Midseason Reports
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ACC
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Non-BCS Conferences To Come Friday
- CFN Midseason All-America Teams
2008 |
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2006
Offensive Player of the Midseason
Andre Smith, OT
Alabama
Defensive Player of the Midseason
Terrance Cody, DT Alabama
Ten best SEC players in the first half of the season
1. Andre Smith, OT Alabama
2. Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
3. Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia
4. Terrance Cody, DT Alabama
5. Eric Berry, S Tennessee
6. Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia
7. Brandon Spikes, LB Florida
8. Trevard Lindley, CB Kentucky
9. Michael Smith, RB Arkansas
10. Charles Scott, RB LSU
Biggest
Surprise
–
Vanderbilt
The Commodores don't have an offense, the defense does enough to
get by, and compared to the rest of the SEC, the talent level
isn't even close. Even so, Bobby Johnson's club was the
non-Alabama story of the first half of the season even earning a
national spotlight moment with the win over Auburn.
Biggest
Disappointment
–
Auburn
The offense just needed to be adequate. The running backs are
talented, the offensive line is fine, and the quarterbacks
aren't supposed to be awful. Even so, the offense went in the
tank, the Tony Franklin experiment ended abruptly, and a great
Tiger defense appears to be going unused. Meanwhile, Alabama has
arrived under Nick Saban.
The SEC
Champion will be ... Florida over Alabama
The winner of the Alabama - LSU showdown will probably end up
representing the West, unless Georgia has other ideas in its
date in Death Valley, while Florida should be able to get by the
Dawgs and push its way through not-that-bad remaining schedule
to get to the title game, beat Alabama in an epic showdown, and
get to a second national championship game in three years.
Best
Game of the First Half
Ole Miss
31 ... Florida 30
Jevan Snead found Shay Hodge for an 86-yard touchdown with just over five
minutes to play to give Ole Miss a seven point lead. Florida roared back with a
quick six play, 68-yard drive with Percy Harvin running in untouched for a
15-yard score, but the extra point was blocked. The Gators got one last shot,
but Tim Tebow was stuffed on a 4th-and-one play on the Ole Miss 32. Snead
started out the scoring with a one-yard run, but Florida seemingly had the game
in hand with a 17-point second quarter as Harvin scored on a 43-yard pass play
and Tebow ran for a one-yard score. Ole Miss answered in the third quarter with
17 points of its own highlighted by a 40-yard Dexter McCluster scoring run, but
Tebow answered with a one-yard touchdown run to tie it in the fourth. Florida
outgained the Rebels 443 yards to 325, but lost three fumbles.
Worst Game of
the First Half
LSU
41 … North Texas 3
Charles Scott tore off touchdown runs from 39 and 43 yards out
and Trindon Holliday ripped off a 92-yard punt return for a
score as LSU rolled past North Texas. The Mean Green managed a
33-yard Jeremy Knott field goal, but that was it as the LSU
defense allowed just 199 yards of total offense. LSU outrushed
UNT 216 yards to 44.
Coach of the Midseason
–
Nick
Saban, Alabama
Oh sure, Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson appears to be the obvious
choice here, and Kentucky's Rich Brooks, after all the players
he lost, probably deserves it, but for taking Alabama from good
to national title-good about a year ahead of pace. He's been
able to keep his ultra-talented team on an even keel while
getting them up for the really big moments like the Clemson and
Georgia games.
Player who'll step up in the second half
–
Tim Tebow, QB Florida
Mr. Heisman played it cool over the first half of the season as
he has gotten his teammates more and more involved. Now he's
going to let it rip. He won't run as much as he did last year
and he might not be the same type of playmaker, he really
doesn't have to do it all, but now that the SEC title is a
possibility, he's going to become Tim Tebow again and will get
back in the Heisman chase.
Best performance so far - Vanderbilt FS Ryan Hamilton made six
tackles, picked off three passes, taking one 79 yards for a
touchdown, made a goal line tackle, and recovered a fumble in the
23-17 win over Ole Miss.
Top Freshman – A.J. Green, WR Georgia
While the world waits for Alabama's Julio Jones to become the
next Randy Moss, A.J. Green has been one of the SEC's most
productive receivers from day one with 36 catches for 573 yards
and four touchdowns. Not just explosive, he's becoming steadier
on the short to midrange routes, too.
Coach who needs to have a big second half – Phil Fulmer,
Tennessee
All the past success has been forgotten. Fulmer isn't leading
the Vols to a national title chase and his program appears to be
a half step behind the big boys this year. Forgetting that
Tennessee played for the SEC title last season, Fulmer has to
show that his team is on the right track or it could be a tough
late November.
Player who needs to have a big second half – Nick
Stephens, QB Tennessee
He's the one Fulmer has hitched his wagon to in an effort to
save his gig. Jonathan Crompton didn't come through as expected,
and Stephens hasn't set the world on fire. Something needs to be
done with the Tennessee passing game to open things up for the
running attack. A great set of running backs and a phenomenal
defense are being wasted.
Best remaining conference game – Florida vs. Georgia,
November 1st & Alabama at LSU, November 8th
After what happened last year between the Dawgs and Gators,
expect the bad blood to flow and the fireworks to start from the
opening kickoff. These are two national title-caliber
superpowers will be part one of the SEC title game equation,
while the week after it'll be the Tigers and Tide in Alabama's
real-deal moment. Oh sure, beating Clemson and Georgia was nice,
but if Nick Saban's bunch can go into Death Valley and rip away
the SEC West title, it might be time to book tickets to Miami on
January 8th.
Team Mid-Season MVPs & Predictions
East
Florida – QB Tim Tebow
predicted wins: Kentucky,
Georgia, at Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Citadel, at Florida
State
predicted losses: None
predicted record: 11-1
Georgia – RB Knowshon Moreno
predicted wins:
at LSU, at Kentucky, at Auburn, Georgia Tech
predicted losses: Florida
predicted record: 10-2
Kentucky – CB Trevard Lindley
predicted wins: at Mississippi State,
Vanderbilt
predicted losses: at Florida, at Tennessee
predicted record: 8-4
South Carolina – S Emmanuel Cook
predicted wins: Tennessee, Arkansas, at Clemson
predicted losses: at Florida
predicted record: 8-4
Tennessee – S Eric Berry
predicted wins: Wyoming, at Vanderbilt, Kentucky
predicted losses: Alabama, at South Carolina
predicted record: 6-6
Vanderbilt – LB Patrick Benoist
predicted wins: Duke
predicted losses: Florida, at Kentucky, Tennessee, at Wake Forest
predicted record: 6-6
West
Alabama – OT Andre Smith
predicted wins: at
Tennessee, Arkansas State, Mississippi State, Auburn
predicted losses: at LSU
predicted record: 11-1
Arkansas – RB Michael Smith
predicted wins:
at Mississippi
State
predicted losses: Ole Miss, Tulsa, at South Carolina, LSU
predicted record: 4-8
Auburn – DT Sen'Derrick Marks
predicted wins: at Ole Miss,
UT-Martin
predicted losses: at West Virginia, Georgia, at Alabama
predicted record: 6-6
LSU – RB Charles Scott
predicted wins: Tulane, Alabama, Troy,
Ole Miss, at Arkansas
predicted losses: Georgia
predicted record: 10-2
Ole Miss – OT Michael Oher
predicted wins: at Arkansas, UL Monroe, Mississippi State
predicted losses: at Alabama, Auburn, at LSU
predicted record: 6-6
Mississippi State – RB Anthony Dixon
predicted wins: Middle Tennessee, Arkansas
predicted losses: Kentucky, at Alabama, at
Ole Miss
predicted record: 4-8
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