With Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s (supposed) retirement, SEC football may now hold the undisputed standing as the most insecure entity in sports.
Each year the same rhetoric leaps from its coaches, predictably needing to convince the world of its unquestioned status as the top conference in all the land. Even upon gaining that unofficial recognition last week — becoming the first league ever with 10 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll — the SEC still felt slighted.
LSU coach Les Miles said he believed all 14 teams should be ranked, but Arkansas coach Bret Bielema pointed out his team’s exceedingly difficult schedule, as compared with the JV teams defending champion Ohio State will face over the next two months.
Bielema had a legitimate point — until the Razorbacks lost to Toledo a few days later. Then, Tennessee blew a 17-point home lead to Oklahoma, confirming the SEC shouldn’t replace the NFC South just yet.
Even with three teams falling from the rankings and Auburn nearly upset by Jacksonville State, No. 2 Alabama and No. 15 Mississippi have helped maintain the image of much of the league’s strength. Led by Nick Saban, one of the top college coaches of all-time, the Crimson Tide again appear to have one of the nation’s best rushing attacks and run-stopping units, while the Rebels have scored at least 73 points in each of their first two games.
Nevertheless, while Alabama convincingly handled Wisconsin, Ole Miss remains unproven, having avoided eye contact with anyone in the same weight class, defeating Tennessee-Martin and Fresno State.
“If you ask me if we are ready for SEC play, I really don’t know,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said this week.
After last year’s upset loss at Ole Miss, Alabama will be ready. Already with 12 straight home wins against the Rebels and no home losses since 2012, the Tide has shown its strength when attempting to avenge losses under Saban, going 9-1 with an average margin of victory of more than 18 points in their next meeting with a team that defeated them.
Roll with the TIDE (-6½).
LOUISVILLE (+6½) over Clemson: The Thursday night home dog, a personal favorite. For the 0-2 Cardinals, desperation will matter much more than talent.
BOSTON COLLEGE (+7) over Florida State: Since Steve Addazio took over in 2013, Chestnut Hill has been an incredibly tough place to play, with Boston College upsetting USC last season and giving Jameis Winston’s championship team its closest regular-season contest. Last season, B.C. fell on a last-second field goal in Tallahassee.
MISSOURI (-20½) over Connecticut: Where have you gone, Randy Edsall? Oh, right, to straddling mediocrity at Maryland.
Tulsa (+30) over OKLAHOMA: Sooners coach Bob Stoops called last week’s comeback win at Tennessee “one of the more special wins, maybe my favorite of all of them.” The Golden Hurricane’s 42-points-per-game offense will only benefit against a team riding a little too high.
Air Force (+26¹/₂) over MICHIGAN STATE: Maintaining the emotional urgency of last week’s win over Oregon will be impossible for the Spartans, whose guard will drop a little lower after Falcons quarterback Nate Romine’s season-ending injury.
MIAMI (-3) over Nebraska: Rest easy, Mike Riley. There will be no need to go for two.
N. Illinois (+34½) over OHIO STATE: The Buckeyes may be the best team in the country, but they carry the same flaw of almost every defending champion through history — the delusion they can flip a switch and play like a title team.
NOTRE DAME (+2½) over Georgia Tech: The bizarre-looking line appeared all because Malik Zaire went down, but the Fighting Irish’s strong run defense remains the most relevant factor in this matchup. Running the triple-option in South Bend is a little different than going against Alcorn State and Tulane.
Auburn (+7) over LSU: This line is three to four points too high, based solely on Auburn looking past Jacksonville State. At LSU, an equally talented Auburn team actually will be prepared.
GEORGIA (-17) over South Carolina: Even with Gamecocks quarterback Connor Mitch out for the season, the line looks inflated, given Georgia’s own quarterback questions. Still, 65 percent of the public’s action makes South Carolina too crowded.
Rutgers (+10) over PENN STATE: Unless (or until?) more Scarlet Knights end up in handcuffs, the Nittany Lions’ offense — averaging 18.5 points — isn’t any more likely to suddenly break out. The suspension of coach Kyle Flood only adds more motivation for Rutgers, which holds the misguided, yet helpful, view that this is a rivalry game.
Stanford (+10) over USC: After beating up on Idaho and Arkansas State by a combined 99 points, the Trojans finally play a team with, you know, players.
Smu (+37½) over TCU: Roughly seven out of 10 people must have forgotten about the Mustangs’ cover against similarly high-powered Baylor two weeks ago.
Byu (+17) over UCLA: Destiny doesn’t need to exist. The belief in it is enough to keep the Cougars — coming off back-to-back Hail Mary wins — in contention against a team already penciled into the playoff.
Best bets: Louisville, Auburn, Stanford
2015 record: 17-13; Best bets: 2-4
Last season: 139-122-2