Mr. CFB: What We Learned In Week 4
When we were at SEC Media Days back in July, what were the odds that come Sept. 24 there would be only three undefeated teams in the Southeastern Conference?
Well, here we are.
On Saturday the schedule will consist of seven conference-only games. No. 1 Georgia (4-0), Kentucky (4-0), and Missouri (4-0) are the only undefeated teams left.
But before we look ahead, let's contemplate these Five Things We Learrned on last Saturday,
1--Let's don't give up on Alabama just yet.
This time last week, after a dreadfully ugly 17-3 win at South Florida, we heard an awful lot about the end of Alabama's great dynasty under Nick Saban. It was a given in some circles that Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss would finally get his long sought after victory against his mentor last Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Nope.
Alabama came up with a game plan that fit the limited skill set of quarterback Jalen Milroe, who completed 17 of 21 passes for 225 yards in a 24-10 victory. The Tide got 100 yards rushing from running back Jase McClelland.
The defense held Ole Miss to 301 total yards and only 10 points.
This is what Alabama will look like the rest of the way. Will it be good enough to win the SEC West? We'll find out.
It was a rally-the-troops moment for Saban. But how long will it last?
"We told the players that we believe in our team and it was important for them to believe in each other,” Saban said. “But there’s a responsibility that comes with that belief.”
Back-to-back road games with Mississippi State (this Saturday) and Texas A&M on Oct. 7 will be a challenge. LSU comes to Tuscaloosa Nov.. 4.. The following week the Crimson Tide goes to Kentucky. There are back-to-back home games with Arkansas and Tennessee.
Is it possible for Alabama to run the table? Yes.
But it is going to be hard.
2--Ray Davis has been a big pickup for Kentucky.
Last season running back Ray Davis ran for over 1,000 yards for Vanderbilt. Down the stretch of that season Vanderbilt had two big wins over Kentucky and Florida. In the Kentucky win Davis ran for 129 yards.
But then Davis, who had a year of eligibility remaining, transferred to Kentucky. He was eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer.
Saturday in Nashville Kentucky beat Vanderbilt 45-28,
Ray Davis was Kentucky's leading rusher with 17 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
Kentucky also had two pick sixes from Maxwell Harrison
Kentucky is 4-0 with Florida coming to Kroger Field on Saturday.
Keep your eye on the Wildcats
3--You also better keep your eye on South Carolina and Spencer Rattler.
The Gamecock quarterback was magnificent against Mississippi State, completing his first 13 passes and finishing with 18 of 20 for 288 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-30 win over Mississippi State in Columbia.
The week before against No. 1 Georgia he led the Gamecocks on a scoring drive on the game's first possession where he completed all eight of his attempts. He staked South Carolina to a halftime lead but then Georgia dominated the second half to win 24-14.
The point is that Rattler is starting to heat up as the Gamecocks prepare to go to Tennessee on Saturday night (7:30 p.m., SEC Networrk.
Rattler has thrown only 33 incompletions in four games, and 20 of those came against Georgia.
4--Yes, Arkansas lost to LSU 34-31. But the Hogs can build on it as a win.
After an inexplicable loss to BYU at home last week, Arkansas regouped and decided to give LSU everything that it had on Saturday in Baton Rouge.
And the Razorbacks did.
It was a heavyweight fight of two teams thowing haymakers for the entire second half. With the scoed tied at 31-31 LSU got the final possession and kicked a field goal with five seconds left to win the game,
It was the fourth straight year that the Arkansas-LSU game had been decided by three points.
“LSU is one of the elite teams of this league and we played toe-to-toe at night with them on the road,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “Our kids played extremely hard. I really felt like we could come in and beat LSU tonight and fell three points short. ... Isn’t that ironic, another damn three-point loss?”
LSU looked like a team that could win the SEC West for the second consecutive year.
But what about Arkansas (2-2)? In the next four weeks the Hogs play Texas A&M (in Arlington) at Ole Miss, at Alabama, and Mississippi State.
5. If Auburn doesn't find some answers on offense this week, Saturday's game with Georgia is going to be downright ugly.
When I originally saw the 2023 schedule, I thought Georgia might go to Auburn and struggle on Sept. 30.
But I could not believe the numbers that came out of Auburn's 27-10 loss to Texas A&M. Three Auburn quarterbacks combined to complete nine of 23 passes for 56 yards. Auburn had a net total of 200 yards
I never thought I'd see a Hugh Freeze team completely unable to move the ball. But it looks like the scope of the rebuilding job at Auburn is bigger than I thought.
“I thought our kids played well enough on defense to win the game, outsideof the few explosive plays.."on offense, we’re searching,” Freeze said during the post-game news conference. "And we’ve got to find some answers.”