Instant Classic: 2012 SEC Championship Reaction, A Dawg Fan's Take

I know it's been a while, and I'm glad to be back!  Here's my postgame reaction to one of the greatest college football games ever played:

Go Dawgs!

Who Should The Carolina Panthers Draft? 2012 NFL Draft Live Chat at Don'tbuythehype!!!

CLICK THE VIDEO ABOVE, for the whole all my comments on who the Carolina Panthers should draft in 2012.

Go to http://dontbuythehype.blogspot.com/ and join us for a live 2012 NFL Draft chat on Thursday, April 26th and Friday, April 27th at http://dontbuythehype.blogspot.com/

College Football Bowl Game Picks(the important games)

The SEC helps to Heat up the College Bowl Season!

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So, far the college football bowl season has been pretty uneventful. I have watched some games like the Baylor vs. Washington game for example, was an exciting, high scoring track meet, but overall college fans have not seen much that would make them jump out of their recliners. Don't worry the big bowls are still to come, and a SEC National championship is sure to heat up fans this winter. Here are my predictions for the important bowls. I will say sorry ahead of time to the college football purest, I did not waste my time on the small bowls.

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Monday, January 2

Houston (19) vs. Penn State (22)

Ticketcity Bowl ESPN U 12:00 PM ET

Penn State 31-27

Penn State will win the game in the trenches.

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Nebraska (20) vs. South Carolina (9)

Capital One Bowl ESPN 1:00 PM ET

South Carolina 34-20

The SEC teams are too big, mean, and fast.

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Michigan State (17) vs. Georgia (16)

Outback Bowl ABC 1:00 PM ET

UGA 41-31

SEC, enough said.

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Ohio State vs. Flordia

Gator Bowl ESPN 2 1:00 PM ET

Ohio State 35-27

The Gators have not been the same since Urban Meyer left, and now he is at Ohio State, oh irony!

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Wisconsin (10) vs. Oregon (5)

Rose Bowl ESPN 5:00 PM ET

Oregon 48-34

I like Wisconsin, Russell Wilson and Montee Ball are great. Wisconsin will score a lot points in this shootout, but in the end Oregon is too fast and speed kills!

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Stanford (4) vs. Oklahoma State (3)

Fiesta Bowl ESPN 8:00 PM ET

Oklahoma State 45-38

Someone has to win in this shootout.

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Tuesday, January 3

Michigan (13) vs. Virginia Tech (11)

Sugar Bowl ESPN 8:30 PM ET

Michigan 31-23

Michigan is ready to make a statement on the big stage.

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Wednesday, January 4

West Virginia (23) vs. Clemson (15)

Orange Bowl ESPN 8:30 PM ET

Clemson 41-27

Clemson is just too athletic and fast.

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Friday, January 6

Kansas State (8) vs. Arkansas (6)

Cotton Bowl 8:00 ESPN PM ET

Arkansas 52-41

I will take the SEC team almost everytime. This game should have a ton of offense.

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Roll Tide and Nick Saban are ready for greatness!

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Monday, January 9

Alabama (2) vs. LSU (1)

BCS National Championship ESPN 8:30 PM ET

Bama 19-13

The best two teams are playing in the BCS National Championship game and that is all college football fans can ask for. LSU maybe the best team in the country(and could be the best college football defense I have ever seen), but it is tough to beat a team as good as Alabama twice. Bama could have won the 1st game, but they missed two field goals. Alabama should find the mark this time and get the win in a defensive struggle. A win for Saban will put his name among the great coaches of all time!

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Time to party in Tuscaloosa, ROLL TIDE!

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College Football Conference Championship Picks

Pack, you miss me yet?

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Friday Dec. 2

UCLA vs. Oregon (8:00 PM ET FOX)

Oregon 34-10

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Saturday Dec. 3

UGA vs. LSU (4:00 PM ET CBS)

LSU 32-16

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Virginia Tech vs. Clemson (8:00 PM ET ESPN)

Virginia Tech 31-24

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Wisconsin vs. Michigan State (8:17 PM ET FOX)

Wisconsin 34-23

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Wisconsin lost a close one to Michigan State earlier in the year. This time Russell Wilson will not let this big game slip through his fingers. The Badgers will be Rose Bowl bound!

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1,2,3 SEC!!!

A Different Breed!

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It is hard to believe, but I still run into sports fans who believe that the SEC is not the best college football conference in the country. Recently, the SEC had the number 1,2,and 3 teams in the nation. This is one of the impressive accomplishments by a conference in my lifetime. The only thing more impressive would be if the SEC wins its 6 straight National Championship this year, which seems likely. Yet, I have talked to two different people this year(one of these people was from Ohio) who tried to convince me that the Big 12 and the Big 10 is better. I laughed at them. I will not spend any time trying to persuade anyone, including those reading this blog that the SEC is better. Because it is not even close! I am a huge ACC fan and I watch SEC football with such envy. When LSU runs through the tunnel onto the field, it's like warriors of old running into battle. Few intelligent sports fans will argue against the superiority of the SEC, but there is a great debate as to why. Well, there is not one factor why the SEC is best, because they are the best in every facet of the game. The SEC is the fastest, meanest, most skilled, and has the best fan bases(who are borderline crazy). They recruit from the best talent pool(the South), and they have the best college coaches. With all that said, the biggest reason the SEC has a monopoly on great college football is their seriousness for the game.

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I recently watched a "behind the scenes" look of Alabama's football team on ESPN, and what stood out to me is that the coaches and players alike were so focused and took the game so seriously. Football coaches in the ACC act like glorified gym teachers. The Alabama coaches act like CEO's of fortune 500 companies. Every question the Alabama coaches and players answered oozed with confidence, swagger, and intensity. After watching this look into the Alabama football program, I could not have been more impressed. I am a UNC basketball fan and we are the best college basketball program in the nation, and nothing I have seen at North Carolina compares to Alabama's football program.

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LSU is playing UGA for the SEC championship this Saturday at 4:00 PM ET on CBS. Georgia has been extremely impressive over the last 11 games, but I don't think they can stand up to LSU's brutal defense. The LSU defense is one of the best I have ever seen. To say LSU's defense is aggressive is an insult to them. They play defense the way barbarians sack a city full of women and children. It seems that a wave of yellow just attacks the ball every play like a pack of wild dogs attack one piece of meat. The Dawgs have a good defense, but they do not play like that.

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My prediction for the game: LSU over UGA 32-16. I know this is not a very daring pick, but I can't see it going any other way.

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While I am writing about LSU, I would like to ask a question to SEC fans and college football fans alike. Why doesn't Les Miles get more credit as a football coach? People love to talk about him as "crazy" or a late game gambler. ESPN does commericals about him eating grass, but the people should be talking about Miles being maybe the best coach in all of college football. I guess there are reasons why Miles doesn't seem to get mentioned in the best coach conversations as much as he should. One reason is the guy who runs the Alabama program. Plus, Miles comes across as the ex jock jack-ass who thinks his "you know what" doesn't stink. Still, Les Miles' record speaks for itself, 74-17 over the last 7 seasons. That is just a little more than two losses a year, amazing! LSU does have tons of talent and sends their fair share of players to the NFL, but they do not have the highly ranker recruited classes that some other schools(Miami, Texas, FSU, etc.) have. Yet, Miles has a National Championship and may have another one this year and an undefeated season to ice the cake. So, as much as fans will hate to crown a guy who seems to be a jerk, let the talk begin, Les Miles should be put on the short list of the best coaches in all of college football!

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I would like to leave you with one last question for fans to ponder. The SEC teams have some of the best coaches, facilities, and traditions in all of college football, but is there any other reason the best high school players in the nation might want to play for the SEC school? Just asking...

Why would a boy want to go to LSU? A Mystery, I Guess!

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