Auburn vs Tennessee Odds - Auburn offense will earn respect on the checkerboard

The Auburn vs Tennessee odds matchup is going to be a coming out party for the Auburn Tigers. Gene Chizik has had a better first year at Auburn than Lane Kiffin has had at Tennessee, yet the Tigers are still not included in the Top 25. After a win at Rocky Top, fans can finally expect the Tigers to start getting the attention they deserve.
Auburn vs Tennessee odds: Tennessee -1.5 The SEC Rocks!

NCAA Football Betting #4 LSU Tigers vs. #18 Georgia Bulldogs

LSU has long been a team based on a stalwart defense, but that unit didn’t exactly show up when the Tigers nearly lost to Mississippi State last weekend. Though they won 30-26, LSU marched to the tune of 293 total yards, while allowing 525-yards against. When they meet Georgia this weekend, their defense will have to step up unless they want to relive the ugly loss to Georgia they experienced last year.
Les Miles and his team will be working an uphill battle against history. The Tigers are just 2-5 SU in their last 7 games against Georgia and have been a very disappointing bet the last few weeks. LSU has gone just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games and are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games. They are the more talented and experienced team by far, but they have to prove they can win on the road to retain their 4th ranked spot in the AP polls.
Since getting slammed in their opening game, Georgia has been on a roll in the win column. They’re riding a five-game win streak SU, but have failed to cover in most games. Georgia is just 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games, and 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 at home. A lot of that is because of weird lines. This is not the Georgia team powered by Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, and this is not a high profile program that recruits like mad anymore.
LSU Tigers (4-0) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (3-1)Saturday, October 3rd Sanford Stadium, Athens 3:30pm EST Georgia -3 The SEC Rocks!

Tebow won't practice this week, recovery "ahead of schedule"

Tim Tebow was not present at Florida's Thursday practice, which means he won't participate in any team drills until next week. The Gators held their last team practice of the bye week before getting a three-day break. The team will reconvene on Monday in preparation for LSU.
A team source said Tebow is doing "much better, ahead of schedule" in the concussion recovery process. Under strict concussion guidelines, Tebow must be asymptomatic, basically no after effects, for seven days before game participation. Team trainers are unavailable for comment on whether Tebow is still experiencing headaches, soreness or other symptoms.

Brooks treated for skin cancer

Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks had surgery for skin cancer on his lower leg on Wednesday.
UK spokesman Tony Neely called it "a simple procedure," and Brooks was on the practice field Wednesday.
Brooks, 68, did not mention his surgery at practice, but he posted a message on his Twitter account that said, in part:
"Had a skin cancer cut out of my lower leg. Old age is not much fun."

LSU's Miles wants Tebow to play next week

There is a chance that Heisman Trophy winning Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will not play against LSU on Oct. 10 in Tiger Stadium because of a concussion he suffered against Kentucky last week.
Should that happen, sophomore John Brantley would start at quarterback.
The No. 1 Gators (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) are open this week as Tebow is recovering slowly after being hospitalized Saturday night after a very hard tackle.
"We want him to play," LSU coach Les Miles said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference. "We think he's great for college football, and I know coach Meyer will do exactly what's right without question."
Florida coach Urban Meyer has said he is leaving it up to the Gators' medical personnel. Meyer is also considering limiting Tebow's running duties when he does return. Meyer fielded several questions about whether he should have taken Tebow out of the game earlier. He was injured with Florida comfortably ahead in the third quarter of a 41-7 victory.
"It's always a tough thing," Miles said. "The main thing is you want to finish the game in solid, solid fashion. It's one where the coach weighs the responsibility of getting the starters out with the responsibility of finishing this game well."
Miles said when he was an assistant coach at Michigan for head coach Bo Schembechler he once suggested that it might be a good time for some substitutions as the Wolverines were comfortably ahead.
"He told me to shut up," Miles said. The SEC Rocks!

SEC's leading rusher had knee drained

Few expected Tennessee tailback Montario Hardesty to lead the SEC in rushing a month into the season. Teammate David Oku is downright astounded.
“I don’t know if we can curse or not,” the freshman tailback told reporters Wednesday. “But I’m sure surprised. For a man to go through three knee surgeries, that is a helluva guy to be doing something like this still. Most people would give up. I ask him everyday ‘How the hell do you do it?’ ”
Hardesty continues to do it while battling persistent health issues. A sore shoulder slowed him last week, yet he still rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against Ohio.
He had his knee drained early this week and was limited in practice but expects to play Saturday against Auburn.
Hardesty is tops in the SEC with 121.25 rushing yards per game. That’s good for 9th best in the country for the senior who was known more for injuries than carries before this season.
“I don’t think I should get all the credit for that,” Hardesty of his production this season. “I can’t do anything I’ve been doing without my o-line blocking, the receivers blocking downfield and the coach having confidence to give me the ball.
“I’m just out there trying to do my part of the job to help my team win.”
Hardesty’s ascension means less carries for his backfield mates. He has 84 carries this season. Highly touted freshmen Bryce Brown and Oku have 43 and 8, respectively. Despite a strong off-season, sophomore Tauren Poole has five carries.
The Vols’ offensive intentions are clear: ride Hardesty, who is averaging 5.8 yards per carry. The SEC Rocks!

Gator's Marcus Gilbert Earns SEC Honor

University of Florida redshirt junior right tackle Marcus Gilbert earned Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Gators’ 41-7 victory over Kentucky, the league office announced Monday.
Gilbert graded out a “Champion” for the 4th-consecutive week in the 41-7 victory over Kentucky. He helped UF to 362 yards rushing in the win, the most by Florida against an SEC opponent since 1989 (Vanderbilt). Gilbert contributes to a Florida offense that has scored a touchdown in 47 of the last 53 quarters, while going three-and-out just 21 times over 56 quarters. The 31 points scored by the Gators in the first quarter in Lexington were the most in the first quarter in Urban Meyer’s head coaching career.
No. 1 Florida (4-0. 2-0) continues SEC play as they travel to Baton Rouge to face No. 4 LSU (4-0, 2-0) on Saturday, Oct. 10. The game, set to kick off at 8 p.m., will be broadcast live by CBS. The SEC Rocks!

Auburn told by UT: no Tiger Walk before Saturday's game

The only team walking anywhere before the game this weekend will be Tennessee.
Auburn requested permission to add a Tiger Walk to go with the Vols' version of the Vol Walk before Saturday's game at Neyland Stadium , but UT won't be sharing the streets for pregame festivities thanks to concerns about safety.
"The area where the visiting teams drop off is on a hill in a very tight space ," UT spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter said Wednesday. "In 2004 when the Tigers played here, we had approximately 5,000 fans show up with the band and the cheerleaders, which was a great atmosphere, but a huge safety issue for the student-athletes, band and cheerleaders and fans because of the tight space.
"If something had happened to a fan in that area, EMT would not have been able to respond because of the crowd size."
UT had to cancel the Vol Walk last week due to weather issues, though it should be return as scheduled before kickoff this weekend.
And though Auburn won't be allowed to stage its own march to the stadium, visiting fans can still greet the Tigers before they enter it. The SEC Rocks!

Razorbacks prepare for Southwest Classic

Head Coach Bobby Petrino On the Texas A&M game in Dallas: "We are looking forward to going to Dallas and playing Texas A&M. It's exciting for our players, exciting for our program. I think it's great for the tradition of the rivalry from the old Southwest Conference days."
On Texas A&M's offense: "They're executing well. They're a very fast-paced offense. They run it and throw it well. You see the quick passing game utilized in the West Coast Offense. They really try to get up to the ball and get it snapped quickly. It's a good challenge. You have to be very disciplined."
On Texas A&M's defense: "Defensively, they do some things that we saw last week with some of their zone pressure. There are some similarities to what we saw against both Georgia and Alabama. They've got a great defensive end. He's leading the nation in sacks. He's very good when it's one-on-one."
On Ryan Mallett: "He needs to get his feet set and be comfortable when bodies are flashing around him. There's never been a quarterback who has played football who hasn't gone through what Ryan went through against Alabama; where the pass rush and the blitzes distract your concentration. He needs to understand that fact and face it that he didn't operate as well as he can, and that's how you get better as a quarterback. He needs to have a good game."
On the positives of the Alabama game:"I told the team last night that we've played two very good football teams. They're very fast, big and physical. We should be better because of it. As long as we have a great attitude and stick together as a team." The SEC Rocks!

Rival coaches defend Meyer's decision to leave Tebow in game

LSU coach Les Miles defended Florida's Urban Meyer on the decision to leave Tim Tebow in the game despite being sick in last Saturday's 41-7 win at Kentucky. And Miles said he hopes Tebow is healthy for next week's game against the Tigers in Baton Rouge.
Tebow was hurt, suffering a concussion, in the third quarter with UF ahead 31-7.
"It's always a tough thing,'' Miles said. "The main thing is you want to finish the game in solid, solid fashion how you started it. It's one where the coach weighs the responsibility of getting the starters out with the responsibility of finishing this game well.''
Alabama coach Nick Saban said that, "31-7 in the third quarter is not a game that's out of reach. One score and an onside kick and that team's right back in the game.''
Saban noted the Tide starters stayed in last week's game when Alabama had a 35-7 lead.
"I certainly wouldn't have any issue with the way that was managed at Florida,'' Saban said. The SEC Rocks!

Gators' Tebow showing improvement

University of Florida coach Urban Meyer says quarterback Tim Tebow continues to show improvement from his concussion.
Meyer said Wednesday on the weekly Southeastern Conference teleconference that Tebow "looked terrific" when he saw him late Tuesday night.
"That's the best I've seen him," Meyer said.
Meyer also saw Tebow earlier Tuesday, when the coach went through balance and memory tests with his star player, and said he just looked OK.
Meyer took several balance and memory tests with Tebow because he was curious about the process.
"It's been an amazing week," Meyer said Tuesday.
Meyer has inundated with questions about Tebow's recovery. On Tuesday, Meyer said the quarterback still had a headache but he was able to attend a team meeting. Meyer said Tebow hasn't been allowed to watch television or read, and didn't attend practice.
Meyer also said Tebow understands the severity of his brain injury.
"This isn't a turf toe or a shoulder," Meyer said. "This is a concussion. He's a grown man, so he's going to take care of himself. I'm very proud of the way he's handled it." The SEC Rocks!

Dogs Prepare For Tigers

The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 14 in the USA Today poll and No. 18 by the AP this week, will host No. 4 LSU this Saturday. Though Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC) has won its last three matchups with LSU (4-0, 2-0), the Tigers lead the series between the two schools, 14-12-1. During practice, Richt announced to the team that defensive tackle Geno Atkins, offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, receiver A.J. Green and defensive end Justin Houston would serve as captains against LSU.Richt discussed the game at length earlier in the day during the Bulldogs' weekly press conference.“LSU, what can you say about them?" Richt said. "In all the years that I’ve been here, they won the most games of anybody in the SEC. They have two national championships and three SEC championships. It’s just a great program. They did it under Nick Saban and they are doing it under Les Miles. You certainly could say they are the team of the 2000s. The past decade they have been one of the best if not the best football team in the country." The SEC Rocks!

Tide Defense Preps for UK Offense

The Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads Tuesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility in preparation for Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game at Kentucky.
Alabama senior linebacker Cory Reamer talked about the defense’s preparation for the Wildcats offense this weekend.
“They run the ball really well,” Reamer said after practice. “They are a lot like Arkansas with the game plan that they bring, but they do run the ball a little more. They have a great quarterback. (Mike) Hartline is a good guy. He can definitely throw the ball, but they do run the ball really well and they are tough and physical inside the tackles.”
The Alabama-Kentucky game will be televised by the SEC Network, beginning at 11:21 a.m. (CDT) on Saturday, Oct. 3, with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano calling the action. The game will be available on a regional basis throughout the nine-state SEC region, including WTTO (Channel 21) in Birmingham. The game is available outside the SEC region on ESPN GamePlan and ESPN360.com. The SEC Rocks!

Vols' task: Holding those Tigers

On Nov. 29 of last year, Tennessee and Auburn were both shutting down for the season. At 5-7, no bowl bids were forthcoming.
Tennessee at least sent Phillip Fulmer out with a win over Kentucky. Auburn’s finale was a 36-0 drubbing from Alabama, setting the stage for Tommy Tuberville’s resignation a couple of days later.
Fulmer and Tuberville both became unwanted because their respective offenses were a mess. The Vols and Tigers averaged a matching 17.3 points a game.
When they met at Jordan-Hare Stadium last year, it was a tandem exercise in futility or a punting showcase, depending on how you look at it.
In the decisive fourth quarter nobody could make a first down. Auburn won, 14-12, because it finally did, with 2:04 to play, and was able to run out the clock.
Well, Tigers, you’ve come along way, baby.
Tennessee’s offensive progress in 2009 under Lane Kiffin is measurable, but comes in fits and starts.
Auburn, under Gene Chizik, has been shot out of a cannon. Might the Tigers score 17.3 points in the first quarter Saturday at Neyland Stadium?
Auburn is spewing 45.3 points and 526 yards a game, ranking third nationally in both. The SEC Rocks!

Gene Chizik Previews The Tennessee Game

"It's going to be a really fun week for us, a really exciting week. Obviously, this is our first SEC road game and we are really looking forward to playing it. We've got a lot work that we've got to be able to do to travel to Tennessee and win the ball game. But, we feel like everything that we saw in the Ball State game, there was some good things and there was some bad things; but again they are very fixable and again we've got to make some progress. We feel like we made some progress in some areas. There are some areas that we feel like we still need a good amount of work to do. But again this is a very good Tennessee football team and we all know how tough it is to play at Tennessee. It's going to be a fun trip but we've got a lot of work to do for us to win the game." The SEC Rocks!

Vols sifting through options at MLB

"Uncertainty" would best describe Tennessee's situation at the middle linebacker position following a season-ending injury Saturday.
Starter Nick Reveiz suffered a torn ACL in the win in the 34-23 win over Ohio and is lost for the season. Reveiz's backup, Herman Lathers, was held out of the last game with a concussion, which left true freshman Nigel Mitchell-Thornton to finish up the win over the Bobcats.
Also seemingly in the mix is backup outside linebacker Savion Frazier, who worked in the middle during practice yesterday.
Regardless of which way they go, head coach Lane Kiffin wants to go with the best player available, not just whichever falls next on the depth chart.
"There's two ways to go about it,'' Kiffin said. "If it was the 10th or 11th game you just play the back-up because he knows it best.
"But eight regular-season games left is a long season. We have to make sure we're not just playing a guy because he knows what to do if we have guys that would be better." The SEC Rocks!

Norwood Honored by SEC Senior Linebacker Named Defensive Player of the Week

University of South Carolina senior linebacker Eric Norwood has been selected as the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Gamecocks' 16-10 win over fourth-ranked Ole Miss last week.
Norwood, a 6-1, 252-pounder from Acworth, Ga., logged a game-high 10 tackles (seven solos) with a pair of sacks and another half-tackle for loss, partially blocked a punt and added two quarterback pressures in the upset win. The two sacks give Norwood 28.0 in his career, which is a school record and tied for eighth place in SEC history. His 2.5 tackles for loss against the Rebels now give him 49.5 for his career, which ranks 11th in SEC history and is also a school record.
The Norwood-led defense held Ole Miss to just 10 points and 248 yards of total offense, including just 109 through the air. The SEC Rocks!

No. 18 Rebels Face Road Test At Vanderbilt

The Rebels are 18th in this week’s USA Today Coaches’ poll, 21st in the Associated Press poll and 18th in the first Harris Interactive Poll of 2009. Ole Miss rose to No. 4 in the rankings on Sept. 20 for the first time since sitting fourth in the rankings on October 12, 1970. The last time the Rebels were ranked higher than fourth was September 1964, when the team was the nation's No. 1. The Rebels’ No. 4 ranking marked the highest ever by a Houston Nutt coached team. Vanderbilt does not appear in this week’s polls. This game will be the 84th meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt dating back to 1894. The Rebels lead the series 46-35-2 and have won 12 of the last 16 meetings since 1992, despite last year’s 23-17 setback in Oxford. The Commdores hold a 26-20-2 advantage in games played in Nashville. although the Rebels have taken five of the last seven. The Dores won the last two at Vanderbilt Stadium. Ole Miss leads 46-17-2 in SEC games versus VU. Vanderbilt won the first 19 games in the series, with Ole Miss having won 46 of the last 64 games played between the two teams. Ole Miss faces its third road test in the season’s first four games ... The Rebels are shooting for their first 3-1 start since 2002 ... Ole Miss looks to bounce back from its first loss following an eight-game win streak ... The Rebels are attempting to split their first two SEC games for the second straight year ... Ole Miss is averaging 41.3 points over its last seven games. The SEC Rocks!