Posted 08/15/2007 at 12:01 PM

Just a few quick hitters and a couple of season win total recommendations today...

--Pitt WR Derek Kinder is out for the season. Ouch! The Panthers were already breaking in a new quarterback following the departure of Tyler Palko, a three-year starter. Now they’re without the team’s best player. Kinder, a first-team All Big East selection last year, had 57 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns in 2006.

--Arkansas WR Marcus Monk is out 4-6 weeks after having his right knee scoped. The initial diagnosis was a bone bruise, but an MRI revealed a slight tear. Monk will miss the Razorbacks’ opener versus Troy. Houston Nutt is hoping to have his stud WR back for a Week 3 trip to Tuscaloosa. Arkansas has an open date in Week 2.

--Florida RB/WR Percy Harvin missed Tuesday’s practice due to lingering tendonitis in his Achilles’.

--South Carolina third-string RB Bobby Wallace is out 5-6 weeks with a broken clavicle. The junior RB has 238 career rushing yards.

--Speaking of the Gamecocks, they have a season win total of seven. I love an ‘over’ play on Steve Spurrier’s squad. I have South Carolina finishing with a 10-2 record and winning the SEC East. However, that forecast allows for the ‘Cocks to pull upset wins at Georgia and at Tennessee. But even if SC loses those games, it would still win eight and cash a ticket for this wager.

--Another win total I like is the ‘under’ for FSU (9). I think the best-case scenario for the Seminoles is an 8-4 record. They will most likely be heavy underdogs in road games at Virginia Tech and Florida. Count those two games as “L’s” for sure. There are also tough road games at Clemson and Wake Forest. Remember, both the Tigers and Demon Deacons won in Tallahassee last season. In fact, Wake dealt out a cream cheese bagel in the form of a 30-0 thrashing.

Looking for more L’s on FSU’s slate? There’s a trip to Boston College in early November, when the weather will likely be chilly in Beantown. There’s also a trip to Boulder to face Colorado in the altitude. (Yes, we know CU is in rebuilding mode, but any trip west can be tricky when you have mediocre quarterback play.)

There will also be a pair of tests in home games against Miami and Maryland. And, lest we forget, the ‘Noles will face Alabama in a neutral-site game in Jacksonville at Alltel Stadium.

--Speaking of that game, ‘Bama scheduled it during its recruitment of Tim Tebow, attempting to offer him a homecoming game of sorts (he's from the J-ville area). However, Tebow will be in the Swamp facing Auburn on Sept. 29.