SEC Roundup: LSU Topples Ole Miss, Alabama Returns to Form
It's bye week around the conference, but that didn't stop the Lane Train from breaking down in Baton Rouge:
SCORES (Rankings reflect the Oct. 16 AP Poll)
UT Martin 24, No. 3 Tennessee 65
No. 7 Ole Miss 20, LSU 45
Vanderbilt 14, Missouri 17
No. 24 Mississippi State 6, No. 6 Alabama 30
Texas A&M 24, South Carolina 30
TOP STORYLINES
-It feels like everyone and their mother thought LSU was going to defeat the Rebels on Saturday, myself included, so I can't say that i'm surprised. There is still a way for Brian Kelly and the Tigers to finagle their way into the SEC Championship, which is ludicrous to even think about. Alabama also comes down to Death Valley, so we'll then see if there's gonna be any sort of magical run out of the bayou boys then. As for Ole Miss, have fun in College Station next weekend...I think?
-I feel bad for Mississippi State, i'll say it. Someone had to be the team facing Alabama after a loss like that, unfortunately. All of those Alabama fans who called into the Paul Finebaum show this week to say that Nick Saban had finally lost a step should be ashamed. Make no mistake, the Crimson Tide are going NOWHERE. We all might be saying 'thanks a lot" and 'look at what you did" to Tennessee at the end of the season, if it turns out that the Vols woke up the beast down the stretch.
IT JUST MEANS...LESS
-When I saw the slate for this weekend, and laid my eyes on that beautiful matchup between Missouri and Vanderbilt, I just couldn't wait to throw it in here, because of course the game was going to end 17-14. Mizzou just loves to hang around with every team they play, regardless of skill level. Honestly, I also thought better of Vandy's offense, and for that I was dreadfully wrong. Some things never change, and this was, and likely will continue to be a bottom feeder game between two bottom feeder programs. Someone call the Sickos Committee.
-Texas A&M. I'm not quite sure what to even say about that one. No shame towards South Carolina, but the trajectory of these programs shouldn't be in the same stratosphere, yet here we are watching the Gamecocks and Shane Beamer pick up another big win. That seat is a little hot for Jimbo Fisher, no doubt. It's not like anyone down there is going to do anything about it this season, but still, it's a little warm.
-Tennessee! Doesn't matter if you hung over 60 on those poor FCS players, I'm taking a 'Whose Line Is It Anyways?' approach with this one. Yes the points don't matter, but in the eyes of myself (pretending to be Drew Carey), 24 points is maybe a few too many for the Skyhawks to be scoring in a noon kick inside Neyland.
WEEK NINE POWER RANKINGS
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Alabama
- LSU
- Ole Miss
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Arkansas
- Mississippi State
- Florida
- Texas A&M
- Missouri
- Auburn
- Vanderbilt
WEEK NINE SCHEDULE
- Arkansas (4-3, 1-3 SEC) at Auburn (3-4, 1-3 SEC) - Noon EST
- Florida (4-3, 1-3 SEC) at Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) - 3:30
- Missouri (3-4, 1-3 SEC) at South Carolina (5-2, 2-2 SEC) - 4:00
- Kentucky (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Tennessee (7-0, 3-0 SEC) - 7:00
- Ole Miss (7-1, 3-1 SEC) at Texas A&M (3-4, 1-3 SEC) - 7:30