Another week in the SEC is in the books, and the Alabama Crimson Tide chose a good one to sit out. Separation Saturday provided plenty of big games, close calls, and upsets in college football. We learned a few new things about our SEC brethren, and even more about the road that lies ahead.
Gator Bait
Oh how the mighty have fallen. LSU’s slipshod play on offense has finally caught up with them. Florida controlled the clock, made fewer mistakes, and ran the ball on their last 25 plays to beat LSU 14-6. Florida has shown a lot of grit their second half performances this year. They came back on the road in the fourth on the road against Texas A&M. They were shut out in the first half of the LSU game, but put together two scoring drives in the second half, and showed good speed and ability to run the football.
The Tigers turned it over three times and managed only eight first downs for 200 yards of total offense. LSU’s performance proved two things: one; the Tigers are not the team they were last year, and two; facial hair is not unlucky. Mustache aficionados scoff at the notion. You know what is unlucky? Thirteen fumbles in six games.
Florida’s Matt Elam made the play of the game by stripping the ball from LSU’s Odell Beckham on a long third down completion. Without missing a beat, Gary Danielson predictably compared Elam to Tyrann Mathieu, the only play-making cornerback who has ever lived. Hearing him utter the name “Honey Badger” still makes me cringe, about as much as hearing the name “Honey Boo Boo” does. They will face No. 3 South Carolina in a monster game on October 20.
Gamecocks Walk the Dog
Georgia plays a unique version of football, which I would like to refer to as “Richtball.” Typically undisciplined players, oodles of personal foul penalties, and untimely turnovers are the core of this football philosophy. Not showing up in big games is a must. You often set tradition aside and do gimmicky uniforms. You must hype yourselves and fan base into a frenzy before showing up and getting the woodshed treatment. You must then eke out nine or ten wins and a decent bowl, year in and year out, so that you can keep your job.
Mark Richt is right on schedule. In Columbia, South Carolina last Saturday night, the Gamecocks racked up almost 400 yards of offense and whipped the Bulldogs 35-7. The “Gurshall” tandem was kept on their respective leashes as they combined for only 84 yards on the ground. Arron Murray was unable to get much going, completing only 11-31 passes for 109 yards and one interception.
South Carolina looks like an actual juggernaut, not just a much improved pretender. Their front seven is shaping up to be one of the best in the nation. If the Gamecocks can go on the road to Baton Rouge and beat LSU, a strong argument can be made for South Carolina being the number one team in the country.
…the Bad, and the Ugly
The bigger, and obviously more important argument, is who will adorn the “Worst Team in the SEC” crown by the end of this year? We are halfway through the season, and it is shaping up to be a tight race. If any of these teams happen to make a bowl, they may not under any circumstances chant “SEC” at their bowl game. Y’all are just along for the ride. Here is my ranking for the worst teams so far this season in the SEC:
6. Ole Miss: Record: 3-3. Best win: Central Arkansas (4-2). The Rebels are coming off a 30-27 loss to Texas A&M. The game could have gone to overtime, but a late interception sealed their fate. Ole Miss is much more competitive this year, but simply don’t have the talent to beat good teams. Good news is, they have Auburn, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State left on their schedule. Projected Record: 6-6.
5. Vanderbilt: Record: 2-3. Best win: Missouri (3-3). Vanderbilt is synonymous with great academics and bad football. With the divisional power shift happening in the SEC, the East is as loaded as it has been in years. They do, however, get Auburn and Ole Miss out of the West, and also have a weak out-of-conference schedule. I think they bowl again this year. Projected record: 6-6.
4. Arkansas: Record: 2-4. Best win: Jacksonville State (3-2). Would have had them ranked lower, but played well on the road and stomped the Auburn Tigers 24-7. Tyler Wilson looked like his old self and was very efficient, going 20-27 for 216 yards. They still aren’t a very good team, but they do have an A+ quarterback. I see three more wins on their schedule, and that’s being generous. Projected record: 5-7
3. Missouri: Record: 3-3. Best win: Arizona State (4-1). The Tigers showed promise early in the season as they played the Georgia Bulldogs very tough at home. They were exposed in the inaugural “Columbia Cup” against South Carolina two weeks later. To top it off, James Franklin is injured and will miss several weeks, including ‘Bama next week. Ouch. You certainly can’t lose to Vandy and not be in the thick of this ranking. Projected record: 4-8
2. Kentucky: Record: 1-5. Best win: Kent State (4-1). Wildcat fans probably stopped paying attention to football after Western Kentucky came to their house and beat them 32-31 in overtime. I can’t say I blame them. Don’t worry UK fans — basketball season starts soon, and apparently John Calipari is now recruiting five-star genetic clones. Projected record: 3-9.
1. Auburn: Record: 1-4. Best win: Louisiana-Monroe. Welp… Kentucky should be the worst team in the SEC, but I have to rank Auburn at No. 1. They managed seven points against the worst defense in the history of civilization. They are on the verge of quitting. Gene Chizik has recruited talent, and has done nothing with it. Worth ten Saban’s? He’s barely a poor man’s Huston Nutt. Projected record: 3-9.
Alabama gets back on the saddle this week and goes on the road to Missouri. The game will be aired on CBS at 3:30 EST.
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