WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS. BACK FOR 2013!

The Best Time of the Year! 

Lordy, it’s almost time to kickoff the 2013 Season and fire up the second year of Woolard’s Weekend Winners.

If you followed us last year, we had a winning hit rate of 67% of our game picks along with a bushel of upset specials. So, we made some cash and hopefully you did too. And George the Cat hit on 74% of his video picks of the week.  All the more reason to make us a “must-read” every Friday morning this fall. Cha ching.

Back for More.

Like last season, we’ll have guest prognosticators drop by from time to time to provide their unique insights and opinions of top gridiron match ups. 

George the Cat will be back, as well as Elaine, George the Cat’s sister. 

George the Cat is back. He's a wiz.

Kenny Clyde will provide his thoughts about Alabama and its remedial reading program. 

Gene will step away from his burgeoning law practice long enough to give his run down on the Big 12 and particularly his beloved Boomer Sooners.

Evan will keep us updated with insights on the ACC and Johnson's Jackets on the Flats.

As you know, Hammerin’ Hank, our team rooster, met with an untimely death late last fall at his Coweta County farm bungalow (note to self: always sleep with one eye open).  We’ll miss Hank but hopefully we’ll be announcing some new 'experts' in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

A Look Ahead:  SEC dominates Polls Once Again

We’re starting to feel bad for the other conferences because once again the Southeastern Conference dominates all of the pre-season polls. 

Case in point:  five SEC teams are in the AP’s Top Ten with one more team (LSU) ranked 12^th.  

SEC continues to recruit top talent.

And is it any wonder? The SEC invariably posts the top recruiting classes each February, has the biggest football operation budgets in the land, the largest arenas with the loudest fan bases, the best paid coaching staffs, and the prettiest coeds around. Sort of hard to compete with that. Just ask the ACC or the Big 12.

The Master.

So the question of the hour is this: can the SEC win their eighth consecutive National Championship? All eyes are looking at Alabama (they’ve won three of the last four Championships) to repeat but I can assure you some other schools such as Oregon, Stanford, and Ohio State will have something to say about it. For sure, it will be an exciting season.

The Ten Most Intriguing Games of the Season

There are tons of great games coming up this season but we think the following are among the most interesting matchups that make for "must see TV".  A few of them are this weekend, so start stocking up now with plenty of brew and good eats. I may stop by.

Georgia @ Clemson, Aug. 31: This is a marquee season opener between neighbors with national title implications. The Tigers took a big step forward in respectability by beating LSU in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl last year, and a second straight win over an SEC power would be huge. For the pups, this begins an incredible opening month, with South Carolina and LSU both to come in September. Ouch.

Virginia Tech vs Alabama, Aug. 31: First look at the potential three-peaters and possibly the last stand of Frank Beamer. The Hokies don't have to win but they do need to be competitive in order to restore some fan faith in their 27 year head coach, especially heading into a cupcake schedule.

Western Kentucky vs Kentucky, Aug 31: Why do I care? This game has zero national implications but its the return from exile of new Hilltoppers coach Bobby Petrino sans motorcycle. If he can beat a bad Kentucky team then take down a shaky Vol squad - two schools by the way that had no interest in hiring him last offseason - how many athletic directors pondering a coaching change will forget all about the mashup in 2012?  Funny how that works.

South Carolina @ Georgia, Sept. 7: How will QB Murray deal with Carolina's Clowney? We'll find out in an early game that should heavily influence the outcome of the SEC East. Another good one in Athens.

Alabama @ Texas A&M, Sept. 14: We'll be most interested to see how Johnny Football fares after all of his off-season shenanigans. I for one am ready to see him get knocked down a few pegs after his foolishness. But this will be a game of  two-time defending champs versus defending Heisman Trophy winner, who pretty much won the award last season in a shocking upset in Tuscaloosa.

Wisconsin @ Ohio State,Sept. 28: This has been the marquee Big Ten matchup in recent years with the last four Rose Bowl reps being either the Badgers or the Buckeyes. If new Badger coach Gary Andersen wants to impress, then knocking off Urban Meyer in Columbus will do the trick.

Oklahoma vs Texas, October 12: Three of the last four winners of the Red River Shootout have gone on to win a share of the Big 12. The Horns have lost three straight and the last two by a combined score of 118-38.

Oregon @ Stanford, Nov. 7: This will be a huge game. A division, league and potential national championship could be on the line in what should be the best non-SEC game of the year.

Ohio State @ Michigan, Nov. 30:  "Ohio" versus "That School Up North" is a reinvigorated rivalry with Brady Hoke and Urban Meyer in charge. Again, this year the Buckeyes has the schedule to go undefeated -- but no postseason ban to limit the prize. The final season roadblock would be in the Big House against the hated Wolverines. It doesn't get any better than this with a national title hanging in the balance.

Louisville @ Cincinnati, Dec. 5: This game could mean a whole lot: American Athletic Conference title, undefeated season for the Cardinals, Heisman candidacy for Teddy Bridgewater. Tommy Tuberville can be real tough in end-of-season rivalry games. Just ask Alabama. What else are you doing on December 5?

That's it for today. Be sure to check back soon for our featurette on the Georgia-Clemson game. And of course look for us on Friday morning with our money making picks for the first weekend of college football.

As we embark on a new season, let's all take a knee and recite our prayer:  

May our picks be on the money.

May we make enough to at least break even.

May we have enough brew for late in the evening.

Come rain or shine, ahead or behind,

May our picks beat the Vegas line.

Amen.

Until then, Make Mo Money with Mark®