Trick or treat.
Let the Big Dawg Eat. Or is it Let the Big Gator Eat? We’ll find out on Saturday in Atlanta.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is my favorite weekend of the year, and that doesn’t change because the SEC’s best rivalry moves (indoors) to Atlanta this year as EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, the rivalry’s usual home, undergoes renovations.
Kirby Smart is 8-2 against the hated swamp lizards from the Sunshine State, a ghoulish villain to Florida fans. Smart’s dominant track record will now be tested against a 5th Florida head coach on Saturday when Jon Sumrall gets his first taste of the rivalry game. Jim McElwain. Dan Mullen. Bill Napier. Billy Gonzales. Hasn’t mattered to Kirby. The Gators keep switching coaches. Kirby keeps beating them.
The more things change…
Here at “The List,” some things have changed.
The SEC has packed plenty of surprises this year, if we’re being honest. Kirby Smart beating Florida again would almost feel like a return to normalcy in a season where:
- Kentucky is the SEC leader and a Playoff contender on Halloween weekend
- Preseason Playoff favorites Ole Miss, Texas, LSU, and Alabama all have 2 losses
- Multiple SEC teams in the top 10 have lost to unranked opponents
- The most prestigious “List” in college football, written by yours truly, has had 3 different No. 1s!
Is a fourth in store this week?
Spookier things have happened. Last week’s list, which is here, was the most defense-heavy grouping in recent memory. Maybe it’s a down year for playmakers. Maybe it’s an especially good year to play defense in the SEC. Maybe there’s just a ton of talent in this league and ranking the best 10 players each week, given the league’s unprecedented parity, is brutally difficult. You all can decide.
What’s clear is we are a long way from deciding who wins this thing, which after Trinidad Chambliss’s early season excellence is quite surprising.
As always, honorable mentions come first. Remember also the footnote below:
*Players injured for more than 1 week are removed from “The List” until their return, meaning Colin Simmons remains in the list this week, but could depart depending on his injury status.
Honorable Mentions: Alabama: Dijon Lee Jr., CB; Luke Metz, LB. Auburn: Alex McPherson, K; Elijah Melendez, LB. Arkansas: Khmori House, DB; Chris Marshall, WR. Florida: Dallas Wilson, WR; Jayden Woods, Edge. Georgia: Drew Bobo, C; Chris Cole, LB. Kentucky: Coleton Price, C; Willie Rodriguez, TE. LSU: Tamarcus Cooley, S; Jordan Seaton, OT. Mississippi State: Anthony Evans III, WR; Kelley Jones, CB. Missouri: Jamal Roberts, RB; Cayden Lee, WR. Oklahoma: Peyton Bowen, S; David Stone, DT. Ole Miss: Antonio Kite, CB; Patrick Kutas, OG. South Carolina: Nyck Harbor, WR; Justin Okoronkwo, LB. Tennessee: Arion Carter, LB; Xavier Gilliam, DT. Texas: Jelani McDonald, S; Ryan Wingo, WR. Texas A&M: Mario Craver, WR; Julio Humphrey, CB. Vanderbilt: CJ Heard, S; Junior Sherrill, WR.
10. Rasheem Biles, LB (Texas)
Biles has lingered in Honorable Mentions most the season but breaks into the top 10 after playing a vital role in Texas upending Ole Miss last Saturday in Austin. Biles had a pivotal interception near the goalline to preserve a 24-3 Texas lead going into the break, preventing Ole Miss from scoring points that would prove to be decisive as the Rebels charged late. Biles added 4 tackles, including 1 for loss, in the Longhorns’ win. On the season, he ranks second on Texas in both quarterback pressures and tackles for loss, trailing only Colin Simmons, who leads the nation in tackles for loss with 16.
9. Jordan Castell, S (Kentucky)
The SEC’s interception leader, Castell helped Kentucky explode to a 34-7 run after falling behind 10-0 early against Vanderbilt. Castell led Kentucky in tackles with 8 and added a tackle for loss in the victory. On the season, Castell ranks second on the Wildcats in tackles (65) while leading the team in pass breakups (5) and interceptions. A showcase season for the longtime SEC starter.
8. DeSean Bishop, RB (Tennessee)
Bishop grinded out 120 tough yards against South Carolina but was undone by a lack of balance, as George MacIntyre struggled mightily in the second half, completing just 1 pass of 10 yards or more. On the season, Bishop is the SEC’s leading rusher, with 957 yards, and he’s second in yards after contact and touchdowns, behind only Florida’s Jadan Baugh in those categories.
7. Raylen Wilson, LB (Georgia)
Wilson, a Florida native, will try to wrap his Georgia career unbeaten in the Cocktail Party this weekend. Wilson ranks among the Dawgs’ leaders in a host of categories, with 43 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles this season while serving as the captain of Kirby Smart’s defense.
6. Lance Heard, OT (Kentucky)
Kentucky’s offense took a moment to get going in its 34-17 win over Vanderbilt, but once it did, it reeled off a massive run to pull away, converting 8-of-13 third downs in a 34-point, 2-and-a-half-quarter onslaught that sealed the win. On the season, Heard has allowed 0 sacks or quarterback hurries in pass protect, best among SEC linemen, per PFF.
5. Jordan Ross, Edge (LSU)
Ross added 5 pressures and 2 sacks to his ledger in LSU’s dominant win at Auburn.
Ross also broke up a pass in the win, making him the rare defensive lineman to lead his conference in quarterback pressures while also nabbing a pick-6 and a pass break up. Positively Will Anderson-like from the Tigers’ star, who remains firmly in the “List” top 10.
4. Jadan Baugh, RB (Florida)
The SEC leader in touchdowns (13) had a bye to rest his body ahead of Saturday’s rivalry game with Georgia. Baugh, who grew up in Atlanta, was heavily recruited by Georgia, albeit as a linebacker. Baugh wanted to play running back and Florida was 1 of 2 SEC schools willing to commit to that idea (Arkansas was the other). Baugh ended up in Gainesville, and will now play the SEC’s best rivalry game in his hometown this weekend.
3. Trinidad Chambliss, QB (Ole Miss)
Chambliss was terrific in the second half, nearly willing Ole Miss to a comeback win. The Rebels fell just short, running out of time on a final drive in Texas territory. For that, Chambliss, who tossed 3 interceptions, deserves some of the blame. His end of first half interception, forced into a small window where Rasheem Biles (above) was waiting, was a poor decision that cost Ole Miss dearly. Chambliss is the best anticipation thrower I’ve seen in college football in a long time. He also sometimes believes too deeply in his arm and idea of what will happen. Completing under 50% of his passes and throwing 3 interceptions is evidence of that—and for all the greatness of Trinidad, his up and down play on Saturday contributed to the Ole Miss defeat.
2. Chris Cole, LB (Georgia)
Georgia’s do-it-all linebacker has rocketed up draft boards, appearing in the top 15 in a consensus of mock drafts.
It’s easy to see why. A sideline-to-sideline backer who might be just as good in coverage as he is creating havoc off the edge or fitting run gaps, Cole is a bona fide playmaker who excels at finding the football thanks to elite speed and masterful pursuit angles. Cole enters the Florida game ranked second on Georgia in tackles (40) and first in tackles for loss (8.5). He’s also recovered a team-leading 2 fumbles, helping cement Georgia’s linebacker group as the best in America.
1. Colin Simmons, Edge (Texas)
Simmons missed Texas’s big win over Ole Miss, but the Longhorns’ lineman continues to lead the SEC in tackles for loss, and sacks. He ranks second, behind LSU’s Jordan Ross, in quarterback pressures. A dominant year from the All-American who Texas will need back if they intend to make a College Football Playoff push.
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Neil Blackmon covers SEC football and basketball for SaturdayDownSouth.com. An attorney, he is also a member of the Football and Basketball Writers Associations of America. He also coaches basketball.
