AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 28
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Answering the tough questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve got questions. We also have answers. Do they match? You be the judge.
1) Is Alabama in trouble as it goes to Florida?
Sure looks that way. First of all, it’s hard for a team to quickly get over a crushing loss like the one at Arkansas (24-23), a game in which the Crimson Tide outplayed the competition on the road but was passive in overtime. Secondly, Bama will probably find an angry bunch of Gators in the Swamp. They remember the 31-3 beat down they got last year in Tuscaloosa. This one could get ugly.
2) Who is going to start at quarterback for Georgia against Ole Miss?
It doesn’t matter but the smart money is on Matthew Stafford, with the understanding that Joe Cox is definitely going to play. Understand that what happened to Stafford against Colorado is going to happen again. It always does with freshman quarterbacks. But starting Stafford at Oxford keeps the kid’s confidence up and Cox has proven he is mature beyond his years. The good news is that Ole Miss is so bad that quarterback play should not be an issue this week.
3) If Auburn gets a chance to hang a big number on South Carolina Thursday night on ESPN, will Tommy Tuberville do it?
What do you think? There is only one college football game on tonight and the whole nation, including the voters in the coaches and Harris polls, will be watching. Tuberville knows what it is like to finish No. 3 with a great football team and it doesn’t feel good. So if Auburn tacks on an extra touchdown at the end for style points, there is no reason to criticize. The coaches didn’t invent this BCS game. But they have to play it.
4) Can Georgia Tech win at Virginia Tech, where they got waxed 51-7 last season?
This is going to drive my Georgia Tech friends crazy, because they have images of Calvin Johnson catching 10 balls a game for 150 yards and three or four touchdowns. But if Georgia Tech tries to play that game they will get beat badly again. The Yellow Jackets’ best hope is to control the ball, keep the crowd out of the game, and let the defense win it. If the score is 14-10, Georgia Tech has a chance. If somebody scores in the 20s, it will be Virginia Tech and the Hokies will win.
5) What is the most unusual statement we will hear this weekend?
It seems like every weekend I hear something uttered that I’ve never heard before. A couple of weeks ago it was: “Take Rutgers and lay the 10 1/2 points.”
This weekend it will be: “Clemson may be looking past Saturday’s game with Louisiana Tech because they are looking ahead to next week’s trip to Wake Forest.”
