Mississippi State Recruiting: The Bulldogs Fall in Rankings

The volatile and ever changing landscape of college football recruiting can be best represented by the situation in Starkville. Less than a week ago the Bulldogs’ 2012 class was ranked No. 20 by Rivals.com giving fans hope for the future.

Now Mississippi State has fallen to No. 30 with one week left before National Signing Day on Feb. 1. How far will the Bulldog’s recruiting class fall?

Head coach Dan Mullen’s early recruiting success has given way as the rest of the pack seems to be catching up to the Bulldogs. The only change on the verbal commitment list is the loss of 3-star linebacker Lelland Ducksworth from Hattiesburg, Miss and the addition of 3-star defensive end A.J. Jefferson from Summit, Miss.  

Per the state rankings on Rivals.com Jefferson is ranked No. 6 while Ducksworth is ranked No. 14. The thought upgrade in overall talent has not kept the Bulldogs ranking secure.

Of the 25 scholarships available three have already been claimed by junior college players. 3-star offensive linemen Dylan Holley and Charles Siddoway have signed their letter of intent.

East Mississippi Community College standout Denico Autry has signed his letter of intent as well. On Sout.com Autry is considered a 5-star recruit. Per Rivals.com Autry was the second best junior college player in the nation during the 2011 season.

With 22 available scholarships left Dan Mullen appears to be eager to sign a quarterback to this year’s class. Steven Bench, a 3-star Penn State verbal commitment from Cairo, Georgia as of Jan. 24, received an in-home visit from Mullen on Monday. Bench verbally committed to Rice in December. Mullen and his staff can only hope that Bench flips again.

Also on the Bulldogs radar is Nick Schuessler, a 2-star quarterback prospect from Loganville, Georgia. Schuessler does not have any reported offers to date. He was scheduled to take his first official visit to Arkansas this weekend but has changed his trip to MSU instead.

With the hard cap rule of only 25 recruits allowed to sign for any given SEC team, one of Mullen’s current verbal commitments may end up losing their scholarship offer if Schuessler’s visit goes well in Starkville.

Five other recruits are scheduled to join Schuessler on the MSU campus this weekend including:

OT Demitric Camiel, 2-star, 6’6”, 285 pounds, Houston, Texas

QB Forest Williams, Not Ranked, 6’1”, 175 pounds, Amory, Miss

TE Hunter Bradley, Not Ranked, 6’4”, 220 pounds, Collierville, Miss

K Michael Mordecai, Not Ranked, 6’4”, 185 pounds, Jackson, Miss

K Evan Sobiesk, Not Ranked, 5’9”, 185 pounds, Hattiesburg, Miss

Here’s a list of Mississippi State’s 22 verbal commitments:

DT Quay Evans, 6’3”, 295 pounds, 4-star, Morton, Miss

DT Nick James, 6’4”, 335 pounds, 3-star, Long Beach, Miss

RB Xavier Grindle, 5’10”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Columbia, Miss

RB Deonte Evans, 5’11”, 198 pounds, 3-star, McComb, Miss

S Adarrius Perkins, 6’2”, 185 pounds, 3-star, Brooklyn, Miss

OL Devon Desper, 6’4” 295 pounds, 3-star, Madison, Miss

DB Cedric Jiles, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Clinton, Miss

DE Nelson Adams, 6’5”, 260 pounds, 3-star, Brandon, Miss

ATH Adairius Barnes, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Port Gibson, Miss

WR Frederick Brown, 6’1”, 166 pounds, 3-star, Jackson, Miss

OT Justin Senior, 6’6”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Chatham, Virginia

DT Jordan Washington, 6’2”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Suwannee, Georgia

CB Kivon Coman, 6’1”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Florence, Alabama

RB Brandon Holloway, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 2-star, Tampa Bay, Florida

TE Gus Walley, 6’4”, 215, 2-star, Leakesville, Miss

DE Ryan Brown, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Marrero, Louisiana

OG Cole Carter, 6’6”, 270, 3-star, Caledonia, Miss

DE Torrey Bell, 6’5”, 225, 2-star, River Ridge, Louisiana

S Quadry Antoine, 5’11”, 210 pounds, 3-star, Belle Chasse, Louisiana

P Devon Bell, 6’3”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Vicksburg, Miss

DE A.J. Jefferson, 6’4”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Summit, Miss

K Devon Bell, 2-star, 6’3”, 180 pounds, Vicksburg, Miss

To show the discrepancy in recruiting services, Rivals.com has MSU ranked No. 30, Scout.com No. 18, ESPN.com does not have MSU ranked in their top 30, while 247Sports.com has the Bulldogs ranked No. 24. 

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College Football Recruiting: Mississippi State Reaping Benefits of In-State Talent

With just over two weeks remaining before National Signing Day, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen has batten down the state’s borders keeping the majority of prize recruits for the Bulldogs and away from SEC rivals.

The trouble with having a No. 20 ranked recruiting class (Scout.com) is other head coaches want some of the same players to help round out their roster. Can MSU keep all 25 verbal commitments through Signing Day on February 1?

Of the Top 25 players ranked in the state of Mississippi per Rivals.com, MSU has 11 high school seniors ready to play their colligate careers for Mullen including:

No. 3 DT Quay Evans, 6’3”, 295 pounds, 4-star

No. 9 DT Nick James, 6’4”, 335 pounds, 3-star

No. 10 RB Xavier Grindle, 5’10”, 190 pounds, 3-star

No. 11 RB Deonte Evans, 5’11”, 198 pounds, 3-star

No. 12 S Adarrius Perkins, 6’2”, 185 pounds, 3-star

No. 14 LB Lelland Ducksworth, 6’1”, 215 pounds, 3-star

No. 16 OL Devon Desper, 6’4” 295 pounds, 3-star

No. 18 DB Cedric Jiles, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 3-star

No. 22 DE Nelson Adams, 6’5”, 260 pounds, 3-star

No. 23 ATH Adairius Barnes, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star

No. 25 WR Frederick Brown, 6’1”, 166 pounds, 3-star

Quay Evans is ranked the 15th best defensive tackle in the nation.

Nick James is ranked the 40th best defensive tackle in the nation.

Running back Xavier Grindle is ranked 46th in the nation per his position.

The state of Mississippi has an excellent junior college system that routinely produces great players ready to make an impact on the Division 1-A level. This year the prize MSU recruit for the Bulldogs is 5-star junior college transfer defensive end Denico Autry from East Mississippi Junior College.

Autry is considered a pass rushing specialist with offers from USC, Florida, Texas, Alabama, and Auburn. This is one recruit that will not get away from MSU as Autry has already signed his letter of intent to play for the Bulldogs.

Autry will be joined by two other junior college transfers that have already signed their letter of intent, 3-star offensive tackle Charles Siddoway (Eugene, Oregon) and 2-star offensive guard Dylan Holley from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

The top out of state talent heading to play for the Bulldogs is 4-star cornerback Will Redmond from East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. Redmond is listed at 6’0”, 176 pounds with a 4.41 40-yard dash. He finished the season as the No. 19 cornerback in the nation.

Rounding out the rest of Mississippi State’s recruiting class:

OT Justin Senior, 6’6”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Chatham, Virginia

DT Jordan Washington, 6’2”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Suwannee, Georgia

CB Kivon Coman, 6’1”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Florence, Alabama

RB Brandon Holloway, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 2-star, Tampa Bay, Florida

TE Gus Walley, 6’4”, 215, 2-star, Leakesville, Mississippi

DE Ryan Brown, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Marrero, Louisiana

OG Cole Carter, 6’6”, 270, 3-star, Caledonia, Mississippi

DE Torrey Bell, 6’5”, 225, 2-star, River Ridge, Louisiana

S Quadry Antoine, 5’11”, 210 pounds, 3-star, Belle Chasse, Louisiana

P Devon Bell, 6’3”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Vicksburg, Mississippi

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Music City Bowl: Mississippi State versus Wake Forest in SEC-ACC Showdown

The Music City Bowl on Friday December 30, features 6-6 Mississippi State and 6-6 Wake Forest, two up and coming teams that are still trying to find their way within the elite circles of their perspective conferences.

Mississippi State under the direction of head coach Dan Mullen started the season ranked No. 20 with high hopes to compete within the SEC West for a divisional title. After a 59-14 drumming of the Memphis Tigers in week one, MSU was ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll before their showdown with the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn’s defense rose to MSU’s last second challenge when they stuffed Bulldog senior quarterback Chris Relf at the goal line to preserve a 41-34 win. The goal line play would be symbolic of the season ahead for Mississippi State, almost there but not quite.

The Bulldogs were a scrappy team throughout the season but could never get over the hump against the better SEC teams. MSU held LSU to 19 total points, lost 14-12 to South Carolina, and trailed Alabama 7-0 at halftime before being worn down by the Tide 24-7.

Each of the six teams MSU lost to during the 2011 season made post season bowls. Four of those losses came to teams currently ranked in the BCS Top 10 – LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, and South Carolina.

Wake Forest had a similar season behind head coach Jim Grobe as the Bulldogs. After an upsetting loss to Syracuse to open the season, the Demon Deacons won four games in a row including a big win over then No. 23 Florida State.

After taking down the Seminoles Wake Forest lost five of seven games, all against teams with winning records. A close 24-23 victory against 3-9 Duke almost ruined the Deacons’ season.

Grobe enters the Music City Bowl on the proverbial hot seat. Grobe had a dynamic season in 2006 leading the Deacon’s to an 11-3 record with a berth in the Orange Bowl. Since then he led the Deacon’s to two winning seasons, two losing seasons, and are on the brink of another losing season should they trip against the Bulldogs.

Grobe’s overall record at Wake is 68-66 with three bowl wins to only one loss.

The Key Matchups

The Bulldogs will have to stop the tandem of wide receiver Chris Givens and quarterback Tanner Price if they expect to win.

Price was third in the ACC in total passing yards (2,803), tied for fourth in total passing touchdowns (20), and only threw six interceptions. His quarterback rating of 137.9 was fifth best in the conference.

Wake Forest gave up the 30th most sacks in college football this season (29). Mississippi State’s defense will look to take advantage of the 28 sacks Price gave up behind the Deacon’s line.

Price will have to get rid of the ball fast or junior Bulldog defensive tackle Fletcher Cox will have a field day in Nashville. The Bulldogs sacked the opposition’s quarterback 21 times in 2011, four of those sacks coming from Cox.

MSU picked off 12 total passes in a conference better known for running the ball during the 2011 season. If the Bulldogs can apply enough consistent pressure on Price they may be able to force Price into a costly mistake or two.

Givens, a junior, led the ACC in total receiving yards and set a single season school record with 1,276 yards. He was third in receiving touchdowns (9) and third in total receptions (74) within the conference.

Givens had seven games of 100 or more yards receiving. Deacons’ head coach Jim Grobe will look to get his best offensive player the ball on running plays as well. He had four rushing attempts against Notre Dame for 39 total yards.

Senior Deacon’s running back Brandon Pendergrass caught fire towards the end of the season in the absence of sophomore Josh Harris due to a hamstring injury. Pendergrass averaged 95.8 rushing yards per game over the final five games with five rushing touchdowns and one receiving.

Pendergrass finished 9th in the ACC in total rushing yards (750).

Senior quarterback Chris Relf started the season under center for Mississippi State but gave way to a rotation of Tyler Russell and Dylan Farve before the end. Relf struggled in the passing game where Russell excelled.

Relf’s touchdown to interception ratio was part of the problem (9/7). Relf had a better completion percentage than Russell, 59.6 – 53.5, but Russell helped stretch the field better by averaging 8.0 yards per completion to Relf’s 6.3.

Russell’s touchdown to interception ratio was better (8/4) and he threw 42 fewer passes than Relf.

The Bulldogs’ top receiving target is junior wide receiver Arceto Clark. Clark finished with 404 receiving yards.

MSU’s main offensive threat is senior running back Vick Ballard. Ballard finished with 1,009 total rushing yards, fourth in the SEC, but struggled behind his offensive line in conference play. He had five 100-yard rushing games only two of those in conference play – Auburn and Ole Miss.

Ballard is a threat to receive the ball out of the backfield when they call his number. Against Auburn he caught five passes for 64 yards.

Comparing Stats

Wake Forest has the No. 76 ranked total offense in the nation gaining 374.50 yards per game.

Mississippi State has the No. 87 ranked offense in the nation averaging 355 yards per game.

Statistics can be misleading; the Bulldogs faced the top four defensive teams in the nation – Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and South Carolina.

The Deacons faced three teams with defenses ranked in the top 20 – Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Vanderbilt.

MSU boast the No. 43 ranked defense limiting teams to 355.92 yards per game.

Wake Forest has the No. 75 ranked defense in CFB allowing 399.08 yards per game.

MSU has the 19th best scoring defense in the nation holding teams to 19.92 points per game.

The Demon Deacons allow 27.75 points per game on average ranking their scoring defense 70th in CFB.

Wake Forest averaged 26.75 points per game during the season ranking 62nd in the nation.

MSU average 25.50 points per game ranking 73rd in CFB.

Wake’s passing offense threw for 255.58 yards per game good for 36th in CFB.

MSU was ranked 92nd only averaging 186.25 per game.

MSU had the 45th best rushing offense in the nation at 168.83 yards per game.

Wake had 24th worst or the 96th best rushing offense averaging 118.92 yards per game.

Wake’s rush defense versus MSU’s rushing attack:

Wake Forest is tied for 70th best rush defense in CFB with Georgia Tech at 162.92 yards allowed per game.

Bulldogs pass defense versus Wake’s passing offense:

Mississippi State has the 23rd best pass defense limiting teams to 194.92 yards per game only allowing 12 passing touchdowns on the year.

Should Tyler Russell have to win the game with his arm, the Deacon’s defense allows 236.17 passing yards per game giving up 21 passing touchdowns in the process.

Bowl History

Wake Forest is 6-3 all-time in bowl games having won their last two.

Mississippi State is 9-6 all-time in bowl games having won four straight dating back to 1999.

Prediction

The Deacons faltered down the back stretch of the season. Will the time off before their bowl game recharge their batteries enough to beat Mississippi State?

Mississippi State has a very similar team to Vanderbilt; both teams are scrappy on offense and play hard on defense for their coaches.

The Commodores limited Price’s ability to throw as he only completed 47 percent of his passes for 157 yards before being taken out of the game in the fourth quarter.

Vanderbilt has a two-headed running tandem between their quarterback Jordan Rodgers and running back Zac Stacey, same as MSU.

Vanderbilt had an easy go of Wake Forest in the last game of the regular season winning 41-7. Look for the same here.

Final Score

Mississippi State 34 – Wake Forest 24

The Music City Bowl will be played December 30 at 6:40 p.m. EST in Nashville, Tennessee. 

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College Football: Mississippi State Trying to Catch No. 6 Arkansas Looking Ahead

The tale of two teams thought to be on a similar rise in the SEC West just a season ago could not be any more different as the Mississippi State Bulldogs travel to Little Rock, Arkansas this weekend in an attempt to knock off No. 6 Arkansas.

Last season Mississippi State, 9-4, appeared to be on the brink of taking a major step towards contending with the SEC West elite teams. The Bulldogs had wins over SEC powerhouses Georgia, Florida, and crushed their in-state rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. MSU finished the season with a 52-14 win over University of Michigan in the Gator Bowl.

The return of 15 starters and a preseason ranking of No. 20 brought high expectations for Mississippi State’s head coach Dan Mullen. High hopes have turned to a disappointing season for the 5-5 Bulldogs. Instead of challenging the SEC upper crust teams, Mullen has two games left to become bowl eligible.

The Razorbacks finished 2010 with their first appearance in a BCS Bowl when they accepted a bid to play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Even with the departure of quarterback Ryan Mallett and Mackey Award winning tight end D.J. Williams to the NFL along with only returning 11 starters, the Hogs have surpassed their preseason No. 15 ranking.

The 9-1 Arkansas Razorbacks have been focused and sharp entering the stretch run of their season after two lackluster road performances against lower tiered SEC teams Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. Arkansas easily defeated then No. 10 South Carolina 44-28 and University of Tennessee 49-7 in back-to-back home games as they narrow in on the biggest game of their season against No. 1 LSU.

The Bulldogs have struggled off and on all season as indicated by their 5-5 record. There has been inconsistent quarterback play between the shuffling in and out of senior Chris Relf, sophomore Tyler Russell, and freshman Dylan Farve. Combined the quarterbacks are averaging 204 passing yards per game with 10 total interceptions thrown on the season.

MSU senior running back Vick Ballard has suffered through poor offensive line play and a lack of a passing attack to put up solid numbers on the season. Ballard is ranked 6th in the SEC with 811 total rushing yards, though the majority of his rushing yards have come in non-conference games – 437 yards.

MSU’s defense has played well without the support of the offense. The Bulldog defense is ranked 40th in the nation in total defense holding teams to 353 yards per game.

The Razorbacks underperformed on defense in tough games on the road early in the season but have made significant strides over the past four contests. The addition of injured players Tank Wright, Isaac Madison, Darius Winston, and Jake Bequette back into the defensive rotation has allowed defensive coordinator Willy Robinson more flexibility in calling stunts and blitzes.

Throughout the season Arkansas has relied on the arm of quarterback Tyler Wilson. Wilson’s 2,850 total passing yards leads the SEC and he is second in touchdown passes thrown with 18. His favorite target, Jarius Wright, leads the SEC in total receiving yards with 906 and 11 receiving touchdowns even though he has missed one game this season - Troy.

Razorback fans are fearful that the Hogs will get caught looking ahead to LSU by a hungry Bulldog team. Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino is well aware of the talent Mississippi State has despite their 5-5 record. In 2010 MSU took Arkansas into double overtime before the Hogs pulled out a 38-31 victory on a seven yard touchdown pass by Ryan Mallett to Knile Davis.

What’s at Stake for Both Teams?

An upset victory over Arkansas would knock the Hogs out of contention for a possible shared SEC West Division Title and take away a potential BCS Bowl berth. The Razorbacks are well aware of what is riding on the line against MSU.

A Bulldogs win would mean they are bowl eligible for a second year in a row, something the Bulldogs have only done two other times in school history, 1980-81 and 1999-2000.

Inside the Mississippi State versus Arkansas Game

Vick Ballard and Chris Relf both rushed for over 100-yards with four combined touchdowns against the Razorbacks last year.

Jarius Wright had 2 catches for 105 yards and 1 touchdown last year against MSU.

Arkansas averages 455 yards of total offense per game ranking 26th in FBS.

Arkansas’ defense allows an average of 375 yards per game, 56th in FBS.

Mississippi State gains an average of 373 total yards of offense per game.

Arkansas averages 38.80 points per game.

Mississippi State averages 25.80 points per game.

Mississippi State holds teams to 19.20 points per game.

Arkansas holds teams to 21.50 points per game.

Arkansas averages 311 passing yards per game.

Mississippi State averages 203.80 passing yards per game.

Mississippi State’s pass defense is limiting teams to 186 yards per game.

MSU’s lone conference win came against 4-6 Kentucky.

Arkansas has won nine straight games in Little Rock.

The Razorbacks have won 11 of the last 12 games versus Mississippi State.

Prediction

Mississippi State could salvage their season by beating the Hogs in Little Rock. Arkansas could throw away a possible shared SEC West Divisional Conference Title, a potential SEC Championship Game berth, and a possible BCS Bowl bid by losing to the Bulldogs. Both teams have a lot to play for only Arkansas has a lot to lose.

Playing at home, Arkansas has more talent, one of the best passing attacks in college football, and more riding on the line.

Petrino delivers Arkansas’ first undefeated season at home since 1999.

Final Score

Arkansas 28, Mississippi State 13

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SEC College Football Preview: Predicting Outcomes for Every SEC Game in Week 11

Last week the SEC accomplished a feat they had never done before, they gave college football fans two games in the same week featuring four top ten teams. This week the excitement is not as great on a national level but there is plenty of intrigue as mid-level teams continue to fight for bowl eligibility.

The matchup of the weekend pits cross-divisional teams No. 24 Auburn at No. 14 Georgia. 5-4 Florida travels to No. 15 South Carolina in hopes of becoming bowl eligible and 4-5 Vanderbilt hosts 4-5 Kentucky in a must win game for both teams.

LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas all play non-ranked teams with Bama traveling to Mississippi State. No surprise that each team’s fan base is praying for a shocking loss for the other’s programs.

Ole Miss welcomes Louisiana Tech in the first of three farewell games for soon to be departing head coach Houston Nutt.

Auburn versus Georgia

The Auburn versus Georgia game will pit the strength of each team against the other, running the ball. Auburn holds an edge here with sophomore running back Michael Dyer.

Dyer is second in the SEC in total rushing yards with 989 and third in rushing touchdowns having collected nine scores.

Bulldog true freshman running back Isaiah Crowell is sixth in the SEC in total rushing yards with 689 despite missing Georgia’s last game due to a suspension.

The pivotal point between the two teams will come down to quarterback play. The edge swings back in Georgia’s favor here.

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray is second in the SEC in total passing yards having thrown for 2,060. His 23 passing touchdowns leads the SEC. Murray’s eight interceptions is second in the conference to departed Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia.

Tiger quarterback Clint Moseley will make his third career start against a Bulldog defense ranked 7th in the FBS. Moseley threw for 160 yards, his season high, against Ole Miss two weeks ago. He finished the game 12-15 with four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Auburn is coming off a bye thus they should be rested and ready. But Georgia should get some quality contributors back on the field this weekend too when wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell and running back Carlton Thomas return from an injury and suspension respectively.

Between the two teams Auburn is more battle tested having played six teams currently ranked or ranked at one time during the season to Georgia’s four.

Auburn has the 75th rated defense in the country to Georgia’s 7th ranked defense.

Georgia has the momentum riding a seven game winning streak with a solid opportunity to wrap up the SEC East division title.

Final Score

Georgia 28, Auburn 21

Florida versus South Carolina

Revenge game, new rivalry game, whatever you want to call it these two teams will get after each other come Saturday. Both teams have season goals and bragging rights riding on the outcome.

If South Carolina wins they stay alive in the race for the SEC East divisional title. Should they lose, Georgia wins the SEC East and the Gamecocks will have to fight for a better bowl bid and/or play spoiler to in-state rival Clemson during the last weekend of the season.

A win by 5-4 Florida makes the Gators bowl eligible and takes some of the heat off of first year coach Will Muschamp and his infamous offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

Gamecock quarterback Connor Shaw is expected to play this week after taking a vicious hit from Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette in last week’s game. Shaw was suffering from concussion-like symptoms after the game.

Florida is also expecting their starting quarterback John Brantley to play after injuring himself against Vanderbilt last week as well.

Florida’s defense is stingy against the run which is what the Gamecocks need to do well in order to beat the Gators. Against the Hogs the Gamecocks were held to 79 total rushing yards.

The Gamecocks entered the Arkansas game only allowing 135.88 passing yards per game. Quarterback Tyler Wilson piled up 299 passing yards with two scores against the vaunted Gamecock defense. What can Brantley do against the same defense especially if safety DeVonte Holloman is not cleared to play for USC?

The Gators are hoping senior running back Chris Rainey will return to the lineup after injuring his ankle against Georgia.

The wheels seem to be coming off for Steve Spurrier and his Gamecock team. Can he keep his team together for three more regular season games?

Florida becomes bowl eligible on Saturday.

Final Score

Florida 24, South Carolina 21

Kentucky versus Vanderbilt

Looking over the SEC schedules before the season started the Wildcats vs. the Commodores game is not one of the games most fans circled. Yet the game holds heavy importance for both teams.

4-5 Kentucky is riding a five-game bowl appearance streak with three games left to play. 4-5 Vanderbilt is looking to go bowling for only the fifth time in the team’s history and the first time since 2008.

Head coach Joker Phillips is in his second year with the Wildcats. James Franklin is a first year head coach for the Commodores. Both coaches are trying to build a solid SEC program and need a win this weekend to keep their bowl hopes alive.

Phillips will call upon true freshman Maxwell Smith (Granada Hills, California) for the third game in a row to lead his team. Smith has played well in the place of injured quarterback Morgan Newton. Newton is healthy enough to play this week but will serve as the team’s second string quarterback.

The missing element from Kentucky’s offense this year has been a passing attack. Smith threw for 283 yards on 19 completions with two touchdowns against Ole Miss last week igniting hope for Wildcat fans that they can finish the season strong.

With the passing game elevated the running game has responded as well. CoShik Williams had a game-high 111 rushing yards on 25 carries finding the end zone twice against the Rebels.

Vanderbilt has continued their maturation process this season. The Commodores were a couple of plays away from possibly beating Georgia, Arkansas, and Florida over their past four games. Franklin’s young team has not learned how to win yet. The SEC East better watch out for this team next season.

Jordan Rodgers continues to impress after taking over for senior quarterback Larry Smith. Rodgers has started the last three games and finished last week’s game against Florida with 297 yards passing, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Commodore running back Zac Stacey was held to 23 rushing yards after back-to-back 100-yard performances against Army and Arkansas.

The game will come down to which defense can make the other team’s offense make mistakes. This heavily favors Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt has the 30th ranked defense in the nation despite not having much support from the offense for most of the season.

Vanderbilt keeps their bowl hopes alive.

Final Score

Vanderbilt 28, Kentucky 17

Alabama versus Mississippi State

After last week’s “game of the century” most college football fans want to see how Bama will respond. Will they have a let-down game or will they come out and prove a point by punishing MSU? Either way LSU and Arkansas will be interested in the final outcome as their season’s final outcome could be made easier with a Bama loss.

On paper this game is a mismatch heavily favoring Alabama

Mississippi State allows 349 yards of total offense per game. Alabama is the top ranked defense holding teams to 187 total yards.

Alabama has the best rush defense in the country averaging 56.33 yards per game, Mississippi State 161.22.

Alabama averages 214 rushing yards per game, MSU 187 yards.

5-4 Mississippi State hosts Bama this week, travels to Arkansas next week, and hosts Ole Miss on the final weekend of the season. This is a tough road to walk down for head coach Dan Mullen trying to get his team to the all important six win plateau.

Final Score

Alabama 38, MSU 7

Louisiana Tech versus Ole Miss

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are one of the more intriguing teams in college football. They easily could have won the four games they lost, Southern Miss 19-17, Houston 34-35, and Mississippi State 26-20 and be undefeated going into the stretch run of their Western Athletic Conference schedule. As it is the Bulldogs need this win against Ole Miss to become bowl eligible.

The game is not without some controversy as embattled Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt resigned on Monday which will be effective come November 26. After losing 12-straight SEC games how will his team respond this week? Will they rally around Nutt or have they already given up on the season?

The Bulldogs are on a four-game winning streak. Look for them to shock a SEC team on the road.

Louisiana Tech 34, Ole Miss 28

Western Kentucky versus LSU

It’s the top ranked team in the nation with one of the best defenses in the nation going up against a 5-4 Sun Belt Conference team that lost 14-3 to Kentucky during the first week of the season.

LSU sleepwalks through this one.

LSU 48, WKU 6

Tennessee versus Arkansas

Tennessee looks to do the near impossible this weekend by knocking off No. 8 Arkansas on the road.

Arkansas responded well to their home surroundings last weekend after playing four of five games on the road. The Hogs easily defeated then No. 10 South Carolina 44-28.

The Vols are coming off a feel good win over Middle Tennessee State, 24-0.

Tennessee’s defense is SEC caliber but the offense is not.

There is an outside chance that Tyler Bray may return for this game. At 4-5 Dooley may sit his starter in hopes of winning their final two games to become bowl eligible. Why risk an injury to Bray with post season hopes hinging on his play during the final two games?

Arkansas’ passing attack has remained solid all year long behind the play of quarterback Tyler Wilson. Wilson leads the SEC in passing yards and his top target, Jarius Wright, leads the SEC in receiving yards with 812 and receiving touchdowns with nine.

The one shining offensive production for the Vols has been wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers. Rogers has assumed the No. 1 wide receiver role after Justin Hunter tore his ACL earlier in the season. Rogers is second in the SEC in receiving yards with 780 and tied for second in receiving touchdowns with seven.

Hogs win their sixth game in a row in front of a happy Reynolds Razorback Stadium crowd.

Arkansas 45, Tennessee 17

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College Football Preview: Outcome of every SEC Game in Week 10

The SEC takes the main stage of college football this weekend when four of the top ten teams in the nation square off in great intra-conference matchups. No. 10 South Carolina travels to No. 8 Arkansas and the game of the year takes place in Tuscaloosa when No. 1 LSU plays No. 2 Alabama.

Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi State go out of conference to play New Mexico State, Middle Tennessee State, and Tennessee-Martin respectively.

Two of the SEC’s most down trodden teams play each other when Ole Miss travels to Kentucky. While Vanderbilt looks to keep their bowl hopes alive in Gainesville.

Auburn is on a bye this week.

No. 1 LSU versus No. 2 Alabama

Tagged as the game of the century, top ranked and undefeated LSU looks to take down divisional rival Alabama for the right to claim the top spot in the SEC West.

Not much hype is needed for this game as all college football fans are interested in the outcome of this game. The winner could end up in the BCS National Championship game and give the SEC a chance to extend their national title run to six straight years.

LSU and Alabama are mirror images of each other. Both teams are highlighted by the best defenses in the nation and play a run-first pass as needed offense. Bama is ranked number one in total defense limiting opponents to 180.50 points per game. LSU has the fourth ranked defense allowing 251.38.

The key to the game will be either team’s ability to score on the other team’s defense.

Offensively Alabama holds the edge by producing an average of 457.63 yards per game to LSU’s 372.13. The styles are similar; grind out tough yards with the running game and wear down the opposition’s defense front to control the second half.

Bama quarterback AJ McCarron leads the SEC in pass completion percentage with an average of 67 percent. Tiger’s quarterback Jarrett Lee is not far behind completing 63.2 percent of his passes. Bama averages 228.38 passing yards to LSU’s 183.13.

A methodical running attack sets up late game scoring opportunities for both teams. Either team can go three to four-deep with their rotation in the backfield. The Tide holds an advantage on paper here as well. They average 229.25 rushing yards per game to LSU’s 189.

With two teams so closely matched offensively and defensively the game could come down to special teams play. This is where LSU separates themselves from Alabama.

LSU averages 41.08 net yards per punt. The Tide averages 36.37. The difference of five yards per punt may not seem like much on paper. Over the course of the game five yards here and five yards there can make a major difference in field position and offensive play calling.

Both teams average 23 yards per kickoff return. LSU has a slight edge with one kickoff returned for a touchdown.

If the game comes down to field goals between Jeremy Shelly, Alabama, and Drew Alleman, LSU, the Tigers get the nod here as well.

Alleman has a long of 44 yards to Shelly’s 37. Both kickers have missed two field goals during the season including one missed attempt from 30-39 yards. Alleman’s other miss was an attempt over 50 yards. Miles must feel that Alleman has the range which could be important in a highly contested game like this one.

LSU is battle tested, Alabama not so much. The current BCS rankings show LSU has a strength of schedule rated ninth best in the nation. Bama’s ranking has them tied for 57th best in FBS. Five of the Tiger’s eight games have been against teams ranked at the time of their game.

Three teams on Alabama’s schedule have been ranked at the time of their game; Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida.

LSU has played three ranked teams on the road this season; Oregon, Mississippi State, and West Virginia. Tuscaloosa is an environment at night unlike any other place in college football but LSU should not be easily affected as other teams when visiting Bryant-Denny Stadium.

It is hard to pick against a Nick Saban coached team. Les Miles has a national championship trophy sitting on his mantle too. Saban just has one more than Les.

Last Year’s Outcome

LSU 24 – Alabama 21

Prediction

LSU has found a way to win all of their tough games this season, and win handily. Alabama may have the better coach and the home field advantage but…

Final Score

Alabama 17, LSU 20

No. 10 South Carolina versus No. 8 Arkansas

Arkansas takes on their fourth ranked team in the past six games when the Gamecocks visit Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday.

Based off preseason predictions both teams have struggled to meet expectations offensively and defensively this season despite their current rankings and matching 7-1 records.

In four of their past five games the Hogs have overcome double digits deficits before rallying to win. Included in those wins were sub-par performances against Ole Miss and Vanderbilt in their past two games.

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier has had to overcome one difficult situation after another this season. Connor Shaw started the season under center for the Gamecocks only to be replaced by troubled senior Stephen Garcia in the second quarter of their first game. Garcia was dismissed from the team in week seven of the season for violation of team rules.

Shaw replaced Garcia as starting quarterback. Shaw was to count on the production of All-SEC running back Marcus Lattimore only to lose him at the end of that same week to an ACL injury suffered against Mississippi State.

Through shaky offenses, injuries, and poor defensive performances both teams are fighting for an opportunity to remain in contention for a SEC Conference Title Game appearance and a possible BCS bowl berth.

South Carolina had a bye week to prepare true freshman Brandon Wilds (Blythewood, South Carolina) for their first game without Lattimore. Wilds responded with 135 yards rushing on 28 attempts in a sluggish win over the Vols. Wilds also caught three passes for 31 yards.

Before his breakout performance against Tennessee, Wilds highest rushing totals had come against Kentucky when he rushed five times for 45 yards.

Connor Shaw has been inconsistent as the Gamecock starting quarterback. He threw for 311 yards against Kentucky but has regressed since then. Against MSU he only threw for 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. On the road against Tennessee he finished with 87 passing yards on 10 of 18 passing attempts.

The Hogs running game made a brief appearance for two games but took a big step back against the Commodores last week. Dennis Johnson was held to 52 yards rushing on nine attempts and was benched after fumbling the ball for the second straight game. Arkansas finished with 72-net rushing yards after quarterback Tyler Wilson was sacked three times for a loss of 21-yards.

South Carolina’s defense will get their first true test of the season against the Razorbacks. The Gamecocks defense has the sixth rated total defense in FBS but the Hogs have the ninth best passing attack in the nation.

Weakness on weakness pits Arkansas’ running game and USC’s rush defense. Can the Hogs take advantage?

The Razorbacks allowed two inferior opponents, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, to rack up 151 rushing yards and 222 yards respectively. The Hogs have to like that a true freshman is handling the ball for the Gamecocks. They have to hate that Wilds ran for 135 in his first game as a starter. They can only hope that the 28 carries last week wore him down some.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino has to be excited that he has made it through the most difficult part of his schedule to return home 7-1. Spurrier has to hate that his young team is Arkansas’ homecoming game.

The Razorbacks have been uninspired over their past two games but gain a spring in their step being home.

Final Score

Hogs 28, South Carolina 17

Vanderbilt versus Florida

Starting the season who would have thought that this game would hold some relevance within the SEC East standings? 4-4 Vanderbilt travels to 4-4 Florida with the winner taking possession of third place in the SEC East.

Both teams have four conference losses and appear to be going in opposite directions. Vanderbilt has played well over their past four games. Florida has lost four in a row.

The winner takes a step closer to earning a bowl bid as the SEC seventh seed. The loser of this game may miss out on a bowl game.

Vanderbilt has a top line defense to go against Florida’s failing offense, ranked 94th in the nation. Georgia was able to hold Florida to 226 total yards last week. Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps were held to a combined 38 yards rushing in a losing effort to the Bulldogs.

Commodores quarterback Jordan Rodgers has slowly come along as a starting SEC quarterback. In his first two starts of the season he was less than spectacular throwing the ball against Georgia and Army.

Rodgers posted a quarterback rating of 17.7 against the Bulldogs and 43.1 against Army. In a heartbreaking loss to the Razorbacks, Rodgers finished the game with a 97.8 quarterback rating and had his first 200-yard passing game of the season.

James Franklin and Will Muschamp are first year head coaches with a lot at stake. Florida has their pride and reputation on the line. Vanderbilt has a young team with a successful future ahead of them.

Vanderbilt has found a way to keep games close but have not learned how to win yet. Look for Vanderbilt to keep the game close but lose another tight one in a tough environment.

Final Score

Florida 24, Vanderbilt 21

Mississippi versus Kentucky

This game holds a dubious honor for the winner… they are not the worst team in the SEC.

Ole Miss, 2-6, has shown signs of life over the past two games. Their 2011 recruiting class has started to contribute and the Rebels are getting healthier.

Kentucky, 3-5, has not turned the corner on their season to date. The offense has been one of the worst statistically in FBS, ranked 118th out of 120. The answer to the Wildcat’s woes may have been on Joker Phillips’ bench all season long in true freshman Maxwell Smith (Granada Hills, California).

Smith replaced starting quarterback Morgan Newton in the first quarter after Newton sprained his ankle against Mississippi State last week. Smith responded with a 26 for 33 passing effort for 174 yards.

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt is on the hot seat and really needs this win. Realistically the Rebels will not make a bowl game this year for the second year in a row. Nutt needs to finish strong winning games against Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, and Mississippi State. Should Nutt stumble against any three of those teams his days in Oxford may be over.

Kentucky has a slight advantage playing at home but Ole Miss is due for a win.

Final Score

Ole Miss 36, Kentucky 24

New Mexico State versus No. 18 Georgia

If you have not heard Georgia could be in trouble this week. Chances are New Mexico State does not have much of a chance against the Bulldogs but Georgia is on upset alert.

Mark Richt suspended three of his top four running backs for violating team rules. Included in the suspensions is true freshman running back Isaiah Crowell. Crowell is fifth in the SEC in total rushing yards with 689 total yards. Top backup running back Richard Samuel suffered an ankle injury against Florida and may be lost for the season.

Georgia will count on two former walk-on running backs to provide the rushing attack for the Bulldogs this weekend.

Sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray should be able to provide enough offense for Georgia against the 3-5 Aggies. Credit is due to the Aggies who have played tough this season even if they have not played SEC caliber teams.

The Aggies have the 65th ranked defense in the nation allowing 228.25 total yards per game. Georgia has the 56th ranked offense in the nation gaining 404 yards per game.

This game could be closer than people may realize or it could be a blowout if Murray and company choose to play with a decided edge. Either way, Georgia’s defense will need to come ready to play to help bail out the offense if needed.

Final Score

Georgia 34, New Mexico State 17

Middle Tennessee State versus Tennessee

Tennessee catches a break in their schedule after a rough in-conference season when the Blue Raiders visit Neyland Stadium.

The youth movement is under way in Knoxville with sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray still out with a thumb injury. Senior quarterback Matt Simms started the first two games after Bray’s injury without much success against the two best teams in the nation, LSU and Alabama.

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley then started true freshman Justin Worely (Rock Hill, South Carolina) against the Gamecocks, also with limited success. Worley finished the game completing 10 passes out of 26 attempts for 105 yards, looking like a true freshman starting for the first time.

Worely was not the only Vols freshman to get a start against the Gamecocks. Offensive guard Marcus Jackson (Vero Beach, Florida), safety Byron Moore (Harbor City, California), and defensive tackle Maurice Couch (Orlando, Florida) all got their first starts last week.

The Blue Raiders have played better in non-conference games this season than within the Sun Belt Conference. MTSU hung tough with Purdue only losing by three and beat lowly Memphis 38-31.

Tennessee completes their non-conference schedule against MTSU needing this win for a chance to become bowl eligible. Tennessee’s three remaining games are on the road against No. 8 Arkansas, versus Vanderbilt, and at Kentucky. Winning three of their last four games would put the Vols at 6-6 and in their third straight bowl game.

Tennessee has been worn down come the fourth quarter against SEC defenses. Dooley should be able to win one at home and get continued playing time for next year’s team.

Final Score

Tennessee 17, MTSU 13

Tennessee-Martin versus Mississippi State

A disappointing year for the Bulldogs can take another positive step forward with a non-conference win against Tennessee Martin on Saturday.

MSU is 4-4 on the season with two tough games remaining against Alabama and Arkansas. For the Bulldogs to become bowl eligible they need to beat the Skyhawks and in-state rival Mississippi to ensure their second straight bowl game appearance.

Last week against Kentucky the Bulldogs found balance with their tandem quarterback rotation. Senior Chris Relf has become the running quarterback and sophomore Tyler Russell the passing quarterback. Together the two quarterbacks combined for 264 yards passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Relf added two rushing touchdowns. 

Tennessee-Martin is a Football Champion Subdivision team.

Look for Mississippi State to run away with this one in a much needed confidence building game.

Final Score

Mississippi State 38, Tennessee Martin 24

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College Football: Midseason Report Cards for Every SEC Team

The 2011 college football season started with high hopes for all 12 SEC teams. Eight teams were ranked in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll. Alabama topped the listed ranked second in the nation followed by LSU (4), South Carolina (12), Arkansas (14), Georgia (19), Mississippi State (20), Florida (22), and Auburn (23).

Natural attrition during the first half of the 2011 season would weed a few teams out of the rankings. Mississippi State and Georgia are the only two teams to no longer in the AP rankings.

All an SEC team feels they need to do is win the conference championship game for a shot at the national title as a SEC team has won each of the last five BCS Championships after winning the SEC title game. With half of the season left to play, the SEC East and West races are still undetermined.

LSU and Alabama are undefeated in the West with Arkansas and Auburn on their heels with one conference loss each.

In the East, South Carolina and Georgia are tied for first place with one conference loss a piece. Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt are tied for second place each with two conference losses.

First Half Storyline in the SEC: Injuries

Injuries to key players have been the main story for many SEC teams during the first half of the 2011 season. Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt have seen their starting quarterbacks knocked out of game action at some point during the season.

Florida lost their first and second string quarterbacks against Alabama and Tennessee’s Tyler Bray has a broken thumb that could keep him out of action for six weeks.

Mississippi State has been plagued with injuries along their offensive line.

Justin Hunter, the Vols top wide receiver and Kentucky’s true freshman running back Josh Clemons each tore their ACL and are out for the season.

Arkansas played without four starting defensive players against Alabama and Texas A&M. The Hogs were without three of their top four running backs until the A&M game as well.

The top running backs for Ole Miss have been hampered by various injuries all season.

Defensive standouts Collins Ukwu (Kentucky), C.J. Mosley (Alabama), and Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) have missed the majority of the first half of the season but appear to be healthy for the second half run.

Grade for Nonconference Games: B

In games against notable nonconference opponents the SEC turned in a 7-4 record. Their 4-1 record against ranked opponents is impressive.

Arkansas, LSU, and Alabama made loud statements with big wins, LSU twice, over Big Ten, Big 12, PAC-12, and Big East teams.

Vanderbilt’s win over Connecticut, the 2010 Big East champs, was a signature win for the Commodores and new head coach James Franklin.

Georgia took a tough loss at home to Boise State 35-21. Auburn’s loss to Clemson, not ranked at the time, in Death Valley ignited a Tiger’s team now ranked in the top 10.

Key Nonconference Games in the First Half

*Teams/Date/Site (off-campus location)

Boise State at Georgia, September 3, in Atlanta, Georgia

BYU at Ole Miss, September 3

Oregon vs. LSU, September 3, in Arlington, Texas

Alabama at Penn State, September 10

Cincinnati vs. Tennessee, September 10

Connecticut vs. Vanderbilt, September 10

Auburn at Clemson, September 17

Louisville at Kentucky, September 17

LSU at West Virginia, September 24

Arkansas vs. Texas A&M, October 1, in Arlington, Texas

Ole Miss at Fresno State, October 1

Key nonconference games yet to be played

Florida State vs. Florida, November 26

Clemson vs. South Carolina, November 26

Vanderbilt vs. Wake Forest, November 26

Grade for In-conference Games: C-

Many of the first half games have been disappointing. Injuries or not, LSU and Alabama have not been tested by the rest of the conference.

Here’s a list of games that looked like great matchups before the season began.

*Teams/Date/Site (off-campus location)

South Carolina at Georgia, September 10

Mississippi State at Auburn, September 10

LSU at Mississippi State, September 15

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt, September 17

Arkansas at Alabama, September 24

Florida at Kentucky, September 24

Alabama at Florida, October 1

Florida at LSU, October 8

Of the games listed, Mississippi State versus Auburn was the lone dramatic game coming down to a last second goal line stand for the Tigers.

Notable In-conference Games Remaining

Georgia vs. Florida, October 24, in Jacksonville, Florida

LSU at Alabama, November 5

South Carolina at Arkansas, November 5

Florida at South Carolina, November 12

Arkansas at LSU, November 25

Team Grades SEC West

Alabama

Defense: A+

The Tide’s defense has dominated their opponents. The third ranked defense in college has held two teams scoreless. The most points they have given up this season is 14 to Arkansas at home.

Offense: A

The offense continues to roll with running backs Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. The Alabama offensive line creates holes for their running backs and gives first year starter AJ McCarron time to find his receivers when needed.

Overall: A

The Tide won three signature games against Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida. Looking a little bit closer, Penn State is not that great, Arkansas and Florida had injury problems during the game. What have we really learned about Alabama so far?

November 5, Bama will be tested for the first time when LSU comes to Tuscaloosa.

Arkansas

Defense: C

What defensive team do we rate? The healthy unit or how the team that has played to date? When have they been healthy?

As bad as it may seem for Razorback fans the Hogs are ranked 37th in scoring defense (21.33), 67th in total defense (389.50 yards per game), and 30th in pass defense (200.83 yards per game). With Jake Bequette, Isaac Madison, Darius Winston, Tank Wright, and Robert Thomas missing time, this group has held together well.

Willy Robinson’s defensive unit held Alabama’s offensive attack to 17 points in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Not having both starting defensive ends has contributed to their SEC low of 6 sacks.

Look for improvement on the Arkansas defense in the second half as they get healthier.

Offense: B+

How can a team that averages 39.17 points per game, 17th best in the nation, have a B+ ranking on offense? Their running game is the reason or lack thereof.

Arkansas averages 129.33 rushing yards per game, 77th in the nation and 8th in the SEC.

In upcoming games against South Carolina and LSU Tyler Wilson will need the support of the running game if the Hogs hope to win.

Overall: B

The Hogs have a lot of room for improvement but have played well enough to win two important games versus Texas A&M and Auburn. Should the offensive line gel and improve their blocking this group can go far. The addition of Broderick Green and Dennis Johnson in the backfield will help the Hogs’ rushing attack.

Bobby Petrino has to be all smiles that he made it through the toughest part of the Razorback schedule with only one loss.

Look for the Hogs to roll until their game against LSU. If the Hogs beat LSU that could create a three-way tie for first place in the SEC West if LSU beats Alabama.

Auburn

Defense: D

Auburn has the 105th ranked defense in college football.

The defense held South Carolina to a season low 13 points in an upset win on the road. Was that Garcia’s poor performance, Auburn’s play, or a little bit of both?

The defense is young and still coming together as a group. Look for them to get stronger as the season progresses.

Offense: C

Auburn is 80th in the nation in total offense. Much of that is due to the running ability of Michael Dyer. Dyer is third in the SEC in rushing yards (679) and rushing touchdowns (8).

Barrett Trotter has 9 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and has taken 12 sacks.

Through it all they average 27.83 points per game.

Overall: C

How good or bad Auburn really is this season is still up for debate. Four of their victories have been last minute wins. Is this a sign of a team that never gives up and finds a way to win or a sign that they play down to their level of competition?

Auburn lost nearly 40 percent of their players from the 2010 roster to graduation and the NFL. This team is young and still learning how to play together. Next year could be a great season for Gene Chizik and company.

Auburn should end up 9-3 or 8-4 putting them on track for their third straight bowl appearance.

LSU

Defense: A+

Hard to poke any holes in LSU’s defense to date. The Tigers held Oregon to 27 points (2nd ranked scoring offense) and West Virginia to 21 (12th ranked scoring offense). Not counting the LSU game, Oregon is averaging 56 points per game this season.

In three conference games LSU is allowing 8 points per game. Overall offenses are scoring 12.50 points per game against their defense.

Offense: B

LSU is finishing games at a rate of 38.50 points per game. Their passing attack is not stellar, 8th in the SEC, but good enough to get the job done when needed. Their rushing attack is 6th best in the SEC. All very average numbers but with their defense backing them, they do not have to take unnecessary chances or be flashy on offense.

Overall: A+

LSU has played the most difficult schedule in the nation to date and remains undefeated. There is little doubt that this is the best team in college football.

Upcoming games against Alabama and Arkansas seem to be the only two games standing in their way of a SEC title berth and a possible BCS Championship game berth.

Mississippi State

Defense: C-

MSU opponents are averaging 20.17 points per game. The Bulldogs have the 41st best defense in total yards. The problem is their defense is letting opponents run for 159 yards per game.

Dan Mullen has no answers for the loss of their 2010 starting linebacker unit, namely Chris White and K.J. Wright. Until their linebackers learn to stop the run, this will be a long season for Bulldog fans.

Offense: C-

Despite Chris Relf’s struggles under center, MSU’s offense is scoring at a rate of 26 points per game. They have talent in the backfield with running back Vick Ballard.

Mullen may have to make the difficult decision to bench senior quarterback Chris Relf for sophomore quarterback Tyler Russell. Russell played well coming off the bench against UAB in week 6 leading MSU to a come from behind 21-3 win.

Overall: C-

Mississippi State is 0-3 in conference play. Losing to Auburn, Georgia, and LSU is no crime. If Mullen was hoping to take MSU to the next step in the SEC he needed to win two of those games.

Mullen has three winnable games left on the schedule, at Kentucky, versus Tennessee-Martin, and versus Ole Miss. Winning those three could put them in a bowl game even without a signature win.

Winning one of the three remaining games against South Carolina, Alabama, or Arkansas renews the Bulldog program and places them in a bowl.

Ole Miss

Defense: D-

Halfway through the season Ole Miss rush defense is ranked 95th in the nation (193 yards/game) and their pass defense is ranked 53rd (215.40 yards/game).

Their opponents during the first 6 games of the season include: BYU, Southern Illinois, Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Fresno State. None of their opponents have been ranked at the time of play.

Offense: D

In the Rebels two wins against Southern Illinois and Fresno State their offense averaged 40 points. In their three losses their offense averaged 11 points.

Mississippi’s passing game and rushing attack is 10th worst in the SEC in total yards. Vanderbilt is ranked below the Rebels in passing and rushing and beat Ole Miss 30-7.

Overall: D-

If one believes in recruiting stars and rankings given via major recruiting publications, there is talent on campus. Houston Nutt has done a poor job of getting consistent quarterback play and the most out of his player’s talents thus far.

Rebel fans do not get your hopes up for a turnaround in the second half of the season. Ole Miss has three winnable games remaining against Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, and Mississippi State.

The good thing is Ole Miss has four games left on the schedule at home. The bad thing is three of those teams are Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU.

SEC East

Florida

Defense: B-

The first four games of the season the Gators defense looked as good as any in the nation. The most points Florida allowed was 23 points by Tennessee in a conference rivalry game. Then in the last two games Alabama scored 38 and LSU scored 41.

How good is the Gator defense? Great but not elite?

Offense: C

Florida averaged 40.25 points per game in their first four games. Against two of the better teams in the nation they averaged 10.5.

The Gator offense took heavy lumps against Alabama. John Brantley, Jeff Demps, and Jeff Driskel were all injured making them miss time against LSU in the following game.

This is Charlie Weis’ first season in Gainesville as offensive coordinator. Look for him to keep developing the young talent he has on offense and for Florida to get better as the season continues.

Florida’s kicking game has been phenomenal this season. The lone missed field goal was an attempt over 50-yards.

Overall: C

Florida looked great in their first four games climbing as high as number 12 in the AP poll. After their injuries and two devastating losses to Alabama and LSU the Gators welcome the second half of their schedule which features only one team currently ranked, South Carolina.

The six remaining games on the schedule are all winnable. Having to rely on one of two true freshmen under center until Brantley comes back could make those six games a wild ride.

Georgia

Defense: C

The defense has rebounded from the first two games of the season against Boise State and South Carolina. The Bulldog scoring defense is ranked 20th in the nation (tied with Florida) limiting teams to 19.17 points per game. In their last four games opponents have averaged 8.75 points against them.

Florida, if healthy, Auburn, and Georgia Tech’s offenses could create problems for the Bulldogs in the second half.

Offense: B+

Putting points on the board has not been a problem for Mark Richt’s team this year. They average 32.17 points per game. Finding a balance with the running game and passing attack took a few games.

True freshman running back Isaiah Crowell has been a difference maker for the Bulldog offense. Crowell did not start until game three against Coastal Carolina. He is the 4th leading rusher in the SEC in total rushing yards and has three 100-yard rushing games.

Aaron Murray has been hot and cold during his sophomore campaign. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes but has also thrown 6 interceptions. If he takes 13 more sacks in the second half of the season, that could prove to be problematic for Georgia.

The Bulldogs need to improve their 39 percent 3rd down conversion rate in the second half of the season.

Overall: B

Georgia is in a great position to have a nice second half run. All of the Bulldogs games are winnable. Florida, Auburn, and at Georgia Tech highlight the schedule.

After their 0-2 start to be tied with South Carolina for the SEC East lead is not a bad place to be.

South Carolina has two tough SEC games left. Georgia needs a South Carolina loss for a shot as the SEC East representative in the conference title game.

Kentucky

Defense: D

The Wildcat’s defense allows 29.50 points per game. Kentucky’s offense is the 118th worst in FBS scoring 13 points per game.

What is the defense to do with no help from the offense?

The worn down Wildcat defense allows 408.5 yards of total offense per game. If the offense was able to help control the clock a little more this defense could be decent.

Offense: F

Sorry Wildcat fans but it is true, the offense is really bad. Morgan Newton has not been able to replace Mike Hartline’s production as the starting quarterback. In Kentucky’s last game versus South Carolina, Newton completed 4 of 21 passes for 17 yards. After the game one could hear Wildcat fans across the country shouting, “I could do better than that.”

Head coach Joker Philips has not been able to ignite the offense that lost Hartline, Cobb, Locke, and Matthews. To make matters worse running back Josh Clemons is out for the year with an ACL tear. Raymond Sanders will have to take a bigger role in the offense if Kentucky is to have a shot at going to a bowl game.

Overall: D-

Kentucky has two nonconference wins but has been blown out by three straight ranked SEC teams; Florida 48-10, LSU 35-7, South Carolina 54-3.

The remaining schedule is not overly difficult. For Kentucky it may be very difficult.

Any sort of offense could help the Wildcats win games in the second half of the season against Jacksonville State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, at Vanderbilt, at Georgia, or at home against Tennessee.

Wildcats will miss a bowl game for the first time in over five years.

South Carolina

Defense: B+

After giving up 37 points to East Carolina and 42 to Georgia in their first two games, the Gamecock defense has settled down. South Carolina allows 274.50 yards of total offense per game which makes them the 9th best team in the nation. Their scoring defense is giving up a total of 20.33 points per game, 28th best in the nation.

Defensive tackle Melvin Ingram has missed time this season and All-SEC defensive end Devin Taylor had a slow start to his season. Slowly their defense has become the dominate force Gamecock fans were expected to be before the season began.

Offense: C

Let’s be honest, Marcus Lattimore is the South Carolina offense. Senior quarterback Stephen Garcia was having a horrible season leading the SEC in interceptions thrown and helping USC be the 111th worst team in FBS in that statistic.

Garcia has been dismissed from the team by head coach Steve Spurrier and now the reigns have been turned over to sophomore Connor Shaw. Shaw had a good game against Kentucky throwing for 311 yards completing 26 of 39 attempts with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Shaw’s ability to be consistent and not turn the ball over will be the key to the Gamecock season going forward; that and Marcus Lattimore staying healthy.

Overall: B

How good are the Gamecocks? South Carolina has not played a ranked team this season. Auburn jumped to 15th in the nation after beating USC in Williams-Brice Stadium.

USC will have three chances to prove their ranking before the season is over. They travel to Arkansas, play Florida in Jacksonville, and get Clemson at home.

The Gamecocks are capable of winning out the rest of their season if they can get strong quarterback play from Shaw.

Look for USC to have at least one more conference lost and have a shootout against Clemson in the Battle of the Palmetto State.

Tennessee

Defense: B

Tennessee is limiting their opponents to 343.80 yards per game and 20.40 points per game. The defense will be challenged with remaining games against LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, and Arkansas.

If the defense can keep their current average of points per game and yards per game allowed they should be able to win a couple of tough games in the second half of the season.

Offense: C+

Even though Tennessee has been one-dimensional with Tyler Bray at quarterback, the offense is still putting up 32.60 points per game. Bad news is Bray could be out for six weeks. The good news is senior quarterback Matt Simms is stepping under center for the Vols.

Simms played through the toughest part of the Vols schedule in 2010 before missing the rest of the year with an injury. Simms has the ability to keep the Vols in games with his arm.

Simms, like Bray, will have to play without a rushing attack. A big season was expected of running back Tauren Poole but he has not played well. He has been hampered by a hamstring injury and may see limited time against LSU this weekend.

Overall: B

Tennessee does not have a big win under their belt this season. They played Florida tough at the Swamp. The rest of the season looks brutal.

Tennessee should be bowl eligible by season’s end. If they can catch LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, or Arkansas napping, come December they could end up in a nice bowl.

Vanderbilt

Defense: A-

Considering the lack of offense and the amount of time the Commodores have spent on the field they have been great during the first half of the season.

The secondary has been among the leaders nationally in interceptions all season.

Vanderbilt has the 23rd ranked scoring defense in FBS at 19.40 points per game. Holding SEC teams to an average of 307.30 total yards per game is impressive as well. How long will the defense be able to hold up without the offense’s help?

Offense: D+

In three SEC games the offense has averaged 11 points. Senior quarterback Larry Smith has missed time in the last two games to nagging injuries. Junior quarterback Jordan Rodgers played the final three quarters against Alabama in Vandy’s last game.

The two-headed rushing attack of Zac Stacy and Jerron Seymour places Vanderbilt as the 11th best team in the SEC. First year head coach James Franklin will have to find a way to keep the Commodores on the field and look for ways to put points on the board if they want to have a successful second half of the season.

Vanderbilt’s kicking situation is not great. They missed two field goals against Alabama. For the season they are 3 of 5 with a long of 33 yards. Essentially Vandy’s offense has to be in the red zone if they hope to kick a field goal. That makes it even more difficult to put points on the board for the Commodores.

Overall: B-

Vanderbilt has been competitive this year for the first time since they won 7 games in 2008. Their defense is SEC caliber. Their offense is not.

For all of the returning talent Vanderbilt had starting the season, they are still a young team. If Franklin can keep his guys focused through the rest of 2011, through good times and bad, he will have a special team come 2012. 

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