JB’s SEC Picks: Week 1 – JB Talking Sports

It’s finally here.

We’ve spent the entire offseason talking about rankings, transfers, quarterbacks, coaches, recruiting and who we think is overrated and underrated. Now we finally get to do the one thing that settles all of it.

Play football.

So every week I’m going to pick every SEC game. Some weeks I’ll probably look pretty smart. Other weeks I’ll probably be reminded why they actually play these games instead of letting guys like me decide them on paper.

Here we go with Week 1.

Missouri over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

There’s really not much to break down here. Missouri is the better football team at virtually every position and should win comfortably.

Oklahoma over UTEP

Same thing here. Oklahoma has bigger things ahead of them, and this should be an opportunity to get everybody some work, clean up the mistakes and get ready for the SEC schedule.

Alabama over East Carolina

I’ve already said I think Alabama is vulnerable this season, and I still believe that. But vulnerable in the SEC and vulnerable against East Carolina are two different things.

Alabama wins this one.

South Carolina over Kent State

Obviously I’m taking the Gamecocks.

But I’m much more interested in how South Carolina wins this game than whether they win it.

I want to see LaNorris Sellers and this offense establish themselves early. I want to see the offensive line control the line of scrimmage, and I want to see South Carolina put Kent State away instead of allowing them to hang around.

Kentucky over Youngstown State

Kentucky should handle this one without much trouble. Take care of business, stay healthy and move on.

Georgia over Tennessee State

Georgia.

Next.

Auburn over Baylor

Now we’ve got something.

This is probably the first game on the SEC schedule where I had to think about the pick.

I’m taking Auburn, but I think it’s close.

I’m also very interested in seeing DJ Lagway at Baylor. I’ve always thought the physical talent was there. Now I want to see the rest of it—accuracy, decision-making, processing and consistency. This is a good opening test for him.

Texas over Texas State

I’m taking Texas, and I’m going one step further.

I think Arch Manning has a big game.

I’ve been critical of putting Manning among the elite quarterbacks in college football before he’s actually done anything to earn it. That doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s talented. He is.

This is exactly the type of game where I expect him to start showing it.

Tennessee over Furman

Tennessee should win comfortably. Nothing complicated about this one.

Arkansas over North Alabama

Give me Arkansas, and I’m going to say something else right now:

I think Arkansas is very underrated.

I’m not saying beating North Alabama proves anything. It doesn’t. But Arkansas is one of those teams I’m going to be watching closely over the next several weeks because I think they’re better than a lot of people realize.

Vanderbilt over Austin Peay

Give me Vandy. They should take care of business at home.

Texas A&M over Missouri State

Texas A&M easily.

I’m much more interested in how the Aggies look than the final score. I have pretty high expectations for this football team, so I want to see them look like a team that belongs in that conversation from the opening kickoff.

Mississippi State over Louisiana-Monroe

I’ll take Mississippi State.

They’re another SEC team I’m not completely sure about yet. This game won’t answer many questions unless they struggle, but it gives us our first look.

LSU over Clemson

Here we go.

This is the game.

And I’m taking LSU.

I know there are probably people all over the country pulling against LSU, but we’re picking football games here, not conducting a popularity contest.

Clemson is good enough to make this interesting. I don’t expect LSU to walk away with it. But at night in Death Valley, I’m taking the Tigers.

The purple-and-gold ones.

Florida over Florida Atlantic

Florida should win this one comfortably. Handle business, get some confidence and move on to bigger games.