Predicting The Weekend's SEC Losers

The Swamp Lizards from Florida are bringing a traditional SEC smash-mouth defense into Baton Rouge on Saturday night to face LSU. The Gators are physical, athletic, talented and deep in particular on the defensive side of the ball. Will Muschamp clearly may have the most dominant defensive squad in the SEC this season. The problem is that their offense wasn’t very good even when they were healthy. The season-ending injury to signal-caller Jeff Driscoll came as he seemed to be just turning the corner for the Gators.

Muschamp will now rely on what LSU and Alabama have used to dominate for the better part of the last decade, which is a defense based on size, speed, athleticism and incredible depth. Many times the offenses were designed to manage games, not make mistakes and give their NFL-laden defenses the ability to dictate and thus win games.

Make no mistake, this will be the toughest defense LSU will likely see this year. This should test the Cam Cameron/Zach Mettenberger version of the new and improved LSU high-octane offense. There are a couple keys to the game. If the newly retooled, but highly suspect Tigers' offensive line can protect Mettenberger long enough to engage the vertical passing game, this will set up Jeremy Hill and the ground game and the high-powered and balanced LSU offense could get the spark it needs to light up the scoreboard.

The Gators will surely slow down the Tigers down, but over the course of the game, LSU simply has too many weapons on the offensive side of the trenches. This one should be close going into the fourth quarter, but LSU should close out the wily reptiles in Baton Rouge and keep their SEC West and BCS hopes intact for another week. The Tigers survive and advance. LSU 31 -- Florida 21

Here are predictions for the rest of the weekend's winners and losers in the SEC.

Texas A&M Upset Alert vs. Ole Miss

If Johnny Manziel and Ole Miss basketball star Marshall Henderson are in the same town, something bad is bound to happen. The Texas A&M Aggies are coming off an open week and Ole Miss is reeling after being punched in the face by Alabama and Auburn over the last two weeks.

The Rebels pride is hurt (among other body parts) and there is nothing like fighting a wounded animal -- which is exactly what the Rebels are right now. The Aggies and Johnny Football will run up and down the field, but the Rebels' offense will be able to do the same as the Aggies' defense has tendencies for Anthony Weiner like exposure.

A high-scoring game will ensue and strange things can occur in Oxford. This is the upset special of the week. The Rebels will bounce back and write off Johnny Football and the Aggies.

Ole Miss 35 -- Texas A&M 34

Old Ball Coach to Survive Arkansas

The Old Ball Coach invades Swine Town to take on an improving Arkansas team in Fayetteville. South Carolina is still riding high and still looking to represent the East in the SEC title game in Atlanta. Remember, the Georgia Bulldogs are dealing with massive injuries and are not nearly as strong as they were just two weeks ago.

Any slip-up by the Bulldogs, and Steve Spurrier and company are primed to be the beneficiary. I am tempted to pick the Hogs in an upset but with South Carolina well aware of the Georgia injuries, the Gamecocks should be able to refocus on their priorities and slide out of Arkansas with a win.

South Carolina 30 -- Arkansas 27

Dog Bite: Missouri Goes Down to Georgia

Missouri travels to Georgia fresh off a Vanderbilt Commodores sinking and a belief they should be sitting at the SEC adult table with the big dogs. The Georgia Bulldogs are limping after a highly successful start the season that last week saw the Red Clay Dogs survive the trap game at Tennessee. Make no mistake, these are big dogs.

The Missouri Tigers will look like BBQ chicken to a battle-weary, but more importantly battle-tested Georgia squad who has felled far bigger and better opponents. This one would be much more interesting if they were playing on the plains of the Midwest, but as this one is Between the Hedges, look for Aaron Murray and company to properly put the Missouri Tigers in a petting zoo Saturday. There will be no letdown here.

Georgia 42 Missouri 21

Gus Bus Keeps Rolling for Auburn

Auburn and the Gus Bus take a week off from SEC play after a Johnny Reb beatdown last weekend that fired up the energy on the Gus Bus. Western Carolina will be run over thoroughly and frequently.

Auburn 52 -- Western Carolina 14

Mississippi State Gets a Dog Bone in Western Carolina

After playing with LSU for a half last week, the Bulldogs collapsed in the second half against the depth of the Tigers. The good news for Dan Mullen and the scheduling genius of Mississippi State is that Bowling Green will be sliding into Starkville. There is nothing like a guaranteed game to throw a dog a bone. Bowling Green will be rolling home with a big loss.

Mississippi State 38 -- Bowling Green 10

Even John Calipari Can't Help Kentucky Against Alabama

Even all the athletes John Calipari and the Wildcats hoop squad can muster won’t be able to help Kentucky against Alabama. The biggest question for Alabama will be deciding what their pre and post-game meals will be as Kentucky will have less of a chance than General Custer did in this football game.

Look for the Cats to hang around early but by halftime, Kentucky fans will be wondering if they can get into Rupp and watch the basketball team practice. Alabama continues their bottom-feeding schedule of SEC cellar-dwellers this week before hosting a middle of the road Arkansas team next weekend.

Alabama 45 -- Kentucky 7