SEC College Football Recap: All Teams Week 3 in Review

The SEC had a rough week in out of conference action when Auburn and Kentucky lost their games to Clemson, ACC and Louisville, Big East respectively.

The rest of the SEC teams held their ground in preparation for this week’s big games: Arkansas vs. Alabama, LSU vs. West Virginia, and Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina.

LSU (2-0) vs. Mississippi State (1-1)

Mississippi State and their fans still had questions left over from their road loss to Auburn… LSU’s defense answered the rest of their questions. MSU is not ready to take that next step in the SEC as they lost 19-6 to the Tigers.

Vick Ballard was held to 38-yards rushing after averaging 150-yards rushing per game in the first two games of the season. MSU’s only netted 52 yards rushing for the entire game.

LSU’s defense harassed Chris Relf sacking him three times and sacking Tyler Russell once.

Jarrett Lee got the job done for LSU and answered his critics, yes he can win a big game on the road, by completing 21 of 27 passes for 213-yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Spencer Ware pounded the MSU defense 22 times for 107-yards rushing.

Ruben Randle was Lee’s go to guy hauling in six catches for 98-yards receiving with one score.

This week’s games:

LSU (3-0) vs. West Virginia (3-0)

Louisiana Tech (1-2) vs. MSU (1-2)

Ole Miss (1-1) vs. Vanderbilt (2-0)

James Franklin is all smiles after he led the Commodores past Ole Miss 30-7 in Nashville. Franklin has surpassed last year’s win total of two games and earned his first SEC in-conference victory in the process.

Vanderbilt’s defense gave the Ole Miss offense all they could handle picking off Zack Stoudt four times returning one of those picks for a touchdown. Ole Miss was held to 234-yards of total offense while Vandy amassed 387-yards, 281-yards rushing.

Junior Zac Stacy led the Commodores with 169-yards rushing on eleven attempts and one score. Larry Smith was efficient for Vanderbilt finishing 13 of 20 for 103-yards passing.

Ole Miss’ lone score was with 2:48 seconds left in the game on a 47-yard pass play from Stoudt to Donte Moncrief.

This week’s games:

Vanderbilt (3-0) vs. South Carolina (3-0)

Georgia (1-2) vs. Ole Miss (1-2)

Auburn (2-0) vs. Clemson (2-0)

Everyone was waiting to see if or when Auburn would lose their winning magic from the 2010 season. Clemson found a way to stifle the Tiger’s offense in the second half winning 38-24.

Tied at 21-21 going into halftime, Clemson struck first after halftime on their opening series on a 65-yard pass play from Tajh Boyd to Sammy Watkins. Auburn would respond with a field goal later in the third but the Clemson Tigers tacked on another Boyd to Watkins touchdown to pull ahead 35-24.

Tajh Boyd finished the day with four passing touchdowns and completing 30 of 42 passes for 386-yards.

Michael Dyer led Auburn with 151-yards rushing on 16 attempts.

Auburn’s defense allowed 624-yards of total offense.

This week’s games:

Florida Atlantic (0-2) vs. Auburn (2-1)

Florida State (2-1) vs. Clemson (3-0)

Coastal Carolina (2-0) vs. Georgia (0-2)

Georgia unleashed some early season frustration on the Chanticleers beating them 59-0.

Aaron Murray completed 69 percent of his passes for 188-yards and three passing touchdowns while adding one rushing touchdown against Coastal Carolina. True freshman running back Isaiah Crowell finished with a game high 86-yards rushing in his first start as a Bulldog.

Georgia shut down Coastal Carolina’s offense only allowing 10 different runners a total of 63-yards rushing. The Chanticleers finished the game with 49-yards passing.

This week’s games:

Georgia (1-2) vs. Mississippi (1-2)

Coastal Carolina (2-1) vs. North Carolina A&T (1-1)

Tennessee (2-0) vs. Florida (2-0)

Chris Rainey and Florida extended their six-game dominance over the Vols to seven games, winning 33-23 in the Swamp.

Rainey had 108-yards rushing, 104-yards receiving with one touchdown, and blocked a punt against Tennessee. Rainey’s performance has gained him additional national Heisman recognition with voters.

Florida’s defense was too much for Tyler Bray and the Volunteers to handle. Bray was sacked three times and threw two interceptions. The Gator defense dropped several would be interceptions throughout the game as the Vols offense was one dimensional during the game. Bray finished the game 26-48 for 288 yards-passing with three touchdowns.

Bray’s stat line was impressive but that was all the offense Tennessee could muster against the Gators. The Gators shut down Tennessee’s running attack not allowing any positive yards for the game (negative nine yards). Tauren Poole has not gotten on track during the 2011 season for Tennessee. Poole finished the game with 18-yards rushing on ten attempts.

Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter left the game with a torn ACL and will be out the rest of the season. He only had one catch for 12-yards before his injury.

John Brantley was not flashy but got the job done throwing two touchdown passes on 14-23 attempts for 213 yards.

This week’s games:

Tennessee (2-1) Bye

Florida (3-0) vs. Kentucky (2-1)

Navy (2-0) vs. South Carolina (2-0)

South Carolina hung on for a well deserved victory against Navy winning 24-21.

Both teams are known for their rushing attacks but the game came down to a fourth-down Midshipmen pass that was intercepted by the Gamecocks to stop Navy’s upset bid.

South Carolina ran their sophomore sensation Marcus Lattimore 37 times for a career high 246-yards rushing and three touchdowns in the game. Steve Spurrier did not have another running back carry the ball against Navy.

Stephen Garcia completed 72 percent of his passes finishing with 204-yards passing and one interception.

South Carolina’s defense held Navy to 274-yards rushing, 126-yards below their 400-yards per game average entering the game.

Navy held the lead twice during the game. The Midshipmen scored first leading 7-0 in the first quarter then regained the lead with 4:23 left in the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown run going up 21-17 over the Gamecocks.

Neither team lost a fumble during the game on a combined 91-rushing attempts.

This week’s games:

Vanderbilt (3-0) vs. South Carolina (3-0)

Air Force (1-1) vs. Navy (2-1)

Louisville (1-1) vs. Kentucky (2-0)

Louisville ended their four-game losing streak to the Wildcats winning 24-17 in Lexington.

Louisville’s passing attack was the primary concern for Kentucky going into the game but their rushing attack made the difference. The Cardinals ran for 181-yards to the Wildcats 35-yards rushing.

Louisville played most of the game without their starting quarterback, Will Stein. True freshman Teddy Bridgewater replaced Stein finishing the game with 106-yards passing and two touchdowns on 10 of 18 passing attempts.

Morgan Newton finally found a rhythm throwing the ball in the second half for Kentucky. Newton ran Kentucky’s no-huddle offense for a late touchdown in the fourth quarter to pull within 24-17. Perhaps Joker Phillips will use their no-huddle offense in upcoming games to help make Newton more effective in the passing game?

Newton finished with two passing touchdowns on 27-41 attempts for 255-yards.

This week’s games:

Florida (3-0) vs. Kentucky (2-1)

Louisville (2-1) Bye

North Texas (0-2) vs. Alabama (2-0)

Alabama ran past the Mean Green 41-0 in a tune-up game for the Arkansas Razorbacks. This was the first shut-out for Alabama since 2009.

Alabama’s backfield combo of Trent Richardson and Bo Lacy set an Alabama rushing record as both backs topped the 160-yard mark. Alabama has never had two backs rush for more than 150-yards each in a game previously. Richardson finished with 167-yards rushing on eleven attempts with three rushing touchdowns and Lacy finished with 161-yards on nine rushes with two scores.

Even though their defense was outmanned, the Mean Green stopped Alabama inside the red zone twice in the first half forcing them to kick two field goals. Bama’s offense gave up four sacks in the game, sacking AJ McCarron three times.

The Tide’s defense only gave up 169-net yards for the game.

This week’s games:

Arkansas (3-0) vs. Alabama (3-0)

North Texas (0-3) vs. Indiana (1-2)

Troy (1-1) vs. Arkansas (2-0)

Arkansas avoided a trap game with Troy before finally winning 38-28 in Fayettville, Arkansas.

Tyler Wilson added another 300-yard passing game and two more passing touchdowns to his collegiate resume against the Trojans. The Razorback offense seemed fairly basic in their final tune-up game before starting conference play against Alabama. The Razorbacks rarely stretched the field with their passing game instead choosing short yardage pass plays to help move the chains.

Ronnie Wingo Jr. had his best rushing performance of the season and his career with a game high 109-yards rushing and two scores. Wingo also had a six-yard touchdown catch for the first score of the third quarter.

The Razorbacks were up 31-7 in the third quarter before Corey Robinson and the Trojans made the game interesting. Troy did not give up against the Hogs as the Arkansas game was their last chance to defeat a major BCS Conference team during the regular season.

Robinson attempted 63-passes, completing 36, for 373-yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The Trojans intercepted a Tyler Wilson pass which was returned for a touchdown making the score 31-21 Arkansas.

Arkansas would respond in the fourth quarter with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Joe Adams (eight catches, 109-yards receiving). Robinson threw his third touchdown of the game with 47 seconds to play making the final score 38-28.

Arkansas looked flat at times against the up-tempo Trojan offense as they seemed to be looking ahead to this week’s game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Robinson may be the best quarterback the Hogs will face during the regular season. Robinson is the fifth-rated quarterback in FBS and the eleventh rated quarterback in yards per game at 315.5.

This week’s games:

Arkansas (3-0) vs. Alabama (3-0)

Middle Tennessee (0-2) vs. Troy (1-1) 

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