Hindsight is 20/20, Week 5

Not. Even. Close.

I actually will admit that I had some concerns about this game coming in. Auburn had looked OK on offense. The squeaker vs. what now appears to be a very good K State team on the road left me feeling unsatisfied that Auburn was a better team offensively than last year. Other kind of so-so performances left me feeling like Auburn may be a good, but not great team coming in to this weekend.

I also had concerns about an LSU team with their backs to the wall. They came into JHS a wounded, dangerous, animal...or so we thought. This may be the worst team Les MIles has coached in his time at LSU. They have beaten up on the weak sisters after they squeaked by a pedestrian Wisconsin.  They got flat out embarrassed by State at home.

Then Les decided to go with a true freshman starting at night at the home of the defending SEC champs. It had disaster written all over it for LSU. It also signaled to me that he is already playing for next year.

Auburn had this one circled for a while and they were not going to lose this game.  They raised their level and obliterated LSU.

Not. Even. Close.

So moving forward, where does it leave us? I had the State game #1 on my list of "Games that make me queasy." Right after a victory over LSU, Auburn has to go on the road to Starkville. We all figured State would be a good team, but not a great team, most likely at 3-2 and flying under the radar.

So I will argue that the Bulldogs being undefeated and the #3 team in America is actually a good thing. Auburn will not overlook them, not with them being a top five team. Not with Game Day coming to town.

All this plays right into Auburn's hands. I would have given State a chance at the upset had they come in with 1 or 2 losses. Now they are undefeated. This is the big stage. Auburn has been on the big stage; Mississippi State has spent the majority of their time buried under the big stage.

For that reason and others*, I think Auburn wins over State Saturday.

Around College Football

Hotty Toddy. I gotta say, this Ole Miss team surprised me, as I thought they were a bit of a paper tiger coming in to the game with Alabama.  They really do not run the ball very well, but they play good enough defense to win games. Alabama showed what happens when you can't get points from field goals and shoot yourself in the foot with turnovers and penalties.

Toad the Wet Sprocket. TCU may be for real. They have always had a stellar defense under Gary Patterson, but they showed they can score points too against the Sooners. We''ll see if they can get a road win as they head to Waco Saturday to tangle with Baylor.

PAC-12=B1G=BAD. Having watched several west coast games this weekend I don't think much of the PAC 12,   They may be a notch better than the Big 10, but they both are bad, yet somehow still better than the ACC>

Speaking of bad... Anyone catch that epic dumpster fire in Knoxville Saturday? Jeff Driskel is really bad at this point and I think Muschamp should go to the freshman QB. [EDITOR'S NOTE: WEEEEEELP, THAT OPTION IS OUT] The team seems to play better with him.   I also thought Butch Jones would make the Vols a much better team.  If he doEsn't, you can bookmark the 2014 Florida game as the point where the wheels came off.

Alright folks, the biggest game of the year is upon us.  And I agree Sammie, I hate them cowbells too.

*I will be in New Hampshire for an in-law wedding.  I am currently 1-0 when watching Auburn play MSU while in the granite state.  I watched Brandon Cox and Kenny Irons rip the Bulldogs in 2006.  So live free or die, Tigers!