The Wiesguy is a newcomer to the handicapping scene. Hailing from Toronto, Canada he is always sweet on the underdogs and you can often find his thoughts, musings and picks at moneydogs.blogspot.com.
In some ways writing about Alabama is hard because there isn’t much to write that hasn’t already been written. Yes they are the two time defending national champs (3 in 4 years). Yes they have one of the best coaches in America (Nick Saban).
Finally we have some genuine action and not just talk. This border state battle is easily the best game of the first day of action as it pits two teams who though not favourites in either the SEC or ACC, are at least in the discussion of possible conference champs respectively.
Things did not go swimmingly for Missouri in their first tour of the SEC last season as they dealt with injuries and poor performance overall. They were able to notch only two conference victories against the bottom of the SEC East, Tennessee and Kentucky.
It has been awhile since there was any reason to be excited about Kentucky football but with the hire of Mark Stoops as head coach they may have finally found someone who can get the program back to some level of sustained success.
South Carolina enjoyed another very good season last year, finishing 11-2 after a bowl win for the second year in a row. Even though coach Steve Spurrier is known as an offensive genius it is defense that leads this club and they are led by the most dynamic defensive player in the nation – Jadeveon Clowney.
Georgia has been very good over the last decade but never really able to break through in a big way. Maybe this year is the year they can, led by a senior QB captaining an offense that should be among the best in the conference and the nation.
Vanderbilt amazingly finished last season 9-4, the most wins they have had since 1915. The team finished on a 7 game winning streak and it was a very exciting season in Nashville.
There was a lot of criticism of the Florida Gators last year for struggling against some weaker teams on their but they finished 11-2 including a win against Texas A&M and Johnny Manziel. The success was primarily thanks to a top 5 defense as the Gators haven’t really been able to get their offense on track since QB Tim Tebow graduated.
For the third time in the past decade Tennessee is trying to regroup with a new coach. I like the hire of Butch Jones who did good things at Central Michigan and Cincinnati but I think he might have been wise to stay out of the SEC if he wants to have the kind of success he is used to.
The SEC is the biggest baddest conference around and they have earned that title. The League have won so many championships in a row it is hard to keep track and have to be an odds on favourite again as they enter this season with a high number of highly ranked teams.
What is Wake Forest Football? For decades they were an also ran program in the ACC. They fought hard but usually came up short and then in 2006 they won 11 games, including a shutout at Florida State, and played in the Orange Bowl.
Boston did not show very well last night in this series opener between first place teams getting shutout on the West Coast. Yesterday they had just two hits off of Ricky Nolasco and things won’t get much easier this afternoon.
Ever since noted quarterback developer David Cutcliffe came to Duke the program has gotten a lot more respectable. Last year they finished 6-7 but that final loss was in the Belk Bowl, the first time the program had gone bowling since 1994.
Miami is one of the most fearsome programs in college football. Sure they have been down of late and there are some questions surrounding future penalties but everyone in college football knows that if, and when, they get things going again they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Former coach Butch Davis did a great job bringing talent to Chapel Hill but he never won enough to justify putting the program in some sticky situations. Last year the program moved on with new coach Larry Fedora and had a very solid 8-4 season.
Pittsburgh is one of two new teams to the ACC this seasonand the timing isn’t great for this once proud program as they are coming off a mediocre season and will be breaking in a new QB.
