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Despite media criticism, many SEC teams use the second-to-last regular season game to schedule a cupcake opponent before facing a rival in the season finale. Alabama coach Nick Saban refused to take FCS opponent Charleston Southern lightly, but apparently his message fell on deaf ears in the SEC East, where three of this week’s surprises come from. Two inner-division SEC West contests also make this week’s list.
5. Georgia needed overtime to beat Georgia Southern: Georgia Southern might no longer be an FCS team, like it was in 2013 when it upset Florida, but it was still a two-touchdown underdog facing Georgia at Samford Stadium. At the end of regulation, Georgia and Georgia Southern were tied at 17, and it looked like Coach Mark Richt’s hot seat was about to catch fire. RB Sony Michel scored a game-winning touchdown in overtime to get to UGA to 8-3 before it closes out the regular season with Georgia Tech, another triple-option team.
4. Role reversal for Chad Kelly and Brandon Harris: Few games have a more bizarre box score than Ole Miss’ 38-17 win over LSU. First, you have the losing team winning the total offensive yardage battle 508-432. Even more surprising, LSU QB Brandon Harris threw more passes (51) for more yards (324) than Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly (19-of-34, 280 yards). Kelly led all ballcarriers in scoring with two rushing touchdowns.
3. The team that “wishes they were Gators” almost beat the Gators: When No. 8 Florida defeated South Carolina in Week 11, head coach Jim McElwain said UF’s next opponent would be a team that “wishes they were Gators.” Florida Atlantic, a 2-8 team heading into Saturday, gave Florida a lot more than it bargained for. The Owls entered the game ranked No. 91 in total defense, but Florida’s offense struggled to find the end zone, and only established one scoring drive. FAU outgained the Gators 299-252 on offense. UF needed a touchdown in overtime and one more defensive stand to finally exhale with a 20-14 victory, improving to 10-1.
2. Arkansas had all the momentum, but somehow didn’t score on its final drive: On their final possession, trailing 51-50, the Razorbacks moved from their own 11-yard line to the Mississippi State 18-yard line on five consecutive completions by QB Brandon Allen. Rather than have Allen try for the win, Arkansas decided to run three times, letting a field goal attempt with 39 seconds left decide its fate. The kick was blocked, and one has to wonder why Allen didn’t get at least one more shot at the end zone on a night in which he threw seven touchdown passes.
1. South Carolina lost to The Citadel: FCS Saturday in the SEC doesn’t mean the FCS teams are actually supposed to win. South Carolina’s losing, bowl-less season hit rock bottom with a 23-22 loss to The Citadel. The embarrassing defeat at home effectively removes interim coach Shawn Elliott from contention for the permanent head coaching position at USC. The Citadel had lost its last 28 FBS games and had not beaten South Carolina since 1990.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
