Weekend Predictions: Dogs win — Auburn, not so much
Welcome to this week’s titanic showdown between 5-6 Georgia and 6-5 Georgia Tech, who battle for coveted The Governor’s Cup in a year where the Governor-elect is fresh off a Congressional investigation for ethics violations. Of course.
I think Georgia coach Mark Richt put it best when he stated: “It’s great to have a game like this at the end of the season, and in particular at the end of this season, when we haven’t reached some of the goals, or hardly any of our goals.”
And then he threw a pie at Todd Grantham.
But first, this raspberry in the direction of Ohio State president Gordon Gee. He’s a big fan of the BCS. People hear this and they assume Gee reached his position because he’s related to somebody important, sort of like Gummo Marx. Gee states that even if Boise State and TCU go
I'm thinking Gordon Gee got stuffed into a few lockers as a kid.
undefeated, neither deserve to go to the national title game, no way, no how, not even if all other schools lose or get nuked, because as Gee, from the bowl powerhouse that is the Big Ten (we kid), says: “We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor.”
That’s true. Because Little Sisters of the Poor mandates that its games take place on fields with two workable end zones, you yutz, unlike the Northwestern-Illinois game at Wrigley.
You can tell everything Gee learned about sports came from Vanderbilt, where he was chancellor and abolished the athletic department. We all agree that Boise State and TCU do not play difficult schedules. But in a year when the SEC generally stinks and every conference is fairly “feh,” this isn’t the year to try to mock the WAC. Because last time I checked human polls, computers and Tarot Cards, Boise State and TCU ranked ahead of almost every school from every other conference.
Which leads me back to our little state of confusion and the Dogs vs. the Jackets.
Tech can knock Georgia out of a bowl game. OK, makes for a good pregame speech.
But the Jackets lost to Kansas. Lost their quarterback. Lost three straight before beating Duke (barely). The Dogs aren’t much better but they have the only sure thing going into this game: Aaron Murray to A.J. Green. That will be enough to get them to . . . Birmingham?
It wasn’t the goal. But this will ease the pain somewhat in Athens. Dogs win and cover a whopping 12½.
This is where college football started:
♦
Bragging Rights Week
Cecil Newton never will be as good as the original.
Auburn at Alabama: It’s been quiet on the Cam Newton front. You would’ve figured somebody at Alabama would’ve started a rumor about him dating Lizzie Borden or being part-Klingon. But even if Cecil “Huggy Bear” Newton and the NCAA don’t derail Auburn this week, Alabama will. War Eagle this, mister: The Tigers are No. 5 in the nation in scoring offense but No. 60 in scoring defense — two spots lower than Georgia Tech. The story’s over: Bama covers 4½.
Miss. State at Oxford Correctional Institute: Let’s check in on the school of Faulkner. Houston Nutt is 1-6 in the SEC. Good thing he de-shackled felon Jeremiah Masoli or his team might be really bad. Nutt’s also suspended leading receiver Melvin Harris for an unspecified team violation (presumably not robbery because we know that’s allowed). Dogs cover 2½.
Florida at Florida State: The Seminoles have lost seven straight to the Gators. Maybe they should change their name to the Bulldogs. Don’t weep, little Renegade: Noles cover 2½.
South Carolina at Clemson: State police were required to break up a bench-emptying brawl in 2004. It wasn’t all bad. It sent Lou Holtz in retirement. Tigers in an upset (and take the 2½).
Is Derek Dooley going to a bowl game?
Kentucky at Tennessee: After a 2-6 start, the Vols have won three straight and can become bowl-eligible with a win. That would enable Derek Dooley to coach one more bowl game than Lane Kiffin. OK, for one week, everybody loves orange. Vols cover 3.
LSU at Arkansas: I get all of the Les Miles-is-a-lunatic jokes. But has it occurred to anybody that the Tigers are 9-1 and their only loss came at Auburn by a touchdown (24-17)? LSU in an upset (and take the 3½).
Virginia at VaTech: Virginia ranks 106th in the nation against the run. Another 10 yards and they’re officially a turnpike. Hokies win and cover 23.
N.C. State at Maryland: If the Wolfpack win this game, they’ll play in their first ACC title game and coach Tom O’Brien hits $150,000 in contract incentives. Me, I stole two notepads from the supply closet the other day. Wolfies cover 2½.
Remembering the Clemson-South Carolina brawl of 2004
♦
*** Thanksgiving Internet Only Specials ***
Patriots at Lions: Legend has it that the first Thanksgiving in 1621 was kind of boring. So organizers decided to bring in a comedy show. And that’s when the Detroit Lions became a Thanksgiving Day tradition. Patriots cover 7.
Saints at Cowboys: Jason Garrett is 2-0 as interim coach. Wonder if those tire marks on Wade Phillips’ f0rehead have healed yet? Saints cover 3½.
Bengals at Jets: Carson Palmer, T.O., Chad Ochobozo. The Bengals (2-8) are what happens when you try to turn a video game into real life. Jets win (but take Cincy and 9).
NFL Snack Pack
Wisconsin in January: It does strange things to people.
Packers at Falcons: The winner has the inside track for home field through the NFC playoffs. If you don’t think that’s a big deal, check the difference in January forecasts between a dome and Fond Du Lac. Not feeling real solid on this but Matt Ryan is 18-1 at home. So: Birds win (but take Green Bay and 2½).
Vikings at Redskins: Brett Favre leads the NFL in interceptions (17). And on the seventh day, the Lord rested. Skins cover 2½.
Eagles at Bears: ESPN’s K.C. Joyner calls himself the “Football Scientist.” He says Michael Vick has had “phenomenal luck” and is getting away with mistakes. Really? The guy has 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Did Joyner’s last science experiment involve eating paint chips? Eagles cover 3½.
♦
“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.” Eddie Felson, “The Color of Money”
Last week (damn, I’m good): 11-1 straight up, 7-4-1 against the line.
Financial overview: 102-32 straight up, 72-59-3 against the line.
Lock of the week: Pepcid stock.
“Sack Schultz” (Our BCS title week!)
Congrats to Greg Fox of Roswell, who cheated the entire season and wasn’t caught once. OK, maybe he didn’t cheat. But he won tickets to the UGA-Tech game for his outstanding 137-43 record in 12 weeks. The HDTV will be awarded this week. “Tuckys” leads at 138-42, one more win than Fox, “jlalopo” of New Hampshire and “Tola” of Iowa. Good luck, everybody.
♦
Want to catch up on previous Weekend Predictions? Click here.
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
384 comments Add your comment
Liar Saban
November 25th, 2010
9:50 am
LIE BAMA LIE!!!!!
Former Players Say Saban Twisted the Truth
Alabama’s Football Coach Said Four Athletes Were Let Go for Breaking Team Rules—Three of Them Say That’s Not True
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704243904575630593438793612.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Liar Saban
November 25th, 2010
9:51 am
GT 40 Thuga 23
How to stop $cam Newton
November 25th, 2010
10:07 am
Hang gold chains on the line of scrimage marker
Turkey make Crumpy Frisky dudes
November 25th, 2010
10:09 am
@ Liar Saban – what a BS article. Cheating barners trying to deflect the heat off their own program.
Barners are worried about tomorrow, BAMA got nothing to lose.
huck finn
November 25th, 2010
10:17 am
WELL IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU BEAT tech THEN LEAVE TOWN. IT IS CLEAR THEY LOVE P.J. AND HEWITT BECAUSE THEY LOVE TO LOSE, SO BE IT THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR, SO AS WE LEAVE techsville LET US REMEMBER THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF hewitt and johnson ” ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ATHENS. GOOD DAY TO ALL AND TO tech A BAD NIGHT “. til next year. GOOOOO DAAAAAWGS.
Michael Quay
November 25th, 2010
10:18 am
I am an AUBURN Alum (living in Hawaii), who grew up with mediocre sports writers with AJC. There were the exceptions like Furman Bisher but for a town or shall I say the 10th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. the AJC still has a lot of mediocre sports writers. Jeff Schultz is definitely one of them-to say Auburn’s defense will be challenged by the awesome offense of the Crimson Tide is good sports reporting but to say AU’s defense sucks as bad as GT without taking in the past few games and their improvements (AU’s Nick Fairley is better than any DT on AL’s defense and a future NFLer)…what the heck I could write his column better than him & I was not even an English or journalism major (and I am not that good a writer). Wake up AJC-start recruiting and retaining 1st rate sports writers with class like Furman Bisher was instead of someone who should be writing for the Tucsaloosa News Sun. Maybe you could trade for $1000 and some used jock straps. PREDICTION: AL will be winning @ halftime-due in part to 2 of AU’s DTs being suspended; by the 4th quarter AU will be starting to pull away for a two touchdown win (+/- 3 points). WAR EAGLE!
WAR EAGLE !
November 25th, 2010
10:21 am
I think lose to Bama, but bounce back big-time against the Gamecocks.
AlaNole
November 25th, 2010
10:25 am
Jeff- Florida has only won 6 in a row over FSU, not 7.
I know, I know…it’s still too many. But let’s not give the lizards credit for wins they haven’t earned, huh?
Can Georgia beat Georgia Tech?
November 25th, 2010
10:32 am
. . . . . . not so much.
74 Dawg
November 25th, 2010
10:34 am
So Jeff, what’s your point about G Gee ? He happens to be absolutely right, you know. If they want to play for a title, play a big boy schedule, join a real conference, whatever. As far as citing the polls….POLLS, POLLS, did you say POLLS ? Sorry, I went a little Mora there. Like the polls have never been wrong, or completely changed their minds from one week to the next? Or put BYU in a “championship game” with a barely over 500 Michigan? Or jumped one team over 5 or 6 others at once, some of whom did not lose(or even play)? or leave an undefeated SEC team out of the “championship game”? But enough with logic. The only rational response to such an assertion is… POLLS, POLLS, did you say POLLS?
Andy
November 25th, 2010
10:42 am
Stupid comment War Eagle because u guys decide if u are a darn eagle or Tiger
Beast from the East
November 25th, 2010
10:48 am
AlaNole,
I saw that, too but I wasn’t going to say anything. I would have corrected him if he shorted us one.
Maybe it was prelude to the future?
BILLY JACK
November 25th, 2010
10:53 am
GEORGIA 48 TECH 20 BAMA 30 AUBURN 17 THE GEORGIA GAME COULD BE WORSE THAN THAT.
Fishy Business
November 25th, 2010
10:54 am
If Auburn were to play North Korea in anything, I would root for NK. I’ll never root for any AU team in any sport !!
jdawg
November 25th, 2010
10:54 am
@ Andy
Flying monkeys like from the Wizard of Oz is more like it.
jdawg
November 25th, 2010
10:57 am
Enter your comments here
Steve Spurrier
November 25th, 2010
11:05 am
WHINE,WHINE, SNIFFLE, SNIFFLE, WHINE, WHINE, SNIFFLE,
Steve Spurrier
November 25th, 2010
11:14 am
I just thankful I have a job !
jdawg
November 25th, 2010
11:18 am
ROOOOLLLLL TIDE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GT
November 25th, 2010
11:19 am
If ever a game set up for Johnson this one is on a tee. The problem is you never know what is going through his players head. I think this rivalry we see as fans is not felt by these kids who never even thought about it most of their lives.
I was on the plane coming back from Chapel Hill last year after Tech beat North Carolina in basketball. The team happened to be riding with me. I was trying to sing Rambling Wreck in celebration and noticed not many knew the song not did the few parents of the players riding along with them. There was no excitement of beating ,at that time early in the season the reining national champions. I felt like I was riding a Greyhound bus to nowhere. College is just watching the clock to them, hoping it will soon be over and they can get on with whatever they get on with.
Frank
November 25th, 2010
11:20 am
So the falcons win by 1 or 2 points? Funny.
I think they win by 10.
Brad
November 25th, 2010
11:24 am
Hey dumba$$ jeff, why do you keep bringing up the kansas loss without mentioning this.
Ga lost to colorado. Which lost to ? Kansas!
Look, ga will win the game but quit writing stuff that can be easily refuted.
The Chief
November 25th, 2010
11:24 am
DON’T take Klempsun. Let’s see, Klempsun has big wins over North Texas, Presbyterian, and Wake Forest. USC has wins over Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Whatru smokin? Cocks take it 38-17, about like last year. On the brawl video, so what? No one is still around from that one.
Jason
November 25th, 2010
11:29 am
Wow so you have 2 acc teams beating two top sec teams. Interesting in that if clemson beats sc and they beat aub and are sec champs, we can do like the retard uga fans last year and say an acc team is the sec champion!
Not only that, clemson has come the closest of any team to beat auburn this year. and unc would have beaten the second best team had the refs not been a complete joke
back to the acc…did you see that ridiculous bs call in the fsu md game? the int they gave to fsu that was not even close to an int as the ball was on the gound, every camera angle showed it, the announcers said it was no int, yet amazingly the refs reviewed it and said yep int. why is that? oh they didnt want md in the title game. lets see if they don’t mind nc state being in it this week. i
stendek
November 25th, 2010
11:30 am
For what its worth
November 25th, 2010
11:36 am
Auburn beat LSU and South Carolina which beat Bama, but its not the same as head to head, every team matches up diffferent, Cal held Oregon to 15 point but got blow out by Stanford you can’t go by which team you played its how you match up.
Jake
November 25th, 2010
11:38 am
Will be funny when clemson beats sc, sc beats aub and then acc fans can say their team is sec champions like the idiot uga fans did last year.
and clemson came closest of any team so far beating aubbie
if unc hadn’t gotten robbed on no call obvious pass int, they would have beaten the sec’s second best team. too funny. sec homers are riding on the past still wearing those blinders.
paul has a small johnson
November 25th, 2010
11:39 am
WoodstockGT, if GT plays like they did against VT ? I thought GT lost that game.I think VT lost to James Madison.The joke by Coke HAHAHA
Vinings DAWG
November 25th, 2010
11:43 am
You aer wrong, Auburn doesn;t need the points wins by 14.
UGA covers easily.
the real Old Gold
November 25th, 2010
11:43 am
Will be the biggest blow-out win by Georgia in the history of the game!
Buck
November 25th, 2010
12:22 pm
Your writing has become more clever with less acid. Nice.
WAR CAM EAGLE
November 25th, 2010
12:24 pm
Andy
November 25th, 2010
10:42 am
Stupid comment War Eagle because u guys decide if u are a darn eagle or Tiger
WHATEVER WE ARE, IT IS UNDEFEATED AND KICKED YOU AND YOUR PAPA JOHN’S BOWL HOPEFUL AZZ PRETTY BAD. YOU ARE LUCKY TO STILL BE IN THE SEC! IT IT WERNT FOR GYMNASTICS, YOU WOULDN’T BE!
WAR EAGLE
November 25th, 2010
12:37 pm
“Cheating barners trying to deflect the heat off their own program.”
BAMA IS ON PROBATION RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!
The Man
November 25th, 2010
12:44 pm
Man,even the Sports writers at the AJC are on the Democratic payroll
Can 5-6 Georgia beat Georgia Tech?
November 25th, 2010
12:51 pm
Georgia Tech is undefeated in Athens under Coach Paul Johnson.
.
Go Jackets!
and the winner is ...
November 25th, 2010
12:55 pm
Auburn has a long tradition of graduating football stars who cannot read. The arts and science of farming and football don’t need no books.
Alabama recently handed a degree to Joe Willy Namath, forty years after he learned to read.
The writing is on the wall for this game, but since none of the players can read – go with the farmboys.
Let's Talk About UGA!
November 25th, 2010
1:01 pm
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
and the winner is ...
November 25th, 2010
1:04 pm
The ole yeller jackets have looked like a blind man who lost his cane this year. They seem to feel around in the blackness, only finding where the defensive players are standing. On defense, they act like Al Gross has taught them the flags hang off the shoulders, not the waist. If Duke was anything other than a girl’s lacross team, they might have beat the wrecked. The bulldogs ain’t no seeing eye dog, led by boy scouts looking to help an old man cross the street. They ugly. They will have the techsters crying by halftime, and play rag doll in pit bull mouth the second half. Ga 62 Tech 0
Steve Spurrier
November 25th, 2010
1:53 pm
The only reason Scam didn’t go to Georgia is all the sirens make him and poppa Scam nervous.
Delbert D.
November 25th, 2010
2:13 pm
Happy Thanksgiving, and Death to the BCS*.
*The book, by Dan Wetzel, Josh Peter and Jeff Passan
Yellow Fuzz
November 25th, 2010
2:19 pm
Let the big dogs eat or STFU!
Thuga got no D!
November 25th, 2010
2:43 pm
Go Jackets! Beat chop block U!
Yeah, but now we have to look at him every week on TV...
November 25th, 2010
2:50 pm
“It wasn’t all bad. It sent Lou Holtz in retirement.” You’re right about that, Schultz, but some silver linings do have a cloud don’t they? Before his retirement, we only had to put up with him a few times a year. Now he’s on TV every Saturday. Is there ANY college football personality who is more annoying that Lou Holtz? (oops, forgot about Mark Bradley…well, at least Bradley’s not on TV.) How did Holtz get that job, anyway…and how does he keep it? He can barely even get his words out…much less say anything intelligent.
lawzoo
November 25th, 2010
3:16 pm
Going out on a limb? You stay on a limb. Glad you predicted cLIMPson to beat Carolina.
Next time jump off of the limb and explain how.
Bill Stanfill
November 25th, 2010
3:38 pm
Anybody know how Auburn’s basketall team is doing? I heard they lost to Clarke-Central in an exhibition game but I can’t confirm that.
DAMN WAR PLAINSMAN!
November 25th, 2010
4:14 pm
good article on eric rammsey:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/sports/ncaafootball/25rhoden.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=eric%20ramsey&st=cse
Auburn *
November 25th, 2010
4:22 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/sports/ncaafootball/24newton.html?scp=1&sq=cam%20newton&st=cse
AJC needs to jump in and do some investigative reporting of their own.
lawzoo
November 25th, 2010
4:39 pm
Enter your comments here
Jeff Schultz Fan
November 25th, 2010
4:47 pm
Jeff: Question: What do you think the little boy standing next to the GB cheerleader on the right is smiling about?
Or is he drooling? Since they are attached by the same cheese cover, what happens if one misteps and they get out of sync?
sandiego
November 25th, 2010
5:17 pm
GA D can’t Stop Tech O? Ha- Load the box- They got NO Passing game- This is game where a talented GA team takes out it’s frustration on lil brother. Completely Over by the 3rd Qtr.
Auburn is due for a Loss (GA should have on-sided every single time they kicked off in the 2nd Half)
Bama will rise to the challenge and slug Auburn in the mug