Spurrier Returns To The Swamp & College Basketball Returns To My TV

Florida won on the road at Vanderbilt last week, but I'm not going to praise the team too much for it.  I mean, let's be real...Temple won there this season.  If Temple wins somewhere, Florida can undoubtedly win there.  Anyway, one more win and we go to a bowl game.  Can this Florida beat Spurrier in The Swamp? I certainly hope so.

Watching the UF-Vanderbilt game in NYC

I'm not really sure what happened to Michigan State last weekend, but I'm officially cheering for the Big Ten West.  GO MINNESOTA - BEAT THE BUCKEYES! Baylor basically gave Stoops the message to start looking for a new job.  Auburn looked like the New York Jets with those 2 fumbles to end the game.  Terrible way to end a game.  FSU looked bad against a bad team as usual.  TCU is proving itself.  Alabama got lucky.  And Oregon didn't blink.  The Ducks took care of business.

As for this week... I'm calling for Rutgers to beat Indiana.  Attention Scarlet Knights: If you want to go to a bowl game, you may need to win this game.  I am obviously picking Nebraska to win at Wisconsin and control its own destiny in the Big Ten West.  But most importantly, I need the Big Ten West Winner to win the Big Ten Championship.

Wisconsin-Nebraska in 2012 (in Lincoln)

I'm picking Georgia Tech at home over Clemson.  TCU will completely embarrass Kansas.  I'm picking Mississippi State at Alabama.  Auburn will rebound with a win over Georgia.  Texas A&M will beat Missouri.  My pick of an unranked team beating a ranked team this week should be painfully obvious: Miami over FSU.  I don't say this often (for obvious reasons), but Go Canes.

And of course, I'll take my Gators at home to secure a bowl berth.

Today is Friday, November 14th: the official start of the Florida men's basketball season.  Anyone who knows me knows that the start of basketball season (all college basketball, not just the Gators!) is like a holiday for me.  I'm excited to see Florida beat William & Mary tonight - even though I'm disappointed I can't see Chris Walker's progress just yet.  We will miss him Monday when we play ACC foe Miami.  That looks like a trap game, but I'm obviously picking the Gators.  Miami will be better this year with the transfers coming in, but come on...Gators got this.

Do people actually believe Minnesota has a chance to beat Louisville? Because they don't.  But I'll pick Manhattan to win at FSU this weekend! I'll pick Gonzaga to beat #22 SMU and start the season overrated as usual, but I'm not too worried since the Zags will lose on December 6th at Arizona.  The big game on November 18 is Kansas vs Kentucky (if you think Michigan State-Duke is bigger, you're wrong and you shouldn't talk about basketball).  Florida plays both Kansas and Kentucky this year, so I'll definitely be watching that game.  I'll take Kentucky (even though they're getting just a bit too much hype this season) - and I'll pick Duke to beat Michigan State.  No, I don't show respect for Big Ten basketball.  But I also just think Duke will be better than Michigan State this year.  I think Utah will lose at San Diego State. Oklahoma needs to watch out at Creighton next week.

With all that said.... GO GATORS!! Beat the Tribe tonight, and beat the Gamecocks tomorrow!!

Eliminating the QB Position

Kurt Roper finally figured it out: Florida has no quarterback.  And what do you know? When the Gators eliminated the QB position from the game plan, they actually won a game - and over a ranked Georgia team with playoff aspirations.  I like Jones and Taylor.  Before the game I kept reading about the return of the ground and pound offense, and I kept saying to my dad that Jones and Taylor would get a lot of touches in the game.  But even I didn't expect what I saw.  They combined for nearly 400 yards rushing, and Treon Harris finished the day completing 3 of 6 passes for 27 yards.  And it was glorious.

So that was amazing, and I still can't believe it happened.  What I also can't believe is that for the second straight year, Rutgers was blown out at homecoming in its first homecoming game in a new conference.  Last year in the AAC vs Houston, and this year in the Big Ten vs Wisconsin.  The weather was terrible.  It was cold and rainy and when I left the game I couldn't feel my toes and I was covered in mud.  But I was glad I went - and I was glad I got to enjoy a fat sandwich!

And the Huskers, of course, won.  That Auburn game was nuts, and Mississippi State looked lethargic.  It will be really interesting to see how the SEC West shakes out.  People are getting ahead of themselves in the SEC East.  Right now, Missouri is the clear favorite to head to the SEC Championship and lose.  Yes, I understand that if Missouri loses to Tennessee and then loses one more conference game, and if Georgia loses one more conference game, and if Florida beats Vanderbilt and South Carolina...Florida would go to the SEC Championship game.  That's a lot of IFs.  So Gator fans, don't get your hopes up.  We'll probably win another game or 2 this year, head to a meaningless bowl game, and Muschamp will get another year to prove himself.  But as I keep telling people (because it's still true for now), Muschamp is undefeated in Tallahassee as head coach of the Gators!

So, this weekend...

Oklahoma vs Baylor should be an interesting one.  I think the Sooners will squeak out a victory, but it should be a close one.  I'm pulling for Kentucky to beat Georgia...because, well, to hell with Georgia! I'd like to see Texas beat West Virginia.  I think Arizona State will knock off overrated Notre Dame.  Kansas State vs TCU should be another good one, and I'll take TCU.  Oregon needs to be careful at Utah.  One comment on the Ohio State-Michigan State game: Go Green, Go White.  Ohio State won't win this without cheating, which I wouldn't put past Urban Liar.  I think Alabama will beat LSU.  Auburn beats the Aggies.  Ole Miss and Miss State will win their cupcake games.  Rutgers and Nebraska both have bye weeks, so they can't lose.

Most importantly, Florida plays at Vanderbilt.  The streak was ruined last year, but I'd like to start a new one this year, and I'd like a chance at a bowl game this year. So come on Florida, just win!! Beat the Vols!!

Either way, Vanderbilt already got Gator'd

GO GATORS!!


Also - I watched the Florida vs. Barry exhibition basketball game last night.  I'm VERY excited for basketball season, which officially starts for the Gators in one week!! Lots of work to do on defense, and definitely need to develop more chemistry, but I can't conclude too much from an exhibition game.  This team will be much different than last year's group.  But there are some positives: Horford looked alert rebounding, Carter looked healthy, Chiozza seemed okay handling the ball, Robinson showed some shooting range, Hill still has remarkable speed, Frazier will of course still be awesome (despite an ice-cold second half last night), and we should have Walker for almost a full season this year - if he can stay out of trouble.  We'll see Chris Walker make his season debut November 21st against Louisiana Monroe, and I look forward to seeing his shot-blocking abilities help our team defensively - and hopefully he'll add a spark on offense as well.  Florida basketball! FANTASTIC!