Around the SEC: Week 7 (Football)
Week 6 was a rough week for the Florida Gators who lost to Texas A&M 41-38. The game was high scoring, but ultimately came down to a 26-yard field goal from Seth Small to give the Aggies the win as time expired.
Texas A&M head coach, Jimbo Fisher collected his first win over a top-five team since he became the head coach in 2018.
Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. Mond surpassed former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson in passing yards to be Texas A&M’s all-time leading passer.
Sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller had a big day on the ground rushing for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
No. 11 Texas A&M will play a struggling Mississippi State team in Week 7. Mississippi State lost its last two games to Kentucky and Arkansas. Mississippi State was only able to score points on a safety against Kentucky in week 6. Texas A&M has an easy next few games until their next ranked matchup against No. 18 Tennessee.
Florida head coach Dan Mullen blamed the loss on the number of fans that Texas A&M allowed. The game on Oct. 10, had almost 25,000 fans in attendance.
The reason the Gators lost was not because of the fans, but the lack of their defense. Florida let up 41 points and 543 all-purpose yards to Texas A&M. The Florida Gators were supposed to play the LSU Tigers on Oct. 17, but the game was postponed because of a rise in COVID-19 cases at Florida.
The LSU Tigers were knocked out of the Top 25 in Week 6 with a loss to Missouri, 45-41. This is LSU’s second loss to an unranked team. The LSU defense did not perform well letting up 45 points and 586 yards of offense.
LSU will have a bye due to the virus. The bye week was needed after another unranked loss.
The No. 15 Auburn Tigers take on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Auburn rebounded from its loss to Georgia by barely beating Arkansas, 30-28. The Tigers have a tough road game against the Gamecocks on Oct. 17.
The game of the week is the only ranked matchup in the SEC. The No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide take on the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs.
Alabama is coming off a high scoring win over Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels, 63-48. The Crimson Tide were carried by senior running back Najee Harris, who racked up 206 yards and five touchdowns. Junior quarterback Mac Jones had another successful game in the air throwing for 417 yards and two touchdowns. Alabama keeps proving that they have one of the best offenses in the SEC.
The Georgia Bulldogs put on a defensive clinic in their 44-21 win against the ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee had -1 yards rushing against Georgia’s defense. The Bulldogs also forced three turnovers.
Junior Stetson Bennett has secured his starting role at quarterback for Georgia. Bennett has put up 689 yards passing on the year and five touchdowns. Bennett has yet to throw an interception, and if the Bulldogs want to upset Alabama, then he will have to keep it that way.
The game is the matchup of the best defense in the SEC against the best offense in the SEC. The game will come down to Georgia’s offense against Alabama’s defense. The side that outperforms the other will win the game.
However, Saturday’s game is hanging on a thread with the outburst of COVID-19 cases in the SEC. Alabama head coach Nick Saban tested positive for the virus on Oct. 14, just days before one of his team’s biggest games of the season.
If the game is played as scheduled, then there should be an excellent battle between defense and offense.
Spencer Ripchik is a freshman majoring in journalism. To contact him email ripcspen@gmail.com.
