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We take a look at the most telling stat(s) for each SEC team, of the good and bad variety, entering bowl season.
ALABAMA
Best: The Crimson Tide’s front seven has been among the best in recent memory, and it has the stats to back that statement up. Alabama has only allowed 74 rushing yards per game this season, which is the fewest in the FBS. In fact, it would be the lowest mark any defense has achieved since none other than Alabama held opponents to 72.2 yards on the ground per game back in 2011. Meanwhile, the Tide have racked up 46 sacks, also the best in the FBS. Utah boasts the only other defense that even ranks among the top 10 in both of those areas. And Bama’s offensive front isn’t too shabby either, blocking for the new SEC single-season rushing leader in Derrick Henry (1,986 yards).
Worst: Alabama has given up 38 passes of 20-plus yards this season, which is 13th in the SEC. Only Arkansas with its whopping 52 has allowed more. Meanwhile, the Tide are also averaging 57.3 penalty yards per game, which is also 13th in the SEC.
ARKANSAS
Best: The Razorbacks offensive line has only allowed 12 sacks this season, the fewest of any Power 5 team in the country. It also has to be mentioned that the same offensive line paved the way for RB Alex Collins to rush for 1,392 yards, becoming just the third player in SEC history to go for 1,000 yards in their freshman, sophomore and junior campaigns, joining Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden.
Worst: The Hogs have allowed 6.12 yards per play, the most in the SEC and 105th in the FBS.
AUBURN
Best: The Tigers were strong in the red zone this season, coming away with points on 89.1 percent of their trips, 2nd-best in the SEC. You might think this was mainly due to Daniel Carlson’s leg, which made an SEC-best 84.6 percent of (22 of 26) field goals this season, but Auburn was also 4th in the SEC at getting in the end zone (60.9 percent).
Worst: Auburn only had 49 tackles for loss this season, dead last in the SEC and nearly dead last in the entire country. Only Georgia Tech (47) had fewer, and that illustrates the Tigers’ inability to make big plays on that side of the ball this season.
FLORIDA
Best: If one team could pick a stat to lead their conference in, it might be turnover margin, and Florida leads the league at this point at +10. That margin is three better than the next-best teams in the SEC: Alabama, Arkansas and LSU are all tied at +7.
Worst: The Gators only made 7 of 17 field goals this season, making just 41.7 percent of their tries. That rate is the worst for any school that attempted at least 10 field goals this season. Florida has missed each of its last five attempts. UF has even struggled with extra points, missing five on the season, tied for 2nd-most among FBS teams. The only school to miss more is New Mexico State (6). UF also allowed 43 sacks, 11 more than any other team in the SEC.
GEORGIA
Best: UGA only allowed opponents to come away with points on 64.5 percent of red zone trips, 2nd only to Appalachian State’s 63.6 percent. The Bulldogs have also done a better job than any team this season when it comes to not consistently giving up big plays through the air. Georgia has only allowed 64 plays of 10-plus yards, the fewest in the FBS.
Worst: Unfortunately, Georgia hasn’t done as good a job offensively in the red zone. The Bulldogs only managed to get in the end zone 41.5 percent of the time this season, which is 125th in the FBS.
KENTUCKY
Best: The Wildcats were 5th in the SEC in red zone scoring percentage, putting points on the board 83.7 percent of the time (36 of 43 attempts).
Worst: Kentucky was very much in the same boat as Auburn this season, not able to make big plays in the backfield defensively. The Wildcats were tied with the Tigers for the fewest sacks (17) while only posting 53 tackles for loss, only better than Auburn in the league. Kentucky also had a five-game losing streak this season, tied with South Carolina for the longest skid in the conference.
LSU
Best: LSU has posted at least eight wins in 16 straight seasons now, tying Tennessee’s SEC record that the Vols established from 1989-2004. The Bayou Bengals did it behind a strong running game, one that averages 245.3 yards per game, the fourth-best single-season average in school history.
Worst: The Tigers were easily last in the SEC when it came to penalties per game (7.9) and penalty yards per game (63.5).
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Best: Nobody was better than the Bulldogs in the red zone this season. Mississippi State scored on 90 percent of its trips and reached the end zone on 70 percent of its trips, both marks being the best in the SEC.
Worst: Hail State did horrible in the turnover department this season. MSU was dead last in turnovers gained (12) while also ranking last in fumbles lost (13) and fumbles recovered (1).
MISSOURI
Best: Missouri was stellar on the defensive side of the ball, only allowing nine plays all season of 30-plus yards, the best mark in the FBS. The Tigers only allowed 4.32 yards per play, 3rd-best in the FBS behind just Boston College (4.07) and Alabama (4.13). Meanwhile, Mizzou’s 8.8 tackles for loss per game stands as 2nd only to Boston College’s 9.5.
Worst: Where do we begin? Missouri is dead last in the FBS in red zone touchdown percentage (32.3), 127th in points per game (13.6) and 126th in first downs per game (15.1).
OLE MISS
Best: The Rebels boast the most explosive offense in the SEC this season, ranking 1st in points per game (40.3) and total yards per game (514.8). Their average points is about 5 points better than the next-best average and their average yards are 58 yards better.
Worst: As good as Ole Miss was in the passing game, it also struggled to defend the pass. The Rebels allowed 23 passing touchdowns, last in the SEC and five more than the next-worst team in the conference. Ole Miss was also a non-factor in either phase of the return game, ranking last in the league in yards per punt return (3.9) and 13th in yards per kick return (16.9).
SOUTH CAROLINA
Best: Nobody was better than the Bulldogs in the red zone this season. Mississippi State scored on 90 percent of its trips and reached the end zone on 70 percent of its trips, both marks being the best in the SEC.
Worst: The Gamecocks defense was a disgrace this season. It ranked last in the SEC in total yards allowed per game (429.8). It especially struggled at getting off the field on third downs, allowing teams to convert 46.9 percent of the time, which ranks 2nd-worst only to Texas Tech (50 percent) among Power 5 schools.
TENNESSEE
Best: The Vols only averaged 36.7 penalty yards per game, 2nd-best among Power 5 schools and 6th-best in the FBS. Meanwhile, UT was among the best in the FBS in several special teams categories, most notably ranking 1st in kick return yards per game (33.4) and 2nd in punt return yards per game (18.3). Plus, Tennessee was the best in the SEC and 4th-best in the FBS at getting off the field on third downs (27.7 percent).
Worst: The Vols were a little porous up front at times, allowing 7.2 tackles for loss per game, 13th in the SEC and only better than Missouri. Meanwhile, UT failed to generate turnovers with only 15 on the season, also 13th in the league.
TEXAS A&M
Best: Texas A&M thrived at getting into opposing backfields this season. The Aggies recorded 8.6 tackles for loss per game, 3rd-best in the FBS. And as bad as the team was hurt on the ground (as you’re about to read), the defense was very good at preventing big plays through the air, only allowing 67 passes of 10-plus yards, 2nd only to Georgia in the entire country.
Worst: The Aggies have been gashed on the ground this season, surrendering 87 runs of 10-plus yards, 10 more than any other SEC team.
VANDERBILT
Best: The Commodores defense only allowed opponents to reach the end zone 38.8 percent of the time, 4th-best in the FBS.
Worst: Vandy was -8 in the turnover department, comfortably the worst in the SEC, and that’s thanks to an SEC-high 25 turnovers. The offense was in the basement with Missouri in several areas, most notably in points per game as the ‘Dores only averaged 15.2 a game. Only Central Florida (13.9), Missouri (13.6) and Kent State (13.1) posted fewer.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
