After the first week, ten of the twelve teams in the Southeastern Conference were victorious. Those ten teams still continue to have dreams of going to the BCS National Championship Game while others have been shattered into pieces. Let’s take a look at how each team fared in alphabetical order.
Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama started their quest for a repeat with a bang by defeating San Jose State 48-3 to prove that their #1 ranking is not a fluke for the time being. Outgaining the opponent 591 yards to 175 displayed Alabama’s pure dominance on the football field. Tide QB Greg McElroy completed 13 of 15 passes for 218 yards with one TD. What makes his stats even more astounding is that he only played a little over a quarter as the game was completely out of hand. Alabama was up 21-3 when he was substituted.
RB Mark Ingram was out of this game with an injury. Nevertheless, the remaining running backs on the roster picked up the slack. RB Trent Richardson ran for 66 yards on 10 carries with 2 TD’s. RB Eddie Lacy ran for 111 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns as well in his first game as a collegiate player. The depth behind Ingram and Richardson was in question before this game, but now those critics have been silenced.
The defense also played splendidly without DE Marcell Dareus, who has been suspended for two games by the NCAA for improper activities with a sports agent. The defense rose to the occasion by not allowing a TD for the entire game. However, the young and unproven defense will be tested this upcoming week as they play Penn St.
Auburn Tigers. Auburn looked pretty good in their debut match by defeating Arkansas St. 52-26. New QB Cameron Newton had a tremendous game. He threw for 186 yards on 9 for 14 passing with 3 TD’s and also ran for 171 yards and 2 TD’s. This dual threat should be able to create havoc against opposing defenses all season.
One cause for concern could be that the defense gave up 323 total yards passing to Arkansas St. The pass defense must become better when they play better competition. Another cause for concern could be that Auburn’s offense lost two fumbles during the game. Turnover ratio was a key to Auburn’s turnaround last season. Too many turnovers could derail their season.
Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas enjoyed an easy victory over Tennessee Tech by winning 44-3. Razorbacks QB Ryan Mallett threw for 301 yards on 21 for 24 passing with 3 TD’s and 1 INT. His passing is a good sign for Arkansas fans as his accuracy has improved from last season.
An even better sign for Razorbacks fans is that their defense held Tennessee Tech to three points and also registered a safety in the second quarter. The defense was able to hold Tennessee Tech to 187 total yards for the entire game. It took some time for Arkansas to get going because they did not start their scoring onslaught until the second quarter, but once they got started, it showed that their offense will definitely be a problem for the opposition.
Florida Gators. The Gators obtained a rather underwhelming victory by defeating Miami (OH) 34-12 at the Swamp. Many fans expected a blowout since Miami (OH) was last place in the Mid-American Conference last season. However, Florida’s offense sputtered all game. Matter of fact, Florida’s first TD was an 67 yard interception return by Gator CB Janoris Jenkins. Florida’s offense then got on track by scoring two more touchdowns in that quarter.
What brings about the cause for concern is that it is impossible to replace Tim Tebow. The new QB John Brantley threw for a paltry 113 yards. Usually, Coach Urban Meyer utilizes a mobile quarterback in his spread formation. However, Brantley is a classic drop-back passer. Therefore, the element of surprise is taken out of his vaunted spread option attack, but 113 yards passing is unacceptable. If Coach Meyer was having chest pains last season, then a paramedic better follow him around this season.
Another problem that the Gators had was with the center snap as Florida had eight fumbles throughout the entire game, losing three. Florida will need to find solutions to these problems in a hurry because they play South Florida this upcoming week.
Georgia Bulldogs. The Bulldogs took the University of Louisiana to the woodshed by beating them 55-7. Georgia played without All-American wide receiver AJ Green and safety Alec Ogletree. However, Georgia’s defense was the key to this blowout. Georgia’s defense had three interceptions with one being returned for a touchdown. The Bulldogs defense also held University of Louisiana to five first downs for the entire game.
Nobody on the offense had any jaw-dropping stats because the team had fabulous field position all game. Hopefully, the defense shows up against South Carolina next week. If Green is not allowed to play in the game against South Carolina, then Georgia will lose.
Kentucky Wildcats. Coach Joker Phillips was victorious in his coaching debut as the Wildcats defeated the Louisville Cardinals by the score of 23-16 led by the rushing of All-SEC RB Derrick Locke. Locke rushed for 104 yards on 23 carries with 2 TD’s.
What Kentucky fans should really be happy about is the maturation of QB Mike Hartline. Hartline passed for 217 yards with no interceptions; it’s a miracle! I am glad to see that he has improved his accuracy as he was 17 for 26 on his passes.
Wildcats all-purpose back Randall Cobb was all over the field against Louisville. He ran four times for 80 yards and a TD, he caught two passes for 19 yards, and he threw a completion for 19 yards! With Kentucky’s next two opponents being Western Kentucky and Akron, the team will be able to further improve. Watch for this team because they could be good enough to pull off an upset or two further into the season.
LSU Tigers. The rollercoaster ride conducted by Coach Les Miles has continued from last season as LSU held on to win over North Carolina by the score of 30-24 even though they were ahead 30-10 at halftime. LSU thoroughly dominated the first half in all three facets of the game. The offense scored three TD’s, the defense obtained a safety in the second quarter, and All-American CB Patrick Peterson returned a punt 86 yards for a TD in the second quarter. The way LSU played in the first half, you would have thought that the Tigers would have scored at least fifty points.
What made the comeback even worse is that North Carolina was missing 17 players for the game for breaking NCAA rules violations, which is not rare for Butch Davis coached teams. (Remember, he was the one that drove ‘The U’ into the ground.) Therefore, the Tar Heels had a severe lack of depth for the second half. Yet, UNC made it close with 2 TD passes in the fourth quarter. This comeback exposed the Tigers as being a team that lacks depth.
After UNC scored their second TD in the fourth quarter with 2:38 left, the Tar Heels recovered the onside kick. As UNC was driving, the Tigers defense showed up by sacking the QB on third down and forcing a fumble. LSU recovered the fumble with 1:50 left. All LSU had to do was run out the clock since UNC only had one timeout left. Guess what LSU does? They fumble the ball with 1:17 left at the UNC 29. UNC begins to drive on LSU and gets it down to the Tigers 15 with ten seconds left. Fortunately for LSU fans, UNC were not able to punch it into the end zone. LSU once again almost snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory.
This lack of time management and depth reflects directly on the coaching staff. Les Miles needs to be fired because his teams always seem to have time management lapses every season. LSU lost to Ole Miss last season because the Tigers tried to down the ball with one second left instead of kicking a field goal. His lack of time management will cause for LSU to lose at least one conference game this season.
The second half also reflects on the coaching staff not being able to make any coaching adjustments. LSU knew that UNC was going to pass for the entire second half because they were up 30-10. Plus, UNC’s top two running backs were among the 17 that were suspended. However, UNC QB TJ Yates threw for 412 yards. Les Miles was clearly outcoached once again. Don’t worry, LSU fans. It won’t be the last time either.
Mississippi Rebels. The good news is that the NCAA allowed for transfer QB Jeremiah Masoli to play for the Rebels. The bad news is that Ole Miss laid an egg and was part of what will be the biggest upset of the season. Mississippi lost to Jacksonville St. 49-48 in double overtime.
The weird part about this stunner is that Ole Miss completely dominated in the first half; the Rebels were up big 31-10 at halftime. Coach Houston Nutt rotated QB’s Nathan Stanley and Masoli throughout the game, and it was working according to plan. Stanley threw all three of his touchdown passes in the first half.
What killed the momentum for Ole Miss was turnovers. The Rebels committed three turnovers in the second half which allowed for Jacksonville St. to make its comeback. The lack of possession fatigued the Rebel defense. That weariness led to Jacksonville St. scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 34-34 with 39 seconds left.
Jacksonville St. also showed tremendous amount of guts in the second overtime by going for two instead of kicking an extra point to send the game into triple overtime. Jacksonville St. QB Coty Blanchard was able to find WR Calvin Middleton for the two point conversion that sealed the biggest upset in college football since Appalachian St. defeated Michigan at the Big House.
The quote after the game made by Coach Houston Nutt says it all. “Without a doubt, it was the worst loss of my career.” In the South, people take their college football a little too serious since there is nothing to do except for staring at dirt roads all day. Oxford blogs are calling for him to be fired.
The problem with Ole Miss is that the college will never obtain a high level of impact recruits to their school because their team mascot is the Confederate Rebel. How do they expect to recruit Black players when their mascot reminds them of the slavery that occurred before the Civil War? Why do so many people in the South continue to hold on to the ideas of the Confederacy? The Confederates lost the Civil War; therefore the Confederacy is for losers. You should expect for the team to lose an inordinate amount of games when your mascot is the caricature of a loser. It also doesn’t help that your governor, Haley Barbour, looks like Archie Bunker.
Mississippi State Bulldogs. Fortunately for the people in Mississippi, they can now root for Mississippi St. this season. Mississippi St. laid a whupping upon the backsides of Memphis by defeating them 49-7. The Bulldogs offense looks way better than last season because of an extra year of experience. Bulldogs QB’s had a field day against Memphis as Tyler Russell threw for 256 yards and 4 TD’s and Chris Relf threw for 116 yards and 1 TD.
Watch out, Bulldog opponents! The only reason Mississippi St. was mediocre last season was because of the inaccuracy of the quarterbacks last season. However, Russell completed 13 of 16 passes and Relf completed 7 of 9 throws. The defense only gave up 9 first downs the entire game. If you are looking for a sleeper in the SEC West, then Mississippi St. is it.
South Carolina Gamecocks. Many experts have called this team the best one that Coach Steve Spurrier has ever possessed at South Carolina. The experts may be right because the Cocks spewed out a 41-13 victory over Southern Mississippi. The real key is that QB Stephen Garcia finally didn’t throw an interception in a game! That’s not a misprint; he did not throw an interception.
This week’s matchup between Georgia could possibly determine who is the early favorite to win the SEC since the conference is so balanced this season. It is remarkable that Coach Spurrier was able to secure so many recruits in the only state in which the Confederate Flag flies in front of the State Capitol Building. As I have written earlier, the Confederacy is for losers. However, I do appreciate Coach Spurrier’s disdain of the Confederate Flag in front of the Capitol Building because he loses a plethora of recruits on a yearly basis because of the loser’s flag.
Tennessee Volunteers. Coach Dooley’s debut brought jubilation to the Volunteer fans as Tennessee defeated Tennessee-Martin 50-0. Look Mississippi! This is what you are supposed to do to a FBS opponent. Tennessee dominated this game by rushing for a total of 332 yards. The rushing attack was led by Tauren Poole, who ran for 110 yards on 17 carries and two TD’s.
Although QB Matt Simms was 14-24 passing for 181 yards and a TD, his ability to manage the team throughout the season could be the key to proving doubters about this team wrong. If the defense continues to give the teams bagels, then Tennessee should have a good season.
Vanderbilt Commodores. Now I see why former coach Bobby Johnson resigned. Vanderbilt just lost to Northwestern 23-21. There is nothing else to add to that; they lost to Northwestern! At least Vandy’s basketball team will be good.
