PREDICTIONS COLUMN: Not selling my stock in Raider football yet

Our pigskin picker race is as heated as ever with just two games separating first place from sixth place. It’s as brutal as the Southeastern Conference.

Every game counts.

In high school picks, I’ve had a three-week investment in Madison County (picking them in all three games), with the Raiders going 2-1 in that stretch — a pretty good return.

With a tough foe in Cedar Shoals on the rise, now might seem a logical time to sell.

Cedar has tradition and speed. And it was speed that gave Madison County fits in its loss to Rockdale. Aside from talent, the Jaguars might also still be smarting from their 7-0 loss to Apalachee in week 2.

But I don’t think the Raider stock has peaked just yet. So let’s keep them on our S&P 500.

That week one loss to Rockdale doesn’t look nearly as bad as it did three weeks ago. After all, the Bulldogs currently rule the region.

And the Raiders have piled 78 points on their last two foes.
Granted neither were world-beaters, but Madison County took care of business.

Lesser teams might not score 11 touchdowns in two games.

Plus, Madison County put up 44 points on Winder-Barrow while Cedar posted 29. I know that’s a horrible way to gauge a match-up, but maybe that stat offers some minimal insight.

Right now, I’m keeping my money — and that’s only in a figurative sense — on the Raiders.

PREDICTION: Madison County 27, Cedar Shoals 24

I predicted Georgia would win closely over South Carolina, but there was something very unappetizing about Georgia’s 14-7 win over the Gamecocks.

Maybe it was no semblance of a pass rush or shoddy secondary play in the second half.

The Georgia team that beat South Carolina this past Saturday won’t win a national title, SEC title or division title.

But that’s assuming that the Bulldogs perform at the same level all year long. How many times have we seen a team gain a whole different identity as a year goes on?

That said, Georgia needs to find a new identity in a hurry with back-to-back games with Arizona State and Alabama before the off week.

Maybe the Bulldogs turn the corner this weekend in the desert.

PREDICTION: Georgia 34, Arizona State 30

Before I get into other picks, I need to acknowledge some spectacular misses from last week.

My assertion that Ohio State-USC would be decided by a field goal was way off the radar. Not even in the same area code. But not as off-target as stating that UCLA would move to 2-0 under Rick Neuheisel.

I was wrong to the tune of 59-0 in favor of BYU. The Bruins haven’t been beaten in that badly in 79 years.

There’s a reason that I pick games in the newspaper, rather than bet on them.

Anyway, here goes: Florida big over Tennessee; LSU by a point over Auburn; Florida State gets people talking again with a win over Wake Forest; and the Falcons edge the Chiefs by a point on Sunday.