Randy Smith
We're a month away from college football's opening weekend. While I'm still pondering my annual pre-season picks, I have noticed a few "must see" games in the SEC this season. And while I say "must see" games, they will all likely have serious implications as to how the final standings will shape up.
September 3rd: Alabama vs Southern Cal in Arlington, Texas.
This game is a great way to start any college football season.
All eyes will be on Alabama as the Crimson Tide face the Trojans in a match up between two of the storied football programs in our country. 'Bama will be every bit as good as last year, especially if the Tide finds a solid starting quarterback. Southern Cal is picked to win the Pac Ten South division while Alabama is the choice for the SEC West. Both teams get an early indication as to just how good they can actually be.
September 10th: Tennessee vs Virginia Tech in Bristol, Tennessee.
The largest crowd to ever watch a college football game will gather at the Bristol Motor Speedway for the "Battle at Bristol." While 150,000 others will be at the game, I will be in my air conditioned mancave watching on television. The game should be a pretty good one with Tennessee favored to win, but if the Hokies can pull the upset, the Vols dream season could come to a screeching halt, two games into the season.
September 17th: Alabama at Ole Miss.
Can the Rebels make it three in a row over the Tide? We shall see.
September 24th: Florida at Tennessee.
The Gators have won eleven in a row over the Vols. The last Tennessee victory was in 2004, but Tennessee should break the streak and get the win they should have had in Gainesville last year.
October 1st: Tennessee at Georgia.
Kirby Smart gets his first shot at the Vols in Athens. The winner of this game gets the early upper-hand in the SEC East.
October 8th: Tennessee at Texas A&M.
The Volunteers make their first trip to A&M and massive Kyle Field. This marks the third straight tough SEC game in a row for the Vols. If they're still inscathed after this one, they can seriously start thinking about making plans for the playoffs,
Oct. 15th: Alabama at Tennessee.
If the Vols pull this one out, snapping the Tides nine game streak, they could be faced with beating 'Bama twice in one season to win the SEC title. It's hard to imagine beating Saban twice in two months, but that's what it could come down to.
Oct. 22nd: Ole Miss at LSU.
One of the oldest rivalry games in the SEC could have a lot of impact on the SEC West standings.
Oct. 29th: Georgia vs Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.
They're still talking about moving the border rivalry, but it's still in Jacksonville and it still will be one of the best games in the SEC.
November 5th: Alabama at LSU.
All the marbles for the SEC West will be on the table when these two meet at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge,
November 12th: Auburn at Georgia.
The south's oldest rivalry could have a lot of importance in SEC East race.
November 26th: Auburn at Alabama.
It's the Iron Bowl for Pete's sake. Nothing else needs to be said.
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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.