PRESS PICKS (Week 5): Ole Miss is headed to Atlanta - in December?
STAFF REPORT
Are we ready for something new?
How does an SEC Championship matchup between Ole Miss and, say, Kentucky sound? Ok, leave out the Wildcats for a second….
What about Colorado and Oregon State in the Pac 12 title game?
You want weird? How about Texas Tech and UCF in the Big 12?
No Clemson in the ACC Championship? Stay tuned.
Yeah, the world is turned upside down at the moment. The good is bad and vice versa. We can’t seem to get our claws wrapped around it.
But it’s bound to happen. But let’s concentrate on the SEC for a moment.
Ole Miss goes to Tuscaloosa on Saturday with a chance to get a leg up on the SEC West competition. The Rebels program has never been in the title game since its inception in 1992. Only two other teams in the original 10 have yet to make it - Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Should the Rebels win, you could make a case that they become the favorite with LSU coming to their place in two weeks and the rest of the West beating each other up.
It starts with Bama, which has been a shell of its normal self this season. We may all change our minds once Saturday comes and goes but there are obvious cracks in the amour. The quarterback situation is not solved, no matter what Nick Saban says. There is the business of blocking up front, something that the Tide O-line is still trying to figure out.
The other teams in the West have all sorts of wrinkles. LSU might be on the mend but it’s too early to tell. The win over Mississippi State was nice but expected. The Bulldogs are in for a long season.
Arkansas looks flawed. So does Texas A&M. Auburn is still trying to figure it out.
That leaves the Rebels, who have beaten the Tide in T’Town of late. It’s not out of the realm of possiblities. It will certainly depend on how the Rebels manage against the Tide’s strength, which is still defense. But that hasn’t been a problem for Lane Kiffin before. He can have 12 plays drawn up before the next snap.
Fact is Alabama is not the same. Figuring out why is for another day but this team looks dazed and confused. Undisicplined is another word that comes to mind. That might get figured out some day but there is nothing that points to it happening this week.
Still, Ole Miss fans are not counting on a victory just yet. But if it happens, look for the Rebels to be in the hunt for a trip to Atlanta the rest of the way.
Graham Dunn moved into a tie with Wesley Lyle in the Press Picks after a near-perfect week.
2023 Overall Standings (Last week)
1. Wesley Lyle 46-14 (11-4) .767
Graham Dunn 46-14 (14-1) .767
3. Doug Amos 45-15 (12-3) .750
4. Mike Peacock 44-16 (10-5) .733
Lindsey Bonner 44-16 (11-4) .733
6. Tim Gayle 42-18 (12-3) .700
7. Michael Butler 41-19 (13-2) .683
8. Rosie Langello 39-21 (10-5) .650
9. Barry McKnight 36-24 (13-2) .600
10. Rick Hendrick 32-28 (9-6) .533
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
46-14 (11-4) .767
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Marbury
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Ohio St
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
46-14 (14-1) .767
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Ole Miss
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
45-15 (12-3) .750
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Clemson
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
44-16 (10-5) .733
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Marbury
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Ohio St
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director WAKA Ch. 8)
44-16 (11-4) .733
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Western Kentucky
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
41-19 (13-2) .683
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Marbury
Ole Miss at Alabama - Ole Miss
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Ohio St
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
28-17 (8-7) .622
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Clemson
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
39-21 (10-5) .650
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Carver
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Lanier
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Ohio St
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
36-24 (13-2) .600
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - Utah
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
32-28 (9-6) .533
G.W. Carver at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Sidney Lanier vs. Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Prattville at Opelika - Opelika
Tallassee at Marbury - Tallassee
Ole Miss at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
Western Kentucky at Troy - Troy
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Kentucky
Arkansas at LSU - LSU
Florida St at Clemson - Florida St.
Ohio St at Notre Dame - Ohio St
Iowa at Penn St - Penn St
Colorado at Oregon - Oregon
UCLA at Utah - UCLA