Weekend Recap

Alabama didn't look too good again.  We've got a tune up game against Tennessee and then a bye week before LSU.  We'll know for sure if this team is a contender or a joke by the end of that game.  We really need to get to the bye week and have a come to Jesus and see how we can open the offense back up.  Teams are daring McElroy to beat them by stacking the box.  He has to be able to threaten the deep ball.  Problem is though, he's been overthrowing, and our wide receivers are not doing a good job getting separation. So, we're left with a stacked box, not helping our running backs, and lately, the only passes McElroy can make consistently are screens and short routes over the middle.

LSU vs. Auburn this weekend will be the battle of the luckiest teams in the SEC.  Wonder how it will pan out.  Once teams figure out Newton, AU will crumble.  For now, he's got to be in the Heisman lists, as he is the only reason API is 7-0 and not 3-4.

Looks like nobody in the SEC East wants to go to Atlanta.  I'm still hoping Carolina makes it in so Bama can exact a steady measure of "making the world right".  Still, Bama has to get through LSU, Mississippi State and API for that to happen (man, I do love being able to completely dismiss Tennessee).  From the looks of it, Carolina has 2 games left on their SEC slate that are tossups - Arkansas and Florida.  Florida also has 2 potential losses coming up in UGA and Carolina.  UGA has been playing a bit better after the Colorado game, and with Florida playing the way they have been, I think this one will be closer.  It's safe to say Tennessee is out of it.  UGA would have to win out, and have South Carolina lose 2 more, so that's a long shot.  Kentucky is pretty much in the same boat as UGA, so not likely.  Therefore, it looks like the SEC East representative will most likely be a 3 loss team, and will solely come down to South Carolina vs. Florida.

In the West, it's up to LSU, Auburn and Bama right about now.  Basically, all teams just need to win out to punch their ticket.  Of the three, I think API has the easiest road, with 2 out of 4 of their games being what I would call "tough", and one that isn't, UGA is a rivalry game.  LSU and Bama both have three tough games in front of them, but I do like the bye week coming before the final stretch for Bama and LSU.  API, in their obsession with Alabama, is going 11 games in a row before a bye in order to have 2 weeks to prepare for the Tide.  This will come back to bite them.

I honestly thought Western Georgia Ag was going to jump Oklahoma in the AP poll and settle in at 4.  It's kind of weird having Oregon in the top slot.  Over on the BCS side of things, not much surprise.  Boise State is being penalized by the computers because they don't play anybody.  API's strength of schedule is leaping them over TCU, and Bama is being punished for their loss by dropping behind Michigan State.  All this seems about right at this point in time.  Oklahoma has a very good chance of running the table here on out.  I think Oregon is going to lose one or two as they enter what the Pac-10 considers to be a murderer's row - UCLA, USC, Washington and Cal.  So, assuming Oklahoma stays undefeated, Oregon loses one, and let's assume for fun Boise and TCU stay undefeated.  I still think an undefeated LSU or API would jump them both.  From a Bama perspective, winning out should get us to #3, but a win over a 3 loss eastern team in the SECCG may not be enough to get to #2.  Just have to win out to see.  Lot of work left to get the team confident and productive again.