ESPN College Football

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 concludes with a look at the league's top returning punt returners.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles
• Interceptions
• Kicker
• Punter
• Kickoff returner

The SEC returns six of the top 10 punt returners from 2011. Unfortunately for all those interested in watching one of the most electrifying plays in football, the SEC's top returner won't be back. Arkansas' Joe Adams must have had a blast returning punts last year. If you don't believe me just look here. He led the nation with four punt returns for touchdowns and led the SEC with an average of 16.9 yards per return. His moves will be missed, but the top player returning (we're going by average per return) isn't too bad either:

Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU: He averaged 15.6 yards on 27 returns, had a long of 92 yards and recorded two touchdowns. If Adams was the most exciting punt returner in the country, Mathieu was a close second. He completely turned the Arkansas and Georgia games to LSU's favor with three huge returns. The first came on a 92-yarder against the Razorbacks to tie the game at 14 in the second quarter and helped spark a 34-3 run for the Tigers. Against Georgia in the SEC championship game, he gave LSU its first points of the game with a 62-yard touchdown return in the second quarter, but his most exciting return came on a scintillating 47-yarder in the third that he took down to Georgia's 17-yard line. Mathieu is a game-breaking returner and the best thing teams can do is just kick away from him.

The SEC returns five more of the top 10 punt returners from 2011:

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State: He averaged 10.4 yards on 16 returns, had a long of 65 yards and recorded one touchdown.

Ace Sanders, WR, South Carolina: He averaged 9.3 yards on 12 returns, had a long of 68 yards and recorded one touchdown.

Marquel Wade, WR, Arkansas (currently not a part of Arkansas' team): He averaged 8.2 yards on 12 returns and had a long of 19 yards.

Quan Bray, WR, Auburn: He averaged 7.4 yards on 13 returns and had a long of 24 yards.

Jonathan Krause, WR, Vanderbilt: He averaged 4.1 yards on 19 returns and had a long of 18 yards.

Teams will likely kick away from Mathieu more this fall, so he could have a tougher time going for the crown in 2012. One player who could really push for the top spot in this category is Wade. But with him not currently being with the team following his recent arrest, he might not have the chance. Wade is a very dynamic athlete and got to learn from the best in Adams. If he comes back, he'll definitely compete for the throne.

Banks could have competition from his own teammate in Chad Bumphis. Bumphis only returned eight punts last fall, but returned one 82 yards for a score and averaged 16.6 yards per return.

Krause is someone to keep an eye on. Coach James Franklin was very pleased with how his spring went, but he might have to battle incoming freshman Brian Kimbrow here as well.

Texas A&M's Dustin Harris could certainly challenge for the crown after the season he had in 2011. He led the Big 12, averaging 18.6 yards per return, had a long of 72 yards and registered a touchdown. Last season against Kansas, Harris set the school record with 162 punt return yards, including that 72-yard score.

Ole Miss' Jeff Scott still has some academic hurdles to get over, but when he's fielding punts, he's one of the most fun to watch in the SEC. He averaged 17.2 yards per return on just eight returns last year and returned one for a touchdown.

We're putting spring behind us and looking toward the fall with our post-spring power rankings:

1. LSU: The Tigers had one of the best springs around. Things were quiet off the field, and the offense rallied behind quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Coach Les Miles was very impressed with Mettenberger's play and maturity, and expects LSU's offense to be more balanced with him under center. LSU can still use four or five running backs, as well. Defensively, the Tigers are stacked once again, especially up front with two potential first-rounders in ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Questions surround the inexperienced linebackers, but Kevin Minter had a tremendous spring in the middle. On paper, LSU is equipped with the talent to make another title run, and gets Alabama at home this year.

2. Alabama: While the defending national champs saw a lot of "new" faces on defense this spring, coach Nick Saban left happy with where his players were -- but not satisfied. There is still work to be done, especially in the secondary, where the Tide must replace three starters. Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw are gone at linebacker, but the coaches were impressed with how Nico Johnson, C.J. Mosley and Adrian Hubbard played this spring. Some think Hubbard, a redshirt sophomore, could be Bama's top pass-rusher. Offensively, quarterback AJ McCarron is back, more mature and surrounded by a very veteran line. He has a group of younger receivers to throw to, but has at least four quality running backs. Alabama's road to repeating is tougher, with games at Arkansas and LSU.

3. South Carolina: A healthy Marcus Lattimore (knee) at RB makes South Carolina an even better contender for the SEC East crown. His status is uncertain, but the pieces around him are pretty impressive. Quarterback Connor Shaw had an impressive spring, and looks ready to be the passer coach Steve Spurrier wants him to be. The defense is once again stacked, especially up front with ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor. There are questions in the secondary, with two new, young starters in Victor Hampton (cornerback) and Brison Williams (safety), while senior Akeem Auguste returns after missing last season with a foot injury. Still, Spurrier is chirping about his SEC counterparts, so you know he thinks he's got a good team this year.

4. Georgia: The Bulldogs should be higher on this list, but when you take into account the suspensions of four defensive starters at the beginning of the season, they slide a little. Georgia returns nine defensive starters, including one of the nation's best linebackers in Jarvis Jones, and some firepower on offense, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Murray, who could get some early Heisman love. It also sounds like enigmatic running back Isaiah Crowell is slowly turning things around. Yet again, the Bulldogs have a favorable SEC schedule, with no games against Alabama, Arkansas or LSU, so their road to the SEC championship is easier than South Carolina's, but keep an eye on that inexperienced offensive line.

5. Arkansas: If not for Bobby Petrino's embarrassing dismissal, the Razorbacks might be ranked higher. Offensively, it doesn't get much better than what Arkansas has. Tyler Wilson returns as arguably the league's best quarterback, and he'll get to work with one of the most complete backs around, Knile Davis, who is returning from a devastating ankle injury. An older and more improved offensive line returns, and so does a talented receiving corps led by Cobi Hamilton. But there are questions. How effective will interim coach John L. Smith be, especially if something goes wrong? Will Marquel Wade's suspension leak into the fall after his spring arrest? And will the defense improve and be more aggressive under new coordinator Paul Haynes? The good news is that Alabama and LSU play in Fayetteville this fall.

6. Florida: The chemistry is much better in Gainesville. Florida returns 10 starters from a defense that ranked eighth nationally in 2011. Matt Elam looks like a budding star at safety, and Florida's linebacking group is solid. Buck/defensive end Ronald Powell could be out after tearing his ACL this spring, but coach Will Muschamp recently said Powell is off crutches. Stud defensive tackle Dominique Easley is also walking fine after tearing his ACL in last year's season finale. The Gators have their third offensive coordinator in three years, and unproven sophomore quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are still battling. Florida has unproven running backs and receivers, but the offensive line toughened up tremendously.

7. Auburn: The Tigers welcomed two new coordinators, Scot Loeffler and Brian VanGorder, this spring, and by all accounts players were very receptive. Coach Gene Chizik is still dealing with a lot of youth, as close to 70 percent of his roster is made up of underclassmen. One of those underclassmen is quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who made strides as a passer this spring and seems to have the edge in the quarterback race with Clint Moseley, who missed some of the spring with a sore shoulder. The defensive line will be the team's strength, with end Dee Ford exploding this spring and Corey Lemonier returning. There is a lot of depth up front on defense, which will go a long way for the Tigers.

8. Missouri: Coach Gary Pinkel and his players have made it clear they aren't intimidated by the move to the SEC. These new Tigers return solid offensive firepower, but there has to be some concern about quarterback James Franklin, who missed most of the spring after having surgery on his throwing shoulder. Plus, Mizzou's backup QB could miss games this fall after his recent arrest, so the Tigers' offensive success will be riding on Franklin's health. The Tigers are replacing a few starters on both lines, but feel confident about both areas. Mizzou will face a Georgia team down a few defensive players in Week 2, but must travel to South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

9. Tennessee: A lot is different in Knoxville, as the Vols welcomed seven new assistant coaches. Coach Derek Dooley insists the changes were for the best, but there's still going to be some adjusting to do this fall. The good news is that Tennessee returns a lot on both sides of the ball, starting with quarterback Tyler Bray and receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers. A healthy trio there makes Tennessee's passing game one of the best in the league. Questions remain on the offensive line and at running back, but improvements were made this spring. New defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but players aren't totally comfortable, leaving some concerns.

10. Mississippi State: Quarterback Tyler Russell finally looks ready to take over as the guy in Starkville, and he'll have a veteran receiving corps to work with. However, that group still has a lot to prove, especially senior Chad Bumphis. The running game looks solid with LaDarius Perkins and Nick Griffin, and the offensive line got help from the junior college ranks. Defensively, there are a few holes to fill up front and in the secondary, but Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield are a solid cornerback tandem and linebacker is set with a few vets back, including stud Cameron Lawrence. Junior college defensive end Denico Autry has to perform early to help a line with a couple of holes.

11. Texas A&M: The Aggies have some holes to fill this year, but the offensive line will be a strength. Left tackle Luke Joeckel, a future first-rounder, leads a line that returns four starters. Star wide receiver Ryan Swope is back, and running back Christine Michael should be healthy (knee) this fall, but quarterback is an issue. Sophomore Jameill Showers has the edge right now, but like all of his competitors, he lacks experience. The defense will lean on linebackers Sean Porter, Steven Jenkins, Jonathan Stewart and converted end Damontre Moore, but the secondary has depth and experience issues, and the team will still be adjusting to a new staff led by coach Kevin Sumlin.

12. Vanderbilt: There is some solid offensive talent in Nashville, starting with running back Zac Stacy and receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd, but coach James Franklin is still waiting for quarterback Jordan Rodgers to be more consistent. The offensive line is very thin and could barely get through spring. The defense must replace a handful of starters and leaders, but Franklin felt better about guys like linebacker Chase Garnham, defensive end Walker May and cornerback Trey Wilson. Vandy's schedule will be tough this fall, and if that offensive line doesn't hold up, getting back to a bowl will be tough.

13. Kentucky: Coach Joker Phillips was pleased with how spring practice ended, especially when it came to finding offensive playmakers, like receivers Demarco Robinson and Daryl Collins. Quarterback Maxwell Smith had a solid spring, but struggled during the spring game, meaning the battle with Morgan Newton and freshman Patrick Towles should go into the fall. The offensive line is still trying to get by after losing three starters, and the Wildcats must replace six starters at linebacker and in the secondary. Given the Wildcats' schedule, they will need to sweep their nonconference games to be in bowl shape.

14. Ole Miss: The arrival of coach Hugh Freeze brought a lot of positive change to Ole Miss, especially off the field, but there are still a lot of concerns. There are depth issues at just about every position, especially running back and defensive tackle. Even one of the most experienced groups, the offensive line, has struggled mightily with picking up Freeze's spread offense and is the team's biggest weakness. Academic issues are also worrying Ole Miss' staff, and top running back Jeff Scott and cornerback/receiver Nickolas Brassell are in that group. Quarterback is still up for grabs, but progress was made on defense, especially in the secondary.

2011 overall record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 2-6
Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
QB Tyler Russell, RB LaDarius Perkins, WR Chad Bumphis, WR Arceto Clark, OG Gabe Jackson, DT Josh Boyd, LB Cameron Lawrence, CB Johnthan Banks, S Nickoe Whitley

Key losses
QB Chris Relf, RB Vick Ballard, OG Quentin Saulsberry, DT Fletcher Cox, LB Brandon Wilson, S Charles Mitchell

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Vick Ballard (1,189 yards)
Passing: Chris Relf (1,212 yards)
Receiving: Arceto Clark* (442 yards)
Tackles: Cameron Lawrence* (123)
Sacks: Fletcher Cox (5)
Interceptions: Johnthan Banks* (5)

Spring answers

1. Turning the corner: With Darius Slay having a huge spring, the Bulldogs should be well stocked at cornerback. Slay didn’t arrive from junior college until last summer, so he was sort of feeling his way around the league last season. But he looked much more comfortable this spring, and the Mississippi State coaches feel like they have three starters at cornerback. Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield combined for 21 interceptions over the past three seasons, and Banks is being projected as a first-round draft choice next April.

2. Running back depth: Vick Ballard’s toughness and consistency make him a tough component to replace in Mississippi State’s offense, but the Bulldogs exited the spring trying to figure out how they’re going to play four running backs in the fall. It’s always a plus to have that kind of depth in the SEC, and all four are a little bit different. Speedy junior LaDarius Perkins and 225-pound sophomore Nick Griffin complement each other perfectly, and both are big-play threats. Redshirt freshman Josh Robinson is a blur in the open field, while redshirt freshman Derrick Milton is a punishing runner.

3. Autry off the edge: The Bulldogs needed a finisher off the edge, and it looks like they’ve found him in junior college newcomer Denico Autry. Throughout the spring, Autry was a fixture in the backfield and combines a quick first step with an aggressive in-your-face approach to rushing the passer. He was one of the top junior college prospects in the country, and judging from his performance in the spring, he has a chance to be a real difference-maker for the Bulldogs in 2012.

Fall questions

1. Replacing Cox: When Fletcher Cox got it going during the second half of the season last year, there was no stopping him. He made everybody on that defense better. Now that he’s gone early to the pros, one man’s not going to replace him. Everybody in the middle of that defensive line will need to elevate his game, starting with Josh Boyd. The good news is that Boyd is plenty capable, although it’s not going to be the same without Cox playing alongside him. Freshman Quay Evans was an early enrollee and demonstrated this spring why he was one of the top tackle prospects in the country. He won’t have to wait long to get onto the field.

2. Passing game consistency: Tyler Russell took the kind of steps this spring Dan Mullen was hoping to see. Throwing the ball from the pocket is what he does best. He still has to prove he’s going to take care of the ball, and the Bulldogs have to prove they can protect him. Mullen is encouraged by this group of receivers, and 6-4 redshirt freshman Joe Morrow has a chance to be special. The key is putting it all together and getting more production, period, out of the passing game than the Bulldogs did a year ago.

3. Tightening up special teams: The Bulldogs figure to be in a lot of close games in 2012, which means making field goals from 45 yards on in will be critical. Derek DePasquale is gone, and Brian Egan, a former Parade All-American, will get a chance to prove that he can make big kicks for the Bulldogs. They also need to make the return game a weapon and have the athletes to do it (Chad Bumphis, Jameon Lewis and Banks), while shoring up their coverage on kickoffs will be equally important. In short, if the Bulldogs are going to get back to winning eight or more games, special teams will be the difference.

The good folks over at the SEC office delivered a plethora of post-spring notes for us to dive into as summer creeps closer and closer.

I've split it up by division, so you all aren't overwhelmed. We'll start with the SEC West:

ALABAMA

• The attendance for A-Day was 78,526 (1st in the SEC and 2nd nationally this year to Ohio State) which was the fifth-largest in school history. Each spring game under coach Nick Saban has had an attendance of 78,200 (2008) or higher.
• As an SEC head coach (beginning in 2001 at LSU and 2007 at Alabama), Saban has totaled 73 NFL draft picks with 20 first-round selections and 10 among the top 10 overall.
• During the last academic year, Alabama’s football program led the SEC (in what is believed to be a conference record) with a total of 38 student-athletes on the Academic All-SEC Honor Roll. A total of 22 players were on the bowl roster who had already earned their degrees, which was tied for first nationally in terms of graduates on bowl rosters.
• Of Alabama’s 13 starters lost, all were either drafted or signed free -agent contracts with the NFL. Included among those 13 were the four first-rounders along with LB Courtney Upshaw (2nd round), NG Josh Chapman (5th round), DB DeQuan Menzie (5th round) and TE Brad Smelley (7th round). OG Alfred McCullough, WR Marquis Maze, WR Darius Hanks, C William Vlachos and LB Jerrell Harris each signed as free agents following the draft.

ARKANSAS

• Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to return a quarterback (Tyler Wilson) with a 3,000-yard passing season in his career and a running back (Knile Davis) with a 1,000-yard rushing season.
• Arkansas has been ranked in 32 straight Associated Press polls, tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation, and in the top 10 for nine straight polls, which also ranks seventh among active streaks in the country.
• Arkansas finished the 2011 season undefeated at home for the first time since 1999. With seven home victories in 2011, the Razorbacks have 19 wins at home in the past three years, which is tied for the fourth-highest total in the NCAA. Arkansas enters the 2012 season with an 11-game home winning streak, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
• Kicker Zach Hocker enters his junior season as Arkansas' record holder for career field goal percentage with his success rate of 80.4 percent. He also ranks in the top 10 in school history in six other categories and finished the 2011 season second in the SEC in points per game, field goals made per game and touchback percentage.

AUBURN

• Auburn returns 48 lettermen (20 offense, 26 defense, 2 specialists). Of the 68 scholarship players who participated in spring drills, 61 percent (38) were underclassmen.
• The Tigers start the 2012 season in the same location as they finished the 2011 campaign, playing in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. On Sept. 1, Auburn opens with Clemson in the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game. The Tigers completed the 2011 season with a 43-24 victory over Virginia in the Chick-fil-a Bowl on Dec. 31. Auburn’s 2012 schedule features eight games against bowl participants from a year ago, including five that played in traditional New Year’s games.
• Junior punter Steven Clark, one of three finalists for last year’s Ray Guy Award, is one of two returning first team All-SEC honorees for Auburn, along with junior defensive end Corey Lemonier. Returnees Philip Lutzenkirchen (senior tight end) and Onterio McCalebb (senior all-purpose back) were second team all-SEC selections in 2011.

LSU

• The Tigers have four running backs coming back who had seven or more rushing touchdowns (Spencer Ware 8, Kenny Hilliard 8, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue 7).
• LSU has five returning offensive linemen with starts to their credit, led by C P.J. Lonergan with 26 and OG Josh Dworczyk with 26. Other linemen with career starts to their credit include LT Chris Faulk (13), RT Alex Hurst (23) and RG Josh Williford (9). A sixth offensive lineman – La’el Collins – came out of spring practice as possibly the starter at left guard.
• Defensively, LSU returns its top two tacklers (Tyrann Mathieu 76, Eric Reid 76) and its top two leaders in both tackles for loss (Barkevious Mingo 15.0, Sam Montgomery 13.5) and sacks (Montgomery 9.0, Mingo 8.0).
• LSU returns 11 players on defense that started at least one game a year ago, including five defensive linemen.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Mississippi State is one of only two SEC teams to bring back all 10 on-field coaches from last season. The entire staff continuity is a first in more than a decade (1999-2000) for the Bulldogs.
• Dan Mullen enters the 2012 campaign with 21 wins in his first three seasons, the second most in school history (Alllyn McKeen, 26, 1939-41). Mississippi State had only won 21 games over any three-year stretch eight times prior to Mullen’s arrival.
• Wide receiver Chad Bumphis enters the season with 101 career receptions, good for eighth in school history and 61 shy of David Smith’s (1968-70) record of 162. The Tupelo native needs five touchdowns to reach the school record of 17 held by Eric Moulds (1993-95) and Justin Jenkins (2000-03).

OLE MISS

• Five returning offensive linemen have each started five or more games in their career, including junior starting center Evan Swindall. Senior A.J. Hawkins and sophomore Aaron Morris settled in at the guards during the spring, while a pair of potential first-time starters, junior Emmanuel McCray and mid-year JUCO transfer Pierce Burton, have taken the lead at the tackles.
• Special teams remains a strength of the Rebels, led by 2010 NCAA punting champion and two-time All-SEC senior Tyler Campbell. In addition, senior K Bryson Rose has made 25 of 29 career field goals and 65-of-67 PATs.
• In the return game, junior running back Jeff Scott has established himself as a weapon during his career, ranking 20th in the country in kickoff returns in 2010 and helping Ole Miss finish third as a team nationally in punt returns in 2011.

TEXAS A&M

• Senior Dustin Harris enters the 2012 football season as the reigning punt return average statistical champion. The cornerback from Livingston, Texas, led the NCAA with a 18.9 average on 18 returns in 2011, with a 72-yard touchdown return against Kansas. Against the Jayhawks, Harris set a school record with 162 punt return yards.
• Senior Ryan Swope, from Austin, Texas, has career numbers of 180 catches for 2,204 yards and is chasing Jeff Fuller’s school records of 233 catches for 3,092 yards. Fuller’s records would appear to be within range after Swope’s record-setting junior season that saw him set school standards with 89 catches for 1,207 yards.
• The Aggies led the nation with 51 sacks in 2011 (six more than the second-best team), and A&M’s top two pass-rushing threats return in 2012. In fact, Texas A&M is the only team in the nation with two returnees that posted 8.5 or more sacks in 2011. Senior Sean Porter led the Big 12 with .73 sacks per game (No. 19 nationally), while junior Damontre Moore chipped in .71 per game (No. 21 nationally).
• Despite attempting the ninth most pass attempts in the NCAA FBS, the Aggies did a remarkable job of protecting their quarterback in 2011. In 13 games, A&M allowed just nine sacks for a NCAA-low 44 lost yards. Four of five starters return from the 2011 offensive front, including juniors-to-be OTs Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, who have been mentioned as first-round draft picks in several early 2013 mock drafts.
• The offensive line was penalized for holding just twice in 2011 and enters 2012 with a streak of 11 straight games without a holding call against a lineman.

From the time Dan Mullen took the Mississippi State head coaching job prior to the 2009 season, he’s been talking about the importance of beefing up the receiving corps and finding more playmakers on the perimeter.

As the Bulldogs exit spring practice and look ahead to the 2012 season, Mullen thinks this may be the best shape they’ve been in across the board when it comes to pass-catchers.

And that includes tight ends.

Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill both had big springs and showed that they can be a big part of the offense. Both players are versatile enough to move around, too, and you might see them lining up some this fall in the backfield as H-backs.

At the receiver position, Mullen likes the Bulldogs’ experience with seniors Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith and Arceto Clark. But there’s also some explosiveness there with redshirt freshman Joe Morrow and sophomore Jameon Lewis.

"One of the things we’re starting to see is some of our younger guys are really the more explosive potential playmakers and our older guys are the steady guys," Mullen said Tuesday. "We're getting some depth. We have some experience and are starting to infuse some young talent in there that gives you some big-play ability.

"We need that position to be very strong because it’s probably our most experienced position on the field with the older guys, and they can set a great example. Consistent play will allow the younger guys to develop beyond playmakers to every-down players. That’s going to be a huge deal for us going into this season.

"If we’re going to have a great year, we’re going to have to have our receivers, especially our senior receivers, play great."

With Tyler Russell stepping in at quarterback, the Bulldogs threw it around a bunch this spring. Russell's strength is standing in the pocket and throwing the football, and it looks like he might have the best collection of receivers the Bulldogs have had since Mullen arrived in 2009.

From the moment Dorial Green-Beckham put that black-and-yellow Missouri ball cap on his head, the expectations for him at Missouri went through the roof.

Actually, the former Springfield, Mo., Hillcrest High star probably would have had relatively high expectations no matter where he signed. He's a special talent, who caught 119 passes for 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns as a high school senior. The No. 1 receiver prospect stands 6 feet 6 inches and weighs 220 pounds, making him an ideal target for any quarterback in any type of offense. And even with his size, he still has the speed to be a legit deep threat at the college level.

Stop drooling James Franklin. You'll get to start working with him before you know it.

But will DGB be a star on the field from the word "go?" Will he immediately be that top-flight receiving threat that Missouri is still searching for in its offense? Will he take the SEC East by storm and help propel the Tigers toward the top of the division?

The hype machine says yes and he should benefit from having Franklin as his quarterback and being able to learn from vets, like T.J. Moe, who was Missouri's leading receiver last year, and Marcus Lucas, who emerged as a top receiving threat for the Tigers in 2011. However, he's never played on the level of the SEC or seen anything like what he'll see from SEC defenses.

Still, if DGB can nail Missouri's playbook down early and get pretty comfy in the Tigers' offense during the offseason, he could move from watcher to doer very quickly next season.

With his measurables and skill set, DGB could be a very special player in this league and if recent history is an indicator, he could very well make that immediate impact that Mizzou fans expect him to.

We don't have to go far to see success from rookie receivers in this league. Just last season Georgia's Malcolm Mitchell proved to be the Bulldogs' most talented pass catcher. He led Georgia, and was fourth in the SEC, in receiving, hauling in 45 passes for 665 yards and four touchdowns. He did that only playing 11 games, as a hamstring injury cut into his playing time during the middle part of the season.

There was also LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., who was second on the team in receiving and grabbed 41 catches as a frosh. Ole Miss' Donte Moncrief and Vanderbilt's Chris Boyd also made big impacts in their respective offenses, as Moncrief led the Rebels in receiving and Boyd led the Commodores with eight touchdown receptions.

Over the years, we've seen other freshmen come in and make their presences well known in passing games. Percy Harvin was one of the most exciting players to watch in 2006 at both a wide receiver and a running back, as he registered 855 total yards of offense and five touchdowns for Florida. In 2009, SEC All-Freshman mates Alshon Jeffery and Chad Bumphis led their schools in receptions and yards.

And who could forget what A.J. Green did at Georgia and what Julio Jones did at Alabama in their first seasons? Both could have just jumped to the NFL at the end of the seasons if they were allowed to. Coincidentally, DGB is being compared to both, so that's nice.

We've only seen a glimpse of what DGB can do as a football player and if the experts are correct, he has a bright future ahead of him. And Mizzou's faithful is hoping he can have the early success of some of those receivers who have come before him in this league.

We've come to the end of our postseason position rankings. Special teams don't get a ton of credit when things go right, but we all know how much grief they get when things go wrong. Just look at all those shanks we saw from kickers last season.

Fortunately, there are other aspects of special teams that involve more exciting plays, like returns that can change the dynamic of a game or are just really easy on the eyes (just take a look at what Joe Adams did to Tennessee last fall).

You can see how we ranked the SEC's special teams units before the season here.

Here are our final rankings:

1. LSU: All-American punter Brad Wing averaged 44.4 yards per kick, had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and pinned 27 kicks inside the opposing 20-yard line. His long of 73 yards completely changed LSU's first game with Alabama. Tyrann Mathieu had two clutch punt returns for touchdowns against Arkansas and Georgia at the end of the season and was fifth nationally averaging 15.6 yards per return. Morris Claiborne also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averaged 25.1 yards per return. Opponents averaged 3.7 yards per punt return and just 20 yards per kickoff against LSU. Drew Alleman led the SEC in field goal percentage (88.9), hitting 16-of-18 kicks.

2. Arkansas: Adams was one of the best punt returners in the country, averaging 16.9 yards per return and taking four to the house for scores. The Hogs were just as dangerous on kickoffs, as Dennis Johnson and Marquel Wade both returned kicks for touchdowns and ranked in the top five in the SEC in return average. Zach Hocker hit 21-of-27 kicks and led all kickers by averaging 9.1 points per game. Dylan Breeding led the SEC in punting (45.3) and downed 16 inside the 20. Arkansas was one of the best in the SEC in kickoff coverage, but did allow two punt returns to go for scores in the two biggest games of the season.

3. Auburn: Auburn had Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason take kickoffs back for touchdowns, as the Tigers led the SEC in kickoff return average (24.7) and also in kickoff coverage. Auburn wasn't great returning punts, but punter Steven Clark was a Ray Guy Award finalist and pinned 33 punts inside the 20. Cody Parkey ranked sixth in the league in field-goal kicking, connecting on 13-of-18 kicks (72.2).

4. Florida: Even without Urban Meyer running the show, the Gators were still pretty successful in this department. Florida was first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally with six blocked kicks. Two punt blocks went for touchdowns. Caleb Sturgis was a Lou Groza Award finalist, hitting 22-of-26 field goals, including three from 50-plus yards. Florida was also solid in kickoff coverage and got kickoff touchdowns of their own from Andre Debose, who was third in the league in return average, and Jeff Demps. Florida averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and averaged 39.8 yards per punt.

5. Ole Miss: If not for special teams, Ole Miss would have been even worse in 2011. Tyler Campbell averaged 43.6 yards per punt on his 72 attempts and pinned 28 inside the 20. The Rebels also had two different players -- Nickolas Brassell and Jeff Scott -- return punts for touchdowns and Ole Miss was near the top of the league in kickoff coverage and had a net punting average of 38 yards. Bryson Rose also hit nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.

6. Vanderbilt: It was a mixed bag for the Commodores when it came to special teams. Vanderbilt was second in the league in opponent punt return average (3.9), but allowed a touchdown, and gave up another touchdown on kickoff coverage. Vanderbilt also blocked two kicks. Missed field goals haunted Vanderbilt, as the Commodores missed two in the six-point loss to Tennessee and one at the end of regulation in a three-point loss to Arkansas. Andre Hal logged a kickoff touchdown, but Vandy was 11th in the league in punt return average.

7. Alabama: Before the national championship game, Alabama's field-goal kicking game received a ton of criticism, especially for the four misses in the 9-6 loss to LSU. But Jeremy Shelley redeemed the unit by hitting 5-of-7 in the rematch. Alabama's kickers missed 13 kicks. Marquis Maze only had 12 kickoff returns, but averaged 28.5 yards per return, was third in the SEC in punt return average (13.2) and had that nifty touchdown against Arkansas. However, Alabama was 11th in the league in kickoff coverage and 10th in punt average.

8. Kentucky: Punter Ryan Tydlacka was fourth in the league in punting (43.6), had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and had 19 of his punts downed inside the 20. Craig McIntosh connected on 12-of-14 field-goal attempts (.857). Kentucky was in the middle of the pack in kickoff coverage. The Wildcats weren't so good at returning kicks, ranking 11th in the SEC in kickoff returns and last in punt returns, averaging 1.8 yards per return.

9. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs were last in the league in kickoff returns and were the only team to average fewer than 20 yards a return. The Bulldogs were better on punts, getting touchdowns from Chad Bumphis and Johnthan Banks, and ranked fifth in the league in punt return average. Punter Baker Swedenburg ranked seventh in punting and pinned 19 punts inside the 20. Derek DePasquale hit 12-of-18 field goals.

10. Tennessee: The Vols didn't record any special teams touchdowns, but were fifth in the league in kickoff returns and seventh in punt returns. As far as defending returns, Tennessee allowed just 18.1 yards per return, but was 10th in punt return coverage and gave up a touchdown. Michael Palardy hit of nine of his 14 field-goal attempts and punter Matt Darr was 10th in the SEC in punt average (38.1).

11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks struggled in the kicking game, but did have a bright spot in Ace Sanders recording a touchdown on a punt return and South Carolina blocked two kicks. However, South Carolina was seventh and eighth in the SEC in kickoff and punt returns, respectively. South Carolina was last in kickoff coverage and gave up a touchdown. Jay Wooten missed four field goals and three extra points, while punter Joey Scribner-Howard was ninth in the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt.

12. Georgia: Outside of Brandon Boykin's 92-yard touchdown return in the Outback Bowl, his 22.4-yard average on kick returns and Drew Butler's 44.2 yards per punt, Georgia didn't do much at all on special teams. The group that was supposed to be first in the league allowed two kickoffs and punts to go for touchdowns and allowed a fake punt for a touchdown against South Carolina. Blair Walsh entered the season as one of the nation's top kickers, but hit just 21-of-35 kicks, including missing two in overtime in the bowl loss to Michigan State.

The receivers/tight ends are on the docket Friday in our SEC postseason position rankings. The top two spots were easy. But after that, it gets a lot harder.

You can see our preseason rankings here.

Here's what we came up with for the postseason:

1. Arkansas: An easy call here for the top spot. Even though Greg Childs was unable to return to his pre-injury form, the duo of Jarius Wright and Joe Adams was outstanding. Wright set school records with 66 catches for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. Don’t forget about Cobi Hamilton, either, or tight end Chris Gragg, who was third on the team behind Wright and Adams with 41 catches. There’s younger talent on the roster coming, too.

2. Georgia: One of the reasons Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray spread it around so much this season was because of the depth of his receiving corps, and it’s always nice to have the top pass-catching tight end in the league. Orson Charles caught 45 passes, including five touchdowns. The Bulldogs had five different players with at least four touchdown catches. Tavarres King led the way with eight, and freshman Malcolm Mitchell is a budding star in this league.

3. Alabama: The Alabama pass-catchers didn’t rack up a bunch of touchdown catches, but they made plays when they had to. It was a deeper unit than given credit for as evidenced by the play of Kevin Norwood and Kenny Bell in the BCS National Championship Game. Marquis Maze was Alabama’s top playmaker at receiver and one of the more underrated players in the league, and the Tide had two good tight ends in Brad Smelley and Michael Williams.

4. LSU: Rueben Randle is the reason the Tigers are this high. He led the SEC in league games with an average of 78.6 receiving yards per game and also averaged 19.1 yards per catch. Odell Beckham, Jr. was one of the league’s best freshman receivers, and even though Russell Shepard only caught 14 passes, four went for touchdowns. Look for Jarvis Landry to play a much bigger role next season.

5. Tennessee: The Vols should really be loaded at receiver in 2012 if Justin Hunter comes back healthy. He was off to a great start this season, but injured his knee in the third game. Da'Rick Rogers led the SEC with 67 catches, including nine touchdowns, and tight end Mychal Rivera was second on the team with 29 catches. The Vols added top junior college receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on signing day.

6. South Carolina: Alshon Jeffery alone puts the Gamecocks in the top half of the league. His numbers were down from his fabulous 2011 season, but he still caught eight touchdown passes. Ace Sanders provided some help underneath, but the Gamecocks didn’t have enough depth at the position to keep teams from shadowing Jeffery.

7. Vanderbilt: The Commodores made a big jump from where they were ranked in the preseason (11^th). Sophomore Jordan Matthews was one of the most improved receivers in the league and gave the Commodores that big-play threat down the field they’d been missing. He had five touchdown catches and averaged 19 yards per catch. Redshirt freshman Chris Boyd also had a big season with a team-leading eight touchdown catches, and Brandon Barden was a nice target at tight end.

8. Auburn: Injuries killed the Tigers, especially with Emory Blake and Trovon Reed being out at the same time during one stretch. When healthy, Blake is one of the most dependable receivers in the league. Reed has yet to prove he can stay healthy, and there was really nobody else to provide any firepower in the deep passing game. The Tigers get bonus points here for Philip Lutzenkirchen, who had seven touchdown catches and is a terrific pass-catching tight end.

9. Florida: The Gators would appear to more talented than they’ve played at receiver the last couple of years. Andre Debose did come on this season and catch a few deep passes for touchdowns, and Jordan Reed has the tools to be one of the best tight ends in the league. The bottom line is that the Gators simply didn’t make much happen in the passing game all season long. In fact, none of the wide receivers on the roster caught more than 21 passes.

10. Mississippi State: The receiver position is an area that Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is still looking to bolster. Chad Bumphis hasn’t been the kind of difference-maker most predicted when he signed with the Bulldogs. Perhaps 2012 will be the season he changes that. Freshman tight end Malcolm Johnson showed a lot of promise and caught three touchdown passes, while Arceto Clark and Chris Smith each hauled in 30 or more receptions.

11. Ole Miss: Granted, the Rebels had issues at quarterback, which was a big reason they never established much of a passing game. But here’s the most telling stat: Ole Miss finished the season with nine touchdown passes, and six of those went to true freshmen Donte Moncrief and Nickolas Brassell. Opposing defenses are bound to see even more of those two youngsters next season.

12. Kentucky: Everybody beats up on the quarterback when the passing game is ineffective, but the Wildcats simply didn’t have a lot of guys consistently making plays at the receiver position. There were too many drops across the board, and even though La'Rod King did catch seven touchdown passes, he was quiet in SEC games.

Six bowl games involving SEC teams have given us plenty to digest.

Granted, two still remain with Arkansas taking on Kansas State on Friday night in the AT&T Cotton Bowl and then Alabama and LSU squaring off on Monday night in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

Before we look ahead, let’s look back with a special bowl edition of Hot and Not:

GLOWING EMBERS

SEC momentum: The league is already 4-2 in bowl games and assured of winning its sixth straight BCS national championship. Not only that, but if Arkansas can take care of Kansas State, there’s a pretty good chance that four of the top 8 teams in the final polls will be from the SEC. Alabama, LSU and South Carolina are top 10 locks. And looking ahead to next season, the early feeling among several in the college football world is that Alabama, LSU, Georgia and South Carolina could all start the season in the top 15, maybe even the top 10. Arkansas isn't going away, either.

HOT

Georgia’s Brandon Boykin: What a show the do-it-all senior cornerback put on in the Outback Bowl. Too bad the Bulldogs’ collapse spoiled what was one of the better all-around performances you’re ever going to see from a college player. Boykin returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown, recorded a safety when he tackled Michigan State’s Keshawn Martin in the end zone and also caught a 13-yard touchdown pass. Boykin’s a terrific football player and vastly underrated. I’m as guilty as anybody for not giving him more props throughout his career.

NOT

Mississippi State’s Chad Bumphis: After catching one pass for minus-3 yards and rushing twice for minus-4 yards in Mississippi State’s 23-17 win over Wake Forest in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Bumphis went out and got arrested the next night in his hometown of Tupelo, Miss., on charges of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct at a local bar. Making it even worse for Bumphis is that he claims he did nothing wrong and was hit in the face with champagne bottles while posing for pictures. So much for a Happy New Year.

HOT

South Carolina’s defense: Not a bad debut at all for newly promoted defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward. The Gamecocks held Nebraska scoreless over the final three quarters in their 30-13 Capital One Bowl win, and the Huskers had minus-15 total yards in the fourth quarter. They don’t call him “Whammy” for nothing.

NOT

Vanderbilt’s passing game: The Commodores had seemed to solve their passing game woes this season. But outside of Chris Boyd’s 68-yard catch and run for a touchdown, they didn’t make much happen through the air in their 31-24 loss to Cincinnati in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Jordan Rodgers started out ice cold and was injured. Senior Larry Smith came off the bench to throw the touchdown to Boyd on a short flip, but his late interception sealed the Commodores’ fate. Rodgers and Smith finished a combined 12-of-34 for 168 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

HOT

Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter: He’d been forgotten about by most fans, but Trotter came off the bench for the injured Clint Moseley and saved some of his best passing of the season for the finale, leading Auburn to a 43-24 win over Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Trotter is a perfect example of an upperclassman who lost his starting job, didn’t sulk, hung in there and was ready to answer the call when his team needed him.

NOT

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray: It wasn’t the return Murray was hoping for to his hometown of Tampa. The Bulldogs’ sophomore quarterback had a banner season with his school-record 35 touchdown passes, but the Outback Bowl turned in Michigan State’s favor on Murray’s two third-quarter interceptions. The first pick set up a touchdown, and the second pick was returned 38 yards for a touchdown, completely changing the complexion of that game.

HOT

Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn: We heard all season how bad the Gators were on offense -- and they were. It’s about time, though, that Quinn and that Florida defense get a little love. The Gators deserved better defensively this season and got it done in the 24-17 win over Ohio State in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl. It’s a defense that returns most of its key pieces next season and should be really good in 2012. Then again, the Gators ended this season ranked No. 9 nationally in total defense. Now, let’s see if they can move in the direction of building a top 10 offense.

NOT

Alshon Jeffery being kicked out: OK, he shouldn’t have been mixing it up with Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard in the first place and should have been smart enough to walk away. That’s easier said than done when a guy is hounding you all day. But go back and watch the replay. Only one of the two threw a punch, and it wasn’t Jeffery. Yet, both were ejected from the game.

FREEZER BURN

Mark Richt’s overtime strategy: His decision to play for a field goal -- a 42-yard field goal -- after Bacarri Rambo came up with the big interception in the first overtime was baffling enough. But then you consider how erratic the Bulldogs’ kicker, Blair Walsh, had been this season, and it’s even more baffling. Walsh had already missed 12 field goals coming into the game. The Bulldogs even took a 2-yard loss on second down to position the kick, and it backfired … badly. It was a good season for Richt and the Dawgs, especially the way they battled back from the 0-2 start, but the ending sure was weak.

Mississippi State junior wide receiver Chad Bumphis was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, after celebrating at a friend's birthday party early Sunday morning.

Bumphis was arrested in his hometown of Tupelo, Miss., after a fight broke out at the at the Atlanta Bar & Grill. Bumphis was released from the Lee County Jail on his own recognizance.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported that Bumphis was hit in the neck by a champagne bottle and suffered a broken tooth and a cut on his neck.

Bumphis' mother, Dorothy Bumphis, told the newspaper that her son was attacked, but didn't hit anyone.

“He was standing there, and next thing he knew he had been hit in the mouth with a champagne bottle,” she told the paper. “Chad didn’t hit anybody or anything. They took him outside, and then they took him to jail to calm him down.”

She also said that her son wasn't drunk when the altercation occurred.

We move on to our first bowl team and take a look at Mississippi State's 2011 regular season:

OFFENSE: C

With the weapons Mississippi State brought back this season, a lot was expected from the Bulldogs in 2011. Things started fine, as the Bulldogs racked up a ton of yards and points through the first two weeks. But even though Mississippi State scored 34 points and totaled 531 yards in Week 2 against Auburn, quarterback Chris Relf's game-tying touchdown run was stopped short of the goal line and it seemed like everything changed for the Bulldogs. The offense just never got back to its 2010 form and Relf's play suffered throughout the season. The Bulldogs eventually had a quarterback battle on their hands with Relf and Tyler Russell, who eventually took over as Mississippi State's No. 1 QB. Running back Vick Ballard passed his rushing mark from last year, gaining 1,009 yards, but finished with eight touchdowns, which is 11 fewer than last year. Even with solid depth at wide receiver, Mississippi State's passing game averaged just 186.2 yards per game and the Bulldogs finished the season ranking sixth in the SEC in total offense, averaging 355.1 yards per game.

DEFENSE: B -

The Bulldogs entered the season with questions inside its front seven. Mississippi State had talent on the interior of the line with Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd, but had to replacing three starting linebackers. The Bulldogs were also replacing defensive coordinator Manny Diaz with Chris Wilson. No one was quite sure what the Bulldogs would do on defense, but the defensive backfield was stacked with talent. Cornerback Johnthan Banks highlighted the Bulldog's secondary, having a very solid year in Starkville. He defended 14 passes, intercepted five passes, had three sacks and totaled 64 tackles. There was a lot of bend in Mississippi State's defense, but the unit played better than most expected at times. Mississippi State gave up 355.9 yards per game, but only 19.9 points per contest. Mississippi State's pass defense ranked ninth in the league, but allowed just nine passing touchdowns.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

The Bulldogs didn't have much success at all returning kickoffs. Mississippi State was last in the SEC in kickoff returns, averaging only 17.7 yards per return. Mississippi State was the only team to average fewer than 20 yards on kick returns. Mississippi State did better on punt returns, getting a touchdown from both Banks and Chad Bumphis. Mississippi State connected on 11 of 18 field goals, but was sixth in punting, as punter Baker Swedenburg averaged 41.9 yards per punt and netted 38 yards per kick.

COACHING: C

Dan Mullen did a tremendous job in 2010, getting the Bulldogs to nine wins for the first time since 1999. This year, the Bulldogs took a step back, even with lofty expectations before the season. Mississippi State enters the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl against Wake Forest with a 6-6 record. Mullen continued his SEC West slide, yet again beating only Ole Miss from his side of the division. The offense failed to live up to its expectations, but the defense did perform better than expected for the most part. Despite some rough patches, Mullen kept his team competitive for the entire season, winning the games the Bulldogs were supposed to, and has Mississippi State in the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in more than a decade.

Edward Aschoff wonders where in the world is Mississippi State’s Chad Bumphis?

Here are the players of the week in the SEC:

SEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• TRENT RICHARDSON, RB (Alabama): Richardson rushed for a game-high 126 yards on 17 carries (7.4 avg) in Alabama’s 38-14 win against Arkansas. He also caught three passes for a game-high 85 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown. It was Richardson’s third straight 100-yard game and now ranks second in the SEC with an average of 110.3 rushing yards per game. He also finished with 235 all-purpose yards with the addition of a 24-yard kickoff return.

SEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• MELVIN INGRAM, DE (South Carolina): Ingram scored his third touchdown of the season, this time falling on a fumble in the end zone in the second quarter for the Gamecocks' first points in a 21-3 win over Vanderbilt. Ingram was also credited with four tackles on the night, including three tackles for loss that accounted for 24 yards, and a pair of sacks. He also broke up one pass.

SEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• BRAD WING, P (LSU): In his first game since the season-opener, Wing punted six times for a 48.7 average in LSU’s 47-21 win at West Virginia. All six of Wing’s punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. West Virginia’s started possessions at its own 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 11 yard line following Wing’s punts. None of Wing’s punts were returned. His long punt of 60 yards that went from LSU having the ball on its own 34 to pinning West Virginia inside its 5-yard line.

SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

• BARRETT JONES, OT (Alabama): Jones received the highest grade on the Alabama offensive line in the Crimson Tide’s 38-14 win against Arkansas. He started at left tackle in the game and also spent time later in the game at right tackle. He has started all four games at left tackle, but has also played center and guard this season. Jones helped lead a balanced Alabama attack that led to 197 rushing yards and 200 passing yards.

SEC DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

• JAYE HOWARD, DT (Florida): Howard recovered a fumble and returned it for Florida’s first defensive touchdown of the season in the Gators’ 48-10 win against Kentucky. He totaled three tackles and has a pass breakup against the Wildcats. Howard anchored a defensive front that limited Kentucky to 4-of-17 on third downs and 0-for-5 on fourth downs and forced the Wildcats into three 3-and-outs.

SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

• ISAIAH CROWELL, RB (Georgia): Crowell recorded a career-high 30 carries for a career-high 147 yards (4.9 average) to pace the Bulldogs during their 27-13 road win over Ole Miss. Crowell’s 30 carries were the most for a Georgia rusher since Knowshon Moreno had 33 in 2007.

OTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK 4

• CB DRE KIRKPATRICK (Alabama) -- Had six total tackles (all solos) with one for a loss (-3 yards) and three pass deflections against Arkansas.
• RB/RS DENNIS JOHNSON (Arkansas) -- Totaled 123 all-purpose rushing yards including 105 yards on five kickoff returns against Alabama.
• LB ALONZO HIGHSMITH (Arkansas) -- Had team-high eight total tackles with two for losses, including a sack against Alabama.
• DB JERMAINE WHITEHEAD (Auburn) -- Became first Tiger true freshman since 1996 to return an interception for a TD against Florida Atlantic.
• WR EMORY BLAKE (Auburn) -- Caught five passes for 78 yards including a touchdown against Florida Atlantic.
• RB JEFF DEMPS( Florida) -- Rushed for 157 yards on 10 carries and two TDs including 84-yard TD run against Kentucky.
• FS BACCARI RAMBO (Georgia) -- Had two interceptions and four total tackles (all solos) against Ole Miss.
• LB DANNY TREVATHAN (Kentucky) -- Tallied eight total tackles (4 solos) with 1.5 for losses, including sack, a forced and recovered fumble and a pass deflection against Florida.
• WR LA'ROD KING (Kentucky) -- Caught game-high five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown against Florida.
• DB TYRANN MATHIEU (LSU) -- Created two turnovers, had six total tackles and a pass deflection against West Virginia.
• CB/RS NICKOLAS BRASSELL (Ole Miss) -- Returned punt 81 yards for a touchdown, rushed for 14 yards on one carry, had two catches for 52 yards and a tackle on defense against Georgia.
• CB CHARLES SAWYER (Ole Miss) -- Posted season-high nine tackles (eight solos) and had an interception, two pass deflections and recovered onside kick against Georgia.
• LB BRANDON WILSON (Mississippi State) -- Had game-high 18 total tackles (five solos) against Louisiana Tech.
• RS/WRCHAD BUMPHIS (Mississippi State) -- Returned punt 82 yards for a touchdown, had 25 yards rushing on two carries and caught two passes for 17 yards against Louisiana Tech.
• RB MARCUS LATTIMORE (South Carolina) -- Rushed for 77 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown and also caught 3 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt.
• LB CHASE GARNHAM (Vanderbilt) -- Had game-high 10 total tackles (8 solos) with a half tackle for loss (-1 yard) against South Carolina.
• LB CHRIS MARVE (Vanderbilt) -- Had nine total tackles (six solos) and an interception against South Carolina.

Our Wednesday stroll around the league:

• Grand jury testimony begins in LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson's case.
• The "Hot Seat Bowl" label is a fact of life for Georgia's Mark Richt and Ole Miss' Houston Nutt.
• Mississippi State is looking for more production from its wide receivers.
• Alabama, with only four sacks in three games, will find out a lot about its pass rush this week against Arkansas.
• Kentucky gets back several of its offensive linemen on the practice field. The Wildcats have been plagued by injuries up front.
• First-year Vanderbilt coach James Franklin has coached in some tough venues, but nothing like what he'll encounter in the SEC, writes David Climer of The Tennessean.
• Auburn is still searching for an identity on offense.
• So far, Florida's passing game is running through running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps.
• Arkansas' players haven't forgotten the last few losses to Alabama.

AUBURN, Ala. -- The first quarter has barely started and we have 21 points on the board.

The Auburn Tigers first got on the board with a 35-yard touchdown run by Michael Dyer. He took the handoff, cut right and once he hit the sideline he was gone. Mississippi State had two defenders just eating his dust as he sprinted in.

Auburn scored again when Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf's pass intended for Chad Bumphis bounced off the helmet of an Auburn defender and into the hands of safety Demetruce McNeal, who took the ball 44 yards for the touchdown to make it 14-0 with 11:39 left in the first.

Less than a minute later, Mississippi State backup running back LaDarius Perkins broke off a 40-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7.

Looks like we might have a shootout brewing here in Auburn. The Bulldogs were really tight before that long run, so we'll see if they can loosen up now.