Tusk to Tail 2014: 7 predictions from Highly Effective Tailgaters, week 7

Will it be an Alabama butt-whoopin’ for the Hogs this week? The previous six weeks of the college football season may have been a strange trip already, but Tusk to Tail says the odds are slim for a classic upset over Sabin’s Crimson Tide.

THE QUESTION
In the wake of last week’s upsets, who do you predict will play in the first college football playoffs? Who wins the championship?

Sean Casey
The first college playoff will host four teams. Florida State, because they have an unbelievably easy schedule. Auburn looks like the team that will emerge from the chaos of the SEC West, and ultimately the SEC. Michigan State … but does anyone still believe the B1G is competitive with the SEC or even the ACC? Oklahoma will win the Longhorn Conference on Nov. 8 by beating Baylor in Norman. Aubie gets its revenge on Free Shoe U in the championship game. 

Jack Clark
FSU, Baylor, Alabama and Auburn will make the playoff. I think Alabama will beat Auburn to decide the SEC west, and Alabama will win the SEC but it will be hard to leave Auburn out of the group. Alabama and Auburn will meet in the National Championship  game.

Dale Cullins
Still a bit early on the playoff but I could see the following scenario: Baylor goes undefeated in the Big 12. Notre Dame goes undefeated and they play a decent schedule, but still unworthy in the eyes of most fans. Join a conference! Florida State, perhaps not as good as last year, but they are still good enough to go undefeated in the bad ACC. Then Auburn or Mississippi State. So far these two look to be the two best teams in the SEC West, and thus the SEC. The winner of this game could go undefeated on the season or even have a loss but make the playoff.

With this scenario, I would still go with the SEC Champ. Defense wins titles and this year AU and State have good enough D's to hold these other three teams in the playoff to 30 points or less. They both have scoring offenses, so SEC wins again.

Greg Houser
OK, so trying to guess which four teams will be in the playoffs is like guessing "who's the daddy" in a Jerry Springer show. Could be anybody. I'll take Aubbie, Florida State Criminoles, Baylor, and Oregon or another SEC team.

David Rice
Last weekend’s games probably mean that there are going to be some very good one-loss teams that do not make the playoffs. Who does? My guess this week is Florida State, Michigan State, and I think Oklahoma and Alabama play their way back in. I’d take a FSU repeat in that scenario.

Mark Wagner
The playoffs will consist of FSU, a school from Mississippi, Auburn, and Notre Dame. The National Champion will be Auburn (if they get by Miss State this week).

Davey “the Steak” Shula
Auburn, Florida State, Oklahoma, and Michigan State. Auburn wins championship. I would expect at least one more huge weekend of change before it is all over.

Todd Rudisill
Obviously this will change nine times over the coming weeks. Auburn, FSU, Baylor/OU winner, and a SEC school to be named. No idea. Honestly I think FSU loses along the way. Auburn wins the national championship.

THE GAMES
#7 Alabama @ Arkansas
Sean Casey
Hogs play tough and physical with Bama, but late game mishaps cost the Hogs another heartbreaker. Bama wins 42-35.

Jack Clark
Alabama will whip our butts this week. However, I think we will actually score points in this game. I will be elated if the Hogs win and I'm wrong.

Dale Cullins
Bama is rolling up The Hill a bit banged up, but hungry for an SEC win. I see a 10-7 half time score and then a final of 20-17 or 24-20 with Bama on top. Hogs still don't have a secondary and Sims is good enough to find some open men when he has to. Close one yet again, but the Hogs fall.

Craig May
It’s not going to be the beatdown it’s been the last two seasons. Unlike last weekend at Ole Miss, I expect Alabama to be sharp. Unfortunately, our strong running game plays right into Alabama’s strength. Arkansas had the second highest rushing total last season against the Bama defense and still lost 52-0. Arkansas will need a little more from the passing game to have a chance on Saturday. We also need to stay injury free, as we match up much better against Georgia the following Saturday. Katherine Webb’s favorite team 42, Notorious P.I.G. 31.

David Rice
I generally don’t leave games early, but the Tide have whipped us so thoroughly each of the past two seasons that I have left before halftime. I may as well have loaded the tee shirt gun with hundred dollar bills and shot them into the student section during my last trip to Tuscaloosa. Until we can hang with these guys for a half or more, I say Bama all the way.

Mark Wagner
I'm afraid the goalpost will still be standing after our game with Alabama. I think we can beat them, but history isn't on our side. We will lose in a close one, and this will be one of only two more losses we will experience the rest of the year. Bama 35, Hogs 28.

Steak Shula
Strange year, but not strange enough for Hogs to beat Bama.

Todd Rudisill
We are so overdue for one of those classic upsets in Fayetteville where Hogs are unranked and pull out a stunner. Like ’81, 42-11 over Texas. I think the last top five one was ’99 when the Vols were #3. Stoerner to Lucas. I’ve just got that feeling this week. Hogs 31-28

#13 Georgia @ #23 Missouri
Craig May
Let’s just get one thing straight: I hate Missouri. The fact that they may luck into a second shot at the SEC Championship game makes me sick. I will never pick them to win. Classic Underachiever’s 27, Gary Pinkel’s 10th Vodka Tonic 24.

Steak Shula
Georgia. Only because I like them. Neither team is worthy of a bet.

Todd Rudisill
The Bulldogs are a big question mark. Kind of Jekyl and Hydeish. Same can be said for the Tigers who lost to a freaking basketball school. I would love to see UGA come into Little Rock next week in the top 10. Flip a coin. Bulldogs, 33-30.

#12 Oregon @ #18 UCLA
Jack Clark
I'll pick UCLA to beat Oregon since they are at home.

Steak Shula
Oregon will start the push to get back in the playoff picture.

Todd Rudisill
This game knocks one of them out at outside chance of getting back into the playoff talk. UCLA has a bad defense. Oregon, 40-30.

#9 TCU @ #5 Baylor
Mark Wagner
Baylor opened as a 9.5 point favorite. I expect that line to move and be a lot closer as it gets closer to game time. Both teams are undefeated and not only playing for the conference title, but a possible invite to the big 4 at the end of the year. Baylor won last year at TCU by a field goal after their defense was able to hold off TCU in the 4th quarter at TCU. Baylors' defense is as good as last years, but I don't think their offense will be able to put up enough points. So in a mild upset, I pick TCU to win by 3. Final score, 27-24.

Steak Shula
Great game if you are a Big 12 fan. I am not. Home team wins.

Todd Rudisill
TCU stunned OU, which I’m sure most of us enjoyed. Frogs won’t have come down from Cloud 9 yet. Bears roll, 49-35

#3 Ole Miss @ #14 Texas A&M
Sean Casey
Ole Miss travels to College Station. Ole Miss safety Trae Elston is suspended for the first half of the game for trying to stomp on Kenyan Drake’s ankle. This loss will provide Kenny Hill even more opportunity to throw the ball around. This game will be a fun game to watch between two explosive offenses.  Kenny Hill gets his mojo back, and the Aggies ultimately win 63-49.

Steak Shula
Much to Jack Clark's chagrin, Mississippi's reign of terror is over. Aggies.

Todd Rudisill
OIe Miss pulled off their biggest win in school history against a not-as-great-as-usual Bama team. They didn’t look that great, and the words ”#3 Ole Miss” are not supposed to be in English language.  It sounds dirty. Excuse me, I have to wash my mouth out with soap. A&M bounces back from their road loss to State. Aggies 35-31.

#2 Auburn @ #3 Mississippi State
Greg Houser
My pick is Auburn over State. While State is extremely impressive (more so than Ole Miss), I'm not sure they know how to win week in and week out. I'll take War Eagle luck by 3.

Steak Shula
This will decide the SEC championship. State made a believer out of me, but I THINK Auburn will win.

Todd Rudisill
State coming off another one of those games in the “biggest wins in school history” category.  Number three Mississippi State. Ugh. Same as above. No Mississippi school should be in the top 5. Let’s get these guys out of there as well. Go on get … Auburn , 45-34.