SEC action gets cranked up this week with all the teams in action. Rece Davis, the host of ESPN College Football GameDay Final and College Football Live, offers his insights into this week's games.
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA: Will the Gators be challenged? What does coach Urban Meyer want to see out of his team?
Davis said Meyer has several goals in mind.
"He wants to sharpen up (quarterback Tim) Tebow running the whole game instead of just a few series on offense," Davis said. "He wants to get those young linebackers broken in. I hear about those young linebackers having no experience. They say there is no substitute for experience, but I would say speed and a nasty disposition are two good places to start."
Furthermore…
"(Gator linebackers) Brandon Spikes, A. J. Jones and Dustin Doe are very talented players," Davis said. "(ESPN analyst) Joe Shad tried to tell me all this stuff about how Urban and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen were telling him about how young they were and how they couldn't reload, but I told Joe that I hope he rolled up his pants leg when Urban was telling them all this stuff."
Experience is essential for this team.
"This is a loaded team and they are young, but they just need some guys to get some game action," Davis said. "It would also be nice to get a good rhythm in their running game beyond letting Tebow run it. They are a team that at the moment doesn't have a big time running back. (Tailback) Kestahn Moore could be a guy who can get them in the traditional type running game."
TROY AT ARKANSAS: Can Troy pull an upset on the road? Will the Hogs struggle in the game?
Troy is a very good program in the Sun Belt.
"They changed their offense and found a quarterback in Omar Haugabrook, but when talking about the Arkansas offensive weapons there's no comparison," Davis said.
"With the drama that has surrounded the Hog program, it's a good warm up game before the week off to get ready for Alabama. I don't see this as a stumbling block for Arkansas. I do think it's very important to have things not go wrong. Except for the Alabama game, the schedule is conducive for a good start. They may not be as strong as last year, but with their weapons they can make up for a lot of mistakes especially with Razorback tailback Darren McFadden."
TENNESSEE AT CAL: Can Cal revenge last year's beat down? Will the Vols inexperience hurt them in the opener?
Davis said Cal was greatly affected by last year's Tennessee loss.
"I don't know if I am going to predict an outright Cal win, but I do think that they learned a valuable lesson a year ago," Davis said. "I think that it has stuck with the players throughout the offseason. They were overwhelmed, manhandled and they were embarrassed. (Cal Coach) Jeff Tedford was so nauseated by his team's performance that when they got back to Berkeley at 4:00 a.m., he threw up in a trash can outside of Memorial Stadium. Jeff is wound pretty tight and he will do things like that from time to time."
He added that this is not the same Cal team from last season.
"There is no Marshawn Lynch, but the quarterback situation (with a more experienced Nate Longshore) is vastly superior at Cal compared to last year. I am sure that Tennessee has been told time and time again that this is a different Cal team, but somewhere deep inside they have to be thinking that we punked these guys pretty good last year. I think it will be a much different kind of game," Davis said
The game is a real test for both teams.
"First, it's important for Tennessee to see if they are an SEC title contender and it's a measuring stick for Cal to see if they can play with one of the big boys in the SEC. The Vols will get a great year from Erik Ainge (despite breaking his pinky). He has to get comfortable with his inexperienced receivers. If tailback LaMarcus Coker can stay on the field throughout the season, then he gives them a big play threat which they are lacking in the backfield. They have to rediscover some of that old time Tennessee toughness."
OKLAHOMA STATE AT GEORGIA: Can the Cowboys spring an upset? Can the Bulldog defense control the Oklahoma State offense?
Davis said this is a real dangerous game for Georgia.
"You take the weapons that Oklahoma State has such as Bobby Reid at quarterback," Davis said. "He is a dual- threat kind of guy. Dantrell Savage is a tough running back. Adarius Bowman is as good of a receiver as anyone in the country. This Georgia team is making some adjustments without Paul Oliver in the secondary."
The problems that Oklahoma State had last year were on defense.
"The Cowboys couldn't stop anybody," Davis said. "If they can stop anybody this year then they will be somewhat of a surprise team. If I had to pick a winner, I would probably pick Georgia in Athens, but I am not so sold on Oklahoma State that I am saying they will walk into Athens and win the game. I am saying that it will be a very dangerous game because Oklahoma State's strength, such as their offensive firepower, plays into where Georgia can be vulnerable. If Georgia's offensive line hasn't quite jelled, then they will help an Oklahoma State defense that has been generous to be charitable."
KANSAS STATE AT AUBURN: Can Coach Ron Prince's Kansas State team push Auburn? Will Auburn's offensive line be able to protect quarterback Brandon Cox?
Auburn must be not caught looking ahead.
"The game that everybody is pointing to for Auburn to be careful about is next week against South Florida," Davis said. "This one is dangerous too because this is another Big 12 non Texas-Oklahoma type measuring stick for this conference."
He continued…
"Kansas State showed some promise last year. They made a bowl game under Prince in his first year. Sophomore quarterback Josh Freeman is a talented quarterback, but he came in overweight to camp and it took him three times to pass his conditioning test and that's not what you are looking for from a kid who is going to lead your football team. Leon Patton is a small guy who is a young explosive running back. They have a guy named Jordy Nelson who is dangerous receiver."
Davis said Auburn with a healthy Brandon Cox will look much different on offense than a year ago despite an inexperienced offensive line.
"That is not a good thing when their No. 1 priority is to keep Brandon Cox healthy," he said. "They have to be aware that Freeman is big and strong and can keep them in the game. He has led a major upset when they beat Texas a year ago. Those are things that would cause concern, but Auburn has won 23- of -26 games in the SEC. You are talking about a place where at night they beat the national champion Florida Gators. I'm not sure Kansas State has the chops to go in there and win the game."
Auburn's schedule is much tougher than advertised.
"Their first two non- conference games are the worst variety for a powerhouse. If they beat Kansas State and South Florida people will go, 'so what', but if they lose, then there is a real downside," Davis said. "If they lose either of those games will people go, 'well that's a quality loss because Kansas State beat Texas and South Florida beat West Virginia.' The schedule will serve Auburn well later in the season when they get ready for SEC action."
LSU AT MISSISSIPPI STATE: Will LSU live up to early season hype? Can the Bulldogs have a spirited effort?
Can State keep the game close?
"I don't see it," Davis said. "I would like to hype up our first game as a Mississippi State team that played hard for Coach Sly Croom, but five- of- the- last- six games between these two teams has been decided by at least 30 points. There is way, way too much talent on that Purple and Gold side. That is not to say that State won't be an improved team. State defensive lineman Titus Brown and running back Anthony Dixon are good places to start."
He added that if there's anything that Mississippi State needs to do in this game, they have to get out of this game with quarterback Michael Henig healthy because they have no other option.
"When you have (Tiger defensive linemen) Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey set to wreak havoc on the quarterback it's not an easy proposition for State to keep him healthy."
OLE MISS AT MEMPHIS: How important is this game for Ole Miss? How much will the Memphis rivalry play into it?
Davis said if Ole Miss wants to take the next step and pay off some of the improved recruiting that Coach Orgeron has done, then they need to win these types of games.
"It's a rivalry game, but Memphis is somewhat down compared to what they've done in the past," he said. "They (the Rebels) certainly need to win this one. A Missouri win the following week would do a lot for their confidence. Some people have predicted that Missouri could challenge for the Big 12 North. I've talked to (Tiger quarterback) Chase Daniel and he's not making any predictions, but he believes they can make some noise and win the conference. They're a veteran club. That would be quite a coup. Winning the first one is very important. If Ole Miss could come out of the first three games 2-1 that would go a long way to help them, but their schedule is tough."
LOUSIANA LAFEYETTE AT SOUTH CAROLINA: How do the suspensions affect the Gamecocks? Will South Carolina be looking ahead to Georgia?
Could the suspension of quarterback Blake Mitchell actually be a positive for the Gamecocks?
"I think it will work in their favor to some degree," Davis said. "(Coach) Steve (Spurrier) knows what Mitchell can do. It would give reserve quarterback Chris Smelley some valuable reps. I have said South Carolina is a team that will win the SEC East this year probably in a tie- breaker. I think all teams in the east will have two conference losses by the end of the season. I think South Carolina is a SEC Eastern Division title contender. I am pretty sure their defense is going to be solid and a good tune up for next week going to Georgia."
WESTERN CAROLINA AT ALABAMA: What does Tide Coach Nick Saban want to get out of the first game? Can the Tide defense show promise early?
Davis said after all of the anticipation from the spring game and the offseason, the fans get to see the team's production on the field.
"How well does quarterback John Parker Wilson adapt to the (offensive coordinator) Major Applewhite, (offensive line coach) Joe Pendry and Nick Saban offense? How do they use tailback Terry Grant? Is the line as good as advertised? How well do they pass protect? On defense do they get anything out of a thin front seven? Who do they find among the new guys? I noticed the young linebacker Rolando McClain will start."
Davis talked about the new ESPN show "College Football Live".
"It's been well received," he said. "We try to make it as interactive as possible. Fans have flooded us with e-mails and we try to get to as many as we could. College football fans have craved a daily fix of college football and I hope we have delivered. I think we've done a pretty solid job of having guests on and breaking news from camp. Joe Shad has done a good job. Our analysts have stepped up to the plate. It's off to a good start.
During the season, we'll have games and actual performances to react to during the week. You have something tangible in which to evaluate your opinion to see if they change or remain the same."