With seven teams in this week’s Top 15, there will be a lot of talk and hype surrounding the SEC this week. Is the conference really this strong? Are the top teams on par with Oregon, FSU and Oklahoma? What about top-to-bottom? Let’s recap the weekend that was and, as always, separate fact from fiction.
Reality Check: SEC Week 3 Analysis
Game of the Week:
South Carolina 38, Georgia 35
Reaction: The SEC East is still wide open; South Carolina isn’t as bad as we thought and Georgia isn’t as good as we thought.
Reality: South Carolina isn’t as good as this indicates, but yes, the SEC East is wide open.
Georgia entered this game with a chance to put South Carolina out of the SEC East race and a chance to solidify themselves as one of the elite teams in the nation. South Carolina wanted to prove it wasn’t as bad as its week one performance indicated. In the end, this game was about coaching. Mike Bobo (UGA OC) went away from Todd Gurley in key situations and utilized far too many short to mid-level passes without leveraging play-action passes to get to deeper pass routes for Hutson Mason. Does this indicate Bobo has a lack of confidence in his quarterback? And Georgia’s defensive plan wasn’t effective either. They allowed South Carolina to have 271 yards in the air and 176 yards on the ground. Why not force South Carolina to beat you either on the ground OR in the air? As has happened 200 previous times in the SEC, the Ole Ball Coach pulled this one out. This time, his staff out-coached a more talented Georgia team. Georgia will likely have to endure another season of being oh-so-close to something special.
Florida 36, Kentucky 30 (3OT)
Reaction: Kentucky enters the Swamp and almost ends 30-year drought to UF in an classic thriller.
Reality: Kentucky is for real, Florida still has some ways to go to get where they want to be.
For two weeks, I’ve been telling you to hold off on judging Kentucky as ready to compete in the SEC East. Now, I’m in. Kentucky was one snap away from winning in the Swamp. They still won’t compete for the Division title, but they have replaced Vanderbilt as the bowl capable team that can affect the standings. Florida, meanwhile, still has some work to do to get back where they want to be. They gave up 369 passing yards on defense and gave up several big plays. The offense, while putting up good numbers, was not good on third downs and couldn’t convert yardage into points. What should worry Gator fans is that Kentucky had only 81 yards rushing and three turnovers – Florida should have won this game easily. Is this Florida team mentally and emotionally ready for tougher SEC Competition?
Oklahoma 34, Tennessee 10
Conventional Storyline: Oklahoma wins convincingly against an SEC opponent.
Reality: Oklahoma executed perfectly against a better Tennessee team.
Had it not been for a late pick-6 from the end zone, this game would have been a 10-point game. Oklahoma started very strong with scores on its’ opening three possessions and looked much better than Tennessee, but the Vols got quality play out of quarterback Justin Worley and even managed to establish a running game in the second half to hang around and make this a competitive ball game. Oklahoma was clearly more talented and executed flawlessly; they certainly made a case of being the best team in the nation. Tennessee will play its’ SEC opponents hard this season and, if the young team continues to grow and develop, is in good shape for a bowl bid.
Arkansas 49, Texas Tech 28
Reaction: Arkansas outlasts Texas Tech with strong ground game.
Reality: Arkansas dominates Texas Tech on ground; defense adjusts to win big game.
Just like Kentucky, Arkansas is for real. Arkansas went to Lubbock and ran for 438 yards. The key stat in this game was 6.4 yards per rush. Watching this game you started to feel bad for the Texas Tech defensive front. Play after play Arkansas just ran the ball for good gains. Most impressive for Arkansas fans, however, should be the defensive performance. The defense only allowed seven second half points and held Kingsbury’s “Air Raid” offense to 353 yards. With a ground attack like this a defense that can adjust and play well, Arkansas will be a popular upset pick in the SEC West.
Missouri 38, UCF 10
Reaction: Overshadowed game, another solid win for Missouri.
Reality: Missouri continues to fly under the radar in the SEC East; people better start paying attention
Missouri continues to play well, especially quarterback Maty Mauck, and still is not getting as much attention as Georgia and South Carolina. UCF is a good team that took Penn State to the last play and Missouri never allowed UCF to get into this game. Missouri has not allowed any team thus far this season to get into a rhythm and, while they have started slow on a couple of occasions, once they have gotten the lead, they have not allowed their opponents to get any momentum. If you’re not talking about Missouri when you talk about the SEC East, you’re not really having a real conversation.
Ole Miss 56, Louisiana-Lafayette 15
Conventional Storyline: Ole Miss continues to put up big numbers, is for real.
Reality: Spot on!
Bo Wallace had another excellent game and the Ole Miss defense continues to make life very hard for opposing teams. This Ole Miss team has all the qualities to make an impact this season – consistent, high quality QB play, a decent running game, and a potentially great defense. Alabama comes to Oxford in two weeks for what is shaping up to be a game with national implications. Can Ole Miss put all the pieces in place to beat the Crimson Tide?
Mississippi State 35, South Alabama 3
Reaction: Another overshadowed game, another solid win by Mississippi State.
Reality: Don’t sleep on Mississippi State either, also for real.
OK, this SEC West Division is getting ridiculous. Much like their in-state rivals, Mississippi State is getting quality QB play, a very good ground game, and a decent defense. They will have next week’s game of the week as they travel to LSU and face a Tigers defense coming off two straight shut-outs. If the Bulldog offense can continue to run the ball against LSU and cause problems for the young LSU offense, Mississippi State has a chance to make a name for itself as well. Mark my words – all seven SEC West schools are deserving Top 25 schools, Mississippi State included.
LSU 31, Louisiana-Monroe 0
Reaction: LSU building momentum with two consecutive shut-outs.
Reality: LSU is losing ground in the SEC West.
Yes, UL-Monroe is a decent team. Yes, LSU has a good crop of young offensive players. And yes, John Chavis is still the best defensive coordinator in college football. But LSU fans should look around the SEC West and be very concerned. LSU has not played up to its’ consensus #8 ranking. Meanwhile, Texas A&M and Ole Miss are putting up 50- and 70-spots on teams and Mississippi State and Arkansas are putting up 300- and 400-yard rushing performances. Oh, and Alabama and Auburn are still pretty good, too. LSU might find itself going from Top 10 to last in the SEC West by the end of the year if the offensive play doesn’t become more consistent. We will know more after this week’s contest against Mississippi State.
Texas A&M 38, Rice 10
Reaction: Texas A&M tuning up for SEC play.
Reality: Spot on!
Kenny Hill has 300 yards and 4 touchdowns and the A&M defense holds Rice to ten points. Kevin Sumlin is pacing his team not allowing them to get too excited before starting the SEC schedule in earnest. If A&M can find consistency in their run game and if their defense plays like it did in Week 1, then Texas A&M could be a contender for the new play-off system. In two weeks, four straight games against Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama will test this young team. Kevin Sumlin will have them mentally prepared and if they can stay healthy, look for the A&M and Alabama game to be the first playoff game of the season.
Vanderbilt 34, Massachusetts 31
Reaction: Vanderbilt gets back on track with a much needed win.
Reality: Vanderbilt gets lucky with UMass missing a chip shot, still not looking in-season form.
Quote of the weekend: Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason: “It was the best crowd I have ever seen and they were with us from the time the ball was kicked off until the end. Commodore Nation should be proud.” Wait, what? Weren’t you the defensive coordinator at Stanford? Haven’t you experienced Autzen Stadium, The Coliseum, and big-time bowl games? This is a coach clearing grasping for straws after another incredulous performance. Vanderbilt needed a last-second UMass miss on a chip shot field goal to escape with the win. Now Vanderbilt gets South Carolina, Kentucky and Georgia the next three weeks. Vandy fans should be very, very afraid.
Overall SEC Analysis:
The SEC is showing how strong it is. The SEC West is – without question – the strongest Division in college football. All seven of those teams are worthy for Top 25 votes. The West is open and any of those teams could win on any given Saturday. And in the East, Tennessee’s respectable showing at Oklahoma and the emergence of Kentucky makes six of those seven quality, bowl contending teams. Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina or Florida have a chance at taking that Division. As we move into the conference schedule in earnest, this SEC season promises to showcase college football at its finest.
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