Recapping SEC week 5 in 60 seconds

Published September 30, 2012 - 9:30am

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Here’s a week five recap for all games:

Missouri 21, UCF 16

• Highlights 
• The Tigers get back on track with a hard-earned victory on the road against UCF. It may not have have been pretty at times, but the Tigers will take this win and run back to Columbia.
• The play of the game was Marcus Murphy’s 66-yard punt return for a TD that really swung the momentum in Missouri’s favor in the third quarter.
• James Franklin played better overall, completing 19 of 30 passes for 257 yards and one TD and one INT. He looked a little more comfortable in the pocket than he did a week ago.
• Finally, freshman WR Dorial Green-Beckham gets on the board with an 80-yard TD catch in the second quarter.
• RB Kendial Lawrence took over in the second half and finished with 19 carries for 104 yards and one touchdown, including the 10-yarder that put the Tigers up for good in the fourth quarter.
• The Tigers return to SEC competition next week against Vanderbilt at home.
• Biggest takeaway: Missouri had to grind out a win against UCF, and the Tigers will need to improve much more before conference play resumes next week against Vanderbilt. The good news is UCF is probably better overall than Vandy has looked so far this season.

Texas A&M 58, Arkansas 10

• Highlights
• TAMU scored 51 unanswered points starting in the second quarter to get their first-ever SEC win.
• Aggies’ QB Johnny Manziel had just a marvelous game, totaling 557 yards and four touchdowns. He set a school record with 557 yards of total offense. He did as he pleased against the Hogs’ defense, but every quarterback has so far this season.
• Twelve different TAMU WRs caught passes, with Ryan Swope leading the way with five catches for 141 yards and one touchdown.
• The Aggies rolled up 716 total yards of offense.
• Arkansas’ three turnovers – two interceptions and one fumble - killed any momentum or comeback the Hogs mounted earlier in the game.
• Tyler Wilson completed 29 of 59 passes for 373 yards and one TD, with two INTs.
• RB Knile Davis rushed for 65 yards and had 64 yards receiving, including a 64-yard TD.
• TAMU returns to action next week against Ole Miss, while Arkansas travels to Auburn to try and get their first conference win.
• Biggest Takeaway: Texas A&M is a little bit better than everyone expected and will sneak up on a team they are not supposed to beat this season. The offense is getting better and better each week as Johnny Manziel gets more experience, and the defense is fast, physical and slightly underrated too.

#5 Georgia 51, Tennessee 44

• Highlights
• Georgia holds on to win a shootout between the hedges at home.
• Both defenses really decided not to show up, as both teams combined for 95 points and 1,038 yards of offense.
• Georgia held on late with a strip on Tyler Bray with 1:24 left on the clock in the 4th. The Dawgs also blew a 17-point lead in the first half. Georgia won the game on three takeaways in the final six minutes.  That was the difference, and the defense made the plays when they had to for the Bulldogs.
• UGA freshmen RBs Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley combined for 294 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Tennessee had no answer for either all game, and Georgia really exploited Tennessee’s lack of speed at linebacker with runs to the boundary.
• Aaron Murray threw for 278 yards and two TDs and one INT.
• Tyler Bray threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns but had three INTs and one fumble – three of those TOs came down the stretch in the 4th quarter.
• Vols RB Rajion Neal had a big day, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown and catching five passes for 53 yards and one TD. We’re seeing hints of a Tennessee running game finally developing with Neal.
• Tennessee fought hard until the end, and you have to credit this team for not quitting.
• Biggest takeaway: Georgia survived the game they needed to in order to face South Carolina undefeated.  It wasn’t pretty, but we all know conference games are much tougher than out of conference.  This was one of those.  Georgia’s offense is built to score on big plays, and they did just that, scoring on runs of 75, 51 and 72. This is a very explosive offense that outscored a team it had to outscore on a very off night for its defense.

#6 South Carolina 38, Kentucky 17

• Highlights
• The Wildcats got off to a terrific start 17-7 in the first half.  Kentucky got a late turnover just before half and had a chance to stretch their lead to 24-7 but time expired.  However, it was all Gamecocks in the second half.  Carolina outscored Kentucky 31-0 in the second half to put the game away.
• Kentucky starting QB Max Smith got hurt in the first quarter, and freshman Jalen Whitlow came in and did a decent job.  South Carolina intercepted two second half passes to seal the win.
• Connor Shaw continued his efficiency, as he connected on 15 of 18 passes for 148 yards and two TDs.  Shaw completed passes to seven different WRs.
• Marcus Lattimore looks 100 percent, and he took over the game in the second half. He finished with 23 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The Gamecocks rode their horse to victory.
• Biggest takeaway: Carolina survives an upset bid by Kentucky and survives to meet Georgia undefeated next week in Columbia. There was no panic by Connor Shaw even when they were losing 17-7 in the 1st half, and he led the team as a smooth customer in the 2nd half to victory.  He showed great poise, and this team didn’t panic.

#3 LSU 38, Towson 22

• Highlights
• The Tigers looked really bored and very uncomfortable throughout the game.
• QB Zach Mettenberger really struggled early and fumbled, but he finished a little better than he started. He threw for 238 yards and two TDs.
• Russell Shepard and Michael Ford both scored rushing TDs.
• WR Odell Beckham caught five passes for 128 yards and two TDs. LSU must get him going because he’s such a weapon.
• Towson moved the football much throughout the game, and they were very effective on QB draws. I fully expect Florida to try and do the same next week to LSU’s aggressive front four.
• FB JC Copeland went down with a knee injury, and he’ll likely miss the Florida game next week. It did not look good at all, and he’s a huge loss for the Tigers if true.
• Biggest takeaway: LSU is really nowhere near where we thought they would be, and Zach Mettenberger has struggled more than we thought. LSU will have a dogfight next week against Florida in The Swamp.  This team misses an X-Factor and a knockout punch.  They just seem bored out there and are playing uninspired football.

#1 Alabama 33, Ole Miss 14

• Highlights
• Ole Miss went up 7-6 early, and it was the first time Alabama has trailed since their game against Tennessee in 2011.
• The Rebels’ defense was also very physical, and they were much improved since the start of this season. They held Alabama to just over 300 total yards and laid several big hits on Bama’s backs and receivers.
• Bama QB AJ McCarron played efficient football once again, connecting on 22 of 30 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
• Bama’s defense forced three interceptions, two from Ole Miss starter Bo Wallace.
• Tide freshman WR Amari Cooper really had a great game, catching eight passes for 84 yards and two TDs. He could develop into McCarron’s go-to receiver for this season.
• Christion Jones, another Alabama freshman WR, returned a kickoff 99-yards for a touchdown.
• Ole Miss RBs Jeff Scott and Randall Mackey both had rushing TDs.
• Biggest takeaway: Alabama is taking care of business as usual, but Ole Miss is a much-improved football team that will beat someone they are not supposed to this season.