SEC Update

Okay, okay I admit it. As someone who believes that the SEC has become grossly overrated--and that its overblown standing is bad for college football--I was happy that Missouri won its second straight East title yesterday. That they beat an SEC West team to do it made it even sweeter. Look I am not buying that Missouri was a mediocre program before joining the SEC. They were better than that but the Big 12 was underrated because of the SEC so it is with some irony that folks point to Mizzou as some mediocre team going to the SEC and then doing well. I also think it is great that a team that lost to Indiana won the SEC East. It happens. And yes it was fortunate that Mizzou pulled A&M and Arkansas but that happens and the Aggies were ranked when Missouri beat them and Arkansas was playing much better at year's end when the Tigers beat them. I also love that the Tigers were able to have a successful season without superstar wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who was booted from school in April for repeated transgressions with pot and for being accused of throwing a woman down a flight of stairs. I wish he kept his head straight and I wish we could enjoy his play, but he screwed up and Missouri, despite the pressures of competing in the SEC, did the right thing and should be commended for that (OU did not but that is a separate story). As for the rest of the SEC, there is plenty of excitement slated for today. Can Alabama and Mississippi State keep their championship hopes alive while playing rivals Auburn and Mississippi who both once harbored title hopes? Can Florida upset FSU for both SEC pride and outgoing coach Will Muschamp? Georgia and South Carolina also have rivalry games against the ACC, so the conferences have a lot on the line today. While the conference focuses on national titles there is a great deal of opportunity today to prove that they are much better than everyone else. We'll see.

Aggies Rout South Carolina

One major college football game played in 2014 and one top ten team knocked off. Texas A&M proved that they are bigger than any one player by putting on an offensive exhibition in Columbia, South Carolina. Quarterback Kenny Hill not only proved that he is a capable replacement for you-know-who but he surpassed him by throwing for a school-record 511 yards. In leading A&M to seven TDs on its first 11 possessions, Hill completed 44-60 and threw three scoring passes. Although Texas A&M still has a tough schedule to play they did show an SEC Network audience that they are not rebuilding in 2014. As for SC, well perhaps its missing star was irreplaceable. The Gamecocks defense was putrid tonight and it is hard to see that they can be a national title contender after this game, no matter how early it was played. Hell, they only have eight days to prepare for ECU and QB Shane Carden.

SEC Update

It has been a strange season for the SEC.  Is it still the preeminent conference?  Yes.  Does the nation's best team still reside there?  Yes.  Is it a conference packed with superstars and top coaches?  Yes.
But something is amiss.  The player currently receiving the most press--and he is arguably the finest player in the conference--is none other than Jadeveon Clowney of South Carolina.  There is not much more to say about his situation, one in which everyone seems to be at fault, but there are enough great players performing well that are not getting the headlines he is getting for not playing.  And at 4-1 the Gamecocks are still very much alive in the SEC East race (although Georgia had better start losing soon) and yet the biggest story in the aftermath of Clowney's opting out of the Kentucky game is whether his actions hurt not the Gamecocks but his draft stock.
But there is more.  Johnny Manziel's off-field excitement has long overshadowed the play of the Aggies on the field while the coverage of the LSU season has focused on stud RB Jeremy Hill's transgressions and what role coach Les Miles played in the sordid mess at Oklahoma State.  And there have been accusations and rumors about a number of other SEC programs and the ways they may have broken rules over the years.
And there is another reality, one that may be hard to overcome.  A few years ago the conference was honored for its strong play as evidenced by the number of recent winners of national championships (LSU, Florida, Alabama, Auburn).  That streak of course continues but one program has pulled away from the others and Alabama's dominance threatens to deflate the merits of the others.  And so while there have been some exciting games involving SEC teams this year there is also a sense that anything these teams do does not matter in the end because Alabama will win anyway.  And even those teams that beat Alabama, like LSU two years ago and A&M last year, cannot truly stop the Tide steamroller--and Bama avenges those losses soon enough.
But we will not play that game here.  Alabama will probably not lose the "Bear Bryant Bowl" to Kentucky this weekend, but they have not won the 2013 SEC and national titles yet.  And as for the rest of the league, the big games this weekend are Georgia hosting upstart Missouri, Florida traveling to LSU and Texas A&M tangling with Mississippi.  Should be fun.

SEC Update

The LSU-Alabama game is not this weekend! It just seems that way due to coverage (over coverage?). There is still plenty of SEC action to grab your attention, beyond the behind-the-scenes machinations involving Missouri.

For one thing Florida-Georgia is this weekend and that game is usually fun, if a bit one-sided. But this year, the dominant team in the series in recent years, Florida, is the dog so the game should be compelling. The Bulldogs cannot rewrite their recent series history (only 3 wins in last 21 games) and need to get that out of their minds as they focus on a potential SEC East title. Still you wonder how they will handle adversity. As for the Gators, they obviously value this game as a rivalry and coach Muschamp played for Georgia. More importantly, they need to win to avoid falling to .500 at 4-4 with South Carolina and Florida State still to play.

The other key game in the SEC East takes place in Knoxville, where a struggling Vols team host a South Carolina squad trying desperately to hold onto their slim first place advantage. Tennessee is 0-4 in SEC play for the second straight year and have lost those games by an average of 32 points. They go with a true freshman at QB in Justin Worley against an SC club that has had two weeks to scheme plays for a number of offensive weapons not named Marcus Lattimore. If the Gamecocks can mix the ball around on O and pressure the kid on D, they'll remain number one in the East for one more week while sending the Vols to a second straight 0-5 conference start. SEC game number six this year? At Arkansas on November 12.

Speaking of the Hogs, they have a big game at Vanderbilt this weekend. I say that it is big as Arkansas needs to keep winning in an attempt to claim the unofficial number three ranking among SEC clubs. Although this is not a year for depth in the conference, being considered third best here always carries a lot of credit and a nice January bowl game. Of course, Arkansas has a sot to finish as the team considered second best in the SEC, but I'll believe a win at LSU later this year wen I see it.

Auburn-Mississippi was never much of a rivalry back 50 years ago when both were good because they did not play. The Tigers are 24-4 in the series since 1971 and should up that to 25-4 on Saturday. Meanwhile Mississippi State must get their act in gear this season and there is no better place to do that than in Lexington against the Wildcats.

SEC Update

Although national championship implications always dictate the press coverage of the SEC, for this season the races to win the East and West have each broken down to neat two-team races. Alabama and LSU have not lost to anyone and have a showdown November 5th that everyone expects to settle the divisional title and Georgia has only lost one conference game, to South Carolina, and SC has lost only to Alabama. Sure Arkansas is ranked highly and Auburn is already 3-1 in conference, but not one pundit gives either of them a chance out West, while the four other SEC East teams have already the stench of also-ran about them.

Both Alabama and Louisiana State play home games this weekend before off weeks on October 29. So neither of them have an advantage. LSU has the tougher opponent in Auburn but it is hard to imagine a Tiger squad that has yet to surpass 17 points in any of its past three games to pull off a road upset. The Tide will have the pleasure of sending rival Tennessee to an 0-4 SEC mark.

The intrigue is really in the East were a season-ending knee injury to star back Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina has buoyed Georgia's chances of claiming the division. But Georgia needs some outside help to overcome their loss to SC. The Gamecocks need to lose one of their remaining three conference games--at Tennessee, at Arkansas or home versus Florida while the Bulldogs sweep Florida in Jacksonville and Auburn and home games versus Auburn and Kentucky. That is very possible--especially with the inexperienced Connor Shaw at QB and replacements at tailback--but the Gamecocks could very well rally behind their young QB and backs. We have already witnessed a fired up Steve Spurrier, so there is something to be said for that possibility. The big problem is that every opposing defense schemed for Lattimore and will now put more pressure on Shaw and young skill talent like back Brandon Wilds and wide receiver Bruce Ellington--he of the SC hoops team--who has excelled out of the Wildcat. With a week off, Spurrier will need to come up with some more creative offensive schemes to make up for the loss of one of the nation's finest players.

View From Bennett Avenue

As you know, there is much that I do not like about ESPN. But, of course, I have to accept them as the premium supplier of sports news on television. And I have to live with all of the stupid things that they do on what seems to be a daily basis.
While I would love to rail against them for boneheaded decisions, especially regarding their choice of "talent,"I have bigger fish to fry. Number one, why does the network present to us as fact this past weekend that Texas A&M was going to jump to the SEC? The "source" for that story was an insider from College Station reporting the news to basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb. Really? That is the best you can do? While it does appear that there is some interest between the SEC and A&M, the deal is being held up for scores of reasons mostly involving potential lawsuits and money to be owed by the Aggies to the Big 12. But because of these myriad hold-ups, the deal is far from finalized and, as we learned from the story about Texas jumping to the Pac 10, far from being a lock. Why jump the gun? You, ESPN, are the main source of sports news for everyone. Let the other guys jump the gun.
Also, this week ESPN is airing a panel that is discussing the ills of major college sports. And of course the dopey ESPN "experts," like Mark May and Jay Bilas, get to spout off while the more important people, like coaches and administrators, can barely get a word in. But allowing Saban to speak about the issue of recruiting malfeasance drove me crazy. Urban Meyer clearly had Saban in mind when he said that one way to control coaches would be to suspend them when they commit violations, but Saban just spun the conversation around to something else. And then May and others chimed in about how the rulebook is too big as if that is some excuse for Saban's cheating. Until they hammer guys like Saban the problem is not going to go away as others, as we saw with Auburn last year, will cheat to try to keep up with him.

2010 SEC Preview

The SEC will not win a 5th consecutive BCS title in 2010. There I said it. I can not come up with a team to beat no. 1-ranked Alabama, mind you, but someone will do so either during the regular season, in the SEC title game or in a bowl game. And no other SEC squad looks good enough to win a championship outside of the defending national champs.
The conference has become too top heavy, with Alabama and Florida becoming too dominant. Yeah some folks are excited about Arkansas and Auburn as possible sleepers out West, and Georgia may give the Gators a run for their money this season, but to me we will see Alabama and Florida meet once again in the SEC title game this December. And hopefully this year the game will go down to the wire.
Florida's ride to the Eastern crown will be much tougher this year. While I think new QB John Brantley will be fine, the offense will not bounce back to the highs of 2008. The best player on that side of the ball may well be center Mike Pouncey, with back Jeff Demps out to prove he is more than a speedster. Despite losing six starters and coordinator Charlie Strong, the Gators defense will maintain its bite.
On September 11 Georgia will travel to South Carolina for what could be the battle to determine the biggest threat to Florida's dominance. I am not buying the love for the Gamecocks this season and like Georgia to win the game and bounce back with a solid season. While the QB position is up in the air, the rest of the offense should be outstanding. While wide receiver A.J. Green justifably gets a lot of attention, other members of that unit will be earning their own national acclaim. It is on defense where the bulldogs need to improve enough to challenge Florida and new coordinator Todd Grantham--fresh from a stint as d-line coach of the Dallas Cowboys--is the man on the spot.
South Carolina is the only other team in the East with a shot at a divisional title--thanks to their 16 returning starters. That number may fall to 15 if star TE Weslye Suanders get suspended for a host of infractions. Will this be coach Steve Spurrier's last shot at glory? I believe that SC will look good against light opponents but fade against anyone that hits them in the mouth.
The remaining three SEC East squads will be hard-pressed to win enough games to be bowl-worthy, including Tennessee. Of course, there are enough easy teams on SEC schedules to squeak into a bowl game--ala Kentucky last year--so there is hope. If the Vols fall one short they will rue the day Oregon was scheduled for this September 11--unless they pull the upset.
Out West, while I am not buying the fact that Alabama is one of the best teams of all time, they still should dominate play. Thye do have to play Arkansas and LSU on the road. The Tide have a ton of offense coming back, including Heisman winner Mark Ingram, but lost a great deal on defense. The replacements all fly around the field so Alabama should be fine there. All that said, it is just not easy to repeat.
The battle for second should be a fun one and the winner should finish the season with a great shot for a high ranking. While Auburn is a trendy pick, I want to see what they can do with expectations. I am going with Arkansas and LSU to tie for second with the Hogs riding a great second half run behind quarterback Ryan Mallett. Although the passing game, with Mallett and his top five receivers returning, get the lion's share of attention, the improvement of the Razorbacks defense is what will make this team a top ten finisher.
As for LSU, the defense will be as great as always, with linebacker Kelvin Shepherd and corner Patrick Peterson leading the way. It will be the offense, of course, that will make or break this team. Can QB Jordan Jefferson continue to improve? Can multi-purpose back Russell Shepard become the next SEC offensive superstar now that he is free from quarterback duties? We will find out soon enough as the Tigers play North Carolina in Atlanta on Saturday.
Auburn slots in at no. 4 out West, but the key for the Tigers is that the program as a whole continues to improve. I just do not know if coach Gene Chizik can win 10 games. The key for the team is the play of quarterback Cam Newton, a former Florida recruit who won a juco title last year. He is expected to thrive in coach Gus Malzahn's offense, but putting up big numbers and closing out big SEC games are two different beasts. Still with eight home games, the Tigers are defintely targeting a big season.
Mississippi has a favorable early schedule and could thus build the confidence lacking last season when they disappointed. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, late of Oregon, will play a lot for a Rebels team desperate for playmakers.
The MSU Bulldogs will continue to improve under coach Dan Mullen. The goal this year is bowl eligibility and they may have to pull more than one upset to achieve it. Road games at LSU, Houston, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi will make a winning record an impressive accomplishment.

SEC Mess

With Florida and Alabama already locked into their SEC Title game spots, the SEC desperately needs another team to garner media attention. Wait, they have one in that carnival sideshow of a program...Tennessee! The latest "news" is that frosh DB Nyshier Oliver was caught shoplifting an expensive polo shirt of all things from a Knoxville mall in early November. That is normally not too big of a deal as Oliver is not the first teen to swipe a shirt. But, Oliver was caught four days before coach Lane Kiffen bragged about the lack of arrests in the program, although there is some doubt as too the coach's knowledge of the incident (what is worse?). And that speech was a few days before three of Oliver's teammates attempted to rob a parked car outside a convenience store. All four of the players in question, two of whom have been thrown out of school, are members of Kiffin's first recruiting class.

These criminal misdoings have been just the latest chapter for a program that is being defined by the outrageous statements tossed out by a coach with a desperate need to get his name in the paper. Getting attention for a challenge to Florida's supremacy in the SEC East is a bit different from talking to the press about player arrests. Are these isolated incidents, or is Kiffin doing anything to win and stumbling a few times in doing so?

And Kiffin is fully aware that all of the bluster and recruiting coups and player screw ups is secondary to the product on the field. The Volunteers returned some talented players, including one of the best defenders in the country in S Eric Berry (pictured). The defense, which has played well this year until the Mississippi game, was ranked in the top five in the country last year. RB Montario Hardesty and QB Jonathan Crompton, who have paced the offense, are seniors. Going 5-5 with a schedule that featured both road games with Florida, Alabama and Mississippi and an easy non-conference schedule that consisted of home games against four teams with a combined 14-26 record is just okay. Sweeping the remaining games to go 8-5 will be better, certainly, but the Vols may have to rebuild next year after losing a great many key players after this season. That effort got tougher with the losses to the freshmen class.

Where does Tennessee go from here? They will remain aggressive in the pursuit of football talent. They say that they will be tough on their kids when the players mess up. We will see. We also know that Kiffin better start winning soon or the bluster and criminal activity will swallow up his efforts.

SEC State of Mind

It is a shame that Florida and South Carolina do not meet until November 14 as the Gamecocks have established themselves as the second-best team in the SEC East and the only team with much of a chance to challenge the Gators for first place. That their match-up will be held late in the year is only a problem if the Gators continue to pull away. To stay one game back in the standings after this weekend South Carolina must travel to red-hot Alabama and win or hope Arkansas stuns Florida in Gainesville. With road games with Tennessee and Arkansas left on their schedule in addition to Alabama, we cannot project the Gamecocks adding any excitement to the East race.

Out West it is hard to imagine Mississippi, one of the nation’s most disappointing teams, reinserting itself into the race to unseat Alabama. The Rebels still have to prove that they are the best squad in their state let alone division. But if they can turn things around the Rebels will have a say about how the race plays out as they travel to Auburn on Halloween and host LSU on November 21. QB Jevan Snead needs to forget about his plummeting NFL draft staus for a moment and do whatever it takes to get the O rolling in the second half of the season. Mississippi hosts UAB this weekend which should allow Snead a chance to fully execute the gameplan one week after the Tide D did its best to prevent that from happening.

SEC State of Mind

Is there anyone else growing weary of the attention placed on the mouths of Lane Kiffin and Urban Meyer? Sportswriters drool over every word these two spout as if these two idiots can solve world problems. I did not expect much from Kiffin, who has to use his mouth to cover up his deficiencies as a coach, but Meyer? He has gotten into spats with Pete Carroll, Ron Zook, Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt, half of Notre Dame’s fan base and, of course, Kiffin, among others. How mad would he be without two national titles in four years? Lighten up and enjoy yourself for crying out loud!

What interests me more about this upcoming slate of games for SEC teams are questions like: Can anyone on Arkansas cover Julio Jones? (No.) Can South Carolina hang with a Mississippi squad hit by the flu bug? (Probably not.) With Auburn playing well, is the SEC West now a four team race? (At least until the Hogs play three SEC road games in October.) Can Georgia give Florida competition in the East? (No.) Can all of LSU’s young talent on offense gel in time for key October games against Georgia, Florida and Auburn? (Hopefully.) Can Steve Spurrier get to .500 in SEC play as coach of the Gamecocks? (At three games under, it is not looking good.)

Are we so used to the quality play in the conference that we need off-the-field nonsense to keep our interest? Let’s watch some football, beginning tomorrow night in Columbia. After all, what is the over/under on the number of times ESPN talks about Mississippi’s need for revenge for last season’s 31-24 South Carolina victory?