CFB Review: SEC Overrated?
| 6
|
by Suckatsports
College football review talks about the week that was in college football, about the good teams that won, and the good teams that lost. Look for it to wrap up the college football preview, and to gloat upon picking correct outcomes.
We saw the seeds of this being planted all the way in the beginning of the year, when two heralded SEC teams lost at home. But now, are we in an era when this is finally coming to fruition? No one is going to argue with the fact that LSU and Florida look like they're two of the best teams in the nation, but where else is the power in this conference? Kentucky is making noise, and they look good, but as of yet, there doesn't seem to be anyone that's knocking on the Gator/Tiger doorstep for SEC supremacy, or even competition. It seems as though there is too many tier-2 teams battling it out for the Gator Bowl to worry about having a decent in-conference record. From the results so far, it's as if the SEC itself has resigned to the reality that they are just as top heavy as the Big-10 was last year, with second rate teams battling it out for 2nd. The season is a quarter over, and so far there's been more questions than answers, both in the SEC and other conferences; players we thought were going to be integral in the national championship race have shown themselves to be frauds. Sure, my opinion may count for very little, but it's a little more inspiring when a national writer (whom I read a lot) agrees with what I say. Stewart Mandel saw the same things that I saw. Either we're both incredibly stupid, or incredibly smart.
> My take on the SEC at this point in the season: Two truly elite teams (LSU and Florida) and a whole bunch of good-but-not-great squads (Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee), any of whom could beat the other on any given night but would have a hard time hanging with the Tigers and Gators.
The best game of the weekend didn't reside in Baton Rouge, even though the rankings were hoping that it would. The best game was down the street in the SEC, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With a packed house, Alabama came back from two independent 10-point deficits, but Georgia pulled it out in overtime. I didn't get to watch the game, because I was still in the process of recuperating from a 3:30 kickoff of my own team, but everywhere I've read recounts Mathew Stafford as being less than electric in the win. Alabama's Nick Saban will need to give the locals some time before allowing the coronation, however, as his team failed to live up to the lofty expectations of this game. They're still a year or two behind, and everyone is noticing that John Parker Wilson, while looking like the quintessential Alabama QB is not a player that is going to lead any team to the SEC championship.
Best of the rest. What you missed if you were like me: recuperation.
Syracuse sparked a memorable upset over Louisville at Papa John's stadium no less! This had to be the most surprising win of the week for everyone involved. I wish I could have been able to see this one first hand, but going into the game, no one willingly wants to watch Syracuse play. That being said, Louisville's defense is as bad as advertised, or at least they hope so. Syracuse can't get out of their own way most of the time, but were able to hang 38 on the road. Unacceptable Steve Kragthrope, just unacceptable.
Just as unexpected of an upset was Georgia Tech falling to Virginia. Granted, they were at Virginia, but Al Groh is still coaching there, I do believe. Could the win over Notre Dame have been a mirage? I haven't seen anything from Virginia to expect them to be any good, but Georgia Tech has now lost two in a row, looking completely unimpressive. Hail Chan Gailey.
Nebraska got the win over Ball State, but now they have more questions than answers. A team that was supposed to challenge for the national championship, and dominate the Big 12 is coming up lame against average competition (and just plain bad against good competition). A one point win at home against a bad team is not something to hang your hats on, turn in your jerseys, blackshirts.
Is USC's win at Nebraska now less impressive seeing what Nebraska did this weekend? USC answered that question themselves by beating up on Washington State. How many weapons does USC have? The running game comes to pound your face in one week, and Booty throws four touchdowns the next. This offense is going to be hard to stop all year.
Pac-10 has a couple of good teams themselves. Launching themselves from a big win at Michigan, 13th ranked Oregon really put it on Stanford. Yeah, it's Stanford, but it's still 50+ points. And, by the way, Stanford scored 31, why could Michigan only muster 7?
Of those SEC teams that actually played semi-real competition, no one looked that great. Previously unstoppable juggernaut Florida just barely got by Ole' Miss. And don't give me this deep-conference garbage, the truth is that Florida is going to have issues with this defense. The offense looked amazing again though. I can't wait for the October showdown with LSU.
Speaking of LSU, they took care of business themselves showing the SEC is a two-horse race, and showing USC is just another of those slow plotting second tier teams with a pedestrian victory, except on the ground. LSU rushed for 300 some yards, that's exceptional. Is it too early to say that Ryan Perrilloux should be starting? I know I said there is no QB competition, but Flynn looks as stagnant as ever.
Kentucky may be the most impressive team in the SEC, and we're not even in basketball season yet. After an early deficit, and a crucial change of momentum, they came back with three unanswered touchdowns to severely damage Heisman hopes for Darren McFadden. He, however, was electric again. Can anyone stop this guy?
As predicted here, unfortunately, Michigan came away with an ugly win over Penn State. PSU didn't score a touchdown, and Morelli continues to struggle in conference play for the second season in a row. Defense kept this game close, but is Michigan going to be crashing the Big 10 party?
Looking unimpressive was another Big 10 elephant: Wisconsin struggled at home against Iowa. They needed their crowd, and an offensive surge in the last half of a quarter to put a team away that lost to Iowa State. Iowa State is a team that lost to Kent State. If A = B...
Saturday observations II [SI.com: Stewart Mandel]
Week 4 CFB Scores [SI.com]
Like what you read? This post is cross-published from We Suck at Sports.
