huck-s-picks

Darrell Huckaby is a syndicated columnist and author of six books including two about Georgia football. Read Huck’s Wit and Wisdom every Wednesday and Sunday. Subscribe at darrellhuckaby.net.

11.15.24

Huck's Fearless Forecast

I haven’t gotten over the disappointment of last weekend—losing a double header for the first time in a decade. We lost. Tech won. And the Playoff Committee. Those people don’t make a lick of sense. Georgia lost to two top ten teams—by their estimation—and dropped from third to ninth, even though we have beaten two top ten teams—Texas and Clem—by double digits. Oh, well. When you lose, you get what you get, and if Georgia wins the next three, they will be in the playoff—but two of the next three are going to be T-U-F-F. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. It’s almost the weekend so, What the Huck! Let’s pick a few games.

Texas at Arkansas. The Longhorns and the Razorbacks will be renewing an old Southwest Conference rivalry when Steve Sarkisian brings his Austin Steers into the Fayetteville Pig Sty. This doesn’t look to be much of a game and I don’t believe our friend Sam Pittman will have much luck roping these bovines.

Texas 35 Arkansas 17

Most of the Conference against Directional Schools. Auburn beats LA Monroe but doesn’t cover 25.2. Kentucky beats Murray State but doesn’t cover 38.5. Alabama covers 42.5 against Mercer, Texas A$M beats New Mexico state without covering 42.5. Tech beats open week and covers the spread. Now back to the real games.

Missouri at South Carolina. When Eli Drinkwitz brings his Tigers into the Carolina Chicken Coop to face the Choking Chickens of Sean Beamer the game might be more fun if they kept the TV cameras on the two coaches. Both these teams are in the middle of the road, hoping for respect from their big brothers among the real teams in the league. The Cock-a-doodle-dos are two touchdown favorites, but I think that’s a scotch too much.

USC 31 Mizzou 20

LSU at Florida. Brian Kelly brings his wounded Tigers to The Swamp Saturday and the old boy is probably wondering why he ever left Touchdown Jesus and the safety of a one-tough-game-a-year schedule to come play with the big boys in the SEC. Florida has the toughest schedule in the nation, by far, but they have a lot of talent and Billy Napier has helped them at least keep their interest through a tough year. It won’t be a cakewalk for the Bayou Bengals—in fact, I smell an upset.

Gators 31 Tigers 28

Tennessee on Dooley Field. And the whole season comes down to 60 minutes of football between the hedges. This is the kind of game that Kirby Smart has always had his team ready to play. Two top ten teams. Gameday on Campus. SEC Nation on campus. Night game. Blackout, according to someone who made a random social media post to that effect. I wish I felt that the performance on the field would live up to the hype, but I don’t. This team is missing something. Be it leadership or the inability to overcome key injuries or the failure to develop the studs that left and are playing on Sunday. The 2024 version of the Bulldogs have just not been an elite team. What have you seen out of Carson Beck and this offensive crew that would say otherwise? I believe Kirby Smart will have his team back among the elite soon, but I don’t believe it will be this week. I hope I’m wrong, but . . .

Vols 24 Dawgs 16

Look for me Saturday under the Oak Tree. I’ll be the haggard old man in the red shirt. Social media can’t tell me what to wear. And if I’m as wrong as I hope I am—y’all bark me all the way back to my car after the game.

Darrell Huckaby

You can read Darrell Huckaby's non-football reflections on life in the American South every Wednesday and Sunday. Subscribe at www.darrellHuck’s Fearless Forecast