Happy football season, y’all. Laura here. We are kicking off our SEC + UAB football blog today! In case you didn’t know, GM is a really great hangout for gamedays. We’ve got all the games, all of the specials ($4 Dickel 8 and Tabasco, $5 Tito’s, happy hour beer prices, free fries or tots with purchase of wings during UA and AU games), and sound ON! Plus no one minds if you yell at the tv.
In order to prep for the excitement of football Saturdays, and the occasional weeknight games, we’ve decided to have a weekly blog update with some fun game previews and color commentary. This week Christina Turner took the reins and I’m a big fan of what she came up with. If you don’t know Christina, know this: she’s a rabid Bama fan and not afraid to express her opinions. She also does her research, so I imagine her predictions are probably pretty on point. Christina, fondly known as Tina Turner by much of the staff, has been part of the Marty’s family for years and I think is the perfect choice for our first football blogger.
Without further ado, I present College Football Week 1 courtesy of Tina Turner:
There are certain checkboxes that most southerners must fulfill to show authenticity. It ranges from person to person and varies greatly around the region. Maybe you have the perfect collard green recipe handed down from several generations prior, or know where the best swimming holes are when the summer heat is bearing down. We all have our own style of BBQ and claim it is the best in the land. Football is a combination of personal and local pride for most of us. In Alabama you’re often born into one of two fandoms, and straying from the family tradition can be rocky. People in the south generally seem to care more about college football than the rest of the nation. Our conference dominance is a point of pride that unites the south against the rest of the country, and often we’ll put aside petty differences and root for a rival against an outsider. Many of us start a countdown clock the second the NCAA Championship is over until the season returns in the fall. That long wait is finally over and college football is back! To celebrate we’ve broken down the first week of SEC games in a preview form to act as a guide on when and who to watch. Our main TVs will showcase the local favorites, but you’ll still be able to watch other important games on other screens. Come join us for food and drink specials this Saturaday!
Alabama vs Duke (ABC 2:30 PM CST): This is an underwhelming match for most Bama fans for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic game. We are expecting a blow-out game, and are anxious to see how Tua has grown over the off season. The spread for this game is likely one of the highest of the week.
Auburn vs Oregon (ABC 6:30 PM CST): If you’re only going to watch one game this week, this is the one to watch. Oregon has a Heisman level QB facing off a strong Auburn defense. Oregon is ranked #11 and Auburn #16 which makes this game the only game of the week between two ranked opponents with an SEC school. While this writer is apprehensive of Malzahn’s coaching ability, I do believe that the defense will win the day for Auburn. It should be a close and exciting game either way.
UAB vs Alabama State (ESPN+ Thursday 7:00 PM CST): Our home team champs return to play what should be an easy W for UAB. We’re expecting UAB to have a pretty stellar season this year. While this game won’t be a challenge for the Blazers, you’ll still get a preview of what to expect from them this year.
LSU vs GA Southern (SECN 6:30 PM CST): LSU will win this game, and it will be a boring game to watch. Watch the Auburn game instead and watch the highlights later.
Mississippi State vs LA-Lafayette (ESPNU 11:00 AM CST): Another cupcake match-up that won’t be and exciting game. The most important things to watch in this game are their new QB Tommy Stevens, and which players will be suspended for NCAA violations. MS State is keeping the list close to the chest on this one, but we’ll know how badly their roster is affected on Sat.
Ole Miss vs Memphis Tigers (ABC 11:00 AM CST): Somehow the prediction for this match-up is close, with plenty of people considering Ole Miss the underdogs. Neither team has a great defense; Ole Miss was last in total and scoring D last year. So if you’re into watching train wrecks, this is your game.
Arkansas vs Portland State (SECN 3:00 PM CST): Speaking of train wrecks…You can’t be certain of a victory from Arkansas when they got pounded by North Texas last year. However, the Razorbacks are trying to re-build so guess we’ll see how that is working out.
Texas A&M vs Texas State (SECN Thursday 7:30 PM CST): You’ll watch this game on Thursday because of nothing else to do. If it was on Saturday, you’d likely skip it. Regardless A&M likely has the hardest schedule in the country this year. They deserve the cupcake more than anyone.
Georgia vs Vanderbilt (SECN 6:30 PM CST): This is the one and only SEC match-up for the week, so we’ll check in on it when we’re not watching the Auburn game. Honestly it doesn’t take a psychic to know that Georgia is going to wipe the floor with Vandy.
Kentucky vs Toledo (SECN 11:00 CST): Most people won’t watch this game because Kentucky is a basketball school and they aren’t playing an SEC team. I’d rather watch the Ole Miss game.
South Carolina vs UNC (ESPN 2:30 CST): A rivalry game on week one, crazy right? Anything couldhappen, but the most likely outcome is the Gamecocks beating UNC like a good SEC school playing an ACC school that isn’t Clemson.
Missouri vs Wyoming (CBSS 6:30 CST): Watch the Auburn game.
Florida vs Miami (24 FL -20 Miami): Everyone I’ve talked to was baffled as to why Florida would be ranked #8 in the pre-season poll. They proved everyone right with an embarrassing performance against unranked Miami. They’ll be back next week with what is sure to be an epic match up with the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks.
Tennessee vs Georgia State (ESPNU 2:30 CST): Tennessee will always be last because they are the WORST. While the Panthers upsetting the Vols would be the best week one game of all time this is unlikely. Who cares if they win this cupcake. Tennessee will still have a gloriously horrible, and embarrassing season. Few things make me happier.
See y’all at the bar! – Laura and Christina