SEC Preview-Gulf Shores edition

I am coming to you from Gulf Shores, Alabama where my wife's extended family has a reunion every other year over Thanksgiving week. Weather has been great, not quite laying out worthy but definitely good for building sandcastles and the like. Much warmer than home, that is for sure.

My long drive and visit with the people here has convinced me of one thing. I'd never want to live anywhere other than the south. There are a lot of reasons. I think you know one of them. Free babysitting. But one other is the college football.

I view this weekend's SEC slate with a different perspective. After all, I am in Alabama during the Iron Bowl and surrounded by my wife's rabid LSU fan uncles and cousins. Should make it fun. Lets look at some of the games, starting with today's.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State face off in the Egg Bowl at 12:30. As rivalry games go, this one doesn't have much sizzle. Yet, the game has been played 104 times since 1901, and seen its share of fun. Last year, Mississippi entered the fourth quarter up 14-0 only to crumble and lose 17-14, putting the final nail in coach Ed Orgeron's coffin. Now the tables are turned. Sylvester "The Walrus" Croom is on the hot seat, though last week's win against Arkansas may have kept the wolves at bay for now.

Incidentally, was there ever a coach in more over his head than Orgeron? He should be a cautionary tale for any AD looking to quick fix his football program by hiring the "hot coordinator". Ole Miss got it right, from a football standpoint at least, this time. In contrast, I don't think Croom is in over his head, I just think he has a difficult job. The few remaining Rich Brooks detractors should think about how hard it is for MSU to string together even two decent seasons before poo pooing what Brooks has done here.

Today should be a coronation. Ole Miss hasn't been to a Bowl since the Cotton following the 2003 season. It plays for a return trip today. The Rebs have won four straight, including a beatdown of LSU last week. Jevan Snead is the real deal and should be throwing it all over the yard today. Speaking of Jevan, I'm glad to see he is now on Bill Simmons' Reggie Cleveland All-Stars list. I saw Ole Miss play for the first time about three weeks ago, and lets just say I was floored when I saw Jevan for the first time. If you don't know what I am saying, click the link.

Arkansas heads to LSU today for a 2:30 CBS kickoff. I'll dub this one the "Our former coaches are now coaching better SEC teams" Bowl. Let me reiterate that the family reunion is lousy with LSU fans. Ryan Perrilloux has been roundly cursed all weekend. Jenni's Uncle Fred put it best; "someone handed the kid the keys to the castle and he decided he didn't want them". I am not sure that LSU would have contended for the SEC title with Ryan, but I do know that terrible quarterback play has completely undone what should have been a very good team. Parenthetically, I've refrained from mentioning the five picks I saw Perriloux throw in a Division 1AA game a month or two back. Uncle Fred had another good take on LSU's season, "everyone, I don't care who you are, lets up a little bit after a national championship. Even Saban did it."

Arkansas has two quarterbacks named Dick and a coach that is one. Geoux Tigers!

Jesus, this is longer than I planned. Look what happens when I actually have time to write. Let's move to the two big SEC games on Saturday. (I'll have a UK-UT specific post out later today or Friday.)

Florida at Florida State. As between the Tide and the Gators, Florida has the tougher test leading up to the SEC Championship Game. If Urban Meyer's squad wasn't playing so out of this world, I'd hesitate to even call this a stumble game. Florida State is 8-3 and still playing for a lot. If Boston College loses to Maryland, FSU heads to the ACC Championship game. Playing at home against a team it hasn't beaten in several years, they should be out for blood. Still, I cannot see this being a great game. FSU dual threat QB Christian Ponder has had some good numbers against ACC defenses, but I don't see him getting off against Florida's. They'll put up some points, but won't be able to handle the Gator's team speed or Mr. Tebow. 42-21 sounds about right.

Auburn at Alabama. In contrast, this is a true stumble game. Auburn needs to believe that you can throw out the records when blah blah blah, because that is the only chance it has to win this. If you watch ESPN, you know Auburn has won this game six straight times. Here is another amazing streak of 6. ALABAMA HAS NEVER WON THIS GAME IN TUSCALOOSA, another 6-0 blanking that dates back to 18 freakin 95 (for 90 years, this game was played in Birmingham). As far as the current win streak goes, it is important to note that only twice did Alabama come into this game with a better team (2002 and 2005) and both times it was only marginally better. So the streak is only an indication of how far the Tide program fell in recent years. It is safe to say they are back. Is this the best team in college football? Probably not. But on November 28th, it controls its own destiny, the only D1 team that can truly say that. Lets also not forget, this game has Shreveport implications for our beloved Cats. ROLL TIDE!

Without going into every other game, here are a couple of things to look for as far as Bowl implications. A Vandy win over Wake combined with a South Carolina loss to Clemson might muddy the waters for the Outback Bowl. An LSU win combined with an Mississippi State upset over Ole Miss would send LSU to the Cotton Bowl, and could freefall the Rebs all the way to the Liberty if other things broke wrong.

Hope everyone had a good Turkey day. Enjoy the long weekend.