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Around the SEC

Filed Under Mississippi State Sports, SEC Sports | Posted on November 7, 2006

Just what’s happened to the SEC? Have the once mighty fallen? Is the SEC still the toughest football conference?

Yes times are tough for the SEC. Mighty programs like Bama and Georgia have fallen to the likes of MSU and Kentucky. Fans are calling for coaches heads. Arkansas remains the only unbeaten team in SEC play. Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU are too inconsistent, and I am still unsure about Florida.

And you might even ask are the teams in the cellar that bad? Kentucky and Vandy have most definitely improved. MSU, while losing to Tulane, should have beaten Kentucky and Georgia. Spurrier has South Carolina playing well, but they can’t get that one big win. Ole Miss has struggled offensively for most of the year.

This weekend will answer a lot of questions about the SEC.

Sat, Nov. 11th (all times central)
Alabama at LSU (ESPN) 6:45 PM, Will Bama bounce back or will LSU blow them out? LSU has been really good at home this season (averaging 45.6 ppg at home, 6-0).

Tennessee at Arkansas (ESPN2) 6:00 PM, Arkansas controls their own destiny, but the road to Atlanta will be rough. A win against a good, but beat up Tennessee team puts them that much closer to the SEC Championship game. But who will be under center Saturday night? Houston Nutt pulled Mitch Mustain after an interception on his only pass of the game and inserted Casey Dick. Dick played well and might get the start this weekend.

Georgia at Auburn (LFS) 11:30 AM, After taking the weekend off and still beating Arkansas State (27-0) the Auburn Tigers welcome the struggling Georgia Bulldogs to the plains. I think the Georgia’s slide will continue this weekend, luckily for them they are already bowl eligible because they may not win another game this year.

South Carolina at Florida (CBS) 2:30 PM CT, Well its obvious why CBS picked this one. Florida clinched its spot in the SEC Championship Game with a win over Vandy (25-19). Spurrier still needs to get his Gamecocks a big win, and wouldn’t this weekend be nice. Florida must continue to win to have any shot at a BCS title game. This should be a great game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a USC upset.

Kentucky at Vanderbilt (no tv) 12:00 PM, another interesting match up. Both teams have continued to improve and needs wins to go bowling. Kentucky just needs one more, while Vandy needs to win out. My guess is the Commodores pull of the victory at home setting up a must win game versus home state rival Tennessee.

Ole Miss (BYE) - The Rebels took out some frustration last weekend piling up 401 yards against Division 1-AA Northwestern State and get the weekend off to recuperate and heal up. Unfortunately for Coach O and the Rebs they have to go to LSU on the 18th.

Mississippi State (BYE) - The Bulldogs get to celebrate their upset of Alabama for a week before Arkansas comes to Starkvegas on the 18th. Hopefully the Dawgs gain build on this win, gain some confidence, and upset the Hogs when they come to town.