3rd Annual BNE Pick 'Em: Week 8

Happy Hate Week everybody, and Happy early Halloween! Week 8 proved to be another pivotal week in college football as well as the 3rdn Annual BNE Pick 'Em. First and foremost, another #1 fell in the form of the Sooners to Big 12 rival Missouri, who beat the Sooners for the first time since 1998. This of course led the way for Oregon to take the #1 spot ahead of Boise, TCU and Auburn. But don't feel bad for me, because where it really counts, the BCS, Auburn is #1!!! Can I get a War Damn Eagle?! Anyone? Anyone...

Well tough, because I'm going to talk about the top game of the week! Face it folks, the fate of the SEC is not in the hands of Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, or Les Miles. Its not really in the hands of Gene Chizik either when all things are considered. Friends, the fate of the conference and a 5th straight shot at a National Title lies in the very large hands of the Heisman front runner, 6'6", 250 lb, Cam Newton. The showdown on the Plains last Saturday was nothing short of a textbook-perfect example of an SEC grudge match with everything at stake. Undefeated LSU came in with their #6 ranked rush defense against Auburn's undefeated and 6th ranked rushing attack. Allowing only 89 yards per game, LSU was the best shot this far of shutting down Cam and the duo of Mike Dyer and Ontario McCalebb. When it was all said and done, Auburn had scorched LSU for over 400 yards of rushing, of which a 70 yard game winning burst came from Ontario McCalebb, and 217 came directly at the hands of Cam Newton. Statement win? Heisman winning performance? You betcha!!


This game marked the 4th game of the season with over 500 yards of offense for the Tigers. In addition, Cam Newton broke the 1963 record at Auburn of quarterback Jimmy Sidle by rushing for over 1000 yards in a season, and surpassed Heisman winner Pat Sullivan for the most touchdowns in a season by an Auburn quarterback. Those two did it in 11 games, Cam has done it only 8. For the season so far, Cam has accumulated 1386 passing yards with 13 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a QB rating of 172.1. In addition to those numbers, he has 157 carries for 1077 yards, 14 touchdowns, including one for 71 yards. We still have 4 more games left in the season including this week's match up against Ole Miss which poses a serious threat for a let down considering our secondary and Jeremiah Masoli. If Auburn comes away with another W, I expect it will once more be at the hands of Cam Newton. I hope everyone is watching because The South's Oldest Rivalry is fast approaching.

Who's making the trip to the Loveliest Village on the Plains?

Of course, outside of watching Auburn, I know everyone will be tuned in for the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktai...oh yeah, sorry Michael Adams, "Georgia vs. Florida". Anyway, this battle pits rivals UGA against their southern Guido neighbors, the Florida Gators. I'm not going to go into a lot commentary or analysis since everyone else pretty well covers it here. I'll just reiterate what Streit has said; UGA needs to win to keep their hopes alive at a shot of winning the SEC East and a bowl game. Please Dawgs, please put a whuppin on the Gators and those god-awful Pro Combat uniforms.

Leave the uniform shenanigans to the pros at Oregon, OK?

And now for our weekly Top 5 performers as well as our overall leaders:

1. BLACKOUT with 249 points and almost perfect at 21-1
2. FelonWaits amassing 239 points going 18-4
3. ugafan13 just three points behind and also 18-4
4. calgee managing 230 points and an 18-4 record
5. Bubba also just three points behind going 18-4

For our overall leaders, we have a new face at the top of the heap. Could it be...

1. AUMav's Picks with 1735 points and a 131-50 record. That's right! After woof woof's total collapse and tumble from #1 to #18, not to mention my superior streak of good luck this season...I'M NUMBER 1 BITCHES!!! WAR DAMN EAGLE!! Glory, glory to me!!
2. Blackout with 1726 points and a 133-48 record
3. WarriorDawg also with 1726 points but a not too shabby 130-51 record
4. allyugadawg keepin it real for the ladies with a 132-49 record and 1705 points
5. Silver Britches staying consistent with 1691 points going 127-54 in picks

Sadly, we have to turn our focus away from my sure-to-be short lived #1 status, and turn to our weekly Bottom Feeder of the Week, sponsored by every Florida fan's favorite, Wrangler Big 5 Pocket Denim Shorts, available at Wal-Mart. The BFotW's special sponsor is in honor of Hate Week and our current BFotW, Shackin at the Whitney. For those of you who don't know, Shackin at the Whitney is none other than our very own BnE contributor, MT. We are ashamed, ASHAMED I SAY! At no point throughout this season has a contributing editor to BnE fallen so low as to have the dishonor of being named our BFotW. Tell me you didn't drink the purple Kool-aid and pick the Huskies over Arizona. Have you learned nothing this season?! This is a disgrace, A DISGRACE! I think in honor of your dishonor of being the first and only BnE contributor to sink to this lowly state of infamy and tainting our ranks with such a foul stench, you must be punished!

He's a witch! Burn him!!

No, no, we're going to need something much worse. In fact, I think we should take advantage of our sponsor, Wrangler Big 5 Pocket Denim Shorts, available at Wal-Mart. Since this is Hate Week, and since this is the time of year every Florida fan dusts off their finest denim clothing items, MT I challenge you to not only wear a pair of Wrangler's finest Denim Shorts this weekend, but to also take a photo of you in said shorts as you watch the beloved Dawgs battle Florida so we can post it here on BnE. Maybe this will teach you, and everyone else appearing in our BFotW, to appreciate making good decisions and using good judgement, because we all know how bad a choice jean shorts can be...

Oh lord, help us all!

Don't forget to get your picks in for this week. WAR DAMN EAGLE. Go Dawgs! HATE FLORIDA!!!