Adams: It won't be complete washout against Tide

Alabama claims 12 national championships, half of which are actually acknowledged by college football's general populace. But in the context of the Tennessee-Alabama series, the Tide's No. 1 ranking is hardly business as usual.

In 1979 and 1980, Alabama was ranked No. 1 when it played UT. Until this week, that was the last time it entered this game as college football's No. 1 team.

Alabama's ranking might be a good omen for the Vols. This year marks the 50th anniversary of UT upsetting No. 1-ranked LSU.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of UT suffering back-to-back shutout losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

Alabama 23, UT 10: But I'm predicting multiple touchdowns against Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

LSU 24, Auburn 20: You can prove almost anything with statistics - anything but LSU's No. 9 ranking.

LSU, which has somehow managed to win five of six games, ranks last in the SEC in total offense and seventh in total defense. It's also ninth in pass defense, 11th in rushing and last in kickoff returns.

It's even worse at rushing the passer than it is in rushing offense. The Tigers have the fewest sacks in the SEC, and are 11th in sacks allowed.

Florida 37, Mississippi State 17: Wide receiver Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy aren't all that's missing from last year's Florida offense, which blitzed the rest of the SEC in the second half of the 2008 season.

The blitz is on the fritz. In three of its last four SEC games, the Gators have scored 23 points or fewer, and former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen is looking more valuable than ever.

Mullen's Bulldogs rank sixth in the SEC in total offense and have scored 192 points in seven games. That's nine more than they scored last season under Sylvester Croom.

South Carolina 24, Vanderbilt 13: The Commodores apparently are intent on proving two things: last season was an aberration; quarterback isn't the most important position on the field.

If quarterback was the most important position, how come Vanderbilt won a bowl game with current quarterback Larry Smith but never made a bowl with Jay Cutler at quarterback?

Arkansas 34, Ole Miss 30: The Razorbacks are due for a letdown after almost upsetting Florida. The Rebels are due to remind everyone that they were once a nationally ranked team.

So why am I picking Arkansas? Because it looks more like a nationally ranked team than Ole Miss does.

Kentucky 27, Louisiana-Monroe 20: Following the Wildcats' upset of Auburn, you could make a strong argument that injured quarterback Mike Hartline is the most valuable player in the conference. It took three men to replace him.

You also could make an argument that any one of the three replacements was an improvement.

Top 25: Texas 38, Missouri 20; Southern California 34, Oregon State 23; Michigan State 24, Iowa 23; Cincinnati 38, Louisville 20; Boise State 41, Hawaii 13; Oregon 37, Washington 24; Miami 31, Clemson 23; Virginia 24, Georgia Tech 20; TCU 23, BYU 21; Penn State 27, Michigan 24; Oklahoma State 37, Baylor 16; Houston 42, SMU 24; Utah 31, Air Force 20; Ohio State 31, Minnesota 13; Texas Tech 45, Texas A&M 30; Pittsburgh 30, South Florida 20; Oklahoma 38, Kansas 24; West Virginia 31, Connecticut 23.

Record: 116-32 (.784) overall, 71-58 (.550) against the spread.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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