Randy Smith
The team I picked to win it all this college football season, is now ranked at the top of the College Football Playoff Poll. Alabama is now number one, thanks to an impressive win over top-ranked Mississippi State last weekend. Oregon is now second. followed by number three Florida State, and Mississippi State remains alive in the poll at number four. Despite the tough games around the SEC last Saturday, I had a good week.
Last Week: 5-1
Year to Date: 76-17
Kentucky, LSU and Texas A&M are idle.
Western Carolina at Alabama: Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban got a bit perturbed at his press conference this week, as reporters asked him questions about resting players, keeping momentum for the Iron Bowl next week against Auburn, etc.
Alabama is playing better than any other team in the country right now, which is what you want your team to be doing in late November. Despite anything Coach Saban said, the Tide will get a chance to play a lot of people this weekend, and yes.....rest a few starters.
Alabama 56 Western Carolina 7.
Ole Miss at Arkansas: The Razorbacks handed coach Bret Bielema his very first SEC win in his two seasons in the "pig pen" with a 17-0 shocker over LSU last week. I've said all along that the Hogs had been playing too well to go winless in league play for a second straight season. The Razorbacks still have a chance to go to a bowl game, and could solidify that possibility with one more win. The Rebels are now jockeying for a better bowl position, now that the college football playoffs are out of the picture. The Hogs must be butter....'cause they're on a roll.
Arkansas 21 Ole Miss 17.
Samford at Auburn: Former Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan returns to the "loveliest village on the plains" this weekend to face his old team, the Auburn Tigers. Auburn should still be reeling from that 34-7 whipping they suffered at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs last week, but the reeling will stop before game time on Saturday.
Auburn 49 Samford 7.
Eastern Kentucky at Florida: The pressure is now off embattled Gators' Coach Will Muschamp, who resigned following the Gator's third loss in the "Swamp" this season. The biggest question now for Florida followers is, "Who will be Jeremy Foley's next hire as head football coach?' Despite all manner of speculation, nobody really knows right now. By the way, there should also be no pressure on the entire Florida team this week against the Colonels.
Florida 38 Eastern Kentucky 0.
Charleston Southern at Georgia: The Bulldogs have bounced back well after that embarrassing loss to Florida three weeks ago. They played as well as they have all season in an impressive 34-7 win over Auburn between the hedges. They still need some help to win the SEC East, and this weekend all Bulldog followers will be doing the unthinkable; pulling for Tennessee to beat Missouri.
Georgia 52 Charleston Southern 14.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State: Pity the poor Commodores. Facing the Bulldogs a week after they suffered their only loss of the season; a 25-20 loss at Alabama. Coach Dan Mullen appears to be a classy coach so I don't believe he will run the score up too badly on Vandy. Then again, the Black and Gold may catch the Bulldogs licking their wounds and make the game a lot closer than it should be.
Mississippi State 34 Vanderbilt 14.
South Alabama at South Carolina: Coach Steve Spurrier's biggest challenge this week is to bring his Gamecocks back down to earth after that thrilling win at Florida and then......keep them focused on South Alabama, rather than looking ahead to that blood-match up with cross state rival Clemson next week. That could be a tough challenge for any coach, including "The 'Ol Ball Coach.
South Carolina 45 South Alabama 10.
Missouri at Tennessee: This is suddenly a tough one to call. Missouri has been more up than down this season, though they have a couple of real lapses in 2014. (Losses to Indiana and a 34-0 loss to Georgia) The Tigers have been playing pretty well lately and they still control their own destiny in the SEC East title chase. What makes this one so tough to pick however, are the off the field distractions at Tennessee this week. Vols' All-American linebacker A.J. Johnson has been accused of sexual assault along with teammate Michael Williams, and both have been suspended while the incident is investigated. All Tennessee fans, coaches and players are very disappointed in Johnson's actions because whether he is guilty or not, he shouldn't have put himself in a position like that. His #45 jersey is the biggest seller in fan shops and many of the people wearing his jersey are kids. He let all of us down, and Coach Butch Jones has been searching for ways to keep his team focused on beating Missouri. I believe he will!
Tennessee 28 Missouri 24.
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. He is currently teaching Broadcasting at Coahulla Creek High School near Dalton, Ga.
His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.
He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.
In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have four grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, DellaMae and CoraLee.
To contact Randy: rsmithsports@epbfi.com