Around the SEC: How the Rest of the League Fared in Week 7

What happened around the SEC during the seventh week of play this season?

The SEC Championship game matchup is all but finalized, with the Florida Gators beating the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, and essentially taking a two-game lead in the SEC East. Alabama is in firm control of the West division, and the Crimson Tide and Gators are on a collision course for their 10th SEC championship game matchup since the inception of the game in 1992.

It was a slim slate of games in week seven with only four matchups. Here’s how they went down as we inch closer to the end of the season.

Florida (4-1) 44, Georgia (4-2) 28

Missing Richard LeCounte really hurt Georgia. Kyle Trask and the Gator skill position players shredded the Dawgs defense, racking up 474 yards through the air and allowing Trask to complete nearly 70% of his passes.

The Gator running backs were the difference in the game. Malik Davis, Dameon Pierce, Nay’Quan Wright combined for 10 receptions for 212 yards, proving to all be too difficult for the Georgia linebackers to cover out of the backfield. They were particularly important after tight end Kyle Pitts left the game in the second quarter after taking a brutal hit from Georgia safety Lewis Cine.

Georgia has a crisis at quarterback. Stetson Bennett separated his shoulder on a hit from Gators safety Rashad Torrence on his touchdown throw in the first quarter, and it affected him the rest of the game. His replacement D’Wan Mathis didn’t do much better, completing only four passes and leading one scoring drive. The two combined to go 9/29 for 112 yards.

Despite the win, the Gator defense still has plenty of issues. Georgia receivers were running open downfield, and if not for accuracy issues from Bennett and Mathis, this game would have been a shootout. But, the Gator defense was fantastic on third down, holding Georgia to 2-13 on the down that has plagued Florida in its last two outings with UGA.

Florida can afford to lose one more game and still be ahead of Georgia to make the SEC championship game, but the margin for error is quite thin.

Next up: Florida vs. Arkansas (3-3), Georgia @ Missouri (2-3)

Mississippi State (2-4) 24, Vanderbilt (0-5) 17 

Mississippi State went up 17-0 and it looked like the fighting Mike Leach’s were generating some momentum with Will Rogers now starting at quarterback. However, after going up by three scores, it was all the Bulldogs could do to hold on.

Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Ken Seals threw for over 300 yards, and brought the Commodores into the redzone multiple times, but he threw three interceptions, including one from inside the five-yard line that cost Vandy critical points.

Vanderbilt outgained Mississippi State, 479-204, and held the Bulldogs to -22 rushing yards. If Leach can’t figure out how to bury an opponent as lowly as Vanderbilt, it’s going to be a rough tenure in Starkville.

However, the Mississippi State defense held its own and forced five turnovers. The offense just needs to do its part, or Mississippi State won’t win another game.

Next up: Mississippi State vs. Auburn (4-2), Vanderbilt @ Kentucky (2-4)

Texas A&M (5-1) 48, South Carolina (2-4) 3

The Aggies look like they have a case for the second best team in the conference. They used a balanced attack, throwing for 266 yards and rushing for 264 more. Isaiah Spiller had another massive game, picking up 131 yards and averaging over seven yards a carry.

Kellen Mond continues to be steady as well, as he threw four touchdowns and helped A&M convert 12 of 16 third-down attempts. That led to Texas A&M accumulating a 17-minute advantage in time of possession.

South Carolina, on the other hand, continues to regress. After losing to LSU by 28 points two weeks ago, the Gamecock offense sputtered throughout the game, only picking up 159 total yards. The defense kept them in the game for a bit in the first half, holding it to a 14-0 game late into the second quarter. However, they were 3-14 on third down and it wore the defense out as the game dragged along.

Texas A&M needs a miracle to make the SEC title game (two Alabama losses and the Aggies need to win out), but a New Year’s Six Bowl is a strong possibility with Auburn being their toughest game still to play.

Next up: Texas A&M @ Tennessee (2-3), South Carolina @ Ole Miss (2-4)

Arkansas (3-3) 24, Tennessee (2-3) 13

Tennessee executed their game plan to perfection in the first half: pound the rock with Eric Gray and control the clock. Gray led Tennessee on two scoring drives that lasted over five minutes, including one that put the Vols up 10-0 that lasted over eight minutes.

However, Sam Pittman and company clamped down on defense. Tennessee didn’t score in the second half and Gray didn’t have the same rushing lanes he did in the first half. Once Arkansas jumped out in front, Jarrett Guarantano was unable to rally the Vols, as he finished with only 42 passing yards before he was relieved for Harrison Bailey, who threw for 69 yards.

Feleipe Franks once again was incredibly steady for Arkansas. He threw three touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 59-yard bomb rolling out to his left to Treylon Burke that made it 21-13.

The Arkansas defense has proven to be one of the best units in the conference. However, their schedule gets much tougher with Florida, Alabama and LSU still to play.

Next up: Arkansas @ Florida (4-1), Tennessee vs. Texas A&M