Bosco's Beat: This Week In SEC College Football, Plus News and Notes From 'Round the NationHere it is, the twilight of another great SEC football season, bowls selected, a cold chill in the air over Dixie as we prepare for another Christmas season of kinfolk, yuletide and bowl games! Congratulations to the
Florida Gators, selected to play Number 1 Ohio State for all the marbles of college football on Monday night, January 8th, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona. The Gators have played in two previous title games, claiming a national championship in 1996 after beating Florida State 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl. The first ever meeting with the Ohio State Buckeyes kicks off at 8 PM Eastern.
Sugar Bowl Bound: That would be the
LSU Tigers, wrapping up a 10-and-2 season with key wins
at Tennessee and Arkansas after losing their first
two road games of the season to Auburn and Florida. The 4th ranked Tigers will face number 11 Notre Dame for the third Sugar Bowl appearance this decade, beating Illinois in the 2002 Sugar Bowl and getting a 21-14 win over Oklahoma in 2004, taking the 2003 BCS National Championship. The last meeting between the two teams was a 1998 regular season loss to Notre Dame, 39-36 at South Bend. Kickoff from the Super Dome set for 7:30 PM Wednesday night January 3rd, 2007.
Bowlin' On New Years Day: Originally, head coach Houston Nutt wanted his Razorbacks to play at the Cotton Bowl for the fans in case of an SEC Championship Game loss, but the selection of Florida to play Ohio State in the BCS Championship switched
Arkansas to the prime spot in the Capital One bowl versus Wisconsin on New Years Day. This is the second Capitol One Bowl invitation to the 'Hogs in school history. The first one resulted in a 45-31 Michigan win on January 1st, 1999, following the 1998 season. Wisconsin and Arkansas have met once in 94 years. Kickoff set for 1 PM New Years Day....The Cotton Bowl will get the 10-and-2
Auburn Tigers and the 9-and-4 Nebraska Cornhuskers on January 1st, kickoff set for 11:30 AM. Tuberville has taken his Tigers to
seven consecutive bowl games, three of those have come on the coveted New Years Day. Last time Auburn played in the Cotton Bowl was to a 36-16 loss to Texas A&M in 1986. The Tigers are
winless (0-and-3) against Nebraska all-time, losing in 1964, 1981 and in 1982....
Tennessee is headed for the Outback Bowl on January 1st to play 8-and-4 Penn State. All
seven combined losses from the two storied teams this year all came from teams ranked in the
top twelve according to the latest AP rankings. The 9-and-3 Vols lost the last two times they played PSU in bowl games - the 1992 Fiesta Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl in 1994. The Vols are 2-and-0 against the Nittany Lions in regular season games in 1971 and 1972. Kickoff from Tampa is set for 11 AM Eastern Standard Time.
Bowling For The Holidays: Georgia finishes it's season 8-and-4 after what fans would consider a disappointing season. But the 'Dogs finished strong, beating Auburn and in-state rivals Georgia Tech heading into the Chick-fil-A Bowl on December 30th. They'll take on 10-and-2 Virginia Tech for only the second time since 1931. The Dogs have played in the Atlanta bowl game four times, beating Maryland and Virginia in 1973 and 1998 respectively, and losing to Syracuse and Virginia in 1989 and 1995. This will be Georgia's 43rd bowl game, six most in the country. Kickoff from the Georgia Dome set for approximately 8 PM....The Gamecocks of
South Carolina will play the 10-and-3 Conference USA champion Houston Cougars in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis on Friday, December 29th. The 7-and-5 Gamecocks ended the regular season with a dramatic 31-28 win over Clemson heading into the second straight bowl game under head coach Steve Spurrier. The 'Cocks lost to Missouri last year 38-31 in the Independence Bowl. The Gamecocks are 0-and-2 against the Cougars after two losses in a row in 1973 and 1974. Kickoff from the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is set for 4:30 PM....
Kentucky will be bowling for the first time in seven years when the 'Cats meet up at the Music City Bowl, presented by Bridgestone against the Clemson Tigers of the ACC on Friday, December 29th at 1 PM. Kentucky rounded out the regular season on a roll -- winning
four of their last five games, including a shocking victory over the Georgia Bulldogs. The Cats last post-season appearance came at the Music City Bowl in 1999 when Kentucky fans helped set a then-record attendance of just over 59-thousand for the Nashville bowl. Kentucky holds a 7-and-4 record all-time over the Clemson Tigers....
Alabama is set to make an NCAA-leading 54th bowl appearance when the Tide meets up with Oklahoma State at the PetroSun Independence Bowl on Thursday, December 28th in Shreveport, Louisiana. The 6-and-6 Tide meet the 6-and-6 Cowboys for the very first time in either school's history. Noticably absent will be former Tide head coach Mike Shula, fired after winning only
two conference games this season, one of those wins
not being in-state rival Auburn. Kickoff from Shreveport is set for 4:30 PM.
Conference Call: Ole Miss has announced it's star linebacker and leading tackler Patrick Willis will not be returning in the fall. Another leading tackler for Ole Miss, Rory Johnson has hired an agent and plans to avail himself to the NFL Draft as an underclassman....
Mississippi State senior inside linebacker Quinton Culberson was named first team, all-SEC by the league's coaches announced on Tuesday....
Vanderbilt wide-receiver Earl Bennett was named First Team All-SEC by the AP, announced today....Arkansas head coach
Houston Nutt was named AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association announced on Monday.
News And Notes From 'Round The Nation: West Virginia coach Rich Rodriquez met Tuesday with Mal Moore, AD at Alabama about the head coaching position open there....
NC State is looking at Navy's Paul Johnson to replace fired coach Chuck Amato....Former
Miami QB Bernie Kosar says he is interested in the head coaching position there, according to the Miami Herald.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Bosco's Beat. We'll see you next year when we take up the basketball season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Greetings, SEC fans! Here it is the
end of the regular football season and it's no surprise to anyone that Florida will be facing Arkansas this weekend at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Unfortunately for Arkansas, a win over the Gators will still leave them competing with LSU for a BCS at-large bid instead of a shot at a national title. For Florida, a win on Saturday guarantees a Sugar Bowl invitation at the very least. I believe I can speak for any true red-blooded SEC fan when I say that Florida has represented the conference
very well and has run through a schedule arguably as hard as any in the nation, deserving of a chance at a national title shot. Good job Florida and congratulations to the rest of the SEC on a great season representing the good 'ol south! Now let's break all this football down this week on Bosco's Beat!
Playin' For Some Sugar!: After it's third straight win over in-state rival Florida State,
Florida is preparing for Saturday's SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and remains in the hunt for a possible shot at a national title. The 21-14 win is the third straight over the Gators' main three rivals Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State in Urban Meyer's two seasons. QB Chris Leak threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns, completing 21-of-34 passes and was 7-of-8 for 81 yards on a crucial game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. Up next for the Gators, a meetin' with Houston Nutt's 'Hogs on Saturday. Kick-off from Atlanta set for approximately 6 p.m....There is no question
Arkansas is the surprise of the SEC this season, winning
10 straight games between losses to Southern Cal in week 1 and a 31-26 loss to LSU on Friday. The loss puts Arkansas out of national title contention after the 'Hogs pulled to within' five points after Felix Jones' 5-yard TD run with 5 minutes remaining before QB Casey Dick was intercepted again for the fourth time. Darren McFadden remains a dark-horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The 'Hogs and the Gators meet this Saturday in the SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome beginning at 6 p.m.
Honorable Mentions: LSU can earn a BCS at-large bid after beating Arkansas on Friday 31-26. Friday's game was rife with action, including an incredible
three touchdowns in a 45 second stretch, including a 92 yard kickoff return by LSU's Trindon Holliday after an 80 yard Darren McFadden touchdown putting the 'Hogs within 5, at 24-19. LSU QB JaMarcus Russell threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Friday's game was for the Golden Boot, a trophy LSU has won four straight seasons. The only two losses Arkansas has had at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium under coach Nutt came against LSU....
Tennessee clinched 2nd place in the SEC East at the close of the regular season, beating Kentucky 17-12 in Knoxville on Saturday. The Vols defense held off a Kentucky threat at the goal line in the final minutes of the game after being down 12-10 at the half. Coach Fulmer reunited with an old friend at Saturday's game, Randy Sanders, who is now quarterbacks coach for the 'Cats after resigning as UT's offensive coordinator following last year's losing season. Tony Barnhart, sports writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes the 9-and-3 Vols could play Penn State in the Outback Bowl set for New Year's Day....
Auburn's regular season ended with a win over Alabama last weekend. The 10-and-2 Tigers are preparing for what would most likely be a New Year's day bowl, possibly the Capitol One Bowl against Wisconsin which has already accepted a bid. Wins over Florida and LSU would help Auburn's case for a trip to Orlando. Last year, Wisconsin beat Auburn at the Capitol One Bowl 24-10. Senior kicker John Vaughn has been named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented to the nation's top kicker.
Bowling,
And Loving It: Georgia ended it's regular season with a 15-12 victory over in-state rival Georgia Tech, who will play Wake Forest in the ACC Championship on Saturday. The Bulldogs will most likely take an invitation to what has become their home turf over the last few years, the Georgia Dome's Chick-Fil-a Bowl later next month. The impressive freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford's 4-yard TD pass to Mohamed Massaquoi put the 'Dogs up on Georgia Tech 15-12. Tech's futile attempt at a last-chance heave from QB Reggie Ball was intercepted with a minute and change left, sealing up the win and an 8-and-4 season for Mark Richt's crew....
Kentucky wraps up it's regular season with a 17-12 loss at Knoxville following a devastating delay of game penalty on a second-and-goal at the three yard line ending with two consecutive incomplete passes. The Vols took over with 3 minutes left and ran out the clock, denying the 'Cats' first 8 win season since 1984. 7-and-5 Kentucky appear headed for the Independence Bowl on December 28th with a possible matchup with Oklahoma State. Kentucky has not gone to a bowl game since 1999....
South Carolina clawed it's way to a 31-28 victory at Clemson on Saturday on a Ryan Succop go-ahead 35 yard field goal, ending a four game losing streak to it's in-state rival Tigers. The 'Cocks finish 7-and-5 and appear headed to Nashville for the Music City Bowl on December 29th, possibly matching up with Boston College. An impending bowl would be Steve Spurrier's second in a row with his Gamecocks....
Alabama ended it's regular season at 6-and-6 overall, getting just
two conference wins this season. The season-ending loss to state-rival Auburn sealed the fate of head coach Mike Shula, officially fired as of Monday's press conference. Shula led the Tide to a 26-23 record overall during his four years as head coach. Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Joe Kines will assume interim head coaching duties. The Tide is most likely headed for the Liberty Bowl to play Houston.
'Home For The Holidays': Vanderbilt ended it's season with losses in a row to Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee at 4-and-8 overall, 1-and-7 in the SEC. But here's some good news for 'Dores fans -- two of the state of Tennessee's best high school senior football players, linebacker Chris Marve and linebacker/defensive end John Stokes, both from Memphis, have verbally committed to Vanderbilt's 2007 recruiting class....
Ole Miss ended it's season at 4-and-8 overall, 2-and-6 in the SEC with a win over Mississippi State 20-17 on Saturday. The Rebels' Marshay Adams returned a punt 47 yards for the winning TD late in the fourth quarter in the annual 'Egg Bowl', this year featuring two of the worst teams in the SEC. This year's trophy returns to Oxford for the fourth time in the past five years. Ole Miss leads the in-state series all-time 59-38-6....That leaves
Mississippi State as dead last in a conference where
nine teams are bowl eligible. The Bulldogs finished this season at 3-and-9 overall, only 1-and-7 in the SEC having won no more than
three games a season in the last five years. MSU lost to Ole Miss in Saturday's Egg Bowl 20-17. Better luck next year, boys!
Conference Call: Arkansas head coach
Houston Nutt has been named one of nine finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, announced by the Football Writers Association of America on Monday....The SEC has announced
two conference offensive players of the week. Congratulations to Florida QB
Chris Leak and Arkansas tailback
Darren McFadden, two deserving players that have represented the conference very well. The SEC Defensive Player of the Week is Georgia cornerback
Paul Oliver for his four tackles, one forced fumble and one interception in his team's 15-12 win over Georgia Tech.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: Michigan State has hired University of Cincinnati's
Mark Dantonio as the new Spartans' head coach. Dantonio was an assistant with MSU from 1995 to 2000 and coached the Bearcats for the past three seasons....Arizona State has fired head football coach
Dirk Koetter after Koetter led the Sun Devils to bowls the last three seasons.
Sadly, week 12 of SEC football was overshadowed on the national stage by the thrilling Michigan/Ohio State showdown on Saturday. Now, rumor has it that the two will play in the title game for a national championship.
Not so fast my friend! I believe there are two SEC teams -Florida and Arkansas- that deserve to play for a top spot if it comes down to it. There is still some football left though and we'll see what happens. So what do you think about it? Will the SEC be represented when the nation's best come to play? Get back to me on that if you can, and in the meantime let's break down week 12 action on this weeks
beat!At The Top In No Particular Order: Arkansas remains the only unbeaten team in conference play with a win over Mississippi State 28-14 in Starkville on Saturday. The win gets the 'Hogs the SEC Western Division title heading into Friday's matchup with LSU at Little Rock over the Thanksgiving weekend. Arkansas has won
10 straight games and remains in the hunt for the national championship. Good luck, 'Hogs!....Congratulations are in order for the
Florida Gators, winners over Western Carolina 62-0 on Saturday, "Senior Day" for the Eastern Division champions. The gators have won 15 straight home games and are the third team in school history to win 10 regular season games. Florida can stay in the national title hunt by beating Florida State in Tallahasee on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff set for 12 noon. The Gators will also play at the Georgia Dome on Saturday December 2nd in Atlanta.
Next In Line, Going Bowling: It's been a while since
Auburn won
five iron bowls in a row- 1958 to be exact, so this Saturday's 22-15 win over Alabama was historic in the bitter rivalry's 80th meeting all-time. The coach in 1958 was of course the legendary Paul 'Bear' Bryant in his first season. Alabama's current coach, Mike Shula has yet to win an 'Iron Bowl' and is on the hot seat. But Auburn is flying high this season, sealing this weekend's win after picking off a 'Bama QB John Parker Wilson pass with just over a minute left. The 10-and-2 Tigers will likely land in a prime spot on or near New Year's Day, most likely in the Cotton Bowl versus Oklahoma, according to FoxSports bowl projections....
LSU won a thriller over rival Ole Miss on Saturday 23-20 at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Colt David kicked a 26 yard field goal to get the win after a fourth down conversion pass from JaMarcus Russell to Dwayne Bow, sending the game into overtime late Saturday night. LSU trailed 20-7 in the second half with just over 11 minutes to play. The score tightened to 20-14 after a Russell to Doucet four yarder into the end zone a little over two minutes later. Arguably one of the biggest games of the weekend will be LSU and Arkansas set for Friday afternoon from Little Rock, Arkansas....
Tennessee appears headed for a number 2 spot in the SEC Eastern Division, 8-and-3 after a 39-10 win over Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday. Of course, they have to beat Kentucky this Saturday in Knoxville. Eric Ainge and the Vols seemed to get back on track this weekend after a rare sluggish November, losing to LSU
and Arkansas in consecutive weeks. Ainge racked up 266 yards in the air for two touchdowns as the Vols caught fire after a sluggish start, settling for two field goals on early drives. LaMarcus Coker ran for two touchdowns, helping put his Vols at 78-9 all-time over in-state rival Commodores, losing only five times to Vandy since 1954. Kickoff versus the 'Cats is set for 12:30 pm Saturday....
Kentucky gets a 42-40 win over Louisiana Monroe off Keenan Burton's school- history- making three scoring catches in four straight games. Dicky Lyons Jr. had the previous record with three scoring catches in his season's first three games. More importantly, the 'Cats now have their first winning season since 2002, their first bowl eligibility since 1999 and can clinch 2nd place in the SEC East with a win over Tennessee this Saturday, 12:30 p.m. kickoff....
Georgia had a much needed week off to prepare for bitter rival Georgia Tech in Athens this Saturday. The Dogs upset the Auburn Tigers back in week 10 while Georgia Tech beat Duke on Saturday and will play in the ACC Championship game on December 2nd. Georgia coach Mark Richt, not one to trash talk or bad mouth anyone because he's a class act, had nothing but compliments for Tech's season, calling it fantastic, with their chances for a conference championship very good. Georgia's seniors will be captains for the game and will be honored in a ceremony prior to kickoff on Saturday, set for 3:30 p.m.
Hanging In The Balance: South Carolina beat Middle Tennessee 52-7 largely on QB Blake Mitchell's 21-of-28 completed passes for 388 yards with a career high four touchdowns and no interceptions. The 6-and-5 Gamecocks are bowl-qualified in a conference where nine teams are bowl-eligible, so finding a bowl for USC could be difficult. If it happens, it'll be the first time a South Carolina coach (Spurrier) would play in a postseason game in the first two years of coaching there. Sparky Woods was eligible in his first two years in 1989 and 1990 with 6-win seasons each but the team did not play in bowl either year. South Carolina could bolster their chances for a post-season invite with a win at Clemson on Saturday, kickoff set for 12 noon.....
Alabama head coach Mike Shula would've taken a win over arch-rival Auburn last weekend for his Tide heading out of what has been considered a disappointing season with only
two SEC wins at 6-and-6 overall. But it was not to be, the Tide dropping Saturday's matchup at Tuscaloosa 22-15. CBS Sportsline predicts the Tide will be in the Independence Bowl against Oklahoma State on December 28th. The talk has already begun on what is to happen to coach Shula. The general consensus 'round the SEC is that he will have next year to field a team that can compete in the SEC West before the school begins a search for his replacement.
Better Luck Next Year: Vanderbilt has ended it's season at 4-and-8 overall; 4-and-3 in the SEC after losing at home to Tennessee 39-10 on Saturday. A win would've been the first time a Vandy team would end a season with five wins since the 1974 and 1975 seasons. A win might have been easier to get had the team not made public a video shot after the 'Dores beat the Vols last year titled 'Victory in Knoxville' which of course motivated an already improved Vols team playing at a stadium in Nashville half-filled with big orange fans. Note for Georgia Bulldogs- a video has already been edited for the off-season titled 'Victory in Athens'. Coming into Saturday's game, Vandy had been 5th in the conference averaging 363.1 yards per game of offense. Oh, well better luck next year, guys!....
Ole Miss tried to make a game of it on Saturday losing to LSU 23-20 in overtime at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Rebs got the ball first in overtime after blocking an LSU extra point attempt following a JaMarcus Russell-to-Dwayne Bowe TD at the end of regulation. But QB Brent Schaeffer fumbled to LSU's Tyson Jackson on the opening drive, ending any hope for the 'Rebs who were 27 point underdogs coming into Saturday's game. Let's hope the 'Egg Bowl' provides us with some entertainment as Ole Miss hosts Mississippi on Saturday....
Mississippi State shut down Arkansas' Darren McFadden until the final drives of the game which accounted for the most of the superstar's 100 yards, getting a 28-14 loss to the Razorbacks in Starkville, Mississippi on Saturday. The Bulldogs had two chances to score in the fourth quarter, but special teams and defense helped the 'Hogs fend off the 'Dogs on a fourth down and an interception in the end zone. But the good news here is braggin' rights are up for grabs on Saturday as in-state rivals Mississippi host the 'Egg' Bowl, kickoff set for early Saturday afternoon.
Conference Call: South Carolina coach
Steve Spurrier says he is "not a candidate" for the head coaching job at the University of Miami, ending speculation that he could take over the head coaching duties of embattled Miami coach Larry Coker....South Carolina's QB
Blake Mitchell is the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after racking up 388 yards against MTSU this weekend....The SEC Defensive Player of the Week is Arkansas cornerback
Chris Houston for his four tackles, two interceptions and a pass deflection in the 'Hogs win over Mississippi State on Saturday.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops says a broken collarbone will keep star tailback
Adrian Peterson out of the Oklahoma State game this weekend. Peterson's collarbone snapped during a TD run against Iowa State on October 14th....The all-important BCS standings out this week have
Ohio State at number 1,
Michigan at number 2, followed by
USC, Florida and Notre Dame in the 3-5 slots.
Have a great and safe Thanksgiving and we'll see y'all next week!
After 11 weeks of SEC football, the conference picture is in full focus, with Florida and Arkansas atop the conference divisions. SEC unbeaten Arkansas can clinch a spot in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta by beating Mississippi State on Saturday. Florida, by beating South Carolina, is still alive in the national championship hunt. In the meantime, there's still some football left to play as we roll up to the final weeks of college football, let's review and preview some SEC football, shall we?
High and Mighty!: That would be the
Arkansas Razorbacks, large and in charge of the SEC Western Division after beating the Tennessee Vols on Saturday 31-14. The win is the
ninth straight for the 'Hogs since the first week's loss to USC Trojans and is the longest streak since 1988. Darren McFadden ran for 181 yards, getting two touchdowns and is now a legitimate Heisman candidate on a team who could be in contention for a national title. Way to go 'Hogs! Arkansas travels to Starkville, Mississippi to take on the Bulldogs, kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time....
Florida came from a 16-10 deficit to steal a win away from former Gator coach Steve Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks on a blocked 48 yard field goal attempt as time ran out, getting a 17-16 win at Gainesville on Saturday. The blocked kick was the third one for the Gators in the game, the second for Jarvis Moss who, earlier in the game, blocked Ryan Succop's extra point attempt, keeping the score 16-10 and setting up a Leak/Tebow combo touchdown with the extra point attempt good, sealing the win and keeping Florida in contention for a national title. Western Carolina comes to the Swamp on Saturday, kickoff set for noon from Gainesville.
The Rest Of The Best: LSU helped it's slim hopes of an SEC playoff berth with a 28-14 win over Alabama Saturday night. QB JaMarcus Russell threw three TD passes and was 18-of-21 passing for 207 yards, taking only one sack. The 8-and-2 Tigers preserved a 21-14 lead at the half after Daniel Francis stripped the ball from Tide QB John Parker Wilson. LSU then recovered with 19 seconds left in the second quarter. Later in the fourth quarter, LSU's fourth sack forced Bama to settle for a 40 yard field goal attempt that went wide. The Tigers welcome Ole Miss to Baton Rouge, kickoff set for 8 p.m....With Saturday's loss to unranked Georgia,
Auburn's national title and conference championship game hopes are all but dashed, losing 37-15 at Jordan-Hare stadium. Auburn came into Saturday's game nearly a two touchdown favorite and in consideration of a BCS title shot. Georgia jumped to a 30-7 halftime lead against an Auburn defense ranked number 4 in the nation. QB Brandon Cox was sacked
four times and Auburn was outscored by the most points since a 38-17 loss to Arkansas in 2002. The 9-and-2 Tigers travel to T-Town to roll with the Tide on Saturday, kickoff of the 'Iron Bowl' comes at 3:30 p.m.
Still Alive: A 31-14 loss to Arkansas on Saturday night keeps
Tennessee just out of reach of BCS bowl-bid consideration, but going from a bowl-less losing season of 2005 to the possibility of an upcoming New Years Day bowl is heading in the right direction for Phil Fulmer and his Vols, 7-and-3 overall and .500 in SEC play (3-and-3) thanks to the losing effort in Fayetteville. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton started for injured Eric Ainge, finishing with 174 yards, two TD passes to Robert Meachem and Bret Smith, but was pressured relentlessly by the 'Hogs. The Vols travel to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt, kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday....I'm just a little thrilled that
Kentucky is
not sitting at the bottom of the heap of the SEC. The Wildcats are in second place in the SEC East with a 4-and-3 conference record. Only Florida has a better record in the division with 7 conference wins. Kentucky can stake this claim after a 38-26 win over Vanderbilt in Lexington on Saturday. Coming from behind, 20-17 at the half, the 'Cats picked off Vandy's QB Chris Nickson on fourth-and-goal on the Kentucky 2 yard line, then a Kentucky QB Andre Woodson-to-DeMoreo Ford 27 yard TD pass put Kentucky in front headed for a win, witnessed by representatives from
five bowl games. Wow. Good job, fellas....
Georgia was well on it's way to it's first
losing conference record in this decade before shocking the nation with a stunning 37-15 win over conference power-house Auburn. The win at Auburn, Alabama puts the Dogs at 4-and-4 in the SEC. With 7 wins overall, the Dogs are virtually assured of a bowl bid, and a win over Georgia Tech in two weeks gets them bragging rights for the year and an 8 win season. Not bad, but it's much less than the Dogs had hoped for coming into this season as the SEC champion. They'll get the week off before hosting the 'Bees between the hedges on November 25th, kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m....
South Carolina ould very well become bowl eligible and then some with a win over Middle Tennessee at home and a road win over Clemson in two weeks. The 5-and-5 overall, 3-and-5 conference Gamecocks got a hard luck loss at Gainesville over the weekend, losing 17-16 to Florida after a blocked kick from Ryan Succop that would have won the game. Gamecock coach Steve Spurrier coached 12 years in Gainesville, leading the Florida Gators to a national championship and national prominence in the 90s. Kickoff versus Middle Tennessee on Saturday is at 12:30 pm....With six wins,
Alabama is bowl eligible, but is heading into the Iron Bowl on Saturday with a woeful 2-and-5 conference record after losing to LSU 28-14 largely on missed opportunities and mistakes. The Tide struggled in the running game, gaining only 78 yards on the ground. QB John Parker Wilson was sacked sacked
four times by the fourth quarter and was 22-of-35, getting 291 yards, one interception. Good times this weekend as Auburn comes callin' to T-Town, bring your mama and yer daddy, kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Try Again Next Season: Vanderbilt was hoping to sneak in a bowl game beginning with a win over Kentucky, but alas it didn't happen, getting a 38-26 loss in Lexington on Saturday. Vandy hasn't appeared in a bowl game since 1982. The 'Dores were leading 20-17 headed for the fourth quarter, but Kentucky scored shortly thereafter on a 2 yard TD. Vandy QB Chris Nickson was picked off on a fourth-and-goal at the Kentucky 2 and later was intercepted near the end zone on a later drive. Tennessee comes calling on Saturday, 12:30 p.m. kickoff....
Mississippi State would like nothing more than to put an awful season behind them, but that doesn't mean they don't have anything to look forward to. Rivals.com has named 'State's true freshman running back Anthony Dixon as National Freshman of the Week announced last Wednesday. MSU took this week off, but the freshman rushed 25 times for 121 yards in week 9's win over Alabama. For the season, Dixon has gained 454 yards on 127 attempts heading into Saturday's matchup with SEC leader Arkansas, kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. EST....
Mississippi ranks dead last in the SEC in scoring, passing and total offense, but have shown some signs of progress heading into this week's matchup with LSU. The 3and-7Rebs' running game has improved, up to
sixth in the conference with 134.6 rushing yards per game, that's up from dead last (73.3 ypg) from 2005. Kickoff at Baton Rouge is set for 9 p.m. Ole Miss closes out it's season home versus Mississippi State on November 25th.
Conference Call: Breaking News....Conference Commissioner Mike Slive has officially reprimanded South Carolina head coach
Steve Spurrier for violations of the SEC Code of Ethics for public comments regarding officiating after Saturday's loss to Florida....Congrats to SEC Offensive Player of the Week
Andre' Woodson. The Kentucky quarterback completed 29-of-42 passes for 450 yards, four touchdowns at Saturday's win against Vandy....Georgia's
Tra Battle is the SEC Defensive Player of the Week, tying a school record with three interceptions versus Auburn. The senior also had four tackles and a pass deflection.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: Former Miami Hurricanes head coach
Butch Davis has been named new head coach of the
North Carolina Tarheels....The nation's touchdown leader,
Boise State running back
Ian Johnson is in the hospital with a partially collapsed left lung.
Greetings SEC football fans! Week 9 has come and gone and the division races to the Georgia Dome appear to be a bit clearer this week, but it ain't over yet as they say with Tennessee and Florida still in the race for the Eastern Division and Arkansas and Auburn as the frontrunners over on the West Siiiiide! Tennessee's win over South Carolina and Florida's win over Georgia effectively put the Dogs and the 'Cocks out of the race in the East, but Arkansas and Auburn are still in the thick of it in the West, with LSU hoping someone stumbles, maybe a couple of times. But there's still some ball to play yet, so let's get to it!
Risin' To The Top: Arkansas beat Louisiana-Monroe 44-10 Saturday, getting head coach Houston Nutt his 100th coaching victory, keeping his 'Hogs unbeaten in SEC play. Louisiana-Monroe took an early 7-0 lead before Darren McFadden, subbing as QB for Mitch Mustain, ran for 129 yards and a touchdown, sealing the win at Little Rock. Guard Stephen Parker had a season-high 8 knockdown blocks and is this week's SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. The 'Hogs travel to Columbia to take on South Carolina, kickoff set for 7:45 p.m....Cocktails and fun were had (on the low-low) in Jacksonville Saturday as the
Florida Gators beat the Georgia Bulldogs 21-14, forcing two fumbles and intercepting two passes, keeping the Gators atop the Eastern Division. The Gators need wins over Vandy and South Carolina to make it to the conference championship game for the first time since 2000. Saturday's win makes 15 of the last 17 games Florida has won over Georgia while the Dogs have
lost three of their last four games they've played this season. Urban Meyer's squad heads for Nashville to take on Vandy, kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday....It was the epic battle of the coaches, Steve Spurrier versus Phil Fulmer on Saturday night in Columbia as
Tennessee beat South Carolina 31-24, getting a little revenge from last year's loss in Knoxville. It was Eric Ainge to Bret Smith for two touchdowns that sealed the victory for the 8th ranked Vols, who were down 17-14 in the third quarter. Saturday's win pushes Fulmer
one win ahead of Mr. Spurrier in SEC games, 135 to 134. The Vols host the LSU Tigers for a 3:30 pm kickoff on Saturday....After trailing
twice to unranked Mississippi,
Auburn slipped by the Rebs on Saturday 23-17 at Oxford. QB Brandon Cox had a season-high 253 passing yards and John Vaughn sealed it with a 20 yard field goal with just under 8 minutes left and a 29 yarder with only 35 seconds left to get the win. The win was a costly one for the Tigers, flagged for nine penalties for 84 yards, both season highs. Auburn gets a visit from Arkansas State on Saturday, kickoff set for 2:30 pm.
Middle Of The Pack: LSU took Saturday off but still climbed up a notch to Number 13 on the AP Top 25. The Tigers lead the SEC in red zone defense, limiting teams to only four TDs from inside the 20. LSU has scored on its first possession in seven of it's last 8 games and has outscored its opponents 160-9 in the first quarter this season. Impressive stats, boys! The Bengal Tigers head to Knoxville to take on the Vols Saturday....
Alabama had a fairly easy time of it on Saturday, beating Florida International 38-3. Despite missing 9 starters and 9 reserves from a brawl against Miami two week, FIU kept it close for a while, taking a 3-0 lead, then trailing only 10-3 at halftime. But then the Tide got to rollin' on a Javier Arenas punt return for 65 yards and a TD. Ramzee Robinson scored on a 34 yard interception leading to the blowout at T-Town. Bama welcomes the Bulldogs of Mississippi State on Saturday, kickoff set for 12:30 p.m.
Other Wins In The SEC: Vanderbilt beat Duke on Saturday 45-28, getting sophomore quarterback Chris Nickson the SEC Offensive Player of the Week with 5, that's
five touchdowns, accounting for 400 yards of total offense for the 'Dores in a sixth straight victory over the Devils of Duke. Nickson is the first Vandy QB since Jay Cutler to run for more than 100 yards in a game, getting 150 rushing yards in Saturday's win at Durham. Nice job, boys! The Commodores are 4-and-5 heading into Saturday's matchup with the Florida Gators in Nashville, kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. EST....
Kentucky comes up with a conference win- their third one of the season with a victory over Mississippi State 34-31 on Saturday. Big Andre Woodson threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, getting his team it's first conference road win since last season at Vanderbilt. The 'Cats scored on four of its first five possessions in the second half heading to a 31-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Next up for the 'Cats is a matchup with the Dogs in Lexington on Saturday.
On The Wane: That would be the
Georgia Bulldogs, expected to be contenders in the SEC Eastern Division at the beginning of the season, dropping one in Jacksonville to the division leading Gators 21-14. After fumbling on the opening play of the second half, the Gators got out to a 21-0 lead. But Georgia was not done yet, intercepting Florida's Chris Leak then taking five plays for 52 yards to score on a 13 yard run by freshman QB Matthew Stafford to make it 21-7. Next series and Florida was forced to punt, but the punt hit the back of Kelin Johnson's leg only to go back to the Gators. A missed FG gave it back to the Dogs, who gave it back to the Gators and so on and so on. The Dogs welcome Kentucky to Athens, hoping for an easy win over the Cats, a 1 p.m. kickoff set for Saturday....
South Carolina needed a key conference win on Saturday to stay over .500 but instead are 3-and-3 in the SEC after dropping one to the Vols in Columbia 31-24. The loss was particularly ugly for Spurrier's 'Cocks after last year's last minute victory in Knoxville, a win even the evil genius himself called a "miracle." QB Syvelle Newton completed 16-of-29 passes for 230 yards and two TDs, also rushing for 85 yards against the Vols. Next up for USC -- here come the Hogs in a nationally televised broadcast on ESPN, kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. Saturday.
Skid Row: Mississippi led the Auburn Tigers for a bit on Saturday before the Tigers converted two third quarter interceptions into 10 points, breaking out the game for good, Ole Miss on the losing end of a 23-17 score in Oxford on Saturday. Auburn mistakes kept the 'Rebs in the game, including turnovers, dropped passes and penalties. A Brent Schaffer 3 yard TD pass to tight end Lawrence Lilly tied the score 17-all in the fourth quarter. Up next for Ole Miss, a chance for win number 3 on Saturday against Northwestern State, kickoff set for Noon Eastern....Winless in the SEC,
Mississippi State got season best performances from QB Michael Henig and wide receiver Tony Burks, but it was not enough as the western division Bulldogs drop another one- this time to Kentucky 34-31. Henig finished with 384 yards and three touchdowns, but a poor running game (only 35 yards) spelled doom for State who faces a rising Tide on Saturday at T-Town.
Conference Call: The Associated Press says it's possible that Florida QB
Chris Leak might have played with a concussion against Georgia on Saturday. Leak says that he did
not sustain a concussion but it is believed that he may have suffered a severe headache and blurred vision during Saturday's win at Jacksonville....Tennessee QB
Eric Ainge will play against No. 13 LSU on Saturday but it is not certain how much he will practice this week after hurting his right ankle late in the win at South Carolina on Saturday night. X-rays and an MRI came up negative. Likely the injury is a sprain....Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt says he believes linebacker
Sam Olajubutu is expected to return for Saturday night's game at Columbia, SC after suffering a bruised bone and sprained ligament in his left knee two weeks ago.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: Michigan's wide receiver
Mario Manningham may be back for Saturday's game against Ball State after missing the past three games from knee surgery....West Virginia coach
Rich Rodriguez is openly discussing reports that he is being considered as a replacement for North Carolina's outgoing head coach
John Bunting who is stepping down at season's end.
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Hi SEC fans! What a crazy week 7 it was, capped by a surprising Auburn comeback against Florida at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday night. The BCS standings are out, so what does conference unbeaten Arkansas have to say about being ranked
lower than Auburn after beating them
at Jordan Hare? I'd say this would be a great time to break it all down for you in this week's 'Beat. So let's kick it!
A Shuffle Up At The Top: Auburn floats back up to the top with a Number 4 BCS ranking, released on Sunday and a 27-17 defensive handling of the Florida Gators Saturday night. The Tigers, without an offensive touchdown, dominated on the defense, capitalizing on a Chris Leak fumble keeping the Gators from scoring a go-ahead field goal. The win makes six home game victories in a row for the Tigers against top 10 opponents. Auburn welcomes Tulane this Saturday, 2:30 pm kickoff....
Arkansas remains unbeaten in SEC play, getting a 63-7 win over Division I-AA Southeast Missouri State on Saturday in Fayetteville. Darren McFadden ran 52 yards for a TD on Arkansas' first offensive play on the way to a 42-0 halftime lead. The 'Hogs are the nation's Number 15 team in the AP Top 25 heading into Saturday's matchup with Ole Miss. Kickoff in Fayetteville set for 12:30 p.m. EST....
Florida got it's first loss of the season in Auburn 27-17 Saturday night. The loss culminates a half-season of surprises for SEC front-runners with Auburn beating LSU; Arkansas beating Auburn and Florida beating Tennessee. As exciting as that sounds, the results could leave the SEC without a possible contender for a national championship. Florida was ready to retake the lead early in the fourth quarter before Auburn's Tray Blackmon recovered a Chris Leak fumble. An earlier Urban Meyer challenge left the Gators without a timeout with Florida managing only 85 yards and five first downs in the entire second half. The World's Largest Cocktail party is up next as the Gators and the Dogs take it up in Jacksonville on October 28th, kickoff set for 3:30 pm....
Tennessee went up to AP Number 7 without playing on Saturday, but some Vols fans are surprised to see their team so low in the BCS standings at Number 11, behind California, a team they beat in the first week of the season. The Vols' only loss came in Knoxville to Florida early in the season which some analysts believe will ultimately help them get BCS bowl-bid consideration as early losses are better than losing late in the season. Of course the Vols will have to beat Alabama in Knoxville this Saturday, kickoff set for 3:30 pm.
Honorable Mentions: LSU is still alive after whipping Kentucky 49-0 Saturday night at Baton Rouge. Dwayne Bowe caught
three touchdown passes, second best all-time at LSU, catching six total for 111 yards. LSU had been having some problems of late, losing to Florida last weekend and a forgettable 7-3 sputter at Auburn earlier this season, but got it crankin' on Saturday with
four straight touchdowns on their first four possessions, getting out to a 28-0 halftime lead. Fresno State comes calling for an ESPN broadcast Saturday night, kickoff set for 9:00 pm....
Alabama got the job done Saturday, beating Ole Miss once
again this year with an overtime touchdown, 26-23 in Tuscaloosa. Le'Ron McClain sealed it for the Tide grabbing a 2 yard TD pass from Tide QB John Parker Wilson in OT to steal another win, that's two in a row versus the 'Rebs on last second plays. Last year, a last second field goal eeked out a win for the Tide in Fayetteville. Alabama had not won an overtime game since beating Florida 40-29 seven years ago. The 'Tide travels to Knoxville on Saturday to face the Vols, kickoff set for 3:30 pm....
South Carolina had the week off between a 24-17 win at Kentucky last week and a scary trip to Nashville this Saturday to take on scrappy Vanderbilt who beat Georgia 24-22 this past Saturday. USC is 2-and-2 in the conference, 4-and-2 overall. The 'Cocks have won their last
four SEC road games including last year's wins at Tennessee and at Arkansas. This season, Spurrier's boys have won at Mississippi State and at Kentucky....Speaking of
Vanderbilt, Saturday's 24-22 win over Georgia was the school's first victory over a ranked opponent since 1992. The last time Vandy beat a ranked team on the road was 1950. Vandy's last win over Georgia came in 1994 when they beat the 'Dogs 43-30 in Athens. Congrats to Earl Bennett, Cassen Jackson-Garrison and true freshman D.J. Moore- all getting career-best performances in Saturday's win. South Carolina hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday, kickoff set for 3 pm from Vanderbilt Stadium.
Down But Not Out: Georgia has lost back-t0-back games for just the third time under current head coach Mark Richt after dropping Saturday's game to Vanderbilt 24-22, and are 11-3 overall following a loss. Here's more good news for the Dogs- they remain one of the best defensive units in the nation, ranked second in the SEC and 13th nationally allowing 263 yards per game. Here's the bad news -- Top running back Thomas Brown's season is over after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday's game. The Dogs welcome the Mississippi State Bulldogs for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Saturday....On paper, a 2-and-5 overall, 1-and-3 conference record might seem a bit dismal, but Saturday's loss to division foe Alabama could be a bit of a moral victory for
Ole Miss- with QB Brent Schaeffer completing 13 passes to 8 different receivers and RB BenJarvis Green-Ellis once again leading the 'Rebs in rushing for the seventh time this season, 56 yards on 21 carries on Saturday. And a 55 yard pass to sophomore Mike Wallace for a TD was the longest play from scrimmage this season for the 'Rebs. Mississippi travels to Arkansas to take on the 'Hogs, 12:30 pm kickoff from Fayetteville.
Bottom Dwellers: Once again, despite a win over IAA Jacksonville State (35-3), I think we can all agree that
Mississippi State is perhaps the
worst team in the SEC this season, winless in the SEC. State's only wins have come against UAB in overtime and against JSU on Saturday. Always thinking positively though, the 35 points scored against the Division IAA Gamecocks is the most points scored by MSU all season. The 308 yards of offense and 125 yards rushing were 'States second most against an opponent this season. The western division 'Dogs get the 'Dogs of the eastern division in Athens on Saturday, kickoff set for 1 p.m....We would have put
Kentucky up a little higher this week except for the fact that they were shut out in an ugly loss at LSU on Saturday, 49-0. A number of injuries at the defensive tackle positions weakened the 'Cats but on the offensive side of the ball, QB Andre Woodson threw for 151 yards, seventh place on Kentucky's all time career passing list with 3,773 yards. Kentucky gets an open date this week to rest up and get healthy for an October 28th trip to Mississippi State.
Conference Call: LSU's QB
JaMarcus Russell has been named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after rollin' up 226 yards and two touchdown passes in the win over Kentucky on Saturday....The SEC Defensive Player of the Week is Auburn DE
Quentin Groves, accounting for four tackles and 3 quarterback sacks against Florida....Other SEC standouts include Mississippi State DB
Derek Pegues - the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week; Vandy's
Chris Williams, SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week and Arkansas tackle
Keith Jackson chosen as the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week....
breaking news.....Georgia coach Mark Richt says he will start freshman qb
Matthew Stafford on Saturday versus Mississippi State.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: More casualties from Saturday's
Miami/Florida International brawl as TV analyst and former Miami wide receiver Lamar Thomas is fired from his broadcast position for urging on the brawl in comments made on Saturday. One of 13 Hurricanes suspended Sunday was Anthony Reddick, suspended indefinately for raising a helmet over his head, them slamming it into an
FIU player during the brawl....
Washington QB Isiah Stanback is likely out for the rest of the season after injuring his right foot against Oregon State.
Greetings SEC fans! We're trusting everyone survived Week 6, Showdown Saturday, Part 1 where it's becomming a bit clearer that Florida is the team to beat in the East. In the race for the Western Division, Arkansas now leads the pack, remaining undefeated in conference play. Of course at the halfway mark there is still lots of football to be played and more questions to be answered. Can Georgia or Tennessee stay in the race for the SEC Eastern Division Championship? With one loss against a division opponent, what does Auburn have to do to stay in the race for the top spot in the West? So let's break down Week 6 of SEC College football, what do you say?
Alone At The Top: That would be the
Florida Gators, number 2 in the AP rankings this week after getting a 23-10 win over No. 9 LSU on Saturday. The win was one for the record books, extending the Gator's home winning streak to 13 games. At 6-and-0 on the season, it's the best start for Florida since 1996, the year Florida won the national championship. Head coach Urban Meyer seems to shuffle two quarterbacks with ease with Chris Leak (17-of-26 for 155 yards)
and Tim Tebow (2-for-2, 36 yards) seeing action on Saturday. Next up for the Gators is a road trip to Auburn for a 7:45 pm kickoff to be broadcast on ESPN on Saturday.
Still Alive And Kicking: Arkansas is
undefeated in the SEC after a stunning 27-10 victory at Auburn, Alabama on Saturday. The Number 17 'Hogs rushed Darren McFadden 145 yards and sacked Tigers QB Brandon Cox
five times, limiting Auburn to just 213 total yards to Arkansas' 366. All this from a 15 point underdog, an Arkansas team that hadn't beaten a team ranked so high since 1981 when they beat Texas, the Number 1 team. They'll likely handle Southeast Missouri State this Saturday, gametime to be determined....Thanks to a 51-33 win over Georgia Saturday night,
Tennessee is still alive in the East and is the nation's new Number 8 team this week. The Vols, falling behind 24-7 with less than 5 minutes left in the first half, rolled up 383 yards of offense on a Georgia team that had the nation's number
one defense, allowing an average of 6.8 points per game all season. After Antwan Stewart picked off a Bulldogs pass at the 19, Eric Ainge dove into the end zone for a one yard TD, cutting the Georgia lead to 24-21, sparking a Big Orange roll between the hedges. A bye week preceeds a visit from the Tide on October 21st....Despite Saturday's loss,
Georgia is still alive in the SEC east with only one conference loss, and that would be to Tennessee Saturday night in Athens, 51-33. With a straight-up loss to the Vols, the 'Dogs have to hope Tennessee slips up against South Carolina later in the season and they must beat Florida in Jacksonville to remain a viable possibility for a spot in the SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome in December. Saturday night, Georgia had the second most points scored on them in Athens since Florida ran it up 52-17 in 1995. The Dogs should rebound though, enough to beat Vanderbilt on Saturday, kickoff set for 12:30 pm....
Auburn survived two close calls against South Carolina and LSU in previous weeks before falling hard on Saturday to upstart Arkansas 27-10 at Jordan Hare Stadium and were on their way to a second undefeated season in three years, having won 20 of their last 21 games. Perhaps the most amazing stat was the one where Auburn's Kenny Irons was held to only 75 yards on 15 carries. Like Georgia and Tennessee, Auburn is still holding on to hopes for a chance at the SEC Western Division title heading into Saturday's matchup with the visiting Florida Gators, game time set for a 7:45 pm start.
Hangin' On: LSU is 1-and-2 in the SEC after losing to Florida 23-10 on Saturday, mostly at the hands of Florida phenom Tim Tebow against a Tiger squad's top rated defense. Mistakes proved costly as well with a fumbled punt, snap and kickoff and a missed 41 yard field goal. Here's a bright spot -- free safety LaRon Landry had 9 solo tackles for a total of 12 and a blocked punt for LSU on Saturday. The Tigers welcome the Kentucky Wildcats for an 8 pm kickoff on Saturday....
Alabama's John Parker Wilson threw a 9 yard pass to Keith Brown late in the third quarter, putting away Duke 30-14 Saturday night after being behind 14-10 at the half. Winless Duke scored more points in the first half against the Tide than they have scored in a single game all season, holding 'Bama to just 17 first half rushing yards while gaining 158 yards of their own. Wilson went 18-for-30 with 220 yards passing and an interception. The Tide take on Ole Miss at 3:30 on Saturday in T-Town....
South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is now 14-0 against Kentucky after beating the 'Cats 24-17 on Saturday. It was the master himself that called a fourth quarter reverse, sending QB Syvelle Newton into the end zone, breaking the game open for the 'Cocks and getting the team's 7th straight win over Kentucky. South Carolina travels to Nashville to visit the Commodores on Saturday the 21st....We keep
Kentucky hangin' on only because of how impressive QB Andre Woodson has been, coming into Saturday's game tied for
second in the country with 14 touchdown passes, but only got one on Saturday, a 9-yarder to Dicky Lyons, Jr. late in the game. A third quarter interception proved costly for the 'Cats, leading to a Carolina touchdown. A road trip to Baton Rouge comes this Saturday, kickoff set for 8 pm....
Mississippi got a win on Saturday, beating Vandy 17-10 in Oxford and snapping a six game conference losing streak. BenJarvis Green-Ellis accumulated 102 yards rushing for two scores, but it was defensive end Rory Johnson who was the star of the show, stripping the ball from Vandy back-up QB Mackenzi Adams, recovering the fumble and preventing Vandy from scoring at the end of a drive to the Ole Miss 5 yard line. Next up is a visit to Alabama to take on the Tide, 3:30 pm kickoff.
Hittin' The Skids: Vanderbilt dropped Saturday's game to Ole Miss 17-10 and lost starting quarterback Chris Nickson to an ankle injury late in the first half of the game. Back-up Mackenzi Adams was good for 176 yards, completing 10-of-20 passing attempts but managed only a field goal in the relief role. Nickson was 11-for-13 for 95 yards. Vandy gets Georgia on Saturday, 12:30 pm kickoff....
Mississippi State is 1-and-5 on the season, dropping Saturday's game to the visiting and undefeated Mountaineers of West Virginia 42-14 after being behind 14-7 at the half. Starting QB Omarr Conner was injured late in the third quarter and was replaced by Michael Henig, originally the team's starter before breaking his collarbone in the first game of the season. A chance for win number 2 comes this weekend when Jacksonville State comes calling for a 2:30 pm kickoff. Good luck, Bulldogs!
Conference Call: Congratulations to
Arkansas for being selected as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week after shocking the nation by beating Auburn 27-10....Tennessee quarterback
Eric Ainge is the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after rolling up 268 yards on the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend....The SEC Defensive Player of the Week is Ole Miss linebacker
Rory Johnson setting a record 16 stops, the most for an Ole Miss defender since 1996....
Six SEC teams are in this week's AP Top 25 including Florida (2), Tennessee (8), Auburn (11), LSU (14), Georgia (16) and Arkansas (17)....Kentucky's top rusher
Rafael Little will miss Saturday's game against LSU due to a knee injury.
News and Notes From 'Round the Nation: Michigan's star receiver
Mario Manningham will likely miss Saturday's shootout at Happy Valley after scheduled surgery early this week to repair a partially torn meniscus in his knee.
