Topics for Discussion // 10.10.09
by cocknfire on Oct 11, 2009 12:00 AM EDT
in SEC Football
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PrintMore impressive: Alabama 22, Ole Miss 3 or Florida 13, LSU 3? Neither game was ever really in doubt, and keep in mind that Tim Tebow was coming off a concussion and Greg McElroy was not. Both teams had a pretty easy time moving between the 20s before running out of steam in the red zone. Florida probably had the more difficult foe and the more hyped game, but Alabama also faced what was supposed to be at least a decent team on the road.
Does any one-loss team have a chance at the SEC title? Which one? Your only choices are Auburn, LSU and South Carolina. Unless you think one of the two-loss teams has a chance, in which case I would ask that you explain yourself.
What the heck just happened to Georgia? I didn't get to watch much of this game, but the box score tells a grisly tale. The Dawgs were outgained almost two-to-one by the Vols (472-241), literally no offensive skill player had a good day and the defense -- well, Jonathan Crompton can win the Heism@n with a few more days like that (see below). The turnovers were still there -- three of them -- but don't tell me that this would have been any different with them.
Do we have to take Tennessee seriously now? What about Crompton? Not to make too much out of too little, but over his last six quarters, Crompton's passer rating is 282.92. That's 36-of-54, 507 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT. Sure, both Georgia and Auburn's defenses are suspect, to put in kindly, but they're still SEC defenses. Tennessee can now credibly look to play in a bowl game. All they have to do is win three among at Alabama (no), vs. South Carolina (maybe), vs. Memphis (should), at Ole Miss (maybe), vs. Vanderbilt (should), at Kentucky (likely). Win the ones they're favored in, and that's six. Split the toss-ups and it's seven.
Do you feel any better about Arkansas now? The Hogs defeated one of the only unbeatens remaining in the SEC in Auburn and did so in pretty convincing fashion. But their schedule is still a meat grinder: at Florida, at Ole Miss, vs. Eastern Michigan, vs. South Carolina, vs. Troy, vs. Mississippi State and at LSU. I see one sure win, two likely, two toss-ups, a likely loss and an almost sure loss. They need three to go bowling, which is about all that Arkansas has left at this point.
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- Let’s call it a draw; pretty similar games, really. And at this point there’s really no question that these teams are the class of the conference – distinguishing between them will have to wait until Atlanta, should both reach it.
- USC, maybe. Aubie’s iffier – Arkansas made them look fairly silly today, and you have to wonder how much of their great opening run was illusion. LSU, with Florida and Bama both on the docket, has the roughest road; also, the least convincing offence of the three. If Jefferson doesn’t learn how to get rid of the damn ball, the Tigers are going to have a lot of close – and frequently disappointing – games.
- I don’t know, I really don’t. I guess the bobbles in the second half of last season were more than just a blip, though. Probably the safest thing to say is that it doesn’t matter how good your athletes are if your coaching is subpar.
- Again, drawing any conclusion about the gooey middle of the SEC is pretty futile. But if Crompton is actually competent once in a while, Tennessee’s fairly dangerous – the Vols have a pretty decent team otherwise, especially defensively.
- High variance for Arky, that’s for sure. I’ll stick with my post-Georgia impression – they can beat (or at least scare) anyone, but they can lose against anyone too. Let’s not forget that UGA – last seen being undressed by the Vols – outslugged the Hogs, and Bama thrashed them pretty thoroughly.
Now, my turn for a question – how has Urban Meyer managed to coach four and a half years in Gainesville without picking up even the faintest hint of a Southern accent? It’s uncanny.
I've never seen Meyer as the kind of guy who gets out on the town that much
I picture him locked in the film room until he goes home at 2 a.m. Then he’s back in the office by 6 a.m. for more game planning and study.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Hmrph – I forgot that South Carolina also had to play both Florida and Bama. So maybe Auburn after all… though I still think USC might be the best of the three, if only because Garcia hasn’t had a game yet in which he looked utterly hapless. (Of course, he hasn’t faced a really stiff defence yet either, so who knows. Welcome to the gooey middle, eh?)
-Snead throws 4 picks…? I feel bad for him. Hes losing Millions of dollars for every pick he throws. The LSU-UF game was fun but nobody is losing Millions over it.
-South Carolina, obviously if they pull an upset against UF, and finish the year with one loss then they are in. I think the chances are higher of them beating UF, then the chances are of them finishing the season with 1 loss.
-UGA has played this way all season, why are you suprised?
- Tennesee is a Power House school, they will never be terrible for a long amounts of time. Just 2 seasons ago they were in the SEC title game.
- I’ll determine how good Arkansas is next week. All I know is they have the QB from Michigan. lol
- Florida was slightly more impressive, especially on defense. Alabama’s offense stalled too many times in the Red Zone vs Ole Miss. I know the same could be said for Florida’s offense last night but Meyer’s plan was to rely on the D and not call an aggressive game plan.
-No, it is shaping up for a repeat of last year’s matchup, which Bama could win if the Gators don’t start calling better games offensively.
-UGA lost Moreno and Stafford and that was all they had last year, when those guys were shut down UGA couldn’t win (Ala and UF) their defense is bad this year and it wasn’t great last year.
-No need to take Tennessee seriously if you are in the East since they have already lost to UF, Bama might need to take them seriously, but you never know which offense is going to show up. The rest of the schedule shapes up for them to get six wins but other than that they are no threat this year.
-Arky is as crazy as UGA, yesterday their defense showed up and AU’s didn’t. Give Mallet time and he will pick you apart but he won’t have the luxury of time against UF on Saturday, or against USC and LSU.
wait
your saying that Florida was more impressive, on defense?
Terrence Cody drinks your milkshake!
by Wallacewade04 on Oct 11, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions
To say that Alabama's offense
“stalled too many times in the Red Zone” is a real disservice to the Rebel defense. Did they stall at times? Yeah, but no offense is going to score on every single drive. Were they stopped several times? You bet.
Red Cup Rebellion - Changing the Culture of Ole Miss Athletics
Take a picture, trick.
by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Oct 12, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Georgia is bad.
And very, very poorly coached.
Georgia fans can only hope that…
Willie Martinez : Jonathan Crompton 2009 ::
Ron Zook : Mississippi State 2004
-My vote is with Alabama. Both games were on the road, but Alabama made Ole Miss look average in a way that Florida simply did not do. Yes they may have only kicked field goals, but everyone knew that UM was done at the half. Meanwhile, LSU was only down by a touchdown, even if it came a backbreaking 1:00 before the half.
-I think Auburn still has the best chance. They have gained confidence by winning @Knoxville, which will help them when they go into Death Valley and they get Mississippi and Alabama at home. Playing @UGA won’t be easy, but UGA is just not that good a team this year.
-Georgia, like LSU, was simply finding ways to win. Both teams had won games they had no business winning and eventually that sort of thing will come back and bite you. Look for UGA to finish with 5 losses (vs. Florida, vs. Auburn).
-I think Kiffin and Chaney have finally figured out how to make Jonathon Crompton comfortable when throwing the ball. When he rolls out, even just a bit, he really seems to find his mark. Further, Gerald Jones seems to be healthy and on the same page with Crompton. Remembering the UCLA game, at least one, and I think two, of his four picks were the result of Jones running the wrong route. Finally, I’m a lot more bullish on their remaining schedule than you are. @Bama is probably going to be a loss, though I predict a single digit line with a week off to prepare, but who else on their schedule is going to be favored against them?
-Arkansas’ schedule is still pretty brutal, but because Ole Miss hasn’t proven anything yet and Arkansas has, 7 wins is more likely than six.
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