Vanderbilt Needs win in the Commonwealth

The 81^st meeting between the two traditional bottom dwellers in the SEC has a lot to play for Saturday, when the Vanderbilt Commodores come into the Commonwealth to take on the Wildcats of Kentucky.

33 of the 80 total meeting have been decided by 7 points or less, and with both teams playing for bowl positioning, this game will likely be no different. Couple the desperate nature of the game for both teams with predicted retched weather conditions (snow flurries, rain and wind are forcasted), and the game has all the makings of an instant classic.

Vanderbilt comes into the Commonwealth in search of their 6^th win which would make them bowl eligible for the first time since 1982. The Commodore season began with 5 straight wins and a national ranking as high as #13. However, offensive woes and quarterback uncertainties have lead to this team dropping their last four and out of the national landscape of top tier teams.

A key to the losses is Vanderbilt’s inability to put teams away. For the season, they are giving up nearly as many points as they score. With such close games that can go either way, the Dores have been ill equipped to pull out wins against superior athletically talented teams.

Even the wins which bench marked their 5-0 start look less and less impressive. The win against South Carolina was too early in the season to gage and the Auburn win at home also looks unimpressive as the Tigers have fallen completely off the national map and are in danger of not even reaching a bowl themselves.

The luck of the Commodores seemingly ran out when they went to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Coach Bobby Johnson was hoping to jump start the offense and yanked quarterback starter Chris Nickson for MacKenzie Adams. Adams had played well for the injured Nickson the week prior against Auburn and was felt at the time, Adams would give Vandy a different look. However, whenever such a move is made ruptures in team. The uncertainty at who will be the starter each week has lead to the Vandy downfall.

Both Nickson and Adams are essentially the same quarterback. They both are pocket passers with limited mobility. In nearly equal amount of reps, they have a near equivalent completion percentage, touchdowns thrown, and quarterback ratings. For the game Saturday, the once again the quarterback situation is up in the air, as Bobby Johnson has been quoted in saying that both will share the reps evenly.

As the Commodores prepare to enter the Commonwealth, they are hoping to save their season which had such high hopes coming off the 5-0 mark.

Junior receiver stated the rivalry best when he explained the rivalry between his Commodores and the Kentucky school.

“It’s been a good one since I’ve been here. Before I came here that it always comes down to the wire, because we’re pretty even teams. Recently they’ve come out on the upper end, which is not good. So, we’re trying to change that.”

And to change the momentum and the series struggles against the Cats, Vanderbilt must go back to the way they played at the beginning of the season and not how they have played recently.

Conference Champion Projection

As we are in the last month of the college football season, I will weekly update the projected conference winners of the BCS conferences….:

BIG 10- Great news! Penn State lost and now the National Championship will not see a slow paced Big 10 school against the speed and aggressive play of top tier conferences, the Big 12 and the SEC. With the loss, Penn State , Ohio State, and Michigan State all have three losses in the conference. In a few weeks, Michigan State will take on the Nittany Lions. Ohio State earlier in the season crushed the Michigan State Spartans 45-7, and lost in the last seconds in Penn State 13-6. Ohio State should at least make a BCS bowl game if they win out. Penn State should also win a share of the BIG 10, as they face Michigan State at home the final week of the season.

CHAMPIONS- Penn State/Ohio State

Rose Bowl- Penn State Sugar Bowl- Ohio State

BIG 12 SOUTH- Texas Tech has lasted a brutal stretch in their schedule, which they blew out Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas for three quarters. BUT I am still skeptical that they will complete the unbeaten mark in the conference. Next week the Red Raiders must head to Norman to take on the Oklahoma Sooners. Last year all the Sooners needed was a win over the Red Raiders and they would be a LOCK for the National Title. However, Stoops and crew were unable to do the job and were left with another menial season which ended in a bowl loss and a unfulfilled season. This year the Sooners should revenge their loss at home. With the win, there will be a three way tie in the Big 12 conference with Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech all tied. The champion will be crowned by highest BCS rankings, and I think Texas should be highest ranked and win the south division. TEXAS

Big 12 North- With a lot of hype to enter the season both Missouri and Kansas have struggled to contend with the top tier south teams. Quarterback Chase Daniels and the Missouri Tigers should be the conference champion if they can beat Kansas at the end of the season. BUT I do not think they have enough fire power to take down the south team in the conference championship. Missouri

CHAMPION- Texas

NATIONAL TITLE- Texas Fiesta Bowl- Oklahoma

ACC- The ACC is a conference on a down five years. The conference does NOT have a a team ranked in the top 15. Some say it’s due to the competitiveness of the conference, I say the reason is all the teams are just MEDIOCRE. The college world will be shocked, as the basketball power house, North Carolina will win the conference and make a BCS bowl game for the first time in their school history. The ACC gets a bid from the Orange Bowl. The North Carolina Tarheels are the selction here. The Heels have not been in a bowl since 2004 when they were defeated by, then Big East and now ACC opponent Boston College.

CHAMPION- North Carolina

Orange Bowl- North Carolina

BIG EAST- In another mediocre conference a school which does not get much attention in the realm of college football should be champion and reach a BCS game. The Big East is jumbled with 5 schools in contention to win the conference. In jumbled mess which is the BIG EAST, I project the Cincinnati Bearcats to run the table in the remainder of their schedule. They travel to Louisville, host Pitt and play a dismal Syracuse team to conclude the season.

Champion- Cincinnati

Orange Bowl- Cincinnati

PAC 10- Once again, USC should win the conference. They haven’t really been as dominant as they were expected to be, but they are so much better than the rest of their conference. Winning their conference will land them in the ROSE BOWL for the 4^th time in five years. Although, they will lose some big time defensive stars, next year the Trojans will return their quarterback, their explosive running backs, and receivers. With all the offense coming back, and USC’s ability to reload talent lost, the TROJANS WILL be next years Preseason #1 team in the land.

CHAMPION- USC

Rose BOWL- USC

SEC- Both the WEST and EAST have already been clinched as the Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida Gators face off in the conference championship for a national title. It seems that it is a FOREGONE conclusion that the Florida Gators are going to beat the Tide and reach the National Championship. Although the Gators have outscored opponents by 39.8 points per game, the Tide should enter the game as the #1 team in the land and enter UNBEATEN. Traditionally, when a game is thought to be a FORGONE conclusion, the opposite occurs. At first I did think that the Gators would win but they too might think that and beleve in the hype. ALSO, Urban Meyer’s arrogant play and running up scores will come back to haunt him eventually….and in the SEC title game his KARMA will bite him. Nick Saban has done a phenomenol job at keeping ghis team grounded, and they should come out victorious in December.

CHAMPION- Alabama

BCS National Title- Alabama Sugar Bowl- Florida

BCS BUSTERS---There are 3 schools vying for the AT-LARGE bid into the BCS games. UTAH, BOISE STATE, and BALL STATE have all played inferior competition and remain unbeaten. I see two schools losing a game, however…the UTAH Utes will lose at the end of the season to in-state rival BYU Cougars and Ball State should also lost to conference rival Central Michigan. The Boise Broncos will win out as they face the easiest sleight in the remainder of the season. The Broncos host Idaho, travel to Nevada, and host Fresno to close the season. Smurf Turf will reach the FIESTA BOWL…The Fiesta should choose the Broncos in hopes to reenact the Boise Miracle of a few years ago…

Fiesta Bowl- Boise State Broncos

SEC Bowl Projections--November 8th 2008

National Title- Florida Gators

Florida is the most complete team in college football to this point in the season. Other than a lapse against Mississippi, the Gators have dominated each opponent they have faced. This one loss team should win over both South Carolina and Florida State before the meet Alabama in the SEC Championship game. Defeating an unbeaten team, the Gators will skyrocket in the bowls and land in the title game for the 2^nd time in three years.

Sugar Bowl- Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama is unbeaten and should finish the season that way with games against Mississippi State and Auburn, both teams have struggled of late and should not be much of a threat to pull an upset. The Tide DO NOT get to the title game of the way they have been winning. Other than the first half of the Georgia game, Alabama has played bend but not break football….that just is NOT safe and when they are challenged in the SEC championship, they will not be so lucky. The loss will give them only one for the season and that is good enough for a BCS selection

Capital One Bowl- Georgia Bulldogs

After two SEC teams will make the BCS, the Capital One Bowl gets to select the next SEC school and will chose a 2 loss Georgia Bulldog team. The season had such high hopes and it is sad to see them land here.

Cotton Bowl- LSU

The Cotton Bowl is played in Dallas, Texas and will likely select the next best western division team. IF the Tigers can beat Ole Miss, and they should, the Tigers will land in the Cotton Bowl.

Outback Bowl- South Carolina

With the next best record in the conference, the Outback Bowl should select South Carolina.

Chic-Fil-A Bowl- Kentucky

With a new found offense and a defense that is getting healthy the Cats should win at least one more game which will propel them to a better bowl than the Music City Bowl. Atlanta is a hot pick because Kentucky fans travel well and should sell out the Georgia Dome.

Music City Bowl- Vanderbilt

All they need is one win….just one and the Commodores will make a bowl for the first time since 1982. With Tennessee on the schedule they should get a win. Nashville will be the destination as the Dores will stay home for a holiday bowl game in their own city.

Independence Bowl- Auburn

What a SAD, SAD, SAD year for the Tigers…But a bowl is a bowl, although this is NOT what was expected this season.

Liberty Bowl-Ole Miss

Houston Nutt has created a winner in Mississippi as he will led the Rebels to a bowl game in his first season as head coach. Landing in third in the WEST and getting enough wins, the Liberty Bowl should select the Rebels

Gators still chompin' as Dores feel the bite

Florida @ Vanderbilt- 42-14 Florida

Florida- Needing just one win in two SEC tries to clinch the SEC Eastern Division title the Gators did not disappoint. Urban Meyer’s squad jumped out to a 42-0 lead before even allowing the Commodores to get on the board. Tim Tebow continued his stellar play by throwing for 3 touchdowns and running for two more. Tebow’s play the past month has put him back as the front runner for a second straight heisman. For the season, the Gators have dominated every team they have played, they have outscored opponents on average by 39.5 points per game. Defensively, the Gators also proved stout by holding the Commodores to just 15 total first downs. The win propels the Gators to the SEC title game for the second time in three years. Next week the Gators will host the Gamecocks in a game which is still essential for the Gators national title hopes.

Vanderbilt- The Commodores season has really taken a down swing as they have now lost four straight games. Vanderbilt built up a solid resume early by beating both South Carolina and Auburn early, but really have not dominated or played solid all season. Luck has ran out for the Dores as they still search for a 6^th win and bowl eligibility. Vanderbilt, like every other team in the SEC was overwhelmed by the Gators. They could not get anything going offensively and could not stop the Florida Gator offensive arsenal. One worry for the Dores, was the early exit of quarterback MacKenzie Adams. If he is out for a game or even the season the Dores will rely on Chris Nickson who was benched early in the season. Searching out a bowl-eligible win for the fifth straight week will be the task for Vanderbilt as they head to the Commonwealth next Saturday to take on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Tide Roll in the Saban Bowl

Alabama @ LSU—27-21 (overtime) Alabama

Alabama- The Crimson Tide again did not play stellar but did enough to win in Baton Rouge. The win clinched the SEC Western Title as the Tide will appear in the SEC Championship game for the first time since 1999 when Alabama dismantled the Florida Gators 34-7. The key to the west-clinching win was the Alabama defense. The top SEC defense forced four interceptions, which massively helped to defeat a hungry Tiger team. Senior John Parker Wilson played well at quartback, as he did nothing spectacular but failed to make costly mistakes enroute to the victory. After a few lack luster weeks, running back Glenn Coffee also reemerged as an explosive back. Coffee rushed for 127 yards and a score. Alabama will now take their unbeaten mark to face a hungry Mississippi State team next week.

LSU- Les Miles had his Tigers thinking upset Saturday and it almost happened. The Tigers battled back from a late 14-21 deficit to tie the game and create overtime. But Overtime saw the same Tigers as usual, NO OFFENSE… Quarterback Jarrett Lee threw the ball to the defense 4 times and helped put the defense in very unfavorable postions. With the struggles in the passing game, it was the running game that took shape against the Tide. Les Miles employed a little bit of the Wildcat offense and tan for a total of 201 yards. The loss now gives the Tigers 4 in conference. They must play Troy before a showdown with the creator of the Wildcat offense, Houston Nutt and the Ole Miss Rebels for 2^nd place in the division.

Old Smokey Refuse to Fight

Wyoming @ Tennessee…Wyoming 13-7

Tennessee- After an emotional week in Knoxville, in which Coach Phillip Fulmer said he would step down at the end of the season, one would think that the Vols would come out and play for their coach, win the rest of their games and at least make a bowl game. BUT, the same Tennessee that has shown up all year showed up again Saturday. The Volunteers struggled on offense only gaining 216 total yards and turned the ball over twice. They were shut out in the first half and trailed the Wyoming Cowboys all game. The loss ends even the outside chance of bowl eligibility ot even a .500 season. Changes are a coming in Knoxville, and with the way the season has gone to this point, changes are most certainly needed.

Garcia Stuggles, But Cocks get the Victory

Arkansas @ South Carolina--- South Carolina 34-21

South Carolina- Stephen Garcia struggled at quarterback and was pulled in favor of former starter Chris Smelley. The quarterback change seemed to not be a factor, due to the Gamecocks purely overmatching and outplaying the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Cock defense forced Arkansas into 3 turnovers and held the running backs to only 56 total yards all game. This win gives the Gamecocks 7 on the season and a winning record in conference play with a 4-3 mark. The Cocks now will head to Gainesville to take on a Gator team on a misson.

Arkansas- A week after winning SEC offensive player of the week honors, senior quarterback Casey Dick, severely regressed. He threw three interceptions. Three turnovers is hard for any team to overcome, especially on the road. Coach Bobby Petrino knew this Arkansas gig would be a rebuilding process, but did he really think they’d miss a bowl in his first year? I am not sure, but with their sixth loss of an already dismal season, it will be very hard to salvage this season, Next week Arkansas travel to Starkville to take on a Mississippi State Bulldog team as desperate as they are for a win.

Auburn Bounces Back

UT-Martin @ Auburn—37-20 Auburn

Auburn- Auburn’s struggles and four straight losses was certain to stop against such a lesser tier opponent in the University of Tennessee- Martin. The Tigers of Auburn controlled every phase of the game. The offense gained 452 total yards, got 26 total first downs and forced three turnovers. BUT, they did see struggles as well, as the Tigers made three turnovers of their own, none were interceptions. The turnovers will be costly if they intend on competing against the Georgia Bulldogs next week. This week was a MUST-WIN and Tommy Tubberville got his team to pull through, now, they get the opportunity to play spoiler as they face two SEC heavy weights: Georgia and Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

(13) Georgia 42, Kentucky 38

Kentucky Can’t beat the Dawg Bite

Seconds weining down, Kentucky driving, and the fans going wild. The atmosphere waws electric and everyone at Commonwealth Stadium felt today was the day for a monumental Cat victory, however this was not the case as Randall Cobb threw a screen pass that did not get past Georgia lineman Demarcus Dobbs.

Dobbs was mobbed by teammates and the Kentcuky hopes for an upset fell, as the Georgia Bulldogs held on to defeat the Wildcats 42-38.

“It’s just the ways of the SEC”, said Coach Richt after the game. “We were very, very lucky to come out with this one.”

And in this one, they were extremely lucky. After falling behind early in the first quarter by the score of 14-0, the Kentucky offense found momentum, identity, and dominated through the rest of the game. Kentucky controlled the ball for over 34 minutes and had their longest scoring drive of the season on their first score, spanning over six minutes and 60 yards.

Freshman quarterback Randall Cobb said early in the week that he would not be nervous this game, and that last week was just first game jitters. That was true, as Cobb led the offense like a senior. Cobb completed 60% of his passes and ran for 85 yards.

The new styled option offense, which was employed just last week, really thrived, as the Cats gave the Dawgs fits all day. Kentucky rushed for a total of 256 yards, the most all season.

All the improvements and progress on offense were still not enough to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs. The defense continued to struggle, as they gave up 376 yards to quarterback Mathew Stafford. Stafford was able to zing balls into receivers often, as the Kentucky defenders seemed to be out of place or beaten on most passing routes. Senior receiver Mohammed Massaquoi had a career day torching the Kentucky defensive backs for eight catches, 191 yards, and a score.

The loss now gives the Kentucky Wildcats a 6-4(2-4) record. But, with the offense seemingly found, and a downtrotten Vanderbilt team and lackluster Tennessee Volunteers at the end of the season, hopes for a better destination for the bowl season is highly likely.

1st Quarter- Georgia 14, Kentucky 7

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(13) Georgia 14, Kentucky 7

Georgia came out on fire as the Bulldogs scored on each of their two possessions of the quarter. Knowshown Moreno had just five carries in the quarter and already has rushed for half of the century mark. Matthew Stafford has also seen success bulleting passes through the overaggressive Kentucky defensive back field. Stafford has a near perfect mark by completing 80% of his passes and a touchdown.

After the Georgia built 14-0 lead, the Kentucky offense showed life by driving the length of the field for a score of their own. The drive spanned six and half minutes and went for 57 yards. The key to the drive was the running game which successfully moved the ball down the field to convert at pivotal moments. The 15 play drive included 13 runs and just two passes by Randall Cobb. The emergence of the running game will be key for the Cats to compete in this game.

Dawgs Score Early

Georgia 7, Kentucky 0

On the first drive, the Kentucky Wildcats failed to stop the Georgia Bulldogs at all. Knowshon Moreno ripped a 20 yard gain to begin the drive and the Dawgs never looked back. Matt Stafford dropped back to pass on the third play of the drive to find a wide open Mohamed Massaquoi for a 29 yard touchdown. The Cats are down early as the offense will hope to answer back in their opening drive.

Gameday in the Bluegrass

It is another GAMEDAY for the Bluegrass as the Kentucky Wildcats will host the once Championship hopeful Georgia Bulldogs. Kentucky is coming off a narrow 14-13 victory against Mississppi State and the Georgia Bulldogs are looking to gete back on the winning track after an EMBARRASSING loss to the Florida Gators, which ruined their national title hopes. My hope is that this game can be kept close by the Kentucky defense. However, my rational self knows that Georgia is coming into the Commonwealth ANGRY and wanting to make a BIG statement. Poor Kentucky, but maybe not…

Last week, my college picks DOMINATED! I must say I am getting a hang of this college season. I knew Tech would beat the Longhorns. And until the last quarter, the Red Raiders were completely dominating the Horns. BUT, although the Red Raiders did win, it is unlikely they go through their schedule with out a loss. The next few games are brutal and if they get by the Oklahoma State Cowboys this week, their following game in Norman against the Sooners, they will NOT be so lucky!

Last Week- 9-4 (HIT THE UPSET SPECIAL!)

OVERALL::: 41-30

ACC- Duke o NC State

Big East- Rutgers o Syracuse

Big 12- Nebraska o Kansas

Big 10- Michigan State o Purdue

Pac 10- Arizona o Washington State

UPSET SPECIALS

1) Cincinnati o West Virginia

2) Oklahoma State o Texas Tech

-SEC PREDICTIONS-

1) Alabama o LSU- The Tigers are not the same team as last year and do not have enough fire power to contend with the TIDE….The game in in Tuscaloosa and Nick Saban will have this team focused on the Western crown…ALABAMA

2) Tennessee o Wyoming- Too little, too late for the Vols, but a win on HOMECOMING is a must…it likely will NOT be pretty but the Volunteers should outmatch the Cowboys based on talent alone…TENNESSEE

3) Arkansas o South Carolina- Arkansas is going to come into Columbia on a mission and Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia is bound to have a bad game….this will be it…Arkansas WILL pull the upset…ARKANSAS

4) Auburn o Tennesee-Martin- Four straight SEC losses, the Tigers need this game before heading to Athens….Auburn should win this one CONVINCINGLY…AUBURN

5) Florida o Vanderbilt- After the loss to Ole Miss, the Gators have been on a mission…they will not be wowed by the hyped that was received this week after the belittling of Georgia…they are too focused. Vandy does come off a bye but has not looked good of late losing three straight games!...FLORIDA

PRE Week 11 Conference Breakdowns

Big 12- It is hard for me to pick the Red Raiders to go unbeaten and land in the National title. They dominated Texas, BUT when it gets late in the season, teams start beliving in their hype and tend to falter. Add that to their TRIP to Oklahoma in a few weeks, and the likelihood they go unbeaten is greatly dampened. I think it WILL be the Longhorns who emerge out of this conference as champion AND hopefully, they can land in the NATIONAL TITLE.

BIG 12 CHAMPION Choice- TEXAS

Big 10- This conference is bad…some say its competitive but when NORTHWESTERN has a viable chance to beat the Buckeyes this week, you know the conference is weak. Penn State is undefeated AND looks to remain that way with today’s game in IOWA being their last road game of the season…They get their last two at home with a bad Indiana team AND a ranked Michigan State…Some say Michigan State could pull the upset, I don’t necessarily see that….What a SHAME it would be if these guys make the National title…a team who faces the likes of Coastal Carolina?!? Should NOT be in contention or consideration for a National title…SO, picking by my heart and NOT my head I say they lose one game just because I DON’T want to see ANOTHER Big 10 team in the national title game….

BIG 10 CHAMPION Choice- Penn State

Big East- This has been a DOWN year for this conference…With three weeks remaining every team can still win the conference title outright. The winner does get an automatic bid to a BCS game…What a joke that is, when more deserving teams will miss out on the oppurutunity. My choice here is the West Virginia Mountaineers. West Virginia is UNBEATEN within the conference and seem to be getting better as the season has progressed. Pat White is leading the charge and the NEW coaching staff has its players buying into the new philosophy. Just for the conferences sake, I hope West Virginia can win the conference because they are the ONLY team that can compete in a BCS game…

BIG EAST CHAMPION CHOICE- West Virginia

ACC- This is another conference in a DOWN year…most teams are STILL in contention to reach the title game… There are some big games ahead to determine the winner of this conference. I think the CHAMPION of the conference should come out of today’s game between Georgia Tech and North Carolina. North Carolina’s coach Butch Davis is being talked about for A LOT of different coaching positions through out the college landscape and has done a PHENOMENOL job at a basketball school. It is my projection that NORTH CAROLINA wins today and makes it the a BCS bowl game for the ACC….

ACC Champion Choice- North Carolina

PAC 10- Well, another TYPICAL year in the PAC 10. USC is miles ahead of everyone in the conference, BUT still on the outside looking in on a National title possibility. The Trojans haven’t really played as well as they were expected to this season with a LOSS to Oregon State and a close game against Arizona. Football is played differently on the west coast, and is just not up to par with the more competitive conferences of the BIG 12 and SEC…Pete Carrol says the BCS calculations “stink”, and maybe so. But if you beat the teams you should, it wouldn’t be an issue…Sorry, but another Rose Bowl is in the mist for the Trojans….congrats, really…

Pac 10 Champion Choice- USC

SEC- With Florida’s dominant win over Georgia last week and Alabama’s undefeated season to this point TWO teams have emerged in this conference. Lucky for both, they will not face each other until the conference title game. If both win today, they will both clinch their respective divisons and book the trip to Atlanta for the first week in December. It will be the earliest clinched titles since the early 2000’s. Alabama has NOT looked that dominant since the beat down of the Georgia Bulldogs. They struggled with Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. And after Florida looked past Ole Miss and got upset at home, this team has played with purpose and has dominated opponents game in and game out. Florida’s stellar play the past month leads me to believe this is the most complete team in the nation. They have a stellar offense, playmakers on defense, and a consistant special teams unit. The only thing which bothers me is Urban Meyer ball, which is a RUN UP THE SCORE, shove it in your face style of ball…KARMA will come back to haunt him eventually, BUT this season, not going to happen…If Alabama nad Florida should meet in Atlanta, the Gators should dominate and find themselves in the National title for the second time in three years.

SEC Champion Choice- Florida

Keys to Kentucky/Georgia

KEYS TO Cat Win-

1) Offense….well just needs to show up. Kentucky has struggled offensively all year to find momentum or an identity. Last week they employed a veer option styled offense with Randall Cobb. This will be the second week of running this style offense and the extra week should and must be beneficial in order to compete with the Georgia Bulldogs.

2) Defense…MUST STOP Georgia EARLY. The Bulldogs had their BCS National Title hopes dashed last week as they were embarrassed by the Florida Gators. The Kentucky defense needs to KEEP the Dawgs sulking. A couple quick stops could lead to the Bulldogs to question themselves.

3) Special Teams…All year, the special teams have been a MAJOR question mark and truly UNRELIABLE. This team MUST limit the mistakes in the kicking game. If not, a blow out will ensue…

Game Projection---

This game has the TOP offense in the SEC, Georgia Bulldogs and a middle of the pack in every category Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky struggled to get anything going against Mississppi State and got lucky with a narrow win 14-13. The Dawgs are coming off a monumental and embarrassing loss to rival Florida Gators. The Georgia Bulldogs can go two ways; flush the season or fight for another Capital One Bowl bid….becuase the BCS games are pretty much eliminated from the mind set.

…Coach Mark Richt should have his team hungry and ready to bounce back…Kentucky just does NOT have enough offense to compete against the top tier of the SEC…Georgia should win and win BIG.

Georgia-41

Kentucky- 10

Georgia is coming to town!

Cats Prepare for the Dawgs

The last time the Georgia Bulldogs came into the Commonwealth, the Kentucky Wildcats took down the Dawgs and then the goal posts in an electric 24-20 upset. That win helped propel Kentucky to a bowl birth, bowl win, and a new attitude for the program.

Now, though a win likely wont promt a massive rush the field celebration, a win will guarantee a bowl game for the third straight years, a feat the Cats have not done since the 1949-1951 seasons.

Senior defensive tackle Jeremy Jarmon feels that the team matches up well with the Georgia Bulldogs as he said, “We feel we match up well with this team. “, he continued to say “Georgia does some things that is stoppable.”

Although, the Georgia Bulldogs might be a s team the defense can stop through the air, it is the run game that has proved to be a weakness for the Cats. They have given up yards in masses to most SEC opponents this year and are giving their opponents 127 yards a game. The woes in the run defense seemed to be a major worry for Jarmon and the Cats but he knows how to stop running back Knowshown Moreno.

“You got to keep guys in their position” said Jarmon. “I think a lot of guys get out of position. Some times guys think they need to do more to make sure to limit him to less but that is not the way to do it.”

So, a must for Kentucky will be to stay in position, tackle, and not try and do to much. Doing too much might be what the defense has been doing the past few weeks as the defense has been decimated by injuried. However, the injured Cats are getting back to full health and ALL should be ready to go on Saturday.

What is wrong with the Georgia Bulldogs?!?

Coming off a huge loss in Jacksonville Saturday against Florida, Dawg nation is in mourning. The teams national title hopes were slashed, dashed, and chomped by the Gators and now they must bounce back and salvage the remainder of their season.

With the loss, Coach Mark Richt has come under a lot of heat for his underachieving team.

Scott Howard, the Georgia Bulldog play-by-play announcer exclaimed that, “Everybody has a different answer and different solution, if you listen to call-in shows and things like that, and read blogs everyone has the answer. Everyone just knows more than the coaching staff, I guess. But it is just more, that there is not just one answer.”

More than one issue? Yes. The Dawgs have seen struggles in every phase in the game, and they were exploited severely against the Gators last week.

The Bulldog defense has struggled in the past few weeks, as they not only got demolished by Florida by giving up 49 points but also showed their weakness against the non-existant LSU offense by giving up 39 to the Tigers in a win.

Besides the defense, the offense has struggled as well. They have NOT been riddled by injuries or significant changes; however teams are starting to slow down star running back Knowshown Moreno and by stopping Moreno and the Georgia running game, quarterback Mathew Stafford is forced to make plays and has not been able to. Stafford has thrown 5 interceptions in the last 3 games, he only threw three in the first six games.

With both offensive and defensive struggles, it appears logical the Bulldogs are in turmoil. However, Howard notices there is much more problems underlying the mediocre play.

“I think the problem is where the opponent is starting with the football. A lot of these games, teams are getting extremely good field position. “

Georgia hopes to right the ship as they head into the COmmonwelath. As the Kentucky Wildcats rank near the bottom in offense, the defense should be able to bounce back, however on offense it is a completely different story for the Dawgs.

“Georgia’s biggest issue will likely be with the Cats defense.” Said Howard, Georgia’s offense and their ability to move the ball on Kentucky’s defense should be the key to the game Saturday.”

Kentucky/Vanderbilt Game Time Set

Next weekends showdown for bowl positioning against the Vanderbilt Commadores was selected by ESPN 2 for media coverage. The November 15th game will be played at 8 p.m. This is Kentucky's 3rd nationally televised game.

Monday Notes---
Defensive end Vertrell Jenkins was named the SEC's player of the week for his performance against the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week. Jenkins had four tackles, three of which were sacks.

Today, the Kentucky Wildcats begin practice for the Georgia Bulldogs. The last time the Georgia Bulldogs traveled to Commonwealth, the Cats defeated Georgia in route to thier first bowl season in six years.

Patterson Open Season Dominantly, Don't Expect him here for the long term

It’s the elephant in the room when Patrick Patterson comes into the post game press conference.

Reporters all know that their time with Patterson is not going to last past this year and instead of asking about his aspirations and plans for next year they ask how the game went, how the new players are fairing and what they should improve upon for the next game. Although the focus is in the now, the stellar play which Patterson showed in the opener proved, he is not going to be here for long.

Patterson looked dominant in the home opener against St. Louis University. He out-muscled the opposition for rebounds, overpowered the defenders down low, and showed a hustle and drive which was not prevalent last year.

His leadership and play will lead the Kentucky Wildcats on a magical season, but following this magical season he will likely be lured to the NBA. After the first game, it was obvious he’s in a league of his own on the court and should become a very dominant force as the season progresses.

Kentucky Opens Basketball Season with domination

New. That was the mantra on opening night for the Kentucky basketball team. They had a new look, new players, and a new splay style which led to a 111-53 domination over the University of Missouri St. Louis.
When Kentucky took the floor, thier oldest player was junior Jodie Meeks. Meeks did not even play last year due to an injury. However, he showed little rust as he led the Cats with27 total points.
"It felt good to get back out there," Meeks said after the game. "I mean, we were all excited to face someone other than our selves and it felt good to play like we did."
And the WE, included freshman players DeAndre Liggins and Darrius Miller. Both entered the game to loud cheers from the Big Blue fans and they did not disappoint. Miller and Liggins both played well in their first college games by scoring points, getting rebounds, and playing staunch defense.
The staunch team defense was very apparent. Coach Billy Gillespie struggled last year to entrench the defensive philosophies into his team last year which led to a slow start in the season.
This year, the fast and aggressive play helped in the Cats domination. Kentucky played full court press against the Tritons of St. Louis to get off to the large lead.
Kentucky now will prepare for their next game on Friday against the Ouchita Baptist.

SEC Updated Standings- Week 10

WEST	CONF. W-L	OVERALL W-L
*-Alabama	5-0	9-0
*-LSU	3-2	6-2
Mississippi	3-3	5-4
Auburn	2-4	4-5
Arkansas	1-4	4-5
Mississippi State	1-4	3-6

EAST	CONF. W-L	OVERALL W-L
*-Florida	5-1	7-1
*-Georgia	4-2	7-2
Vanderbilt	3-2	5-3
*-South Carolina	3-3	6-3
*-Kentucky	2-3	6-3
Tennessee	1-5	3-6

Tigers Tear Through Green Waves

Tulane @ LSU (19)- LSU 35-10

LSU- Les Miles and the Tigers knew how important it was to make a statement before heading to Tuscaloosa next week. LSU had lost two straight to SEC foes Florida and Georgia and needed a win and some confidence. Luckily, Tulane fell onto the schedule as late in the season as they did. The Tigers hit their stride on offense by rushing for a total of 231 yards with an average rush of 5 yards per carry. The offense was 50% on third down conversions which was critical to their domination over the Sun Belt Conference opponent. After giving up over 50 points the last two games, the defense also came together and held the Green Wave to only 163 total yards. The win gives LSU a total of 6. They now play the GAME OF THE YEAR for the West conference crown in Alabama.

Alabama Does Not Slip before LSU

Arkansas State @ ALABAMA(2)- Alabama 35-0

ALABAMA- Preparing to host LSU in a WEST DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP-like game, the Crimson Tide took care of their business by destroying the lesser opponent. The Tide controlled the game through running the ball. They amounted to over 200 yards in the day and controlled the game clock. The defense also thrived by holding the Arkansas State team to a mere 158 total yards. With the win, Alabama moves that much closer to a NATIONAL TITLE appearance. Next week will be the deciding game for the Tide. If they defeat the LSU Tigers, they will clinch the West conference and book a spot in Atlanta for the SEC title game.

SEC GAME OF THE WEEK- Dawgs CHOMPED by Gators

FLORIDA(8) @ GEORGIA(6)- Florida 49-10

GEORGIA- When it rains it pours and that is what happened with the Georgia Bulldogs. They were dominated in EACH AND EVERY PHASE OF THE GAME. ALSO it is worth noting that both their losses were BLOW OUTS…The Dogs were deemed as pre-season #1, BUT twice, they were outplayed by what appeared to be a FAR superior team. The Georgia Bulldogs are a victim of a lot of negatives this season. Their schedule was stacked against them and they could not over come this…NEXT WEEK they head to Kentucky and the following WEEK the head to Auburn. Three straight road trips are tough, not to mention they have already faced a tenuous SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER.

The Dogs loss will knock them out of CHAMPIONSHIP contention and really hurt their national standing.

FLORIDA- Oh how sweet revenge is…The Florida Gators destroyed their East Rival Bulldogs 49-10. Gators scored in every way possible, pass, run and even an interception return. Quarterback Tim Tebow added to his heisman season by throwing for 2 touchdowns and rushing for three more scores. To add to the offensive explosion, Percy Harvin had 89 total yards and scores of his own. He has scored in each of his past 10 games. The defense also dominated by forcing 4 turnovers and holding heisman hopefull Knowshon Moreno to 63 yards and NO TOUCHDOWNS! With this blow out, the Gators should SHOOT up in the polls and likely represent the East in the title game…But business first, the Gators will host rested Vanderbilt team that wants respectability and a win to get to a bowl themselves. It is CRUCIAL for the Gators to stay focused and not look past the Commodores.

Auburn Loses 4th Straight as Ole Miss Impresses

AUBURN @ MISSISSIPPI- Mississippi 17-7

MISSISSIPPI- Both teams came in with the SAME conference and overall record. Ole Miss matched Auburn’s slow paced style early by punting and stalling throughout the opening quarter and a half. But, eventually the Rebels were able to get things going on offense and led a 85 yard scoring drive at the end of the first half to enter halftime at 10-0. With the lead the Rebels were able to dominate the second half of play. The Rebels intercepted Kodi Burns THREE times in the Auburn red zone and tacked on an additional touchdown to guarantee the win....This win gives Ole Miss its first 2 game win steak since 2004. Next up for the Rebels is a BYE and Louisiana Monroe on November 13^th. Also with this win, the rebels are a win away from bowl eligibility…

AUBURN- The Tigers struggles continued this week as they lost their 4^th straight game. FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL SEASON, the Tigers trailed at half time and only amounted to 71 total yards. The second half was a little more productive, as the offense came alive with 305 passing yards from Kodi Burns and a touchdown run by Ben Tate. The massive amounts of passing yards did not convert into any AUBURN points because Burns threw 3 costly red zone interceptions. The Auburn Tigers have been haunted all season by turnovers as they rank 73^rd in the country in turnover margin. It has been a long while since Auburn has dropped four straight. Hopefully, the Tigers can build on the offensive production against UT- Martin next week, as they host Georgia in two weeks.

Arkansas Closes the deal against Tulsa

Tulsa(18) @ ARKANSAS- Arkansas 30-23

ARKANSAS- Arkansas opened up hot by putting up 17 points in the first 10 minutes of action. Although, the initial urge fizzled and Tulsa pulled back into the game as they went into half time only leading by three. The Razorbacks offense exploded for a total of 435 yards. Senior quarterback Casey Dick put together one of the best performances of his career by throwing for 385 yards and one touchdown. Arkansas also received help from stellar defensive play, as the Razorbacks took the ball from the Tulsa Golden Eagles 3 times in route to a victory. Arkansas can not savor this win too long as they will be back in SEC play next week against a tough South Carolina team.

Cocks hound Ole Smokey 27-5

TENNESSEE @ SOUTH CAROLINA- South Carolina 27-6

SOUTH CAROLINA- Coming off the bye, Steve Spurrier said he would stick with quarterback Stephen Garcia, and Garcia did not disappoint. He led the Gamecocks in an opening scoring drive and threw for a total of 139 yards and added another touchdown pass to his statistics late. The running game also flourished against Tennessee as the Cocks combined for a total of 101 yards. Gamecock defenders had a field day against the non-existant Tennessee defense by forcing three turnovers. The win puts the South Carolina Gamecocks at bowl eligibility. The schedule continues to get tough as they must face Arkansas next week and go TO FLORIDA in two weeks. But today, the Gamecocks dominated and have high hopes for the remainder of the season.

TENNESSEE- Tennessee’s struggles continued as they combined for only 200 total yards for the game and 34 rushing yards. The Volunteers continually made mistakes as they fumbled twice and threw one interception. Forcing the defense into bad positions, the Gamecocks capitalized against an exhausted defensive unit of Tennessee. The Vols were shut out in the first fourty minutes and tact on their lone touchdown when the game was already out of reach. This is now the 6^th loss for the Tennessee Volunteers. They can’t really salvage the season and probably Phil Fulmer will likely lose his job due to this season’s unmet expectations. Tennessee gets to play Wyoming for homecoming…a easy win, but its too little too late for this season of woes for the Vol Nation.

It was not pretty, BUT it WAS a WIN!

Kentucky Squeaks out Victory, and gets to Bowl Eligible

It was not pretty, but the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 14-13 in Starkville.

The game started slow for the Cats, as the Randall Cobb led offense failed to get any offense in the opening quarter combining for a mere 12 yards. The lack of offense, coupled with a dominant opening drive by the Bulldogs, which spanned 5 minutes and went 79 yards, aided to worry in Lexington. But the Wildcats buckled down and came from behind to get the much needed win.

To open the second quarter, Rich Brooks inserted Mike Hartline in at quarterback once again. He seemed to add a small spark, but the offense continued to stall at mid field, as they have all year, and were forced to punt. Further on in the second quarter, the Cats drove the field and got into the redzone. With time waning down, Kentucky hoped to get some points on the board before heading into half, but the special team woes, continued as Lones Seiber missed a 23 yard kick.

Coming out of halftime, the Cat offense surged for a 53 yard, 9 play drive which resulted in a 5 yard Randall Cobb rushing touchdown.

The Wildcat defense was able to stop Mississippi State’s first drive out of the half and gave the ball back again to the Cats.

In their second drive of the half, once again the offense showed promise by driving the length of the field in 8 minutes to lead to a Randall Cobb touchdown pass to tight end Maurice Grinter. The pass would give the Cats the lead and the eventual victory.

There were struggles, and the Kentucky Wildcats by no means, have solved any of its offensive woes. Randall Cobb DID struggle early and was replaced in the 2^nd quarter in favor of the more experienced Mike Hartline. But, Cobb did come on late with two needed drives.

Cobb finished the game going 7/16 for only 56 yards and a touchdown. He added yards on the ground and received 3 passes for 33 yards from Mike Hartline. The talent and play making ability of Cobb was a TREMENDOUS asset to the Cat victory.

bu they were able to do what was needed to get the victory.

A worry for the Cats though is the defense. After a strong showing early in the season, the defense has slipped into mediocrity. They gave up 304 yards to the worst offense in the SEC. Looking ahead to coming opponents, the defense will need to get back to form as they host the 2^nd best offense in the conference, the Georgia Bulldogs.

Also a cause for concern is the special teams unit. The inadequacy of an efficient kicking game again cost the Cats points. The lacking of a predicable kicking game has hurt the team drastically.

However, a win is a win and for the first time in more than 50 years, the Kentucky Wildcats will go bowling for the 3^rd straight year!