My 10/21 Pick...Tennessee Beats Alabama

Sorry guys, been away at the Public Defender's conference all week getting my Continuing Legal Education credits to keep my law license. I've had little to no internet access, and I wasn't about to pay 1-(900)-esque rates for the privilege at the hotel. The conference was, as it is usually, mostly boring, interrupted by flashes of occasional interesting and useful information. It's the 3rd weekend in October, which means it's the UT/Alabama game, and it's the only one I'll be picking this weekend.

On the Alabama side, John Parker Wilson is coming into his own as a QB, and he has 2 pretty good receivers to throw to. Also, the running game, led by senior Ken Darby looks like he is starting to get back on track, and the defense, though young, plays the run well and hits hard.

For UT, Erik Ainge is playing out of his mind, much better than anyone thought he could when the season began. Freshman tailback LaMarcus Coker and a now healthy Arian Foster are becoming a dynamite 1-2 punch at tailback, while WRs Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain form one of the top receiving tandems in the nation. The D is playing much better this year than usual, save the tackiling lapses in the Florida game, with the strength being the DBs. Punter Britton Colquitt is continuing the family punting tradition very well, and senior PK James Wilhoit is an All-SEC candidate.

There's no area on the field where the Tide is better than UT this year, and that's not always been the case. Absent a huge rushing game by Darby and some game-changing turnovers by the Alabama defense, I can't see the Tide beating a rested UT team coming off a bye in Knoxville. Finally, Alabama has had a terribly shaky kicking and special teams game this year, and that makes all the difference in games like this. It'll be a good, hard-hitting game, but UT wins it late at home, 30-17.