Last week was bitter sweet as I went 4-0 straight up but just 1-3 against the spread. Keep in mind that I try to only pick top 25 games, so they’re much, much harder to predict. Like, much harder. (Or at least that’s my excuse anyway.)
No. 8 LSU at Mississippi, 3:30PM ET
Both of these SEC teams will be looking to finish the 2009 season strong when they square off this Saturday in Oxford. The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tigers last season but they haven’t won at home in his series since 1998. The public seems high on Ole Miss after the Rebs hammered Tennessee last Saturday, but keep in mind that the Vols were in the midst of some turmoil after three of their players were arrested for attempted armed robbery last week. Dexter McCluster went off on Tennessee for 282 yards and four touchdowns, but he’ll have a hard time repeating that effort against a stout LSU front seven. Something tells me that Les Miles’ team is still pissed off about what happened two weeks again in Tuscaloosa and will play this week with passion. I see a small upset for the Tigers and an outright win. Odds: Ole Miss –4.5. Prediction: LSU 20, Ole Miss 17.
No. 25 California at No. 17 Stanford, 7:30PM ET
Stanford is playing as well as anyone in the nation right now. The Cardinal have scored 106 points combined against Oregon and USC the past two weeks and senior running back Toby Gerhart has almost been unstoppable. Without running back Jahvid Best, Cal squeaked by Arizona last week, 24-16. With Best sidelined again this Saturday, many expect Stanford to roll but don’t forget that Cal has the 19th best run defense in the nation and is capable of containing Gerhart and keeping things close. Quarterback Kevin Riley might be able to take advantage of a Stanford secondary that has been inconsistent this season, although without the threat of a running game the Bears’ offense might become too one-dimensional in the second half. I think Stanford will pull out the victory but this game will be closer than people think. Odds: Stanford –7.5. Prediction: Stanford 35, Cal 31.
My esteemed colleague Anthony Stalter did a nice job of covering the immediate aftermath of the Alabama/LSU game, but I wanted to provide a few screenshots of Patrick Peterson’s interception that was ruled incomplete, even after replay.
I watched the game as an objective observer — I didn’t really care who won, and still don’t — but this was clearly a pick and I thought the Tigers got screwed on this play.
I’m not focused so much on whether or not he gets his right toe in. When I originally saw the play, I thought he clearly had possession of the ball and had his left foot in.
The first shot is from behind and establishes his position relative to the sideline. The ball is in his hands and his left foot is down.
The second shot is from the side. The ball is under his control and his left foot is down.
The third shot is from the front. At this point, Peterson has already caught the ball and is turning it to tuck it. His left foot is clearly down and his right one may be as well.
Alabama fans can rationalize it if they want — by point out earlier calls that went LSU’s way or by saying that officiating is never 100% correct. But the bottom line is that in this crucial point in the game, LSU should have been awarded the ball.
It’s one thing for a linesman to blow this call in live action, but there’s no excuse for the call to stand after the replay. What’s worse, the lead official didn’t even explain why the ruling on the field was confirmed, he just said that it was and went on about his day. Did he think that Peterson didn’t have possession? Or did he think that Peterson didn’t get his foot down?
Ridiculous.
Thanks to Vcize over on YouTube. I pulled these screenshots from his video of the play.
Let’s get this out of the way first: Alabama is better than LSU. They play better defense, have more big-time playmakers like Julio Jones and Mark Ingram, and they’re a more complete team overall.
That said, the officiating in Alabama’s 24-15 win on Saturday was some of the worst in college football this season. And that’s saying a lot given how bad the officiating has been this year in the SEC.
Crimson Tide fans can spin it as much as they want, but Patrick Peterson intercepted that pass in the second half. He not only got one foot down, but two and the refs still got the call wrong. The play might not have wound up being a game-changing moment, but the bottom line is that ‘Bama got a field goal out of the deal, which made it a two-score game late in the fourth.
Granted, even if the call went LSU’s way, the Tigers were still losing in an obvious passing situation and might have still had trouble moving the ball. Plus, they still allowed ‘Bama to convert on a 3rd and 6 to pick up the first day.
Still, the call was wrong. It should have been an interception, it should have been LSU’s ball and the Tigers still should have had the opportunity to march up the field and score.
Speaking of bad calls, Les Miles had a few himself. He made a poor decision to go for two after LSU had taken the lead on a Stevan Ridley 8-yard touchdown run. His decision to go for two instead of going up 16-10 was dumb, but not as dumb as the poor clock management in the fourth quarter and a decision to punt on 4th and inches with no timeouts.
LSU deserved better from the refs and Miles tonight.
FOXSports.com groups the top 10 whiniest coaches in college football.
5. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Gundy must be thrilled he finally got some prime-time exposure. Too bad it was for his epic whining about some alleged inaccuracies printed by The Oklahoman. But Gundy’s wasn’t just any whine. It was a head-exploding mother of all tantrums. “I’m a man! I’m 40!” will forever go down as one of the whiniest rants of all time.
3. Les Miles, LSU
We love Les, king of the preemptive whines. Whine about your tough path for sympathy votes! “They (USC) have a much easier road to travel – I would like that path for us.” Whine about the two OT losses last season “If you just give us ties, like in the old system, we are undefeated with two ties. Maybe that adds up as one loss.” Leave it to Les to whine about how he wishes he had an easier path, then whine about how two ties equal one loss.
2. Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
“Being Rich Rod,” coming soon to a theater near you. Scream “excessive” about the $4 million buyout in your West Virginia contract clause, then later admit that your Michigan buyout is the same amount. Claim “coersion” after signing a contract when your lawyers and agents were at your beck and call. Whine about death threats, then fail to provide proof. Pat self on back for getting an entire state to light couches on fire.
1. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
Was there any doubt that the Ol’ Bawl Coach would be No. 1 on this list? It’s not just his railing against South Carolina’s student-athlete admissions requirements that caused him to threaten quitting. No, it’s his weekly wrath toward officials who make calls he disagrees with against his Gamecocks every dang play. Thank goodness his visor is made of kryptonite.
Know how to stop Steve Spurrier from whinnying all the time? Threaten him with having to coach in the NFL again. Ha! Get it? Because he was one of the worst NFL head coaches in the history of the league? Yeah…yeah you get it…
The year was 1999 and Auburn had just handed LSU a devastating 41-7 loss in Baton Rouge. To celebrate the victory, as well as head coach Tommy Tuberville’s birthday, Auburn players and coaches smoked cigars on the field at Tiger Stadium. The act didn’t sit well with LSU players or fans, and many consider that as the day the LSU-Auburn rivalry officially began. Auburn has not won in Baton Rouge since.
The LSU-Auburn rivalry is set to renew again as the two teams meet this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where LSU has not won since 1998. The last time LSU did battle in Auburn, JaMarcus Russell and the Tiger offense was held to only a field goal in a 7-3 loss.
Last year, LSU shocked Auburn in Baton Rouge after LSU head coach Les Miles decided to try to go for a touchdown instead of attempting a 41-yard field goal with time running out in the fourth quarter. Demetrius Byrd made a last-second grab in the end zone to give LSU a thrilling 30-24 victory.
Last year’s game also stoked the flames of this rivalry after Auburn guard Chaz Ramsey chop blocked at the knees of former LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. The incident is still fresh on the minds of some LSU players, including defensive linemen Ricky-Jean Francois:
“Is the game really that serious or that important that you’d go out and ruin somebody’s career?” Jean-Francois said. “I wasn’t really worried about it happening again until somebody mentioned it (Tuesday). Now it’s something you have to think about. I hope whatever happens this week, they let a pancake block be the worse thing they do.”
Ramsey won’t play this Saturday because of a back injury, but LSU doesn’t need what happened last year or the 1999 cigar incident to motivate them. Just seeing the AU on Auburn’s helmets is all the motivation LSU needs to want to stick to one of their most hated rivals.
Below is a list of LSU and Auburn blogs and information sites to get you primed for the matchup.
Eleven of the last 18 meetings between these two teams have been decided by a touchdown or less, with the home team winning the last eight games. With how bad Auburn is currently struggling on offense, LSU shouldn’t have many issues on defense. But they might have problems moving the ball on Auburn’s defense, which is currently one of the best units in the nation.
Oddsmakers have made LSU a 2.5-point road favorite.
