SEC PICKS: Tennessee rights ship

EDITOR’S NOTE: Opelika-Auburn News sports designer Tim Cottrell picks the winners for this week’s SEC games.

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 5-1
SEASON RECORD: 40-12

We’re finally going to get a good grasp on what Tennessee and Lane Kiffin actually have tonight.

Now, of course, one could argue that since they’ve already played Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia that should be fairly settled.

But no, tonight they will face a South Carolina team that mirrors them in a lot of ways. Good defense, mediocre offense, shaky quarterbacking, etc.

The Gamecocks have reached bowl eligibility, something that seemed a bit far-fetched heading into the season.

But now they hit their murderers’ row of season-ending games. Starting tonight, it’s at Tennessee, at Arkansas, vs. Florida and vs. Clemson.

If the Ball Coach is going to assure himself of a bowl bid, South Carolina will need to win this one.

Tennessee will be in similar straits, sitting at 3-4 and with the Gamecocks, Ole Miss and Kentucky still remaining.

If either team is going to absolutely assure itself of a bowl game, they’ll need to win this one.

And whichever team comes out stronger will tell us a lot about itself. And since I still don’t believe in the Gamecocks at all, and Tennessee seems to be straightening itself out and will be at home, I give the edge to the Vols.

The pick: Tennessee 20, South Carolina 14

Georgia vs. No. 1 Florida (at Jacksonville, Fla.)
This would, of course, generally be your game of the week in any SEC season, but I couldn’t be less interested in the outcome here.

Florida should win, and win fairly easily. They will most likely continue to plod along offensively, content to do so as their defense harasses Georgia quarterback Joe Cox and the rest of the offense.

It will be ugly, and it will be boring, but it will also be familiar.

Florida has owned Georgia in virtually every way for 20 years now (even Ron Zook won two-of-three in the series).

The pick: Florida 23, Georgia 7

Tulane at No. 9 LSU
There was a big storyline when these teams met in 2007 in New Orleans about how willing LSU was to help out the Tulane athletic department, so they moved the first game of the new contract to the Superdome.

What wasn’t mentioned is that if LSU really wants to help out Tulane’s budget, they should play them in New Orleans every year for about a decade.

And believe me, the budgetary constraints of a private school Conference USA member are for more interesting than this game will be.

The pick: LSU 42, Tulane 10

No. 11 Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt
The Yellow Jackets continue their half-SEC schedule (they’ve played Mississippi State already and still have Georgia to go, plus played a Ryan Perrilloux-less Jacksonville State team).

Vanderbilt has regressed big time from the last two years of very competitive teams. Odds are Josh Nesbitt and Johnathan Dwyer will pick up big yards here.

The pick: Georgia Tech 35, Vanderbilt 7

No. 24 Mississippi at Auburn
The Tigers have fallen apart at the seams, while the Rebels might finally be putting themselves back together.

Given Auburn’s history in starts before noon, this could get a bit ugly.

The pick: Mississippi 31, Auburn 14

Eastern Michigan at Arkansas
Arkansas would have every right to storm the gates of the SEC office in Birmingham demanding the schedule maker’s head.

The Hogs are easily in the conference’s top half this year, yet currently have the second-worst league record through eight weeks.

That’s kind of what happens when you travel to Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss, plus host Georgia and Auburn.

The pick: Arkansas 62, Eastern Michigan 14

Mississippi State at Kentucky
Both these teams are overachievers.

Neither has all that much talent, but they’re both well-coached and they find ways to win.

However, I give the Bulldogs the edge here simply because they have more ability to score than the Wildcats do.

The pick: Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 21

Tim Cottrell is sports designer of the Opelika-Auburn News. He writes a weekly column on college football during the season. You can also read him on the O-A Sports Blog at oanow.com. He can be reached at 737-2511 or .