Bottom of the Bowl(s) for Kentucky, Vandy

   With four out of 12 losing-record teams ineligible for bowls, the SEC falls short of filling its nine guaranteed post-season slots. So, Kentucky and Vanderbilt will go bowling -- with less momentum than a bowling ball rolling uphill.

   Kentucky, humiliated Saturday by Tennessee, wasted a 4-0 start to finish 6-6, last in the East. The Wildcats' lone win in their last five games was by one point at home against West cellar-dweller Mississippi State.

   Vandy, drubbed by Wake Forest, opened 5-0 amid speculation that Bobby Johnson was the leading candidate for coach of the year. Oops. The Commodores also limped home 6-6, their only victory in that span against . . . Kentucky.

   Neither deserves much more than the Independence (Shreveport) or Papa Johns (Birmingham). But Kentucky could rise into the Music City (Nashville), which would be unlikely to select the local team.

   Would you Kentucky and Vandy fans prefer to pull the plug on the season and move on to basketball?

   If not, what would be the attainable bowl of your choice?

   

Rain May Make Saturday Predictions All Wet

   Predicted rain across the Southeast on the final Saturday of the regular season could impact games to different degrees.

   --For No. 1, Alabama, its power running game should not be thrown off against Auburn. The Tigers' only winning scenario is a 17-14 type of game, but they would have trouble hitting that total under sunny skies. Weather edge to Alabama.

   Worried, Crimson Tide fans?

   --For Tennessee, showers could put a damper on Philip Fulmer Appreciation Day and help Kentucky, which can get off the bowl fence with a victory.

   Now, for the three intrastate rival games:

   --Georgia Tech, which hardly ever passes, could benefit the most. The Yellow Jackets, who employ a post-modern wishbone offense, would welcome a slippery field against Georgia, which throws the 'skin extremely well.

   --Multi-faceted Florida is unlikely to be affected by any inclement weather, short of a blizzard. That won't happen in Tallahassee against Florida State.

  --With South Carolina, who knows? Steve Spurrier will X-and-O to the death to beat Clemson, but the Tigers have greater incentive assuming they want to remove the interim tag from coach Dabo Swinney.

    Which of the three SEC teams is most likely to stumble against their stately neighbors?

   Then there is the SEC-ACC brain bowl, Vanderbilt vs. Wake Forest. These are smart people, right? So they'll figure out how to cope with rainy conditions.

   One more thing: Can Florida climb higher than No. 2 with a butt-whipping of the Seminoles?

    

    

Rebel Swell: Ole Miss Cottons To Big Bowl

The Cotton Bowl is no longer a top-tier postseason game. Still, Ole Miss could not have aspired higher at the dawn of the season.
Now, having stomped on a fallen-and-can't-get-up LSU on Saturday, the Rebels likely will be pickin' Cotton if they handle Mississippi State. Their resume is enhanced by the upset over Florida.
Could you have imagined Ole Miss excelling so quickly under first-year coach Houston Nutt?
Missy State's win over Arkansas reduces the SEC's bowl contenders to nine. Auburn gets the axe if it bows to Alabama.
The Kentucky-Vanderbilt loser will dip to 6-6 but, with bowl berths as plentiful as BCS bashers, probably will squeeze in before the door closes. The Commodores, who took two steps back in a beatdown from Tennessee, would be less than appealing because they would have gone 2-6 after a 4-0 start.
Where do you see your favorite team headed for the holidays?

Vandy Is (Finally) Dandy

   Two-and-a-half cheers for Vanderbilt, which took five games for its sixth win. No big deal to most SEC schools, but a W over Kentucky makes the Commodores (6-4) eligible for its first bowl in 26 seasons.

   Now, 6-6 isn't a sure thing for bowling, but it's probable. Besides, the 'Dores have two shots at a seventh victory, against Tennessee and Wake Forest.

   Does anyone share the feel-goodness ofVandy?

   The Wildcats (6-5) also can pick on Tennessee for No. 7, which means the Volunteers could be stepping-stones for two historically SEC lightweights to extend their seasons.

   Can the Vols rise up and damper things for two of its rivals?  

   

Take a (Short) Breath This Weekend

   The SEC schedule is absent a blockbuster, can't-miss (unless you have a hot date) game. But one is alluring and three others significant.

   --South Carolina's Steve Spurrier returns to the Swamp with a decent bunch whose sole loss in the last six games was to LSU. He will combat Florida's raucous crowds by alternating quarterbacks, allowing the ol' ball coach to convey the play on the sidelines.

   Some staggering statistics speak to Florida's dominance in its past five outings. Here's one you may not have heard: In the first quarters, it's the Gators 80, opponents zero.

   On the subject of stats, the Gamecocks boast the league's primo defense. For Florida, that will be a red cape being waved in front of a bull.

   Do the 'Cocks have a chance?

   --Surprise: Alabama has been whupped two straight by Miss'ippi State. In their past three encounters, the Crimson Tide is without an offensive touchdown. Bama has locked up the SEC West title, but a defeat would shatter its national title aspirations.

   Is there any way Bama can lose?

   --Georgia can push Auburn to the brink of getting shut out from the bowls. The Tigers would dip to 5-6, with Bama left on the schedule. Now that Phil Fulmer is toast Tommy Tuberville is the only SEC coach whose job hands in jeopardy. 

   Should Tuberville be replaced if the Tigers go 5-7, or even 6-6?

   --The prize to the Kentucky-Vanderbilt winner is bowl eligibility, though the loser will get another chance. Each plays Tennessee later.

   Meantime, the Volunteers are idle -- officially. It only seems that they have been the past several weeks.

   Excited about a no-loss Saturday, Vol fans?

   --    

Dawgs-Cats: A Tasty Appetizer

   Rarely has SEC fandom soaked in two thrillas like Saturday's. The prelude to Alabama-LSU almost upstaged the main event, Georgia outgasping Kentucky 42-38. Some subplots:

   --Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia's superb receiver, might have needed to be called off a ledge after two fumbles in the fourth quarter. But Matthew Stafford went right back at him for a 78-yarder that turned momentum the Dawgs' way. Nice to see Massaquoi redeem himself and Stafford to keep the faith.

  --Randall Cobb came to Kentucky with the promise that he'd compete for a quarterback role, a vow he could not extract from other schools. Primarily a receiver, he drew his second start behind center and played brilliantly until his last play . . . 

  --Defensive end DeMarcus Dobbs seemed to drop from the sky to intercept Cobb's screen pass and end the drama. Here's the amazing part: Dobbs was wearing casts on both arms.

   Six lead changes. A fourth-and-two incompletion by Cobb near the end that was negated by a Georgia face-mask penalty, just before the Dobbs' pick. Stafford throwing the game-winner to a receiver, A.J. Green, who was surrounded by four defenders.

   A classic, surely not forgotten even after Bama-LSU.

   Did you watch the fantastic finish, or switch over the the Tide-Tigers game?

   

    

Rating Non-League Schedules: And The Toughest Goes To ...

   With blather about BCS rankings soon to reach a crescendo, much of the debate deals with teams' schedules outside of their league. The degree of difficulty can be a make-or-break for school vying for big bowls.

   Though the season is far from over, many SEC schools have concluded their non-league agenda. So, let's rate each member's outside-the-family games, from easiest to hardest.

   12.) Kentucky: Louisville (good), Middle Tennessee (OK), Western Kentucky (just out of Division 1, formerly known as 1-AA), AA), Norfolk State (Division I). Too many creampuffs.

   11.) LSU: Troy (decent), Tulane (not), North Texas (maybe the weakest on the top level), Appalachian State (Div. 1, but a good one). Not a single stiff test in the bunch.

  10.) Alabama: Clemson (overrated at start of season), Tulane and Western Kentucky (see above), Arkansas State (weak). Sure miss the Bama-Southern Cal classics.

   9.) Ole Miss: Wake Forest (underachiever), Memphis (OK), Louisiana-Monroe (weak), Samford (Div. 1). The Deacons turned out not to be Demons.

   8.) Mississippi State: Georgia Tech (very good), Middle Tennessee (see above), Lousiana Tech (weak), Southeast Louisiana (Div. 1). Big drop-off after the Yellow Jackets.

   7.) Tennessee: UCLA (relative softie in BCS), Northern Illinois (OK), UAB and Wyoming (both pushovers). If not for these, Phil Fulmer might be gone already.

   6.) South Carolina: Clemson (disappointing), North Carolina State (ACC punching bag), UAB (weak), Wofford (Div. 1). Credit to Gamecocks for its par of ACC foes.

   5.) Auburn: West Virginia (very good), Southern Miss (weak), Louisiana-Monroe (weak), Tennessee-Martin (Div. 1). Big drop-off after the Mountaineers.

  4.) Georgia: Georgia Tech (very good), Arizona State (disappointing), Central Michigan (decent), Georgia Southern (Div. 1). When season kicked off, Bulldogs might have been No. 1.

   3.) Vanderbilt: Duke (ascending), Wake Forest (see above), Miami Ohio (weak), Rice (weaker). Credit to Commodores for two ACC schools, though one (Duke) unexpectedly tough.

   2.) Florida: Florida State and Miami (getting better), Hawaii (rebuilding), The Citadel (Div. 1). Two in-state rivalries always puts the Gators near the front.

   1.) Arkansas: Texas (doesn't get harder than this), unbeaten Tulsa (surprise!), Louisiana-Monroe (see above), Western Illinois (Div. 1). Splitting your non-league games is not good.

   Thoughts on the list? Have we overrated anyone? Underrated?

   Overall, it seems as if the SEC has gone soft. Hard to blame schools, given that the league schedule is such a gauntlet. Still, challenging non-conference matchups are few and far between.

   Agree? Or should SEC teams go the easy route?

 

   

Wil-BRRR: Danger Wearing Striped Shirt

   In his day, Kentucky linebacker Wilbur Hackett was a ferocious tackler. Hackett garnered such respect from his coaches and teammates that he was named captain, the first black player so honored in the SEC.

   Twenty-eight years after his last college game, Hackett showed he can still level a quarterback. He was officiating the South Carolina-LSU game Saturday when the Gamecocks'  Stephen Garcia began scrambling toward the goal line. Hackett, the umpire moved into Garcia's path and drove his right shoulder and forearm into the unsuspecting quarterback. An LSU player easily finished off the tackle.

   The SEC office judged that Hackett merely was protecting himself. Maybe so, but as one of the million-plus viewers of the 12-second clip on YouTube, I would swear this was no accident.

   I'm sure Hackett panicked momentarily and let instincts take over. No striped shirt in his right mind would interfere with the play.

   But you couldn't tell from the video, which makes Hackett appear as the aggressor.

   The Wildcats could sure his him Saturday against Florida. 

   Take a look. What do you think?

It's A Locke: Kentucky's Done

   While Alabama nation is beside itself over the knee injury to SUV-sized nose guard Terrence "Mount" Cody, he is projected to miss only two games. (The first is against Tennessee, which deserves a break.)

   The real painful SEC down-and-outer is Kentucky tailback Derrick Locke, gone for the season with a knee injury. One week after the Wildcats bade a teary goodbye to top receiver Dicky Lyons Jr., they must replace their foremost ball-carrier. Kentucky has no shot at Florida on Saturday.

   Will the Wildcats win another game? 

An Upset Special (Maybe)

   I don't look for an upsetting Saturday in the SEC. But no weekend ever fully plays to form, so let's look for a potential you-gotta-be-kidding-me outcome.

   In four of the five games, the home team is favored by at least a touchdown.

   Ole Miss over Alabama (favored by 12)? Nah. The Crimson Tide healed from a bye week, and the Rebels won't catch anyone by surprise again after ambushing Florida.

   Vanderbilt over Georgia (favored by 10 1/2)? The Commodores might feel insulted at being Georgia's homecoming foe for the 21st time, but that alone won't wake up a dormant offense. 

    Mississippi State over Tennessee (favored by 7 1/2)? Could be. But I sense the Volunteers rallying 'round the round-ish Philip Fulmer and winning one that they should.

   Arkansas over Kentucky (favored by 12 1/2)? Now we're talking. The young Razorbacks grew up at Auburn, and you know how kids can be affected by growth spurts. The Wildcats often fade this time of year when injuries compromise their depth, and they've suffered some biggies of late.

   Which game do you feel an upset coming?

   As for LSU-South Carolina, the visiting Tigers are 2 1/2-point favorites. I see them rebounding from the shameful game at Florida. The Gamecocks, who have won four straight but not in wow fashion.

   How do you call this one?  

Kwazy Kwarterbacks Situation

   When Vanderbilt sends out MacKenzi Adams against Georgia, half of the SEC teams will have changed quarterbacks already this season by coach's decision. Chris Nickson is ailing, but this switch was driven more by performance.

   At South Carolina, Stephen Garcia is Steve Spurrier's QB for a day -- two weeks after the demoted Chris Smelley was named league Offensive Player of the Week.

   At Auburn, not only did Kodi Burns bump aside Chris Todd on the first unit, but the redshirt has been removed from true freshman Barrett Trotter, who was projected to sit until next season.

   It would be fitting if Kentucky's Randall Cobb, who has split time between quarterback and wide receiver because of shakiness behind center with the Wildcats, could figure out how to throw a pass to himself.

   What gives with SEC QBs this season?

   Which do you prefer at Vandy, South Carolina, Auburn and Kentucky?

    

Teams Left Knee-Dy By Injuries

   We don't usually spend much space talking about injuries because they curse all teams, but two busted knees on Saturday could have a devastating impact.

   Georgia offensive tackle Vince Vance went down on his 21st birthday (which probably spoiled his first night with a legal drink). He was the third Bulldogs left tackle to be so inflicted, and they could go against Vanderbilt with three freshman starters up front. That is no recipe for a national title push.

   How do you see this affecting Georgia and the protection for Matthew Stafford?

   And the heart of Kentucky, spunky wide receiver Dicky Lyons Jr., is done, probably forever. It wasn't so much that he carried the limited passing attack, but his fearlessness and spirit cannot be replaced. I see bad things for Kentucky the rest of the way.

   Can Lyons be adequately replaced in the lineup and the locker room?

Another Awesome Saturday In The SEC

While wondering if the league's spotty quarterback play will doom its hopes of sending a rep to the BCS Championship Game, here are my thoughts on this weekend's games, listed in chronological order.
--South Carolina at Kentucky. Doubt that the Gamecocks' 31-point explosion at Ole Miss means their offensive headaches are cured. Chris Smelley remains at QB against a stout Kentucky defense that could force Steve Spurrier to go to his bullpen yet again.
--Vanderbilt at Mississippi State: Sure, the 'Dores are unbeaten, but they've built their record on a shaky foundation. They rank last offensively in the league, 10th on defense. Fortunately, they confront a team with a walk-on QB, Tyson Lee, in his second start. Look for another narrow Vandy triumph.
--Tennessee at Georgia: The buzz in Athens all week was the Bulldogs' being the nation's most penalized team. Oh, the horror! The Vols should be so lucky. Their offense is dead in the water. Two players were suspended. They are grateful to get outa town, where the natives are restless, but would prefer another destination than Athens.
--Arkansas at Auburn: An off-the-radar game has drawn the spotlight with Auburn's firing of offensive coordinaor Tony Franklin. Not to be overlooked are the Tigers forcing to employ two freshmen in the secondary. If the Razorbacks are ever gonna win, this is the time.
--LSU at Florida: It's no fun playing Florida under the lights in the Swamp. But the Tigers' formidable defense gets the nod against Urban Meyer's spread offense, which has lost the element of surprise. Florida's title hopes could go up in smoke.

What We Learned, No. 2: 'Bama Needs The Bye

   Alabama remains No. 2 in the AP ranking, 23 slots higher than it started this season. Sorry, Crimson Tide nation, but Texas should have leapfrogged you.

   The Tide looked shaky against Kentucky, unable to put away a visitor with a butter-fingered quarterback in his first road game. They stagger into an off week, a welcome respite for a young team with little depth.

   I'm gonna retract a bit of my recent huzzahs for John Parker Wilson, who seemed less in control than in previous games.

   Where would you rank the Tide?

   Speaking of the polls, LSU's bye week cost it a spot as the Tigers dipped to No. 4. With Vandy climbing six positions, your SEC can claim five of the top 13 -- and, counting Auburn, six of the top 20. 

   How would you compare the SEC with the other power league, the Big 12?

Kentucky: Wildcats or Mildcats?

   Kentucky opened with a win against a rebuilding rival barely an hour from campus, then whomped three easy opponents at home. Nobody, probably not even the Wildcats themselves, know how good they are.

   It's discovery time Saturday in Tuscaloosa against Alabama, arguably the nation's most impressive team to date. It's the first out-of-state game for Kentucky. The first on the road for quarterback Mike Hartline. The first test for the nation's stingiest defense in points allowed.

   The key for Kentucky: Be ready to play pronto. The Crimson Tide has allowed nary a first-quarter point, scoring 74. 

SEC QBs: After The Big Two, Then Who?

   For as high and mighty a league as the SEC, its quarterbacks, top to bottom, comprise an unimpressive lot.

   Yeah, you've got Tim Tebow (Florida) and Matthew Stafford (Georgia), a pair of sure-fire pros. But after them . . . 

   WHO DO YA LOVE?: Kentucky and South Carolina have yet to throw their support behind one man. The Wildcats are doubling up with Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb; the Gamecocks have a threesome in Chris Smelley, Tommy Beecher and Stephen Garcia. Auburn chose Chris Todd over just last week, but Todd cannot feel too secure after the Tigers scored but three points.

   AND YOU ARE . . . ?: Andrew Hatch (LSU), Jevan Snead (Ole Miss) and Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee) are first-time starters still feeling their way around. None has yet to show any Tebow-ish or Stafford-ish skills.

   WINNER BY DEFAULT?: Chris Nickson (Vanderbilt) was demoted last season before resurfacing this year. Wesley Carroll (Mississippi State) started all but four games in '07 and leads a tepid MSU offense.

   BEST OF THE REST?: Casey Dick (Arkansas) has rung up decent numbers against two softies but is about to run smack-dab into a four-game stretch of frightening defenses. John Parker Wilson (Alabama) has shows a steady hand at Alabama, but that hand usually gives the ball to running backs.

   Tebow and Stafford and 10 (or more) take-'em-or-leave-'ems. That's how I see it.

   Who would you take, the Gator or the Bulldog. Beyond those two, who'd be your next pick?

   

     

Weird, Wild Stuff -- Out-of-League Version

So, bored by the perfectionist Southern Cal, the best semi-amateur team on the planet, I switch to SportsCenter and video of Kentucky lining up for a gimme field goal with a 20-14 lead and 20 seconds to kill. Next thing I notice, Middle Tennessee State is three feet from paydirt when the clock runs dry.
The Kentucky field goal was blocked and should have been returned for six had the wimpy retriever not sidled out of bounds. Then a Hail Jesus-Mary-and-Joseph pass covered 61 yards when 62 were needed.
Coach Rich Brooks took blame for sending out a kicker who had missed three attempts already, but I don't fault him. An easy field goal puts the game on ice.
Any bitching about Brooks' call?
Afterward, offensive coordinator Joker Phillips produced the SEC quote of the day in bitching about his guys: "You see guys in pre-game singing Kanye West songs. How can they freaking understand every word that he sings and they can't understand the freaking signals?"
Maybe Joker should get Kanye to recite the playbook on a team-issued CD.

Why The SEC is the Baddest-Ass League, Part 47

Thanks (or no thanks) to Kentucky, your finger-lickin' good SEC teams are 21-2 in non-league play. The spoilers: Wake Forest on an ultra-late field goal to shatter Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech on a small-school football clinic at Mississippi State.
Other than the Mildcats in Lexington, the SEC fraternity had it easy, though Vanderbilt was level with Rice at halftime before smelling the roses 38-21. LSU drilled North Texas State 41-3, Ole Miss sleep-walked over Samford 34-10 and Alabama gutted Western Kentucky 41-7.
A harsh spotlight was on Tennessee, tripped up in its previous game by UCLA. The Vols cut back on their "crapload of plays" from L.A., says wide recever Gerald Jones, and beat the crap out of UAB 35-3. UT would love a mulligan against the Bruins, which lost to BYU by something llike 123-0 Saturday. Or so it seemed.
Amid the non-league pushers, one figures to push back next week. Arizona State lures Georgia into the desert.
Concerned about the Sun Devils, Dawg fans?

Taking No Quarter(back)

   For being such a dominant league, the SEC launched its season with surprisingly many unsettled quarterback roles. This week, one case was solved (for now) while at least two others remain in a time-share situation.

   At Auburn, coach Tommy Tuberville gave the nod to Chris Todd after saying Kodi Burns looked lackadaisical. Todd put up a pair of good/bad zeroes against Southern Miss -- no TD passes, no picks. The coach's apparent thinking: Better safe than sorry.

   Is Todd the right guy for Auburn?

   At South Carolina, Steve Spurrier plans to employ Tommy Beecher and Chris Smelley, which suggests he is uneasy with both. If I were one of them, I might prefer to have Saturday off, seeing as how vaunted receiver Kenny McKinley is idled by injury.

   Is it about time for the ol' ball coach to choose one?

  Same at Kentucky, where Rich Brooks is playing eeny, meeny, miney, mo between Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb. They will trade off Saturday. Unlike the Gamecocks, who face mighty Georgia, the Wildcats have a few weeks to sort things out, what with Middle Tennessee State and Western Kentucky on the sked.

   Who should it be at Kentucky?