What happened to you on Saturday: Week 3

Published September 17, 2012 - 10:33am

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What happened to you on Saturday? This is the must read for every SEC football fan on Monday morning right here at Saturday Down South. Pulling no punches as we recap a weekend of SEC football action…

Fatigued by SEC Fatigue?

Alabama is #1 and LSU is #2.    Wait, what?  This isn’t supposed to happen.  Not again.  Alabama lost Trent Richardson, Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Dont’a Hightower to the 1^st round of the NFL draft.  LSU lost Morris Claiborne, Rueben Randle, Boots Jefferson and the F’ing Honey Badger.  The BCS is dead.  Isn’t there a playoff?  This can’t happen again.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This was going to be year that the SEC’s dominance of college football finally came to an end.  Prognosticators told us that the SEC wouldn’t even have a team in the BCS title game this year.  The theory was that the SEC big dogs would eat their own while other elite teams with far more manageable schedules cruised to undefeated seasons.  It makes sense on paper.  But for this plan to work Southern Cal couldn’t lose to Luck-less Stanford or little-ass Oregon.  Wait, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

As the Stanford nerds clumsily rushed the field after beating a USC for the fourth straight time, two things became abundantly clear.  First:  Lane Kiffin still has accomplished absolutely nothing as a head coach.  Recruit-first coaches always get exposed and this loss did that for Lane Zook, for like the 8^th time.  Second: The SEC will be represented in the BCS title game with at least one school, and if Florida State loses to Clemson next week or Florida in late November, there could be two.  So, it might be a good idea to start building up your SEC endurance, otherwise you might get fatigued.

Tennessee is back… just not as back as Florida

Tennessee is supposed to be back.  100,000 plus fans loaded up every seat in Neyland Stadium because Tennessee is back.  ESPN sent Fowler, Herbie, and Corso to Knoxville and they told us Tennessee is back (To his credit, Herbsteit picked Florida).  Hell, Kenny Chesney even took a break from showing groupies how the doors on his tour bus work to say Tennessee is back.  They all might be right, but the bad news the Volunteers on Saturday was that Florida is more back.  Backer?  Is that a word?

Florida’s 37-20 thumping of the Vols in their packed house was impressive.  The road can be unfriendly, just ask Lane Kiffin.  Lane couldn’t keep his guys together in front of 50,360 salutatorians.  Will Muschamp made critical in-game adjustments in front of 102,455 hill-people draped in retina-scorching Orange.  I’d bet money that at least 50,360 in that crowd (and on the field) likely have had underage drinking violations in the past decade.  I say that with complete admiration for a crowd that came to get after it.

Quarterback Jeff Driskel showed skeptics (me) that he was worthy of his high school accolades and worthy of the starting job.  More importantly, for Florida fans, he showed glimpses of how high his ceiling could be.  This kid has started two games, both on the road in front of extremely hostile environments.  Both times he’s left a better quarterback than he was when the game started.  The knee-jerk response to seeing Driskel running for 81 yards would be to compare him to Tim Tebow.  I think a more apt comparison is Aaron Rodgers.  The athleticism to run effectively is there, but Driskel is a far more capable passer than Tebow even is now.

Both coaches needed this win badly, and Muschamp got it, silencing critics (me).  Without crucial second half adjustments in both the Texas A&M and Tennessee games, the conversation isn’t if Will Muschamp will get fired, but when.  Instead, we see a young head coach who building a culture of mental and physical toughness.

Derek Dooley, on the other hand, came into this season with the reputation of wearing orange pants and getting a job he didn’t deserve because he had a famous last name.  After Saturday, well…

How bad could this get?

Arkansas is in free-fall.

Bobby Petrino, like most egomaniacal dirtbag fathers, has left an emotionally fragile, sad, broken mess in his spoiled, selfish wake.  You can’t help but feel bad for these players and fans that had this dumped on them.

The John L. Smith hire was foolish, at best.  He’s a kiddie pool swimmer who has somehow found himself in the chop at Mavericks.  He’s in way over his head and doesn’t have a clue how to get out.

Everyone knew Tyler Wilson wasn’t playing and everyone knew Alabama would destroy them even if he was out there.  After the first quarter the only question was, “Will Saban show pity?”  Despite the 52-0 score, he actually did.

The goals Arkansas had coming into this season are out the door, but use this time to build for the future.  Even if the players have to do it on their own, don’t let the program fall to pieces.  Remember, it’s not your fault. “Look at me son; it’s not your fault.”

Plays That Mattered

Florida utility man Trey Burton broke off an 80-yard TD run that makes Florida a legit threat in the SEC East.

Auburn was lucky to get out with a win, but Kiehl Frazier’s scramble and 33-yard Hail Mary to Sammy Coates on the final play of the first half is the best play of the season, to date.

I know you are a basketball school, and I’m thrilled you won the title last year, but seriously… Western Kentucky?  Come on.  Now that football is over, let’s get back to what Kentucky is good at…

What They Meant to Say

“The loss hurts, but because I caught a bad pass from Tyler Bray on the sidelines and spiked it in anger, and because Lane Zook lost to Stanford, this loss won’t sting nearly as bad as it could have.” – Derek Dooley, Head Coach, Owner of Orange Pants, Tennessee

“The Vols lost?  I’m crushed (laughing).  You think I care about this team?  No man, I just pretend to be a fan so it doesn’t look like I’m trolling for college girls, which is the only reason I’m here!  Now watch how excited this Tri-Delt gets when I mention my tour bus…” – Kenny Chesney, Beach Bum/Country Singer/Lover of Women of all ages

“We probably could have scored 80, but strength of schedule matters and if we score 80 Arkansas might be so devastated that they don’t try again all season.  I think 52 embarrasses them, but also maybe motivates them to keep playing until the LSU game in November.  We may need them then.”  – Nick Saban, Head Coach, Alabama