SEC PRIMER (Week 7): Thumbs rise, Bama falls as season halftime arrives
STAFF REPORT
There have been plenty of thumbs rising in the air in the state of Texas this week.
Imagine that.
Texas A&M will celebrate until Saturday’s kickoff in Columbia, Mo. the win of wins over Alabama…. Possibly well into the third quarter of that game.
It’s not just the fact they beat the mighty Crimson Tide, it’s how it happened, complete with a last-second field goal to win it.
There is something about that kick rising through the uprights to beat a football power. If John Facenda was still with us, you could hear his voice canonizing the kick by Seth Small.
“Jubilation has never met such a moment as foot met leather in the final seconds in College Station, prompting a crush or horde to engulf the gridiron as midnight struck the Crimson Tide… “
As emotional as that moment gets, it can’t hide the problems Alabama might be dealing with heading into the second half of the season. It’s not hard to see the deficiencies on the offensive line. Tide receivers dropped six passes last Saturday – two were touchdowns.
And defense? That’s another story of wretchedness. OK, it’s not all bad but Tide fans expect perfection and they ain’t getting it right now.
Is that why A&M pulled it off? Partially. The Aggies still had to do what they did to win, so no need to take that away from their productivity.
No doubt, Tide fans can replay that game over and over and it will not change anything but it might point out where their team is – and it’s not about winning a national championship, but winning in Starkville this weekend.
Who thought that would be questioned?
SEC Schedule for Oct. 15 (Rankings are from AP)
Auburn (4-2, 1-1 SEC) at (17) Arkansas (4-2, 1-2 SEC)
11 a.m. CDT • CBS
Fayetteville, Ark. • Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000)
Series: AU leads, 18-11-1 (Last meeting - 2020, @ AU, 30-28)
Last week: Georgia def. Auburn, 34-10; Ole Miss def. Arkansas, 52-51
What about AU/ARK
Arkansas’ 51 points was the most in a loss in school history. The previous high was 50 points against Miss St. in 2015.
Arkansas totaled 676 yards, its most in a game since producing 663 total yards against Mississippi State on Nov. 19, 2016. The 676 yards are the fourth-most in a game in school history.
Auburn has allowed seven sacks, which ranks 16th nationally. The Tigers have given up seven all season.
Arkansas rushed for a season-high 350 yards, its most since totaling 359 against Mississippi State in 2016. The Hogs ran 58 times, its most attempts since Sept. 13, 2014 against Texas Tech (68 attempts).
Eku Leota recorded his fourth sack of the season against UGA, which leads the Auburn defense.
RRS PREDICTION: Arkansas 27, Auburn 24 (Arkansas favored by 3.5)
(20) Florida (4-2, 2-2 SEC) at LSU (3-3, 1-2 SEC)
11 a.m. CDT • ESPN
Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (102,321)
Series: UF leads, 33-31-3 (Last meeting – 2020, LSU, 37-34)
Last Week: Kentucky def. LSU, 42-21; UF def. Vanderbilt, 42-0
What about LSU /UF
In last three meetings, LSU has outscored UF, 98-89 but UF has outgained LSU 1,457 to 1,301 in yardage, a difference of 52 yards per game. UF has back-to- back 450 yards against the Tigers, which broke a string of 10 games w/o passing 400 yards against LSU.
LSU has not lost three straight games since the 2015 season (Bama/Ark/Ole Miss).
LSU announced WR Kayshon Boutte will be lost for the rest of the season after an injury to his leg. The Tigers will also be without defensive end Ali Gaye,, defensive back Major Burns and defensive lineman Joseph Evans.
UF ranks second in the SEC in total offense averaging 504 ypg and first in rush offense with 273.7 ypg.
LSU is 11th in pass defense and total defense (385 ypg).
RRS Prediction: Florida 37, LSU 20 (UF favored by 11.5)
(21) Texas A&M (4-2, 1-2 SEC) at Missouri (3-3, 0-2 SEC)
11a.m. CDT • SECN
Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621)
Series: A&M leads, 8-7 (Last meeting – 2020 - MIZZOU, 34-27)
Last week: Missouri def. North Texas, 48-35; Texas A&M def. Alabama, 41-38
What about MIZZOU/A&M
First meeting since 2014. Teams were in Big 12 together until 2011.
A&M QB Zach Calzada was 21-of-31 passing for 285 yards and three TDs, all career highs against Bama.
A&M got its third win over a top-ranked team in its history last Saturday (twice has been against Alabama).
Missouri is still ranked last in the nation in rushing defense (287.2) despite the number dropping after the win over North Texas.
Mizzou QB Conner Bazelak has three games of 300 or more passing yards this season.
RRS Prediction: Texas A&M 35, Missouri 28 (A&M favored by 9)
(11) Kentucky (6-0, 4-0 SEC) at (1) Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC)
2:30 p.m. CDT • CBS
Athens, Ga. • Sanford Stadium (92,746)
Series: UGA leads, 60-12-1 (Last meeting, 2020 - UGA, 14-3)
Last week: UGA def. Auburn, 34-10; Kentucky def. LSU, 42-21
What about KY/UGA
KY looking for its first 7-0 start since 1950 (Bear Bryant was coach)
Georgia allowed its first touchdown of significance against Auburn. It was the first touchdown from the Red Zone this season. Opponents have reached inside the 20 a total of eight times.
KY is 3-32 against a ranked UGA team. All three wins came in Lexington (last – 1988). They have one win over a No. 1 ranked team (LSU – 2007). KY under Mark Stoops has never beaten UGA (0-8).
UGA leads the nation in pass defense, allowing 137 ypg. The Dogs are fourth in rushing defense (64.2 ypg).
QB Stetson Bennett had UGA’s longest rushing play of the season last week against Auburn, 30 yards. He also has the longest TD pass (UAB) of 73 yards.
UGA has allowed a total of 11 plays of 25 yards or more – longest is a 61-yard TD pass vs. South Carolina.
RRS Prediction: Georgia 21, Kentucky 7 (UGA favored by 21.5)
Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-2 SEC) at South Carolina (3-3, 0-3 SEC)
4 p.m. EDT • SECN
Columbia, S.C. • Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559)
Series: SC leads, 26-4 (Last meeting - 2020, SC, 41-7)
Last week: Tenn. def. South Carolina, 45-20; FLA def. Vandy, 42-0
What about SC/VU
SC has won 12 straight in the series and holds a 26-4 lead.
Both teams have yet to score a point in SEC play having been shut out by Georgia and Florida.
Vandy has consecutive games with multiple interceptions, a first since 2018.
SC’s defense recorded six sacks against Tennessee last week, the most since having seven in 2017 against Tennessee.
RRS PREDICTION: South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 14 (SC favored by 18.5)
(5) Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (3-2, 1-1 SEC)
6 p.m. CDT • ESPN
Starkville, Miss. • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field (61,337)
Series: Bama leads, 83-18-3 (Last meeting - 2020, @ Bama, 41-0)
Last week: Texas A&M def. Alabama, 41-38; Miss St did not play
What about BAMA/MISS ST
Under Nick Saban, Alabama suffered its second worst upset as a 17-point favorite. The worst was UL-Monroe in 2007 (24.5 pts).
Bama streaks snapped with last week’s loss – 100 straight wins vs. unranked opponents; 24 straight wins against former Saban assistants; 19 game win streak which was longest in FBS. Also, AP No. 1 teams had won 106 straight games against unranked opponents. USC lost to Oregon St in 2008.
MSU QB Will Rogers has 14 TD passes, which is the most for a MSU QB in the first five games.
MSU WR Makai Polk is the only receiver in the SEC w/ 40-plus receptions, 400-plus yards and 4-plus TDs.
Alabama now has the FBS record for most consecutive games with 30-plus points after last week breaking the record held by UCF.
RRS Prediction: Alabama 45, Miss St 20 (Bama favored by 17)
(13) Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) at Tennessee (4-2, 2-1 SEC)
7:30 p.m. EDT • SECN
Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (102,455)
Series: Tenn leads, 44-19-1 (Last meeting – 2014, @ Miss, 34-3)
Last week: Ole Miss def. Arkansas, 52-51; Tenn. def. South Carolina, 45-20
What about OLE MISS/UT
First meeting since 2014 and first trip to UT for Ole Miss since 2010. Ole Miss is 5-25 all time in Knoxville.
Ole Miss continues to convert fourth downs, now with 18 that leads the nation.
The Rebels are one of two teams yet to throw an interception. The other is Baylor.
The game features the two top “tempo” teams in the nation with Oadfle Miss averaging 2.89 plays per minute while UT averages 2.87 per minute. They are averaging 1.75 and 1.58 points per minute, respectively, trailing only Ohio St (1.83)
UT Brandon Hooker ranks first in SEC and fifth in the nation in QB Passer rating (185.87). Matt Coral ranks second in SEC (182.43).
RRS Prediction: Ole Miss 45, Tennessee 41 (Ole Miss favored by 2.5)
RRS RECORD: Last week: 5-2 (2-5 vs. spread); Season: 48-14 (22-30 vs. spread)