SEC PRIMER (Week 7): Playoff contention gets really, really real

Compiled by GRAHAM DUNN

The breakdown of the playoff contention begins. God help us.

Let’s do this in two parts.

First - Introducing the Pac 12.

The “last-in first-out” process gets a big test this year. Can a league that has little or no ground game (not literally) and very little enthusiasm from the rest of the nation actually make a case for a spot in the playoff?

Playing six games?

Give the league some credit. In some strange way, they are getting attention, which is what they’ve been coveting for a while.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the brand of football has been lacking of late. Two teams from the conference have made the playoff since its inception. Both – Oregon and Washington – were pummeled, even in the case of the Ducks, it happened in the championship game.

They need something but it’s not  9 a.m. Pacific Time kickoffs. They need a winner, somebody who will take the league and run roughshod through it without a blemish.

Oregon may be that team this year.  But with six games, can we really get a feel of whether the Ducks are worthy of a playoff spot? The short answer is “no.” Yet, here comes the Big 10, with seven games and already touting Ohio State as a Top 3 team. They get a pass – will Oregon?

And second - What does all that mean for the SEC? Nothing. It’s way too early to see how all of this works out.

With or without the talk of the legitimacy of the Pac 12 or Big 10, one team in this league will be eliminated from playoff contention this week. Florida and Georgia will be in a pseudo playoff game Saturday.

Let the cocktails begin to flow…

The winner is in line to be in Atlanta on Dec. 19 while the other will be playing out the remainder of the string. Ironically, it was set up for both with losses to Western Division foes earlier in the season.

This has the making in becoming one of the biggest Florida-Georgia games in a long time – bigger than “Run Lindsey Run” in 1980. Bigger than Eric Zeier’s phantom touchdown pass in 1993. Bigger than the Georgia team celebration in the endzone in 2008.

One or the other team was in position to win a national title in those matchups but not both. This year, the winner gets to stay in the line for a shot at the championship.

We can talk Texas A&M at this point but there’s no reason to. The Aggies are beginning to make a case but they will need a lot of help and it’s way too early to get into that.

Not to mention, they need to keep winning, which is something they’ve not proven they can do consistently in November.

SEC VOICES

Chuck Dowdell has been a part of the Georgia Bulldogs Radio Network for several years. He breaks down the Dogs’ game against Florida on RRS Radio earlier this week.

NOV 7 Schedule/Notes

OPEN WEEK

Alabama (6-0)

Auburn (4-2)

Kentucky (2-4)

LSU (2-3)

Ole Miss (2-4)

Missouri (2-3)

Georgia (4-1) vs Florida (3-1)

2:30 p.m. CST (CBS)

TIAA Bank Field – Jacksonville, Fla.

Series: UGA, 52-43-2 (Last: 2019 - UGA, 24-17)

Last Week: Georgia defeated Kentucky, 14-3; Florida def. Missouri, 41-17

5 Things about UGA/FLA (Plus 1)

1. This is the third straight year the Ga-Fla game is a top 10 matchup. Previous to that, the last time was 2012. UGA is 4-3 when both teams are ranked in the Top 10.

2. FLA will be without two players for the first half - defensive lineman Zach Carter and linebacker Antwuan Powell – for their ejection in last Saturday’s game with Missouri.

3. FLA leads the SEC in Red Zone offense, 21-for-21, scoring 16 TDs. Georgia is last in Red Zone defense, giving up scores in all 7 tries by opponents (3 TDs).

4. In the last 14 meetings, the team with the most rushing yardage has won the FLA-GA game. UGA outgained UF 119-21 yards last year.

5. UF QB Kyle Trask set an SEC record with 18 TD passes through the first four games of the season. He is tied fourth nationally in TD passes.

6. UGA S Richard LeCounte leads the nation with three Interceptions but will not play Saturday due to injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident.

RRS PREDICTION: Florida 31, Georgia 27 (UGA favored by 3)

 

Vanderbilt (0-4) at Mississippi St (1-4)

3 p.m. CST (SEC Network)

Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville

Series: Miss St, 13-7-2 (Last: 2014 – @ Miss St, 51-0)

Last Week: Ole Miss def. Vandy, 54-21;  Alabama def. Miss St, 41-0

5 Things to know about VANDY/MISS ST

1. Since Week 1 in the SEC, Miss St has gone from the top offense in the country to 82nd but it’s still better than Vandy, which ranks 91st.

2. After the loss to Alabama, Miss St dropped to second in the SEC in total defense (336.2, up from 295 ypg).

3. Vandy has won just once in Starkville, 1971 (1-7 overall).

4. Vandy and Miss St are tied for last in the SEC in Red Zone offense with both converting into points 50 percent of the time. The two teams have combined to score 121 points this season.

5. VU QB Ken Seals is completing 67 percent of his passes but has just 730 yards on 79 completions.

RRS PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 21, Miss St 17 (Miss St favored by 19)

Texas A&M (4-1) at South Carolina (2-3)

6 p.m. CST (ESPN)

Williams-Brice A&M, 6-0 (Last: 2019 – A&M, 30-6)

Series: A&M, 6-0 (Last 2019 - @ A&M, 30-6)

Last Week: Texas A&M  def. Arkansas, 42-31; South Carolina did not play

5 Things about SC/A&M

1. A&M has reached its highest ranking in the AP poll since 2016 when it was No. 6 before losing to Mississippi State. The Aggies finished that season 8-5, losing four of their last five games.

2. SC has not beaten two SEC West opponents in one season since 2013 (Arkansas/Miss St). The Gamecocks are currently 1-1 against the division (W-Auburn/L-LSU).

3. A&M leads the nation in 3rd down conversions (58.7 percent).

4. SC RB Kevin Harris is the second-leading rusher in the SEC (107 ypg).

5. A&M TE Jalen Wydermyer leads SEC tight ends with 25 catches including 13 against Top 5 opponents (Alabama and Florida) for 135 yards.

RRS PREDICTION: Texas A&M 30, South Carolina 20 (A&M favored by 10)

Tennessee (2-3) at Arkansas (2-3)

6:30 p.m. CST (SEC Network)

Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville

Series: UT, 13-5 (Last: 2015 - ARK, 24-20)

Last Week: Tennessee did not play; Texas A&M def. Arkansas, 42-31

5 Things to know about UT/ARK

1. Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt will face Arkansas for the first time as a HC but is 9-0 when he was an assistant at Alabama and Georgia.

2. Arkansas had 461 yards of total offense in the loss to Texas A&M, the most since 2018 (Ole Miss).

3. Arkansas has just two rushing touchdowns this season, both by Rakeem Boyd.

4. Tennessee ranks last in the SEC in time of possession (26:21 per game). Arkansas is 13th.

5. Arkansas is second nationally with 10 interceptions.

RRS PREDICTION: Tennessee 27, Arkansas 24 (Tennessee favored by 2)