Around the SEC: Week 7
At a time where we saw a top-10 SEC matchup combine for almost 100 points, and four teams finish inside AP’s top-10, we can only admire such a wild weekend in the world of college football.
It’s only fair to start off the recap with not only the game of the week, but potentially the game of the year. The No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1) traveled to the plains of Tennessee, as the No. 6 Volunteers (7-0) attempted to pull off the upset for the first time since 2006.
Entering the season, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young entered as the betting odds favorite to win the Heisman. But Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker has stolen the spotlight.
Hooker has surmounted himself as the Heisman frontrunner through seven weeks— ranking atop the SEC in player efficiency. He sports a 15-1 touchdown to interception ratio, while also accounting for over 2,000 scrimmage yards through seven games.
The Volunteers didn’t take their foot off the gas against fierce competition. In a back and forth offensive masterclass, Hooker put together another incredible performance: 21-for-30, 385 yards, five touchdowns.
Hooker was aided by his star receiver Jalin Hyatt, connecting with him in the endzone five separate times. The wideout caught six balls for 207 yards, and yes, a whopping five scores.
The Vols entered the fourth quarter trailing the Crimson Tide 35-34. That’s when Hooker connected with Hyatt yet again for a 78-yd scamper, and then shoveled it to tight end Princeton Fant for the two-point conversion.
Alabama responded quickly, as Bryce Young capped off another long Alabama drive, completing a touchdown pass to his leading receiver Cameron Latu with a little over eight minutes left.
Tennessee took the field, and that’s when things went awry. A fumbled exchange by Hooker and running back Jabari Small was recovered by the Tide, and defensive back Dallas Turner housed it. All of a sudden, the Vols trailed by seven, 49-42.
Hooker retook the field, and finally tied it up with three minutes left, connecting with his man, once again being Hyatt. Young fired back, setting up a potential game winning field goal attempt with 15 seconds left.
Alabama kicker Will Reichard set it up from 50-yards out - wide right. The Vols pushed it into field goal range late, and set up kicker Chase McGrath to become the hero.
The 40-yard attempt went up, was tipped by the Tide defensive line, and miraculously went through. The Vols defeated the Tide for the first time in 16 years, and leapfrogged Alabama in the AP Poll. Tennessee now sits at No. 3, while Alabama fell to No. 6.
Although that matchup provided enough thrill on its own, let’s not overshadow some other standout teams in the southeast.
The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs took care of business in very Georgia-like fashion, downing Vanderbilt 55-0. Quarterback Stetson Bennett went 24-for-30 for 289 yards and two scores, as the reigning national champions stay undefeated.
No. 7 Ole Miss defeated their SEC rival, the Auburn Tigers, 48-34 Saturday. The Rebels were led by the dual threat scoring from quarterback Jaxson Dart and freshman standout Quinshon Judkins. Dart scored three times while Jundkins was the workhorse, notching 25 carries for 139 yards and two scores.
No. 17 Kentucky was happy to get its star quarterback Will Levis back from injury, and he did not disappoint. He completed 17 passes for 230 yards, but it was the work of senior running back Chris Rodriguez that put the Wildcats over the top. Rodriguez carried 31 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns, helping Kentucky down No. 24 Mississippi State 27-17.
Speaking of the Bulldogs, Mississippi State is looking to bounce back from their in-conference loss last weekend. Quarterback Will Rogers didn’t light up the stat sheet, accumulating a little over 200 yards and a touchdown. They face a tough task this week as they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Let’s look forward to another great week of SEC action. Will we see another scoring affair to go into the history books? Only time will tell.
Parker Silverman is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email pws5405@psu.edu.
