PRESS PICKS: One team's reality is another opportunity for a beatdown
STAFF REPORT
Last Saturday, a continuance of “impressions mean more than reality” syndrome.
Sure, its been around a long time - we become enamored with a team after one game of dismantling another only to get the same treatment a week or two later. It’s happened a few times already this season.
We should have seen the Florida debacle coming. It’s the story of the season. MIssouri was coming off a loss to Mississippi State. No way the Tigers beat Florida, right?
Wrong. Same was true the week before… and the week before….
Let’s review what we’ve seen so far…
Start with Week 3: LSU goes to Ole Miss, which is voracious to play the game. Back-and-forth with the Rebels winning. You could say the Tigers’ confidence was built on a win over Clemson, who today looks like an average team and not a national player any more.
Ole Miss is praised for its big win and jumps to No. 4 in the rankings. Who’s going to beat them?
Week 4: Ole Miss goes to Florida and gets it handed to them. Florida, coming off a nice win at Auburn is praised as well but not like what Ole Miss was hearing.
Florida is now a team to be reckoned with.. Goes to No. 7 in the polls and has what should be an “easy” win at Missouri.
Week 5: Missouri blows out Florida. The same Missouri that was beaten in Starkville the week before.
Make it make sense.
Sure. Rat poison. It’s everywhere. Teams feel invincible after a win of national importance. They can’t ignore the headlines and the videos praising their every move. It’s part of a generation that thrives on acclaim, recognition, glory. Some would rather live in the moment than move on and be ready for the next ordeal.
This week? Watch Missouri, which will be at home against Texas A&M but the Aggies are one of those teams looking to regain some of the momentum lost against Kentucky.
A few teams really haven’t reached this point. Georgia should open a bakery with all the cupcakes they’ve faced. Texas is still living off its win over Ohio State when it really hasn’t shown much superiority in its last two wins. (Keep an eye on Oklahoma on Saturday.)
Alabama? Sure, they’ve looked dominant at times but some of the time a sense of doubt impinges the idea this could be a great team. (We’ll find our more on Saturday).
We have a good idea who is not going to make much of a dent at the top of the food chain. Arkansas looks like we thought they would. South Carolina may have a new coach soon. Vanderbilt has returned to being… Vanderbilt.
Auburn seems to be eating its own after realizing their latest new coach will not make them a national contender in a matter of weeks while Oklahoma is realizing its coach is not Barry Switzer.
The fact is we really don’t know which of these teams are built for a run in November. We have a month to go with plenty of pitfalls lingering.
But like the weather, wait a minute and you will get an answer.
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Michael Butler 79-21 (13-2) .790
2. Rosie Langello 78-22 (12-3) .780
3. Wesley Lyle 77-23 (12-3) .770
4. Doug Amos 75-25 (12-3) .750
5. Lindsey Bonner 73-27 (11-4) .730
Graham Dunn 73-27 (11-4) .730
7. Tim Gayle 72-28 (12-3) .720
8. Mike Peacock 68-32 (11-4) .680
9. Barry McKnight 67-33 (12-3) .670
10. Mike Tankersley 66-34 (11-4) .660
11. Rick Hendrick 64-36 (9-6) .640
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
79-21 (13-2) .790
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - Catholic
Georgia at Alabama - Alabama
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Texas A&M
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - USC
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Washington
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
78-22 (12-3) .780
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Ben Russell
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - Catholic
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - USC
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
77-23 (12-3) .770
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - USC
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
75-25 (12-3) .750
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Alabama
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - Kentucky
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - Penn St
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Washington
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
73-27 (11-4) .730
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - USC
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
73-27 (11-4) .730
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - Catholic
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - Penn St
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Washington
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
72-28 (12-3) .720
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Ben Russell
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - Catholic
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Texas A&M
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - Penn St
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Washington
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
68-32 (11-4) .680
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Marbury
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - USC
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
67-33 (12-3) .670
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Ben Russell
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Ch. Henderson
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Georgia
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Texas
Texas A&M at Missouri - Missouri
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - Penn St
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
66-34 (11-4) .660
Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian (Thu) - P. Julian
Enterprise at Carver - Enterprise
Pike Road at Benjamin Russell (Thu) - Pike Road
Ch. Henderson at Marbury (Thu) - Ch. Henderson
Catholic at UMS-Wright (Thu) - UMS-Wright
Georgia at Alabama - Alabama
Texas vs Oklahoma (Dallas) - Oklahoma
Texas A&M at Missouri - Texas A&M
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
LSU at Kentucky - LSU
South Carolina at Florida - Florida
Tennessee at Arkansas - Tennessee
USC at Penn St - Penn St
UCLA at Oregon - Oregon
Iowa at Washington (Fri) - Iowa
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
64-36 (9-6) .640
Russell Co at Pike Road - Pike Road
St. Paul’s at Catholic - Catholic
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Stanhope Elmore at Rehobeth - Rehobeth
Marbury at Valley - Valley
Alabama at Miss St - Alabama
Auburn at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at Missouri - Florida
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ohio St at Iowa - Ohio St
Miami, Fla. at Clemson - Miami
Washington at USC - USC
West Virginia at Iowa St - Iowa St
BYU at TCU - BYU
Pitt at Va Tech (Fri) - Va Tech