Around the SEC: Week 11
2021 has been a crazy year even by college football standards, so Week 10 in the Southeastern Conference was no different. A head coach on the way out nearly scored the upset of a lifetime and a couple of squads in the top 25 avoided some scares.
So here are the best parts of Week 10 of SEC football.
Alabama Keeps Winning
Compared to past seasons under Nick Saban, this has been a strange campaign for the Crimson Tide and this past weekend was no different.
Hosting a 4-4 LSU squad headed by Ed Orgeron, who is already on the way out, seemed like a mortal lock and Alabama would keep rolling. To everyone’s surprise (besides fans in Baton Rouge they’re that delusional) LSU’s defense stepped up big time.
Alabama only converted four of 13 third-down opportunities and LSU’s front line kept Alabama’s rushing attack to less than one yard per carry.
However, despite all of THAT, Nick Saban found a way to win 20-17 because that’s the evil genius he is. He’s Darth Vader. You CANNOT write this team off ever and this weekend, it’ll host New Mexico State, which might as well be penciled in as a victory.
Sorry, New Mexico State fans.
Kentucky Continues Nosedive
Through six weeks, the Wildcats were the surprise of college football, peaking at No. 12 in the top 25 poll. Since then, it has not been pretty for Will Levis and company.
Three straight losses, including a three-point loss to the unranked Tennessee Volunteers and defense, was not….good to say the least. Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker was slinging the pigskin around to the point he racked up 316 passing yards and four touchdowns on just 15 completions.
Going forward, the Wildcats don’t have any ranked opponents remaining on their schedule but the lackluster defense opens the door for at least one upset.
Dan Mullen on the Hot Seat?
Florida has to be the most confusing program in the nation. Two losses by single possession to Alabama and Kentucky is not something to be ashamed of.
The Gators’ results from the last three weeks? PLENTY to be ashamed of. Over the last three weeks, the Gators have gotten smoked by their competition, partly due to Mullen’s stubbornness to start Emory Jones over Anthony Richardson at quarterback.
That trend continued in Week 10 with a 40-17 embarrassment at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks, which marked the first Gamecocks win in the rivalry since 2017.
A big part of the equation was quarterback play. Jones barely completed 50% of his passes and only notched 258 yards, two scores and one interception. The running game was atrocious and the defense has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese.
Now, the Gators sit at 4-5 on the year with the Samford Bulldogs coming into Gainesville but even assuming the Gators win out the season and finish at 7-5, what happens with head coach Dan Mullen?
The head coach has yet to win a conference championship in four years and with Georgia and Alabama ruling the SEC, don’t be surprised if the school decides to move on from its head coach.
Matthew McLaughlin is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mem6936@psu.edu.
