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The SEC saw an action-packed week that featured a monumental upset in Ole Miss taking down No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. LSU and Georgia each picked up convincing wins as the conference begins to take shape between the contenders and the pretenders — even if separating the two isn’t always easy.
Here’s a look at the worst of the week that was Week 3 in the SEC:
5. Georgia’s First Turnover
It couldn’t all be perfect for Georgia in its 52-20 win over rival South Carolina. The Bulldogs committed their first turnover of the year in not-so-spectacular fashion. With Georgia comfortably up 38-13 with seven minutes to go in the third quarter, center Brandon Kublanow biffed a snap that appeared to stick to his hand. The snap went nowhere and Gamecocks defensive lineman Phillip Dukes pounced on it. Any amateur lip readers might want to be warned for Kublanow’s NSFW language shortly after the play.
4. Mizzou Spots Fake FG
Missouri is one of five undefeated teams in the SEC, but got away with a win in Week 3 against Connecticut after the Huskies executed a fairly lame attempt at faking a game-tying field goal with 53 seconds remaining. Facing a fourth-and-4 on the Missouri 25-yard line, UConn lined up for what looked like an obvious fake, which didn’t fool the Tigers. Sophomore defensive back Anthony Sherrils picked off Tim Boyles’ pass to preserve an ugly 9-6 win for Missouri.
3. Bret Bielema Bitten Again
Bret Bielema has a knack for firing up locker rooms … opponents’ locker rooms. Two weeks after following up criticism of Ohio State’s out-of-conference schedule by losing to Toledo, the Arkansas head coach became a victim of smack talk he levied this summer. Texas Tech doled the reeling Razorbacks a 35-24 loss on Family Weekend in Fayetteville with a win Kliff Kingsbury apparently took very personally. The Red Raiders head coach said after the game that Bielema “got his ass kicked.” The Razorbacks (1-2) head to Arlington in Week 4 and a showdown with Texas A&M. Give it a few days and Bielema should find a way to fire up the Aggies with locker room bulletin-board material.
Kingsbury said Bielema told HS coaches in Texas this summer he’d kick their asses if they didn’t play with a fullback or threw it 70 times. — Kurt Voigt (@Kurt_Voigt_AP) September 20, 2015
2. Jeremy Johnson’s Noodle Arm
Jeremy Johnson is becoming a popular whipping boy in Auburn, thanks to a struggling Tigers offense under the first-year starting quarterback. The junior is averaging 157.7 ypg, has an efficiency rating of 121.2 and has tossed more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (5). If Auburn was winning — or not getting scared by FCS schools — it wouldn’t matter as much. But the Tigers are reeling and throws like this will have many questioning whether or not the program can continue with Johnson under center.
1. Auburn Apparently Not Punchless
A once-promising season continues to founder for Auburn and players such as Devaroe Lawrence are starting to crack under the pressure. That or the Tigers defensive lineman is a bit of a hot-head. Lawrence clocked LSU center Ethan Pocic after a second-quarter play during the Tigers’ Week 3 contest. Quarterback Brandon Harris completed the pass to Malachi Dupre for 8 yards and enjoyed another 15 yards courtesy of Lawrence’s punch to Pocic’s grill. LSU went on to kick a 32-yard field goal to go up 17-0 en route to a 45-21 win.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
