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ATLANTA, Ga—It’s a rainy night in Georgia.  It has been raining all week, and it looks like the South will be wet for SEC football weekend 3.  Funny thing about the rain is that it can change the outcome of a football game.  Turnovers tend to happen more frequently.  Anything can happen.  I’m 16-2 (89%) for the first two weeks.  Here are my SEC predictions for Week 3:

SEC Game of the Week:  Tennessee Volunteers vs Florida Gators in the Swamp.  This could be the most highly viewed football game, outside of a Championship, in NCAA history.  Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin drew blood early in this rivalry by mentioning in his very first speech how he would enjoy beating Florida. 

Needless to say, it has all the theater of a cocky Freshman talking trash about the biggest, strongest Senior in the school.  Everybody knows how the story ends.  The bell rings and the Freshman gets his tail whipped in front of half the school.  The only difference in this scenario is that the Vols will get beat in front of a national TV audience for all the world to see. 

There was some finger pointing in the Vols' locker room after the UCLA game which sends up a big flag for me.  I liked the way Coach Kiffin took the pressure off his quarterback by blaming the play calling and offensive line. 

If Kiffin didn’t defend quarterback Crompton, nobody else would.  Even Crompton’s Mom refused to talk to the media.  The rain is the only thing that can slow down the Gators in this one.  Gators chomp Kiffin and company 45-10.

SEC East vs SEC West:  Georgia Bulldogs vs Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.  Looks like the Bulldogs are walking into another big game.  The Bulldogs have had two tough early games while Arkansas has had an easy game and a week off. 

Arkansas will be better than last year with quarterback Ryan Mallet and a much improved backfield.  Georgia has some playmakers that can score at any time.  This should be a great game to watch.  I like the Dawgs in another close one 31-28.

SEC East vs SEC West:  Miss State vs Vanderbilt in Nashville.  Vandy has proved to be scrappy in their first two games and could give the Miss State defense problems.  Miss State should still be nursing some wounds from the Auburn game.  We like Vandy 28-21.

SEC vs Big East:  West Virginia Mountaineers vs Auburn Tigers in Auburn.  I got a fair amount of hate mail from Auburn fans last week for suggesting that Miss State could score 28 points.  And I guess they were right, Miss State only scored 24 points. 

Either way, Auburn has racked up a lot of yards through their rushing attack and have put some respectable points on the board too.  The Tigers have some confidence now and will put a beat down on the Mountaineers.  Auburn wins 31-17.

SEC vs Big East:  Louisville Cardinals vs Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington.  This rivalry game is played for the Governor’s Cup.  Just so happens, Governor Beshear is a Wildcat graduate.  I like quarterback Mike Hartline and I know Randall Cobb brings explosiveness to the Kentucky offense.  Kentucky wins 27-14.

SEC vs Sun Belt:  Alabama Crimson Tide vs North Texas Mean Green in Tuscaloosa.  Tide Rolls again for another big win.

SEC vs Sun Belt:  LSU Tigers vs Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in Baton Rouge.  It will probably get hot and spicy in Tiger Stadium, but the Tigers will continue an undefeated record against Sun Belt opponents.

SEC vs Sun Belt:  South Carolina Gamecocks vs Florida Atlantic Owls in Columbia.  Coach Spurrier will play a lot of players in this one as he prepares for Ole Miss on ESPN Thursday.  Gamecocks win.

SEC vs Southland Conference:  Ole Miss Rebels vs SE Louisiana in Oxford.  Rebel Quarterback Jevan Snead will light it up, and Ole Miss will be 2-0.

I wouldn’t miss the Florida-Tennessee game for a new laptop.  My brother-in-law is a big Vol fan and usually invites me over for this game, but I haven’t heard a word from him this week.  With a 30 point line on the game, the Vols could beat expectations.  Either way, it will be great SEC football. 

I will see you on the ball field.

Jay Holgate is an SEC sports analyst, freelance writer and editor of SEC Sports Report.  He can be heard on sports radio around the South.  He can be reached at editor (at) SECsportsReport (dot) com.

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