ESPN College Football

I'm not the least bit surprised that Ole Miss' Dexter McCluster has been impressive in the first two days of practice at the Senior Bowl. The guy is absolutely fearless and has the kind of game-breaking speed the pro scouts love.

Remember, McCluster feasted on SEC defenses the second half of the season and took a lot of hits along the way.

McCluster and Florida receiver Riley Cooper were two of the guys singled out by the Scouts Inc. crew for having good days on Tuesday .

McCluster is an explosive playmaker no matter where you put him, and his speed makes up for his lack of size (5-foot-8, 165 pounds). He's also caught the ball well in Mobile.

Cooper, who's decided to concentrate on football and turned down the Rangers' baseball offer, has been impressive with his route-running, his ability to gain separation, and he also made a one-handed catch over his shoulder that had everybody talking.

One former SEC player who didn't receive high marks from the Scouts Inc. crew on Tuesday was Kentucky cornerback Trevard Lindley, who's been stiff in his hips and hasn't shown top-end speed or great athleticism. The Scouts Inc. crew thinks he may drop into the later rounds.

Another former SEC player who needs a good week is Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody, who weighed in at 370 pounds. Cody has to improve his endurance and demonstrate that he can make it through most of a game.

The SEC will have 25 players on the South roster in the Under Armour Senior Bowl this year. That's more than any other conference in the country.

Of the 25 SEC representatives in this year’s game, 10 landed on All-American lists this season and 21 were named to All-SEC squads. It’s a group that includes the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year (Tim Tebow), Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Tebow), Special Teams Player of the Year (Javier Arenas) and Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner (Ciron Black).

This year's game will also feature four of the SEC’s five 1,000-yard rushers (Anthony Dixon, Ben Tate, Montario Hardesty and Dexter McCluster), its only 1,000-yard receiver (Shay Hodge), the league leader in scoring (Leigh Tiffin), the league leader in passing efficiency and points responsible for (Tebow) and the league leader in sacks (Antonio Coleman).

The game will be played Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. ET in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Here's a team-by-team list of the SEC players in the game:

ALABAMA

CB Javier Arenas

NG Terrence Cody

OG Mike Johnson

TE Colin Peek

K Leigh Tiffin

ARKANSAS

OG Mitch Petrus

AUBURN

DE Antonio Coleman

RB Ben Tate

FLORIDA

WR Riley Cooper

QB Tim Tebow

GEORGIA

DT Geno Atkins

DT Jeff Owens

KENTUCKY

CB Trevard Lindley

LSU

OT Ciron Black

LB Harry Coleman

WR Brandon LaFell

RB Charles Scott

MISSISSIPPI STATE

LB Jamar Chaney

RB Anthony Dixon

OLE MISS

WR Shay Hodge

OL John Jerry

RB Dexter McCluster

SOUTH CAROLINA

LB Eric Norwood

TENNESSEE

RB Montario Hardesty

DT Dan Williams

Here’s a look at the SEC seniors invited to participate in the NFL scouting combine Feb. 24-March 2 in Indianapolis. There will also be some underclassmen invited once the deadline passes for early entry into the draft.

LSU had the most players invited in the SEC with 11. Alabama was second with eight:

ALABAMA

CB Javier Arenas

NG Terrence Cody

DE Brandon Deaderick

OL Mike Johnson

TE Colin Peek

K Leigh Tiffin

DE Lorenzo Washington

S Justin Woodall

ARKANSAS

OL Mitch Petrus

DT Malcolm Sheppard

AUBURN

RB Ben Tate

FLORIDA

WR Riley Cooper

DE Jermaine Cunningham

RB/RS Brandon James

LB Brandon Spikes

QB Tim Tebow

GEORGIA

DT Geno Atkins

KENTUCKY

FB John Conner

LB Micah Johnson

CB Trevard Lindley

LB Sam Maxwell

DT Corey Peters

LSU

DE Rahim Alem

DT Charles Alexander

OT Ciron Black

LB Harry Coleman

CB Chris Hawkins

RS Trindon Holliday

WR Brandon LaFell

LB Perry Riley

RB Charles Scott

RB Keiland Williams

DT Al Woods

MISSISSIPPI STATE

RB Anthony Dixon

OLE MISS

CB Marshay Green

DE Greg Hardy

WR Shay Hodge

OL John Jerry

S Kendrick Lewis

RB Dexter McCluster

SOUTH CAROLINA

LB Eric Norwood

S Darian Stewart

TENNESSEE

RB Montario Hardesty

OT Chris Scott

DT Dan Williams

VANDERBILT

CB Myron Lewis

OT Thomas Welch

LSU’s Charles Scott had hoped to get back in time for the Capital One Bowl after breaking his collarbone against Alabama this season.

But LSU coach Les Miles said earlier this week that Scott wasn’t going to be healthy enough to play, which is a tough break for the Tigers and a tough break for Scott.

Once extremely deep at the running back position, the Tigers are now down to sophomore Stevan Ridley for the bowl game.

But for Scott, it just doesn’t seem right that he won’t be able to suit up one final time and play. He’s been the ultimate teammate and competitor for the Tigers and one of those guys every coach wants on his team.

He just goes out and plays and does his job. You’re talking about a guy who rushed for more than 1,100 yards last season as a junior, and when Miles broached the subject of his playing a little fullback this season, Scott never blinked and said he would do whatever the team needed him to do.

College football needs more guys like Charles Scott. Too bad we want get to see him one more time at this level.

While Scott hasn’t recovered fully enough to play in the Tigers’ bowl game, a few guys coming off injuries who should be back to their old selves include Kentucky cornerback Trevard Lindley, Georgia receiver A.J. Green and Auburn running back Onterio McCalebb.

Lindley missed four games this season with a high ankle sprain and wasn’t the same when he came back, while Green had a shoulder injury that caused him to miss most of November.

McCalebb, the top freshman in the league the first month of the season, seemed to lose some of his speed after suffering a high ankle sprain in the fourth game against Ball State. He only rushed for 182 yards in his final eight games, but should be back to full speed against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl.

Now that our All-SEC team is out there for all to see, let’s take a look at what the preseason All-SEC team looked like.

Here’s a hint: Only 10 of the players picked on the preseason team also made the cut after the season.

Here’s the 2009 preseason team, which was released in August:

OFFENSE

QB Tim Tebow, Sr., Florida

RB Charles Scott, Sr., LSU

RB Michael Smith, Sr., Arkansas

WR Julio Jones, So., Alabama

WR A.J. Green, So., Georgia

TE D.J. Williams, Jr., Arkansas

OL Ciron Black, Sr., LSU

OL Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama

OL John Jerry, Sr., Ole Miss

OL Clint Boling, Jr., Georgia

C Maurkice Pouncey, Jr., Florida

DEFENSE

DL Greg Hardy, Sr., Ole Miss

DL Terrence Cody, Sr., Alabama

DL Antonio Coleman, Sr., Auburn

DL Carlos Dunlap, Jr., Florida

LB Rolando McClain, Jr., Alabama

LB Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida

LB Eric Norwood, Sr., South Carolina

CB Trevard Lindley, Sr., Kentucky

CB Joe Haden, Jr., Florida

S Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee

S Chad Jones, Jr., LSU



SPECIAL TEAMS

K Joshua Shene, Sr., Ole Miss

P Chas Henry, Jr., Florida

RS Brandon James, Sr., Florida

Kentucky’s bowl streak, which is poised to go to four consecutive years this season, may be looked upon in some quarters of this league as no big deal.

But when you look a little closer, it’s more obvious than ever what a bang-up job Rich Brooks has done with this program.

The Wildcats (6-4, 2-4) gained bowl eligibility last week with a 24-13 win over Vanderbilt and have won four of their last five games.

Granted, the SEC has nine bowl tie-ins, but going to a bowl four straight years isn’t as common as some might think in this league.

In fact, other than Kentucky, only Alabama, Florida, Georgia and LSU are working on a streak of four bowls in four years.

Some pretty elite company, huh?

And counting whatever bowl game they go to this season, the Wildcats also have three more chances to get to the seven-win mark -- which would be four straight seasons of at least seven wins.

The last time that happened at Kentucky was nearly a century ago. The Wildcats won nine in 1909, seven in 1910, seven in 1911 and seven in 1912.

All these numbers aside, Brooks’ greatest accomplishment with this program might be the way he’s upgraded the talent and improved the depth.

This season is a shining example when you consider how many key players the Wildcats have lost, yet are still closing in on their fourth straight winning season.

It started back in May when the NCAA ruled that All-SEC defensive end Jeremy Jarmon was ineligible for taking a banned dietary supplement. All-SEC cornerback Trevard Lindley has missed half the season with an ankle injury. Quarterback Mike Hartline went down with a knee injury and is out for the regular season, and even top offensive playmakers Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke have been hobbled.

Brooks said Wednesday that Cobb is questionable for this weekend’s Georgia game with a shoulder injury.

Still, here the Wildcats are, pointing toward a fourth consecutive postseason.

“The very obvious thing, at least to me, is that our depth is better than it has been,” Brooks said of his club’s perseverance. “We’re at least still competitive and have a chance to win and haven’t fallen off the face of the earth like we would have in past years.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

You've got to hand it to Kentucky's defense this season. The Wildcats, despite some key injuries, have really hung in there and took a 14-10 lead over Mississippi State on Saturday, thanks in part to two key plays by the defense.

Sam Maxwell had an interception in the end zone to kill a Mississippi State drive, and Randall Burden had a second interception to set up the Wildcats' second touchdown.

Cornerback Trevard Lindley is out for the fourth straight game with an ankle injury, but middle linebacker Micah Johnson is playing. Johnson isn't 100 percent, though, after hurting his knee last week.

If the Wildcats are going to win this game, they're going to have to tackle Anthony Dixon in the second half.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Despite some changes at the top in other polls, the SEC power rankings stay the same this week:

1. Alabama: Terrence Cody’s two blocked field goals kept the Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0) atop the power rankings this week … but barely. Alabama’s 12-10 escape against Tennessee raised plenty of concerns in Tide Land. Quarterback Greg McElroy has gone three straight games now without much success throwing the ball, and Alabama looked like a tired football team at times against the Vols. The bye couldn’t have come at a better time.

2. Florida: The truth is there’s not much difference between Alabama and Florida right now. Both teams have their offensive issues to straighten out. The Gators (7-0, 5-0) are struggling in the red zone and haven’t been able to generate much of a downfield passing attack. Their 29-19 win over Mississippi State was far from perfect, including two Tim Tebow interceptions returned for touchdowns, but there’s something to be said for winning on the road when you don’t play your best football.

3. LSU: All of a sudden, the Tigers (6-1, 4-1) look like a team that could contend in the SEC again. Coming off an open date, they took apart Auburn for a 31-10 victory on Saturday and are playing the kind of defense that wins championships. If sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson can bottle his performance from last weekend, the Tigers look as strong as anybody in the league. They still control their own destiny in the Western Division and head to Alabama on Nov. 7.

4. South Carolina: The Gamecocks (6-2, 3-2) avoided their annual loss to Vanderbilt, but it was still too close for comfort. These next two games, both on the road, will determine if this is going to be a season to remember or just another average season in Columbia. South Carolina travels to Tennessee on Saturday and then Arkansas on Nov. 7. If the Gamecocks can win both, look out.

5. Ole Miss: The win over Arkansas is what got the Rebels rolling last season. Maybe we’ll see that same script take shape this season. Ole Miss (5-2, 2-2) played its most complete game of the year in taking down Arkansas 30-17 last week and finally has a little momentum to work with heading to Auburn this Saturday. The Rebels might want to keep Dexter McCluster loose. Looks like he’ll get the ball a few more times this season.

6. Tennessee: The Vols (3-4, 1-3) are still short in the results department, but they lead the country in quality losses. They outplayed Alabama for much of the game last weekend, but had two fourth-quarter field goals blocked and fell 12-10. If this is going to be deemed a successful season, they need to find a way to go 4-1 over these final five games beginning with South Carolina’s visit on Saturday.

7. Georgia: Do the Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2) have one great one in them this season? A win over Florida and ruining the Gators’ hopes of winning a second straight national championship would help ease the disappointment for Georgia this season. The Bulldogs are coming off a bye week and get a Florida team that’s frustrated offensively and trying to find itself on that side of the ball.

8. Kentucky: The Wildcats (4-3, 1-3) are winning games, but keep losing players. Middle linebacker Micah Johnson was the latest to go down with a strained MCL in the 36-13 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Johnson is iffy for the game against Mississippi State, and senior cornerback Trevard Lindley remains doubtful with a high ankle sprain.

9. Arkansas: So much for the Hogs’ momentum. They looked listless to start the game on Saturday and were beaten soundly by Ole Miss in a 30-17 loss that leaves the Hogs (3-4, 1-4) in a bit of a hole for the rest of the season. They need to hustle if they’re going to have a winning record in the regular season. The good news is that the next four games are at home.

10. Auburn: The ship appears to be taking on water by the second on the Plains. The Tigers (5-3, 2-3) have lost three in a row after falling 31-10 to LSU on Saturday and will be hard-pressed to win another SEC game at this rate. Their defense isn’t stopping anybody, and now Gus Malzahn’s offense has bogged down in the last two games. Gene Chizik said he’s sticking with Chris Todd at quarterback.

11. Mississippi State: If Dan Mullen had his way, the SEC would just do away with the replay system. The Bulldogs (3-5, 1-3) had another situation where a call should have been reversed by replay but wasn’t in their 29-19 loss to Florida. It was still a determined effort by Mississippi State, which got some key plays by freshmen on defense, but just couldn’t move the ball against the Florida defense.

12. Vanderbilt: It’s shaping up as one of those seasons for the Commodores (2-6, 0-5). They did everything but finish the game in a tough 14-10 loss to South Carolina last weekend. The Gamecocks drove 99 yards to snap a two-game losing streak against the Commodores, who had a couple of calls go against them.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Just when you thought Kentucky might be toast, the Wildcats (3-3, 1-3) come back swinging and pull off their biggest win of the season. Their 21-14 win at Auburn last week is just what they needed for a little momentum heading into the second half of the season. Rich Brooks and his staff have done a bang-up job of keeping this team together despite several key injuries and a three-game losing streak. The Wildcats played one of their best games two weeks ago in a 28-26 road loss at South Carolina. But instead of allowing that loss to get them down, they seemed rejuvenated and pulled off the win on the Plains last Saturday. Starting quarterback Mike Hartline is out with a knee injury and may not be able to return this season. The Wildcats have also played the last two weeks without All-SEC cornerback Trevard Lindley, so they’re getting it done despite some bad breaks.

Offensive MVP: QB/WR Randall Cobb. No matter where he lines up, he just makes plays. Cobb may see even more time at quarterback, especially in the Wildcat formation, now that Hartline is sidelined. But he’s also catching passes and returning kicks. He’s the most underrated player in the league. He has four receiving touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns and is the guy the Wildcats turn to when they've got to have a play.

Defensive MVP: LB Micah Johnson. The Big Three on defense for Kentucky has been reduced to the Big One. Defensive end Jeremy Jarmon was declared ineligible by the NCAA in the preseason and had to turn pro, while Lindley has been nursing a high ankle sprain the last few weeks. Johnson has been a rock for the Wildcats from his middle linebacker spot. He leads the team with 52 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, and is coming off his best game last week in the 21-14 win over Auburn. He had 14 tackles and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

You think the Head Ball Coach might call for a few shots down the field Saturday?

Trevard Lindley, Kentucky's All-American cornerback, is out for the game after spraining his ankle last week against Alabama. Lindley had started in 43 consecutive games.

Also, the Wildcats' other starting cornerback, Paul Warford, is questionable. He has a quadriceps injury and wasn't able to finish Tuesday's practice.

True freshman Martavious Neloms will make his first career start in place of Lindley, while redshirt freshman Cartier Rice and sophomore Taiedo Smith are in line to step in for Warford if he can't play.

South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has thrown for 1,035 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He's had four touchdowns called back because of penalties.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Coming off back-to-back losses to Alabama and Florida, Kentucky could be without one of its best players Saturday against South Carolina.

Senior cornerback Trevard Lindley sprained his ankle in the 38-20 loss to Alabama and is doubtful against the Gamecocks, according to Kentucky coach Rich Brooks. The Wildcats will know more about Lindley's availability after the swelling in his ankle subsides in the next day or two.

Kentucky was already playing without its other starting cornerback, Paul Warford, against Alabama. Warford has a quadriceps injury and may have to sit out a second straight game against South Carolina.

Sophomore Randall Burden replaced Warford in the starting lineup, and true freshman Martavious Neloms would be in line to step in for Lindley if he can't go.

The Wildcats are ninth in the SEC in pass efficiency defense this season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

A stroll around the league to see what all is out there:

• Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Florida's Urban Meyer is also No. 1 in excuses.
• Georgia's defense heads back to the drawing board, writes David Hale of The Macon Telegraph.
• Alabama is impressed with Arkansas' offense and how many points the Hogs score. But as junior linebacker Rolando McClain says, "They haven't played us."
• Kentucky coach Rich Brooks responds to Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe's comments about cornerback Trevard Lindley and says to go ahead and target the Wildcats' All-America performer.
• Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson says play-calling isn't the issue for the Commodores, who've scored just 12 points in their last two games.
• Teammates at Nebraska more than 40 years ago, Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and Ohio coach Frank Solich will match wits on Saturday.
• Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen sees some signs of life in the Bulldogs' spread offense three games into the season.
• South Carolina outside linebacker Eric Norwood has been the essence of a prime-time player.
• Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin won't be suspended by the SEC after being ejected in last Saturday's Georgia game

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

The blowout in the Swamp never materialized. If anything, Florida might want to count its blessings that Tennessee doesn’t own a passing game.

Had the Vols been able to throw the ball at all Saturday, we might be talking right now about the biggest upset in the SEC since league expansion in 1992.

But Tim Tebow wouldn’t let that happen, and the Gators remain atop the latest SEC power rankings this week ... barely:

1. Florida: Part of the reason for Florida’s ho-hum performance against Tennessee in its 23-13 win Saturday can be traced to several players battling the flu. At least, so says Florida coach Urban Meyer. Whatever it was, the Gators looked vulnerable. They’re still the most talented team in the league and have won 13 in a row going back to last season. But their hold on the top spot suddenly isn’t iron-clad anymore.

2. Alabama: Nick Saban won’t have a less-than-inspired start to complain about this week. Alabama jumped all over North Texas in a 53-7 rout and hasn’t been seriously challenged the past two games. It’s difficult to pick an area where the Crimson Tide haven’t been dominant. They’re ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense and total defense and are right on the Gators’ heels for that No. 1 spot.

3. Ole Miss: Here we are going into the fourth week of the season, and the Rebels haven’t come close to being tested. That changes Thursday night when they travel to Columbia, S.C., to face South Carolina. Even though there have been some mistakes elsewhere, Ole Miss has looked every bit as dominant on its defensive line the first two games. All eyes will be on senior end Greg Hardy, who missed the 52-6 blowout of Southeastern Louisiana with a sprained ankle. The Rebels are a different defense when he’s healthy.

4. LSU: That season-opening 31-23 win at Washington is viewed in a little bit different light now. The Huskies took down mighty USC last week. The Tigers have continued to improve on defense since that first game in Seattle. They now turn their attention to Mississippi State on the road and are 3-0 to start the season for the third straight year.

5. Georgia: The Bulldogs might not have much of a pass defense, but they’re making up for it with guts and heart. To get down early like they did on the road at Arkansas and then to come charging back for a 52-41 win tells you a lot about Mark Richt’s club. The schedule doesn’t get any easier the rest of the way, but scoring points doesn’t look like it will be a problem for these Bulldogs after 93 points in the past two games.

6. Auburn: After rolling up huge rushing numbers in their first two wins, the Tigers turned to the pass last Saturday in rallying from a 14-0 deficit to beat West Virginia at rainy Jordan-Hare Stadium. A fourth straight home game awaits Auburn this weekend against Ball State, as the Tigers should be 4-0 going into the Tennessee game on Oct. 3. This is a team that’s starting to believe and a team that has great chemistry.

7. Tennessee: It’s the best the Big Orange Nation has felt about a loss in at least the past 30 years. The Vols were right in the game with No. 1-ranked Florida the whole way, using a conservative game plan offensively and an attacking defense to keep the Gators off balance. They’ve got to be able to find something in the passing game if they’re going to have a chance to win seven or eight games this season. They get Ohio at home this Saturday in the first of three straight home games that will shape their season.

8. South Carolina: Stephen Garcia and the Gamecocks’ offense have come alive these past two games. Now the defense is teetering a little bit after suffering some injuries to key players. Getting defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye back from a three-game suspension this week should help. We find out a lot about this South Carolina club on Thursday night when No. 4 Ole Miss invades Williams-Brice Stadium.

9. Arkansas: We all wondered if the Hogs would be able to stop anybody this season, and after watching the Georgia receivers running free in their secondary all night long Saturday, we’re still wondering. This Arkansas defense has a long way to go if the Hogs are going to be an upper-echelon team in the league this season. It only gets more difficult this week on the road at Alabama. Ryan Mallett can throw the football. He’s certainly proven that, but the Crimson Tide rush the passer as well as anybody in the country.

10. Kentucky: The Wildcats can thank sophomore receiver Randall Cobb for still being unbeaten right now. He saved them in Saturday’s 31-27 win over Louisville with a couple of crucial plays in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning touchdown catch. Kentucky turned the ball over on three possessions in the third quarter and was also beaten up physically in the game. Cornerback Trevard Lindley, defensive end DeQuin Evans and center Jorge Gonzalez all suffered injuries that will limit them in practice this week heading into Saturday’s home game with Florida.

11. Mississippi State: Dan Mullen picked up his first SEC win thanks to a defense that showed a little pride in a 15-3 victory over Vanderbilt after having its pride bruised the week before against Auburn. It was a key road win for the Bulldogs, who have a killer home schedule coming up. They get to stay in Starkville for these next three games, but they’re against LSU, Georgia Tech and Houston.

12. Vanderbilt: The Commodores simply can’t score. They’ve been held to one touchdown in their past two games and are coming off an ugly 15-3 home loss to Mississippi State. Carving out a second straight winning season is really going to be difficult now. Vanderbilt is playing well enough on defense to hang around in games. But the offensive production is abysmal -- 367 yards and 12 points in the past two games.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Speed or no speed, did I mention that Derrick Locke can't fumble the ball?

Kentucky weathered a third-quarter fumble by Locke on a kickoff return when Louisville missed a 28-yard field goal attempt. Kentucky All-America cornerback Trevard Lindley broke up a third-down pass by the Cardinals from the 11.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

The SEC office has announced its individual award winners for Week 1:

OFFENSE

Mark Ingram RB, Alabama: Rushed for a career-high 150 yards on 26 carries and added 35 yards receiving on three catches in Alabama’s 34-24 win over Virginia Tech. Ingram scored both of the Crimson Tide's touchdowns in the fourth quarter and accounted for 99 yards of total offense in the final quarter.

DEFENSE

Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky: Recorded three tackles, three pass deflections and an interception in Kentucky’s 42-0 win over Miami (Ohio). Lindley has now scored a defensive touchdown in three straight seasons (fumble vs. Arkansas, 2007; interception vs. South Carolina, 2008). Lindley increased his career interception total to 10.

CO-SPECIAL TEAMS

Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas: Returned opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and had 115 kickoff return yards on two attempts in Arkansas’ 48-10 win over Missouri State.

Brandon James, RB, Florida: Returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and accounted for 123 all-purpose yards (85 KOR, 13 PR, 25 rushing) in Florida’s 62-3 win over Charleston Southern. James now has five career kick returns (kickoff and punt) for touchdowns during his career.

FRESHMAN

Onterio McCalebb, RB, Auburn: Rushed for 148 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown in the Tigers’ 37-13 win over Louisiana Tech. The 148 yards are the most ever by an Auburn freshman in a season opening game. The previous best was 123 yards by Bo Jackson in 1982.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

Chris Scott, OT, Tennessee: Recorded six knockdown blocks from his backside tackle position in Tennessee’s 63-7 win over Western Kentucky. The Vols’ total offensive production of 657 yards is the most since the 1997 school record against Kentucky (695).

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina: In his first snap from scrimmage, Taylor forced a fumble, recovered by South Carolina, leading to the only touchdown of the game in the Gamecocks’ 7-3 win over NC State. Taylor finished the game with six tackles, including a game-high three for loss, including a sack. He also blocked a punt.