Broadsword calling Danny Boy: Alabama at Mississippi State (+14 and the hook); Westerby on the Battle for Highway 82 | Eastern North Carolina Now

Who is the tall, dark stranger there?
Maverick is the name.
Ridin' the trail to who knows where,
Luck is his companion,
Gamblin' is his game.
Smooth as the handle on a gun.
Maverick is the name.
Wild as the wind in Oregon,
Blowin' up a canyon,
Easier to tame.

Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fare thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans
Livin on jacks and queens
Maverick is a legend of the west.

Riverboat, ring your bell,
Fare thee well, Annabel.
Luck is the lady that he loves the best.
Natchez to New Orleans
Livin on jacks and queens
Maverick is a legend of the west.
Maverick is a legend of the west. - David Buttolph


The Bishop holds court as ECU delivers the mail. Carter-Finley Stadium -- nineteen-eighty something: Above.     Click image to enlarge.

    When number one ranked Alabama fumbled the ball at the four yard line in the last minute of play at Jackson in 1980, unheralded Mississippi State held on for a 6-3 victory to snap a Crimson Tide 28 game winning streak. Saturday night the Bulldogs look to pull the shocker again in front of a national TV audience.


    Shocking is the only way to describe the Wyoming victory over Happy Appy. The Mountaineers were large and in charge until the 12 minute mark of the fourth quarter when they ran out of gas. A 75 yard TD burst up the gut and a blocked field goal returned for six were the difference as we climb to 5-0 in this space and up eight units for the campaign. Hughes was right about the weather, but came up short with Iowa.

    It was a heavy chalk weekend; a nuance which will be missed by most in viewing the form evolve. The Man understands this very well and has adjusted the early prices accordingly. One wants to be careful in chasing those big favourites this week as the plunger likely paying an extra point or two through the transition.

    With Farnell on the mend from minor medicinal cutting, we turn to our British cousin Westerby to pick up the ball and take it the distance. Growing up in the land of cricket and High Tea, he lacks a basic understanding of American football -- instead seeing the handicapping battle as more of a function of speed differential, home field advantage (or disadvantage) and the number. Always the number.

    "You don't bet the teams, Old Man. You play the number. The teams don't mean a damn thing; only the price."


    Not sure we agree with that. Unless, of course, the guy picks winners. In that case whatever tripe the fool babbles is genius. Pure genius.

    "This is not your old man's Alabama squad; The Tide is on the down slope and without an experienced field gaffer, Saban has dropped the clanger with Jalen Milroe at the helm. This guy is terrible at reading defences and will be challenged by State's 3-3-5 scheme."

    "State has the much better quarterback in Will Rogers. He has an NFL arm and a game breaker in Tulu Griffin at wide receiver. Griffin is the fastest man on the field and also runs back kicks. If Rogers has time in the pocket he will burn the Tide deep."

    Tulu Griffin? Never heard of the guy. And he is going to tear up the Alabama defence?


    "The late evening start and relaxation of SEC artificial noise rules (grandfathered for State) means the crowd will be pissed silly by the coin toss. Those cowbells down near the goal line will be a challenge for the Tide QB with the noise and the Ole Miss game showed Alabama's poor goal line attack -- there is no push."

    (The 3-3-5 involves wider splits in an attempt to counter the lateral RPO trend of the current decade. It is all about the linebacker play. Perhaps the Honourable Westerby esquire has some thoughts concerning the State linebackers.)

    "The State linebackers? Nathanial Watson is better than anything Alabama has. The weakness of this unit is the secondary. 'Bama going to have trouble without some big plays. And for our long suffering ECU brothers and sisters: Peeps, if you have to be on the Pirates this week then risk it for the biscuit on the money line -- Rice is terrible."

    Alabama has played Mississippi State more than any other team in their long and noble gridiron history and since 1896 have only 17 losses in the series, winning the last fifteen consecutive contests. Historically this is a win for the Tide and usually by margin; crimson squads from Bear Bryant through Nick Saban have owned this series. Thus the elevated price.

    However this year is different with the Bulldogs holding the edge at QB and linebacker; add the game breaking speed of Tulu and the ingredients are there for the big upset. Saturday night in Starkville, Mississippi -- with the cowbells ringing -- is a fine place to be holding fourteen and the hook at the boot.

    Our call here is MISSISSIPPI STATE (plus 14 and the hook) for two units. We have too many factors working for us to be scared by the Alabama legend. Aggressive punters looking to make a score might take a nibble on the money line as you always over pay to take the Tide:

MISSISSIPPI STATE    17  •  ALABAMA    16

    Only 90 miles separate these two schools down Highway 82; the game is a big deal in the land of cotton. Alabama is still the king of college football but royalty comes with a steep company-store price tag. Fourteen and the hook is a big number and by game time the hook may be gone -- don't wait long.

    Nothing wrong with being in tall cotton. Old games there are not forgotten.