SEC PICKS: Florida-LSU comes down to Tebow

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

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 5-2
SEASON RECORD: 31-9

There's not quite as much drama as you might expect from a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 4 teams in America tonight.

If Florida quarterback Tim Tebow plays, the Gators will beat LSU. If not, they won't.

That's really this game in a nutshell.

Sure, LSU is talented up and down the field, and probably outdoes the Gators in physicality and size.

But Florida is faster. And more talented. And much better-coached.

So, again, you can come up with as many factors as you want for this game, but it really just boils down to Tebow. Even if he's not 100 percent, a fraction of him is enough to get the Gators a win.

The pick: Florida 24, LSU 14

No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Ole Miss
This sure did look like the Rebels' year coming in.

Tons of returning talent. A stud quarterback. A favorable schedule.

Five weeks in and they've already squandered almost all of it.

The loss to South Carolina was bad, but not something the Rebs can't overcome. However, if they continue to play as poorly as they have so far, no amount of talent is going to save them. You'd think the same equation would apply to LSU, but for some reason it doesn't.

The Tide, on the other hand, appear just about unbeatable. They're clicking on all cylinders, well-coached and talented. Another undefeated regular season seems a very real possibility.

Ole Miss could finally put things together, and the Israelis and Palestinians could finally decide to stop fighting.

The point being, either could happen. But I wouldn't bet on it.

The pick: Alabama 21, Ole Miss 13

No. 17 Auburn at Arkansas
It's time to start coming to grips with the fact that the Tigers may very well be good.

It's definitely not conclusive yet. They lost in every way except the scoreboard against West Virginia, and if Tennessee had a quarterback probably would have lost that game, as well, but, still, there's a lot to be impressed with about this team.

The offense wasn't perfect against Tennessee, but if you watched how that defense, good at worst and great at its best, looked confused and sometimes even silly just trying to line up, you have to be pretty impressed with Gus Malzahn's offense.

Much like the West Virginia game, the Tiger offense will have to win this one, because Arkansas will get its points. But I think the Tiger defense can get one or two more stops than the Hog defense can.

The only variable is if the Tigers commit a few special teams blunders.

The pick: Auburn 49, Arkansas 38

Kentucky at No. 25 South Carolina
It's hard to believe a game featuring Steve Spurrier could be boring, but this game will probably be borderline-unwatchable.

The pick: South Carolina 17, Kentucky 10

Georgia at Tennessee
Two desperate teams playing in the morning at Neyland.

Considering how bad Georgia's offense can be, Tennessee might have a chance. But I'm pretty much finished picking Jonathan Crompton to beat anyone good.

The pick: Georgia 18, Tennessee 13

Houston at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs aren't terrible, and have a much better chance in this game than you would've thought a couple weeks ago.

But, despite their horrid performance at UTEP last week, I'm going with the Cougs for now.

The pick: Houston 41, Mississippi State 37

Vanderbilt at Army
The Commodores shouldn't have too much problem getting through this one.

The pick: Vanderbilt 28, Army 10

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 tcottrell@oanow.com.