Thuds - UGA - Installed as an favorite in the race for a National Championship earlier in the week by some Vegas oddsmakers, UGA looked outclassed by a desperate Florida team on Saturday. The Gators manhandled the Dawgs starting on the line of scrimmage. New starter Treon Harris only needed to throw 6 passes (only 3 complete for 27 yards) as Florida just crammed it down UGA's throat. The defense was also on point after the first quarter and there was no answer from the Dawgs. Looks like another Florida bowl game against Nebraska (God, not a third year in a row, for both team's fans). South Carolina - Let's stay in the SEC Least. Carolina managed to blow a two TD lead with two minutes left in the 4th Quarter against Tennessee. They also managed to give up like 450 yards passing to one of the most inept offenses in the conference. All of this prompted Coach Spurrier to walk out of his post-game presser after 45 seconds and admit to contemplating hanging it up. Ouch. Stanford - Oregon hammered Stanford over the weekend and the team that was supposed to be Alabama West has lost 4 games. Their top-ranked defense was exposed and their offense has no punch whatsoever. This has been quite a drop for what was the best team in the PAC-12 the past few seasons.
Studs - TCU - They overcame a 9 point 4th quarter deficit against what has become a solid WVU team in Morgantown. TCU may have just played their way into the Final Four. Their offense struggled for much of the day but made plays when it mattered. Next up: A huge game against K-State. Arizona State - Beat a very game Utah team late Saturday night. This team has a chance to get into the playoff conversation for real with a win over Notre Dame this weekend. Their only loss came in a route in the best game UCLA has played this season. They still have to hurdle Arizona in the PAC-12 but they have a legitimate chance to be the team facing Oregon in the PAC-12 title game. Auburn's Lucky Rabbit Foot - Usually when things bounce your way one year, they don't the next. Auburn continues to be the beneficiary of inexplicable plays. That doesn't mean they aren't any good. They are incredibly good. But they managed to beat Ole Miss the other night because the Rebels turned it over twice in the games waning minutes inside the 5 yard line. I guess Gus Malzahn has been living right, living to the beat, you can't touch.
Playoffs - (1) Mississippi State (2) FSU (3) Auburn (4) TCU - This has become a little easier since we know where the committee stands. No reason to drop the two States after this week. Auburn has two wins over top 10 teams on the road and TCU is the class of everyone else not in the SEC at this point, though Oregon looked like it's normal self against Stanford this week. Bama is right there and if it takes care of business moving forward will be in the mix very easily.
Next Week: An absolutely huge weekend of football. Notre Dame/Arizona State, Bama/LSU, TCU/K-State, hell, I'll even throw in Ohio State/Michigan State. These are the weekends we love college football. I'll be freezing my ass off in Lexington, KY watching the Dawgs play a Kentucky team I am very worried about.Take the gift 11 right now if these teams play like I expect. On the bright side, bourbon.
SEC Power Rankings:
14) Vanderbilt -
13) South Carolina - Wow. What a collapse. This team beat ECU and Georgia (who both also lost inexplicably this week)
12) Tennessee - They may have found their QB. The question is whether or not Butch is gonna stick around now after he was reportedly interested in the Michigan job last week.
11) Kentucky - I thought they would beat a punchless Mizzou team on the road. Nope. Maybe a punchless UGA team at home though.
10) Texas A&M - Their helmets looked cool. Their QB didn't. I don't like them against anyone in the West right now.
9) Arkansas - Still winless in the SEC though a very game effort against Miss State on the road.
8) UGA/Mizzou/Florida - These teams don't deserve to be tied for 6th or 7th. Mizzou controls it's own destiny in the East and they lost to Indiana. Talk about an anomaly. UGA beat Mizzou 34-0, Mizzou beat Florida 42-13, and Florida beat UGA 38-20. Odd year.
5) LSU - Mighty test against the Tide this weekend.
4) Ole Miss - From penthouse to outhouse in two weeks. Rebels have to play spoiler.
3) Alabama - I think they're on the outside looking in but that will change if they keep winning.
2) Auburn - They did just enough to win on Saturday night. The schedule is unforgiving but if they manage it, then they deserve the #1 seed.
1) Mississippi State - The defense saved the day, turning Arkansas away twice in the closing minutes when they were threatening. A breather this week before the Tide.
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