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:
BLACKOUT with 249 points and almost perfect at 21-1
FelonWaits amassing 239 points going 18-4
ugafan13 just three points behind and also 18-4
calgee managing 230 points and an 18-4 record
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...
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!!
Blackout with 1726 points and a 133-48 record
WarriorDawg also with 1726 points but a not too shabby 130-51 record
allyugadawg keepin it real for the ladies with a 132-49 record and 1705 points
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!!!
As some of you have noticed, there is a new contributor to the BNE staff...me. So, in the spirit of Lewis Grizzard, who loved the State of Georgia, UGA, and SEC football, I'd like to say WAR EAGLE to all you Georgia Dawgs as well as everyone else who follows this blog. I know Lewis wouldn't mind someone from "the other side" contributing to a blog dedicated to UGA and college football; afterall, the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry is between Auburn and UGA. Besides, just like CNN, FOX News and the AJC, every good editorial needs to be fair and balanced.
That being said, I'd also like to say GO DAWGS! No, you didn't read incorrectly, and no I am not a traitor to my school. I happen to love UGA and Auburn equally, except of course for one Saturday out of the year. For those of you who don't know, I was raised all over the world and I happen to call Georgia home. Belive it or not, I even lived in Athens for a short time. I have spent many nights in Athens with my Dawg friends, enjoying all the great scenery and atmosphere that only Athens can offer. My favorite restaurant is in Athens and I even met my wife in Athens one summer long ago. So, while UGA and Auburn have a very deep and bitter rivalry, it is still a friendly rivalry, and, being a great lover of SEC football and all things from the state of Georga, I too can root for UGA...most of the year.
So, from time to time, I will contribute my thoughts and observations on all things SEC football, UGA, and of course, Auburn. I will try to keep my thoughts fair and balanced, giving a voice to the others out there who may not always see the red between the black and white. I also vow, here and now, to hate Alabama and all things crimson and houndstooth. God hates BAMA just as much as he hates giant lizzards and stinging flying bugs. I make no apologies and that is the one thing I will always keep a hatred toward in my heart. However, I will keep my hatred for Bama out of the mix for as much as possible and focus soley on football.
With that, I'd like to close with a quote from Lewis Grizzard and I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming season. Lewis once said, "The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity." Go Dawgs and WAR EAGLE!
*With this brief introduction, BNE invites you to become familiar with and ask that you please welcome AUMaverick to the contributing staff. His primary and first responsibility will be to manage this fall's upcoming BNE College Football Pick 'Em Pool, which you will learn more about in the coming days. We wanted to give AUMaverick this opportunity to introduce himself humbly to our faitful reader base in advance of the launch of this season's pool. Be sure to send AUMaverick your love & thoughts via the comments section of this post and by e-mailing him through his profile link. Go Dawgs!BFR & the BNE Staff
This was a difficult week to pick a Video. As some people may have noticed, B'NE friend and Auburn University graduate AUMaverick has been clamoring for Genesis' 1986 hit "Land of Confusion." BulldawgJosh and I have been trying to avoid using this video all season in an effort to egg him on.
Just for you Maverick, here is Phil Collins' 1981 solo hit "In the Air Tonight":
We put this video up because the only thing that should be in the air Saturday night at Auburn is the remaining stench of the Tiger Offense. Mr. Collins also said that he wrote this song while he was going through a divorce and API will have a nasty one if they decide to fire ole Tommy Tubbs.
Actually, to ease the pain of AUMaverick's season, we will honor his request:
However, the most confusing thing is why AUMaverick is not going to the game with us.
That being said, I'd also like to say GO DAWGS! No, you didn't read incorrectly, and no I am not a traitor to my school. I happen to love UGA and Auburn equally, except of course for one Saturday out of the year. For those of you who don't know, I was raised all over the world and I happen to call Georgia home. Belive it or not, I even lived in Athens for a short time. I have spent many nights in Athens with my Dawg friends, enjoying all the great scenery and atmosphere that only Athens can offer. My favorite restaurant is in Athens and I even met my wife in Athens one summer long ago. So, while UGA and Auburn have a very deep and bitter rivalry, it is still a friendly rivalry, and, being a great lover of SEC football and all things from the state of Georga, I too can root for UGA...most of the year.