Team Speed Kills - SEC Football Saturday: LSU Edges South Carolina; Alabama Wallops Missouri; Ole Miss Upsets AuburnSports are just better in the SEChttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52580/tsk_fav.png2012-10-14T01:05:43-04:00http://www.teamspeedkills.com/rss/stream/32609892012-10-14T01:05:43-04:002012-10-14T01:05:43-04:00Mississippi State Tops Tennessee, 41-31
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<p>Mississippi State finally played someone resembling a real opponent this weekend. But the degree of difficulty is still on the rise</p> <p>Until now, the knock on Mississippi State had been that the Western Division Bulldogs hadn't really played anyone. Their only two SEC opponents were Auburn and Kentucky, and the rest of the 5-0 start had consisted of a motley assortment of Jackson State, Troy and South Alabama -- with some of the wins against those teams being less than spectacular.</p>
<p>Well, Mississippi State has played someone now. No one's going to mistake Tennessee for Alabama, but it's hard to argue that the Vols are anything like Auburn, and for now the Bulldogs are no worse for the wear. They piled up 450 yards of offense, survived a late rally by the Volunteers, and are now bowl-eligible but looking for more after starting the year 6-0.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78973/tyler-russell">Tyler Russell</a> led the way, going 23-of-37 for 291 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78975/ladarius-perkins">LaDarius Perkins</a> gained 101 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Throw in a pair of Tennessee turnovers and a 2-of-2 night on fourth down, and it's easy to see how State won the game. As for the defense -- <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116203/tyler-bray">Tyler Bray</a> was largely contained, but the 6.3 yard per carry average is something the Bulldogs will have to work on if they want to make a run at the West.</p>
<p>We'll know how strong a run they can make soon enough. After State's game against Middle Tennessee next week, they face a five-game gauntlet that will define the season: at Alabama, Texas A&M, at LSU, Arkansas, at Ole Miss. After that stretch, it will be hard to claim with any credibility that Mississippi State hasn't played anyone; it will also be a moot point.</p>
<p>As for Tennessee, the game wasn't a complete disaster, but fact is that the Vols remain 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC, with no signs immediate relief on the horizon. They host Alabama next week and then go to South Carolina before the schedule lets up a bit. There's a chance that Tennessee could put together a nice run after that; Troy, Missouri, at Vanderbilt and Kentucky are the November slate. But with two losses already in the books and a distinct chance at the losing streak moving to four, you have to wonder just how much the Vols will have left when they get to the part of the season where they can make some noise.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/14/3500524/mississippi-state-41-tennessee-31-final-score-statsBrandon Larrabee2012-10-13T23:54:35-04:002012-10-13T23:54:35-04:00LSU 23, South Carolina 21: Market Correction
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<p>LSU isn't quite as bad as they looked last weekend in Gainesville, and South Carolina isn't quite as good as they looked in Columbia</p> <p>If you want an object lesson in reading too much into any one weekend of college football, just look at how South Carolina and LSU played a week ago -- and how each of them played tonight. Because many of us took away too much from that those two games, and this week is a useful corrective that could also be overanalyzed.</p>
<p>After all, LSU was unable to establish a coherent offensive gameplan or rhythm against Florida last week, and the Florida defensive line was certainly not as great as the might South Carolina front four. And South Carolina had obliterated Georgia 35-7, showing that they were a team to be contended with no matter who they played.</p>
<p>But LSU had been on the road and South Carolina had been at home. And every team loses one every once in a while, and we're still not sure how good Georgia really is this year. And when you take all of those factors and mix them together, you sometimes get the kind of gloom that LSU fans had going into this game and the glee South Carolina fans had at the prospect of toppling one of the conference's titans and cementing their team's No. 3 ranking.</p>
<p>Instead, the South Carolina offense that had been ruthlessly efficient against Georgia looked uneven and, at times, lost in the Baton Rouge evening. They generated just 211 yards. And the much-ballyhooed rushing attack managed a meager 1.4 yards a carry, ending up with 34 yards on the night, which was far from enough for the win.</p>
<p>And that Gamecocks defensive line, the one that was seen as potentially the best in the country? It got mauled by a reshuffled offensive front for LSU, thrown off-balance by the Tigers' short passing game and a brutal, bruising running game that churned out 258 yards. South Carolina had trouble getting to Zach Mettenberger much, in large part because LSU came with an offensive gameplan that was designed to never give the Gamecocks the chance.</p>
<p>Put bluntly, the Tigers needed this one. If LSU had lost this game after losing to Florida, their SEC West hopes would have been dashed, and any outside shot at a national championship would have evaporated. The Tigers have a daunting schedule over the next month that gives them very little room for error; a loss to South Carolina would have taken away even that. LSU now has a puncher's chance, if only that.</p>
<p>And of course, losing to LSU by two points in Baton Rouge is nothing to be ashamed of. If South Carolina had to lose one of the next two games, it was far better to lose the one that would provide little more than style points in the division standings, then try to win next week's tilt in Gainesville that will likely serve as the de facto SEC East Championship Game.</p>
<p>But this game was critical to proving that South Carolina was really the dominant team we thought we saw a week ago in Columbia, and not simply the Top 10 team with a solid chance at winning the SEC East that we thought we saw in the preseason. For now, it seems like the latter is the more accurate reading. And it will take more than one more strong night to prove that there's still a chance the Gamecocks could be the former.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3500348/lsu-23-south-carolina-21-final-score-statsBrandon Larrabee2012-10-13T21:47:59-04:002012-10-13T21:47:59-04:00Florida Survives and Advances 31-17 Over Vandy
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<p>It wasn't pretty by any stretch, but the Gators eventually took care of business in Nashville.</p> <p>Everyone saw that this was a potential trap game for the Gators, and they certainly played like it could have been. Vanderbilt pushed Florida hard, but a late touchdown sealed the deal as No. 4 UF remained unbeaten.</p>
<p>The player of the night was <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/131897/jeff-driskel" class="sbn-auto-link">Jeff Driskel</a>, but not because of his throwing. He was just 11/20 through the air for 77 yards with no touchdowns or picks. Instead, he torched the Commodore defense on the ground. Take out the one sack he had and he rushed 10 times for 181 yards. He scored all three of the Gators' touchdowns on runs of 37, 13, and 70 yards, the last one finally putting Vandy away with 2:20 to go in the game. Vandy's defense locked up <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78461/mike-gillislee" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Gillislee</a>, allowing him just 67 yards on 17 carries, and none of the visitors caught more than two passes.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt drew first blood on a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116241/jordan-rodgers" class="sbn-auto-link">Jordan Rodgers</a> touchdown pass to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116267/jordan-matthews" class="sbn-auto-link">Jordan Matthews</a> in the back corner of the end zone, but Florida scored 11 unanswered to lead a the half. VU missed a golden chance by holding onto the ball for the first 8:43 of the second half, but Florida blocked the field goal attempt. On the ensuing drive, Florida faked a punt for a 53-yard gain by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/111922/solomon-patton" class="sbn-auto-link">Solomon Patton</a>. Driskel ran it into the end zone to swing momentum decisively and seemingly take control, and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36009/caleb-sturgis" class="sbn-auto-link">Caleb Sturgis</a> extended the lead to 21-7 early in the fourth.</p>
<p>The Commodores wouldn't go away, however. They answered with an 11 play, 75 yard touchdown drive to pull within a score. Another Sturgis field goal extended the lead, but Vandy again matched it on the next possession. It was then that Driskel iced it with his 70-yard run on the first play of the next possession. Vandy almost pulled within a score again, but a wobbly Rodgers pass hit the end zone turf on fourth down with under 30 seconds to go.</p>
<p>It was a stressful win in many respects for the Gators. They came in shorthanded on the lines, with starters OG <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10228/james-wilson" class="sbn-auto-link">James Wilson</a> and DE <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115261/dominique-easley" class="sbn-auto-link">Dominique Easley</a> not playing. They witnessed more go down, with LT <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78473/xavier-nixon" class="sbn-auto-link">Xavier Nixon</a> and C <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78472/jonotthan-harrison" class="sbn-auto-link">Jonotthan Harrison</a> leaving the game in the first half. DT <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/111919/leon-orr" class="sbn-auto-link">Leon Orr</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/PBPjasonlieser/status/257274335700590592">also got examined</a> for injury. The last thing a top 10 team wants on the road against a lower tier team is injuries, but the Gators found plenty tonight.</p>
<p>For the Commodores, there are things to build on. They fought hard all night and gave up. Their 363 total yards are the most Florida has given up on the season, and they also scored the first 10 points that UF has allowed in the fourth quarter all year. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/79061/zac-stacy" class="sbn-auto-link">Zac Stacy</a>, with 87 yards on the ground, also joined Tennessee's Rajion Neal as the only players to rush for more than 60 yards on the Gators. The Florida coaches felt the need to pull out all the stops, including a surprise two point conversion and fake punt, and it turns out they did need them to win in this fashion. Still though, it doesn't feel much like a moral victory.</p>
<p>The Gators picked up another win on the road in the SEC. It was a survive and advance kind of Saturday, and they did just that. The injuries and stretches of ineffective and inattentive play leave plenty of room for doubt as the year goes on, though.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3499904/florida-31-vanderbilt-17-survive-and-advanceDavid Wunderlich2012-10-13T19:31:39-04:002012-10-13T19:31:39-04:00Alabama wins 42-10; worrisome injuries
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<p>The Tide ran away with the game on the field, but there were some injury issues to worry about as well</p> <p>In the end, the scares for Alabama and even Missouri didn't come on the scoreboard. The Tigers never really got back in the game after an early 28-0 lead for the Tide, but two players went down and one of them might be out for a while.</p>
<p>The first was Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, who was helped off the field against in the third quarter after being sacked by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134326/sheldon-richardson">Sheldon Richardson</a>. The knee injury that he apparently suffered -- later called <a href="http://twitter.com/jonsol/status/257246241778450432">a bruised knee</a> -- didn't appear to be too serious, and McCarron finished the game.</p>
<p>What's less certain is the condition of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115158/eric-waters">Eric Waters</a>, whose head snapped into the ground as he landed on his back on the final substantive play of the game. Waters was taken off on a stretcher, and CBS said they had no word on what the injury was at this point. Thoughts and prayers to Waters and his family. Early returns are <a href="http://twitter.com/ashleycolley/statuses/257260289593069568">tentatively positive</a>.</p>
<p>In any case, it was another long week on the field for Missouri. Alabama cranked out 522 yards of total offense to 152 for Missouri. The Tigers are now winless in the SEC for the first half of their inaugural season in the conference. One hopes that is the only lasting damage to Missouri and all of its players.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3499202/alabama-vs-missouri-final-score-injuriesBrandon Larrabee2012-10-13T17:00:15-04:002012-10-13T17:00:15-04:00Alabama's Victory Delayed by Rain
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<p>The game is likely to resume at some point, but it's already over</p> <p>It was already getting difficult to find a reason to keep watching Alabama's game at Missouri when the rain delay kicked in. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/158209/t-j-yeldon">T.J. Yeldon</a> had just completed a 4.5-yard leap to score a touchdown and give the Tide a 27-0 lead. Whenever the game resumes, if it does, the game is essentially over.</p>
<p>With 8:40 left in the second quarter, Alabama has already generated 303 yards of total offense. Yeldon's 78 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries is actually second on the Tide to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78268/eddie-lacy">Eddie Lacy</a>, who has 113 yards and two scores on seven rushes. AJ McCarron is 7-of-8 for 105 yards passing. Alabama has 11 first downs so far to Missouri's two.</p>
<p>Speaking of the Tigers offense, it has just 40 yards on the game so far. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134321/corbin-berkstresser">Corbin Berkstresser</a> is 3-of-10 for 20 yards and an interception. Missouri has two plays longer than seven yards.</p>
<p>So the formality of a victory is all that's left for Alabama. For all intents and purposes, they're going to hit the halfway point of the season having given us no reason to doubt that they are who we thought they were.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3498870/alabama-missouri-rain-delay-scoreBrandon Larrabee2012-10-13T16:14:22-04:002012-10-13T16:14:22-04:00Ole Miss Clobbers Auburn, 41-20
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<figcaption>Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
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<p>The Rebels put down an early Auburn rally to send the Tigers' season to new lows</p> <p>There were a few brief moments in the second quarter when it felt like Auburn really had a chance to win this game. At one point, the Tigers led the Rebels 17-14 after reeling off three unanswered scores. And then Ole Miss put a field goal on the board before halftime, tacked on a touchdown in a little bit more than a minute to start the third quarter. Game over.</p>
<p>To be sure, Auburn made one last valiant effort, a ten-play field goal drive later in the quarter to draw to a 24-20 deficit. So Ole Miss tacked on 17 points in an increasingly ugly fourth quarter to give Hugh Freeze his first SEC win going away.</p>
<p>And the stat sheet was literally as lopsided as the scoreboard. Ole Miss churned out 451 yards of total offense to 212 for Auburn. The Tigers got just 2.4 yards per rushing attempt. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78527/clint-moseley">Clint Moseley</a> went from going 9-of-9 passing to open the game to going 2-of-9 to close it. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/131875/tre-mason">Tre Mason</a> had a solid day running and returning kicks, but that was about it.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/112835/bo-wallace">Bo Wallace</a>, meanwhile, seemed to look like he's learning to be a quarterback in the SEC. He went 17-of-22 for 226 yards and a touchdown, and also had a touchdown reception on a trick play early in the game. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116044/jeff-scott">Jeff Scott</a> had 207 all-purpose yards on 24 touches, including a 55-yard touchdown reception in which he landed on top of the defender, got up and ran the ball into the end zone.</p>
<p>Has Auburn hit rock bottom? Maybe. But the easiest conference game on the schedule from here on out is at Vanderbilt. So while Hugh Freeze is enjoying his first win in the SEC, Gene Chizik has to be hoping he hasn't already seen his last.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3498616/ole-miss-41-auburn-20-final-score-statsBrandon Larrabee2012-10-13T12:20:03-04:002012-10-13T12:20:03-04:00SEC Football Saturday Open Thread
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<p>Hold forth on all the games in the SEC this Saturday</p> <p>Here's your official Gameday comment thread if you want to discuss the games. They are:</p>
<p>Auburn at Ole Miss, 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network<br>Alabama at Missouri, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS<br>Florida at Vanderbilt, 6 p.m. ET, ESPNU<br>Kentucky at Arkansas, 7 p.m. ET, FSN<br>South Carolina at LSU, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN<br>Tennessee at Mississippi State, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2<br>Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU</p>
<p>We'll be around from time to time.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3497032/sec-football-saturday-open-thread-10-13-12Brandon Larrabee2012-10-13T12:00:46-04:002012-10-13T12:00:46-04:00Texas A&M vs. Lousiana Tech: Finally
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<p>The delay in the Aggies' would-be season opener gives us time to appreciate how good a game this really is. But will it change the projected outcome?</p> <p><i><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisiana-tech-bulldogs">Louisiana Tech Bulldogs</a>, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU</i></p>
<p>In a way, we're lucky that this game got rescheduled. You certainly wish it could be under different circumstances -- Hurricane Isaac was bearing down on the immediate environs when the game was delayed -- but it gives us some valuable perspective heading into this game.</p>
<p>The most obvious piece of new information is that Louisiana Tech is a very good football team. After a close brush with Houston, the Bulldogs have pretty easily dispatched most of their midmajor brethren. And while the win at Virginia was a little bit closer than you might like, the win at Illinois was as easy as it should have been. If the Aggies hoped to get an easy victory by scheduling this game, they thought wrong.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Texas A&M is no slouch. The Aggies have adjusted well to their new home in the SEC, winning four of their first five games this season and watching <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134696/johnny-manziel">Johnny Manziel</a> emerge as one of the league's surprise stars. TAMU's offense is the most prolific in the SEC, and its defense is doing just well enough to set them up with winnable games. The delay makes the margin more understandable; A&M still get its win.</p>
<p><i>Texas A&M 43, Louisiana Tech 40</i></p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2012/10/13/3497018/texas-a-m-vs-lousiana-tech-preview-tv-timeBrandon Larrabee