SEC: Chris Todd
Breaking down the Outback Bowl on Friday (ESPN, 11 a.m. ET) between Auburn (7-5) and Northwestern (8-4):
WHO TO WATCH: When senior quarterback Chris Todd had it going this season, Auburn was pretty tough to beat. For a lot of people, it was a surprise that he’s the one who emerged in August as the starter after missing all of spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Todd, who set an Auburn single-season record with 21 touchdown passes this year. He suffered through a forgettable junior season while trying to fight through an injured throwing shoulder that was never right. And then this season, he had the lull in consecutive losses to Arkansas, Kentucky and LSU where he was held under 140 yards passing in all three games to go along with no touchdowns and two interceptions. But the resilient Todd came back strong in his last four games with nine touchdown passes.
WHAT TO WATCH: Which version of the Auburn defense shows up for this game? Is it the one that looked fresh and aggressive in the 26-21 loss to Alabama in the final game of the regular season? Or is it the one that struggled to make it through 11 straight weeks without a bye and wound up finishing last in the SEC in scoring defense at 26.9 points per game? The long layoff should really benefit the Auburn defense. It’s not a deep unit, and several guys should be back closer to 100 percent now that they’ve had the extra time off. The Tigers would love to cap off the season with their most complete defensive performance yet. They’ll probably need it against Northwestern senior quarterback Mike Kafka, who throws it quickly, accurately and with a lot of confidence.
WHY TO WATCH: Gus Malzahn’s offenses are always a lot of fun to watch. And with this much time to prepare, you know he’ll have a full arsenal of reverses, throw-back passes and various other wrinkles ready for the Wildcats. This is also the healthiest the Tigers have been on offense in a long time, especially with freshman running back Onterio McCalebb back to full strength after being plagued by an ankle injury during the second half of the season. Freshman Philip Lutzenkirchen is worth keeping an eye on, too, as he steps into the H-back role.
PREDICTION: Northwestern ended the season by winning four of its last five games and five of its last seven. Auburn, on the other hand, lost five of its last six SEC games. But the difference in this contest will be Kafka, who’s shown this season that he can beat teams with his arm and his legs. Northwestern 27, Auburn 24.
WHO TO WATCH: When senior quarterback Chris Todd had it going this season, Auburn was pretty tough to beat. For a lot of people, it was a surprise that he’s the one who emerged in August as the starter after missing all of spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Todd, who set an Auburn single-season record with 21 touchdown passes this year. He suffered through a forgettable junior season while trying to fight through an injured throwing shoulder that was never right. And then this season, he had the lull in consecutive losses to Arkansas, Kentucky and LSU where he was held under 140 yards passing in all three games to go along with no touchdowns and two interceptions. But the resilient Todd came back strong in his last four games with nine touchdown passes.
WHAT TO WATCH: Which version of the Auburn defense shows up for this game? Is it the one that looked fresh and aggressive in the 26-21 loss to Alabama in the final game of the regular season? Or is it the one that struggled to make it through 11 straight weeks without a bye and wound up finishing last in the SEC in scoring defense at 26.9 points per game? The long layoff should really benefit the Auburn defense. It’s not a deep unit, and several guys should be back closer to 100 percent now that they’ve had the extra time off. The Tigers would love to cap off the season with their most complete defensive performance yet. They’ll probably need it against Northwestern senior quarterback Mike Kafka, who throws it quickly, accurately and with a lot of confidence.
WHY TO WATCH: Gus Malzahn’s offenses are always a lot of fun to watch. And with this much time to prepare, you know he’ll have a full arsenal of reverses, throw-back passes and various other wrinkles ready for the Wildcats. This is also the healthiest the Tigers have been on offense in a long time, especially with freshman running back Onterio McCalebb back to full strength after being plagued by an ankle injury during the second half of the season. Freshman Philip Lutzenkirchen is worth keeping an eye on, too, as he steps into the H-back role.
PREDICTION: Northwestern ended the season by winning four of its last five games and five of its last seven. Auburn, on the other hand, lost five of its last six SEC games. But the difference in this contest will be Kafka, who’s shown this season that he can beat teams with his arm and his legs. Northwestern 27, Auburn 24.
AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn quarterback Chris Todd tied the single-season school record in the first quarter with his 20th touchdown pass.
He joins Jason Campbell (2004) and Pat Sullivan (1971) as Auburn quarterbacks who've thrown 20 touchdown passes in a season.
He joins Jason Campbell (2004) and Pat Sullivan (1971) as Auburn quarterbacks who've thrown 20 touchdown passes in a season.
Who's the best quarterback in the SEC?
November, 25, 2009
11/25/09
6:40
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Who’s the best quarterback in the SEC?
There are all sorts of variables to consider when you set out to answer that question, but the best place to start is how a guy has fared against SEC competition.
That said, we've pulled out the numbers of the SEC starting quarterbacks in league games. Only the quarterbacks who started more than half the games are included, which eliminates Kentucky’s Mike Hartline.
Vanderbilt’s Larry Smith was injured in the fifth game, and Mackenzi Adams finished the season for the Commodores.
A few things of interest when you’re looking at these numbers:
So, who’s the best quarterback in the SEC? Make up your own mind, but here are the hard numbers (Quarterbacks are listed in order of passing yardage in SEC play):
There are all sorts of variables to consider when you set out to answer that question, but the best place to start is how a guy has fared against SEC competition.
That said, we've pulled out the numbers of the SEC starting quarterbacks in league games. Only the quarterbacks who started more than half the games are included, which eliminates Kentucky’s Mike Hartline.
Vanderbilt’s Larry Smith was injured in the fifth game, and Mackenzi Adams finished the season for the Commodores.
A few things of interest when you’re looking at these numbers:
- Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett, Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton, South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia and LSU’s Jordan Jefferson have all gone against both the Alabama and Florida defenses, the top two ranked defenses in the country.
- Florida’s Tim Tebow has eight rushing touchdowns to lead all quarterbacks and has also rushed for 532 yards in SEC games. That said, only Auburn’s Chris Todd (four), Mississippi State’s Tyson Lee (three) and Smith (two) have thrown fewer touchdowns this season in SEC games than Tebow’s seven.
- Georgia’s Joe Cox has thrown the most touchdowns (17), but he’s also thrown the second most interceptions (11). Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead has thrown the most interceptions (12).
- The best touchdown-to-interception ratios belong to Mallett, Alabama’s Greg McElroy and Crompton, in that order. Mallett has 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. McElroy has nine touchdowns and three interceptions, and Crompton has 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. All three players still have one more SEC game remaining this week.
- Mallett, who has 1,962 yards passing against SEC defenses, should surpass the 2,000-yard mark Saturday against LSU.
- Of the guys who’ve played at least seven games, Snead has the lowest completion percentage (51.5).
So, who’s the best quarterback in the SEC? Make up your own mind, but here are the hard numbers (Quarterbacks are listed in order of passing yardage in SEC play):
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
The SEC championship game is all set. Alabama and Florida will play for the title for the second year in a row on Dec. 5 in Atlanta.
All that remains is to see whether there will be more at stake than just the league title. At this point, it would be a pretty major upset if both teams weren’t unbeaten and playing for a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 10:
1. Alabama vs. Florida one more time: For the seventh time, Alabama and Florida will meet in the SEC championship game. The Gators have won four of the previous six affairs. It’s never too early for a quick preview, even if there’s still three weeks left in the regular season. Both teams have some holes offensively, and in particular, they’ve struggled in the red zone. Both teams have dominant defenses with difference-makers all over the field on that side of the ball. They both have dangerous return men and reliable kickers, although Florida is better in its coverage units and better across the board on special teams. Alabama looks to be the more physical team, but the great equalizer is the guy pulling the trigger at quarterback for Florida. He’s the reason the Gators beat the Crimson Tide last season in Atlanta. Tim Tebow made some pinpoint throws in the fourth quarter, especially on third down. And, remember, Percy Harvin had a bum ankle and didn’t play in that game. Let the hype begin. Dec. 5 can’t get here soon enough.
2. Gators get defensive: Lost in all the questions about Florida’s offense not being as explosive and all the hubbub over Brandon Spikes’ suspension and Urban Meyer being fined $30,000 for his public comments about the officials is the fact that the Gators are playing at a championship level defensively. Their 27-3 win over Vanderbilt marked the fifth time this season that they haven’t given up a touchdown in a game. Spikes watched the game from the sideline, but the Gators didn’t skip a beat. Ryan Stamper started at middle linebacker in Spikes’ place and came up with his second career interception to set up a touchdown. This is a defense that’s given up just six touchdowns all season and a team that has a much different identity than a year ago, more of a grind-it-out identity. Meyer knows that, and he’s going to play to his strength the rest of the way -- his defense.
3. Quarterbacks make a comeback: Take a quick gander around the league at some of the numbers the quarterbacks are generating. The feeling at the beginning of the season was that this league had never been more unsettled at the quarterback position outside of Tebow and Jevan Snead. But with three weeks left in the regular season, there’s a chance that five different quarterbacks may end up with at least 20 touchdown passes this season. Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton leads the way with 21. Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett has 18, and Georgia’s Joe Cox, Auburn’s Chris Todd and Ole Miss’ Snead each have 17. South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia has 13 and has an outside chance to get there with a strong finish in his last three games, which would include a bowl game. Did you notice who’s not among the leaders in touchdown passes? Tebow has just 11 touchdown passes. But with at least five games to play, he could also easily get to the 20-touchdown plateau. A year ago, only three quarterbacks in the league accomplished that feat -- Matthew Stafford, Snead and Tebow.
4. Mallett’s impact: Speaking of quality quarterback play, what about the impact Mallett has had at Arkansas? He’s really starting to blossom in Bobby Petrino’s system and has gone 121 pass attempts without an interception. The school record is 134 straight, which was set by Clint Stoerner during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Mallett was 23-of-27 against South Carolina, and it’s obvious his understanding of the offense right now is as good as it’s been all season. With Joe Adams back healthy and tight end D.J. Williams having his best game of the season, Mallett now has all of his weapons at his disposal, too. If he continues to progress at this rate, this offense is going to be the one nobody wants to face next season, not to mention an offense that may put up its biggest numbers this season in these last few games.
5. More officiating questions: Maybe it’s come to this. Every week, there’s going to be some controversy in the SEC about the officials. The latest involved LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson’s interception on the sideline -- or non-interception -- as was the ruling on the field in the 24-15 loss to Alabama and then upheld by the replay official. There was a mark left on the field (assuming that it was indeed the mark left by Peterson’s shoe) that certainly suggested that Peterson got a foot down before going out of bounds. He insisted afterward that he did. The replays also seemed to support him. But there has to be inconclusive video evidence, and the replay official in this case, Gerald Hodges, obviously didn’t feel like the video was convincing enough to overturn the call. Therefore, Alabama retained possession and moved into position for Leigh Tiffin’s clinching field goal. And we’re left to debate another disputed call. It’s become life as we know it in the SEC.
The SEC championship game is all set. Alabama and Florida will play for the title for the second year in a row on Dec. 5 in Atlanta.
All that remains is to see whether there will be more at stake than just the league title. At this point, it would be a pretty major upset if both teams weren’t unbeaten and playing for a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 10:
1. Alabama vs. Florida one more time: For the seventh time, Alabama and Florida will meet in the SEC championship game. The Gators have won four of the previous six affairs. It’s never too early for a quick preview, even if there’s still three weeks left in the regular season. Both teams have some holes offensively, and in particular, they’ve struggled in the red zone. Both teams have dominant defenses with difference-makers all over the field on that side of the ball. They both have dangerous return men and reliable kickers, although Florida is better in its coverage units and better across the board on special teams. Alabama looks to be the more physical team, but the great equalizer is the guy pulling the trigger at quarterback for Florida. He’s the reason the Gators beat the Crimson Tide last season in Atlanta. Tim Tebow made some pinpoint throws in the fourth quarter, especially on third down. And, remember, Percy Harvin had a bum ankle and didn’t play in that game. Let the hype begin. Dec. 5 can’t get here soon enough.
2. Gators get defensive: Lost in all the questions about Florida’s offense not being as explosive and all the hubbub over Brandon Spikes’ suspension and Urban Meyer being fined $30,000 for his public comments about the officials is the fact that the Gators are playing at a championship level defensively. Their 27-3 win over Vanderbilt marked the fifth time this season that they haven’t given up a touchdown in a game. Spikes watched the game from the sideline, but the Gators didn’t skip a beat. Ryan Stamper started at middle linebacker in Spikes’ place and came up with his second career interception to set up a touchdown. This is a defense that’s given up just six touchdowns all season and a team that has a much different identity than a year ago, more of a grind-it-out identity. Meyer knows that, and he’s going to play to his strength the rest of the way -- his defense.
3. Quarterbacks make a comeback: Take a quick gander around the league at some of the numbers the quarterbacks are generating. The feeling at the beginning of the season was that this league had never been more unsettled at the quarterback position outside of Tebow and Jevan Snead. But with three weeks left in the regular season, there’s a chance that five different quarterbacks may end up with at least 20 touchdown passes this season. Tennessee’s Jonathan Crompton leads the way with 21. Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett has 18, and Georgia’s Joe Cox, Auburn’s Chris Todd and Ole Miss’ Snead each have 17. South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia has 13 and has an outside chance to get there with a strong finish in his last three games, which would include a bowl game. Did you notice who’s not among the leaders in touchdown passes? Tebow has just 11 touchdown passes. But with at least five games to play, he could also easily get to the 20-touchdown plateau. A year ago, only three quarterbacks in the league accomplished that feat -- Matthew Stafford, Snead and Tebow.
4. Mallett’s impact: Speaking of quality quarterback play, what about the impact Mallett has had at Arkansas? He’s really starting to blossom in Bobby Petrino’s system and has gone 121 pass attempts without an interception. The school record is 134 straight, which was set by Clint Stoerner during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Mallett was 23-of-27 against South Carolina, and it’s obvious his understanding of the offense right now is as good as it’s been all season. With Joe Adams back healthy and tight end D.J. Williams having his best game of the season, Mallett now has all of his weapons at his disposal, too. If he continues to progress at this rate, this offense is going to be the one nobody wants to face next season, not to mention an offense that may put up its biggest numbers this season in these last few games.
5. More officiating questions: Maybe it’s come to this. Every week, there’s going to be some controversy in the SEC about the officials. The latest involved LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson’s interception on the sideline -- or non-interception -- as was the ruling on the field in the 24-15 loss to Alabama and then upheld by the replay official. There was a mark left on the field (assuming that it was indeed the mark left by Peterson’s shoe) that certainly suggested that Peterson got a foot down before going out of bounds. He insisted afterward that he did. The replays also seemed to support him. But there has to be inconclusive video evidence, and the replay official in this case, Gerald Hodges, obviously didn’t feel like the video was convincing enough to overturn the call. Therefore, Alabama retained possession and moved into position for Leigh Tiffin’s clinching field goal. And we’re left to debate another disputed call. It’s become life as we know it in the SEC.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
On a weekend where there were more mismatches than legitimate matchups in the SEC, we still saw some outstanding performances.
That said, let’s pass out a few helmet stickers for Week 10 in the SEC:
Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton: What a turnaround it’s been for Crompton during the second half of the season. The much maligned fifth-year senior passed for a career-high 331 yards and five touchdowns in the 56-28 win over Memphis. It’s the second time he’s thrown for five touchdowns in a game this season. He also did it in the opener against Western Kentucky and now has an SEC-high 21 touchdown passes on the season. Crompton has 18 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in the Vols’ five wins this season.
Alabama’s offensive line: The Crimson Tide lost a couple of All-Americans off last season’s offensive line, but they’ve been solid all season up front and took the game over Saturday in the second half of Alabama's 24-15 win over LSU. Alabama gained 121 of its 176 rushing yards after halftime, and left tackle James Carpenter released and took care of two men on Julio Jones’ 73-yard touchdown romp down the sideline on a wide receiver screen. These guys may not be mashing people like the Tide did a year ago, but they’re getting it done when it counts.
Ole Miss receiver Shay Hodge: With Dexter McCluster taking most of the night off, Hodge stepped front and center with a career-high 169 receiving yards on seven catches, including two touchdowns. His 65-yard touchdown catch from Jevan Snead capped the Rebels’ scoring in their 38-14 victory over Northern Arizona. It was Hodge’s second straight 100-yard receiving game.
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd: For the longest time, it looked like Todd wasn’t going to throw an incompletion in Auburn’s 63-31 rout of Furman. He completed his first 14 passes before throwing his first incompletion with just under three minutes to play in the first half. He finished 17-of-18, breaking Jason Campbell’s school record for completion percentage in a game (94.4 percent), and threw for 256 yards and four touchdowns before halftime. Todd’s 17 touchdown passes are tied for fourth on Auburn’s single-season list.
Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams: We’ve been waiting on this kind of performance from the Hogs’ ultra-talented tight end this season, and he delivered in a game that was crucial to Arkansas’ bowl hopes. Williams caught seven passes for a season-high 137 yards and hauled in a 69-yard catch right before half to set up a key field goal in the Hogs’ 33-16 win over South Carolina. Williams only had 16 catches on the season entering Saturday’s game. But when he’s getting the ball with a chance to run after the catch, he opens up a lot of things for everybody else around him.
On a weekend where there were more mismatches than legitimate matchups in the SEC, we still saw some outstanding performances.
That said, let’s pass out a few helmet stickers for Week 10 in the SEC:
Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton: What a turnaround it’s been for Crompton during the second half of the season. The much maligned fifth-year senior passed for a career-high 331 yards and five touchdowns in the 56-28 win over Memphis. It’s the second time he’s thrown for five touchdowns in a game this season. He also did it in the opener against Western Kentucky and now has an SEC-high 21 touchdown passes on the season. Crompton has 18 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in the Vols’ five wins this season.
Alabama’s offensive line: The Crimson Tide lost a couple of All-Americans off last season’s offensive line, but they’ve been solid all season up front and took the game over Saturday in the second half of Alabama's 24-15 win over LSU. Alabama gained 121 of its 176 rushing yards after halftime, and left tackle James Carpenter released and took care of two men on Julio Jones’ 73-yard touchdown romp down the sideline on a wide receiver screen. These guys may not be mashing people like the Tide did a year ago, but they’re getting it done when it counts.
Ole Miss receiver Shay Hodge: With Dexter McCluster taking most of the night off, Hodge stepped front and center with a career-high 169 receiving yards on seven catches, including two touchdowns. His 65-yard touchdown catch from Jevan Snead capped the Rebels’ scoring in their 38-14 victory over Northern Arizona. It was Hodge’s second straight 100-yard receiving game.
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd: For the longest time, it looked like Todd wasn’t going to throw an incompletion in Auburn’s 63-31 rout of Furman. He completed his first 14 passes before throwing his first incompletion with just under three minutes to play in the first half. He finished 17-of-18, breaking Jason Campbell’s school record for completion percentage in a game (94.4 percent), and threw for 256 yards and four touchdowns before halftime. Todd’s 17 touchdown passes are tied for fourth on Auburn’s single-season list.
Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams: We’ve been waiting on this kind of performance from the Hogs’ ultra-talented tight end this season, and he delivered in a game that was crucial to Arkansas’ bowl hopes. Williams caught seven passes for a season-high 137 yards and hauled in a 69-yard catch right before half to set up a key field goal in the Hogs’ 33-16 win over South Carolina. Williams only had 16 catches on the season entering Saturday’s game. But when he’s getting the ball with a chance to run after the catch, he opens up a lot of things for everybody else around him.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd needed a jolt of confidence. Auburn’s defense needed a jolt of confidence. The entire Auburn program needed a jolt of confidence.
The Tigers (6-3, 3-3) stopped the bleeding Saturday with a 33-20 victory over Ole Miss and snapped their three-game losing streak.
The win was not only big for the Tigers’ confidence, but it really helps their bowl chances. They should get their seventh win next week against Furman at home and then close the season against Georgia and Alabama.
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd needed a jolt of confidence. Auburn’s defense needed a jolt of confidence. The entire Auburn program needed a jolt of confidence.
The Tigers (6-3, 3-3) stopped the bleeding Saturday with a 33-20 victory over Ole Miss and snapped their three-game losing streak.
The win was not only big for the Tigers’ confidence, but it really helps their bowl chances. They should get their seventh win next week against Furman at home and then close the season against Georgia and Alabama.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
The quarterback play, period, in the SEC has been hard to figure this season.
Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead and Auburn’s Chris Todd have been two of the hardest quarterbacks to get a read on.
Snead was being mentioned in the Heisman Trophy race coming into the season, but got off to a slow start and really seemed to struggle with his confidence.
But in the past two games, Snead looked a lot closer to the player who finished last season with 16 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also got off to a good start Saturday against Auburn, but the bottom sort of fell out in the second quarter. He has to play with more consistency and more confidence if the Rebels are going to close this season with a flurry.
Todd, on the other hand, looked like he might be on the verge of losing his job based on the way he played the past couple of weeks. That’s after starting the season and with 12 touchdown passes and one interception in his first five games.
But Todd played much better in the first half against Ole Miss, and the Tigers took a 10-7 lead into halftime.
The quarterback play, period, in the SEC has been hard to figure this season.
Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead and Auburn’s Chris Todd have been two of the hardest quarterbacks to get a read on.
Snead was being mentioned in the Heisman Trophy race coming into the season, but got off to a slow start and really seemed to struggle with his confidence.
But in the past two games, Snead looked a lot closer to the player who finished last season with 16 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also got off to a good start Saturday against Auburn, but the bottom sort of fell out in the second quarter. He has to play with more consistency and more confidence if the Rebels are going to close this season with a flurry.
Todd, on the other hand, looked like he might be on the verge of losing his job based on the way he played the past couple of weeks. That’s after starting the season and with 12 touchdown passes and one interception in his first five games.
But Todd played much better in the first half against Ole Miss, and the Tigers took a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
In the spirit of Halloween, here’s a different kind of look at the SEC:
Haunted House: The official name is Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but it’s best known as the Swamp. There’s something inherently spooky about any swamp, and Florida’s Swamp is no different. Entire defenses have been known to disappear amid the sweltering heat and ear-splitting noise.
Cursed: The dreaded Chicken Curse has haunted South Carolina ever since the Gamecocks started playing football more than 100 years ago. Legend has it that they’ve been doomed to mediocrity. Only twice in school history have they ever won more than eight games. And in their best season, which saw them start out 9-0 and go to No. 2 in the polls in 1984, they somehow managed to lose to Navy.
Monster Mash: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is still picking out the cobwebs after being leveled in the pocket by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham on Sept. 26. The whole scene was scary. Tebow, who on the way down hit his head on the leg of one of his linemen, lay motionless on the turf for what seemed like an eternity before being helped up and taken to the hospital. He suffered a concussion, but came back and played two weeks later against LSU.
Boo (Boo): Alabama sophomore linebacker Dont’a Hightower, one of the most versatile defenders on the Crimson Tide’s team, suffered a season-ending knee injury against Arkansas on Sept. 26. He tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his left knee and underwent reconstructive surgery. He hopes to be back in full by the start of preseason practice next August.
Night of the living dead: Ole Miss is getting good at this second life stuff. The Rebels won their last six games a year ago and look like they might be finding a second life again this season after a disappointing start. They’ve won their last two games in impressive fashion and will try to make it three in a row this weekend at Auburn.
Scary Movie: If you’re looking for one of those slasher movies that makes you sick, Tennessee would probably “volunteer” the last four seconds of its Alabama game. The Vols were on the cusp of pulling off the upset of the season, but Alabama’s Terrence Cody had other plans when he bulled his way through and blocked Daniel Lincoln’s 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired to preserve the Crimson Tide’s 12-10 victory.
Jack-o-lantern: Auburn quarterback Chris Todd could use a light going off in his head, and for that matter, so could the entire Auburn offense after a brutal last three weeks. The Tigers started the season as one of the most balanced offenses in the league. They’ve looked like one of the worst during their three-game losing streak.
Nightmare on Broad Street: It’s been a nightmarish season and a half for Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, who’s really feeling the heat. The Bulldogs have given up 37 or more points in eight of their last 16 games. They desperately need a good defensive performance Saturday against Florida.
Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls: Among those SEC players you wouldn’t want on your bad side and certainly wouldn’t want to meet up with in a dark alley include Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, Mississippi State defensive end Pernell McPhee, Arkansas defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard, Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba and Kentucky linebacker Micah Johnson.
Favorite costumes: Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain/Darth Vader; Florida quarterback Tim Tebow/Superman (way too easy); LSU running back Trindon Holliday/Speedy Gonzalez; South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier/Happy Gilmore and Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin/Eddie Haskell.
In the spirit of Halloween, here’s a different kind of look at the SEC:
 | |
| Doug Benc/Getty Images | |
| Beware The Swamp, which has been a house of horrors for opposing teams lately. |
Cursed: The dreaded Chicken Curse has haunted South Carolina ever since the Gamecocks started playing football more than 100 years ago. Legend has it that they’ve been doomed to mediocrity. Only twice in school history have they ever won more than eight games. And in their best season, which saw them start out 9-0 and go to No. 2 in the polls in 1984, they somehow managed to lose to Navy.
Monster Mash: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is still picking out the cobwebs after being leveled in the pocket by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham on Sept. 26. The whole scene was scary. Tebow, who on the way down hit his head on the leg of one of his linemen, lay motionless on the turf for what seemed like an eternity before being helped up and taken to the hospital. He suffered a concussion, but came back and played two weeks later against LSU.
Boo (Boo): Alabama sophomore linebacker Dont’a Hightower, one of the most versatile defenders on the Crimson Tide’s team, suffered a season-ending knee injury against Arkansas on Sept. 26. He tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his left knee and underwent reconstructive surgery. He hopes to be back in full by the start of preseason practice next August.
Night of the living dead: Ole Miss is getting good at this second life stuff. The Rebels won their last six games a year ago and look like they might be finding a second life again this season after a disappointing start. They’ve won their last two games in impressive fashion and will try to make it three in a row this weekend at Auburn.
Scary Movie: If you’re looking for one of those slasher movies that makes you sick, Tennessee would probably “volunteer” the last four seconds of its Alabama game. The Vols were on the cusp of pulling off the upset of the season, but Alabama’s Terrence Cody had other plans when he bulled his way through and blocked Daniel Lincoln’s 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired to preserve the Crimson Tide’s 12-10 victory.
Jack-o-lantern: Auburn quarterback Chris Todd could use a light going off in his head, and for that matter, so could the entire Auburn offense after a brutal last three weeks. The Tigers started the season as one of the most balanced offenses in the league. They’ve looked like one of the worst during their three-game losing streak.
Nightmare on Broad Street: It’s been a nightmarish season and a half for Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, who’s really feeling the heat. The Bulldogs have given up 37 or more points in eight of their last 16 games. They desperately need a good defensive performance Saturday against Florida.
Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls: Among those SEC players you wouldn’t want on your bad side and certainly wouldn’t want to meet up with in a dark alley include Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, Mississippi State defensive end Pernell McPhee, Arkansas defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard, Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba and Kentucky linebacker Micah Johnson.
Favorite costumes: Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain/Darth Vader; Florida quarterback Tim Tebow/Superman (way too easy); LSU running back Trindon Holliday/Speedy Gonzalez; South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier/Happy Gilmore and Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin/Eddie Haskell.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
Making the rounds in the SEC:
Making the rounds in the SEC:
- Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger probes deeper into the dynamics of being a replay official and how the process works.
- Travis Haney of The Charleston Post and Courier takes a closer look at South Carolina freshman sensation Alshon Jeffery and his winding road to Columbia.
- Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus, has a new knee and a new fire, writes Gentry Estes of The Mobile Press-Register.
- The intensity hasn't waned any in the Florida-Georgia rivalry, writes David Jones of Florida Today.
- Despite almost a decade of success for Mark Richt at Georgia, some of the Bulldogs' fans are seeing red.
- LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson returns to practice after missing the first part of the week with an illness.
- With Chris Todd struggling, his backup, Neil Caudle, isn't clamoring to take over the starting quarterback duties at Auburn.
- Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean takes a look at five plays that have defined Vanderbilt's season to this point.
- Tennessee is having to shuffle and move guys around at linebacker to deal with the injuries.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
One of the Big Two is off this week in the SEC. Alabama has a bye.
But Florida faces a key showdown with archrival Georgia. South Carolina and Tennessee square off in a game that could have bowl implications, and Ole Miss is looking to get on the kind of roll it did last season about this time.
Here’s a look at what to watch in the SEC in Week 9:
1. Halloween tricks: What trick might we see in Jacksonville this Saturday other than gridlock traffic on the way to the game? Two years ago, it was Georgia’s sideline emptying and the players dancing in the Gators’ end zone following the Bulldogs’ first touchdown. Georgia was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but went on to win for only the second time in 10 years against Florida. It goes without saying that Urban Meyer wasn’t amused. In fact, he was livid and exacted a little payback last year when he called a pair of timeouts in the final seconds of Florida’s 49-10 blowout victory just to rub it in. The wand is in Georgia’s hand this year. Of course, the real trick may be simply winning the game. The Gators have won 17 in a row, are huge favorites, and the Bulldogs have lost 16 of the last 19 games in the series.
2. Halloween treats: Any time you get a receiver like Georgia’s A.J. Green and a cornerback like Florida’s Joe Haden on the same field, it’s a treat. Green leads the SEC in receiving with 41 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. He’ll go up and get the football no matter where it’s thrown and is just as accomplished at running by someone as he is making a move and running around someone. Haden has been the Gators’ best defensive player this season. Teams don’t like throwing to his side. But sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins on the other side is just about as good. Haden’s fast, physical and athletic enough to play man coverage against anybody, including Green. Let’s hope they’re matched up often Saturday in Jacksonville, because they’re two of the best in the college game.
3. Tebow through the air: Tim Tebow’s passing numbers are pretty pedestrian. OK, they’re bordering on anemic. He’s ninth in the league with an average of 165.6 passing yards per game and has thrown just eight touchdowns. In fact, he’s thrown as many touchdowns to the other team in his last three games (two) as he has for his own team. Maybe this is the game where Tebow and the Gators’ passing game gets well. They’re ranked 80th nationally in passing offense. Georgia is ranked 90th nationally in passing defense. Tebow has still been plenty effective running the ball. But he knows as well as anyone that the Gators have to be more effective throwing the ball down the field if they want to win another championship.
4. Show Dogs: Georgia’s much more talented than it’s played this season on both sides of the ball. If ever there was a time to put it all together, it’s this Saturday in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs have had an extra week to prepare for this game and should be as healthy as they’ve been all season. They’re also due to play a complete football game. That starts up front on offense and defense. The Bulldogs haven’t been as consistent on the offensive line as anybody would have thought, and on defense, this has to be a game where Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins and Kade Weston play like the best tackle rotation in the SEC and consistently push Tebow out of the pocket. He’s been sacked nine times in his last two games.
5. Mallett’s accuracy: Ryan Mallett has been the best pure passer in the league this season, and as crazy as it sounds, he could make a case for first-team All-SEC honors at quarterback with a strong close to the season. He’s passed for 1,900 yards and 15 touchdowns, while throwing just three interceptions. But to take that next step, he has to be more consistent, which means he has to be more accurate. Eastern Michigan should make for some good target practice, and look for Mallett to try and spread the ball around to his receivers. The Hogs need to find a way to get junior tight end D.J. Williams more involved this second half of the season. He instantly helps a quarterback’s accuracy and his productivity. There’s definitely another level for Mallett, and we’ll see if he can get there this season.
6. Rebels’ ‘D’ digging in: There was a time this season when the Rebels looked like they might be in the middle of Pacific Ocean without a life preserver. Fortunately for them, they had their defense to cling on to. The Rebels are tied for ninth nationally in scoring defense and have allowed just eight touchdowns in seven games. They’ve given up more than 17 points only once all season, and that was to Alabama in a 22-3 loss. They face an Auburn offense on Saturday that is coming off its worst stretch of the season. The Tigers were held to a season-low 193 yards of total offense last week in a 31-10 loss to LSU. If the Rebels’ defense continues to get the kind of help it got from its offense the last two weeks, Tyrone Nix’s guys should really turn up the heat during the stretch drive.
7. Kiffin vs. Spurrier: Lane Kiffin has said lots of nice things about Steve Spurrier this week. Spurrier has said very little about Kiffin. They might be separated by 30 years, but they’re very much alike in that they both have a fondness for wearing visors and will say exactly what’s on their mind … even if it gets them reprimanded and even if it makes them an enemy in opposing SEC camps. They traded a few barbs back in the offseason, and then Spurrier confronted Kiffin in front of several media members at the SEC spring meetings. Spurrier is still looking for his first SEC championship at South Carolina after winning six at Florida. Kiffin is looking for his second SEC win at Tennessee after playing Alabama to the wire last week and clobbering Georgia three weeks ago. In no way does the Head Ball Coach want to lose to the Kid, and the Kid in the worst way would love to take down the Head Ball Coach.
8. Rapping with Lane: Kiffin was already pretty popular with the high school generation based on the way the Vols’ recruiting is going. They were fifth in ESPN.com’s latest ranking of the 2010 class. But wait until the recruits get a load of Lil Wayne’s newest song. The popular rapper mentions Kiffin in his song “Banned From TV” and raps, “Smoke weed, talk [expletive] like Coach Kiffin.” Needless to say, Kiffin is eating it up and joked with reporters that the Vols were getting a little “street cred.” They began practice Wednesday with the song blaring, but there is no truth to the rumor that Lil Wayne will replace the sounds of the Pride of the Southland Band when the Vols run through the “T” on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. Now, if only that rumor about black jerseys would go away.
9. McPhee a must-see: When you started listing the most dominant defensive linemen in the league back in August, Pernell McPhee wasn’t at the head of the list. After coming over from junior college, he’d made a few waves during spring practice, but hadn’t done it on an SEC stage. Well, he’s now done it on an SEC stage -- for eight weeks to be exact -- and is one of the up-and-coming stars in this league at defensive end. He’s a wrecking machine whether he’s rushing the passer or playing the run and never takes a play off. He’s second among SEC defensive ends with 7.5 tackles for loss and is only going to get better as he becomes more fundamentally sound. The matchup with Kentucky’s offensive line should be a good one. The Wildcats have given up only seven sacks all season, which is the second fewest in the league behind Georgia’s seven.
10. Todd’s final chance? It’s not a coincidence that Chris Todd’s three worst games of the season have all resulted in Auburn losses. He hasn’t thrown for more than 133 yards in any of his last three games, and Auburn heads into Saturday’s home contest with Ole Miss riding a three-game losing streak. This may be Todd’s final chance to hold onto his starting spot. There was a lot of chatter earlier this week that the Tigers might go with junior Neil Caudle after Todd completed just eight passes for 47 yards and an interception in the 31-10 loss to LSU. Auburn coach Gene Chizik, though, said Todd still gives the Tigers the best chance to win despite his recent struggles. That vote of confidence will only go so far. Todd has to find a way to regain the form that saw him throw 12 touchdown passes and only one interception in his first five games.
One of the Big Two is off this week in the SEC. Alabama has a bye.
But Florida faces a key showdown with archrival Georgia. South Carolina and Tennessee square off in a game that could have bowl implications, and Ole Miss is looking to get on the kind of roll it did last season about this time.
Here’s a look at what to watch in the SEC in Week 9:
1. Halloween tricks: What trick might we see in Jacksonville this Saturday other than gridlock traffic on the way to the game? Two years ago, it was Georgia’s sideline emptying and the players dancing in the Gators’ end zone following the Bulldogs’ first touchdown. Georgia was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but went on to win for only the second time in 10 years against Florida. It goes without saying that Urban Meyer wasn’t amused. In fact, he was livid and exacted a little payback last year when he called a pair of timeouts in the final seconds of Florida’s 49-10 blowout victory just to rub it in. The wand is in Georgia’s hand this year. Of course, the real trick may be simply winning the game. The Gators have won 17 in a row, are huge favorites, and the Bulldogs have lost 16 of the last 19 games in the series.
2. Halloween treats: Any time you get a receiver like Georgia’s A.J. Green and a cornerback like Florida’s Joe Haden on the same field, it’s a treat. Green leads the SEC in receiving with 41 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. He’ll go up and get the football no matter where it’s thrown and is just as accomplished at running by someone as he is making a move and running around someone. Haden has been the Gators’ best defensive player this season. Teams don’t like throwing to his side. But sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins on the other side is just about as good. Haden’s fast, physical and athletic enough to play man coverage against anybody, including Green. Let’s hope they’re matched up often Saturday in Jacksonville, because they’re two of the best in the college game.
3. Tebow through the air: Tim Tebow’s passing numbers are pretty pedestrian. OK, they’re bordering on anemic. He’s ninth in the league with an average of 165.6 passing yards per game and has thrown just eight touchdowns. In fact, he’s thrown as many touchdowns to the other team in his last three games (two) as he has for his own team. Maybe this is the game where Tebow and the Gators’ passing game gets well. They’re ranked 80th nationally in passing offense. Georgia is ranked 90th nationally in passing defense. Tebow has still been plenty effective running the ball. But he knows as well as anyone that the Gators have to be more effective throwing the ball down the field if they want to win another championship.
4. Show Dogs: Georgia’s much more talented than it’s played this season on both sides of the ball. If ever there was a time to put it all together, it’s this Saturday in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs have had an extra week to prepare for this game and should be as healthy as they’ve been all season. They’re also due to play a complete football game. That starts up front on offense and defense. The Bulldogs haven’t been as consistent on the offensive line as anybody would have thought, and on defense, this has to be a game where Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins and Kade Weston play like the best tackle rotation in the SEC and consistently push Tebow out of the pocket. He’s been sacked nine times in his last two games.
5. Mallett’s accuracy: Ryan Mallett has been the best pure passer in the league this season, and as crazy as it sounds, he could make a case for first-team All-SEC honors at quarterback with a strong close to the season. He’s passed for 1,900 yards and 15 touchdowns, while throwing just three interceptions. But to take that next step, he has to be more consistent, which means he has to be more accurate. Eastern Michigan should make for some good target practice, and look for Mallett to try and spread the ball around to his receivers. The Hogs need to find a way to get junior tight end D.J. Williams more involved this second half of the season. He instantly helps a quarterback’s accuracy and his productivity. There’s definitely another level for Mallett, and we’ll see if he can get there this season.
6. Rebels’ ‘D’ digging in: There was a time this season when the Rebels looked like they might be in the middle of Pacific Ocean without a life preserver. Fortunately for them, they had their defense to cling on to. The Rebels are tied for ninth nationally in scoring defense and have allowed just eight touchdowns in seven games. They’ve given up more than 17 points only once all season, and that was to Alabama in a 22-3 loss. They face an Auburn offense on Saturday that is coming off its worst stretch of the season. The Tigers were held to a season-low 193 yards of total offense last week in a 31-10 loss to LSU. If the Rebels’ defense continues to get the kind of help it got from its offense the last two weeks, Tyrone Nix’s guys should really turn up the heat during the stretch drive.
7. Kiffin vs. Spurrier: Lane Kiffin has said lots of nice things about Steve Spurrier this week. Spurrier has said very little about Kiffin. They might be separated by 30 years, but they’re very much alike in that they both have a fondness for wearing visors and will say exactly what’s on their mind … even if it gets them reprimanded and even if it makes them an enemy in opposing SEC camps. They traded a few barbs back in the offseason, and then Spurrier confronted Kiffin in front of several media members at the SEC spring meetings. Spurrier is still looking for his first SEC championship at South Carolina after winning six at Florida. Kiffin is looking for his second SEC win at Tennessee after playing Alabama to the wire last week and clobbering Georgia three weeks ago. In no way does the Head Ball Coach want to lose to the Kid, and the Kid in the worst way would love to take down the Head Ball Coach.
8. Rapping with Lane: Kiffin was already pretty popular with the high school generation based on the way the Vols’ recruiting is going. They were fifth in ESPN.com’s latest ranking of the 2010 class. But wait until the recruits get a load of Lil Wayne’s newest song. The popular rapper mentions Kiffin in his song “Banned From TV” and raps, “Smoke weed, talk [expletive] like Coach Kiffin.” Needless to say, Kiffin is eating it up and joked with reporters that the Vols were getting a little “street cred.” They began practice Wednesday with the song blaring, but there is no truth to the rumor that Lil Wayne will replace the sounds of the Pride of the Southland Band when the Vols run through the “T” on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. Now, if only that rumor about black jerseys would go away.
9. McPhee a must-see: When you started listing the most dominant defensive linemen in the league back in August, Pernell McPhee wasn’t at the head of the list. After coming over from junior college, he’d made a few waves during spring practice, but hadn’t done it on an SEC stage. Well, he’s now done it on an SEC stage -- for eight weeks to be exact -- and is one of the up-and-coming stars in this league at defensive end. He’s a wrecking machine whether he’s rushing the passer or playing the run and never takes a play off. He’s second among SEC defensive ends with 7.5 tackles for loss and is only going to get better as he becomes more fundamentally sound. The matchup with Kentucky’s offensive line should be a good one. The Wildcats have given up only seven sacks all season, which is the second fewest in the league behind Georgia’s seven.
10. Todd’s final chance? It’s not a coincidence that Chris Todd’s three worst games of the season have all resulted in Auburn losses. He hasn’t thrown for more than 133 yards in any of his last three games, and Auburn heads into Saturday’s home contest with Ole Miss riding a three-game losing streak. This may be Todd’s final chance to hold onto his starting spot. There was a lot of chatter earlier this week that the Tigers might go with junior Neil Caudle after Todd completed just eight passes for 47 yards and an interception in the 31-10 loss to LSU. Auburn coach Gene Chizik, though, said Todd still gives the Tigers the best chance to win despite his recent struggles. That vote of confidence will only go so far. Todd has to find a way to regain the form that saw him throw 12 touchdown passes and only one interception in his first five games.
Chizik says Todd tough enough to fight through
October, 27, 2009
10/27/09
4:12
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
Auburn would appear to be a fragile football team at this point.
The last thing the Tigers need on top of a three-game losing streak is a quarterback controversy, and Auburn coach Gene Chizik is doing his best to make sure that doesn’t happen heading into Saturday's home date with Ole Miss.
He reiterated again Tuesday that senior Chris Todd was his quarterback and said it was unfair to pin all of the Tigers’ offensive struggles the last three weeks on Todd.
“Yeah, he’s the quarterback, but when it’s third-and-7 and he’s got five guys in his lap, that’s not (on) Chris Todd,” Chizik said.
After starting out the season on fire, Todd has hit the wall in his last three games. He was held to 47 yards passing last week in the 31-10 loss to Auburn and 80 yards the week before in the 21-14 loss to Kentucky.
Todd has thrown two interceptions and no touchdown passes in his last three outings and has been sacked seven times, including four times last week against LSU.
In other words, it’s been one of the toughest stretches of Todd’s career, and in some respects, tougher than what he endured a year ago.
Chizik said Todd has what it takes to fight his way out of this slump.
“I think you have to be tough to be a quarterback anywhere," Chizik said. “So many people want to pin all the great stuff on the quarterback and all the bad stuff on the quarterback. That’s human nature.
“This league magnifies that."
Auburn would appear to be a fragile football team at this point.
The last thing the Tigers need on top of a three-game losing streak is a quarterback controversy, and Auburn coach Gene Chizik is doing his best to make sure that doesn’t happen heading into Saturday's home date with Ole Miss.
He reiterated again Tuesday that senior Chris Todd was his quarterback and said it was unfair to pin all of the Tigers’ offensive struggles the last three weeks on Todd.
“Yeah, he’s the quarterback, but when it’s third-and-7 and he’s got five guys in his lap, that’s not (on) Chris Todd,” Chizik said.
After starting out the season on fire, Todd has hit the wall in his last three games. He was held to 47 yards passing last week in the 31-10 loss to Auburn and 80 yards the week before in the 21-14 loss to Kentucky.
Todd has thrown two interceptions and no touchdown passes in his last three outings and has been sacked seven times, including four times last week against LSU.
In other words, it’s been one of the toughest stretches of Todd’s career, and in some respects, tougher than what he endured a year ago.
Chizik said Todd has what it takes to fight his way out of this slump.
“I think you have to be tough to be a quarterback anywhere," Chizik said. “So many people want to pin all the great stuff on the quarterback and all the bad stuff on the quarterback. That’s human nature.
“This league magnifies that."
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
It’s time to delve into who’s hot and who’s not in the SEC:
En Fuego
Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin: The SEC is full of great defenses, but is there one playing any better than the Vols right now? They haven’t given up a touchdown for eight quarters, and you just knew that Kiffin was going to have something in store for Alabama with an extra week to prepare. He was a step ahead of the Crimson Tide’s offensive staff the entire game. Kiffin remains a legend in NFL circles, and yes, there were some questions about how he would adapt to coaching college kids and coaching in the college game. I guess it’s safe to say we have our answer to those questions now.
Hot
Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody: He was already the Big Man on Campus at Alabama. He may end up being the Big Man on Campus who saved Alabama’s season with his two blocked field goals against Tennessee.
Not
Florida’s passing game: The Gators rank a robust 80th nationally in passing offense this week, which is one spot behind Ohio University and three spots behind South Florida. Florida can’t throw it down the field at all right now, which better improve if the Gators want to win a second straight national title.
Hot
Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman: He might be the best player nobody’s heard about around the country, and he’s making a serious bid for Freshman of the Year honors in the SEC. Norman rolled up 186 all-purpose yards in the 14-10 loss to South Carolina and scored the Commodores’ only touchdown on a 99-yard kickoff return.
Not
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd: After watching him play so well the first month of the season, it’s hard to believe that Todd has fallen this far this fast. He finished with 47 passing yards and an interception in the 31-10 loss to Auburn and is in danger of losing his job if he doesn’t regain his form.
Hot
Ole Miss running back/receiver Dexter McCluster: He made a reappearance in the Ole Miss offense with 260 all-purpose yards in the 30-17 win over Arkansas and became the first Rebels' player in the modern era to go over 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
Not
Florida linebacker Dustin Doe: He’s lucky his showboating (or whatever you want to call it) didn’t cost him in the game. Even though the call wasn’t overturned, replays appeared to show that the ball was clearly loose before he crossed the goal line on his interception return against Mississippi State. Here’s a novel idea: Score the touchdown, make sure you’re in the end zone, hand the ball to the official and celebrate with your teammates.
Hot
Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas: Coming off a painful injury to his ribs that forced him to miss the South Carolina game, Arenas was everywhere against Tennessee. He finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and spearheaded Alabama's defensive effort.
Not
Lane Kiffin’s SEC record: The first-year Tennessee coach has the Vols playing hard and playing for 60 minutes. This is a program that looks to be on its way back. Now, if only Kiffin can stay out of the SEC’s doghouse. In a little less than a year, he has twice as many SEC reprimands as he does SEC wins.
Ice, Ice Baby
SEC’s reputation: The last thing the SEC wanted or needed was a weekend where there was more controversy with the officiating. And wouldn’t you know it? The two main issues involved the Alabama and Florida games. Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen were both reprimanded by the league for comments they made about the officiating. It’s the kind of thing that only fosters the perception out there that the SEC is somehow brokering to have Alabama and Florida both stay unbeaten so the SEC Championship Game will be a bigger deal. It’s like SEC commissioner Mike Slive has a magic button he pushes if Alabama or Florida needs a call. It’s silly to even be taking about it, but it’s out there everywhere, especially after this latest round of reprimands. But it’s just as silly to think that it’s all just going to go away unless the SEC puts some real teeth in its punishment for coaches who take on the officiating publicly. Of course, it would also be nice if the officials would start getting it right in the first place.
It’s time to delve into who’s hot and who’s not in the SEC:
En Fuego
Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin: The SEC is full of great defenses, but is there one playing any better than the Vols right now? They haven’t given up a touchdown for eight quarters, and you just knew that Kiffin was going to have something in store for Alabama with an extra week to prepare. He was a step ahead of the Crimson Tide’s offensive staff the entire game. Kiffin remains a legend in NFL circles, and yes, there were some questions about how he would adapt to coaching college kids and coaching in the college game. I guess it’s safe to say we have our answer to those questions now.
Hot
Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody: He was already the Big Man on Campus at Alabama. He may end up being the Big Man on Campus who saved Alabama’s season with his two blocked field goals against Tennessee.
Not
Florida’s passing game: The Gators rank a robust 80th nationally in passing offense this week, which is one spot behind Ohio University and three spots behind South Florida. Florida can’t throw it down the field at all right now, which better improve if the Gators want to win a second straight national title.
Hot
Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman: He might be the best player nobody’s heard about around the country, and he’s making a serious bid for Freshman of the Year honors in the SEC. Norman rolled up 186 all-purpose yards in the 14-10 loss to South Carolina and scored the Commodores’ only touchdown on a 99-yard kickoff return.
Not
Auburn quarterback Chris Todd: After watching him play so well the first month of the season, it’s hard to believe that Todd has fallen this far this fast. He finished with 47 passing yards and an interception in the 31-10 loss to Auburn and is in danger of losing his job if he doesn’t regain his form.
Hot
Ole Miss running back/receiver Dexter McCluster: He made a reappearance in the Ole Miss offense with 260 all-purpose yards in the 30-17 win over Arkansas and became the first Rebels' player in the modern era to go over 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
Not
Florida linebacker Dustin Doe: He’s lucky his showboating (or whatever you want to call it) didn’t cost him in the game. Even though the call wasn’t overturned, replays appeared to show that the ball was clearly loose before he crossed the goal line on his interception return against Mississippi State. Here’s a novel idea: Score the touchdown, make sure you’re in the end zone, hand the ball to the official and celebrate with your teammates.
Hot
Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas: Coming off a painful injury to his ribs that forced him to miss the South Carolina game, Arenas was everywhere against Tennessee. He finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and spearheaded Alabama's defensive effort.
Not
Lane Kiffin’s SEC record: The first-year Tennessee coach has the Vols playing hard and playing for 60 minutes. This is a program that looks to be on its way back. Now, if only Kiffin can stay out of the SEC’s doghouse. In a little less than a year, he has twice as many SEC reprimands as he does SEC wins.
Ice, Ice Baby
SEC’s reputation: The last thing the SEC wanted or needed was a weekend where there was more controversy with the officiating. And wouldn’t you know it? The two main issues involved the Alabama and Florida games. Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen were both reprimanded by the league for comments they made about the officiating. It’s the kind of thing that only fosters the perception out there that the SEC is somehow brokering to have Alabama and Florida both stay unbeaten so the SEC Championship Game will be a bigger deal. It’s like SEC commissioner Mike Slive has a magic button he pushes if Alabama or Florida needs a call. It’s silly to even be taking about it, but it’s out there everywhere, especially after this latest round of reprimands. But it’s just as silly to think that it’s all just going to go away unless the SEC puts some real teeth in its punishment for coaches who take on the officiating publicly. Of course, it would also be nice if the officials would start getting it right in the first place.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
Kicking off the week with some links around the SEC:
Kicking off the week with some links around the SEC:
- Steve Hummer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an excellent take-out feature on Georgia receiver A.J. Green, who's been sensational this season.
- Despite being No. 1 in the BCS standings, Florida's Urban Meyer knows there will be skeptics this week.
- Lane Kiffin's bold talk reminds some of a younger Steve Spurrier, writes Joe Person of The State newspaper.
- With middle linebacker Micah Johnson the latest one hurting, Kentucky is really banged up heading into Saturday's Mississippi State game.
- LSU freshman Russell Shepard finally shows his stuff under the lights, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana Newspapers.
- Alabama embraces its bye week, writes Gentry Estes of The Mobile Press-Register.
- Auburn coach Gene Chizik says he's not bailing on starting quarterback Chris Todd, who's struggled the last few weeks.
- Alex Abrams of The Morning News wonders where Arkansas goes from here after the Hogs' most deflating loss of the season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
Alabama and Florida are both still unbeaten as we head to November. But are they genuinely the two best teams in the country?
Neither team made a very convincing argument Saturday. Survival was the name of the game.
Will simply surviving be good enough the rest of the way? Stay tuned.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 8:
1. Tebow is human: First of all, Tim Tebow is the epitome of a man. Anybody who’s watched him play football knows that. But for him not to man up and face the media Saturday after throwing not one, but two pick six’s in Florida’s 29-19 win over Mississippi State makes you wonder if the pressure is starting to get to Tebow. Florida coach Urban Meyer admitted afterward that a lot of people, including him, were pressing. Well, Tebow made a couple of awful decisions in that game, the kind that would have beaten the Gators had they been playing a more talented team or a team capable of moving the ball and scoring points. Keep in mind that Florida’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown. Only Tebow did, two to be exact. For a team ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings and riding a 17-game winning streak, the Gators looked and sounded pretty frustrated late Saturday night. But, then, some of the issues they’re having right now offensively will do that to you. Just ask Tebow … when you get a chance.
2. Leaning on the ‘D’: The burden is getting heavier every week for the Alabama defense. And the more Alabama struggles in the passing game, the heavier it’s going to get. If the Crimson Tide are indeed going to win a championship -- an SEC championship or a national championship -- it’s pretty obvious that the defense is going to have to do all the heavy lifting. In a lot of ways, it’s reminiscent of the 1992 season when Alabama went unbeaten and won it all with one of the strongest defenses in school history. Is this defense as good as that one? It looks like we might find out. This much we know: The Crimson Tide managed to win against Tennessee on Saturday despite not scoring a touchdown and did so with noseguard Terrence Cody blocking two field goals in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Greg McElroy was ineffective throwing the ball for the third straight game, finishing with just 120 passing yards, and Alabama doesn’t have a lot of margin for error playing this way. The Crimson Tide are going to have to be special on defense to keep it going. So far, they have been. The bye couldn’t come at a better time with LSU coming to town on Nov. 7.
3. Auburn is teetering: The Tigers’ bubble hasn’t just burst. It’s completely evaporated. After starting the season 5-0, they’ve now lost three in a row after dropping a 31-10 decision to LSU on Saturday, and if you look at their remaining SEC schedule, it’s difficult to see them winning another game in the conference. They’ve got Ole Miss at home next week, travel to Georgia on Nov. 14 and then end the season at home against Alabama on Nov. 27. It’s a little bit of everything right now for Gene Chizik, too. Quarterback Chris Todd all of a sudden looks like he did last year before he had shoulder surgery, and the defense has been spotty all season. That’s not a good combination. If Gus Malzahn and the Auburn offense, which looked like one of the most balanced units in the country during its five-game winning streak, can’t get back to scoring points and moving the ball, then it’s really going to get ugly on the Plains the rest of the way.
4. Kiffin still learning: His Tennessee team is playing its guts out, and the Vols have really responded to his style of coaching. But Lane Kiffin has now twice made questionable decisions at the end of games that might have cost the Vols a pair of wins. His play calling inside the 3-yard line against UCLA in Week 2 was iffy, and his decision to play for a long field goal in the final minute of the Alabama game -- especially when his kicker, Daniel Lincoln, had already missed one from that range and had another one blocked -- was a move that Kiffin himself was second guessing in the immediate aftermath of Tennessee’s bitter 12-10 loss to Alabama. In that situation, a 44-yard field goal is anything but a sure thing, something Kiffin learned the hard way. He obviously didn’t have enough confidence in quarterback Jonathan Crompton to throw the ball a couple of times there and try to get closer. That’s despite Crompton playing two of the best games of his career the past two weeks. The result was another moral victory. The Vols may end up leading the country in moral victories at this rate.
5. Mississippi State on its way: Nobody was happy about the 29-19 loss to No. 1 Florida, but Mississippi State has plenty to be happy about when you look at the direction of this football program right now. What a great atmosphere Saturday night at Scott Field where a record crowd of 57,178 was as loud as a crowd twice that size when freshman safety Johnthan Banks took that interception back 100 yards for a touchdown right before halftime. First-year coach Dan Mullen is playing a lot of freshmen, and more importantly, a lot of freshmen with promise. He needs to keep having the kind of recruiting years in-state that he did this past year, and if so, the Bulldogs will have a chance to make some noise in the Western Division down the road. Athletic director Greg Byrne and his staff have done a great job of marketing the program, building support for the program and rallying the Mississippi State community. The next step is building on the Bulldogs’ talent level, which makes this recruiting class coming up probably even more important than Mullen’s first one in Starkville.
Alabama and Florida are both still unbeaten as we head to November. But are they genuinely the two best teams in the country?
Neither team made a very convincing argument Saturday. Survival was the name of the game.
Will simply surviving be good enough the rest of the way? Stay tuned.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 8:
1. Tebow is human: First of all, Tim Tebow is the epitome of a man. Anybody who’s watched him play football knows that. But for him not to man up and face the media Saturday after throwing not one, but two pick six’s in Florida’s 29-19 win over Mississippi State makes you wonder if the pressure is starting to get to Tebow. Florida coach Urban Meyer admitted afterward that a lot of people, including him, were pressing. Well, Tebow made a couple of awful decisions in that game, the kind that would have beaten the Gators had they been playing a more talented team or a team capable of moving the ball and scoring points. Keep in mind that Florida’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown. Only Tebow did, two to be exact. For a team ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings and riding a 17-game winning streak, the Gators looked and sounded pretty frustrated late Saturday night. But, then, some of the issues they’re having right now offensively will do that to you. Just ask Tebow … when you get a chance.
2. Leaning on the ‘D’: The burden is getting heavier every week for the Alabama defense. And the more Alabama struggles in the passing game, the heavier it’s going to get. If the Crimson Tide are indeed going to win a championship -- an SEC championship or a national championship -- it’s pretty obvious that the defense is going to have to do all the heavy lifting. In a lot of ways, it’s reminiscent of the 1992 season when Alabama went unbeaten and won it all with one of the strongest defenses in school history. Is this defense as good as that one? It looks like we might find out. This much we know: The Crimson Tide managed to win against Tennessee on Saturday despite not scoring a touchdown and did so with noseguard Terrence Cody blocking two field goals in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Greg McElroy was ineffective throwing the ball for the third straight game, finishing with just 120 passing yards, and Alabama doesn’t have a lot of margin for error playing this way. The Crimson Tide are going to have to be special on defense to keep it going. So far, they have been. The bye couldn’t come at a better time with LSU coming to town on Nov. 7.
3. Auburn is teetering: The Tigers’ bubble hasn’t just burst. It’s completely evaporated. After starting the season 5-0, they’ve now lost three in a row after dropping a 31-10 decision to LSU on Saturday, and if you look at their remaining SEC schedule, it’s difficult to see them winning another game in the conference. They’ve got Ole Miss at home next week, travel to Georgia on Nov. 14 and then end the season at home against Alabama on Nov. 27. It’s a little bit of everything right now for Gene Chizik, too. Quarterback Chris Todd all of a sudden looks like he did last year before he had shoulder surgery, and the defense has been spotty all season. That’s not a good combination. If Gus Malzahn and the Auburn offense, which looked like one of the most balanced units in the country during its five-game winning streak, can’t get back to scoring points and moving the ball, then it’s really going to get ugly on the Plains the rest of the way.
4. Kiffin still learning: His Tennessee team is playing its guts out, and the Vols have really responded to his style of coaching. But Lane Kiffin has now twice made questionable decisions at the end of games that might have cost the Vols a pair of wins. His play calling inside the 3-yard line against UCLA in Week 2 was iffy, and his decision to play for a long field goal in the final minute of the Alabama game -- especially when his kicker, Daniel Lincoln, had already missed one from that range and had another one blocked -- was a move that Kiffin himself was second guessing in the immediate aftermath of Tennessee’s bitter 12-10 loss to Alabama. In that situation, a 44-yard field goal is anything but a sure thing, something Kiffin learned the hard way. He obviously didn’t have enough confidence in quarterback Jonathan Crompton to throw the ball a couple of times there and try to get closer. That’s despite Crompton playing two of the best games of his career the past two weeks. The result was another moral victory. The Vols may end up leading the country in moral victories at this rate.
5. Mississippi State on its way: Nobody was happy about the 29-19 loss to No. 1 Florida, but Mississippi State has plenty to be happy about when you look at the direction of this football program right now. What a great atmosphere Saturday night at Scott Field where a record crowd of 57,178 was as loud as a crowd twice that size when freshman safety Johnthan Banks took that interception back 100 yards for a touchdown right before halftime. First-year coach Dan Mullen is playing a lot of freshmen, and more importantly, a lot of freshmen with promise. He needs to keep having the kind of recruiting years in-state that he did this past year, and if so, the Bulldogs will have a chance to make some noise in the Western Division down the road. Athletic director Greg Byrne and his staff have done a great job of marketing the program, building support for the program and rallying the Mississippi State community. The next step is building on the Bulldogs’ talent level, which makes this recruiting class coming up probably even more important than Mullen’s first one in Starkville.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
The Auburn players have insisted this week that their two-game losing streak was not the start of a trend. They get a chance to make good on that vow Saturday when they go to Baton Rouge to face LSU. There’s no question that Auburn feasted a little bit on a softer schedule in jumping out to a 5-0 start, but the Tigers also haven’t played well these past two weeks. Their offense hasn’t been as explosive, and they need to get quarterback Chris Todd back to the level he was playing at during September. Auburn coach Gene Chizik said there’s nothing wrong with the throwing shoulder Todd had surgery on during the offseason. He just hasn’t thrown it as consistently in the losses to Kentucky and Arkansas. The Tigers don’t get a bye week until Nov. 21, the week before the finale against Alabama. So these next four games will really test their already glaring lack of depth.
Best-case scenario: Todd and the Auburn offense get back on track to the point where the Tigers are scoring enough points to hide their defensive deficiencies. They win at LSU, get some of their swagger back and finish 8-4.
Worst-case scenario: The Tigers' losing streak extends to four straight games with losses to LSU and Ole Miss the next two weeks, and the bottom falls out from there, leaving the Tigers 6-6 and hoping they land in a bowl game.
Prediction: The Tigers find a way to win one of their remaining SEC games against LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama, finish 7-5 and play in the Music City Bowl.
The Auburn players have insisted this week that their two-game losing streak was not the start of a trend. They get a chance to make good on that vow Saturday when they go to Baton Rouge to face LSU. There’s no question that Auburn feasted a little bit on a softer schedule in jumping out to a 5-0 start, but the Tigers also haven’t played well these past two weeks. Their offense hasn’t been as explosive, and they need to get quarterback Chris Todd back to the level he was playing at during September. Auburn coach Gene Chizik said there’s nothing wrong with the throwing shoulder Todd had surgery on during the offseason. He just hasn’t thrown it as consistently in the losses to Kentucky and Arkansas. The Tigers don’t get a bye week until Nov. 21, the week before the finale against Alabama. So these next four games will really test their already glaring lack of depth.
Best-case scenario: Todd and the Auburn offense get back on track to the point where the Tigers are scoring enough points to hide their defensive deficiencies. They win at LSU, get some of their swagger back and finish 8-4.
Worst-case scenario: The Tigers' losing streak extends to four straight games with losses to LSU and Ole Miss the next two weeks, and the bottom falls out from there, leaving the Tigers 6-6 and hoping they land in a bowl game.
Prediction: The Tigers find a way to win one of their remaining SEC games against LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama, finish 7-5 and play in the Music City Bowl.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
Edward Aschoff
Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.
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