Here Come the Samford Bulldogs

By CARLTON REESE

No Kin To The Doorman

With the Samford Bulldogs coming to Gainesville, Carlton the Doorman was quick to remind me of Georgia Southern in 2013 and how a I-AA opponent (he refuses the ‘FBC’ nomenclature and I’m starting to warm up to that) should not be taken for granted. Jacksonville State turned the trick on FSU earlier this season, so crazy things do happen especially in this season where a loss to a team that fell by 42 points to Tennessee-Chattanooga is not beyond the realm of possibility.

I assure him there is absolutely no way a loss to Samford will happen, but I’m not willing to put any money down it. Neither is the Doorman, who swears you can find a point spread on this one if you look hard enough.

Mythical point spreads aside, I’m wondering what Anthony Richardson's injury looked like to the rest of the nation – hurt while dancing the night before the South Carolina game? Pardon me, but this sounds like a story that would have come out of Tallahassee during the Willie Taggart era, and the very thought of this scares me to no end. Richardson looks like the eventual future of Gator football, but I am beginning to wonder if he is the gridiron equivalent to a “glass jaw.” He has played only sparingly this season yet has missed games due to injuries on three separate occasions. His only full-time appearance ended with him leaving the game hurt.

Enough contemplating the negative – this is a week to enjoy some atmosphere and put one in the win column. Samford could not have come at a better time, for the coaches, players or fans who are looking forward to the football equivalent of ‘drink in my hand, toes in the sand.’

As for the rest of the college football schedule, the Doorman is still licking his wounds from last week where several certain winners were flipped to losers in the waning moments of games. That sound you hear is a small pity fiddle playing in the background.

He’s back on the horse, though, and offering up a few selections to make for an interesting Saturday while the Gators are rolling in their scrimmage:

Home favorites: Boise State minus 13 over Wyoming; Clemson minus 40.5 over Connecticut; UTSA minus 33 over Southern Miss; Alabama minus 51.5 over New Mexico State.

Home dogs: Penn State plus 1 over Michigan; UNLV plus 3 over Hawaii; California plus 2 over USC; Ole Miss plus 2.5 over Texas A&M; LSU plus 2.5 over Arkansas; Tulane plus 3 over Tulsa.

The Doorman has advised to stay away from road teams this week.

Here are this week’s predictions according to the algorithm:

SEC Games: Georgia by 28.5 over Tennessee; Alabama by (off the grid) over New Mexico State; Auburn by 14 over Mississippi State; Florida by 21 over Samford; South Carolina by 2 over Missouri; Texas A&M by 2 over Ole Miss; Kentucky by 38.5 over Vanderbilt; Arkansas by 2 over LSU.

Other games of note: Miami by 11 over Florida State; N.C. State by 2 over Wake Forest; Notre Dame by 10.5 over Virginia; Penn State by 5 over Michigan; Ohio State by 30.5 over Purdue; Oklahoma by 7.5 over Baylor; Cincinnati by 34 over South Florida; SMU by 2 over Central Florida; MTSU by 26.5 over FIU; FAU by 11 over Old Dominion.

Top 10 in ratings:

1. Georgia (130.5)

2. Alabama (125.5)

3. Ohio State (125)

4. Texas A&M (102)

5. Wisconsin (98)

6. Oklahoma State (97.5)

7. Oklahoma (95)

8. Auburn (91.5)

9. Ole Miss (91.5)

10. Penn State (91)

SEC Ratings:

1. Georgia (130.5)

2. Alabama (125.5)

3. Texas A&M (102)

4. Auburn (91.5)

5. Ole Miss (91.5)

6. Arkansas (75)

7. Mississippi State (70)

8. Tennessee (67.5)

9. LSU (65)

10. Kentucky (58)

11. Florida (36)

12. South Carolina (34)

13. Missouri (23.5)

14. Vanderbilt (-25)