Weekend Predictions: Alabama’s Russell is big problem for Georgia

After losing for so long, the local sports institution finally is making everyone remember what it feels like to be a winner. The Falcons are doing pretty good, too.

Weekend Predictions is riding high. I’m coming off my best outing of the season (8-3) picking games against the spread. My weekly record is 4-0-1.

Last weekend, I was on the right side of games for the Falcons, Georgia and Georgia State. Georgia Tech thankfully got the weekend off, so I didn’t have to figure out whether Brent Key’s team can be trusted.

Ravens (+3½) at Falcons

NFL Media reported that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has only an “outside chance” to play after he suffered an ankle injury against the Titans. If Jackson is out, then Falcons fans won’t get an in-person reminder that Arthur Blank valued controlling labor costs more than acquiring an MVP quarterback. I won’t ever forget it.

Tyler Huntley is Baltimore’s backup QB. The Ravens failed to score on five full drives with Huntley on Sunday against the Titans, but last year they beat the Bears and Packers with him. Baltimore’s running game has performed below expectations with Jackson, and the offense will be more one-dimensional if he’s out. I’m assuming he won’t play, so the Falcons are the play.

No. 2 Georgia (+1½) at No. 6 Alabama

Several forces could affect this game. Hurricane Isaias also is looming. President Donald Trump plans to be there. All communication, including coaches’ headsets, could be cut off when Trump is on the move. That sounds like the kind of thing a corrupt person with inside information could take advantage of in betting markets.

Georgia opened as a three-point favorite at sportsbooks. It swung back the other way, as I expected. The Bulldogs have yet to face a QB nearly as good as Bama’s Keelon Russell. Georgia’s defense is excellent, but the Bulldogs always have problems against dynamic quarterbacks like Russell. Bama is my pick.

Duke (-7) at Georgia Tech

Duke and Georgia Tech have been locked in a yearslong struggle to break free from the ACC’s middle tier. The Blue Devils are 21-12 in the ACC since the start of the 2022 season. The Yellow Jackets are 20-13 during that period. Tech has a five-game winning streak in the series, but Duke won last year’s ACC title game (the league altered the tiebreaking formula for this year to reduce the chances of an 8-5 champion).

Key has come clean about being way off in his preseason evaluation of the Jackets. All they can do now is get better. Beating the Blue Devils would be a good start. I don’t know if the Jackets will do it, but I’m (gulp) trusting that Key will have them ready after the bye week. I’ll take the Jackets with the points.

Other college games of interest

No. 1 Texas (-7 ½) vs. Oklahoma

Sooners QB John Mateer did not look ready for the moment at Georgia. Oklahoma coach Brent Venables told media he’s sticking with Mateer after the bye week: “He was the starting quarterback on a 10-win team a year ago.” Well, now Mateer is the starting quarterback with six turnovers for a 2-2 team. The Longhorns are so-so offensively, but their defense will cause problems for Mateer. Texas is my pick.

No. 9 Ole Miss (-9 ½) at Vanderbilt

Ole Miss had a bye last week after giving up 52 points and 498 yards to Florida. Coach Pete Golding spent some of that time threatening monetary consequences for his players. “There’s a cycle coming in December and January when everybody wants to renegotiate their contract,” Golding told reporters. Remember, they are students, not employees. Vandy quarterback Jared Curtis (knee) is probable. I like the ‘Dores with the points.

Texas A&M (+3 ½) at No. 14 Missouri

Texas A&M ended a two-game skid with a 34-7 victory against Arkansas, the SEC’s designated opponent for getting well soon. Coach Mike Elko told media he doesn’t want his players to feel relieved. “The day I feel relief for winning is the day I quit. We have joy when we win.” I need to start saying this to myself in the mirror about my winning picks. I’m backing home ‘dog Mizzou in this one.

No. 10 LSU (-8 ½) at Kentucky

A parody account on social media claimed that LSU coach Lane Kiffin posted an inflammatory quote by Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey in the team’s locker room. Kentucky Sports Radio dutifully reported that Minchey never said those words. Kiffin declined to comment when The Courier-Journal asked him about the alleged quote. This is a huge controversy among SEC fans with uninteresting lives. I’ll take LSU as the road favorite.

Other NFL games of interest

Buccaneers (+8 ½) at Cowboys

Tampa Bay lost 17-14 to the Packers last week. Bucs rookie Jalon Daniels filed in for Baker Mayfield (thumb) and gave reason to believe the Bucs can compete with him at quarterback. Daniels wasn’t asked to do much in the passing game. He showed something as a runner. Dallas has an even worse defense than Green Bay. I’m taking a shot with the Bucs.

Vikings (-2 ½) at Saints

Saints coach Kellen Moore said several players showed up at the team’s facility on a scheduled day off Tuesday after they were embarrassed by the Falcons. Moore should thank them for giving people something to talk about other than his failure to get his team ready to play. The Falcons dominated the Saints at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. It will be harder for the Vikings to do that because of injuries along the offensive line and their young defensive line. The Saints are my pick.

Bears (-1 ½) at Packers