College Football: Les Miles Must Have An Angel On His Shoulders

It would be easy to say that LSU, sitting pretty at 5-0, ranked No. 's 12 and 9 in the AP and Coaches Poll—respectively—is a good team. After all, they are undefeated, right?

However, if you've actually seen LSU play this year, you would begin to wonder how on earth they aren't 2-3—or worse—because they really aren't that good.

For one thing, their quarterback, Jordan Jefferson is atrocious. He's currently dead last in the conference in passing efficiency—dead last. Considering the fact that he plays in a conference that both Chris Relf (Mississippi State) and Larry Smith (Vanderbilt) call home, that's a pretty amazing feat.

Even more amazing, his teammate, Patrick Peterson, has more return yards (537) than he has passing yards (449).  Wrap your head around that little nugget. That means that through five games, Jefferson is averaging less than 90 yards passing—seriously? 

Tyler Russell, the BACKUP quarterback for Mississippi State, has more passing yards than Jefferson—and he's not even a starter.

On the contrary, Jefferson isn't the reason the Tigers are in the hunt, his team wins in spite of him—not because of him. Time and again, the gods of college football have granted Les Miles' crew a mulligan or a save to keep them from having to suffer on the losing end:

1.  In week one, LSU was one questionable pass interference call away from losing to a totally depleted North Carolina team. 
2. In weeks two and three, it took them until the fourth quarter to put away Vanderbilt and Mississippi State—respectively. 
3. They nearly whiffed against West Virginia in week four.
4. And, in week five, Tennessee all but had them beat if not for a last-minute penalty granting them a second chance at the 'W'.

LSU has no business being anywhere near the top 10 and, with a quarterback who throws more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (2),  and a turnover margin that edges more towards the negative (-2 and counting) than the positive, it won't be much longer before that becomes a reality.

Les Miles better enjoy this ride of good fortune while it lasts because the wheels are looking like they might be getting ready to come off.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Tennessee

The Georgia Bulldogs are back from Boulder, Colorado and they are 1-4. Everything else is irrelevant at this point as the majority of Georgia fans likely woke up on Sunday morning asking only one question: when will the Bulldogs get another win?

It's useless to recap another disappointing Saturday, because there is no way to adequately explain how a game that could have been won by this Georgia team, was instead, again, lost by them—in such heinous fashion.

As with every week, so far this season, it's just time to move on and focus on the next opponent. This week that's the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols have shown plenty of fight the last few weeks: winning in overtime, at home, against UAB and in nearly upsetting a vastly overrated LSU team in Baton Rouge this past Saturday.

This team is hungry for an SEC win, and they are more than willing to come into Sanford Stadium to get it. So, what should Georgia fans know about the 2010 Vols?

1. They have a solid running back in Tauren Poole.

If people thought the running game at Tennessee was going to suffer minus the talents of Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown, they were sadly mistaken. Tauren Poole has done a more than capable job of carrying the load this year.

The junior already has three 100+ yard rushing games—including a 109 yard performance against the SEC's best rush defense (LSU) last week—and he's one of the best offensive players on the team. He should not be underestimated.

2. They are steadily improving from week-to-week. 

The Vols aren't a bad team, they're a young team. They've fought through every win and loss and they've done so with a lot of heart. The quarterback play gets better each week, and the careless mistakes that seemed to plague them in the early-going are fewer and fewer as the team gels. It's easy to see that they are coming into their own under Dooley.

3. Matt Simms is gaining confidence. 

The junior quarterback has done as well as you can expect, standing behind a young offensive line, with little pass protection. His numbers may not seem impressive, but he's been money in third down situations (particularly those where between 3-7 yards is needed) and his toughness has made him a fan favorite. He's not particularly mobile, but he can make plays on the move if he has to.

4. Gerald Jones is the leader of this offense. 

After the heartbreaking loss to LSU, the senior wide receiver was said to have gotten in the face of the offensive lineman, asking them the following: "Ask yourself, are you doing your job?" He doesn't shy away from giving or receiving criticism, and he's definitely one to watch on third downs—84 of his 132 yards this season have come in those situations.

5. Eric Gordon—remember that name. 

David Oku has been the primary return man for the Vols this year but the flashes of brilliance that Eric Gordon displayed against LSU this past Saturday could be a harbinger of things to come. He's got nice speed and some killer moves in his game and, if given too much space, could soon break free for a touchdown—giving the Vols just the spark they need on special teams.

6. Nick Reveiz is the heart of the defense.

The linebacker is considered, by many, to be the emotional leader on the defense. He's not the strongest, fastest, or even the most talented player, but he plays with a ton of heart and he brings intangibles to the field that defensive coaches love to see (toughness, leadership, and sound fundamental play).

Statistically, he leads the SEC in tackles (50), but his leadership is probably the most important part of his game.

7. They have an opportunistic secondary. 

The Volunteers have six interceptions as a unit this season (28th in the nation). Sophomores Prentiss Wagner and Janzen Jackson are both more than capable of defending any wide receiver in the country—particularly Jackson who, as a five star recruit out of Louisiana, has already made his presence felt on the field. Wagner has two interceptions this year—both returned for touchdowns.

8. Speaking of opportunistic...the pass defense is top notch. 

So far this season, the Vols pass defense (ranked 13th in the nation) has 21 passes broken up, 22 quarterback hurries, and three forced fumbles (h/t cfbstats.com). They rank third in the conference—following only Alabama and Florida, respectively. By contrast, in the same category, Georgia ranks 79th (that's a match-up worth noting).

9. Despite point No's. 7 and 8, the defensive front hasn't put opposing quarterbacks on their backs much. 

The defensive line of Tennessee has struggled getting into the backfield. The Vols only have five sacks this year, despite their ability to put pressure on the quarterback.

10. They haven't done a good job protecting their quarterback this season. 

Through five games, Matt Simms has been sacked 18 times. If there is one weakness the Vols have certainly had this year, it's in pass protection. Simms has managed to do well, despite their short-comings. Said Simms, "I think I've kind of mastered how to take a sack and just protect my body and protect the football, as crazy as that sounds."

Les Miles Has Offered, Former Georgia QB, Zach Mettenberger A Scholarship

Zach Mettenberger could be on his way back to the SEC in 2011. The former quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs has an offer on the table from LSU.

Mettenberger, if you recall, was dismissed from the Georgia Bulldogs football team last spring after pleading guilty to sexual battery. He was on the radar of a few schools immediately following the dismissal (Cincinnati and Louisville to name a few), but eventually landed at Butler Community College in Kansas—so far, he's done well  (three games, 40/63, 728 yards, and 10 td's).

Les Miles is in need of a quarterback in Baton Rouge as Jordan Jefferson will soon be out of eligibility—thankfully and, his replacement, Zach Lee, will likely enter with just as many questions once his time comes. Mettenberger, if he pans out, would be an immediate upgrade over either of the two.

That said, the move by Miles will be met with disdain by some of the Georgia Bulldog faithful who won't like the idea of seeing their former top prospect playing ball within the conference.  Mettenberger wasn't going to start over Murray this season, even if he had never gotten into trouble, but there was no mistaking his potential or his talents.

So, if he goes into Baton Rouge and becomes a star, some fans could be forced to swallow a bitter pill because their coach did the right thing—and make no mistake, it was the right thing to do at that time. 

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long term—particularly if the two schools happen to meet and Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are the respective quarterbacks at the helm.

For the record, I don't like the idea much. It's a sketchy move by Miles, in my opinion, but if it worked for Houston Nutt at Ole Miss, then why not for Les Miles at LSU—it's all about winning, right?

Mettenberger is rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com , and is being compared to the likes of Christian LeMay and Max Wittek—both of whom are thought to harbor pro potential. He is also one of the Top 20 junior college prospects in the country so, needless to say, he's been able to slightly overcome the stain of his actions in Valdosta.

Junior College players sign their letters of intent from December 15th to January 15th, if not mistaken. Mettenberger is slated to make an official visit to LSU on November 19th. 

College Football Odds Week 2: 10 Picks To Click for Saturday

Week one is in the books and what an exciting week it was in college football. Florida looked pedestrian, Boise added another BCS feather to their collective hats, and Michigan gave the fans in Ann Arbor something to cheer about.

Now, as we move on to week 2, what teams should you be looking to place your bets for/against? The slate is heavy, as always, starting with the Thursday night match-up between Auburn and Mississippi State—what to do, what to do?

A running tally will be kept of the picks made by this site from week-to-week—just for credibility sake—so take the following for what its worth. As of week one, my record stands at 3-2 against the spread (ATS).

That's not bad, but here's to a better week than the last.

1. Auburn at Mississippi State: Auburn (-3)

The Bulldogs looked stout against Memphis last week, holding them to 41-yards on the ground. However, the Memphis Tigers lost their two leading rushers at the end of 2009 and didn't have the experience up front to fend off the Bulldogs defense—Auburn won't have that problem.

The Lady's Pick: Auburn

2.  Georgia Tech at Kansas: Georgia Tech (-14)

Kansas needs a quarterback and the Jayhawks defense is in transition after losing some of their best players on both sides of the ball. Expect Georgia Tech to take advantage of a suspect run defense and the total lack of playmakers in the secondary.

The Lady's Pick: Georgia Tech 

3. LSU at Vanderbilt: LSU (-11)


LSU wasn't impressive in their win against UNC last week and Vandy nearly eeked out a win over a vastly underrated Northwestern. Larry Smith looks like he might be motivated to keep his job this season and keeping it close with LSU would help him in that cause.

The Lady's Pick: Vanderbilt 

4. Colorado at California: California (-3)


Colorado looked great against Colorado State, but the Rams shouldn't be taken nearly as seriously in 2010 as they were in 2009—they have holes everywhere. Cal may have question marks as well, but it's a joke if anyone thinks Colorado is capable of keeping up with the Bears.

The Lady's Pick: California

5. Michigan at Notre Dame: Notre Dame (-3.5)

It's nice that the Notre Dame train of delusion just keeps chugging along. As much as Brian Kelly's offense should be respected and, as briliant as Dayne Crist may turn out to be, Michigan has the better athletes entering this game. They are quicker, faster, and more experienced—not to mention, the Irish players are banged up after their game last week.

The Lady's Pick: Michigan

6. Wyoming at Texas: Texas (-29.5)

The Cowboys don't look like a team that can keep up with the Longhorns, but even with all of the great players from last season on the field in 2009—the Cowboys managed to avoid being completely obliterated. They did lose by 31 points, but Texas was favored by -33.5.
I say they avoid annihilation.

The Lady's Pick: Wyoming

7. Syracuse at Washington: Washington (-13.5)

Jake Locker is "supposedly" a Heisman candidate—despite what his performance against BYU told us. That said, expect him to be much more comfortable playing at home, in front of the Seattle crowd, while Syracuse attempts to get over their jet lag.

The Lady's Pick: Washington


8. Penn State at Alabama: Alabama (-11.5)

This will be a huge game for  both teams, Penn State is looking for a little validation under the leadership of their new quarterback, and Alabama is trying to repeat as national champions. This game, obviously, should be all Bama, but Penn State might give them a bigger challenge than most are giving them credit for right now.

The Lady's Pick: Penn State

9. Troy at Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State (-13.5)

The Cowboys may have some issues in conference play, but Troy shouldn't pose much of a problem—especially now that Levi Brown has moved on.

The Lady's Pick: Oklahoma State

10. Georgia at South Carolina: South Carolina (-3.5)

Lost in all the hoopla surrounding the Carolina win over SMU was the fact that the Gamecocks' offensive line wasn't nearly as dominant as it should have been and the secondary gave up better than 300-yards passing. There are still questions on defense at South Carolina and that may leave the door slightly ajar for the Bulldogs.

The Lady's Pick: Georgia

College Football Vegas Odds: Take Georgia, Leave BYU, and Other Sure-Fire Winners In Week One

The college football odds-makers released a few of lines over the weekend and, I have to admit, I found a few of them very intriguing—particularly as an admitted follower and supporter of the Georgia Bulldogs. That said, I perused a few of the prognostications by both Vegas and those who offer some offshore action and decided to pick a few games that favor you, the bettor, if you are the gambling kind.

In the interest of full-disclosure, I will say that I do not proclaim myself to be an expert in the game of betting on college football. In fact, my knowledge is probably about as extensive as any novice, but I do know a little something about college football and I feel pretty confident in saying that I've won more than I've lose where picking a game is concerned.

That said, dispute me if you's like, but I'm going all-in on these five teams during the week one of the college football season:

1. UL-Lafayette at Georgia (Georgia -28)

The Georgia Bulldogs are not a team that one can usually bet on with a lot of confidence. In 2009, they were 5-7 against the spread (ATS)—often losing when favored. However, they return 16 starters, 10 of which are on defense and, although mixed results will be expected of the new-look defensive unit, there is still enough talent on that side of the ball to feel confident that they'll be fighting hard in week one.

UL-Lafayette will come in with an offense that will be mediocre (at best)—returning only five starters. Furthermore, the Ragin' Cajuns didn't prove to be stout in their games against upper-tier opposition last season; losing by a total margin of 83-points to both LSU and Nebraska, for an average margin of defeat of 41.5 points.

The last time Georgia faced a Sun Belt opponent was 2007 when they won a 44-34 squeaker over Troy in Athens. Don't expect it to be anywhere near that close against UL-Lafayette. Look for Georgia to take control early and win their opener by better than four touchdowns.

2. Washington State at Oklahoma State (Oklahoma State -14)

This game is dangerous. It's a risky proposition to be too bold in choosing either team to do anything but disappoint you this season. Oklahoma State lost the hear of it's offense, defense, and special teams in Zac Robinson, Perrish Cox, and Keith Toston. So, it's a rebuilding year in Stillwater—no matter what Mike Gundy tries to tell you.

However, a rebuilding Oklahoma State is still 10 times better than a Washington State Cougar team that hasn't had a winning season since 2004 and has won increasingly less games since 2006—culminating in a one-loss stinker in 2009.

The Cowboys will be playing in the friendly confines of Boone-Pickens stadium and still have Kendall Hunter to run the ball for them on offense. They won't have to fight too hard for this one as the Cougars return a unit that not only was dead last in total defense, but ranked near the bottom of the FBS in offense as well.

Easy (Boone) Pickens...if you ask me. Take the Cowboys.

3. Washington at BYU (BYU -3)

I'm confused by this one, but I'm going to presume that the Cougars are getting a lot of love for simply playing at home—right?

The Huskies are the sexy Pac-10 pic for this season and they are led by probable Heisman candidate, Jake Locker. Many are expecting Steve Sarkisian to lead his squad to a bowl berth this season and, possibly, challenge the Pac-10 for a spot in the championship. High hopes abound for this Seattle bunch.

On the other hand, BYU lost most of their offense–most devastatingly Harvey Unga (RB) and Max Hall (QB). Even more, that front seven that made Oklahoma look like a high school football team in their 2009 opener has only one returning starter to speak of...uh-oh.

BYU might be formidable in Provo, but they are also the same team that managed to lose to an inconsistent Florida State squad in week three, so they aren't invincible by any stretch.

Call me crazy, but I like the Huskies in this one.

4. LSU at North Carolina (North Carolina +1.5) "UPSET SPECIAL"

I expect this game to be ugly, close, and down-to-the-wire. It's not that I think North Carolina is amazing, but rather my thinking that the Tar Heel defense is phenomenal. I believe it's good enough to make life for LSU (who lost every significant ball carrier at the end of 2009) very difficult on offense.

Too bad North Carolina's offense isn't nearly as impressive.

Even though the Tar Heels will bring back eight offensive starters—including quarterback T.J. Yates—they are still not going to shock the world by putting up major point totals. So, if LSU plays even a little bit competent on defense, they will have no problem shutting UNC down.

That said, this game will be about field position and special teams. I give the slight edge to North Carolina here as LSU lost its two leading return men in both Trindon Holliday and Chad Jones while the Tarheels, who were ranked near the top of the FBS in special teams defense last season, return the bulk of their special teams unit.

I'm calling for an upset by the Tar Heels in week one...assuming the NCAA doesn't dismantle the defense in short-measure. If that happens, well, it's going to be LSU in a walk.

5. Connecticut at Michigan (Michigan -3.0)

While I can understand the desire to bet on a team that stands 5-0 ATS on the road (UConn), this is still a Michigan team that has a ton of talent on offense and a lot of expectations riding on the success of the program, under Rich Rod, this season.

The Huskies are as stout as they come on defense and this game will, no doubt, be a big one for Randy Edsall's bunch this season, but the Huskies sustained some important losses with the departures of not only Andre Dixon (1,093 yards rushing and 14 TD's) and Marcus Easley (48 receptions, 893 yards, and 8 TD's), but in big legged punter, Desi Cullen (42.8) as well.

Even more, there has to be some hesitation as to how much pressure the Husky defense will get up front minus all of their starting linebackers from last season.

No pass rush means a lot more time for Tate Forcier, or Denard Robinson, to pick apart or just plain run circles around that front seven and find their receivers.

The Wolverines may have a lot of questions coming into this season (including whether or not the defense can find a playmaker or two), and Rich Rod could find a pink slip in his box come season's end, but this game will be won by the Wolverines—bringing the UConn ATS streak to an unceremonious end. 

Two Georgia Bulldogs Listed on Outland Trophy Watch List

The 2010 preseason Outland Trophy watch list has been released and Georgia Bulldog linemen, Ben Jones (C) and Clint Boling (T) have made the cut.

The Outland Trophy is awarded yearly to the nation's top interior lineman, on either side of the ball, and has been handed out since 1946. It has been awarded to a Georgia Bulldog player only once—Bill Stanfill took home the honor in 1968.

Both Boling and Jones are thought by many to be future first-round draft picks and are expected to be very important pieces to one of the more experienced offensive lines in the nation for 2010.

The total number of players listed on the watch list totaled 63—including 11 SEC players—and the last four winners eventually would be chosen in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft that same year.

Other Notable SEC Players Listed:

James Carpenter, Alabama (T)
Omar Hunter, Florida (DT)
Carl Johnson, Florida (G)
Barrett Jones, Alabama (G)
DeMarcus Love, Arkansas (T)
Drake Nevis, LSU (DT)
Mike Pouncey, Florida (C)
Jerrell Powe, Ole Miss (DT)
Lee Ziemba, Auburn (T)

Also worth noting, linebacker, Justin Houston has been tabbed for the Bronco Nagurski watch list. The Nagurski is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player. Houston is expected by many to have a stellar season operating under new defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham's, 3-4 defense.