PETE’S PIGSKIN PROGNOSTICATIONS

Another virtual off week for most of the SEC teams. Even the two league games don’t figure to be much fun to watch. The most interesting game is Nashville, with no TV and probably very little press coverage.

Week 3
(8-1 last week; 17-4 overall)

The calm before the storm...

Western Kentucky @ Alabama – More of letdown than I thought would happen last week. The Tide probably learned something against Tulane, and it should carry over against the Hilltoppers. Tide by 35.

Arkansas @ Texas– That other UT is going to be more the Pigs are capable of handling. The Hogs have looked weak for the first two games, and that does not augur well for the future. Longhorns by 17.

Auburn @ Mississippi State – The Bulldogs were a surprise team last year, but the bloom seems to off the rose. The surprise is in the other direction this year, as MSU seems to be taking two giant steps backward. Auburn by 15.

Georgia @ South Carolina - SC will still be reeling from their second consecutive loss to Vandy. Spurrier does not seem to have a quarterback capable of playing his type of game, and that makes the Chickens eminently beatable. Ga by 17.

North Texas @ LSU – Like LSU really needed an off-week to prepare for North Texas. There is no hurricane savior for NT. LSU by 45.

Middle Tennessee @ Kentucky - MTSU got their first non-Vandy BCS victory last week, beating Maryland handily 24-14. The Big Blue will more than the Raiders can handle this week, though. UK by 25. .

Samford @ Mississippi – Ole Miss tunes up for Vandy The Rebs looked not too bad in losing to Wake Forest last week, and will take this opportunity to work out problems to prepare for Vandy next week. Mississippi by 24..

UAB @ Tennessee – Tennessee looks for redemption after falling flat against UCLA in the opener. I have a feeling it won’t be as easy as the Vols would like it to be. UT by 13.

Rice @ Vanderbilt (Sept 4) – Vandy has been 2-0 before with big SEC wins. This is a chance to show that is isn’t your momma’s old VU. I’d like to see a score that prompted one of my favorite football headlines. Back when the Tennessean was a real paper, one of my favorite headlines was "Vols Boil Rice, 52-0." I'd like to see a score that prompts "Vandy Boils Rice, 60-0". Unfortunately, Rice seems a competent team, so VU will have their hands full for most of the game, pulling away late. JHawk has 170 yards, and Vandy wins 27-17.

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