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Every week of the college football season we’ll be breaking down SEC studs and duds, and while we want to certainly recognize the big-time performances, we’ll also recognize the underperformers of the week.
Here’s who made our list for Week 2:
Studs
Brandon Allen, QB, Arkansas: Brandon Allen only threw five passes on Saturday. All four of his completions were touchdowns. It doesn’t get much more efficient than that. Allen averaged 23.4 yards per completion and an astounding 540.6 passer rating in the Razorbacks’ 73-7 win over Nicholls State, before allowing younger brother Austin to take some snaps. It’s almost as if Allen was playing the NCAA Football video game and switched the difficulty to “Freshman”. Though they came against a far inferior Nicholls State defense, Allen’s numbers definitely help him crack our list for Week 2.
Kurt Roper, Offensive Coordinator, Florida: If you ask Florida fans about new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, you’d think he descended from the heavens down to Gainesville, rather than make the move from Duke. Roper was regarded as the beacon of hope for Florida’s struggling offense and could save Will Muschamp’s job. The Gators impressed with 655 total yards and scored seven touchdowns on offense. Florida will need to see a similar output against SEC teams and not just Eastern Michigan. But, if Saturday’s game proved anything, it’s that Kurt Roper will definitely bring an improvement to the Gators’ offense.
Ole Miss’ passing attack: So much for struggling Bo Wallace. The senior quarterback answered a disappointing opening game with 320 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-30 passing. Wallace also completed at least four passes to five different receivers. Evan Engram had seven catches for 112 yards, while Cody Core finished with 85 yards and a touchdown. Most surprisingly, the Ole Miss receivers put up these numbers with a relatively quiet game from Laquon Treadwell, who totaled 31 yards on four catches.
Alabama’s quarterbacks: Well, we know why Nick Saban was so indecisive about his quarterbacks. It looks like both Blake Sims and Jacob Coker are really good, at least against Florida Atlantic. Sims threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-14 passing. He also ran for 14 yards and a score on three attempts. Coker finished with 202 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-24 passing. The two players combined for 430 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Alabama has enough talent to win with either quarterback at the helm. Sorry, David Pollack.
Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: Leonard Fournette is your 2014 Heisman Trophy Award winner, at least according to Leonard Fournette. After a forgetful collegiate debut in Week 1, “The next Adrian Peterson” showcased why he had so much hype entering the season. Fournette led the Tigers with 92 yards on 13 carries. That in itself was impressive. Then there’s this…
This deserves about a half hour discussion on every major sports network. Forget stud, Leonard Fournette took one giant leap toward “Bawse” status in Week 2.
Duds
Stephen Rivers: Vanderbilt may be the worst team in the SEC this season. Stephen Rivers isn’t doing anything to change that. After seeing time off the bench in Week 1, Phillip’s little brother struggled against a tough Ole Miss defense. Rivers threw for 60 yards and an interception on 6-of-25 passing. He also accounted for an amazing -13 yards rushing, ending his day with 47 all-purpose yards.
The Big 10: The Big 10 did just about everything to eliminate itself from the four-team playoff in Week 2. Michigan State lost to Oregon, Michigan lost to Notre Dame and, most surprisingly, Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech. Though it may not directly link to Southeastern Conference this week, the egg dropped by the Big 10 makes the SEC’s playoff chances even greater.
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky
