Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE
Lying is rather easy to detect. If a person’s pupils dilate while, or immediately after, making a statement, insert BS meter. The same precaution should be taken for a politician on national television or Bobby Petrino when he is … actually, just Bobby Petrino.
The same can be said for anyone who claims to have a finger on the pulse of Southeastern Conference football this season. The truth is, we know nothing. We know not who is good, much less who will win the conference. Look at it this way.
Georgia
Mark Richt has completely lost control of my columns. But more so, his win-loss record and style points.
The Bulldogs were able to eke out a 51-44 win over the Tennessee Volunteers at home. This is, of course, after being forced to pull off a fourth quarter for the ages to beat Missouri by a respectable 41-20 score.
Style points, gone. Substance is putting its coat on.
A 35-7 loss at the hands of the Gamecocks scratched Georgia’s legitimacy in the SEC East quicker than the serial number on Isiah Crowell’s gun.
Not to mention barely pulling out a 29-24 win over Kentucky, an offense punishable by something resembling The Scarlet Letter and record tomatoes hurled at the perpetrator by Justin Verlander. Or listening to a Gary Pinkel press conference. Studies on which is more painful have proven inconclusive.
With that, what has Georgia shown?
South Carolina
By virtue of Georgia showing nothing, South Carolina has done the same. Its 35-7 win over the Bulldogs is looking more useless by the day, especially when you add in the two conference losses that followed.
Falling in Death Valley 23-21 was the calm before the storm. In July, most people expected the Tigers to beat the Gamecocks in the marquee match-up, which they did. It was the 100 percent self-inflicted 44-11 loss to Florida the week after that sent South Carolina’s season on a trajectory much like that of Steve Spurrier’s visor.
One team failing on its expectations and possibly its head coach (again) and another going downward at the speed of light. Anyone definitively good without reasonable doubt? Not yet.
LSU
The Tigers looked something less than good in a 38-22 win over Towson (who has since lost to James Madison and Old Dominion) and in its 12-10 win over Auburn (described better than I ever could by this).
LSU had to get three turnovers from Johnny “Give Away The” Football to beat the Aggies by one possession plus going down-to-the-wire with the previously discredited South Carolina team.
Still searching for that proven SEC team…
Florida
Florida may have out LSU’d LSU in their win over the Tigers in the Swamp a few weeks ago, pounding the ball up-the-gut and triple-dog-daring LSU to stop it (a challenge that went unanswered, as LSU’s mother was worried it would get hurt if the battle carried on much longer).
But, look at what the Gators have done this season. Less-than-impressive wins over Bowling Green and Texas A&M. Wins of schools in towns better known for pollution problems and horses (Tennessee and Kentucky), followed by wins over previously discredited LSU and South Carolina.
But, wait, they beat Vandy!
Maybe Muschamp should stick to dancing.
Mississippi State
Murderer’s Row over in Starkville. Here’s the schedule: Jackson State, Auburn, Troy, South Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Middle Tennessee. And has yet to get a shutout.
There are a lot of things that can go 7-0 against that opposition, including:
1. Ole Miss
2. Oregon State
3. Hoover High School
4. A team composed of nothing but Big ALs
5. The Seattle Mariners
6. The Little Giants
7. The worst team in the Lingerie Football League
Alabama
Alas, the elephant in the room (pun intended).
The Crimson Tide is also 7-0 and No. 1 in the country. But why?
Alabama did manhandle Michigan, who now sports two losses in a horribly down Big Ten. Alabama has also beaten Ole Miss, whose only SEC win has come against Auburn, still searching for its first SEC win. Alabama’s wins against Arkansas and Missouri are now useless seeing the state of those programs, which I guess is better than the wins over Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic which were useless to begin with.
Long story short, November is Separation Month for a reason. As of right now, the dominoes have not fallen. They are barely set up.