PRESS PICKS: Nail-biting a plenty after three weeks of college football
Is it nail biting time for a few teams? Alabama? Clemson? The Pac-12?
If you listen to the experts, you should be down to the quick on a few of those. Some are already buried, or as Nick Saban says, “gone…. Gone!”
It’s a natural reaction to wince while watching the Crimson Tide struggle to a two-point victory or Clemson nearly fumble away a win over hapless Georgia Tech, a team the Tigers beat by nearly 80 points a year ago. The smile is obviously for the possibility of those teams showing vulnerability.
But we do what fans do – crow when we can. Cry happily when it’s not supposed to be close. It’s what makes this time of year so special.
Its too early to tell just how good anyone is, although Ole Miss has been deemed the team to beat in the SEC West after scoring 100 points on the sisters of the poor. Georgia has not given up anything. Why question their superiority?
And we are still in September.
The world of football looks a certain way right now. It will look a lot different in about a month. It’s kinda like the Heisman campaign. As an example, everyone is in love with Matt Corral, who has thrown for a zillion miles in passing for Ole Miss. If he and his teammates beat Alabama next week, he certainly becomes the player to beat for the award.
But if the Rebels lose, his stock will drop like a rock.
It’s how that part of the game is played. By late October, new names will rise and become what players like Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith did last year… from Heisman unknowns to front runners, but it takes a few weeks for adjustment. That’s why anyone who is on top of the list will probably falter and lose ground.
The same is true with teams. Iowa is a darling right now. So is Penn State. Two weeks ago it was Iowa State and Cincinnati. The Bearcats have hung around but their time comes next week at Notre Dame. The others are slowly fading to black.
So, hold on to the water wagon. There’s plenty of rough terrain up ahead… for everybody.
Mike Peacock took over sole possession of first place with a solid performance last week.
2021 Standings (Week)
1. Mike Peacock 48-17 (12-3) .738
2. Graham Dunn 47-18 (11-4) .723
3. Tim Gayle 46-19 (10-5) .708
4. Dylan Hurst 45-20 (12-3) .692
5. Barry McKnight 44-21 (10-5) .677
6. Doug Amos 42-23 (10-5) .646
Rick Hendrick 42-23 (11-4) .646
8. Michael Butler 41-24 (9-6) .631
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
48-17 (12-3) .738
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Greenville
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Texas A&M
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Wisconsin
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
47-18 (11-4) .723
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Texas A&M
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Boston College
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Notre Dame
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
46-19 (10-5) .708
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Greenville
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Arkansas
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Wisconsin
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Dylan Hurst (River Region Sports)
45-20 (12-3) .692
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Greenville
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Arkansas
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College –Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – Miss St
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Wisconsin
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
44-21 (10-5) .677
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Eufaula
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Texas A&M
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Boston College
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Wisconsin
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Troy Trojans Network)
42-23 (10-5) .646
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Texas A&M
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College –Boston College
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Notre Dame
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA of Montgomery Biscuits)
42-23 (11-4) .646
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Louisiana-Monroe
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Arkansas
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina – South Carolina
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Notre Dame
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.5 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
41-24 (9-6) .631
Jeff Davis vs. G.W. Carver (Thur) – Carver
Hoover at Prattville - Hoover
Greenville at Wetumpka – Wetumpka
Montgomery Academy at Catholic – Catholic
Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore – Stanhope Elmore
Southern Miss at Alabama – Alabama
Georgia State at Auburn – Auburn
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe - Troy
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (Arlington) – Arkansas
Tennessee at Florida – Florida
Missouri at Boston College – Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina – Kentucky
LSU at Miss St – LSU
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Chicago) – Notre Dame
Rutgers at Michigan – Michigan