What We Learned, No. 5: QB Dilemmas Solved? Maybe

   Chris Smelley and and the Gamecocks lacerated Ole Miss for 405 yards and 31 points even though Rebels defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix was on South Carolina's staff last year. What should have been an inside edge became an outright clinic by USC and, perhaps finally, a halt to Steve Spurrier's season-long quarterback merry-go-round. Spurrier made the proper call in switching from Stephen Garcia to Smelley in midweek.

   Are you Gamecocks all on board with Smelley?

   Too early to tell at Tennessee, given that the Volunteers begged only 13 points off Northern Illinois in a narrow win. First-time starter Nick Stephens was steady in place of Jon Crompton, but he must crank it up against Georgia this week. 

   Do you think Stephens is the guy for the Vols?

   The Bulldogs enjoyed a week off, allowing running back Knowshon Moreno and others to heal. which makes it doubly tough for Tennessee, its season teetering on the brink.

   What's your take on the UT-GA tilt?

   

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. 

Stop The Presses: Vandy In Mega SEC Game

   No, the ESPN GameDay crew did not break down in Nashville on the way to one of its usual SEC destinations. It's the site of Auburn vs. Vanderbilt, the first SEC game there between top 25 foes since 1984.

   The Commodores, ranked 19th, have so impressed Tigers defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks that he said of their running backs' speed, "You don't see too many white guys like that."

   Vandy has been virtually all-run, so coach Bobby Johnson must diversify against Auburn's vaunted defense. Interesting to see if the locals pack the stadium and prevent the Tigers' traveling army of fans from invading.

     

From The Frying Pan Into . . .

    Poor Arkansas. In the midst of a treacherous four-game swing, they get a Florida team coming off a home loss to Ole Miss. Coach Urban Meyer practiced the Gators late into Sunday night.

   That might be sufficient preparation for the Razorbacks, outscored 101-24 in the past two weeks by Alabama and Texas. Coach Houston Nutt, who fled for Ole Miss, left Arkansas high and dry with a string of subpar recruiting classes. Bobby Petrino is making do with leftovers.

   The Gators' loss deters them from looking ahead to LSU next week. So this is lousy timing for the Razorbacks, who need a break.

Make Up Your Mind, Steve

   Steve Spurrier is notorious for changing quarterbacks from one week to the next. Now he's gone beyond that, apparently pulling a switcheroo in mid-week.

   After listing Stephen Garcia as the starter Saturday at Ole Miss, the South Carolina coach has reverted to Chris Smelley. Garcia, the people's choice, evidently did not dazzle in practices. Good thing the Gamecocks boast the nation's No. 1 defense.

   Oxford figures to be rockin', what with the Rebs back home after stunning Florida. Ole Miss, a few snaps away from being 5-0 instead of 3-2, is aiming for third place in the SEC West.

   

    

Big, Bad 12: Challenge To The SEC

   From the Great Midwest comes the claim that its Big 12 Conference is superior to the SEC and all others.

   The heartland makes a good case. It boasts four teams among the premier seven in the AP poll, including No. 1 Texas. Like the SEC, half of its dozen teams cracked the top 25. Average Big 12 ranking: ninth. Average SEC ranking: 10th.

   There's no dispute the Big Ten has some bad-ass offenses. Among the nation leaders in passer ratings, its quarterbacks hold down Nos. 2 through 5. Its teams are second, third and fifth in scoring, first in rushing and top two in passing.

   In the leagues' lone head-to-head meeting all regular season: Texas 52, Arkansas 10.

   SEC teams are showing less offensive flash than normal, with Florida, Auburn and South Carolina stuck in second or third gear. The league's reign as defensive dominatrix continues unabated, but when the Big 12 steps to the podium and debates its worth as No. 1 in the nation, it's difficult for the SEC or anyone else to counter convincingly.