Scout.com: Three & Out: SEC Thoughts, News & Notes 11/25

Three & Out: SEC Thoughts, News & Notes 11/25

Auburn desperately needs LB Eltoro Freeman

By Barrett Sallee

CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 24, 2009

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CFN SEC Blogger Barrett Sallee shares three thoughts, comments or observations about Week 13 in the SEC.

By: Barrett Sallee

The Week 13 mid-week edition of Three & Out focuses on a big injury on the Plains, a major distraction in Red Stick and an SEC team out for revenge.

THE BULL MAY BE ON THE BENCH
The Auburn Tigers know that the key to springing the upset in the Iron Bowl against Alabama is stopping Crimson Tide running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Mark Ingram. A tall task, no doubt. That task may be taller than the Sears Tower if Auburn linebacker Eltoro “The Bull” Freeman is forced to sit out due to a concussion suffered early in the third quarter of the loss at Georgia two weeks ago.

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik has said all week that Freeman is a game-time decision. The freshman linebacker has been limited to “mental reps” all week, according to the Auburn coaching staff. Chizik has been very secretive with the status of several key players for many games this year, so it's possible that he's playing possum a bit. In this case though, I believe that he is being sincere. If Freeman can go, he will be in there. But at this point, his status is very much in question.

If Freeman can't go, Mark Ingram may sew up the Heisman Trophy a week early.

Auburn's much-maligned defense has been susceptible to the run all year long, especially when Freeman has been out. The Tigers rank 10th in the SEC in rushing defense, allowing 169.7 yards per game on the ground. Noel Devine, Michael Smith, Derrick Locke, Randall Cobb and Dexter McCluster have all topped the century mark against the Tigers in 2009. I think it goes without saying, but I'll go ahead and say it – Ingram is better than all of those guys.

If Freeman plays, it gives Auburn a punchers chance. The Auburn defense fell apart in the second half of the Georgia loss due in large part to Freeman's injury. With Freeman out, Washaun Ealey and Caleb King had a field day against the Tigers, leading the Bulldogs to the comeback victory. If you don't see “The Bull” charge out on that field Friday afternoon, it greatly reduces Auburn's chances of springing the upset.

PRIME FOR THE “UPSET”
The early part of rivalry week in Baton Rouge has been dedicated to looking back at the inexplicable clock management of The Mad Hatter, Les Miles. Miles, with the aid of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, led the Tigers on a frantic drive at the end the game vs. Ole Miss that saw the Tigers recover an onside kick, move into field goal range, move out of field goal range thanks to some monstrously bone-headed play calling, waste 17 seconds before calling a timeout, get back into field goal range with one second remaining, only to call for a quarterback spike – which takes more than one second.

The LSU players better not be focusing on last week, because what is getting lost in the blame game is the fact that LSU has a pretty good opponent left on the schedule. In case you missed it (and a lot of people have), the Arkansas Razorbacks have been on a roll over the last month. The Hogs have reeled off four straight wins to get back into New Years Day bowl consideration.

Quarterback Ryan Mallett has thrown for more than 300 yards each of the last three games, and has thrown five touchdowns in each of the last two. The red shirt sophomore, who is draft eligible, is seeing his draft stock skyrocket late in the year.

The ineptitude of the LSU coaching staff cost the Tigers a chance to solidify the Capital One Bowl with last weeks display in the final minute in Oxford. Despite the meltdown and the Razorback's late-season success, Vegas has faith in the Tigers. LSU is a six point favorite this week at home vs. Arkansas. For the life of me, I can't figure out why.

Arkansas always plays LSU tough. The “Battle for the Golden Boot” has been won by the Hogs the last two years and has been decided by five or fewer points six of the last eight years. Most of those Arkansas teams were inferior to LSU. That isn't the case this year. This game has upset written all over it.

CLEAN OLD FASHIONED HATE
For the first time since the George Godsey-era, Georgia enters its game with intra-state rival Georgia Tech as consensus underdogs. Living in Atlanta I can tell you, that doesn't sit well with Dawg fans.

This game is of major importance to Georgia. A win over Georgia Tech will go a long way towards removing the sour taste in their mouths that 2009 is producing. Georgia is no longer the power house that it once was, but part of what created that identity was total domination over the Yellow Jackets. Regaining state bragging rights, after holding them for the majority of the decade, will be a small positive in this season of negatives.

That's not going to be easy though. Paul Johnson has the Yellow Jackets ranked No. 7 in the country, and generally wreaking havoc on opposing defenses. The Jackets rank second in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 314 yards per game on the ground. Running back Jonathan Dwyer and quarterback Josh Nesbitt both rank in the top 60 in the nation in rushing.

When Johnson came to Georgia Tech, critics of his triple option offense called it a “gimmick,” saying that it would never work in this day and age in big-time football. Nothing could be further from the truth. This offense is high-powered, hard to defend and produces big play after big play.

Georgia had fits trying to stop the Tech triple option last season in Athens. The way the Dawg D has played this year, expect more of the same. Joe Cox better forget last week's fourth quarter quickly, because he's going to have to become very friendly with every offensive weapon on the Georgia roster in order to keep up. If he can't, the Bulldogs are likely headed to lovely Shreveport after Christmas.

Barrett Sallee covers the SEC for www.CollegeFootballNews.com. He can be reached at barrettsallee@gmail.com, or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BSallee_CFN