By RON “MAD DOG” HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE — The voice came from my back porch.
“Really? A hurricane? This is all I need.”
I walked outside where Skippy the Wonder Bichon was staring at the gathering dark clouds, talking to himself.
“You OK, Skip?” I asked.
“No, I’m not,” he said. “Not one bit.”
“What do you have to be unhappy about?” I said. “You were 7-3 last week in our picks and I was 8-2. I’m 15-5 after the first two weeks and you’re 14-6. That’s pretty good.”
“I know, but all this rain is screwing me up,” the Skipster said.
“How?” I replied.
“Have you noticed me on our walks after it has rained?” he said. “The rain makes every single scent come alive. I don’t know where to lift a leg. I look like I’m running around sniffing hopped up on crack.”
“I don’t know if I’m smelling the scent of that cute dachshund Doris just around the corner, or that stinky beagle Billy two blocks away who never takes a bath.”
“Man, it’s like Three 6 Mafia’s song in the 2005 movie Hustle and Flow. It’s hard out here for a pup.”
“Skipperoo, the song is `It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp,’ not a pup,” I said.
“Whatever Dad Dude,” Skippy said. “Hey, check the front door to see if my Amazon package arrived. I ordered a rechargeable electric belly scratcher with four rotating heads for just $19.99.”
On to Week 3:
No. 16 LSU (1-1, 0-0 SEC) at South Carolina (2-0 1-0 SEC), Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ABC)
Betting line: LSU favored by 7
The skinny: The Tigers should win this game by two touchdowns based on sheer talent based on their recruiting classes. LSU is far from a finished product with key injuries starting to pile up. It would behoove Brian Kelly’s guys to play a complete game on both sides of the ball.
Mad Dog’s pick: Kelly’s Heroes 37, Cock a Doodles 17
Skippy’s pick: LSU
No. 4 Alabama (2-0) at Wisconsin (2-0), Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Saturday, 11 a.m. (FOX)
Betting line: Alabama favored by 15½
The skinny: This is just the fourth time in the past 35 years Alabama has played a road game at a Power 4 Conference school. The Crimson Tide are the first SEC team to play in Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium since LSU won there 38-28 in 1971.
Mad Dog’s pick: Fightin’ Gumps 45, Cheeseheads 20
Skippy’s pick: Wisconsin
No. 1 Georgia (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Kentucky (1-1, 0-1 SEC), Kroger Field, Lexington, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (ABC)
Betting line: Georgia favored by 24
The skinny: It still amazes me that Texas A&M wanted to hire UK head coach Mark Stoops. Somebody in College Station figured out Stoops wasn’t exactly a splash hire. Meanwhile, Georgia is a cyborg destroyer that has won 64 of its last 70 games (including 44 of 46) since 2019.
Mad Dog’s pick: Kirby’s Terminators 45, Stoopsies Oopsies 10
Skippy’s pick: Georgia
Texas A&M (1-1, 0-0 SEC) at Florida (1-1, 0-0 SEC), Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)
Betting line: Texas A&M favored by 4½ points
The skinny: After true freshman QB DJ Lagway replaced concussed Florida starter Graham Mertz last weekend and then threw for 456 yards (the most by a UF freshman in his starting debut) and three TDs, Florida coach Billy Napier announced Monday he’s starting Mertz vs, the Aggies. Billy must want to get fired.
Mad Dog’s pick: Milkmen of College Station 31, Napalm Napier’s All-Stars 21
Skippy’s pick: Florida
Tulane (1-1) at No. 15 Oklahoma (2-0), Memorial Stadium, Norman, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Betting line: Oklahoma favored by 13½
The skinny: The Sooners struggled to beat Houston and first-year head coach Willie Fritz last Saturday. Now, they get a shot at the team Fritz left behind.
Mad Dog’s pick: Okie Dokey 42, The Green Men 14
Skippy’s pick: Tulane
In other games:
No. 5 Ole Miss (2-0) at Wake Forest (1-1), Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (CW Network)
Betting line: Ole Miss is favored by 23½
Mad Dog’s pick: Johnny Rebs 48, Defeatist Deacons 14
Skippy’s pick: Ole Miss
Memphis at Florida State, Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
Betting line: Florida State is favored by 6½
Mad Dog’s pick: Mike Norvell’s current team 34, Mike Norvell’s previous team 24
Skippy’s pick: Florida State
Indiana at UCLA, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)
Betting line: Indiana is favored by 3
Mad Dog’s pick: Indy 27, Super Cali Fragilistic Expialidocious 24
Skippy’s pick: UCLA
Louisiana Tech at North Carolina State, Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ACC Network)
Betting line: North Carolina State is favored by 21½
Mad Dog’s pick: Werewolves of Raleigh 34, Teddy Allllen Spoatriter from Munroe All-Stars 20
Skippy’s pick: Louisiana Tech
No. 18 Notre Dame at Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (CBS)
Betting line: Notre Dame is favored by 10
Mad Dog’s pick: Northern Illinois Whipping Boys 45, Purdon’t 14
Skippy’s pick: Notre Dame
Contact “Mad Dog” at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com