SEC Weekend Thoughts: Week Six

(PHOTO: Texas A&M football twitter)

This weekend was one of the most entertaining weekends of college football that we’ve had all season, and there was a lot to process. Top teams fall, new contenders emerge; we had it all.

1 Alabama 38 (5-1,  2-1 SEC)

Texas A&M 41 (4-2, 1-2 SEC)

If I told you that Alabama would score 38 points and Brian Robinson Jr. would carry the rock 24 times for 147 yards and Alabama would lose, you would have laughed in my face. But that’s exactly what happened. It was the most surprising game of the weekend by far. The Tide finally fell and Nick Saban finally lost to a former assistant. It was a week to forget if you’re an Alabama fan, but not the end of the world. Aggie QB Zach Calzada put his team on his back even after getting injured on the second-to-last drive and led the Aggies 54 yards in a little over two minutes to set up the game-winning field goal. He went 21/31 for 285 yards, 3 touchdowns, and one interception.

 

LSU 21 (3-3, 1-2 SEC)

16 Kentucky 42 (6-0, 4-0 SEC)

Kentucky is for real. Even though LSU is clearly on a down-sloping trajectory, Kentucky got started quickly and never looked back against the Tigers. They quickly got out to a 21-0 lead before LSU finally scored their first points of the game in the third quarter. Will Levis had about as efficient of a day as you could possibly have, going 14/17 for 145 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The Cats rushed for 331 yards on the ground and just crushed LSU’s spirit. We’ll see just how for real this Kentucky team is as they face their toughest test of the year against Georgia this weekend.

 

South Carolina 20 (3-3, 0-3 SEC)
Tennessee 45 (4-2, 2-1 SEC)

Tennessee’s offense continues to cruise. The Volunteers have scored at least 34 points in five out of their six contests this year, the only one excluded being the Florida game. They scored 45 on the Gamecocks last Saturday, but I’m not a believer in this offense YET (key word, yet). The only defense they have faced that’s worth mentioning in Florida’s and Pitt’s, which ranks 28th and 40th respectively in total defense. I will gladly eat crow if Hendon Hooker and crew light up the scoreboard against Ole Miss this weekend.

 

North Texas 35 (1-4, 0-2 C-USA)
Missouri 48 (3-3, 0-2 SEC)

Missouri almost let their lead slip away. The Mean Green scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers held on. North Texas QB Austin Aune threw for over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. On the bright side, Missouri RB Tyler Badie ran the ball 17 times for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Tigers as a team ran for 329.

 

2 Georgia 34 (6-0, 4-0 SEC)
18 Auburn 10 (4-2, 1-1 SEC)

Auburn’s offense came out hot, but quickly cooled off. The first Auburn drive of the day was a 17 play, 68 yard drive that resulted in a field goal. This was encouraging as no one had been able to drive down the field on the Georgia defense as easily as they did. But it turned out to be just jitters of the Bulldog defense. The balanced attack of the Georgia wore down the Auburn defense in route to a 34-10 victory. The Bulldogs threw for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns, and ran for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns.

 

13 Arkansas 51 (4-2, 1-2 SEC)

17 Ole Miss 52 (4-1, 1-1 SEC)

Arkansas-Ole Miss was the most exciting game of the weekend. Ole Miss did just enough to get past the surging Razorbacks, as they stopped Arkansas on a two-point conversion that would have won them the game. The running games dominated, as Arkansas rushed for 355, and the Rebels for 326. Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson also threw for 326 yards and 3 touchdowns. If you’re the kind of fan that loves offense, you were in heaven.

 

Vanderbilt 0 (2-4, 0-2 SEC)

20 Florida 42 (4-2, 2-2 SEC)

Florida came out slow against Vandy, but ultimately dominated. Despite scoring 42 points and shutting out Vanderbilt, this wasn’t Florida’s best showing and everybody knew it. Dan Mullen was clearly upset going into halftime only up 21-0 on the worst team in the conference. The win was never in question, but they did give up almost 300 yards to a Vandy offense that operates like a chicken with its head cut off most of the time. That’ll be something to watch as the season goes on.

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