Well that figures. The first time I truly show some faith in LSU I get burned. The Tigers beat Auburn 23-20 but didn’t come close to covering the spread.

The loss drops us 6-6 on the year and yeah, I’m not happy about it either.

I’m not going to dwell on it to much because it’s time for…

THE WORLD’S LARGEST OUTDOOR COCKTAIL PARTY!

I’ll be there in my orange and blue.

But for now…

Week ten…

SEC Pick of the Week: UAB at Tennessee (-12), 7:00pm ET on ESPNU.

For the first time in over two years I’m picking the Vols and breaking one of my rules in the process. I don’t feel good about it either.

But, the Vols are playing decent football of late, beating up on Mississippi State and South Carolina even with a loss to Alabama thrown in there.

UAB on the other hand isn’t quite like UAB of the last year or so. They have the better record, sure, but they haven’t played anybody.

I’ll take the Vols.

Upset alert: Vanderbilt at South Carolina (-15), 7:30pm ET on SECN.

Talk about coaching for your job.

Both coaches, Derek Mason of Vanderbilt and Will Muschamp of South Carolina need a win here. And they need it badly. The loser probably doesn’t make it past this weekend and that’s a shame but business is business.

I’d like to think that Muschamp wins it and routinely keeps the Gamecocks around No. 20 nationally but I never get what I want with Muschamp.

Good luck Will. This Gator is rooting for you.

Keep an eye on: No. 8 Georgia (-4.5) vs. No. 6 Florida in Jacksonville, 3:30pm ET on CBS.

My second or third most looked forward to game of the season depending on how Tennessee looks heading into the year. The annual cocktail party is a sight to behold and not counting the past two years has often provided some great games the last twenty years or so.

As I mentioned above, I’ll be there this weekend, probably sitting amongst a bunch of dirty dogs (two for sure, but hey, travel companions) and truthfully I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As for the actual game, I expect this one to be a lot better and closer than the last couple of years. The Bulldogs have been in an offensive funk and the Gators get a few key defensive players back.

The key: stopping that Bulldog running game. Much like UF vs. UT in the 90’s, 00’s and the early 10’s, the winner of this game winds up with the better rushing attack.

The Gators are ready. It’s supposed to rain all day Friday and early Saturday morning. It’ll be humid. It’ll be sticky. It’ll be swamp-ish.

Trending up: Two in the CFP.

There’s beginning to be a legitimate argument that two SEC teams can make the playoffs this year. It’s happened before with Alabama and Georgia so there is precedent.

As noted in the opening there are four teams (Alabama, Florida, Georgia and LSU) with cases, if things go their way, for a shot in the playoffs. We’ll know more after this weekend, but for now a thank you goes out to Kansas State.

Trending down: Mississippi State.

Remember all the talk when Dan Mullen left for Florida and was replaced by Joe Moorhead and everybody said that it was a great hire and that the train would continue to run?

Yeah, me too. Seems so long ago now.

I do have a question though: who on Earth would rather coach at Rutgers instead of Mississippi State? And yes, I realize it’s Mississippi State, but still…

Damn.