SEC shakes off early woes, has eight teams in Top 25

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Top heavy and offensively challenged. Aging and ripe to be toppled. That was how the Southeastern Conference looked earlier this season, and by its standards, probably still does to some.

Halfway through the season, the SEC has only two teams in the top 10 but still can lay claim to the unofficial title of the deepest league in college football.

No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC), the defending national champions, leads an impressive eight SEC teams in this week's Top 25 . Three-loss Ole Miss sits No. 23 and LSU, which fired longtime leader Les Miles last month, has returned at No. 25.

"It's just the culture down there that makes football so important," SEC Network analyst Marcus Spears said. "Boys grow up dreaming to play for their favorite (SEC) school instead of the NFL."

And those dreams are coming true for much of the league this season.

coach Clay Jennings got stuck in a balky elevator between halves.

They never did get to the dressing room to make halftime adjustments with their players.

So Saturday night maybe tests the Arkansas elevator just before halftime?

“Maybe we will have an elevator walkthrough,” Lunney said, again laughing. “Just one of those freaky things that can happen anywhere any time.”

How long were they stuck between floors before freed.

“Literally three to five minutes maybe,” Lunney said. “But in my mind an hour.”

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn’s staff had no between half elevator issues last year at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, but Malzahn apparently still feels the shaft of last year’s 54-46 loss to the Hogs in four overtimes.

"When you think about it, it still makes me mad, but that's last year," Malzahn, a Fort Smith native and former championship high school coach in Arkansas and the 2006 Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator said. "You got to figure out a way – that's history, there's nothing you can do about it . ... I try not to think about things I can't control any longer."

The Razorbacks can’t control if their Mackey Award watch list candidate, fifth-year senior tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, can recover from his injured foot during last Saturday’s 34-30 victory over Ole Miss, to play Saturday, but Lunney believes he will even with maybe just a Friday practice as prep.

“I think he'll be ready to roll,” Lunney said. “He's played a lot of football for us and knows our system pretty well. One of his greatest assets is he's smart and he knows the offense. Looking for him to hopefully do some good things for us on Saturday.”

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, offensive coordinator Dan Enos and Lunney have increased confidence in Austin Cantrell, the redshirt freshman backup tight end from Roland, Okla.

Cantrell, 6-4, 269, won the backup/second tight end or H-back in two tight ends sets because of his blocking, but also is blossoming as a receiver. He has caught 7 passes for 60 yards, including a 14-yarder from quarterback Austin Allen against Ole Miss.

“He just continues to get better,” Lunney said. “He has the body and build of a 30-year-old and the eligibility of a redshirt freshman. That’s a good combination.

“He has done some nice things for us in games. We felt like he really took a step forward in the passing game last week and made a very critical play for us in Sprinkle’s absence.”

Saturday night marks the Razorbacks’ first true SEC road game this season.

Any advice for the younger players’ first visit to Auburn, senior receiver Drew Morgan was asked?

“I would just say focus,” Morgan said. “When you go into a hostile environment like Auburn, it's one of those where it takes your breath away, and sometimes lulls you out of your focus of the game.

"If you just lock in 110 percent, everything will just fall right into your hands. You just have to focus, lock in, ignore the crowd, ignore everything. Just lock in and do your job and do it to your fullest ability.”

For noise, Morgan said 87,000-plus Jordan Hare Stadium isn’t louder than the 75,000 or so that have packed Reynolds Razorback Stadium the last two Saturdays when Arkansas lost to No. 1 Alabama and beat No. 12 Ole Miss.

“Oh, there's nothing like our home field,” Morgan said. “Everyone talks about Auburn and Alabama's home field and LSU's being Death Valley and it's just so loud, but literally, I was feeling the ground shake. Like my whole body felt like it was vibrating.”

Arkansas’ offensive line colliding with Auburn’s defensive line should create football seismic vibrations regardless of crowd noise.

“They are a really good defensive front,” Arkansas senior left offensive tackle Dan Skipper said. “Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson (Auburn’s best defensive tackle and best defensive end) are among the best in the nation at what they do.”