SEC Picks Week 9: Farewell to my best Buddy

Buddy the Wonder Bichon, with his crooked one-tooth smile, wagging tail and sweet disposition, took his trip over the Rainbow Bridge. He was simply unable to overcome several health issues for a dog almost 15 years old.

Buddy loved doing the weekly SEC picks with me and enjoyed being a celebrity of sorts. Maybe I should have hired him an agent.

On his final week on earth, Buddy and I tied 5-2 in our SEC picks for week 8. He was just three games behind me (57-12 to 54-15) when we said goodbye to him on the kind of sunny Sunday afternoon he loved to start his next week's picks on by lifting his leg on every tree and bush he’d see.

Thank you for the outpouring of love and support from the almost 300 people via Facebook who offered their condolences. The Higgins household and Buddy’s sisters appreciate it.

There will never be another Buddy the Wonder Bichon. I contemplated using Buddy's sister “Crazy Gracie” to finish the SEC Picks for the rest of the year, but it wouldn’t be the same.

Buddy will always stand alone.

On to week 9 with eight SEC teams in four league games. Florida, Georgia. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt have open dates.

No. 9 Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC West) at No. 2 LSU (7-0, 3-0 SEC West), 2:30 p.m., Baton Rouge (CBS) Betting line: LSU by 10½

This game has a lot of the same pregame elements of the Tigers’ matchup with Florida two weeks ago minus the deep hate in this rivalry. Like Florida, Auburn has a tremendous defensive line. Like Florida, Auburn has a starting quarterback with a handful of college starts under his belt. Like Florida, Auburn wants to pressure LSU QB Joe Burrow into mistakes. Like Florida, Auburn would love a productive ball-control offense to eat clock and limit the number of LSU offensive snaps. And like Florida, Auburn will leave Tiger Stadium a loser.

My prediction: Ti-gahs of Baton Rouge, 35, Tigers of Auburn 20

Arkansas (2-5, 0-4 SEC West) at No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC West), 6 p.m., Tuscaloosa (ESPN) Betting line: Alabama by 31½

It’s hard to tell if the boys in Vegas think Arkansas is that bad or if Alabama still has enough five-star talent even without injured QB Tua Tagovailoa to merit a 30-point plus point spread. It’s confirmed that the Razorbacks are terrible – 11th in the SEC in scoring offense at 24.8 points per game, 13th in scoring defense allowing 30.7, 10th in total offense averaging 385.3 yards and 13th in total defense allowing 412.9 yards. Alabama is near the top of the league in all those categories, but it remains to be seen how the Crimson Tide will function with little-used Mac Jones as quarterback. Against Arkansas, it doesn’t really matter.

My prediction: Tua-less Tide 48, Piglets 10

Mississippi State (3-4, 1-3 SEC West) at Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2 SEC West), 11 a.m., College Station (SEC Network) Betting line: Texas A&M by 10½

The Bulldogs didn’t let LSU destroy them last week in Starkville. State coach Joe Moorhead took that as a sign his team is improving. Well, he’s the head coach and he’s paid to spin it positively. I didn’t think State wasn’t terribly good before the game and I felt the same way after. If LSU’s offense had shown up focused from the opening kickoff, the Tigers would have left the Bulldogs in the dust by the end of the first quarter. Texas A&M, the darkhorse choice of many preseason prognosticators to possibly challenge Alabama for the West title, simply doesn’t do anything consistently well. All the preseason talk that Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond, not Joe Burrow, was the SEC’s third best QB seems ridiculous at this point.

My prediction: Jimbo’s Folly 35, Magnolia State Woofers 14

South Carolina (3-4, 2-3 SEC East) at Tennessee (2-5, 1-3 SEC East), 3 p.m., Knoxville (SEC Network) Betting line: South Carolina by 4½

The Gamecocks and Vols have spent most of the week dealing with the aftermath of last Saturday’s respective losses to Florida and Alabama. It’s a neck-and-neck which team got hosed worst by SEC officiating, but South Carolina coach Will Muschamp has stayed hot about it all week. “We have a great league, but our players have lost a lot of trust in our league,” Muschamp said on his weekly radio show. Meanwhile, Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt continued to catch heat over a sideline incident with Vols’ QB Jarrett Guarantano. After Guarantano disregarded Pruitt’s goal line play call and fumbled a QB sneak that Alabama’s Trevon Diggs turned into a victory-clinching 100-yard TD fumble return, an incensed Pruitt grabbed Guarantano’s facemask to get his attention when he returned to the sideline. Honestly, the Vols have been so bad this season Pruitt needs to yank the facemask of all his players.

My prediction: Fightin’ Foghorn Leghorns 28, Fightin’ Facemask Grabbers 24

Missouri (5-2, 2-1 SEC East) at Kentucky (3-4, 1-4 SEC East), 6:30 p.m., Lexington (SEC Network) Betting line: Missouri by 10½

A week ago, Mizzou was all pumped up about itself with two league wins tucked away and a third there for the taking at Vanderbilt. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Commodores decided to put on their annual one good performance of the season in a 21-14 Vandy upset. Kentucky, so desperate for QB depth to compensate for injuries, is starting a converted wide receiver as its signal-caller.

My prediction: Mizzou 45, Lexington Felines 14