PRESS PICKS (Week 4): Is the SEC this bad, or having a bad day?
STAFF REPORT
Will the real Southeastern Conference please stand?
It’s not that we have lost faith in you, but you don’t seem to be yourselves.
You are unrecognizable. You have this funny look about you. Some might say you smell a little funny.
Proof? Should we start with Bama? This ain’t the same team we saw last year… or maybe it is. The Crimson Tide had a quarterback to pull them out of the fire then. Not so much now.
LSU? No, the accolades before the season were too much but, wow. That stinker Labor Day weekend still has a stinch.
The rest of you have your work cut out to start looking like the league we’ve come to expect.
Even Georgia has a certain cheekiness lacking in its play. It’s almost as though the Dogs are already celebrating a third national title. Figures. It won’t take much to earn it this year, at least in the league that has struggled against Power-5 opponents.
Should we be worried? You showed so much promise when Tennessee walloped Clemson with future QB Joe Milton, III under center in last year’s Orange Bowl. LSU was immovable in its bowl game against Purdue. You were the up-and-comers. Alas, we wonder.
Maybe we are overreacting. This league is fine, right? Bama will be back. Georgia is great again. Missouri might pull off the upset against Kansas State this weekend. Who knows? Ole Miss might be the surprise and make its first trip to an SEC Championship game.
Can Florida show a pulse at the Swamp against the Big Orange this weekend?
Yeah, it might make a difference in a few weeks. But for now, we wait.
Don’t let us down.
Wesley Lyle held on to the top spot in the Press Panel after three weeks.
2023 Overall Standings (Last week)
1. Wesley Lyle 35-10 (11-4) .778
2. Mike Peacock 34-11 (11-4) .756
3. Doug Amos 33-12 (10-5) .733
Lindsey Bonner 33-12 (10-5) .733
5. Graham Dunn 32-13 (8-7) .711
6. Tim Gayle 30-15 (10-5) .667
7. Rosie Langello 29-16 (10-5) .644
8. Michael Butler 28-17 (8-7) .622
9. Barry McKnight 23-22 (7-8) .510
10. Rick Hendrick 23-22 (8-7) .511
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
35-10 (11-4) .778
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - Pitt
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
34-11 (11-4) .756
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Lanier
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director WAKA Ch. 8)
33-12 (10-5) .733
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Elmore Co
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
33-12 (10-5) .733
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
32-13 (8-7) .711
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - James Madison
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Florida
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
30-15 (10-5) .667
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Elmore County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - Pitt
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
29-16 (10-5) .644
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Elmore County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - Pitt
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
28-17 (8-7) .622
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - James Madison
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
23-22 (7-8) .510
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Wetumpka
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Dothan
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Florida
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
23-22 (8-7) .511
Wetumpka at Park Crossing - Park Crossing
Sidney Lanier at Pike Road - Pike Road
Prattville at Dothan - Prattville
Trinity at Alabama Christian - ACA
Central Clay Co. at Elmore County - Central Clay County
Alabama at South Florida - Alabama
Samford at Auburn - Auburn
James Madison at Troy - Troy
South Carolina at Georgia - Georgia
Tennessee at Florida - Tennessee
LSU at Miss St - LSU
Kansas St at Missouri - Kansas State
Georgia Tech at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Pitt at West Virginia - West Virginia
Minnesota at North Carolina - North Carolina