PRESS PICKS: The wait is over - SEC football is here
STAFF REPORT
We’ve waited. A long time.
SEC football is finally here.
You can hear the echoes of the greatest…. John Forney; Jim Fyffe; Larry Munson; and the great John Ward.
To borrow Ward’s phrase with a twist: “It’s Football Time in the SEC!”
What has everybody done with their time? Have you really watched that much college football? Did you get more yard work done? Pull out the Christmas lights a little early?
Saturdays officially change this week.
No more spouse telling you to get outside and get something done. The leaves really don’t mean that much anymore, at least until they piled so high they are blocking the front door.
The grill is back in action.
Condolences to those who spend their Saturdays tailgating at your favorite campus. Don’t worry, it will be back sooner than later.
It’s been a tough wait but we all say it together – “The wait is over.”
That despite not having the best of opening SEC lineups. Frankly, there is not a headliner with the closest probably being Auburn’s matchup with Kentucky. The experts have the Tigers as an 8-point favorite. Tennessee-South Carolina may be the most competitive and it will be interesting to see what LSU looks like with a “nearly” brand new team.
We are hoping Missouri can field enough players to at least challenge Alabama. And what are the chances Lane Kiffin can come up with a game plan to scare the Gators?
Don’t forget about a couple of interesting tilts outside the SEC. Troy travels to Brigham Young while Army seems to have turned it around and will face Cincinnati.
In preps, it’s non-region week in the AHSAA with a couple of great games featuring Catholic and Montgomery Academy and Prattville making a trip to Hoover.
In the standings, Michael Butler made a move to the top with a near-perfect week. Doug Amos still sits in first tied with Butler.
2020 Standings (Last Week)
1. Doug Amos 52-14 (12-3) .788
Michael Butler 52-14 (14-1) .788
3. Graham Dunn 50-16 (13-2) .758
4. Tim Gayle 48-18 (13-2) .727
5. Barry McKnight 46-20 (10-5) .697
Mike Peacock 46-20 (12-3) .697
7. Rick Hendrick 43-23 (13-2) .652
8. Darrell Puckett 42-24 (13-2) .636
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket & Troy Trojans Network)
52-14 (12-3) .788
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – Alabama Christian
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Montgomery Academy
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Eufaula
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – Troy
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – South Carolina
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.5 FM/1300 AM & Tallassee Times)
52-14 (14-1) .788
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Eufaula
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – Tennessee
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Army
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports)
50-16 (13-2) .758
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Eufaula
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – Tennessee
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – Iowa St
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports & Montgomery Independent)
48-18 (13-2) .727
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Stanhope Elmore
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – Tennessee
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
46-20 (10-5) .697
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Jeff Davis
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Eufaula
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – Troy
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – South Carolina
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – Iowa St
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
46-20 (12-3) .697
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Eufaula
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – Tennessee
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – West Virginia
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA of Montgomery Biscuits)
43-23 (13-2) .652
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – St. James
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Stanhope Elmore
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – Tennessee
Miss St at LSU – Miss St
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – West Virginia
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati
Darrell Puckett (WAKA CH 8/Alabama News Network)
42-24 (13-2) .636
Jeff Davis vs. Carver – Carver
Prattville at Hoover - Hoover
Alabama Christian at St. James – Alabama Christian
Catholic at Montgomery Academy – Catholic
Stanhope Elmore at Eufaula – Stanhope Elmore
Kentucky at Auburn - Auburn
Alabama at Missouri – Alabama
Troy at BYU – BYU
Florida at Ole Miss – Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina – South Carolina
Miss St at LSU – LSU
West Virginia at Oklahoma St – Oklahoma St
Florida St at Miami, Fla. - Miami
Iowa St at TCU – TCU
Army at Cincinnati - Cincinnati