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Big Name Regular Season OOC Games - SEC West

Posted on 8/3/15 at 7:35 am
Posted by skrayper
21-0 Asterisk Drive
Member since Nov 2012
31530 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 7:35 am
I was looking at the slate of OOC games this year, breaking them down into beginning and end of season games.

Beginning:
Alabama - Wisconsin:
I think Alabama gets a good game, but also a good matchup - where Wisconsin's strengths match up poorly against Alabama. It will likely be a bit closer than some fans think, but I doubt Alabama is ever truly challenged. Will the Alabama defense be as stout as advertised? Considering this is the very first game of the season, I see a few more points than if this were played mid-season. Alabama 42-20

Arkansas - Texas Tech:
The Razorbacks aren't opening with their biggest OOC opponent, Texas Tech - though TT being their biggest OOC opponent is, admittedly, debatable. TT went a sad 4-8 last year in the Big 12, Toledo was busy winning their conference (though losing 3 OOC games in the process). We'll go with TT here, as they are from a power conference, but this match-up is barely worth going to the trouble of turning on the TV for. Arkansas 38-7

Auburn - Louisville:
Auburn should come out of the gates fast and strong. They get a Louisville team that had a good record last year, but lacked any marquee wins and nearly lost to Kentucky as well as getting beaten by 23 against UGA. UL is once again one of those "good" matchups that will end up playing right into the SEC team's hands. The most interesting bit: a first true glimpse of how much of an improvement Muschamp has made to the Tiger defense. Auburn 49-38

LSU - Syracuse:
Syracuse gets LSU in game 4 of the regular season, which means that Syracuse hoping that the Tigers would be flat (and about the only hope they had) is gone. Syracuse went a pathetic 1-7 in the ACC last year, and 3 losses were by over 20 points. While Syracuse wasn't blown out by anyone last year, the idea that they might pose a threat to LSU is laughable. Their only hope? That the previous games against Auburn and MSU leaves LSU so beat up that they're fielding their band. This one isn't likely to be any closer than Arkansas' match-up. LSU 38-3

Mississippi State - MSU lacks a marquee match-up this season, with their biggest OOC game being their HC game against La Tech.

Ole Miss - Ole Miss lacks a marquee match-up this season, with their biggest OOC game being game 2 against Fresno St.

Texas A&M - Arizona St:
Texas A&M gets a very good one in ASU, who finished with 10 wins last year and brings in one of the more potent offenses from 2014. Aside from a 3 game stretch mid-season, ASU routinely had no issues putting points on the board. While Chavis and Muschamp are both facing good offenses to start their careers at their new schools, I think Chavis is encountering the tougher starting opponent. The key will be to see how well A&M's offense comes out of the gate, and even more so how well their defense is operating. I think this may end up being the closest game, and therefor the most entertaining. I think A&M wins in a close one. Texas A&M 35-31

Good match-ups (in order of best expected game):
Texas A&M - ASU
Auburn -Louisville
Alabama vs Wisconsin

Power 5 Match-ups that will be sad to watch:
LSU - Syracuse
Arkansas - Texas Tech

Just couldn't get a Power 5 match-up:
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Posted by nebraskafaninwi
Member since Mar 2013
2655 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:08 am to

Texas A&M - ASU - ASU with a win in a high scoring game.

Auburn -Louisville - Louisville pulls off an upset.

Alabama vs Wisconsin - Alabama with an easy win.


Power 5 Match-ups that will be sad to watch:

LSU - Syracuse - LSU wins but what about QB play?

Arkansas - Texas Tech - Arky with an easy win and impresses; rest of SEC takes notice and becomes afraid of a loss to Arky.
Posted by MenloDawg
Member since Jan 2010
6725 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:18 am to
I don't expect Louisville to put up much of a fight against AU - maybe the first half will be close. Louisville lost so much from last year's team.
Posted by Dawgsontop34
Member since Jun 2014
43671 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:37 am to
I think it's pretty good analysis for the most part. I believe Tech will put up more than 7 points, but Arky should win that game handily and I wouldn't be surprised to see Collins and Williams combine for 350+ yards in that game.

Alabama-Wisconsin definitely suits Bama when Wiscy is on offense because they are a predominantly running team and Alabama's run defense will definitely be their strength early.

I don't see Auburn-Louisville being that high scoring, especially with all the Cards lost on the offensive side of the ball and all Auburn got. Auburn has the much better team and should win relatively handily.

As far as A&M and ASU goes, I don't know enough about ASU yet to make an accurate prediction for this game. IMO, this is a massive game for A&M though, because if they can impress defensively under Chavis, recruits will absolutely take notice and the earlier in the season they take notice, the more likely they are to get high-end players.
Posted by Eric4Tide
Attalla, Alabama
Member since Jul 2015
114 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:42 am to
Wisconsin plays a physical game. If Kiffin gets to finesse we may lose this one.
Posted by SouthOfHere
Pascagoula, Ms
Member since Feb 2013
1921 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:44 am to
Umm..... MSU vs USM???

Open the season with a matchup of the 2 premier teams in Mississippi.
Posted by Eric Nies Grind Time
Atlanta GA - ITP
Member since Sep 2012
25112 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 8:57 am to
I think you are selling Texas Tech a little short. I think that game will be closer than that.
Posted by Old Sarge
Dean of Admissions, LSU
Member since Jan 2012
56308 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:10 am to
A&M 45-24
Posted by DMagic
#ChowderPosse
Member since Aug 2010
47272 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:33 am to
We had a power 5 matchup with Clemson but the tater heads canceled
Posted by Rebel Land Shark
Member since Jul 2013
30218 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:34 am to
quote:

Ole Miss - Ole Miss lacks a marquee match-up this season, with their biggest OOC game being game 2 against Fresno St.


Our biggest OOC is against Memphis. We were supposed to play Clemson this year but they backed out on us.
Posted by Nguyening
SEMO
Member since Jun 2013
9066 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:39 am to
quote:

Texas A&M - ASU
Auburn -Louisville
Alabama vs Wisconsin

Power 5 Match-ups that will be sad to watch:
LSU - Syracuse
Arkansas - Texas Tech


SEC wins all of them
Posted by AuburnTigers
Member since Aug 2013
8646 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:52 am to
A glimpse of Auburn's defense under Muschamp - 38 points

Gtfo. If Louisville scores 24 I will be shocked
Posted by WDE24
Member since Oct 2010
54285 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 10:24 am to
Refreshing post. Good work.
Posted by ChunkyLover54
Member since Apr 2015
6554 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 10:57 am to
As far as non-annual, end-of-season rivalry games, I see it like this as far as games the SEC should take in order to get back to where they should be in the national-consciousness.

Tier 1:
Bama/Wiscy -very important to get the league back to eyes of the haters.
Auburn/Louisville - same thing, but to a lesser degree
A&M/Arizona State - critical in the SEC/Pac 12 debate that's never settled on the field.
Tennessee/Oklahoma - would be a big plus for the SEC

Tier 2:
Arkansas/Texas Tech
LSU/Syracuse
Mizzou/BYU
USC/UNC
MSU/Louisiana Tech
UGA/Ga. Southern
Ole Miss/Memphis

Tier 3:
Kentucky/ULL
USC/UCF
Vandy/Houston
Ole Miss/Fresno
Florida/East Carolina
Posted by Farmer1906
The Woodlands, TX
Member since Apr 2009
51305 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 11:04 am to
Ags gunna boat race ASU just like USCe last year. They won't be ready for us.
Posted by Spirit Of Aggieland
Houston
Member since Aug 2011
4607 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 12:49 pm to
Now THAT was a good OP. Agree with the analysis. Well done.

ASU is a tough opponent. My hope is that they aren't as cohesive on offense early in the season without Jaelen Strong at WR to bail them out often on 3rd down (like he did so often last year). So, A&M might be able to slow them down on a few drives.

Also, excited to see if the A&M run game has improved. Good measuring stick for week 1.

Optimistic, but not overconfident, bc we have seen how ASU presents challenges.

Looking forward to seeing some hot ASU girls as well.
Posted by Ancient Astronaut
Member since May 2015
34502 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 12:54 pm to
quote:

Ole Miss - Ole Miss lacks a marquee match-up this season, with their biggest OOC game being game 2 against Fresno St.



They play Memphis
Posted by CGSC Lobotomy
Member since Sep 2011
81611 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 1:27 pm to
Here's how the PAC 12 has done when playing in the Central and Eastern time zones last season:

UCLA 28, at Virginia 21
Cal 31, at Northwestern 24
Arizona 26, at UTSA 23
Colorado 41, at UMASS 38
at Boston College 37, USC 31
UCLA 20, Texas 17
Utah 26, at Michigan 10
at Notre Dame 17, Stanford 14
Arizona State 36, Duke 31
UCLA 40, Kansas State 35
Ohio State 42, Oregon 20

PAC 12 teams frequently struggle when having to play in the eastern and central time zones. This is why I see Michigan State beating Oregon in Lansing and Texas A&M beating Arizona State in Houston.
This post was edited on 8/3/15 at 1:31 pm
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