Time For a Cocktail
Posted October 26, 2008, 8:35 PM ET

It's time for the annual Georgia-Florida fistfight in Jacksonville....and this time, there is more riding on the outcome than ever before.

Both teams were impressive in their total dismantling of defending national champion LSU, and now it's down to business, with the loser being basically eliminated from the SEC and national title discussions.

I've been very disappointed in some of the SEC's marquee teams. I don't need to go into detail about how Auburn and Tennessee have been kicked from the Top 25 and left for dead. Auburn has absolutely no clue what they're doing on offense, while Tennessee has taken it to another level in incompetence. Plus, what happened to all the great defense in the SEC? Auburn was inept against West Virginia and LSU gave up 50+ points for the second time in three weeks. The Georgia-LSU (52-38) game looked like a Big XII game of flag football. It was only the fifth time in the SEC's 76 year history of football that two teams combined for 90 points in regulation.

By the way, I looked this up: the SEC has had four games this season in which both teams combined for 70+ points...the Big XII has had 22 games that fall into that category. Say what you want about the Big XII's lack of defense, but their games are a blast to watch. First team to 50 points, wins....usually.

Word has it that the power brokers in Knoxville have already agreed to hire a firm to conduct a national search for Phil Fulmer's replacement. The next decision is when to announce his departure. Between Clemson and apparently UT, there will be two high profile jobs available and I'm convinced there will be more in the upcoming weeks.

Fulmer has done a terrific job at Tennessee, but it is a "what have you done for me lately" mentality in the high pressure gig known as SEC Football. There are rumors flying all over the place about his successor, but let's see how Tennessee's suits play out the season.

But back to the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"...how many times do you suppose you'll see footage or highlights of last year's Georgia team stomping and dancing in the Florida end zone? I can assure you that vision is etched into the mind of Urban Meyer and his entire football department.

Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville will be incredible, but there is still no guarantee that either team will win the conference title or even be in the national title game....because there is another beast in the SEC that is Rolling...the Crimson Tide is starting to feel that it belongs in the title discussion.

Nick Saban has done a magnificent job in less than two years in Tuscaloosa, and the return to power is a little sooner than any of us imagined. When you look at the top three undefeated teams heading into November: Texas, Bama and Penn State, it's like we've gone back to the 70's, when these three powerhouses were always part of the national title discussion.

Can you imagine if these three teams actually run the table and finish undefeated? How do you break that tie? I know Kirk Herbstreit has already declared that Penn State is playing for the title if they finish 12-0, but how could they jump Texas or Bama if those two respective teams win out against tougher competition and an additional win in their conference title game?

Joe Pa and the Nittany Lions would be a great story, but there's no way Penn State has a better resume than a 13-0 Longhorn or Bama storyline. Any team that can run through the Big XII or SEC schedule without a loss should be playing for the national title. Going undefeated against the Big Ten barely draws a response....even though America is thrilled that Penn State assured us we won't be seeing the Buckeyes getting trounced in the national title game for the third year in a row.

For the record: as of this date, Penn State's only win over a ranked team this season came this past weekend in Columbus against the Buckeyes. Do you think Texas or Bama can find more than one quality win on their schedule? Hell, Texas is preparing for their fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent when they travel to Lubbock to play Texas Tech this weekend.

While I'm ranting about the BCS and the craziness that awaits us in November, I've got to give props to Duke. You heard me, the Blue Devils. Their win on the road at Vandy this past weekend needs to be noted. Granted, Auburn and South Carolina couldn't win in Nashville (two years in a row the Gamecocks lost to Vanderbilt); that didn't stop David Cutcliffe and his Blue Devils from taking down the 'Dores and winning their fourth game of the season. Duke is two games away from being bowl eligible and also eliminating their Southern Fried Football™ Probation.

The next time somebody tells you they know what's going to happen in the ACC, slap them. It is impossible to figure out which team is going to show up from week-to-week. According to my records, it looks like Maryland and Florida State are tied in the Atlantic Division and ....wait a minute...Virginia leads the Coastal Division.

Virginia? That's the same Wahoo club that lost by a hundred to Southern Cal to open the season...they were destroyed by UConn and Duke thumped them 31-3 in Durham. Say what you want about Al Groh, but his boys are playing out of their minds as we come down the stretch.

Can you imagine a Virginia - Maryland rematch in Tampa for the ACC championship? Good seats are still available.

While the Carolina Panthers enjoy a bye week and an outright lead in the NFC South, somebody pass me a cocktail, so I can enjoy the improbable world of college football.