🏈 PJ's Picks ~ 2 SEC conference games of note this week: UF vs UT and MSU vs AU

[the Bookie]

WK4: Tennessee at Florida

Have the Vols stepped up to a higher level yet...that is the big question. Early on, in their only real test so far, it looked like it, as they jumped out to a 17-0 lead against Oklahoma. They couldn't close the deal, though, and ended up losing 24-17 in overtime. The answer to me is that they 'aren't quite ready for prime time' because their key players are mostly sophomores and freshmen, and their upperclassmen haven't been the leaders they needed. They will be a difficult opponent this season, but a force to be reckoned with next year, as Butch Jones continues to accumulate depth of talent.

The Gators win over the Vols in last year's game in Knoxville was one of the more improbable ones of last season, one where the stingy Gator defense hung on by its fingernails until the offense finally found just enough juice to get in position for a late field goal to win.

This year? The Gators have started 3-0, and even though they only won by 5 they had last week's game against Kentucky under control most of the way. There seems to be a new mindset among the swamp dwellers, and new enthusiasm among their fans in this the first year of the Jim McIlwain era. This actually looks like an interesting game to watch, as opposed to the dreary ones the last two UT/UF games have been. This should be a good one. I like the hometown buys to win, and to cover the two point spread.​

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Outcomes w/Current Odds

UT +2 : 100/110 ()

UF -2 : 100/110 ()

UT wins : 110/100 ()

UF wins : 100/130 ()

Place your wagers here...

 

[the Bookie]

WK4: Mississippi State at Auburn

PJ's Pick: With both schools already having one conference loss, this game looks like an elimination game for the SEC West. Both took their loss against LSU, but there the similarity ends. State fought hard and missed what would have been a game winning filed goal at the end of the game, to lose 21-19. Auburn made the questionable decision to try to get in Leonard Fournette's head by trash talking him, an effort that was an epic fail in their 45-21 loss.

At this stage of the season, the bulldogs, having to replace a lot of starters on both sides of the ball, are a little better than I thought they would be. Meanwhile, Auburn was supposed to be better on defense this year, but they have struggled to stop opponents since the first half of their opener against Louisville. Their front seven was supposed to be the strength of their defense, yet LSU's terrific offensive line manhandled them, and Fournette abused them. Memo to Will Muschamp: don't let your defensive guys say anything that Dak Prescott might consider offensive.

Meanwhile, the Auburn offense has not been the explosive force that its supporters expected. Jeremy Johnson, so far, is not a good fit for Auburn's running style of offense, and he has been an interception machine this season with six through three games.

Is Auburn as bad as they looked against LSU? Probably not, but they are nowhere as good as their PR machine was trying to make them at season's start.

What happens Saturday? Auburn's offensive struggles continue, and the boys from Stark Vegas will score enough to cover the spread, Take the bulldogs and give the three points, even if Carl Lawson will play.​

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Outcomes w/Current Odds

MSU +3 : 100/110 ()

Auburn -3 : 100/110 ()

Miss St wins : 135/100 ()

Auburn wins : 100/155 ()

Place your wagers here...

 

[Max]

Wow. I wouldn't have thought you'd take the bulldogs.