JAMES CARR
@jamescarr89
It's a big week for the new kids on the block.
Missouri hosts No. 6 Georgia and Texas A&M welcomes the No. 23 Florida Gators to Aggieland. The sentiment in the SEC is that the good ol' boys will deliver a national beatdown to the newcomers. SEC pride, baby.
Additionally, both Florida and Georgia are in need of big games. Florida needs a good win to give Will Muschamp's tenure some credibility and give the Gators reason to believe in his long-term vision.
Mark Richt hasn't won a big game in a few years, and while he may not get the credit for the big win this would be -- considering he'll be without defensive starters Alec Ogletree, Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings and, possibly, Malcolm Mitchell -- it's a game he needs to win to show the Bulldogs' intentions this season.
As if any of that will be lost on these teams during the week, both Missouri and Texas A&M have made sure that if they were ever facing sleeping giants, they will be sleeping no more.
Missouri's defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson told the Associated Press he turned off his TV during Georgia's win over Buffalo because "it's like watching Big Ten football. It's old-man football."
It's unclear if he said this before or after Alabama's stomping of the Big Ten's top-ten Michigan or not.
Not to be outdone, there is a new billboard in Gainesville this week, reading, "Howdy Gainesville: You're been annexed by Aggie Nation! The best academics & cleanest program in the SEC. WHOOP!"
This is part of why so many writers think it's going to be a long year for Missouri and Texas A&M. Every SEC team is supremely focused for each conference game because a loss could keep teams out of the SEC Championship, and thus the BCS title game. You don't need to give them any additional motivation. At all.
Now, if Florida and Georgia deliver the rude awakening many are expecting, it'll be because that's exactly what Missouri and Texas A&M deserve.
UPDATE (5:00 P.M. ET): The billboard has been removed due to copyright concerns.
