From an old HS coach’s perspective

SEC Grades and Review:

Georgia:

Gunter Stockton was lights out last night. 24/29 229 yards, 4 TDS and 1 rushing.

The defense was salty in the trenches.. they gave up just 23 yards on the ground total.

Dominating performance in all phases of the game.

Grade: A+

Texas:

They found out what a Saturday night in Athens Georgia feels like… Arch didn’t play horrible.. 251 yds, 1 TD 1 INT. He had no running game (it matters) and was sacked 3 times.

The defense was gashed.. and Texas is pretty stout on the edges and in the back end. But they weren’t last night. They got ambushed.

Grade: D-

LSU: they won so that matters most, but they didn’t play well. But they put together a 92 yard drive at the end to win the game so kudos are in order.

Grade: B-

Arkansas:

They find ways to lose.. had 3 possessions inside LSU 10 yard line and managed 7 pts. Of course Bobby elected to go for two 4th downs instead of kicking chip shot fgs.. they lost by 1?????

Bobby needs to get his motorcycle back out.. he can wreck it too.

Grade: F

Ole Miss:

They struggled early but got it going in the 2nd half.. Lane does a good job and barring a collapse they’re a playoff team.

Grade: B

Florida:

The talent, especially on defense is obvious. But this is not a good team. Lagway hasn’t lived up to his preseason hype. But they keep playing hard and in today’s atmosphere in college football that counts for something.

Grade: D+

Texas A&M:

Down 27 at the half??.. that’s not great to say the least. Coming back to take the lead with 10 minutes to go in game says a lot about the chemistry of this team.

When Reed gets in going, he’s as good as any QB in the country and they have weapons everywhere.

The defense is nasty up front and they make plays. But all that doesn’t erase the first half. Coming back against SC isn’t the same as doing it against a top tier team.

Grade: B+

South Carolina:

Great first half, but it’s a 60 minute game. They continue to lose games they probably should win.

But at least the 2 players that got forearmed shivered in the tunnel handled that situation well. In my opinion the State Trooper should be charged with assault.

Grade: D

Oklahoma:

Their front 7 is as good as there is in college football. They create havoc, play with abandon and will hit your butt. The secondary is the weak link.. and they were yesterday. Gave up over 300 in the air.. But the Defense is why they won the game.

Defense travels and when they give the offense the ball twice inside the opponents 30.. have a pick six.. you usually win.

Offensively, they aren’t anything special. They didn’t play very well.. all year or yesterday.

Special teams is fantastic:

Grade: B+

Alabama:

Where do we start? ??

If you chop the bottom lines off the stat sheet you’d say they won by double digits. But that’s not how the game works. Pilling up yardage is great.. but you have to finish drives.

The defense played lights out and kept them in the game. When your opponents avg starting field position is their own 44 yard line, and 3 drives started inside your 30 yard line.. only giving up 23 points is winning football.

Kicking game is ungood.

Grade: C- (only because the defense kept them in the game)

Final review:

Georgia looks like they may be the best team in the league.. at least last night. Played their most complete game..

Texas A&M has benefited from playing the bottom 7 teams in the SEC so I’m not completely sold on them yet

Oklahoma is salty but it wouldn’t surprise me if they drop one of their last two..

Alabama is still a really good team but if they don’t clean up ball security, protection they could lose at Auburn and flush the season.

Everyone blames Ty Simpson and he definitely has to shoulder a big portion of the blame. But through 10 games.. Ty and the receivers have had to carry this offense.

I said 2 weeks ago I didn’t think they would get out of November unbeaten.

The running game was a little better yesterday, they actually had ONE run for over 10 yards… ONE!!!

The inability to keep a defense like Oklahoma honest with a run threat means your QB etc has to play perfect. Well they weren’t perfect and they lost because of it.

Overview:

If Alabama can manage to survive Auburn.. they go to Atlanta to face either Texas A&M or Georgia. There’s no scenario that changes that.

If they don’t survive Auburn.. none of it matters and it’s another season of playing in a meaningless bowl game.

So for both Texas A&M and Alabama.. it’s a one game regular season. Beat Texas and beat Auburn.. meet in Atlanta.

If Either one of them lose… Georgia is going to be there waiting for someone and I don’t think anyone wants to see them .