Great weekend of SEC football...

[misanthrope]

...coming up. Everyone knows about the LSU-Bama (3:30 EST/CBS) and Auburn-Georgia (7:45 EST/ESPN) contests, but I'm saying the Florida-South Carolina (12:30 EST/JP Sports) game is likely to be as good. The Gamecocks have a great stadium with a very active crowd, plus the Ol' Ball Coach has a little something personal in this one. It's looking ripe for the upset.

[lazarus]

1. Yes indeed

I'm very nervous about Bama/LSU; I know the Tide defense is good enough, but I'm worried about the offense.

Can you imagine the consternation if Alabama wins out, beating three ranked opponents? How will the NCAA and BCS ever get their beloved USC/Texas Rose Bowl they've been pushing all year?

[misanthrope]

2. This week will determine a lot...

...in Bama's fate.

LSU has a very good defense and a sporadic offense. Their team is loaded with talent that just hasn't found the cohesiveness needed for overwhelming success.

Watch the quarterbacks in this one as I expect each of the defensive coordinators to go after the QBs hard. It's a proven fact that Bengal slinger Jamarcus Russell gets really shaky under pressure. With starting center and offensive line leader J.B. Closner out for the Tide, LSU's monster defensive lineman Kyle Williams could romp on Closner's replacement. That translates to pressure on Brodie Croyle which resulted in two interceptions last weekend for State.

A greater concern should be for Croyle's health. Will the added pressure from LSU result in an injury to the Tide signalcaller? He has a well-documented history with injuries.

With the absence of Tyrone Prothro, Bama has two bonafide offensive stars left in Kenneth Darby and Croyle. Should Darby go down, the Tide has other backs, albeit without Darby's feet and lateral movement, but decent backs nonetheless.

Should Croyle be knocked out of the season, the Tide offense will become even more impotent. They will go from "moving the ball but not scoring points" to "can't seem to get anything together." That will take away the Tide defense's field position advantage. Croyle is the linchpin.

[lazarus]

3. Yeah, it's all Croyle and Darby

Darby can run beautifully, but we need a bit of a passing game to keep the defenses guessing.

Luckily our defense is the best it's been since '92.

If 'Bama wins out against three ranked opponents, the BCS should be putting us in the Rose Bowl, but it won't happen.