Football Free-For-All!

In response to the AJC's Mark Bradley, here are my football picks for the Falcons, Jackets and Dawgs (plus Clemson and USC) for 2008, "The Year of the Dawg."

Atlanta Falcons, 6-10:
vs. Detroit ...................... Win
at Tampa Bay ................ Lose
vs. Kansas City .............. Lose
at Carolina ...................... Lose
at Green Bay .................. Lose
vs. Chicago ...................... Win
at Philadelphia ............... Lose
at Oakland ..................... Win
vs. New Orleans ............ Lose
vs. Denver ...................... Lose
vs. Carolina .................... Win
at San Diego .................... Lose
at New Orleans .............. Lose
vs. Tampa Bay ............... Win
at Minnesota .................. Lose
vs. St. Louis .................... Win

Georgia Tech, 5-7:
vs. Jacksonville State ... Win
at Boston College .......... Lose
at Virginia Tech ............ Lose
vs. Mississippi State .... Lose
vs. Duke ......................... Win
vs. Gardner-Webb ....... Win
at Clemson ..................... Lose
vs. Virginia (HC) ........... Win
vs. Florida State ............ Lose
at North Carolina .......... Lose
vs. Miami ....................... Win
at Georgia ...................... Lose

Georgia, 11-1 (Reg Season):
vs. Georgia Southern .... Win
vs. Central Michigan ..... Win
at South Carolina ........... Win
at Arizona State ............. Win
vs. Alabama .................... Win
vs. Tennessee ................. Win
vs. Vanderbilt (HC) ....... Win
at LSU ............................. Win
at Florida (Jville) ........... Win
at Kentucky .................... Win
at Auburn ....................... Lose
vs. Georgia Tech ............ Win

vs. Auburn, SEC Championship Game .... Win
vs. Ohio State, National Championship ... Win

Clemson, 10-2:
vs. Alabama (Atlanta) .... Lose
vs. The Citadel ................ Win
vs. NC State .................... Win
vs. SC State ..................... Win
vs. Maryland ................... Win
at Wake Forest ............... Win
vs. Georgia Tech ............. Win
at Boston College ............ Win
at Florida State ............... Lose
vs. Duke ........................... Win
at Virginia ........................ Win
vs. South Carolina .......... Win

vs. Virginia Tech, ACC Championship Game .... Win

South Carolina, 7-5:
vs. NC State .................... Win
at Vanderbilt ................... Win
vs. Georgia ...................... Lose
vs. Wofford ...................... Win
vs. UAB ........................... Win
at Mississippi .................. Win
at Kentucky .................... Win
vs. LSU ............................ Lose
vs. Tennessee ................. Lose
vs. Arkansas ................... Win
at Florida ......................... Lose
at Clemson ....................... Lose

What to watch for:
Ga Tech vs. Duke: The Blue Devils, under new headcoach David Cutcliff, are better than advertised. The Techies pull out a win late in the 4th.

Georgia - Florida: A 1 vs. 2 matchup in Jacksonville, this one won't need the buildup and hype that the media machine will give it, replaying last year's endzone dance over and over in the week prior to the Cocktail Party. Florida puts up a tough first half, but Georgia wins by 12.

Georgia at Auburn: There's no way the Dogs are making it undefeated through this schedule, but they're going to surprise most by making it this far. Toomer's Corner is rolled like never before after the Dogs lose a tight one to the Tigers (But get sweet redemption a couple weeks later in Atlanta.)

Clemson - Alabama: The Georgia Dome (now clad in Red and Black ... sorry Tide and Tigers, the Dogs own the Dome) is packed for the first annual Redneck Bowl, and Saban's Tide puts a damper on Clemson's high hopes as Alabama wins by three.

Clemson at Florida State: The elder Bowden wins his last Bowden Bowl.

South Carolina at Clemson: Clemson wins, but Spurrier's still not on the hot seat. Seems as if USC will never get over the hump. Spurrier considers retirement after the Music City Bowl.