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After an exciting and unforgettable first week of the season, the SEC prepares for it’s next slate of games this coming weekend. With several schools facing out-of-conference opponents and only one true SEC game between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, we examine week two’s biggest storyline for each SEC team.
Alabama – Blake Sims was OK in his debut last week, but head coach Nick Saban has yet to declare the quarterback competition over. Alabama plays a Florida Atlantic team that gave up 784 total yards. The Crimson Tide should have no problem disposing of FAU, but it’s almost certain Jacob Coker will get playing time this week. Coker’s performance will put more pressure on Saban to make a final decision on the starting quarterback, especially before they face Florida in two weeks.
Arkansas – The Hogs played a strong first half against Auburn and then barely showed up in the second half. They’ll face a less-talented Nicholls State team on Saturday and the Hogs are overwhelming favorites. However, with a Texas Tech match-up looming on Sept. 13, a full-60 minute game of strong, impressive football from Arkansas this week would instill a lot of confidence in a team that is in the midst of a 10-game losing streak.
Auburn – Facing San Jose State should allow even more playing time for quarterback Jeremy Johnson to showcase what he can do in the Gus Malzahn offense. Senior quarterback Nick Marshall is in no trouble of losing his starting job, but it’s games like these that will have Auburn fans very much looking forward to the future with Johnson as their quarterback.
Florida – With their first game suspended after multiple weather delays, the jury is still out on Florida. There were several questions about this team in the offseason, but no real answers have been given yet. Logic tells you the Gators have all the pieces to make a run in the SEC East this season and Saturday’s game against Eastern Michigan should finally be the first glimpse of what fans can expect out of Gainesville and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper.
Georgia – As the only SEC team with a bye week, Georgia will take this week to recoup and prepare for their first SEC game against South Carolina on Sept. 13.
Kentucky – Athleticism, athleticism, athleticism. That’s what we saw out of Kentucky in week one. The Wildcats move on from UT Martin to face Ohio. All eyes again will be on the offense. Quarterback Patrick Towles had a career day against the Skyhawks and another big game from him and the other offensive playmakers will keep their confidence levels high heading into a conference showdown in The Swamp to face the Gators on Sept. 13.
LSU – It was a rocky opener for Les Miles’ team. Despite a sluggish start, the Tigers rode the momentum of a fake punt and came back from a 24-7 deficit in the second half to start their season of with a win. This week’s match-up against Sam Houston State should be much easier for LSU, so you’d like to see the Tigers really establish an identity in this game with a strong defense and strong running game. True freshman standout wide receiver Malachi Dupre will also be making his season debut after missing last week’s game due to a hamstring injury.
Ole Miss – The Rebels overcame a shaky first half from Bo Wallace and the defense powered Ole Miss’ 35-13 victory over Boise State. Wallace will once again be at the center of the storylines for the Rebels. As the de facto best quarterback in the SEC heading into the season, Wallace will need a strong performance in Nashville to prove he can lead this team to wins in 2014. All eyes will be on the senior signal-caller.
Mississippi State – Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs shutout Southern Miss in their season opener, 49-0. Dak Prescott threw for a career-high 284 yards and four touchdowns. He was considered a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate in the offseason, but can the redshirt junior quarterback have another strong game? A match-up against UAB should be a perfect opportunity for Prescott to impress even more people with his dual-threat abilities.
Missouri – It wasn’t the most impressive of openers for the Tigers. However, Russell Hansbrough had a breakout game, rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps more telling was the 20 carries he received in the game. Head coach Gary Pinkel said this week they would continue to ride Hansbrough in the running game. On the road against Toledo, you can bet the Tigers will rely heavily on the run game, so expect Hansbrough to have another big game as one of the most underrated backs in the conference.
South Carolina – After an embarrassing loss to Texas A&M, South Carolina faces another pass-happy team in East Carolina. There’s clear issues in the secondary for the Gamecocks. Overall, South Carolina is much more talented than East Carolina, but another weak showing by the secondary won’t quell any fears of a potentially rough season as the Gamecocks prepare for another tough SEC schedule.
Tennessee – The Volunteers will face Arkansas State this weekend after a dominating win against Utah State on Sunday. Tennessee is far from perfect, but there was once again a palpable energy among the team and the fans in Neyland Stadium. Optimism is running rampant in Knoxville as the team rebuilds “brick by brick.” Another strong performance would further strengthen the idea that Tennessee could be an SEC East sleeper in 2014.
Texas A&M – After throwing up what seemed like a casual 52 points on South Carolina in Columbia, the Aggies offense expects to do just as much damage this week against Lamar. Kenny Hill should shine once again in the high-power offense, so I believe the biggest storyline will be their defense. The secondary showed some question marks against South Carolina as they were exposed on the deep ball. If they defensive backs are able to improve on defending the deep pass, the chances of the Aggies competing for a berth in the SEC Championship game become all the more real.
Vanderbilt – Easily the conference worst performance of week one, Vanderbilt is given no favors as they face Ole Miss to open up their conference schedule. Head coach Derek Mason played three quarterbacks in their first game, so who will emerge as the team’s starting quarterback is anyone’s guess. The Commodores’ offense won’t progress until their some continuity at the quarterback position, so the performances of Patton Robinette, Stephen Rivers and Johnny McCrary will be the talk of the game for Vanderbilt.
Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.
