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We can basically pencil in the Florida Gators as the SEC East champs after a drubbing of division rival Georgia during Week 9 action. Now the question is how the remainder of the SEC East will play out in the final third of the season.
Here’s what we learned about each SEC East team in Week 9:
Florida Gators
Week 9 Result: Defeated Georgia 27-3
What We Learned: Florida is the (likely) SEC East champ thanks to its lights-out defense. The win over Georgia marked the first time since 1984 that the Gators have not given up a touchdown to the Bulldogs. The most telling defensive stat this year is Florida’s points-off-turnovers, in which the Gators have outscored opponents 73-28. Jim McElwain’s defense scored 20 points off turnovers against Georgia.
Georgia Bulldogs
Week 9 Result: Lost to Florida 27-3
What We Learned: Here come the calls for Mark Richt’s job. Georgia (5-3, 3-3) ceded the SEC East to Florida with a poor showing in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs are a team without an identity these days. Georgia’s quarterback situation is in disarray after Richt benched starter Greyson Lambert for third-stringer Faton Bauta, while second-stringer Brice Ramsey all of sudden is the team’s punter (five punts, 43.4-yard average).
Kentucky Wildcats
Week 9 Result: Lost to Tennessee 52-21
What We Learned: Kentucky is now the owner of a three-game losing streak after taking a 52-21 beating from Tennessee. The Wildcats are 4-4 on the season and their two wins (South Carolina and Missouri) in conference play now don’t seem so impressive. One reason for the Wildcats struggles is their defense. Kentucky ranks No. 83 nationally in defense this season, and 13th in the SEC.
Missouri Tigers
Week 9 Result: Bye
What We Learned: Missouri got some much-needed rest in Week 9. The reeling Tigers (4-4, 1-4) will look to jump-start their stalled running game by finishing out the season with tilts against Mississippi State, vs. BYU at Arrowhead Stadium, Tennessee and against Arkansas in Fayetteville.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Week 9 Result: Lost to Texas A&M 35-28
What We Learned: Despite the loss to Texas A&M, the Gamecocks proved that Shawn Elliott’s debut win over Vanderbilt two weeks ago wasn’t just the product of the emotion of replacing legendary ball coach Steve Spurrier. It appears Elliott, formerly the team’s offensive line coach, has revitalized South Carolina’s running game. The Gamecocks rushed for 253 yards against the Aggies after gaining 152 against a tough Commodores run defense. Brandon Wilds has gone for more than 100 yards in each of the past two games and scored his first two touchdowns of the season. It was the first Gamecock rushing touchdown by a tailback since Shon Carson’s Week 1 score.
Tennessee Volunteers
Week 9 Result: Defeated Kentucky 52-21
What We Learned: Tennessee has the best return men in the country in Evan Berry and Cameron Sutton. Berry took a Kentucky kickoff 100 yards for a score in the Vols’ one-sided win over the Wildcats. The score ties the sophomore with Willie Gault for the most kick-return touchdowns (3) in a single season. Not to be outdone by his fellow defensive back, Sutton took a Kentucky punt 84 yards on the very next possession. It’s the second time this season that the Vols have returned a kickoff and punt for a touchdown. Prior to this season, the last time Tennessee (4-4, 2-3) accomplished that feat was in 1950.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Week 9 Result: Lost to Houston 34-0
What We Learned: It feels strange to praise a defense that coughed up 34 points in a loss, but, then again, we’re talking about Vanderbilt. The Commodores racked up eight tackles-for-loss, including three sacks in the first half alone against Houston. Vandy has forced nine turnovers in the past five games, including multiple turnover efforts in four of those contests. The unit also forced three fumbles (recovering two) and held the high-powered Cougars to a season-low 371 total yards — the first time anyone has held Houston below 400 yards this season. Still, the defense yielded 27 points (Houston also scored on a pick-six). Vanderbilt’s inefficiency on offense kept the Commodores defense on the field for close to eight more minutes — including an 11-to-4-minute differential in the fourth quarter.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
