By
Brian Harbach
By
Russ Mitchell
3 SEC QUESTIONS THAT NAG MORE THAN YOUR EX
(i) What was the most disappointing opening weekend performance?
Russ Mitchell:
It’s too easy to say Tennessee, so we’ll dig deeper – although those Q4 coaching adjustments were just fantastic, Fulmer; which is where the buck stops. What Q4 coaching adjustments? Exactly. MSU lost star LB and defensive leader Jamar Chaney for the season with a fractured leg, but still should have beaten La Tech. However, given all the expectations for Georgia, we’re going with the ‘Dawg defense. Sure, UGA won 45-21, lost star DT Jeff Owens, and maybe the play calling was close to the vest. But dig deeper - little brother Georgia Southern did much better than expected against the UGA 1 and 2 deep. The Eagles had the ball inside the Georgia ten yard line twice in the first quarter, including once on the goal line, and tripped over itself both times. That’s unlikely to happen against FBS competition. Moreover, Ga So. had nearly as many first downs (18 to 20) and led in time of possession (33:08 to 26:52). UGA will have to play much better defense than that if it wants to survive its tough schedule.
Brian Harbach:
Thank goodness for Auburn that its game against Louisiana Monroe occurred at relatively the same time of the Clemson/Alabama game… Because the Tigers were unimpressive. The play of Auburn’s quarterbacks has to be the most disappointing performance of the past weekend. Tommy Tuberville and new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said they had two capable quarterbacks for the new spread offense, but after Saturday, we’re not sure if they have one quarterback capable of running it.
Chris Todd and Kodi Burns were a combined 13 of 27 passing for 85 yards against LA Monroe. The Tigers ran the ball great with more than 325 yards rushing, but the passing game was ugly. With Southern Miss coming to town this weekend for an early kick off, Auburn needs to be more balanced on offense if they want to win this game. Another lackluster performance in the passing game could lessen the expectations in a season where they were predicted to win the SEC West during Media days.
(ii) Is the Alabama win more a reflection of how good Alabama is, how bad Clemson is, or both?
Mitchell:
Great question – and you know it didn’t come from Tuscaloosa. What a great game! ‘bama looked fantastic. JPW has never looked as poised and accurate as he was on Saturday. The lines on both sides dominated, particularly the defense. Playing in his first FBS game, JC transfer DT Terrence Cody was magnificent. Coming off the less-than-riveting end to last season, this was an inspiring start for the Tide. Saban’s sudden humility aside, if ‘bama plays like this all year, they are absolutely in the hunt. That being said, Clemson once again proved they are all hat, no cattle. Absolutely NO heart. This team just quit, particularly in the trenches. Indeed, it was an inauspicious beginning for the entire ACC. It’s highly unlikely the Tide will find such cowardice on its SEC slate. So, both.
Harbach:
The phrase “Clemson being Clemson” would be a perfect way to describe what happened to the Tigers this past Saturday night in the Georgia Dome, but that isn’t fair to Alabama. It is true that Tommy Bowden doesn’t know how to win big games or handle expectations, but the Tide took to the “best” the ACC has to offer and embarrassed them on national television. Not to pat myself on the back too much, but I picked an Alabama win in this column last week because this is a game Alabama should have won.
The fifth or sixth best team in the SEC should be able to defeat the best the ACC has to offer on a neutral field and that is what Alabama did. They played physical, they played smart and they did what they were supposed to do. This had nothing to do with comments about Escalades or Clemson being Clemson; it had everything to do with Alabama’s players being better than Clemson’s and Alabama’s coaching staff out coaching every person with a headset on the Clemson sideline. The Tide earned this win; Clemson didn’t give it to them.
(iii) What every SEC fan should be talking about after Week One, but isn’t?
Mitchell:
Well that leaves out ‘bama and Tennessee… (i) USC may have won 34-0, but that was the worst 34-0 we’ve ever seen. 3-0 at the half, it took a weaker NCSU finally breaking down, on the road, for the Gamecocks to really turn it on in Q4. The O-line, a big question mark heading into the season, gave up six sacks, (ii) Kentucky’s D is for real, but in shades of the Clemson/’bama question, Louisville was waaaaay overrated, (iii) Ole Miss and Vandy were very impressive, (iv) UGA’s D was mediocre (see above), (v) Auburn had a woeful showing offensively, and suffered injuries to three WRs and a minor one to QB Kodi Burns, (vi) Arkansas – well, there’s room to improve!, and (vii) keep an eye on the Tide’s Andre Smith – if the star LT’s right knee is worse than expected, that could be a huge loss.
Harbach:
What SEC fans aren’t talking about enough is the fact that the SEC has not come nearly as far as we think nationally. UGA was jumped in the polls earlier this week by Southern Cal, the national opinion that the best team is never in the SEC returned after one week. We hear all the time that the SEC is the best conference, but for some reason it is a struggle during the season for the SEC to be at the top of the polls. Of course the only poll that matters comes out in December, but UGA getting dropped while the “Dynasty” in Los Angeles (one national title during Carroll’s reign) gets the benefit of the doubt is ridiculous.
The precedent has been set that a #1 SEC team can be jumped after they win their game and win it convincingly. Of course if UGA keeps winning things will probably work out fine for the Bulldogs, but there is no reason for USC to be jumping Georgia in the polls after one game against an ACC team. SEC fans should be more outraged by this, we have been very fortunate to get a spot in the championship game the last two years and we showed what happens when the SEC gets there. There is no reason the best team from the best conference drops in the polls after one game. I can guarantee UGA will look more impressive than USC this weekend, but I doubt it will matter when the polls come out.
IN FOCUS: Which Coach / Player is in the Spotlight this week?
Mitchell:
Chris Smelley, QB (So.), South Carolina. Smelley came off the bench for an ineffective (and banged up) Tommy Beecher on Saturday, and put up some solid numbers… But against a defense that had clearly run out of gas. This weekend USC goes on the road to face Vandy, whose strength is its Secondary (it just may be the best in the conference). On Thursday, as Smelley goes, so go the Gamecocks. (Runner up: Auburn’s vaunted OL. This was a bright spot coming into the season, and the group played fine against none-too-intimidating UL Monroe (325 yards rushing). With the receiving corps banged up and QB play spotty, Auburn will have to lean even more on the rushing game. And there’s additional reason to focus here: So. Miss thrashed UL Lafayette 51-21, but the Golden Eagles still gave up 263 rushing yards.)
Harbach:
Jevan Snead, QB (So.), Ole Miss. Jevan had a decent game against Memphis last weekend throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions, but he will have to play even better to upset Wake Forest this weekend. He only completed 45% of his passes in the opener and that percentage has to go up this weekend. Houston Nutt’s new quarterback gets his first opportunity to show a television audience how good a player he is. I expect him to have a great day throwing the ball Saturday and he might lead the Running Rebels to an upset win over now ACC favorite Wake Forest.
SEC POWER RANKINGS
Mitchell
1 Florida – Virgina 48, Miami 0. Don’t say I didn’t warn you
2 Georgia – Yes, Blanche, you’re going to have to play defense
3 LSU – Still not sold on either Hatch or Lee
4 Auburn – Now accepting walk-ons for WR
5 Alabama – (up from 8) Now do it again; Tide fans expect that every week from here on out
6 USC – And in this corner… at QB...
7 Ole Miss – (up from 9) Very impressive win against Memphis
8 Tennessee – (down from 5) Terrible - Way to embarrass the conference
9 Kentucky – (up from 10) Georgia? Are you watching? THAT’S how you play defense
10 Vandy – (up from 12) A very impressive win over a better Miami (OH) team than most realize. Just a mirage or are the Commodores for real?
11 MSU – (down from 7) What did you expect? Losing to La. Tech
12 Arkansas – (down from 11) Y’all are going to have to do much better than that
Harbach
1 Florida – The U is coming to town, Meyer vs. Shannon Round 1
2 Georgia – Another lost starter, but the offense was humming last weekend
3 Auburn – When you have two quarterbacks you really have none
4 LSU – Offensive and Defensive lines looked physical this weekend
5 Alabama – (up from 6) Off to a great start, will they have a great finish?
6 Ole Miss – (up from 7) Looked good in Nutt’s debut, Demon Deacons up next
7 South Carolina – (up from 8) Spurrier’s offense has a long way to go
8 Tennessee – (down from 5) Terrible loss at UCLA, no excuse for this at all
9 Vanderbilt – (up from 11) Bowl game isn’t out of the question, must beat USC
10 Kentucky – (up from 12) Still an unknown, but good win on the road
11 MSU – (down from 9) Bulldogs took a big step backwards against LA Tech
12 Arkansas – (down from 10) See Dick throw (2 td’s), See Dick run (2 td’s)
THREE GAMES TO DVR
Mitchell:
1) USC (1-0) v. Vandy (1-0), September 4. South Carolina and the Ol Ball Coach come into Nashville with revenge on their mind. Flashback to last year… The Gamecocks were 6-1 and on a roll, before the wheels came off in a 17-6 loss, at home, to Vandy. Bet that still stings, huh. USC’s 34-0 win last week was an illusion – the offense was average at best. Given Vandy’s impressive performance on the road against a good Miami (OH) team, and that its team strength (Secondary) matches up nicely with USC’s weakness (Quarterback), this has the makings of an upset. (Besides, what else are you going to watch on Thursday?)
Vandy 17, USC 13
Final: Vandy 24, USC 17
2) Ole Miss (1-0) v. Wake Forest (1-0), September 6. The first real test for both teams, and the first road game for the Rebs. Wake looked great dismantling Baylor in Waco last week, and have had a couple extra days to prepare. Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead and the Wild Rebel O put up Mississippi’s largest offensive performance against an FBS foe in years, crushing Memphis, 41-24. But after a year off, QB Riley Skinner and the Wake defense have the Demon Deacons back in top 20 form. We’ll be pulling for conference, but…
Wake Forest 31, Ole Miss 21
Final: Wake Forest 30, Ole Miss 28
3) Miami (1-0) v. Florida (1-0), September 6. If Jimmy Johnson were coaching Miami, this might be a good game. Once again, don’t believe the ABC/ESPN hype – remember, ABC/ESPN is not a news agency, it is an entertainment company. The spread on this game is Florida -22. ‘nuff said...
Florida 35, Miami 14
Final: Florida 26, Miami 3
Season Record: 1-2
Harbach:
1) Miami at Florida Miami is not back to being Miami yet, but I have a feeling the Hurricanes are going to make a physical statement in this game. I expect their defense to be physical and try to knock Tebow around a little bit, but in the end they just don’t have the playmakers on offense to hang with the Gators. This is Urban Meyer’s first time coaching in this rivalry and he will have his team ready to reassert their dominance in the state of Florida.
Florida 31 Miami 17
Final: Florida 26, Miami 3
2) South Carolina at Vanderbilt The Gamecocks looked terrible on offense last Thursday and even with Chris Smelley starting this week, it is hard to expect much. Smelley was 5-5 passing last week, he came in the 4th quarter when the NC State defense was gassed and had given up. Chris Nickson played great for Vandy last week on the road at Miami (OH) and they should be fired up for their home opener. I like South Carolina in a close low scoring game; this one goes all 4 quarters.
South Carolina 20 Vanderbilt 14
Final: Vandy 24, USC 17
3) Ole Miss at Wake Forest Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the ACC their new “best” team gets a visit from the Running Rebels on Saturday afternoon. Jevan Snead didn’t light the world on fire throwing the ball against Memphis, but Ole Miss is a more physical team than the Demon Deacons. This may be the fastest game of the season with all the running plays we are going to see, I like SEC size and speed over the best the ACC has to offer.
Ole Miss 27 Wake Forest 24
Final: Wake Forest 30, Ole Miss 28
Season Record: 2-1
Yell at Brian: Brian Harbach
Yell at Russ: Russ Mitchell
Y’all Play Nice Week One, August 28, 2008
Y’all Play Nice Pre-Season, August 21, 2008
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