Urban Meyer Resigns—Can We Believe Him This Time?

There are multiple reports that Urban Meyer will step down following the Florida Gators bowl game—a press conference is scheduled for later on this evening.

Does anyone else get the feeling that Meyer is just having another attack? Honestly, why bother stepping down now? The best time to have done so was last season, after his star quarterback graduated.

Now, once again, he looks suspect in doing so just as recruits are being contacted and, possibly, shored up—leaving his team and the Gators' football program in a lurch.

This, of course, assumes that he will actually follow through with his decision this time—forgive the skepticism, but I'll believe it when I see it.

That said, it's amazing what a mediocre season will do to a guy.

Urban probably isn't used to being questioned, doubted, criticized, or placed under the media microscope in a negative manner. He's been college football's golden boy for so long that the only spotlight he's used to having exists in the positive sphere.

Now, suddenly, people are saying he's lost his winning edge and is guilty of showing too much loyalty to his assistant coach (i.e. Steve Adazzio). Couple that with multiple losses to teams he's dominated (Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Florida State) and you have to wonder if he feels he's done all he can do at Florida.

Honestly, it was only a matter of time before Meyer's winning ways turned into rebuilding ones. You can't lose top-tier talent and assistant coaches each year and expect to maintain the same level of excellence. It's a ridiculous proposition to present to a guy—even Meyer.

On the flip side, another question does come to mind, is he simply tired of the college grind and ready to see what he can do at the next level. Could the NFL be calling? After all, there are plenty of teams that could use his talents and he won't have to look far to find one in particular—Denver.

Tim Tebow will likely be meeting a new quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator in the near future. Would Meyer be interested?

Whatever the case may be, Florida is once again looking for answers, and it will be very interesting to see who AD Jeremy Foley finds to fill this gigantic void.

That said, if this simply turns out to be another hoax, you can bet not many will find Meyer's indecision comical or professional—unless of course their name is Brett Favre. In which case, this is just the beginning of the rollercoaster ride.

Related articles

• Urban Meyer steps down as Florida Gators football coach (sportingnews.com)
• Urban Meyer stepping down at Florida Gators (sports.espn.go.com)
• Urban Meyer Resigns As Gators Head Coach (newyork.cbslocal.com)

NCAA Clears Cam Newton, But Punishes Father—What The Hell?

Here's the gist of the NCAA's conversation with Cam Newton on Tuesday:

NCAA Representative: Your daddy, Cecil, asked for money. 

Cam Newton: I don't know anything about that, sir. 

NCAA Rep: Alrighty then, now that we've cleared that up—good luck on Saturday.

Okay, maybe it didn't happen quite like that, but you have to wonder what the hell the NCAA was thinking when they decided Cam Newton was free of any guilt. Honestly, not to say that any of us were flies on the wall, but Newton's decision to attend Auburn was made by his father—that's been documented.

That said, how likely is it that Cam knew nothing about what his daddy was doing with Mississippi State? Does the NCAA really expect a rational individual to believe that Cecil Newton was pimping his son to the highest bidder, yet his son didn't realize he was being pimped?

If they do, then that's naivete to the fullest extent.

In addition, what kind of horrific precedence does this decision leave for the rest of college football's "amateur" athletes. Should they all just start using the Shaggy defense whenever they're approached about a potential scandal—just say, "it wasn't me":



Seriously, if Auburn saw fit to deem him ineligible on Monday, then there was plenty enough there to keep him that way for more than just 48-hours. This same NCAA took three weeks to investigate A.J. Green's jersey incident, yet they need less than three days to deem Cam Newton fit to play—even with knowledge that his father was soliciting money on his behalf.

That's ridiculous.

If Cam Newton was unaware of what his daddy was doing, fine, then in all honesty, he shouldn't be penalized. However, that's not how the NCAA claims to work. Ignorance of wrong-doing doesn't exempt you from punishment—or so they say. 

In response to the NCAA's decision, SEC Commissioner, Mike Slive had this to say, "The conduct of Cam Newton’s father and the involved individual is unacceptable and has no place in the SEC or in intercollegiate athletics...the actions taken by Auburn University and Mississippi State University make it clear this behavior will not be tolerated in the SEC."

(scratches head)...How exactly does it do that, Mike? All this proves is that if you're doing well and making the NCAA, and the SEC a ton of money, we're willing to overlook your transgressions. If Auburn were 0-11, and not in the BCS picture, would the outcome have been as favorable?

Lets be honest here, this is as much about the SEC maintaining its foothold as it is about doing things the right way. The NCAA, the SEC, nor the Heisman Trophy committee give a rats patoot about Cam Newton or his daddy. They just don't want another Reggie Bush situation on their hands this soon—they're protecting themselves from the negative backlash such a decision could have caused.

Nothing more.

Shame on them all for being the biggest pimps in college football.

One thing is certain, if Auburn goes on to win this weekend and compete for a national title, there will be changes to the NCAA's rules prior to the 2011 season. The loopholes their mind-boggling act leaves in its wake are too obvious to be overlooked, and they cannot allow them to remain if they expect any integrity to be maintained in this sport.

That is, of course, assuming there ever was any.

Related articles

• NCAA clears Auburn star Cam Newton to play (cnn.com)

Georgia Football: It's Not A "Head-Scratcher", Mr. Bradley, Aaron Murray Can't Do Everything

The Atlanta Journal Constitution's pot-stirrer resident sports columnist/blogging fool, Mark Bradley wondered why Georgia is 5-6 this season when Aaron Murray has been so good?

More to the point, shouldn't Georgia be more than a below .500 team that's, currently, struggling for bowl eligibility?

In his words:

The Bulldogs were 9-3 in both Zeier’s and Carter’s freshman seasons, 8-4 in Greene’s, 9-4 in Stafford’s. How is it possible that a team returning every offensive starter save the quarterback could see that new quarterback perform so ably — and still be 5-6? (And of those six losses, only the Florida game,  in which Murray threw half of his total of six interceptions, could be debited to the quarterback — and it must be noted that even on his worst day Murray led the rally that forced overtime.)

Not much about this Georgia season has made sense, but this part makes the least. The one offensive variable has come up trumps, and still the team enters its final scheduled game needing to win to become bowl-eligible.

While it's easy to understand Bradley's question—if it weren't such a thinly veiled attempt at, yet again, pointing out the ineptitude of the current staff—the answers aren't hard to find.

For one, Aaron Murray doesn't play defense. He wasn't on the field when Ryan Mallett dissected and dismantled the Georgia secondary in four plays to lose their game against Arkansas. He's also not a part of the secondary that suddenly failed to remember their assignments in the second-half against Auburn—leading to a 42-13 run by the Tigers.

Secondly, he doesn't play running back.  On multiple occasions, a lost fumble either changed the complexity of the game (South Carolina and Mississippi State) or lost it altogether (Colorado).

Third, he's not on the defensive line that, at many points this season, couldn't stop a flea from scoring. Obviously, the 3-4 needs some personnel changes if it's going to be effective in season two because what's in the cupboard now is not a proper fit.

Lastly, as spectacular as Murray has been, he's not capable of catching his own passes.

A.J. Green was missing for the first four games of the season and, as a result, the offense struggled to find anything that resembled productivity—another clear indication of how in over his head Mike Bobo truly has been this year.

It's painfully obvious to many that Bobo planned 85 percent of his playbook around the presence of A.J. Green. Take away A.J., take away points—the stats don't lie.

Does that about clear it up for you, Mr. Bradley? Hope so but, for some reason, it feels a lot like you were never really that confused in the first place.

College Football ATS Picks: Can South Carolina Seal The Deal Against Florida? (UPDATED WITH SCORES)

The Lady is getting tired of losing. Last week's 8-7 haul was okay, but, more will need to happen to get the site anywhere near the goal of finishing above .500 on the year.

So, no more chatter, just straight to 15 more picks—against the spread—this week. Find all lines at VegasInsider.com and, again, for clarification, these are spread picks only.

Here we go:

1. Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh (-5.5)

The Huskies are undefeated at home this year but the Pitt Panthers not only come in on a three-game winning streak, but are going for their third straight over Connecticut as well.
I like the Huskies to play the Panthers close tonight.

The Lady's Pick: Connecticut to cover. 


Final: UConn 30, Pitt 28—The Lady Wins!

A close one, just as I expected, with a thrilling finish by the Huskies late in the fourth quarter. The Big East is no longer Pitt's to win—it just got interesting. 

2. Boise State at Idaho: Boise State (-34.5)

It's Boise. They've been bored all season playing the mediocre talent of the WAC and the Idaho Vandals will offer them no respite from that trend.

The Lady's Pick: Boise to cover.

Final: Boise 52, Idaho 14—The Lady Wins! 

Boise State beat up on another under-manned opponent. Yawn. 

3. West Virginia vs. Cincinnati: West Virginia (-7)

The Bearcats lost Zach Collaros to a leg injury a couple weeks back, but he is set to return this week against the Mountaineers. Cincy's offense is far more productive and dangerous with Collaros at the helm and the Mountaineers have struggled to find their footing the last two weeks.

The Lady's Pick: Cincinnati to cover. 

Final:West Virginia 47, Cincinnati 10—The Lady Loses

Wow, way to NOT show up Cincy. Geez—miss Brian Kelly and Mardy Gilyard much?


4. Auburn vs. Georgia: Auburn (-8)

More than a clinch of the SEC West is at stake for the Tigers in this one. Georgia currently holds a four-game win streak over the Tigers as well. Add to that, an angry Cam Newton, and you have an Auburn team that looks set to rout the Bulldogs on Saturday.

That said, Georgia is playing for every bit as much as the Tigers. They want to end the season on the upswing and what better way to do so than to beat the No. 2 team in the country—at home?

Georgia has a good defense, some solid playmakers, and a golden opportunity. Expect them to be in this one til the bitter end.

The Lady's Pick: Georgia to cover. 

Final: Auburn 49, Georgia 31—The Lady Loses

It looked promising for Georgia, early, but the Newton train proved too much to contain in the end. Now the Bulldogs will have to scare up win number 6 in their final game of the season—can they handle the pressure?

5. Florida vs. South Carolina: Florida (-6.5)

Okay, so the Gators are feeling groovy after two straight wins and, despite their three-game losing streak, they still have a shot at the SEC East title if they win—at The Swamp—this weekend.
Steve Spurrier's group has had their ups and downs this season with big program wins over Alabama and Georgia, but heartbreaking losses to Auburn and Arkansas. However, they can sweep all that under the rug if they can upend Urban Meyer's team.

Expect the Gamecocks to make a game of this one.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina to cover. 

Final: South Carolina 36, Florida 14—The Lady Wins!

This was kind of like watching a horror film. I didn't want to see a good outcome for either team, but settled on Spurrier because he was the lesser of two evils. Still, it was great to see Chris Rainey be rendered a non-factor.

6. Alabama vs. Mississippi State: Alabama (-14.5)

Mississippi State lacks a lot in the offense department. Chris Relf isn't a very good quarterback and Vick Ballard has had good games against midling run defenses. The Bulldogs are where they are in large part because of their defense—period. So, a hat tip to their defensive coordinator, former Middle Tennessee head coach, Manny Diaz is in order.

That said, don't look for Alabama to run all over MSU this weekend. They have struggled mightily against physical front sevens and the talent in the secondary can be opportunistic when they are on their game.

14.5 points is too much to give to an Alabama team that has not shown much dominance this year.

The Lady's Pick: Mississippi State to cover. 

Final: Alabama 30, Mississippi State 10—The Lady Loses. 

Now the Tide play like winners. Hope they have a plan for Auburn next week—personally I hope they decimate Cam Newton and ram road the heck out of Nick Fairley.

7. Iowa State at Colorado: Iowa State (-2.5)

This is a tricky one because Colorado has been every bit the atrocious team we thought they would be to start the season—culminating in their embarrassing loss to Kansas last week. By contrast, the Cyclones beat Texas and have an under-rated leader in quarterback, Austen Arnaud.

So, the Cyclones should easily cover that 2.5, right? Wrong.

This is exactly the sort of game that just screams for big performances out of the Colorado players who just saw their coach get fired and want to save face. Plus, to be clear, Iowa State is not as good as their win over Texas seemed to allude.

The Lady's Pick: Colorado

Final: Colorado 34, Iowa State 14 —The Lady Wins

Ah yes, the coach gets fired and the Buffs play one of their best games of the season—who could have imagined that?...oh yeah—ME. 

8. Notre Dame vs. Utah: Utah (-5.5)

The Irish are just trying to get out of the season and into full recruiting mode. They lost their top quarterback for the season and don't seem to have much life left.

Plus, Utah is mad as a hornet after being trounced by the Horned Frogs last week. They're looking to do some trouncing of their own on a bruised and battered Irish team.

The Lady's Pick: Utah

Final: Notre Dame 28, Utah 3—The Lady Loses 

Ouch, TCU took Utah's pride AND their will to live. 

9. North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech (-3.5)

The Hokies have gotten back on the winning track in a big way since losing to James Madison in week two—rattling off seven straight wins.

Butch Davis' Tarheels have rebounded well, too, playing themselves into bowl eligibility after many left them for dad following an agent scandal that, all but, decimated their defense. Can they keep up with Tyrod Taylor and upset the Hokies this weekend?

The last loss the Tarheels suffered was at the hands of Miami—Virginia Tech has a much more balanced team.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech. 

Final: Virginia Tech 26, UNC 10—The Lady Wins!


Oh those Heels' sure made a game of it for a little bit, but Virginia Tech woke up and remembered they still had plenty to play for and closed this one out before it got too out of hand.

10. Purdue vs. Michigan: Michigan (-13)

Michigan's defense is terrible and no one can feel confident that Denard Robinson is capable of finishing any game in which he takes a big hit. That said, Purdue has a halfway decent defense—despite their record—and they are playing at home.

For some reason, I like the Boilermakers chances to make a game of it on Saturday.

The Lady's Pick: Purdue

Final: Michigan 27, Purdue 16—The Lady Wins!


All I can say is, whew.

The Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Kentucky (-14) vs. Vanderbilt

Final: Kentucky 38, Vanderbilt 20—The Lady Wins!

12. Colorado State (+6.5) vs BYU

Final: BYU 49, Colorado State 10—The Lady Loses. 

13. Penn State (+18) at Ohio State

Final: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14—The Lady Loses.

14. Illinois (-21) vs Minnesota

Final: Minnesota 38, Illinois 34—The Lady Loses.

15. Kansas State (-13) at Missouri 

Final: Missouri 28, Kansas State 38—The Lady Wins! 

Final tally: 8-7...just great *sarcasm*

ESPN's Bob Griese: "I Would Not Vote For Cam Newton"

Bob Griese was asked—today during ESPN's broadcast of the Northwestern/Iowa game— if he would feel comfortable giving Cam Newton his Heisman vote—given the circumstances. He had this to say:

"Yeah, you know, as a voter, I'm a little bit concerned with what I'm hearing, especially on top of all this with the Reggie Bush situation and all that. My feeling right now is, there's just too much going on, and then, especially with the Auburn people coming out and saying, well we have "no comment"—where they have been commenting before. I would not vote right now and, if I had to vote, I would not vote for Cam Newton."

The controversy with the Auburn star took an interesting turn last night when, yet, another unnamed "source" came forth and confirmed that Cecil Newton did indeed solicit his son to Mississippi State in exchange for signing a letter of intent.

The story has not been confirmed or denied by any of the involved parties but, according to a story published by Mark Winne (an admitted Auburn alum) of WSB-TV, Cecil Newton admitted that he asked Mississippi State for money—without his son's or his wife's knowledge. Furthermore, Newton, allegedly, claimed that his son is clean of any wrongdoing.

All of this has led to doubts about Newton's eligibility to play in today's game.

Auburn has issued a firm "no comment" about the matter and has said nothing since the report on yesterday.

Kenny Rogers: "I Didn't Talk to Cam, I Talked To Mr. Newton"

Kenny Rogers laid all his cards on the table this afternoon on ESPN 103.3 FM's Ian Fitzsimmons Show. In that interview, he made it clear that Cecil Newton—Cam Newton's father—initiated the pay-for-play conversation—not him.

Furthermore, Rogers stated that the Newton's knew he was approaching Mississippi State for money and any thing said otherwise is, essentially, untrue. 

Now that Rogers has come forth to offer his account of the situation, we a"know" the following:

1) Cecil Newton approached Rogers with the idea of soliciting his son's services for money.

2) Rogers never personally approached John Bond to ask him for said money (an amount Rogers states was between $100,000 and $180,000.

3) Cam Newton may or may not have been made aware of what his father was doing.

4) Bill Bell, a Mississippi State booster, was contacted, on behalf of Cecil Newton to request the money.

5) Auburn's involvement in this whole mess is still not understood or known. Rogers could not confirm or deny that the Tigers paid to get Newton—his knowledge ends with what transpired between himself and Mr. Newton.

The natural question now is, what can be done with this information?

The main sticking point for the NCAA is whether or not Cam Newton, or Auburn University, had any knowledge of what Mr. Newton's dealings were with Mississippi State boosters, coaches, or otherwise.  If they can connect those dots with any consistency, they can make a decision on the appropriate actions to take. As of now, it is still he said/he said and there is little than can be done with that.

Either way, the water just got a whole lot hotter for the Tigers now that Rogers has, essentially, passed the buck back to Mr. Newton and his gang of merry men.

That said, if you've followed this story closely, two things are liable to be nagging at your noggin right now—assuming you're just a casual observer. First, why is everyone so intent on bringing this story to light now—10-months after it was reported to the NCAA?

How has a scandal of this scale escaped scrutiny for nearly a year?

Even more, would any one be so intent on solving the mystery if the Tigers were tanking and Cam Newton were playing bad football?

Secondly, who can you believe at this point? Everyone has proven to be a liar.

Cecil Newton now has at least two people on record stating he asked for money. There is also proof that Mr. Newton made the decision to go to Auburn, despite knowledge that a Mississippi State booster was willing to pay the amount he requested.

Was that because Auburn paid more or because, as Mr. Newton would later say, he didn't want his son to become a "rented mule" at a school like Mississippi State where, despite the presence of Dan Mullen, he was bound to be playing with a lesser talent pool?

All Rogers did by coming forward is bring about more questions, more speculation, and more finger-pointing. 

This whole thing stinks and, unfortunately, for Gene Chizik and Cam Newton, it's the story that just doesn't want to go away. 

Cam-Gate: It's All One Big Conspiracy Courtesy of...Urban Meyer?

This has turned into quite the soap opera.

Today, Urban Meyer, the head coach of the Florida Gators was forced to make an outright denial of claims that he is the man behind the leaked academic cheating information that has been alleged against Cam Newton.

Said Meyer, "For anyone to think that I or anyone on our staff may have leaked information about private student records to the media doesn't know us very well. It's a ridiculous claim and simply not true."

(forgive us, Urban, but when you play miscreants like Chris Rainey, people are bound to question your ethics at some point—just putting that out there).

The reason for the big hub bub, a FoxSports.com article written by the, oft-wrong, Thayer Evans who states that an unnamed source relayed a story that makes Cam Newton look like a less than honorable character. Making matters worse Newton's own father won't even vouch for him on the claim, saying only "I wasn’t there...I cannot confirm or deny. At a time like this, I’m taking a defensive posture."


Well, isn't that just peachy?


Then came this tweet from Bill "Bubba" Bussey of the, Alabama-based,  Rick and Bubba Show, tweet:

He later would recant the tweet saying that it "did not come from the source I thought it did" and asking that people just dismiss it as "rumor". Well, that's all fine and good, but, why bother stating something like that if you don't have it properly sourced?

Just saying.


In other news, Gregg Doyel is no longer welcome at any Gator tailgate parties after writing this inflammatory piece that all but outright accuses the University of Florida for being the catalyst behind all of Cam Newton's recent problems.

Says Doyel,

"...this smear job now has escalated to the point where Florida isn't even pretending to stay out of it. It's no coincidence that Bond's "information"—which he shared almost 10 months ago with Mississippi State—is coming out now that Florida has fallen by the wayside while Auburn has surged to No. 2 in the BCS. Even before the latest academic allegations came out, Meyer was said to be in the middle of the Bond-Newton saga."

Ouch...guess Doyel isn't worried about what Meyer can do to him—he should have a chat with Jeremy Fowler. 

Either way, this whole thing gets funnier by the minute—at least for those who could give a flip about Florida or Urban Meyer. It's like watching a train wreck...in slow motion...and HD.

Wonder if any one will come through the wreckage with their reputations intact?

As for Meyer, well, aside from denying culpability, he's getting his team ready to play the Gamecocks this Saturday. A team that, should they beat them, will grant them an easy trip to play Cam Newton and Auburn in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.

Hey, wait a minute...ya think...nah, never mind. 

Beware Auburn Fans! The Cam Newton Smear Campaign Is In Full Effect

Boy, that Cam Newton sure has a lot of "haters" all of a sudden.

If it's not FoxSports.com's, Thayer Evans, urging voters to leave Newton off their Heisman ballots, then it's the Orlando Sentinel grabbing onto whatever negative stories they can find to discredit Newton's season.

There's so much mud-slinging going going on with this kid right now, you'd think he was running for a political office.

To be fair to the vitriol-spewing media, we have to admit that some trepidation in voting for Newton will be present. Based on the pay-for-play allegations and the newest dagger that accuses Newton of academic cheating while he was at Florida (although given the fact that Thayer Evans wrote the article, you have to wonder how much truth there is to the account), some voters are bound to be getting a little gun-shy.

That said, it doesn't seem fair to penalize the kid for unproven actions—we have seen proof of nothing, yet, so why risk your credibility grasping at the whispers?


If Newton ends up being blameworthy of either, or both, of the allegations then, by all means, re-evaluate his worthiness for receiving any post-season accolades.


Until then, let the NCAA do their job, let Newton continue his season, and refrain from damaging the reputation of a, to this point, innocent young man.

Cam Newton: Paid or Not...It Was All About What Daddy Wanted

ESPN.com has reported that Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton, was offered to Mississippi State for the sum of $180,000. That was the discounted price that Kenneth Rogers (a supposed associate acting on behalf of Newton's camp) was willing to accept in exchange for Newton's signature on a letter of intent.

Newton, it's no secret, was going to Mississippi State. He liked Dan Mullen and felt comfortable with the Bulldogs. Many fans and boosters of the program were touting Newton as a done deal and felt secure that there was no way he would sign elsewhere.

Well, unfortunately for them, they didn't count on the influence that Newton's father, Cecil, had in the decision.
In an interview given after Cam Newton decided to sign with Auburn, his father gave his reasons for why he didn't feel Mississippi State was the place for his son:

"...They (Mississippi State) just don't have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He'd have to do everything himself. I didn't want him to be a rented mule. Auburn has far more varsity players returning, they have more skill players, they're attracting more highly recruited players and it's right down the street."

So, location and talent level played a part but, correct if wrong, isn't Newton a "rented mule" at Auburn? Seriously, does anyone really believe that the Tigers would be 9-0 without him as their quarterback?

Yet, no need to digress.

Mr. Newton didn't bother to stop there with his comments. When asked point blank if the Bulldogs were Cam's choice, he says the following:

"Absolutely they were. Auburn came on strong at the end. A lot of people pre-supposed that (Cam) would hook up with Dan Mullen. He made an official visit around Thanksgiving and that went really well. I just wasn't sure about it. I like Dan Mullen and I think he has a very bright offensive mind. He's just having to go against the odds in Starkville. I just didn't want Cam to be blinded by an affiliation."

Daddy Newton held all the cards in this situation and Cam had very little choice in the matter.  With that being said, you have to wonder if there is any validity to the rumors—especially when you start throwing in allegations about a sinking church and a pastor who is suddenly able to guarantee that all will be well within six months.

ESPN reports that "Cecil Newton said the family received a letter from the NCAA "about a month ago" asking for financial statements. He said he submitted bank statements and records for the church where he is pastor, Holy Zion Center of Deliverance in Newnan, Ga., along with other records."

The only question worth asking about the above information is how much did Mr. Newton divulge in turning over the financial statements of Holy Zion? It may seem like an ignorant question to ask, but, what if the money were received in cash or via an anonymous donor?

Better still, if he's involved with five other churches, why not siphon the money through another of his ministries? Wouldn't that make Holy Zion's financial statements irrelevant?

Hopefully this story turns out to be a whole lot of hogwash and innuendo based on a wild rumor, started by a disgruntled party. But, where the NCAA has been concerned this season—where there is smoke, there's fire.

No doubt more information will be forthcoming but for Auburn, and Cam Newton, this little distraction can't be fun to have with an undefeated season, a Heisman Trophy, and a potential spot in the BCS Championship all, seemingly, on the line. 

Related articles

• Meet Cam Newton's Father, Cecil Newton (sbnation.com)

College Football Betting Odds: Will The Auburn Tigers Be The Next No. 1 To Fall?

The Lady got back to being average last week, finishing the weekend slate with a 5-5 record. The challenge for this site has become to complete the season ABOVE .500 and, sitting at 34-41 on the year, there is still plenty of work left to do before that goal is accomplished.

So, this week, the usual ten picks will be upped to fifteen—just for kicks. To keep it interesting, there will be no "cupcakes"—all Division-I. The Lady will either sink or swim with her choices but, there again, she always does.

The time stamp offered by this posting may not reflect the lines as you may find them to be as of Thursday morning, but as of 8:33 Wednesday night, these were the lines offered by VegasInsider.com.

Let's get it going, shall we:

1. Ole Miss vs. Auburn: Auburn (-7)

The Tigers are really feeling like winners right now, aren't they? They're the No. 1 team in the nation, undefeated in the SEC, sporting a Heisman contender (likely the Heisman winner) at quarterback...things are looking sweet on The Plains right now.

Well, here's the thing about that, Auburn has looked lights out all season EXCEPT on the road where they've struggled against both Kentucky and Mississippi State. Ole Miss has one of the most mobile quarterbacks the Tigers have faced all season and Masoli is coming off one of his best games of the season.

Don't sleep on the Rebels.

The Lady's Pick: Ole Miss

2. Southern Cal vs. Oregon: Oregon (-7)

Oregon is mad as hell, and they aren't gonna take it any more!

If you're Chip Kelly's bunch, you have to be wondering what on earth you have to do in order to see some BCS respect—a little No. 1 love? Well, the best way to get that is to go to L.A. and stomp the living crap out of Lane Kiffin's boys.

If they can do that, they might be able to get enough of a boost to pull those Auburn Tigers right off their mantle.

The Lady's Pick:  Oregon

3. Connecticut vs. West Virginia: (-6.5)

Connecticut has to break in another quarterback this week and, although, they are playing at home, they have looked another shade of awful over the last two weeks—against both Rutgers and Louisville.

Are they really going to improve that much between then and Friday?...Not likely.

The Lady's Pick: West Virginia

4.  Illinois vs. Purdue: Illinois (-17.5) 

What did Illinois do to deserve this much respect?

Purdue hasn't been good this year, but they've played every team they have faced in a tough fashion this season. Illinois beat the crap out of Indiana last week, and no disrespect to the Hoosiers, but that's not saying much.

The Lady's Pick: Purdue

5.  Iowa vs. Michigan State: Iowa (-6)

Michigan State averted a disaster in Illinois last week against a tough Northwestern team. That won't happen again in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes will be ready to get stop the Spartans streak in Iowa City.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa

6. South Carolina vs. Tennessee: South Carolina (-17.5)

Tennessee doesn't look good. The lack of depth, the issues on the offensive line, the quarterback spot, etc...all look completely exhausted at this point.

By stark contrast, the Gamecocks will be playing at home...with Marcus Lattimore.

The Lady's Pick: South Carolina

7. Mississippi State vs. Kentucky: Mississippi State (-6.5)

Kentucky is better than their record. Mississippi State isn't as good as theirs.

The Lady's Pick: Kentucky

8. Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State: Oklahoma State (-5.5)

Brandon Weeden just, unexpectedly, lost his No. 1 receiver. That means the Cowboys offense just got run-heavy. The Wildcats would be wise to take advantage of the Cowboys period of adjustment.

The Lady's Pick: Kansas State

9. Nebraska vs. Missouri: Missouri (-7.5)

The Cornhuskers were on the opposite side of this line two-weeks ago against the Longhorns—they blew it. Don't look for Pelini's bunch to make the same mistake twice.

The Lady's Pick: Nebraska

10. Oregon State vs. California: Oregon State (-2.5)

The Golden Bears feel pretty good about themselves after a huge win over the Sun Devils last week, but they should be careful not to bring too much of that ego into Oregon this weekend. The Beavers play well at home and the Bears have been woeful on the road.

The Lady's Pick: Oregon State

Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Washington State (+21) at Arizona State


12. Minnesota (+25.5) vs. Ohio State


13. Penn State (-3) vs. Michigan


14. Miami (-15.5) at Virginia


15. Kansas (+19) at Iowa State

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Mark Richt Under Fire After Loss to Mississippi State

That game in Starkville, what can you say that hasn't already been said? It was a travesty, an
embarrassment, a flaming pile of horse manure, and whatever other colorful adjectives you wish to use at this point.

Mark Richt, and the rest of his coaching staff, have gone from being a group with potential to a potential group without jobs—if you believe the interwebs.

Well, if you came here to see Mark Richt or Todd Grantham get thrown under the bus, leave now. That's not going to happen here—not today.

Despite the hideous display of undisciplined football that was played in the first half of the Mississippi State game, Georgia wasn't demolished by those other Bulldogs. On the contrary, as they have done all season, Georgia shot themselves in the collective foot by making foolish mistakes and continually forgetting that every down matters.

That is the reason why most rational fans are unhappy this morning. That is why they are scratching their heads and wondering what the hell is going on in Athens. The fact is, by the end of the first half, the Bulldogs should have, at worst, been sitting on a 14-7 lead.

Washaun Ealey's ill-timed fumble (again) and Marlon Brown's inability to play with proper fundamentals, erased eight points from the board. In both cases, the mistakes were avoidable and the poor execution of those plays was the reason the momentum of the first half ended in Mississippi State's favor.

Moving on to the defense, the one question that has to be asked is: what was the problem on third downs? Time and again, the defense placed the Bulldogs in situations where they should have been playing back on their heels, yet they let them off the hook by allowing them to convert for the big gain.

It was like they gave all they could give on first and second down, then let their foot off the gas on third downs—hoping Mississippi State would do the same.

Even more, where's the pass rush? Chris Relf had too much time to sit back and scan the field. Give any quarterback that kind of time and he will beat you. It also didn't help that the guys up front were continually dominated by the Bulldogs' offensive line—a frightening trend that began in week two at South Carolina.

People say there's nothing wrong with the strength and conditioning program at Georgia, well, all signs to the contrary because what I've seen is a front seven that can't muster a fraction of the pressure that they should under this new "attacking" style of play.

Admittedly, some of that is personnel. Grantham doesn't have the players to fit what he would like to do, but there are still plenty of good athletes at Georgia, and they should not continually get whipped by every offensive line they come up against in Division I football—that's embarrassing. 

One of the lone bright spots is Aaron Murray. He continues to shine despite standing behind an under-achieving offensive line. Bless him for being the play maker that he is, but he's going to get killed at some point this season because his line has no heart—that's right—NO HEART!

Last night, it became more and more difficult to count the sheer number of times the pocket broke down, particularly on the right side, and defender after defender was able to break through and flush Murray from the pocket. He was able to scramble his way to the first down more than once, but is that really what you want him doing all season—running for his life?

At one point, either Chris Burnette or Chris Davis just got outright flattened by a defensive player who managed to break through the line—sad. Did Stacy Searles (Georgia's offensive line coach) go on a long vacation because he's obviously not showing up to coach these "so-called" veterans who were supposed to be the rock for Georgia this season.

As for the offense, where do you possibly begin? Mike Bobo is atrocious at play-calling. There is no other way to say it. Georgia had one-on-one coverage all night against the Bulldogs, yet he decides to let Carlton Thomas have a go, or he calls some crappy draw play that loses yards—just no imagination whatsoever.

The only thing Bobo did right last night was accept responsibility for being such a hack. A welcome change from the idiocy that was last week when he, essentially, blamed the lack of offensive success on Aaron Murray's inability to get rid of the football—such class that guy.

Special teams is another conversation altogether. Did Georgia ever start outside of the shadow of their own 20? Seriously, where is the protection on special teams during kick/punt returns? The blocking was horrible and, aside from one very nice run by Brandon Boykin, there was nothing spectacular about the way Georgia played on returns last night.

All of this leads to one conclusion: Georgia is young and undisciplined in most areas. There is no leadership on the field and no player seems willing to step up and be the guy. The arrests and suspensions that plagued the team in the spring and summer were a harbinger of just how young and undisciplined this team would be on the field this season—hate to admit it, but it's true.

A.J. Green can't fix what ails Georgia. If you still believe he can, stop fooling yourself, it's simply not true. Even more, if you think firing Mark Richt right now is the way to go, answer this question: then what? Who do you think should take his place? Rodney Garner? Mike Bobo? Todd Grantham? Some other, currently unemployed, has-been, who got fired for doing the same thing Richt is right now?

Forgive the license, but continue to take your chances with Richt the rest of this season and in 2011 too—he's done enough to earn that much. Firing Mark Richt today is not the answer. He's still a good coach and this one season, as catastrophic as it has been thus far, could just as easily have been one that started 4-0.

Last night was painful. No doubt about it, but with 5:32 left to play in the game, it was still a 10-6 contest that Georgia had every opportunity to win—it's the same opportunity they had against both Arkansas and South Carolina.

This team has questions to answer about their heart, but the talent is there—they just need to start figuring out if they're man enough to use it.

The comment section is open to whatever you want to say, even if it's in total disagreement with my take—I assure you, your points are every bit as valid as mine.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Mississippi State

It was another night spent at the Heartbreak Hotel after the Georgia Bulldogs lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks in the waning seconds of Saturday's match-up in Athens.

The team fell to a worrisome 0-2 record in the SEC (1-2 overall) and the chorus of "Mark Richt Must Go" saw a sudden surge amongst opinionated bloggers and online media types looking for a surge in site traffic.

If you are a Georgia Bulldog die-hard, the win over the Louisiana Cajuns, on September 4th, has long since dissipated, and the truth you are left with is this: Georgia still has some growing up to do.

That said, it's time to shake off the heavy coat of disappointment and put on your best red and black face as the Bulldogs head to Starkville to face that other SEC Bulldog team from the west. They too are still seeking their first big time conference win and Georgia has to look ripe for the picking to a team that has played better than the final scores of their last two games would suggest.

So, what do Georgia fans need to know about the Mississippi State Bulldogs?

1. They still haven't truly settled on a quarterback. 

Tyler Russell has solid potential, but he's not ready to carry the team. He struggles with the pass rush and he isn't nearly as mobile Chris Relf. That said, Georgia still hasn't shown a propensity for getting to the quarterback on a consistent basis so it would not surprise to see Russell getting a few more snaps this week.

2. Chris Relf can be dangerous.

Relf may not dazzle you with his arm, but he is more than capable of picking up key yards with his feet. He is the most dangerous to a defense once the play begins break down. His ability to use his legs to buy time for his receivers to get open has served him well, for the most part, this season. He's a lot more instinctual and focused on the run than simply standing in the pocket—that's something to take note of. 

3. Vick Ballard is one to watch. 

The Bulldogs are still searching for their run game this season, but they hope to see Vick Ballard become the man who can offer them their most legitimate compliment to the passing game. He hasn't been able to bust out of his shell just yet, but he has been dangerous at home (averaging 6.08 ypc) where he's already scored three touchdowns.

4. They have a couple of talented receivers in Chad Bumphis and Brandon Heavens.

If the quarterback play is able to find its groove, there is definitely room to be encouraged about the Bulldogs ability to move the football vertically. Chad Bumphis' skills aren't a mystery. He's every bit the physical, talented, and speedy receiver you remember him to be, and he's only in his sophomore year. Heavens offers a nice No. 2 option—he is every bit as capable of stretching the field and challenging the secondary.

 5.  The offensive line is better this season than the last.

If you consider the fact that Chris Relf has scrambled a bit more than Dan Mullen might like, it's  impressive that, through three games, the offensive line has only allowed five sacks. By contrast, Georgia's line has allowed nine.  Derek Sherrod continues to shine at the left tackle position—giving coach Mullen hope that better days are on the horizon for both the passing and the running game once everything really starts clicking.

6. They have a solid group of linebackers. 

Starting with senior linebacker, and leader, K.J. Wright, the Bulldogs boast an impressive set of linebackers who are more than capable of making the life of the quarterback, and the accompanying running game, quite miserable. Wright is an all-around beast—both on the field as a playmaker and off the field as a leader—and Chris White doesn't get nearly enough credit for being the athletic, smart, and instinctive player he's been over the last year or so.

7. Beware of Charles Mitchell.

The secondary of Mississippi State is an opportunistic one. There are a lot of guys playing a very aggressive brand of football in this unit, and Charles Mitchell sets the tone for their approach. He's tough, he's hard to fool, and he brings the heat on every play. His veteran presence has been a steady, influential, force on a very underrated unit.

The Bulldogs are currently fourth in the SEC in pass defense.

8. They are more dangerous on third down than they are on first and second. 

The offense, as mentioned earlier, is still attempting to find an identity—both at the quarterback and the running back spots. That said, the Bulldogs have still proved to be adept at pulling out the big third down play when necessary. So far this season, they are converting 45 percent of their third downs—fifth in the conference (by way of comparison, the Crimson Tide convert close to 47 percent of their third downs).

9. They convert in the redzone. 

The Bulldogs haven't made many trips to the redzone this season (five), but they have made every one count—scoring a touchdown each time.

10. Kickoffs have been a sore spot.

Special teams coverage on kickoffs has been a problem for Mississippi State. They rank nearly dead last in the conference in kickoff coverage, allowing close to 27 yards per return.