clothes, arrange flowers, etc. as Jones was staking 'Bama to a seemingly-insurmountable lead in the Iron Bowl.

As for the game:

Much as I'd like to think the Big Ol' Hairy Dawg Prophet is still on a roll, I just don't see this as a runaway. SC is a more complete team, but so is Auburn - AU actually plays defense for TOW quarters now instead of one. You have to think the end of the investigation is going to do us some good. Still, I expect us to fall behind as usual, and come back as usual. Hopefully SC will not be deprived of the January 1 bowl they deserve. WAR FREAKIN' EAGLE 31, Fightin' Chickens 24

lelo elise said...

I got with SC.. Thats my only choice.

Bama Brother said...

Well,
Now that the ole ball coach and his cocks have been fly swatted away, I'll issue a warning to those web-footed wonders in Eugene: Boys, you have no idea what is about to hit you. Not only is this Auburn team talented, improving and inspired, each of the players has a belt buckle with a big "D" on it. That D stands for Destiny, and it has been with Auburn since the season started. It ain't about to desert them in Glendale.

Michael said...

Bro: That "D" could stand for "Dialing for Dollars" but I digress.

(Bonus points to anyone who can name the host of said show on WBRC in Birmingham, way, way back in the day. Catch phrase: "Ring telephone")

J, if Julio comes back for his senior year, I've agreed to be an indentured servant for his family. Do you think that violates NCAA rules?

Taylor Wane said...

Carlina baby.. even though i live in Georgia :)
Taylor Wayne Love Doll