SB Nation - Vanderbilt Commodores

LSU In Review - Weeks Two And Three

BSD — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:48:23 -0000

3 months ago: LSU running back Keiland Williams (5) gets away from Louisiana-Lafayette defensive tackle Jordan Topp (98) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Week Two - Vanderbilt Commodores

Final - 9.12.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Vanderbilt Commodores	0	7	2	0	9
LSU Tigers	7	6	3	7	23

Complete Coverage >

In week two the LSU Tigers defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores on a rain soaked home opener night game in front of a crowd of 91,000 fans.

Running back Keiland Williams was the star of the night scoring two touchdowns and rushing for 72 yards on 10 carries. Charles Scott added another 49 yards on 13 carries as the Tigers outrushed the Commodores 178-122.

Quarterback Jordan Jefferson dinked and dunked his way for 138 yards on 20-of-29 passing. Brandon LaFell caught 7 passes for 38 yards while senior R.J. Jackson caught six passes for 55 yards. LSU used a little trickeration on their second series when backup quarterback Russell Shepard entered the game. They ran a wildcat play with him where he gained 13 yards. Then on the next play he lined up at reciever and caught a pass for eight yards, but he fumbled at the end of the play.

The LSU defense shut down Vanderbilt quarterback Zac Stacy holding him to just 88 yards passing and under 50% completion. The Tiger defense dominated the night all together holding the Vanderbilt offense to just 210 yards and 7 points.

But LSU was far from perfect on the evening. A poor snap on a punt gave Vanderbilt a safety, and Jefferson threw a pick near the goal line. LSU was fortunate that the latter play was overturned on a defensive holding call. But it was a solid win in the second week of the season for the Tigers.

Quotes From The Game

"Any time you play imperfectly and you come to the postgame, you have to recognize that first things first -- you'd much rather win than do any other thing. That being said, I think we've got to play better. ... There were no style points for this one. That's a fact." - Les Miles

"The defense saved the offense's bacon tonight. We had too many 3-and-outs, and more than one negative possession in the second half. Vandy had great field position for most of the 2nd half thanks to three consecutive possessions in which we ran a total of nine plays with two punts and a bad-snap safety." - And The Valley Shook

Week Three - Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns

Final - 9.19.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns	0	3	0	0	3
LSU Tigers	7	10	7	7	31

Complete Coverage >

Week three was a sleeper against the Ragin Cajuns. The amazing statistic of the game is that the Cajuns doubled their all-time scoring against the Tigers in Tiger Stadium. In 12 total games played at Baton Rouge, the Cajuns have been outscored 618-6. They have never scored a touchdown. Ever. Wow. The Cajuns gained 272 total yards with 109 yards rushing. Safety Chad Jones had two interceptions for LSU.

The LSU offense wasn't spectacular, but they were good enough to win. Penalties and turnovers plagued them and held the score lower than it should have been. On the day, LSU only gained 330 total yards. Jefferson completed 16-of-25 passes for 165 yards, 2 TD, and 1 INT. He was also sacked once and fumbled. The LSU running back by committee gained 164 yards. Charles Scott gained 63 on 12 carries while Keiland Williams tallied 41 yards on 10 carries.

Though it was an easy win, it was a particularly brutal game from the injury standpoint for LSU. Tight End Richard Dickson suffered a concussion. Jefferson mildly sprained his knee. DT Josh Downs left with a knee problem. Right tackle Joseph Barksdale had to leave the game as well.

Quotes From The Game

"Our quarterback was not necessarily in a groove early, but we have some talent and we have the ability to make plays. We're not hitting on all cylinders just yet." - Les Miles

"The offensive line should be dominating teams like this and is not doing so. Jordan Jefferson misses open receivers at times. The defense is much improved from the Washington game to now, but still gives up the occasional long, methodical drive or big 3rd down conversion. " - And The Valley Shook

"He's a young quarterback. (Jefferson) He sees some guys open and he's 'Ooh, ooh . . .' and he's not comfortable in his mechanics. He rushes. We've got to get him in practice and do it again, do it again, do it again." - Les Miles

SEC Power Poll All-SEC Team Ballot

The Ghost of Jay Cutler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:56:05 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2009, file photo, Alabama running back Mark Ingram (22) runs past Mississippi defenders for a second quarter 36- yard touchdown run during an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss. Ingram won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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No frills or arguments here, just the ballot. It's pretty straightforward and will be compiled amongst the other blogs ballots to reach an SEC blogosphere All-SEC squad. Comment and criticize our selections, please.

QB - Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

HB - Mark Ingram, Alabama

HB - Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss

FB - Tim Tebow (lololololololol), Florida

WR - Shay Hodge, Ole Miss

WR - AJ Green, Georgia

TE - Colin Peek, Alabama

OL - Ciron Black, LSU

OL - Michael Johnson, Alabama

OL - Mike Pouncey, Florida

OL - James Carpenter, Alabama

OL - Maurkice Pouncey, Florida

DE - Carlos Dunlap, Florida

DE - Antonio Coleman, Auburn

DT - Terrence Cody, Alabama

DT - Jerrell Powe, Ole Miss (why the hell not?)

LB - Eric Norwood, South Carolina

LB - Rolando McClain, Alabama

LB - Brandon Spikes, Florida

S - Eric Berry, Tennessee

S - Chad Jones, LSU

CB - Joe Haden, Florida

CB - Patrick Peterson, LSU

K - Leigh Tiffin, Alabama

P - Drew Butler, Georgia

RET - Javier Arenas, Alabama

Georgia Bulldogs to Face Texas A&M Aggies; 'Bama-Texas Set As Expected

T Kyle King — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:26:51 -0000

First things first . . . the national championship game has been set, and, as expected, it will pit the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Texas Longhorns. Put another way, it will pit Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, a member of the University of Georgia graduating class of 1999, against Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, a member of the University of Georgia graduating class of 1995. Clearly, the lesson of this college football season is that the key to winning a national championship is putting your defense in the hands of someone who graduated from the University of Georgia in the 1990s. (For the record, I received a B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1990 and a J.D. from the University of Georgia in 1997. My resume and references are available upon request.)

As always, there is some controversy regarding the two teams picked to compete for the final No. 1 ranking. Let’s ask Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow what he thinks of the Alabama-Texas matchup. Tim?

Thank you, Tim. For the record, here is a list of the most recent years in which each of the twelve teams in the SEC went undefeated:

Auburn Tigers: 2004
Tennessee Volunteers: 1998
Alabama Crimson Tide: 1992
Georgia Bulldogs: 1980
Arkansas Razorbacks: 1964
Mississippi Rebels: 1962
LSU Tigers: 1958
Vanderbilt Commodores: 1944
Mississippi St. Bulldogs: 1940
Florida Gators: 1911
South Carolina Gamecocks: 1907
Kentucky Wildcats: 1898

I’m just saying.

Closer to home, the news was as expected: Georgia will go to the Independence Bowl to face the Texas A&M Aggies. The game will be played on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 28.

Go ‘Dawgs!

SEC Power Poll Week 13

cocknfire — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:00:31 -0000

I don't have the graphics software with me, so let's go straight to the rankings.

1 ALABAMA (10), 185.5
2 FLORIDA (7), 182.5
3 LSU, 157
4 OLE MISS, 129
5 TENNESSEE, 110
6 GEORGIA, 108
7 ARKANSAS, 100.5
8 SOUTH CAROLINA 88
9 AUBURN, 87.5
10 KENTUCKY, 53
11 MISSISSIPPI STATE, 39
12 VANDERBILT, 17

*Alabama and Florida first-place vote totals include a ballot that was split.

The final poll between now and after the postseason gives Alabama a slight edge heading into the SEC Championship Game. LSU reclaims third place from Ole Miss while Arkansas drops from 5th to 7th after the defeat to LSU and Kentucky is down from 6th to 10th after a continuing its non-winning streak against Tennessee. Those are the major moves.

Voters?

ALABAMA

The Tide took their rival's best shot but still managed to escape with a win. That's more than many other favorites can say after their rivalry games.--Garnet And Black Attack

A narrow escape from the Plainsmen. Is the bloom off the Alabama rose?--A Sea of Blue

The challenger always has a puncher's chance.--Alligator Army

FLORIDA

I'm sure they looked impressive while gutting the ‘Noles in their spiffy throwback uniforms, but I was too busy throwing up from ESPN's saccharine Tim Tebow adulation to notice.--Dawg Sports

Tebow seems to be back to his old ways...--Leftover Hot Dog

Handled the Seminoles with ease. The Gators may be hitting their stride, and that bodes ill for the Tide.--A Sea of Blue

LSU

I heard that the Bayou Bengals' assistant coaches are going to keep Les Miles's children on the sidelines next season, so that they can incite the kids to misbehave in front of the head coach in crucial clock management situations and thereby persuade the Mad Hatter to call for a time out. Losing to the other powerhouses yet sneaking by the jumble of mediocrity at the gooey center of the SEC landed Louisiana State in the No. 3 spot.--Dawg Sports

Les Miles proves that he has, after all, coached in late game situations before the temporary insanity of last week.--A Sea of Blue

One clock meltdown vs. Ole Miss from 10-2. A handful of plays vs. Miss. St., Georgia, and now the Hogs from 6-6.--War Blog Eagle

OLE MISS

Rebel fans, you're already strapped in to the roller coaster. Might as well enjoy the ride.--Arkansas Expats

Hard to believe they made Chris Relf into an offensive dynamo.--Get the Picture

One loss to MSU doesn't define the Rebs. At 8-4 they're still in the upper echelon of the SEC, despite their disappointing year.--Over the Pylon

TENNESSEE

It's hard to say whether the Vols or Auburn had the better moral victory against Alabama.--Get the Picture

Went up against a hot Kentucky team and made the big stops when they needed them despite being one or two sprained ankles away from grabbing random fans out of the stands to play defense.--Hey Jenny Slater

First five games: 2-3. Last five games: 4-1. Finishing strong is a sign of maturity.--Alligator Army

GEORGIA

The only SEC team outside of Florida and Alabama with a win over a top ten team this year is also the only SEC team to lose to Tennessee by more than 20 points. The Dawgs define middle of the pack.--Get the Picture

Just remember: UT got burned for trying to find a quick fix to a departing coordinator. UGA: Take your time. Keep Willie around a year while you REALLY make sure you get the right guy.--Rocky Top Talk

I'm sorry but the best rushing team in the ACC, Coastal Champs Georgia Tech, barely break 200 yards against the Dawgs. Most teams get that by halftime on a Willie Martinez defense.--Orange and Blue Hue

ARKANSAS

The only team in the conference that failed to win a road game this year.--Get the Picture

Hey Bobby, wanna win some more games? I can't believe you lose so many close games despite having the worst special teams in the league. Do you think that's a coincidence?--Orange and Blue Hue

As much as I hate Petrino, he's done a great job this season with the Razorbacks. Coach of the Year, in my mind.--Over the Pylon

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecocks actually managed to stop the bleeding on their typical late season swoon with a resounding victory over rival Clemson.--Garnet And Black Attack

Next year is your year. I can FEEL it.--Rocky Top Talk

Full marks for beating up on Clemson, but three home wins over Ole Miss, Vandy, and Kentucky by a combined 12 points is the weakest in-conference resume by any team in the league other than Vandy.--War Blog Eagle

AUBURN

Repeat after me: spread offenses struggle more against 3-4s than 4-3s.--Rocky Top Talk

If the Auburn that showed on Saturday had shown up all year, the Tigers would be far better than 7-5.--Over the Pylon

As much as I enjoyed Auburn giving Alabama a heart attack, you knew Bama would win. I half expected Mike Slive to run out on the field and award Bama a fifth down if they didn't score late.--Alligator Army

KENTUCKY

The 'Cats tried hard, but as has usually been the case in their series with the Vols, it wasn't quite enough.--Garnet And Black Attack

Had a chance to break a quarter-century losing streak, but Lucy yanked the football away yet again. And the way Lane Kiffin is running things, the 'Cats may not have another chance for quite a while.--Hey Jenny Slater

Once again, UK finds a way to stay in a game to the very end where they were completely outplayed. Tennessee dominated line play, and wound up with a deserved win.--A Sea of Blue

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Peaked too late. Had a pretty tough non-conference schedule or they would be the 11th bowl eligible team from the SEC.--Hog Database

Getting three conference wins out of this bunch? Wow. You can make a solid argument that Dan Mullen is the SEC Coach of the Year.--Get the Picture

Great-yet another team to worry about in the SEC West. With the Big 12 South's demise, this is the toughest division in the game by a mile and a half.--War Blog Eagle

VANDERBILT

Even when they don't play, the Commodores fall farther behind the rest of the conference. No other SEC team finished within three losses of Vandy.--Get the Picture

Had their best performance of the season this past weekend.--Hey Jenny Slater

Too busy acing finals to care.--Rocky Top Talk

SEC Power Poll Ballot: Week Thirteen

T Kyle King — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:18:43 -0000

When I first sat down to compile my SEC Power Poll ballot, I thought the fifth through tenth spots were going to be tough to allocate, what with all those indistinguishable 7-5 teams. It turns out that they aren’t so indistinguishable after all, as this probably was the easiest rundown of the dozen Southeastern Conference squads I had to prepare all year:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0): The Gators may make me regret this next weekend, but, right now, ‘Bama looks like the top team in the league. Winning a slugfest with a bitter conference rival is more impressive than shellacking an ACC also-ran any day of the week and twice on Saturday.

2. Florida Gators (12-0): I’m sure they looked impressive while gutting the ‘Noles in their spiffy throwback uniforms, but I was too busy throwing up from ESPN’s saccharine Tim Tebow adulation to notice.

3. LSU Tigers (9-3): I heard that the Bayou Bengals’ assistant coaches are going to keep Les Miles’s children on the sidelines next season, so that they can incite the kids to misbehave in front of the head coach in crucial clock management situations and thereby persuade the Mad Hatter to call for a time out. Losing to the other powerhouses yet sneaking by the jumble of mediocrity at the gooey center of the SEC landed Louisiana State in the No. 3 spot.

4. Mississippi Rebels (8-4): High preseason expectations punctured by unfocused play, a demoralizing loss to the Tide, and a season-ending humiliation suffered at the hands of an in-state rival with a rookie coach? Been there, done that.

5. Tennessee Volunteers (7-5): While I think Big Orange fans are kidding themselves if they claim the Vols’ status as first among 7-5 equals attests to anything other than the parity of the simultaneously downtrodden programs of the SEC, the fact is that Tennessee went 4-4 in conference play and beat the league’s other 4-4 team head to head. That earns Lane Kiffin’s crew the No. 5 spot by default . . . and only by default. Going from bad to middling is an improvement, but don’t kid yourself by believing the Volunteers are good. They’re not, but, this year, the conference isn’t, either.

6. Georgia Bulldogs (7-5): Likewise, the Red and Black’s tainted tie for second place in the SEC East in the least impressive season in the division’s history and the Classic City Canines’ win over a Georgia Tech team that easily could have gone 6-6 merely salve but do not overcome the fact that the ‘Dawgs endured their worst autumn under Mark Richt’s stewardship.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks (7-5): The Hogs, who lost to Georgia straight up, finished first among clubs with 3-5 conference ledgers by virtue of their having beaten both Auburn and South Carolina. All work and no play may make Jack a dull boy, but all offense and no defense makes Arkansas the best team in the bottom half of the conference.

8. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-5): The Palmetto State Poultry fell to each of the three teams ranked right in front of them and defeated the squad ranked immediately behind them. They also beat an ACC divisional champion, but, really, that’s not as impressive as it sounds.

9. Kentucky Wildcats (7-5): While I’m sure there’ll be some muttering about my decision to rank the ‘Cats three spots below the ‘Dawgs---we all know what Rich Brooks would call that; I’ll give you a hint: he probably thinks of this placement what Andrew Sharp thinks of Tiger Woods’s story---the fact is that Kentucky lost to South Carolina yet beat Auburn, and all three have the same records, both overall and in conference play. This was an easy call.

10. Auburn Tigers (7-5): Somebody had to bring up the rear in the parade of 7-5 squads that would have made Chan Gailey proud, and the Plainsmen deserved that dubious distinction because they lost to Arkansas and Kentucky. Also, my second tiebreaker after head-to-head is visceral contempt, and, as we all know, I hate Auburn. If it’s any consolation, though, I’d still rank the Tigers ahead of whichever team wins the ACC championship.

11. Mississippi St. Bulldogs (5-7): This is, in fact, the best 5-7 team in America. When teams that came within one win of being bowl eligible become bowl eligible---and, at the rate at which we’re cranking out new bowl games, they soon will be---MSU will go straight to the head of the class as the most deserving of the undeserving. Like Wayne and Garth, they are not worthy, but they emit a worthiness-like substance.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-10): How bad is Vandy? The ‘Dores lost to a service academy and an ACC team. Dude!

Honestly, this ballot is so plainly and undeniably correct that I cannot imagine anyone finding fault with it, but, if you have some constructive criticisms to offer with respect to a ballot I already have cast and no longer can change, knock yourself out, my friend.

Go ‘Dawgs!

A Brief Recap of the 2009 SEC Regular Season

Nico2.0 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:20:09 -0000

I know several other conferences still have games to play next week and we have the SEC Championship game this weekend, but the SEC as a whole finished up regular season play on Saturday night. Ten teams finished the regular season bowl eligible. Alabama or Florida will play in Pasadena for the national title with the loser going to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. Since the SEC will put two teams in the BCS and the conference has eight non-BCS bowl tie-ins, every bowl eligible team will go bowling this year. Let's take a brief look at what the various teams accomplished (or didn't accomplish) at the regular season's end:

Alabama: For the 2nd year in a row, we've finished at a perfect 12-0. We had some close scrapes with our bitter rivals, but anytime you finish the season 12-0, you can't really complain. We have two more games left, the SECCG game against Florida and then a BCS bowl trip to either Pasadena or New Orleans.

Auburn: Year one of the Chizik experiment went much better than many people expected. Much of their success can be attributed to Gus Malzahn's high powered offense. Many of their failures can be attributed to a pretty porous defense (and yes, for the Tiger fans lurking...we realize you held us to below 100 yards rushing.) The Tigers will go bowling, but the announcement as to where won't come until next week.

Arkansas: Who really knows what to make out of 7-5 Arkansas this year? They scored a lot of points (40+ in seven games and 30+ in nine games), however, they gave up a ton of points too though (only giving up less than 20 twice against FBS opponents.) Despite losing five games, they only got blown out once (at the hands of Alabama of course.) Petrino appears to have them pointed in the right direction and I'm sure they'll play the spoiler's role some in the future. They're going bowling.

Florida: The Gators finished the regular season 12-0. They had a close scrape with Arkansas and made a ton of mistakes against Mississippi State...those two games featuring prominently in the vast SEC officiating conspiracy of '09. That being said, even though they weren't the offensive juggernaut of 2008, they still went undefeated and will still be a heck of a challenge next weekend. Oddly enough, Alabama will only be the second ranked team Florida has played all year. Florida is BCS bound and will go to either New Orleans or Pasadena.

Georgia: The Bulldogs finished the season at 7-5 and turned in the worst performance of the Mark Richt era. They got humiliated by two of their three main rivals (Florida and Tennessee) and narrowly won against Auburn. A home loss to Kentucky late in the season had UGA fans cursing the football gods (not to mention Willy Martinez.) Thanks to GT crapping the bed, Georgia has likely escaped a fate of going to the Papajohns.com Bowl. Giving the pecking order of bowls, UGA could likely end up in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl. Both parties would likely be quite happy to have the Bulldogs essentially have a post-season home game.

Kentucky: Though it probably doesn't feel like it to them, Kentucky is in a bit of a golden age for them. They're 30-21 from 2006 to the present and will be going to their fourth bowl game in a row. Not even Coach Bryant got them to six wins four years in a row. Yes, I know more games are played now than back then and I'm not even remotely trying to insinuate that Rich Brooks is even vaguely in the neighborhood of Coach Bryant, but hey, you've got to give the man his due. He's taken them to a bowl game four times now and has the Wildcats' program playing at a respectable level.

LSU: LSU finished the season at 9-3 with losses to Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss. There's certainly no shame in losing to the #1 and #2 teams in the country, but they could've/should've won the Ole Miss game. Miles' monumental clock management error against Col. Reb has LSU fans up in arms despite finishing the year with the third best record in the conference and a likely trip to Orlando for the Capital One Bowl. LSU's late win over Arkansas shows that this clock management issure has perhaps been corrected.

Mississippi State: Though they finished the year at 5-7 and have the second worst record in the conference, things are looking up in Starkville. If it weren't for some tough out of conference scheduling, they'd likely be going to a bowl somewhere (they had non-conference losses to Georgia Tech and Houston.) Compared to recent history, only getting blown out three times is a bit of a victory for MSU. Though their season is over, they ended things on a high note by hanging 41 points in a victory over Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.

Ole Miss: In the preseason, the Rebels were picked as a BCS sleeper, but that all came crashing down with an ugly/incompetent loss to South Carolina in their third game. They finished with an 8-4 record record (though they had two FCS teams on their schedule) and ended up third in the division behind Alabama and LSU. It's not where they want to be as a program, but it's light years ahead of where they were with the Orgeron behind the wheel.

South Carolina: Carolina had some ugly wins this year (NC State) and some ugly losses (Tennessee). Most people expected them to be sitting at 6-6 after their rivalry game with Clemson. The Gamecocks reached way down though and smacked the Tigers around to the tune of 34-17 and go into bowl season at 7-5 with some momentum on their side. It's clear Spurrier is never going to take this team to greatness, but they're still good enough to ruin your season...just ask Ole Miss.

Tennessee: The Mouth of the South managed to get his first Volunteer squad to 7-5 and gave us one of our biggest scares of the season. Hopefully some low rent Big 10 or ACC team will beat them senseless in their bowl game.

Vanderbilt: Welcome back to reality smart kids. Hope you enjoyed 2008. If their future is anything like what it was between their last two bowl games, the Commies won't be in the post-season until 2034.

So, there's 11 more games featuring SEC teams left in the 2009 season, the championship game and ten bowl games. One team will be playing for the national title and the other nine playing for pride.

SEC Power Poll Ballot: Week Thirteen

Gamecock Man — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:56:04 -0000

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Tide took their rival's best shot but still managed to escape with a win. That's more than many other favorites can say after their rivalry games.

2. Florida Gators

As expected, the Gators didn't get much competition from FSU.

3. LSU Tigers

The Tigers bounced back this week with a thrilling overtime win over Arkansas. Les Miles must be breathing a sigh of relief.

4. Ole Miss Rebels

The Rebels suffered a humiliating loss to rival MSU. In related news, Houston Nutt is still Houston Nutt.

5. Tennessee Volunteers

The Vols managed to extend their winning streak over Kentucky by winning an overtime thriller.

6. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Hogs came up short in their overtime battle with LSU.

7. Auburn Tigers

The Tigers gave it their all, but unfortunately, there are no moral victories in the Iron Bowl.

8. Georgia Bulldogs

The 'Dawgs found some consolation for an otherwise disappointing year with an upset win over Tech.

9. South Carolina Gamecocks

The Gamecocks actually managed to stop the bleeding on their typical late season swoon with a resounding victory over rival Clemson.

10. Kentucky Wildcats

The 'Cats tried hard, but as has usually been the case in their series with the 'Vols, it wasn't quite enough.

11. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Dan Mullen got a signature win for his Bulldogs with a surprising upset over Ole Miss.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores

Vandy's season is over.

Georgia Bulldogs 30, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24: Our Willie Outdistances Their Johnson

T Kyle King — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:18:26 -0000

At first, I did not believe.

I saw such upsets as the South Carolina Gamecocks’ win over the Clemson Tigers and the Mississippi St. Bulldogs’ win over the Mississippi Rebels, and I saw such near-upsets as the Alabama Crimson Tide’s close call against the Auburn Tigers and the Texas Longhorns’ close call against the Texas A&M Aggies, and I said, In each of those, the underdog had the advantage of playing at home.

I saw the Georgia Bulldogs go 74 yards in ten snaps---all of them running plays---for the opening touchdown at historic Grant Field, and I said, We looked good on the opening drive against the Oklahoma St. Cowboys, too.

I saw the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets held to three first-half points (and even those only after a Red and Black turnover at the visitors’ 40 yard line), and I said, The Engineers are a second-half team and Paul Johnson will make the halftime adjustments that allow him to out-scheme Willie Martinez.

I saw Demaryius Thomas break a couple of 2008-style arm tackles and take a third-down pass from Josh Nesbitt 76 yards for a touchdown on the opening series of the second half, and I said, I told you so.

Then I saw Caleb King go 75 yards for the score that put Georgia back out in front by two touchdowns on the very next play from scrimmage, and I said, This may happen.

As I indicated last night, I generally am pretty jaded where the Ramblin’ Wreck is concerned. I understand that the Yellow Jackets are our in-state rivals, but I was born in 1968, more than a decade after Theron Sapp broke the drought and a couple of years after Bobby Dodd retired. I have never seen a conference game between Georgia and Georgia Tech, but, in my first 40 years of life on this planet, I saw the Bulldogs beat the Golden Tornado 29 times. From 1991 to 2007, Georgia went 14-3 against Georgia Tech and 14-3 against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Then came 2008.

Since that time, I have had a Georgia Tech fan make a derogatory comment to me about Georgia while I was holding a piece of bread and she was holding the cup of juice into which I was waiting to dip the bread while receiving communion at church; I have had Georgia Tech fans in that same congregation who had not previously spoken to me in the entire time I have been a member there come up to me for the sole purpose of telling me how Coach Johnson had ended one winning streak and started another; I have had a Georgia Tech fan see my year-and-a-half-old daughter wearing a Georgia cheerleading outfit and say to her, "Are you ready to watch Georgia get their butts beat on November 28?"

These are the comments I’ve gotten from the Georgia Tech fans I like.

Accordingly, I feel safe in saying that no Georgia victory over Georgia Tech in my personal experience and my conscious memory has been quite so satisfying as last night’s was. This is so, in part, because of the level of sheer unmitigated obnoxiousness exhibited by Georgia Tech fans in the last year---a level unmatched by any fans of the Florida Gators, Tennessee Volunteers, or South Carolina Gamecocks I have ever encountered; a level unmatched by any Southern football fans I have ever encountered who were not fans of the Auburn Tigers (which is why I hate Auburn)---but also, in part, because Paul Johnson is an exceptional football coach who has molded the Yellow Jackets into a solid football team that will be an ACC contender for the foreseeable future. Georgia Tech is no pushover, nor will the Golden Tornado be during Coach Johnson’s tenure, which I expect to last for the remainder of his career. For the first time in my lifetime, we have ourselves a rivalry again.

That set of circumstances makes special a win that was not a fluke. Georgia led Georgia Tech in first downs (21-17), total offense (415-340), and rushing yards (339-205). It was a virtual dead heat in terms of penalties (each team drew five flags, with the Bulldogs being assessed 39 yards and the Yellow Jackets losing 35 yards) and time of possession (Georgia held the ball for 30 minutes and three seconds). At long last, the Classic City Canines came out ahead in turnover margin.

Joe Cox attempted only fourteen passes, but he completed eight of them to Red and Black receivers and none of them to Gold and White defenders. Caleb King and Washaun Ealey each averaged 9.2 yards per carry, with King gaining 166 yards on eighteen rushes and Ealey amassing 183 yards on 20 touches.

Georgia Tech had two weeks to prepare after running a late-season gauntlet of poor teams, while Georgia was playing without its best offensive player, A.J. Green, and (arguably) its second-best defensive player, Bacarri Rambo. Nevertheless, the Bulldogs stepped up, with four Georgia receivers posting double-digit receiving yardage.

For most of the game, it looked like the Red and Black won the coin toss and Mark Richt opted to have Paul Johnson call the visitors’ offensive plays while Mike Bobo handled those responsibilities for the home team. (Four straight incompletions to end the game? Really?) The Athenians ran the ball 44 times in 58 snaps and averaged 7.7 yards per rush to take the pressure off of Cox. To some extent, this was merely a happy fringe benefit of facing a questionable Georgia Tech defense, but it was nice to see the Bulldogs run the ball, with the result that the Classic City Canines won a game in which they never trailed.

Since tankertoad asked, I must say I agree with him on the third down call on the Bulldogs’ last meaningful drive. On the first six snaps of the series, Georgia ran the ball five times, all for positive yardage. The running game was working, picking up yards and running off clock. I’d have run the ball on third and four; had the play only picked up two yards---and every other running play on that drive had picked up at least two yards---Georgia would have faced the choice between a 49-yard field goal and going for it on fourth and two near the Georgia Tech 30 yard line.

I’m not going to criticize Coach Bobo too much for the pass play, though, because the first seven drives he directed produced three touchdowns and three field goals, and because sending Blair Walsh on to attempt a 55-yard field goal isn’t sheer lunacy, given his past accomplishments. Also, while we’re on the subject of the Georgia specialists, for all I can tell, Drew Butler may have spent his Saturday evening in Atlanta at the Cheetah with Kevin Butler. All right, he probably didn’t, but isn’t it nice to know our all-world punter was an arrow we were able to leave in the quiver?

Finally, to top it all off, the Bulldogs got the win without saving Willie Martinez’s job in the process. Georgia surrendered 21 points after intermission and was outscored in the second half, which demonstrates that, even though Coach Martinez came up with an effective game plan, his inability to make in-game adjustments remains a problem.

In short, I’m not happy with 7-5, and neither are you, but 7-5 is what I predicted back in the spring and it’s at least somewhat satisfying that, even in a down year, the ‘Dawgs can finish tied for second place in the SEC East and beat two of their three traditional rivals. Moreover, last night’s victory puts the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry into a new context.

Before, Yellow Jacket fans could claim---erroneously, yet with a straight face---that the hiring of Paul Johnson at the Flats marked a break point in the series, analogous to the hiring of Vince Dooley in the Classic City in 1964. Now, Bulldog fans can counter that, but for an ill-timed Richard Samuel fumble last year, we’d be sitting here today talking about Georgia going for a tenth straight series victory over the Ramblin’ Wreck in 2010. All of a sudden, "sea change in the rivalry" has dissolved and been replaced with "a lot of guys have won one in a row."

The best part of last night’s game, though, was Coach Richt’s anger after the Powerade bath and his terse insistence upon no smiles until the clock showed a trio of zeroes. In that moment, Mark Richt may well have found the happy medium he has been seeking.

What this program needs is not Evil Richt and not Hip Richt, but, rather, Righteously Indignant Richt. The adverb attests to the innate human decency and steadfast moral uprightness that cause us to admire Mark Richt and take pride in calling him our head coach, but the adjective indicates the hard-edged demand for discipline, execution, and performance that has earned men like Paul Johnson, Urban Meyer, and Nick Saban national championship rings.

Last night, in the image of Mark Richt victorious over a top ten team on the road, dripping wet, and hopping mad, we may have beheld the Coach of New Year’s Future, and the earliest inklings of the glory yet to come under the best head coach we have ever had. Mark Richt, like all Christians, isn’t perfect, but he’s working on it.

Go ‘Dawgs!

KENTUCKY vs. TENNESSEE: It Doesn't Get Any Bigger Than This

Ken Howlett — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:24:15 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Kentucky running back Derrick Locke will hopefully show his backside to the Volunteer defenders.

Browse more photos »

We all know about the streak. We all are embarrassed by the streak. We're all tired of the streak. Afterall, losing 24 straight to any school, in any sport, is repulsive to most sports fan's sense of fair play. It's simply no fun playing the nail, opposite Tennessee's (6-5, 3-4) ball-peen hammer.

But this game tonight (7:00 PM) isn't about the streak. It isn't about 24 years of blowouts, near-misses, and overtime heartache. Rather, this game is about second place in the SEC East. Nothing else matters. All the pontificating about streaks are merely window dressing compared to the importance of the game at hand ... the importance of Kentucky (7-4, 3-4) overcoming major injuries to star players, the preseason loss of All-SEC defensive end Jeremy Jarmon, of having to play 11 straight games, and of losses that should have been wins ... for this program to still rise to a high level of accomplishment in spite of the adversity speaks volumes about the character of the young men wearing the blue and white, and about the elevated level of talent Rich Brooks and staff have brought to Lexington. And in a year where most predictors of such events had the Wildcats finishing considerably south of second place, for UK to play in the Outback or Chick-Fila Bowl would certainly be an attention-getter both nationally, and within the borders of the Commonwealth.

Four straight bowl games, and a 31-20 record over the last four years, topped off by a second place finish in arguably the most gruesome division in college football, would certainly qualify as a continuance of the Brooks building process. And for this group of 'Cats to continue to build on the unique accomplishments they are responsible for this season -- Winning three straight SEC road games since 1909-'12, beating Auburn for the first time since 1961, and beating Georgia between the hedges for the first time since 1977 -- adds to the legacy of Rich Brooks, but more importantly, enriches the perception of the Kentucky football program throughout the high schools of the south and beyond. Putting the Wildcats that much closer to the goal at-hand -- Becoming a football program that consistently competes at the highest level.

In order for Kentucky to take the next step, they must first conquer the demons in orange. Here is thine enemy:

Unit Comparison (SEC Rank in Parenthesis)

- Scoring Offense -- UT 30.6 points per game (5): UK's coring defense -- 22.2 points per game (7).
- Scoring Defense -- UT allows 20.7 points per game (t5): UK's scoring offense -- 26.5 points per game (7).
- Total Offense -- UT averages 390.8 yards per game (6): UK total defense -- 355.4 yards per game (8).
- Total Defense -- UT allows 313.2 yards per game (5): UK total offense -- 342.9 yards per game (10).
- Rush Offense -- UT rushes for 164.7 yards per game (7): UK rush defense -- 179.3 yards per game (11).
- Rush Defense -- UT allows 141.3 yards per game (6): UK rush offense -- 196.2 yards per game (5).
- Pass Offense -- UT throws for 226.1 yards per game (3): UK pass defense -- 176.1 yards per game (6).
- Pass Defense -- UT allows 171.9 yards per game (5): UK pass offense -- 146.7 yards per game (11).
- Sacks By -- UT has executed 19 sacks (9): UK sacks against -- 14 (5).
- Sacks Against -- UT has allowed only 11 sacks (1): UK sacks By -- 15 (12).
- Third Down Conversion -- UT is at 39.3% (6): UK third down conversion defense -- 39.0% (12).
- Third Down Conversion Defense -- UT allows a 34.4% conversion rate (5): UK third down conversion -- 39.8% (4).
- Turnover Margin -- UT is a + 4 (5): UK is a +3 (6).
- Red Zone Offense -- UT converts 41-46 (89.1%) of their RZ attempts (5): UK red zone defense -- 28-37 (75.7%) (5).
- Red Zone Defense -- UT has allowed 30-35 (85.7%) RZ scores: UK's red zone offense -- 33-40 (82.5%) (8).

The Tennessee Offense

Jonathan Crompton -- 6'4", 228 lb senior quarterback: This season the formerly embattled UT signal-caller has stepped-up his game considerably. He has completed 196 of 335 passes (58.5%) for 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Comparing Crompton's numbers last season -- 86-167 (51.5%) for 889 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions -- to those of this year reveals a much-improved quarterback who has been trusted with the reins of the Tennessee offense.

Crompton has thrown only one interception in the last four games (122 passes). His two best games this season -- Versus Georgia, he threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns on 20-27 passing; Against Memphis, Crompton was 21-27 through the air for 331 yards and five touchdowns. Last season versus UK, Crompton was an 6-8 for 101 yards and one touchdown.

Montario Hardesty -- 6'0", 199 lb junior running back: Hardesty's production is another reason for UT's success this season. He's rushed for 1,127 yards (102.5 yards per game) on 225 carries (5.0 yards per carry), and nine touchdowns. He's also caught 19 passes for 212 yards (11.2 yards per reception), and one touchdown.

Last week in UT's 31-16 win over Vanderbilt, Hardesty rushed for a season-high 171 yards on 22 carries (7.8 ypc), and one touchdown. Hardesty has scored at least one touchdown in eight games this year, and he's ran for over 100 yards four times: WKU, Ohio U., South Carolina, and Vanderbilt.

Bryce Brown -- 6'0", 215 lb freshman running back: Brown has carried the ball 98 times for 452 yards (4.6 ypc), and three touchdowns. He's also caught 10 passes for 137 yards (13.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

Coming out of high school last year, Brown was rated the No. 1 running back, as well as the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.

David Oku -- 5'10", 186 lb freshman running back: Oku has rushed for 94 yards on 23 carries (4.0 ypc) and two touchdowns. Oku has caught two passes for 13 yards (6.5 ypr). He's also returned 30 kick-offs for 780- yards (26.0 yards per return).

The Oklahoma native recorded 154 all-purpose yards in UT's game versus Ole Miss. Coming out of high school last year, Oku was rated the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation by Rivals, and the No. 30 running back by SuperPrep.

Gerald Jones -- 6'0", 190 lb junior wide receiver: In 10 games, Jones, UT's top receiver, has caught 36 passes for 497 yards (13.8 ypr) and four touchdowns. Last season versus UK, Jones caught a touchdown pass in the Tennessee victory.

Jones went for over 100 receiving yards versus Georgia -- Five catches for 105 yards, and two touchdowns. He also had strong outings against Auburn (seven catches for 75 yards), and Alabama (seven catches for 72 yards), but he's caught only one touchdown pass in the last three games (versus Memphis).

Denarius Moore -- 6'1", 190 lb junior wide receiver: Moore has made 35 catches for 455 yards (13.0 ypr), and six touchdowns.

Moore has scored four of his six touchdowns in the last three games.

Quintin Hancock -- 6'3", 207 lb senior wide receiver: In only eight games, Hancock has made 27 catches for 298 yards (11.0 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Marsalis Teague -- 5'10", 180 lb freshman wide receiver: Teague has 13 receptions for 147 yards (11.3 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Teague was rated the No. 4 prospect in the state of Tennessee out of high school by Rivals, as well as the No. 28 athlete in the nation, also by Rivals.

Luke Stocker -- 6'6", 240 lb junior tight end: Stocker has been an integral part of the UT offense, catching 22 passes for 292 yards (13.3 ypr), and four touchdowns.

The Tennessee Defense

Eric Berry -- 5'11", 203 lb junior corner back: Berry has made 75 tackles (49 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.

The First Team All-SEC selection is UT's defensive force in the secondary, although UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has been bringing Berry up support the run defense. Don't be surprised if Berry is asked to contain Randall Cobb in tonight's tilt.

Rico McCoy -- 6'1", 220 lb senior linebacker: McCoy leads the Vols with 99 tackles (59 solo). He's also posted 2.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles.

In 2006 versus UK, McCoy forced the first fumble of his career.

Dan Williams -- 6'3", 327 lb senior defensive tackle: Williams has recorded 56 tackles (28 solo), and he's tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with 8.5. He's also has 2.0 sacks, and a team-leading nine quarterback hurries.

In UT's four overtime victory over UK in 2007, Williams had a game-changing field goal block. Well, it wasn't so much as a block, as the ball being kicked directly into his face mask. There is no doubt that Williams is a defensive force that must be dealt with by the UK offensive line. They must keep him away from Morgan Newton, and run away from him in the ground game.

Chris Walker -- 6'3", 232 lb junior defensive end: Walker has made 34 tackles (16 solo), and he's tied for the team lead with 8.5 tackles for loss. He leads UT with 6.0 sacks, and he's also recorded two interceptions and one pass breakup.

Dennis Rogan -- 5'10", 178 lb defensive back: Rogan is third on the team with 56 tackles (35 solo). He's executed 4.0 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and five pass breakups. He's also recovered two fumbles. Rogan will also return punts. This season he's returned six punts for 46 yards (7.7 yards per return), and two kick-offs for 52 yards (26.0 ypr).

In 2007 versus UK, Rogan returned three punts for 24 yards (8.0 ypr), and two kick-offs for 48 yards (24 ypr). He had three tackles, including his first tackle for loss.

Chad Cunningham -- Cunningham serves as UT's punter and kick-off artist -- He's punted 44 times for a 41.5 average. He's kicked-off 64 times, and has only four touch-backs.

Daniel Lincoln, Cunningham, and Devin Mathis have all kicked field goals for the Vols this season -- Lincoln is 10-16 (62.5%), Cunningham is 1-2 (50.0%), and Mathis is 1-1 (100%). Lincoln missed last weeks Vanderbilt game.

The three have combined to miss only one field goal under 40 yards.

Tennessee Wins (Teams in bold represent common opponents)

63-7 over WKU, 34-23 over Ohio U., 45-19 over Georgia, 31-13 over South Carolina, 56-28 over Memphis, and 31-16 over Vanderbilt.

Tennessee Losses

19-15 to UCLA, 23-13 to Florida, 26-22 to Auburn, 12-10 to Alabama, 42-17 to Ole Miss.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Tonight's battle represents two teams vying to succeed in the same areas -- Even though UK's two biggest play-makers are banged up (Cobb's shoulder, and both of Locke's knees), after Ole Miss running back Dexter McCluster gashed the Vols for 282 yards on 25 carries (11.6 ypc) and four touchdowns, the 'Cats will look to gain the bulk of their yardage on the ground.

Although UT quarterback Jonathan Crompton has proved to be much improved over last year, because of UK's weak run defense, look for a steady diet of UT running backs looking for holes. Hardesty, Brown, and Oku will get a healthy dose of carries in an attempt to control the clock, and bury UK with a ground game suited to do just that.

Look for Randall Cobb to have a big day. Although Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin wasn't in place during Cobb's recruitment, I expect Cobb will be highly motivated to display to his hometown team what they are missing.

It's really pretty simple -- UK must run the ball to the tune of at least 4.5-5.0 yards per carry, and Morgan Newton must continue to come through in the clutch with on-target throws if UK hopes to come out victorious. Recently Newton has been excellent at not turning the ball over ... that trend must continue.

Likewise, UK's defense must find it within themselves to stop the run. UT's three primary ball-carriers are legitimate, dangerous weapons. The Vols rushing for 200 + yards will surely spell doom for the 'Cats.

Field position will also play a big role in tonight's outcome. With UK in possession of two of the best return men in the SEC (Cobb and Locke), this category seems to be a plus for the 'Cats.

Last week versus Georgia, UK saw first-hand the advantage gained by creating turnovers (they were +4). The 'Cats must continue to hit hard, hit often, and hit with a purpose. If the UK defense comes to play, I like the 'Cats chances of partying like it's 1984 -- UK's last victory over the Vols.

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky - 27 Tennessee - 24

For Tru's take on the game, and a listen to a podcast interview we did with the guys from Rocky Top Talk, please scroll down.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat the Vols!

SEC Power Poll Week 12

cocknfire — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:19 -0000

1. ALABAMA (14), 223
2. FLORIDA (5), 214
3. OLE MISS, 188
4. LSU, 170.5
5. ARKANSAS, 135.5
6. KENTUCKY, 117.5
7. TENNESSEE, 112.5
8. AUBURN, 110
9. GEORGIA, 79
10. SOUTH CAROLINA, 75
11. MISSISSIPPI STATE, 39
12. VANDERBILT, 19

A slight holiday drop-off in voter turnout and a new vote for Florida at No. 1 helps the Gators make up a small bit of ground in the race for first, but it looks like the Tide will take a lead into the SEC Championship Game next week barring an Auburn victory Saturday.

Ole Miss takes over the No. 3 spot by defeating LSU, and Georgia slides four places after the Kentucky upset; Arkansas is now No. 5 and Kentucky goes from 10th to sixth. Tennessee also passes Auburn because -- um, the Vols defeated Vanderbilt and Auburn had a bye? South Carolina also drops on a bye week as a team it defeated earlier this season not only passes it, but ends up four places ahead of the Gamecocks, which is not entirely indefensible given that it's November and this is South Carolina we're talking about.

Voters?

ALABAMA

The biggest difference between Bama 2008 and Bama 2009 is that Mark Ingram is an improvement over Glen Coffee. Through 11 games, Ingram is averaging 127 ypg (5th nationally) with 12 touchdowns.--Alligator Army

Consistency: If you had a Tide fan start watching one of Alabama's previous games instead of the Iron Bowl, it'd probably take three quarters before they figured it out.--Rocky Top Talk

If you want Alabama to win the MNC, then you don't want Mark Ingram to win the Heisman. Why? That Heisman Dining Circuit and the 20 pounds added.--The ACC & SEC Blog

FLORIDA

You know Urban, Notre Dame can help you with your post-partem depression... (I keed.) ;-)--Rocky Top Talk

LSU is the best team this team has beaten. Think about that.--War Blog Eagle

FIU provided the perfect patsies to work on the passing game. It's like invading Poland before attacking a real army to work out the kinks.--Orange and Blue Hue

OLE MISS

The fact that Ole Miss had to sweat while Les Miles bungled an opportunity for the win shouldn't obscure the fact that the Rebels appeared to be the better team for most of the afternoon yesterday.--Garnet And Black Attack

Getting hot at season's end again. Think the Nuttster would like a mulligan on Dexter McCluster's season?--Get the Picture

Ole Miss looks like Ole Miss again. Which of course means they'll lose this weekend.--Over the Pylon

LSU

Even my 13 year-old sister was screaming at Les Miles Saturday night. Granted, I have a sister who chose seeing "The Blind Side" over the Twilight movie last weekend.--Alligator Army

I hope Les Miles realizes that his sideline gesture for "send the FG unit on!" is so similar to what most teams use to signal "spike the ball" as to cause confusion.--Orange and Blue Hue

We have a really witty comment to write here, but time is running ou--Arkansas Expats

ARKANSAS

They've won four in a row and are scoring in buckets (8th nationally in scoring offense). But three of their four losses were on the road and they will visit LSU on Saturday.--Alligator Army

A win over LSU would send the Razorbacks to Dallas. Not a bad 2nd year for Bobby Petrino whatsoever.--Red Cup Rebellion

The Hogs average almost 48 points in their wins and 21 in their losses. A low scoring game against LSU does not bode well.--Orange and Blue Hue

KENTUCKY

Word of warning to the Vols: If you give Kentucky the ball a lot, they'll, you know, score a lot of points and stuff.--Hey Jenny Slater

Don't look know but the UK football team gave the fans something to talk about during basketball season.--Leftover Hot Dog

Rich Brooks, you are entering some elite company in the pantheon of football coaches in Lexington with road wins at Auburn and Georgia this season.--The ACC & SEC Blog

TENNESSEE

It's funny that a lot is hinging on the Tennessee vs. Kentucky game, including bowl placement and public perception of both programs.--Red Cup Rebellion

After all of the hoopin' and hollerin' and drama and whatnot, Vols will wind up either the 7-5 or 6-6 team they were supposed to be all along.--War Blog Eagle

Allowed almost 300 yards in offense versus the Nashville Navy. Even Kentucky didn't do that.--A Sea of Blue

AUBURN

Welcome to your future, Coach Chizik. Friday afternoon determines what your life is going to be like on the Plains, for better or for worse.--Hey Jenny Slater

Auburn needed the bye week the way they need backup linebackers. At least they got one of them.--War Blog Eagle

I think the "character recruits" Tuberville left at Auburn were actual character actors from the Orlando Disney Resorts.--Orange and Blue Hue

GEORGIA

Lost to Kentucky, got knocked down to the Weedeater Bowl, David Greene's career wins record got broken, and our dog died. How was YOUR week?--Hey Jenny Slater

So much for that contend for the SEC East title talk. Right now, the Bulldogs just need to focus on winning breakfast and working from there.--Gate 21

Georgia won every statistical category but two -- turnovers and the final score.--A Sea of Blue

SOUTH CAROLINA

Why is it that they are so terrible late in the season? Is something in the water in Columbia? Are they too focused on their mistress in Argentina?--Alligator Army

Spurrier's best bet against Clemson is trying to convince his team that the bye week was actually the end of the 2009 season and this game is the first of 2010.--Orange and Blue Hue

Would South Carolina actually fire their most successful coach ever if he ends the season with another loss to Clemson and therefore another November swoon?--The ACC & SEC Blog

MISSISSIPPI STATE

How on earth does a team rush for 327 yards and lose by three scores?--War Blog Eagle

The Dan Mullen Show is running out of steam late in the season, but I would still be optimistic Bulldog fans because the biggest jump is usually from year one to year two.--The ACC & SEC Blog

Mediocrity may or may not be an attainable aspiration in Starkville.--Dawg Sports

VANDERBILT

Finally, the season comes mercifully to an end.--Ghost of Chucky

Hey SEC: you do realize we all just made for a bunch of bitter, resentful future lawyers, right?--Rocky Top Talk

The glory run from 2008 to 2008 is officially over, but it was fun while it lasted.--Dawg Sports