The numbers show us the picks were profitable last week. Going 6-1 against the spread puts you in the black no matter how you look at it. Over the last four weeks, we’re an eye-popping 18-4-1 against the spread.
That said, raise your hand if you feel silly for doubting Steve Spurrier. I know I do.
Spurrier made the Swamp at Florida what it is during his dominant run with the Gators. Last week, Spurrier went back there and dominated. Even as the head coach at South Carolina – a program that’s not exactly synonymous with success – Spurrier did what became as common as tailgating on Saturday. He won a big game in the Swamp and we should have seen it coming.
As for today, well, unless you have a little action on a couple of these games, you have our permission to spend time with the family. This week’s schedule in the SEC in particular and across college football in general is bad.
(Last week’s guesses: 6-1 straight up, 6-1 against the spread.)
Troy at South Carolina
12:21 p.m. at Brice-Williams Stadium, Columbia, S.C.
* TV: WDSI
* Breakdown: Steve Spurrier compared stud running back Marcus Lattimore to some of the best he’ every coached, including former Florida star Errict Rhett. I guess this is the part where we mention Lattimore is a freshman. Get used to seeing him, SEC fans. He’s going to be running over the rest of the league for the next few seasons.
* Line: South Carolina minus 22
* Pick: South Carolina, 48-17
Appalachian State at Florida
12:30 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.
* TV: Pay-per-view
* Breakdown: In years past this would be the type of game that the Gators would score 60-plus. You remember those Gators, with the big plays and the quick-strike ability and the offensive depth that even when they called off the dogs, they still were biting folks. Well, these Gators aren’t those Gators – not after scoring one offensive touchdown in each of their last two games in the Swamp.
* Line: No line
* Pick: Florida, 31-16
Ole Miss at LSU
3:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
* TV: CBS
* Breakdown: It’s senior day in Tiger Stadium, which is hosting its second day game this month. Normally you could go a couple of years without seeing two day games at LSU, but, oh, well. TV calls the shots. That said, two surefire NFL-bound defenders – senior tackle Drake Nevis and junior cornerback Patrick Peterson – are likely playing their last home game, and something tells me they’re going to make the most of it.
* Line: LSU minus 16
* Pick: LSU, 38-13
Arkansas at Mississippi State
7 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss.
* TV: ESPN
* Breakdown: It was like a month ago that Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen was leading the feel-good story of college football. Then a tragic death of a Bulldogs player, and then the icky-ness of the Cam Newton saga that has spread across a third of the SEC splashed down in Starkville like acid rain. Now comes a visit from the red-hot Razorbacks after MSU’s humbling trip last week to Tuscaloosa.
* Line: Arkansas minus 3
* Pick: Arkansas, 38-20
Tennessee at Vanderbilt
7:30 p.m. at Commodore Stadium, Nashville
* TV/Radio: CSS/106.5 FM & 1310 AM
* Breakdown: As long as the Volunteers don’t trip themselves up, this one should be relatively smooth sailing for the Orange. Normally the Commodores are a threat to scare the britches off any team – especially a young club such as these Vols. But this is not your normal Vandy team. Expect to see a lot of the Loco Dance.
* Line: Tennessee minus 9
* Pick: Tennessee, 40-13