Tag Archives: Clemson Tigers

SEC Football: Week One

“Christmas is a coming and the geese are getting fat, please put a penny in the old man’s hat…” Y’all remember that one? And here’s some more good news! NCAA Football is here and the playoffs will begin, on December 20, BEFORE Christmas! We are set!

I already did my SEC predictions for the, now upon us, season. I have Georgia and Texas at the top. And yes, Vandy at the bottom. And the 13 remaining teams “working from one end to the other and all points in between.” Just a taste of some ZZ Top there for you. From the magnificent ‘Tres Hombres’ album. ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago’. What a title!

Time to quit yammering and “git ‘er done” for week one of good ‘ol Southeastern Conference football!

AR-Pine Bluff at Arkansas (-48.5)

One of the most beautiful mornings I ever experienced during my time as an inspector for AAA was leaving Pine Bluff as the sun began to rise many moons ago. It was a true “moment.” But alas! Things won’t be gorgeous for the Golden Lions in Fayetteville tonight. Arky 52, P. Bluff 7

Murray State at Missouri (-48)

The Racers (Can’t get “The Race is On” to stop playing in my head) pace will be considerably slower than the visitors to Columbia, MO would like in this evening’s contest. Eli’s coming with his highly ranked Tigers growling loudly, fast, and furious. Missouri 62, Murray State 3.

Temple at Oklahoma (-42.5)

The Owls won’t be doing a whole lotta hootin’ in Norman on Friday night. Okie will no doubt be trying to impress in its SEC debut. No “Sooner” said than done. Chuck Wagons 55, Philly Birds 14.

Georgia (-13.5) vs. Clemson (Atlanta)

Now we’re getting into the meat of things. Number 14 and Numero Uno. And it’s a nooner. Should be a scrap well into the second half. Then the most talented team in the country, by a long shot, will tighten the screws and turn up da heat. Dawgs 28, Cousin Clem 16.

Virgjnia Tech (-13.5) at Vanderbilt

The Dores of NashVegas pose the possibility an upset. Home game. Undefeated. Hope is alive and well. Ohhhhh…. Can’t do it. Hokies 27, Vandy 17

Chattanooga at Tennessee (-38.5)

The Top will be rocky for the Mocs. You can bank on Josh Heupel putting a prolific offense on Shield-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium. The trip up I-75 is a short one but it will seem longer as the visitors slither back home. Corn Cobbers 49, Native American Footwear 10.

Colorado State at Texas (-32)

We welcome the Longhorns to their first game as members of the SEC. And we’ll see how Ram tough these Ewes truly are. Beautiful state Colorado. More on that in the coming months. A Colorado Rocky Mountain low as it’ll be raining a raging hades in Austin on a Saturday afternoon. Horns 45, Lambs 9.

Miami (-2.5) at Florida

What do we have here?! A real knock down drag out of a football game. AND… a chance at an upset! The Swamp! I usually think of Tony Joe White or John Fogerty when I muse on a swamp. I’m taking myself up on that upset. Albeit a most mild one. Florida 28, Miami 27.

Old Dominion at South Carolina (-21)

The baby Beamer better buckle up. The Monarchs (Butterflies or Rulers?) intend to make this one interesting. It could be for the most part. The Cocks are deeper and more talented. That usually translates into a win. They will in Columbia. Roosters 30, Nervous Stomachs 10.

Eastern Kentucky at Miss State (-24.5)

How often do the Bullies find themselves as a favorite of this magnitude? “Never my love…” Well, occasionally. A State fan called in to the Finebaum show and predicted his Doggies to have a winning season. God love him. Here’s to hoping! StarkVegasians 38, Colonels 17.

Western Kentucky at Alabama (-31.5)

Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! A schlemiel is a clumsy, bungling person who often spills things or has bad luck, while a schlimazel is someone who is consistently unlucky or suffers from constant misfortune. Hasenpfeffer is a traditional German stew made from marinated rabbit meat. Coach DeBoer, minus Laverne and Shirley, will have a bowl of that. And Hilltopper it with Kentucky “brown”. It will be strange to not see Nick on the home sideline. But he’s darn good on the College GameDay crew. Elephants 45, Bowling Greeners 13.

Furman at Ole Miss (-42)

As I recall, Furman is about 20 miles north of Camden, my dear home in Wilcox Country, on the way to Montgomery. But one does have to brave the megalopolis of Snow Hill. Surely the Lane Train can easily navigate these not so murky waters. Black Bears 48, Paladins (Paladins where do you roam. Paladins, Paladins far far from home) 6.

Notre Dame at Texas A&M (-3)

PTL! Seems like yesteryear since we got to pick a stem-doggie! Fighting Irish vs. Aggies. Reckon this will be a brawl? No doubt! Gwen Stefanie and the whole shootin’ match. I fell in love with Ireland and do so want to pull for all things Irish. Can’t do that here. SEC! I do expect Mike Elko, A&M’s new head coach, to have his team primed and Kyle Field will be swaying. In a dandy! College Station 27, Emerald Isle Gang 23.

Alabama A&M at Auburn (-47.5)

This is a blowout I am really looking forward to watching. Finally! My Tigers. We’ll do it from the comfort of 116 Sundown Way. The Huntsville Bulldogs will pounded severely but they will receive a fat check. We’ll get to see a lot of new faces. Everybody will play. How much will the Tigers score? Auburn 63, Other Guys 0.

Southern Miss at Kentucky (-28)

The Cats used to be referred to as the Mildcats. No more. Not for a long while. And I, for one, am glad to see that. The more competitive the conference is it’s all for the better. (Or “butter” if you’re Gus). Mark Stoops has done quite the job in Lexington. The Golden Eagles (The Syrup Soppers) will make a bit of a fuss. The home town Kroger Fielders shall whup ’em. Canetuck 34, Hattiesburg 14.

And on Sunday! Be there!!! From Viva Las Vegas!!!

USC vs LSU (-4.5)

Maybe the best for last! Number 13. The Tyguz! And number 23. The Trojans! (Do not make condom jokes, Tweetie!) The Heisman Trophy winner has departed Red Stick but the talent has not. It’s still wait and see for (Abraham ) Lincoln Riley and the LA aggregation. Dandy #2! LSU 35, South Cali 31.

John Brown! Is that all? This took two days! That’s what a 16 team Super Conference will give you on opening weekend. And where’s my NIL money!? It’s been fun. I’m thrilled to be beginning my 64th season of predicting college football games in some shape or form, and may each of your teams have the best of luck.

Stay safe out there and, as always, love thy neighbor.

This one is dedicated to the memory of our dear departed Big Daddy Lawler. He always posted my picks and I miss him dearly. Peace.


SEC Football: Week 13

It has come to this. The final full slate of SEC regular season games. It’s been a crazy season, 2023. And I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way. One thing I feel sure about, there are plenty more fireworks to come. Week 13 promises to be a “dandy”. I’ve had fun with the great Keith Jackson’s familiar phrases. And a few nods to Leonard’s Losers. No, “Whoa Nellie” was actually not one of those Keith Jackson exclamations.. That is somewhat of an Urban legend. 2023 has been a good one for pickin’ on my part. Last week we were 8-2. The season now stands at 80-17. That is an .824 percentage. My best effort to date! I’ll take it! Onward to Rivalry week!

Ole Miss (-10) at Miss State

Break out the eggs. And a bowl (the “bowl” of your choice, of course). It’s time to focus solely on StarkVegas, as far as the SEC is concerned, on Thanksgiving night. RebBears and Bull Pups. YeeHaw! Ole Miss could wrap up the regular season with 10 wins. State could become bowl eligible. In other words, a lot is on the line. From this angle it appears to be… Ole Miss 31, Miss State 21.

Missouri (-9) at Arkansas

The Tigers could also put an exclamation point on the regular season with a victory in Fayetteville. 10-2 should put the visitors in a New Years Six bowl. Eli might have a Drinkwitz several friends and family members if it turns out that way. I think it will. Missouri 35, Arkansas 21.

Kentucky at Louisville (7.5)

Don’t look now but the Cardinals are looking at an 11-1 record if they can whack the Wildcats. One of those “who’d a thunk it” musings. Ol’ Kentuck’ has lost four of its last five games and I’m afraid another loss shall occur in the great city which gave us Muhammed Ali and Hunter S. Thompson. Louisville 28, Kentucky 24.

Texas A&M at LSU (-11.5)

Ladies and gentlemen, Jimbo has left the building. We’ll miss you, Coach Fisher. You’re richer than God, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. She remains the giver of true riches untold. Along with Mongo, we are only pawns in game of life. I don’t believe that but I do love Blazing Saddles. I regress. Good luck to you, Jimbo! Well anyway. LSU 38, TEXAS A&M 27.

Vanderbilt at Tennessee (-27)

The hosting Vols are looking for redemption after a couple of shellackings here of late. Will the Commodores be “Easy” or a “Brick House”? Methinks a bit of both. Also the Rocky Toppers look to enhance their bowl position. Tennessee 42, Vandy 16.

Florida at Florida State (-6.5)

That’s a pretty tight line for this matchup, eh? Nope! Upset special! Gators 27, Noles 23.

Georgia (-24) at Georgia Tech

Upset special number two? No way, José! The Dawgs are headed for Hotlanta with a bullet as they meet Bama next Satday for the SEC Championship. They will not be “Wrecked” along the way. They will “Ramble” on ($1 to Led Zeppelin). Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 17.

Clemson (-7.5) at South Carolina

Upset special number two? Huh? Yeah? Nope. Clemson 34, Cocks 22.

And. And! And…

The Iron Bowl

Alabama (-13) at Auburn

Oh boy! Here we go. My 43rd Iron Bowl to attend. The first one was in 1964. Numero uno Alabama (9-0) and unranked Auburn (6-3). Auburn led at the half, 7-6, behind Tucker Frederickson and QB Tom Bryan. Bama’s Ray Ogden takes the second half kickoff 107 yards to the house. Namath to Perkins seals it, though the Tigers scored late but didn’t recover the onside kick. Bama 21-14.

Fast forward nine years. 1972. No need to get into a deep rehash of it. Three words will suffice. Punt Bama Punt. The ecstasy in the Auburn student section was beyond exhilarating. Did that really happen? Auburn 17-16.

There were the ‘85 and ‘96 squeakers. The Van Tiffin field goal as time expired. Bama 25-23. And Kitchens to Riddle with seconds remaining. Bama 24-23. Respectively.

But ahhhhh. There was 1982 and 2020. Bo over the top and The Camback. 23-22 and 28-27. Auburn.

That brings us to the present. The visitors are double digit favorites. They continued to improve as the season wore on. Bama is on a roll as it travels to the Loveliest Village.

On the other hand there’s the home team. Dare we even speak to the embarrassment of last week? After winning three straight in a most impressive fashion.

Signs and logic point to Bama. At stake are an SEC Championship and an outside chance at the College Football Playoff. And there also exists the slight possibility of this Tigers team rising to efforts like The Reverse. Lawyer Tillman in 1986. And The Kick Six. 2013. 21-17 and 34-28.

Well over 200 highly rated recruits will be in attendance to witness one for the ages. Auburn 27, Alabama 26.

THERE was your Upset Special number two! How do you do!? It has been a great deal of fun, this fine college football season. The cherries on top await many. Wait till next year for others. As always, take care out there and love your neighbor.

Take us home Mouseketeers!

“Now it’s time to say

goodbye, to all our company,

M-I-C, See you real soon!

K-E-Y, Why? Because we like you!

M – O – U – S – E”

Good bye boys and girls!






Bowl Wrap-up and Clemson vs. Alabama

The 2016 college football postseason is now all but completed. Only one game remains and you don’t need me to enlighten you as to which game that is. As far as the FBS is concerned, this king of the mountain game is all but done and only two teams stand at the point of the peak.

Every conference, except for two, has completed the four-month march toward the summit. The SEC and the ACC are left standing and ready to do battle. One more time.

I’ll get to that shortly. In the interim, let’s take a gander at how every FBS conference fared in postseason play. We will start at the bottom and work our way to the top.

The Mid-American Conference, or MAC, was the biggest loser with an 0-6 record. It’s crown jewel, Western Michigan, couldn’t even bring home a trophy. That boat did not row.

The Big 10 strutted its stuff from September through November but went as cold as the approaching winds of December when all was said and done. 3-7. O(hio State), where art thou?

The American Athletic Conference (2-5). South Florida was bullish on the SEC’s South Carolina and Tulsa’s Golden Hurricane blew through Central Michigan, and that was it.

The PAC-12? 3-3. Top dog Washington could not mush its way through a Crimson flood. Upstarts Colorado and Washington State were put in their place. That left Utah, Stanford, and Southern Cal upholding the left coast’s honor.

I am concerned with the SEC in, this, my weekly slot. I am even more concerned after its 6-6 performance in bowl games. It took 5-7 Mississippi State, and its APR, to give the conference a break even finish.

Mountain West (4-3). I’ll wager that that even the least informed college football fan is familiar with the highest profile team in the aggregation. Yes, it’s the Boise State Broncos. But Baylor was its prickly opposition in the Cactus Bowl, winning 31-12.

Conference USA also wound up with a 4-3 record in bowls. If anyone can name all seven of the postseason participants, I will reward them with a ticket to its championship game. No Googling!

Things were brighter in the Sun Belt Conference. It went 4-2. Troy, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, and Idaho were your winners. Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama did not keep it on the sunny side.

Also with a 4-2 record was the much-maligned Big 12. Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and (cough cough) Oklahoma won big indeed. West Virginia and TCU. Nope!

And the conference with the most wins and best winning percentage (.727) in all of FBS football? The Atlantic Coast Conference! This gang of eastern USA squads stands at 8-3.

Here are the complete bowl results.

One more game is left to be played, and I absolutely will not buy a ducat for anyone who can name the two teams that will wage war in the finale.

Prediction momentarily!

But first we will tie a nice bow onto the concluded package of the great gift of games played to this point.

Say what? Yes, the nation’s independents were 100% in the slate of 41 bowl extravaganzas.

BYU and Army were victors over the Wyoming Cowboys and the Mean Green of North Texas State, respectively.

And now, finally! Our SEC will conclude its 2016-17 college football season in the College Football Playoff Championship game!

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers will face off in a rematch of last season’s inaugural event.

There are places that you can go to get plethora upon plethora of information and analysis on this uber-event. I will only offer you a humble and simple opinion on the outcome.

All things equal, it all boils down to, for me, one final, and ever-important, thing.

Pat Dye once said that, “It all starts at quarterback.” And that is where it both starts and ends in this game.

Deshaun Watson and Jalen Hurts. The seasoned and smooth veteran versus the talented and terrific freshman.

This, from what I can discern, is what Clemson wanted, and this is what it got.

The Clemson Tigers, and Dabo Swinney, will manage, somehow, to defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide, and Nick Saban.

Clemson 28, Alabama 24

 

Tampa photo courtesy of Wikipedia

 

Ramblin’ 7/25/16

Fall camp begins next week for all but one or two SEC teams.

Another political convention begins tonight. It will, mercifully, be over before the weekend, just like the nightmare that was last week’s circus. Deliver us, God.

I miss Hunter S. Thompson. I would truly love to read his scathing takes on these events. Fear and loathing, no doubt.

The Braves continue to hobble along.

A few of the songs on the Apple music setlist playing now. Sundown – Gordon Lightfoot, Shotgun Willie – Willie Nelson, Slow Rollin’ Low – Waylon Jennings, and 300 Pounds of Hongry – Tony Joe White.

A quick Tony Joe story. He and Tom Kimmel, a friend of mine and many of you, had been put together by the record label they shared, years ago. They hung out, did some riding around, shared ideas, and so forth. I suppose the label expected some big collaboration. One day they were eating lunch at a place famous for fried chicken in Franklin, TN. Tony Joe leans over Tom’s plate and, in his deep slow drawl, says, “I don’t see how anybody can eat that dark meat.”

Later he asked Tom when he did his best songwriting. I don’t remember what Tom’s response was but Tony Joe said that he, “…Did his best songwriting when he was driving to Arkansas.” You really need to hear Tom tell it. He has a gift for such.

Poke… salad, UNH!

I haven’t been to a movie, at the theater, in quite some time. I don’t tend to like summer blockbusters, action, popcorn movies, etc. Woooo!!! That blowed up REAL good! I do love popcorn though. Had some last night.

Bob Dylan is now serenading me with a song entitled Isis. Nope, not that ISIS.

Auburn’s first five games will be played in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium this fall.

I love Kroger fuel points.

I wonder how One-A-Day Multivitamins are holding up against the onslaught of vitamins and supplements we have today.

Supplements? I take Fish oil, folic acid (My how my taste in acid has changed! Gettin’ old!), probiotics, Co-Q 10, cinnamon,  B-6, and B-12. That’s in addition to the meds which my myocardial infarctions have necessitated. Yes, I have one of those damn trays that you load this stuff into by days of the week.

New setlist time. I’ll go with Rodney Crowell Essentials. Rodney wrote one of my favorite songs of all-time, Till I Gain Control Again. The first time I heard it was Willie’s cover on the ‘Willie and Family Live’ album. That was 1978. Goodness! What a great song!

There was, actually, an Apple Music option for me called ‘Songs With Parental Advice’.

Have y’all been getting some good home grown tomatoes?

We’re gonna get the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls pretty soon. Look for Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Florida State, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Baylor, Stanford, and Notre Dame to jockey for the top ten spots.

Google or Yahoo?

Fallon or Colbert?

How about Kimmel and Conan?

Two different Kimmels in one short blog.

Burnt Siena is a good name but the crayon used to make me nervous, as did Periwinkle.

I really would like a couple of more days at the beach before school starts, but it ain’t happening.

What’s your favorite Beatles song? Stones? Those are really tough calls.

It’s been 41 years since the summer of Jaws. Yep, gettin’ old.

Speaking of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones and gettin’ old, Paperback Writer and Paint It Black were big summer hits 50 years ago, as were When A Man Loves a Woman, Hanky Panky, and Wild Thing.

Chip Taylor wrote Wild Thing. He also wrote Angel of the Morning. If you want a tip on a great record, Chip and Carrie Rodriguez did an album by the name of Red Dog Tracks. That and/or their ‘live’ record are must haves, IMHO.

Well, my daily walk ain’t gonna take itself.

Grace and peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The March To Tampa: Let The Hype Begin

It’s that time of year. On Monday, three major college football publications, Lindy’s, Athlon, and The Sporting News, released their Preseason College Football rankings for the 2016 season. Ever since I was a kid, waiting for Street and Smith’s to publish their preseason magazine, this has been a much-anticipated time for me.

Where is Auburn? Alabama! Again? That refrain rings true once more as Auburn is nowhere to be found in any of the three polls and Alabama resides in the top spot in all of them. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

There are a great many of the usual suspects, from years past, that also find themselves in the hunt. Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and USC would count among those teams. There are also a few teams that would not have been rated back in my younger days. They would include Baylor, TCU, Louisville, Clemson, Houston, Oklahoma State and Oregon.

And here they are with links:

Lindy’s Athlon The Sporting News
1. Alabama 1. Alabama 1. Alabama
2. Clemson 2. Florida State 2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma 3. Ohio State 3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio State 4. Clemson 4. Ohio State
5. Baylor 5. Michigan 5. Baylor
6. Tennessee 6. Oklahoma 6. Florida State
7. Michigan 7. Tennessee 7. Ole Miss
8. Florida State 8. Notre Dame 8. Michigan
9. LSU 9. LSU 9. Stanford
10. Stanford 10. Ole Miss 10. Notre Dame
11. Notre Dame 11. Washington 11. Michigan State
12. Houston 12. Stanford 12. LSU
13. Ole Miss 13. Michigan State 13. Tennessee
14. Louisville 14. Baylor 14. Houston
15. Iowa 15. UCLA 15. USC
16. Oklahoma State 16. Houston 16. Oklahoma State
17. USC 17. Georgia 17. Iowa
18. Georgia 18. TCU 18. North Carolina
19. San Diego State 19. Louisville 19. Oregon
20. TCU 20. Iowa 20. Georgia
21. Washington 21. Florida 21. Washington
22. Michigan State 22. North Carolina 22. Louisville
23. UCLA 23. USC 23. Arkansas
24. Oregon 24. Oregon 24. Texas
25. North Carolina 25. Oklahoma State 25. TCU
In the SEC, we have Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia, Florida, and Arkansas. That’s half of the league in and half of the league out. Auburn would be the most prominent exception. Now, lets take a look at all of the SEC teams that made their way in and what the average ranking of each, between the three magazines, would be. We will divide the total of each team’s ranking by three, thus, Alabama 3 divided by 3 = 1. I was hell in arithmetic.

Alabama – 1.0

Tennessee – 8.67

Ole Miss – 10

LSU – 10
( A tie. Interesting.)

Georgia – 18.3

Florida was ranked just once, at 21 by Athlon. Arkansas was also ranked only once and that was at 23 by the Sporting News. I suppose they would both fall into the “others receiving votes” in our combined poll.

And so, that leaves only four teams, Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss and LSU as being unanimously ranked. That is not what the SEC is accustomed to. Does that mean it will be a down year for the SEC? I don’t know. I could see Auburn making it in when all is said and done. But Missouri, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M? No.

The way I’m looking at it, there would be a maximum of seven SEC teams being ranked when the final poll results are in. A maximum, but there, obviously, could be fewer than that.

I mentioned only four teams that are unanimously ranked in the three publications, and they all fall within the top ten. There is certainly a chance that some of those four teams do not meet expectations.

Will Alabama, truly, be as good as they were last year or in years before? Danny Sheridan, oddsmaker and Bama grad, thinks the Tide could lose a couple of games and finish behind LSU. Alabama also lost Kirby Smart to Georgia. How about them Dawgs? There is an entire new coaching staff, and system, that the Bulldogs have to adjust to.

What about LSU? And Tennessee? There are pundits who are beginning to surmise that these teams are overrated. I disagree. In fact, the more I think about these two, the more I like them.

Tennessee, and Butch Jones, have been steadily building this program and those freshmen that were talented, but green, back in 2013 are bigger, stronger, and experienced. The Vols are also deep. I fully expect them to win the East and play for the SEC Championship.

LSU? Same thing with Brandon Harris, Leonard Fournette and their fellow Tigers. I’m beginning to see Danny Sheridan’s point of view and I understand why he thinks the Bayou Bengals will win the SEC West. It could happen.

Hype! Hype! Hype! That’s all we’ve got until September 1 when South Carolina and Vanderbilt open SEC play. And that, my friends, is only 98 days away!