Rick’s Picks

Well, we are quickly approaching the final stretch in the college football season. The high school playoffs are just around the corner and the next couple of weeks will surely separate the men from the boys, so to speak. My record in last week's games was a respectable 13-2, with just a couple of unforeseen upsets keeping me from a perfect record last week. This week will be a fun week on the gridiron landscape. Let's get down to it.

Florida vs. Missouri
I don't think there's any doubt that Dan Mullen is doing some very good things in Gainesville. The Gators are certainly on the upswing. They played a pretty good game this past Saturday against a Georgia team that was simply better this year. In true Gator fashion, I'll give the old, “Wait 'till next year,” that I have become so accustomed to saying over the years. This week, the Tigers of Missouri come into Gainesville. I don't look for this game to light up the scoreboard like other games might, but it should be a good game. The Florida defense is allowing just 170 passing yards per game and with future NFL quarterback Drew Lock calling signals for the Tigers, there's little doubt that they like to throw the ball. With two very stingy defensive units in this game, look for a close, low-scoring game. I'm going to give the edge to the Gators at home in the Swamp.
Rick's Pick: Florida

Georgia vs. Kentucky
This has “trap game” written all over it for the Georgia Bulldogs. Let's face it, Kentucky is a good football team this year. The winner of this game will very likely face Alabama for the SEC title in Atlanta. Who would have thought we would be mentioning Kentucky in that context at the beginning of the season? I have to give the edge to the Bulldogs, but I don't think they will get out of the game without at least a scare.
Rick's Pick: Georgia

Florida State vs. North Carolina State
I do admit, I am having a bit of difficulty putting my finger on what's going on in Tallahassee. I'm not about to get on the “toss Taggert” bandwagon, but it does seem that a lot of what is going on has to do with what's going on “between the ears” for the Seminoles.
I still think the Seminoles are much more talented than their play has shown this year, but averaging a pallid 85 yards rushing per game is not going to garner many wins. The Wolfpack is averaging just over 462 yards of offense per game. I hate to say it, but this has “blow-out” written all over it.
Rick's Pick: North Carolina State

Alabama vs. LSU
This will clearly be the best game on the SEC schedule this weekend, if not across the country. The talented LSU defense will have their paws full and then some. The Crimson Tide is averaging 54 points per game and 564 yards of offense every game. Let that sink in for a second. That is against some pretty good competition, too. The Tigers should keep it entertaining for a while, but in the end, I think the Tide will keep rolling.
Rick's Pick: Alabama

Duke vs. Miami
At the beginning of the season, I fully expected Miami to be the team to challenge Clemson for the ACC title. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. The Hurricanes are still a good team, but I don't think they have lived up to pre-season expectations. The Duke Blue Devils have turned out to be a decent team this year, which leads me to believe this might be a pretty good game. I think the key to the game will be the Miami defense, which I think is a bit better than a very good Blue Devil offense.
Rick's Pick: Miami

Texas A&M vs. Auburn
The Texas A&M Aggies have improved a great deal since the beginning of the season. That's part of the fun to me. Teams that may not factor at the beginning of the season, seem to find a way to catch everyone's attention by the end of the season. The reverse also seems to happen. This game is a prime example of that. The Tigers looked as if they might pose at least a little bit of a challenge in the SEC West. This game will come down to defense. The Aggies are only allowing 84 yards per game on the ground. If the Auburn quarterback is forced to throw the ball, look for the Aggies to pick a couple of them off. I'll give a slight edge to the Aggies for that reason.
Rick's Pick: Texas A&M

South Carolina vs. Ole Miss
This is another game that is hard to get a feel for. Both teams give up a lot of yards and both teams have moved the ball. The Rebels are scoring about 10 points per game more than the Chickens and that, along with playing in Oxford, might be enough to tip the scales. Look for the Rebels to win a very close game.
Rick's Pick: Ole Miss

Aucilla vs. St. Joseph Academy
This game should be a close game between two of the better Class 2A teams in the area. I think the edge could be the ground game of the Warriors, with their record-setting running back, Blake Wirick. I think that will be the difference in the game.
Rick's Pick: Aucilla

Jefferson vs. Wakulla
The Tigers will have their paws full with this one. Should the Tigers manage to pull off the upset, it would certainly help to solidify them as the number one seed going into the region playoffs. In the end, I think the War Eagles will probably be too much, even for a greatly improved Tiger team.
Rick's Pick: Wakulla

Rick's Extra Points:
Michigan State over Maryland, Clemson over Louisville, USF over Tulane, Michigan over Penn. State and Oklahoma over Texas Tech.