Team Speed Kills - SEC Football, Week 14: Missouri Wins SEC East; SEC West Comes Down to the Final SaturdaySports are just better in the SEChttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52580/tsk_fav.png2014-11-30T00:28:15-05:00http://www.teamspeedkills.com/rss/stream/70626582014-11-30T00:28:15-05:002014-11-30T00:28:15-05:00Alabama Wins a Wondrously Wacky Iron Bowl
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<p>It was an offensive onslaught that featured more points and yards than any other game in the long-running rivalry. In a way, it was so much more</p> <p>There was one thing that became clear in the course of Saturday's wild and wonderful Iron Bowl, after the two teams combined for 99 points, 52 first downs and 1,171 yards of total offense -- the highest point and yardage total in the history of the series: Nick Saban still has not figured out how to stop Gus Mazlahn's offense. But that doesn't matter if he can figure out how to outscore it.</p>
<p>And that's exactly what the Tide did. It took five lead changes, it took <span>Blake Sims</span> recovering from throwing three interceptions, and it took almost every one of the 28 unanswered points Alabama scored in 15 minutes of total game time beginning with a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter. But one year after the Kick Six wiped away Alabama's hopes for winning the last BCS National Championship Game, a game that was almost as crazy kept alive the Tide's chances of winning the first College Football Playoff.</p>
<p>Sims started out rough, but threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the second half as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/">Crimson Tide</a> mounted a furious comeback. Sims ended the game 20-of-27 passing for 312 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Virtually all of his passes that went to an Alabama player went to <span>Amari Cooper</span>, who had 13 catches for an Iron Bowl record 224 yards and three touchdowns. Only one other Alabama receiver had more than one catch -- <span>DeAndrew White</span>, who had three. The Alabama running game ground out 229 yards on 33 carries; <span>T.J. Yeldon</span> led the way with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 17 rushes.</p>
<p>Auburn scored its points as well. <span>Nick Marshall</span> started out 2-of-7 passing for 41 yards -- with 42 yards coming on one of the passes -- as Alabama took an early 14-6 lead and looked like it might take over the game. From there on out, and even after struggling some later in the game, Marshall would go 25-of-36 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. <span>Cameron Artis-Payne</span>, who came into the game leading the SEC in rushing, was contained even if he wasn't completely stopped; his 77 yards on 25 carries was pedestrian but featured few truly bad runs. <span>Sammie Coates</span> had five catches for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and <span>D'haquille Williams</span> added seven grabs for 121 yards.</p>
<p>And, of course, there was the hype that came along with this game. Paul Finebaum had a sideline call-in show during which Charles from Reeltown threatened Marcus Spears -- who said he was willing to meet Charles at a place of the caller's choosing to settle the matter. That was after Phyllis from Mulga let her thoughts on the first-half performance be known:</p>
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<p>Go to SEC Network NOW. <a href="https://t.co/n90kkf3Ldr">https://t.co/n90kkf3Ldr</a></p>— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillBrinson/status/538886189357760512">November 30, 2014</a>
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<p>Even Boyz II Men weighed in on the game.</p>
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<p>Got a game here! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IronBowl?src=hash">#IronBowl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@espn</a></p>— Boyz II Men (@BoyzIIMen) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoyzIIMen/status/538896408833982465">November 30, 2014</a>
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<p>It was football as pure entertainment, a reminder why we watch college football -- whether our favorite teams win or lose or aren't even in a particular game. For a few hours on Saturday, we were riveted to the television, sharing emotions with 200 players and a hundred thousands fans in the stadium and the millions of people watching across the country -- from Charles in Reeltown to Boyz II Men.</p>
<p>In short, it <i>was</i> what we want football to be. And now that this kind of game won't keep him from his pursuit of the national championship, even Nick Saban might be able to admit that.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/30/7308485/alabama-crimson-tide-vs-auburn-tigers-final-score-statsBrandon Larrabee2014-11-29T21:17:10-05:002014-11-29T21:17:10-05:00Tennessee Goes Bowling, Vanderbilt Left With Hope
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<p>The Vols are headed to a bowl game while the 'Dores are left considering what changes are needed to improve</p> <p>There wasn't anything beautiful about the sloppy Tennessee win over Vanderbilt -- the two teams combined for 534 yards and five turnovers -- but it was still possible to see signs of progress. Maybe for both teams.</p>
<p>For Tennessee, of course, they have their first bowl bid in four years, and a chance for the program's first winning record since Lane Kiffin's sole season in Knoxville in 2009. Even against a Vanderbilt team that has appeared outmanned and outcoached in every conference game that it's played, and even in some of the nonconference games that it's won, style points weren't the priority here. Just winning was.</p>
<p>So Joshua Dobbs took a step back in the passing game (11-of-20 for 92 yards and two interceptions). So the Vols allowed a Vanderbilt team that has struggled to generate offensive touchdowns find the end zone twice after lengthy, sustained drives. So Tennessee was 3-of-13 on third down and got outgained by 10 yards. So what? A bowl game is a tangible sign of the progress that Butch Jones has appeared to be making and a point to sell to recruits: Things are getting better in Knoxville now.</p>
<p>For Vanderbilt, the signs of progress were sparing, but they include this: For the first time this year, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.anchorofgold.com/">Commodores</a> lost an SEC game by a single possession. For that matter, this marked the first time in 2014 that Vanderbilt wasn't defeated by double digits. And the 262 yards that Vanderbilt allowed Tennessee marks the lowest opponent's total yardage of the season -- despite Vanderbilt having played Old Dominion and Charleston Southern out of the FCS. That's something to build on.</p>
<p>Whether or not it's enough, particularly now that Tennessee is making up some of the ground it had lost to Vanderbilt in recent years, depends on how much Derek Mason is able to build off of that. Some of that might start with tearing down a few things -- <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSparks/status/538865148543664128">Mason hinted at as much</a> following the loss -- but this was the first glimmer of hope that things might be able to get better. It was a lot less equivocal than that for Tennessee; the Vols are clearly getting better. Hope is starting to become something a little more real.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7307897/tennessee-volunteers-vs-vanderbilt-commodores-final-scoreBrandon Larrabee2014-11-29T20:55:29-05:002014-11-29T20:55:29-05:00Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 17
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<p>Ole Miss broke its three-game SEC losing streak and severely damaged Mississippi State's case for a College Football Playoff spot</p> <p>Since 1999, home teams have won every Egg Bowl (with the exception of when the home teams are terribly overmatched). Tonight, Ole Miss kept up the home-team record to knock off No. 4 Mississippi State, 31-17.</p>
<p>With a spate of injuries suffered by Ole Miss over the second half of the season to <span>Denzel Nkemdiche</span>, <span>Laremy Tunsil</span>, Laquon Treadwell and, last week, <span>Bo Wallace</span>, among others, Ole Miss limped into the game coming off a meltdown loss at Arkansas, while Mississippi State came in flying high, with hopes of winning the SEC and earning a berth in the College Football Playoff.</p>
<p>Yet, Hugh Freeze and the Rebels had other ideas. The much-maligned Ole Miss rushing game gained yardage to the tune of 205 yards on 31 carries. A new wrinkle was put into the offense with a Wildcat running game with <span>Jaylen Walton</span> and <span>Jeremy Liggins</span>, and running back <span>Jordan Wilkins</span> threw a 31-yard pass for the game-capping touchdown.</p>
<p>The invigorated rushing game was able to keep enough pressure off the injured Wallace, and the Mississippi State pass defense yielded 327 passing yards on only 14 completions. Adding to the injury crisis for Ole Miss in the first half, senior wide receiver Vincent Sanders went down with an apparent knee injury and would not return. Tight end <span>Evan Engram</span> stepped up and caught five receptions for 176 yards.</p>
<p>Mississippi State moved the ball as well; <span>Dak Prescott</span> threw for 282 yards on 22-of-37 with a touchdown, with <span>Fred Ross</span> and <span>De'Runnya Wilson</span> both piling up more than 100 receiving yards. But the Mississippi State rushing game only accounted for 3.5 yards per carry. Prescott was limited to 48 rushing yards on 24 carries, while <span>Josh Robinson</span> had 44 yards on 12 carries. With the running game struggling, <span>Ashton Shumpert</span> stepped up for 68 yards on 10 carries, including a fourth-quarter run of 23 yards that gained a first down after appearing that it was going to be a loss.</p>
<p>Largely, however, Ole Miss' defense held Mississippi State in check. Mississippi State did not reach the red zone until the third quarter and, in five scoring opportunities, was held to 17 points (for 3.4 points per opportunity, over a point below the national average).</p>
<p>Ole Miss opened the scoring with four minutes remaining in the first quarter off a one-yard Wallace touchdown run. The Bulldogs would add a field goal before halftime to enter the intermission down 7-3.</p>
<p>After halftime, Prescott ran for a one-yard touchdown to give State their only lead of the evening, but Ole Miss would respond with a touchdown on their ensuing drive. After Ole Miss added a field goal, Jaylen Walton scored from 91 yards after appearing stuffed behind the line of scrimmage to allow the Rebels to take a 24-10 lead before the end of the third quarter, and Mississippi State would be unable to overcome the deficit.</p>
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<p>What. A. Run. This incredible Ole Miss scamper goes 91 yards to the house in the <a href="https://twitter.com/CokeZero">@CokeZero</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CountdowntoZero?src=hash">#CountdowntoZero</a> replay. <a href="http://t.co/xYH6xMS2Nm">http://t.co/xYH6xMS2Nm</a></p>
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/538837703773532160">November 29, 2014</a>
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<p>With the loss, Mississippi State will finish second in the SEC West, but has likely lost all hope for a playoff berth. The Rebels will finish 5-3 in the SEC and third or fourth in the West, pending the Iron Bowl result.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7307263/ole-miss-rebels-vs-mississippi-st-bulldogs-egg-bowl-scoreAlex Dusza2014-11-29T19:20:16-05:002014-11-29T19:20:16-05:00FSU 24, Florida 19: Gators Come Up Just Short
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<p>The Will Muschamp era comes to a close with a near miss at a win in Tallahassee.</p> <p>Florida State's death defying season continues on after barely closing out Florida 24-19.</p>
<p><span>Jameis Winston</span> continued his pattern of rough first halves by becoming the first quarterback in I-A to throw three interceptions in the first quarter of a game. The Gators only managed a pair of field goals off of the first two, and they got a third field goal to go up 9-0 early. On the first play after Winston's third INT, a <span>Treon Harris</span> pass went off of Tevin Westbrook's hands and into those of <span>Terrance Smith</span>, who returned it 94 yards for a touchdown. The Gators would cash in a fumble recovery for a touchdown, but otherwise the Seminoles owned the second quarter and led 21-16 at the half.</p>
<p>Florida chipped away at FSU throughout the second half, but they only managed a sole field goal during the third quarter. It pulled them within two, but Austin Hardin's field goal streak ended with misses from 52 and 42. <span>Roberto Aguayo</span> pushed the lead out to more than a field goal with 3:23 to go, leaving one final drive to settle the game. It should have ended after four plays, but a very questionable pass interference penalty kept the game going. Harris missed on three more long passes, and on 4th-and-10, he threw it behind <span>Demarcus Robinson</span>, who just couldn't haul in the pass. FSU ran out the clock from there to seal the deal.</p>
<p>Florida's defense had a great game, forcing Winston into four interceptions and limiting him to 12/24 for 125 yards (5.2 YPA). It simply couldn't deal with <span>Dalvin Cook</span>, who rushed for 144 yards on 24 carries, and <span>Nick O'Leary</span>, who caught four passes for 52 yards and both FSU offensive touchdowns. Harris had a rough game throwing, going 13/32 for 169 yards (5.3 YPA) with a touchdown and two picks. The Gators couldn't get their run game going at all against the stiff FSU front, so Harris ended up the leading rusher with 41 yards on 9 carries, many of them scrambles. <span>Brian Poole</span> caught two of Winston's four interceptions, while <span>Jabari Gorman</span> and <span>Quincy Wilson</span> each had one as well.</p>
<p>Florida State is another game closer to the College Football Playoff, though it feels like it's only a matter of time before the dam bursts and it can't come back from its early deficits. Muschamp couldn't get the fairy tale ending to his UF tenure that Ron Zook did a decade ago, but his team came far closer to winning this one than anyone had though. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will coach the bowl game for the Gators, who have little to do now but wait and wonder who the next head coach will be.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7307669/florida-state-24-florida-19-gators-come-up-just-shortDavid Wunderlich2014-11-29T17:01:19-05:002014-11-29T17:01:19-05:00Georgia Tech 30, Georgia 24: The Bulldogs Lose an Overtime Thriller
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<p>After Georgia Tech looked to have the game won in the second half, the Bulldogs fought back to take a late lead. The lead would be short-lived, and the Yellow Jackets would triumph in overtime.</p> <p>For the second straight season, Georgia and Georgia Tech went to overtime, and for the second year in a row, the visiting team ran out victorious, as Georgia Tech won 30-24 on Saturday afternoon in Athens.</p>
<p><span>The loss is the Bulldogs' first to Georgia Tech since 2008 and second of the Mark Richt Era. After Missouri clinched the SEC East championship on Friday, the loss will likely knock the Bulldogs out of a College Football Playoff-aligned bowl.</span></p>
<p>Georgia opened the game with a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by a one-yard <span>Nick Chubb</span> touchdown. Chubb would go over 100 yards in the first half, but fumbles by Chubb and <span>Sony Michel</span> inside the Yellow Jackets' 5-yard line limited Georgia to just seven points in the first half.</p>
<p>The Bulldog defense limited the Tech scoring in the first half, as well. <span>Ray Drew</span> blocked a field goal attempt after Tech ran up a 14-play, 77-yard drive after Chubb's fumble. Following Michel's fumble, Tech's ensuing drive again lasted 14 plays, but this time was ended with a <span>Darren Waller</span> touchdown catch from <span>Justin Thomas</span> to tie the game.</p>
<p>Tech would have their own fumble problems in the second half. Thomas fumbled at the 1-yard line, and <span>Damian Swann</span> scooped the ball for a 99-yard fumble return touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.</p>
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<p>What a turnaround for Georgia on one play. Damien Swann with a 99-yard fumble return TD. <a href="https://t.co/ua98G5dTmy">https://t.co/ua98G5dTmy</a></p>— David Wunderlich (@Year2) <a href="https://twitter.com/Year2/status/538769125687185408">November 29, 2014</a>
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<p>Georgia Tech's last three drives:
14 plays, 77 yards
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Seven total points.</p>— Zach Barnett (@zach_barnett) <a href="https://twitter.com/zach_barnett/status/538770505042759680">November 29, 2014</a>
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<p>The Georgia Tech B Backs continued to gash the Georgia defense as <span>Zach Laskey</span> and Synjyn Days combined for 234 yards on 42 carries, and Laskey would score a pair of second-half touchdowns to give Tech the lead at 21-17. After an onside kick caught Georgia napping and was recovered by the Yellow Jackets, the ACC Coastal champions appeared to have the game wrapped up with less than three minutes remaining, the lead and the ball in Georgia territory.</p>
<p>But that plan was not to be, as Thomas fumbled for the second time in the second half and gave the ball back to Georgia. Georgia drove the field, and on fourth-and-goal, <span>Hutson Mason</span> hit <span>Malcolm Mitchell</span> with 18 seconds remaining. The narrative was set: Mitchell catching the game-winning touchdown after his injury issues, Mason beating Tech for the second time after biding his time in the program and Georgia continuing the course of its recent domination of the rival Yellow Jackets.</p>
<p>And yet...</p>
<p>After Thomas scrambled to set up a 53-yard field goal with four seconds remaining, <span>Harrison Butker</span> hit a career long (by four yards, and a season long by seven yards) that barely cleared the crossbar. Laskey scored his third touchdown of the day in overtime, but the ensuing extra point would be blocked by Drew. Georgia would just need a touchdown and the extra point to win and avoid a second overtime period, but Mason was intercepted by <span>D.J. White</span> to end the game and the Bulldogs' winning streak over Georgia Tech.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7306903/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-vs-georgia-bulldogs-overtimeAlex Dusza2014-11-29T16:53:06-05:002014-11-29T16:53:06-05:00With Loss to Clemson, Questions Begin for S.C.
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<p>The future of Steve Spurrier's program could be in jeopardy as a disappointing season comes to a crushing conclusion</p> <p>There has been a prototype for half of South Carolina's losses this year: Hold a late lead, then suffer as a combination of terrible defense and a few offensive mistakes cascade into a gut-punch loss, a la Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. Then, there was the narrow and still relatively late-breaking loss to Auburn. Most of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/">Gamecocks</a>' losses have been close and painful.</p>
<p>Saturday's loss to Clemson was not one of those. It was not on par with the opening-night rout at home against Texas A&M, perhaps, but it was a thorough and crushing loss to an opponent nonetheless. It was different in a few other respects as well. While the defense gave up 491 yards on the day and got repeatedly burned on Clemson fly-sweeps to Artavis Scott, there was a stretch of the second half where the Gamecocks managed to bottle up the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/">Tigers</a> long enough to allow the South Carolina offense to get back in the game. If only they could.</p>
<p>Instead, the Gamecocks spent much of the day seeing promising drives sputter. Between its two touchdown, South Carolina drove to at least the Clemson 30-yard line four times. The results: a field goal, a missed field goal and a two turnovers on downs -- one at the 3-yard line after a 10-play, 72-yard drive. Clemson made its fair share of mistakes, including an interception to set up the Gamecocks' field goal, but South Carolina was largely unable to capitalize.</p>
<p>And with that, and a likely bowl trip to either Birmingham or Shreveport, the Gamecocks enter an offseason of uncomfortable questions. Does Steve Spurrier return for another year, if for no other reason than to try to preserve his legacy? If so, who fills the defensive coordinator position almost certain to be vacated (voluntarily or not) by Lorenzo Ward? If not, then who takes over the entire program? And can problems that seem to run so deep in the current program get fixed over the winter and the spring?</p>
<p>The five-game winning streak against Clemson was the longest South Carolina has enjoyed in the series, and it was bound to end. The bigger concern for South Carolina is that Saturday's result won't be the last in a series of losses that makes the recent golden age of Gamecocks football look like nothing more than a fading memory.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7307233/clemson-tigers-vs-south-carolina-gamecocks-final-scoreBrandon Larrabee2014-11-29T16:09:01-05:002014-11-29T16:09:01-05:00Cats fall to Cardinals for fourth straight year
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<p>Despite staying within striking distance for much of the game, Kentucky could not get over their in-state rival, as Louisville won the Governor's Cup for the fourth consecutive season.</p> <p>For the fourth consecutive season, the Kentucky Wildcats find themselves on the losing end in the duel for the Governor's Cup.</p>
<p>Led by a 381-yard, 3 touchdown performance by quarterback Kyle Bolin, the Louisville Cardinals upended their in-state rivals to the tune of 44-40. The loss drops Kentucky to 5-7 on the season, as they once again are on the outside looking in for bowl season.</p>
<p>Kentucky was not trounced or trumped by any sort of measure. They jumped out to an early 13-0 lead after two field goals and a touchdown run by Stanley Williams. After losing the lead at the end of the first half, Kentucky showed some resiliency and stormed back ahead in the 4th quarter after another 13-0 run. This time, it came after a Mike Douglas fumble return, which put the 'Cats up 33-28.</p>
<p>Bolin would then find the dynamic DaVante Parker for a touchdown pass, and put up a field goal afterwards to extend the lead to 37-33. Mark Stoops' didn't quit though, as Stanley Williams once again found the end zone just one minute later.</p>
<p>To Big Blue Nation's chagrin, Louisville's Brandon Radcliff put the Cards ahead with a four-yard run in the waning moments of the ball game. The 'Ville would put themselves in front 44-40, and that would be a lead they wouldn't relinquish.</p>
<p>Quarterback Patrick Towles was serviceable on Saturday afternoon. Despite throwing two interceptions, never once finding the end zone, and having a completion percentage under 50.0 percent, he kept cool and helped his fellow Wildcats stay within striking distance throughout the contest.</p>
<p>The hallmark for the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon was their ability to stop the run. Louisville averaged just 2.1 yards per carry, despite the fact that they were able to get three touchdowns on the ground. Michael Dyer, former Auburn Tiger, amassed just six yards on on seven carries. Radcliff amassed 67 yards whilst running 21 times in the game.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7307085/louisville-kentucky-game-recap-2014-governors-cupChristopher Novak2014-11-29T07:00:02-05:002014-11-29T07:00:02-05:00The Preview: SEC vs. ACC
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<p>Four SEC East times take on four intrastate rivals in one of the highlights of this weekend's packed slate. Which group will emerge claiming supremacy?</p> <p>Unless I've missed it, there's actually nothing to brand the ACC-SEC football challenge as such. And yet, particularly with Kentucky's game at Louisville getting moved to the last week of the season, it's kind of hard to see this weekend as anything but. It's the SEC -- or the SEC East, really -- against some of the better teams in the ACC.</p>
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<h2>The SEC vs. the ACC</h2>
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<span><b>Time:</b> Noon ET; 3:30 p.m. ET</span> <span><b>TV:</b> ESPN networks</span> <span><b>Live Stream:</b> WatchESPN</span> <span><b>Radio:</b> <a href="http://www.georgiadogs.com/multimedia/geo-radio-affiliates.html">Georgia</a> | <a href="http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/marketing-radio.html">Kentucky</a> | <a href="http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/sports-network/scar-sports-network-affiliates.html">South Carolina</a> | <a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/listings/radio-affiliates-football">Florida</a> </span><span>Related: <a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/26/7289669/college-footballl-2014-sec-acc-advanced-stats-preview-south-carolina-clemson-and-georgia-tech">Advanced stats for Georgia Tech-Georgia, S.C.-Clemson</a></span><span><a href="http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/17/7235487/florida-gators-football-new-head-coach-will-muschamp-resigns">Florida's coaching search</a></span><span><i>Photo: Brandon Larrabee</i></span>
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<p>It is, in short, one of the things that we say we want more of in college football -- teams from one Power 5 conference squaring off against teams from another. And while less than a third of the SEC playing less than a third of the ACC might not really be that good an indicator of the leagues' respective strengths, it gives some bragging rights in the region where two conferences' footprints overlap the most. Not to mention the bragging rights its gives to the fan bases whose teams win those match-ups.</p>
<p>That's really the most important thing about a rivalry game, after all -- which team wins and can condescend to their cross-state rivals for the next 364 days. The postseason implications are generally less important, and the records of each team's respective conferences are far less so. Keeping the other side from being able to rub your face in it for a year -- that's the biggest thing, regardless of which league they happen to belong to.</p>
<h4>FIVE THINGS</h4>
<p class="has-dropcap">1<i>Fighting for Pride.</i> In terms of the big picture, Kentucky is the only one of the SEC teams that could lose a great deal with a loss here. The Wildcats will go to a bowl if they win, and not go to a bowl if they don't -- clear and simple. The other teams have some goals that could be helped with a win -- Georgia locking up a bid to a playoff-aligned bowl, South Carolina making sure it gets in the middle pool in the SEC, Florida giving the outgoing head coach one last hurrah -- but they aren't as tangible as what Kentucky stands to lose or gain. On the other hand, if the SEC East sweeps or (more likely) goes 3-1 rather than the most probable outcomes -- 2-2 or 1-3 -- then the division can restore a little bit of shine to its tarnished reputation. That doesn't mean people are going to start talking about the SEC East like they talk about the SEC West or the Pac-12 South, but at least the division might not get compared to the ACC Coastal any more.</p>
<p class="has-dropcap">2<i>Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.</i> Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Georgia Bulldogs, Noon ET, SEC Network. The question in this game is not so much which defense can shut down the other team's running game as whether either defense can shut down the other team's running game. We all know about Georgia Tech's famous triple-option offense, which has given Georgia varying degrees of trouble since Paul Johnson took over in Atlanta. But even with Todd Gurley out of commission, the Bulldogs' rushing offense is a strong counterattack. Tech averages 6.0 yards a carry on the season, but Georgia averages 6.2. At 7.2 yards a pop, Nick Chubb is just a sliver behind Gurley's 7.4 yards per carry. Chubb has more than 100 yards rushing in each of the last six games. On the other side of the ball ... well, there is the other side of the ball. Georgia Tech gives up 5.1 yards a rush. Georgia allows a less-terrible but still-mediocre 4.0 yards a carry, and that's largely against traditional rushing attacks.</p>
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<p class="caption"><em>Dale Zanine -- USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
<p class="has-dropcap">3<i>The Governor's Cup.</i> Kentucky Wildcats vs. Louisville Cardinals, Noon ET, ESPN2. This has been a series of streaks. The two teams have only played 26 times, but Kentucky's win in 2002 is the only game that was not part of at least a two-game winning streak for one of the teams. Currently, Louisville is riding a three-game winning streak. Enter Bobby Petrino, who has lost once to Kentucky (when he was at Arkansas) and has returned to Louisville after his journey through the NFL, Arkansas, scandal and Western Kentucky. So far, there are few signs that Petrino has worked his offensive magic quite yet, ranking 10th in total offense in the ACC on a per-game basis and ninth on a per-play basis. The defense, though, has been stellar -- checking in at second in the conference in both categories. Kentucky, meanwhile, comes into this game on a five-game losing streak but only one victory away from bowl eligibility.</p>
<p class="has-dropcap">4<i>The Palmetto Bowl.</i> South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Clemson Tigers, Noon ET, ESPN. It's kind of odd to see this game "return," at least for a year, to the status it held until recent years -- a game that is still fraught with meaning for both teams but is of interest to outsiders only because one of the teams is ranked. This is the first time since 2010 that only one of the teams is ranked, and Clemson's No. 23 ranking in the AP is the lowest such mark for the highest-ranked team in the rivalry going back to 2008, when neither team was in the poll. The game itself is a study of contrasts. Despite the buzz about Chad Morris and the fact that the Tigers average more than 400 yards of offense a game, the Tigers actually rank 10th in the ACC on a per-play basis, averaging 5.2 yards a snap. The Gamecocks average almost a full yard better than that, at 6.3 yards per play, good for sixth in the SEC. Meanwhile, Clemson tops the ACC in scoring defense (17.6 points per game) and yards allowed per play (4.0). South Carolina does not lead the SEC in those categories, nor would it likely lead any FBS conference or a majority of FCS conferences in those categories. Indeed, the Gamecocks rank 13th in the SEC in scoring defense (30.8 points a game) and last in yards allowed per play (a dreadful 6.1).</p>
<p class="has-dropcap">5<i>'Sunshine Showdown.'</i> Florida Gators vs. Florida St. Seminoles, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. I'm not even sure the nickname for this game is a real thing, though there's <a href="http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=29271">at least one attempt underway</a> to make us think it is. This game doesn't really need all the subplots running through it, but it still has them: Will Muschamp's last game as head coach of the Gators, Florida State's death-defying attempt to remain in the Top 4, etc. Florida's offense is likely a bit more powerful than you think -- which is not saying much -- though its passing game has earned its reputation. In contrast, Florida State's passing offense is one of the best in the ACC -- but an average rushing defense could cause problems.</p>
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<p class="caption"><em>Kim Klement -- USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
<h4>THREE TO WATCH</h4>
<p><i>Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia:</i> We've already talked some about how important Chubb and his compatriots in the Georgia running game will be, but let's leave with one more stat: 39. That's the median number of rushing attempts for the Bulldogs this year. It's probably going a bit too far to say that Georgia needs Chubb to play well in order to win this game, but Georgia Tech's chances of winning this game improve pretty substantially if Chubb doesn't perform.</p>
<p><i>Alvin 'Bud' Dupree, DE, Kentucky:</i> Dupree is an underrated but extraordinarily disruptive player for Kentucky, leading the team with 6.5 sacks among 10.5 tackles for loss, and coming in second among the Wildcats with 68 tackles overall. Dupree also has a pick and a blocked kick on the year. Meanwhile, Louisville has allowed 34 sacks this season, worse than everyone else in the ACC except Wake Forest.</p>
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<p class="caption"><em>Mark Zerof -- USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
<p><i>Dylan Thompson, QB, South Carolina:</i> Like all the other players on this team, Dylan Thompson has never known a season in which the Gamecocks didn't beat Clemson. Thompson also had a role in one of those games, starting the 2012 edition -- <a href="http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/dylan_thompson_710276.html">and winning the MVP honors</a>. The ever-unpredictable Thompson will have to have one of his best games if South Carolina hopes to emerge with a sixth straight win against their rivals from the Upstate.</p>
<h4>PREDICTION</h4>
<p>Georgia will have to overcome finding out that their SEC East dreams are dying -- or they could be angry about that and decide there's no better way to heal their pride than blasting their rivals. <em>Georgia 40, Georgia Tech 34</em>. I think Kentucky can give Louisville a good game, but it's just a year early for Mark Stoops' bunch to make a bowl. <em>Louisville 27, Kentucky 17</em>. I always pick South Carolina to beat Clemson, in part because of pure homerism and in part because I don't want to have to try to tease out how much of my hopes/fears for the game have to do with that homerism. But this is one of the years I've felt least comfortable about this prediction. <em>South Carolina 28, Clemson 27</em>. Do the Gators show up wanting to win one last game for Will Muschamp? Or are they already mentally prepping for the next coach? One leads to a close outcome, the other one, not so much. <em>Florida State 37, Florida 13</em>.</p>
https://www.teamspeedkills.com/2014/11/29/7303489/sec-vs-acc-game-times-tv-schedule-previewsBrandon Larrabee