Conference previews

Breaking down the SEC

Five full pages looking at this week’s games in the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12.

1. Alabama:

Slow start, dominant middle (second and third quarters), then cruise home. Slightly different pattern for Nick Saban, Defender of Fun, but same result.

2. Georgia:

Great to see Zamir White back in action for the Bulldogs. Like Alabama, the performance wasn’t perfect but the team talent is obvious.

3. LSU:

The Tigers came out with an overwhelming fast-tempo attack. Illusion or reality? Texas will tell. Also, Ed Orgeron talking to a steer should be entertaining.

4. Auburn:

The Tigers had the SEC’s best win, a come-from-behind victory over Oregon, without even playing all that well until the last two minutes.

5. Texas A&M:

This is it. The Aggies get their shot at the heavyweight champs: Clemson. So can Jimbo defeat Dabo in the Battle of The Bo’s?

6. Florida:

Playing in Week Zero probably put the Gators under more of a microscope than was fair. They will be fine.

7. Kentucky:

Was Kentucky underrated in the first Power Poll? Possibly. On the other hand, the Wildcats had to fight tooth-andclaw with Toledo for four quarters.

8. Mississippi State:

Cowbell Nation is excited about grad transfer QB Tommy Stevens, who threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns in a game nobody saw.

9. Missouri:

I thought Mizzou would survive the bad scheduling decision to go to Laramie. Altitude, yes, but turnovers and poor tackling will beat you in a bathysphere.

10. South Carolina:

The Gamecocks gave away a game to Mack Brown.

11. Arkansas:

In the SEC’s Not-Very-Good Week, any win would be enough to pull out of basement and the Hogs did that. Next up: Ole Miss in a game that has to have a winner, I think.

12. Ole Miss:

The step up in the rankings reflects two things. One, Memphis is OK. Two, others did worse. Still, Arkansas is a must-win for a .500 season in Oxford.

13. Vanderbilt:

The Commodores’ loss to Georgia wasn’t an embarrassment but Vandy has no SEC quarterback so what are they going to do without one?

14. Tennessee:

There is no sugar coating how bad UT’s loss to Georgia State was: it took a last-second touchdown to make the score respectable.