Rivalry weekend lived up to its name. Each game had tangible emotion and most had a little extra-curricular activity after the whistle.
Not everything went according to plan, but that’s what makes college football exciting each and every week. For some, this was a season to forget. For others, there are still great things on the horizon.
Here are 10 things I liked about the SEC in week 13.
1. Alabama runs away from Auburn and stays undefeated: Once again, the Crimson Tide look to be the best team in college football. There were many parts of Saturday’s win against Auburn that weren’t pretty, but Alabama stepped its game up when it needed to and improved to a perfect 12-0.
Nick Saban beat Auburn for the third consecutive time, too, the first time Alabama has managed that since 1990-92.
Behind an incredible defensive performance, the Crimson Tide came out of the Iron Bowl with only the SEC championship game standing between them and a guaranteed spot in the Playoff.
2. Stephen Johnson’s performance in Kentucky’s big win: Although the season didn’t turn out quite like many Kentucky fans had hoped several weeks ago, when a trip to Atlanta was possible, the Wildcats earned a massive victory over Louisville to close out the regular season.
In the win, quarterback Stephen Johnson outdueled Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson and provided several exciting moments.
https://twitter.com/Scott_Charlton/status/802560983424233472
Johnson threw for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win and added another 83 yards on the ground. His performance was exactly what the Wildcats needed and this win won’t soon be forgotten.
3. Mississippi State’s run game: This year’s Egg Bowl didn’t have the hype of those in recent seasons, but it was a must-win for Ole Miss, which needed a victory to become bowl eligible. That didn’t happen, however, as Mississippi State rolled to a 55-20 victory behind a record-setting day from its sophomore quarterback.
Nick Fitzgerald had his best day as a Bulldog in the victory, running for school-record 258 yards while also throwing for 109 yards and accounting for 5 total touchdowns. Fitzgerald was complemented by running back Aeris Williams, who ran for 191 yards and 2 scores.
On this TD run, Nick Fitzgerald set the @HailStateFB record for rushing yards in a game.
2️⃣5️⃣8️⃣ rush yds – The kid is out here BALLING. pic.twitter.com/fxXTj4cnSt
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 27, 2016
4. Derrius Guice’s record day: Fitzgerald wasn’t the only one setting a school record in Week 13. LSU running back Derrius Guice ran for 285 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Tigers’ 54-39 victory over Texas A&M on Thanksgiving.
Guice’s 285 yards were one more than Leonard Fournette gained last month in his own record-setting performance against Ole Miss.
5. This pre-historic Georgia fan: The Bulldogs had another stunning home loss after Georgia Tech rallied to win 28-27. Sony Michel did his best to keep Georgia in the game, running for 170 yards and a touchdown, but there weren’t many bright spots.
One notable exception could be spotted when the camera panned over the Georgia student section. I like dinosaurs and puns. This has both.
Quite possibly the best idea I have ever had ??? #RexTech pic.twitter.com/q4pTNQNiHH
— Kendall Lively Tripp (@candletripp) November 26, 2016
6. ArDarius Stewart’s versatility: Calvin Ridley entered this season as the Alabama receiver destined for stardom. He is still a player no team can overlook, but ArDarius Stewart is the Crimson Tide’s most exciting receiver.
Stewart did a little bit of everything Saturday. The junior caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a score, made several key blocks on the perimeter and threw a bullet for a 12-yard completion on a reverse pass. He’s capable of creating a mismatch against nearly any team and will be a big weapon moving forward.
7. Vanderbilt’s statement victory: It’s been a wild second half of the season for the Commodores. Vanderbilt went on the road to beat Georgia and claim its first conference road win under Derek Mason. Then, it rolled over Ole Miss in impressive fashion. Saturday, Vanderbilt defeated rival Tennessee 45-34 to become bowl eligible without relying on its APR score for admission.
Quarterback Kyle Shurmur had a career day, throwing for 416 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was helped by Ralph Webb, who ran for 114 yards and another pair of scores and became Vandy’s career rushing leader (3,231 yards and counting).
Mason was understandably excited after the victory, and the Commodores are going bowling.
Derek Mason is pumped up pic.twitter.com/twzycURMbE
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 27, 2016
8. Joshua Dobbs neared perfection: Tennessee’s senior quarterback has had some brilliant moments in 2016, and Saturday’s performance should be counted among them. Although the Vols fell on the road, none of the blame can be laid at Dobbs’ feet.
Completing 31 of his 34 pass attempts, Dobbs connected on a staggering 91 percent of his throws. Those completions added up to 340 yards and 2 touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to earn the victory.
9. Dan Mullen’s humor-cigar combo: Following Mississippi State’s comfortable victory, Dan Mullen enjoyed a nice celebratory cigar. At his post-game press conference, he was asked about the other schools who recruited Nick Fitzgerald. Mullen delivered a pretty funny quote with excellent comedic timing. The cigar played into the scene perfectly.
10. LSU hiring Ed Orgeron: There are fans on both sides of the aisle on LSU’s decision to make Ed Orgeron the full-time head coach. It’s no secret that Orgeron was the team’s third choice behind Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman, but he’s not a bad Plan C. At the very least, the Tigers are getting a coach who will live and die for the program. There might not be another coach in college football who loves his school more than Orgeron loves LSU, and that is a great starting point.
