One half of the Atlanta equation is clear, but how it happened in the SEC East for Florida was far from expected. Alabama shook up the SEC West, and did it with surprising ease. The Gators and Crimson Tide are all over this week’s five biggest surprises, while another dominating performance and shocking finish also make the list.
Here are this week’s five biggest surprises:
5. Auburn’s defense shut down Texas A&M QB Kyler Murray: Few SEC defensive units have struggled as much as Auburn has this season, but Will Muschamp’s group put together its best game of the season in a 26-10 upset of No. 19 Texas A&M. In an injury-shortened game, Murray (13-of-23, 105 yards, 3 INT; 8 rushes, 37 yards) struggled to move the Aggies’ offense in the deflating loss for a team that was contending for the SEC West title not long ago.
4. Florida needed luck to beat Vanderbilt: Twenty-point underdog Vanderbilt (3-6, 1-4 SEC) managed only one touchdown against No. 10 Florida (8-1, 6-1 SEC) in The Swamp, but it was almost enough. Commodores P Tommy Openshaw shanked a 12-yard punt out of bounds at the Vanderbilt 45-yard line with only 5:37 left. The Gators managed a 43-yard field goal off the foot of K Austin Hardin to go up 9-7 and escape with a victory to clinch the SEC East.
3. The SEC caught the crazy finish bug: If a school’s initials are UM, apparently it’s destined to be part of a crazy finish this year in college football. After Michigan’s disastrous punt and Miami’s miracle return, Mississippi fans were front and center for the most recent jaw-dropper. Trailing 52-45 in overtime, Arkansas was in a fourth-and-25 situation when TE Hunter Henry got off a lateral before the play was over, and RB Alex Collins took the ball past the first down marker. The Razorbacks used their new set of downs to score a touchdown and win 53-52 on a second-chance 2-point conversion run by QB Brandon Allen.
2. Lane Kiffin ran the damn ball: Alabama football purists were in for a treat on Saturday night when the Crimson Tide decided to lean on the ground game. RB Derrick Henry carried the ball a season-high 38 times against the Tigers for 210 yards and three touchdowns. RB Kenyan Drake logged another 10 carries for 68 yards. QB Jake Coker only threw 24 passes by comparison.
1. Alabama’s run defense didn’t just win the battle, it dominated Fournette: In the run-up to the epic LSU-Alabama showdown, much was made of the strength vs. strength matchup of Tigers RB Leonard Fournette, who averaged 193 yards per game through LSU’s 7-0 start, against Alabama’s run defense, which had held opposing ball carriers to 78.5 rushing yards per game. The biggest surprise of the week is that that number (78.5) will drop after holding Fournette to just 31 yards on 19 carries.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
