SEC Saturday

Two big match ups in the South Eastern Conference highlight Saturday's slate of games. Yes there are other games going on around the nation but outside of WVU/Texas none have the importance of #4 LSU/#10 Florida or fifth ranked Georgia at #6 South Carolina. Both SEC games probably wont combine to score the number of points that West Virgina and Texas will, but all four teams have something that wins National Championships. Its called defense.

LSU at Florida
Could the Gators be the most underrated team in the top ten? You could make that argument. I'm not going to because of my extreme dislike for the team that hails from Gainesville, but I'm just saying that you could. They barely cracked the preseason top 25, were picked to finish sixth and even seventh in the SEC, and outside of Gainesville expectations weren't too high. With a second year head coach and a young QB all the Gators have done is win. Heading into Saturdays showdown against LSU they have an opportunity to emerge as a favorite to win the SEC East. A win on Saturday puts them as either 1a or 1b in the pecking order in the East depending on the outcome of Georgia/South Carolina. And the upset is not unimaginable. Florida has ran the ball very well this season even against a couple of tough SEC defenses. Driskel is playing solid smart football for a young QB and much like the entire Florida team, the defense has gotten better and better each week. LSU has looked beatable to say the least in their last couple of outings. Their defense should return to form this week after a couple of sloppy performances and give Florida fits. But there offense has been average at best and QB play has been borderline Kentucky like at times. They do have several backs that can carry the football but at some point in Saturdays game, Mettenberger will have to make plays for the Tiger offense if LSU wants to remain unbeaten. The Swamp is a tough place to play and the Gators ain't Towson.

Georgia at South Carolina
The Gamecocks were trailing 17-7 last Saturday at halftime, and then remembered they were playing Kentucky. A steady dose of Marcus Lattimore in the second half turned the game around and now the 'Cocks are favored heading into Saturdays match up with #5 Georgia. Georgia gave up 44 points at home to Tennessee and turned the ball over five times in a close win. Had it not been for Vol QB Tyler Bray going all Jay Cutler in the last five or so minutes of the game, the Dawgs could be feeling very different right now. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses in almost the same areas. They both play very solid defense, usually, both have stud running backs ( Georgia actually has two ) and both are solid on special teams. The winner is in the drivers seat in the SEC East and stays in the BCS National Title picture.

Who Wins?
As I said before, I wont make the argument for Florida. Feel free to if you wish, but just remember this one could come down to coaching and the Mad Hatter is one of the best. Something tells me Miles has his boys ready to play on Saturday. I'm going LSU 24-17.

The Bulldogs are underdogs on Saturday due in large part to the game being in Columbia. Both teams match up well but I'm taking Georgia because of QB play. Not that Conner Shaw hasn't been good so far this season but Aaron Murry is coming off of a rare 3 turnover game and has a knack for bouncing back in big games. If Georgia can somewhat contain Lattimore, then they force Shaw into some mistakes. I'll take UGa 31-27

MVP's
Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU- This kid is a beast and UF gave up 8 sacks to Texas A&M. Mingo along with the rest of LSU's D-Line could make Florida quarterbacks feel like a tackling dummy.
Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia- Look for Murray to have a bounce back game. South Carolina will do everything to slow down the freshman running backs so Murray will have opportunities to make plays