Unfortunately, ESPN hasn’t rolled out an SEC version of NFL RedZone for the conference’s new network. It would fit well on the alternate channel and would’ve rocked this season. But we’ll keep track of red zone stats for you each week.

Call it the Brandon Harris effect.

LSU’s red zone touchdown percentage went from 61.5 to 75.0 in one week. The team’s new quarterback led the offense to seven touchdowns in seven red zone possessions Saturday against New Mexico State.

As a result, LSU joins Auburn as the only two teams in the Top 5 of the SEC  in red zone scoring percentage on offense and defense.

Meanwhile, two of the SEC’s best offenses “only” scored 28 points in regulation in part due to red zone play. Texas A&M failed to score in the red zone for just the second time all season on 27 tries. A Cam Cameron false start preceded Josh Lambo’s missed 40-yard field goal. (The Aggies ran out the clock in the final possession in the red zone against South Carolina.)

And Texas A&M’s game-winning stop on fourth-and-1 in overtime came as Arkansas had the ball at the 16-yard line.

Now the Aggies travel to Mississippi State, which has failed to score in the red zone a league-worst five times.

OFFENSIVE RED ZONE STATISTICS

Texas A&M (22) and Arkansas (17) still have the most red zone touchdowns in the conference.

Auburn has one of the most efficient red zone offenses, scoring on all 18 possessions, including 14 touchdowns. South Carolina, too, has scored on all 17 possessions, but the Gamecocks scored just one touchdown in three trips against Missouri in a one-point loss.

Florida nearly has as many field goals (6) as touchdowns (8) in the red zone. The Gators better hope they can remedy that against Tennessee, which is 13th in the SEC in allowing opponents to convert red zone possessions into touchdowns seven of nine times.

Kentucky converted two of three red zone possessions into touchdowns against Vanderbilt, leaving the Commodores last in the SEC in red zone touchdown percentage and Mississippi State last in the SEC in red zone scoring percentage.

Team RZ Scoring % RZ Trips RZ TDs RZ TD % RZ FGs
T1. Auburn 100% 18 14 77.8% 4
T1. South Carolina 100% 17 12 70.6% 5
3. Florida 93.3% 15 8 53.3% 6
4. Texas A&M 92.6% 27 22 81.5% 3
5. LSU 90.0% 20 15 75.0% 3
6. Missouri 89.5% 19 13 68.4% 4
7. Tennessee 88.2% 17 11 64.7% 4
8. Georgia 87.0% 23 16 69.6% 4
9. Arkansas 86.4% 22 17 77.3% 2
10. Alabama 83.3% 24 16 66.7% 4
11. Ole Miss 81.3% 16 10 62.5% 3
12. Kentucky 76.9% 13 6 46.1% 4
13. Vanderbilt 72.7% 11 5 45.5% 3
14. Mississippi State 72.2% 18 11 61.1% 2

DEFENSIVE RED ZONE STATISTICS

One of the most anticipated SEC matchups of 2014 may come down to red zone defense.

Alabama and Ole Miss have been tremendous at forcing opponents to kick field goals inside the 20-yard line. The Rebels have allowed touchdowns on just two of 10 red zone possessions (with five made field goals). The Tide have allowed touchdowns on two of seven red zone possessions (with five field goals).

Combined, opponents score a red zone touchdown fewer than one in four possessions. Think scoring touchdowns will be vital in that game Saturday?

Mississippi State now has the worst red zone offense and the best red zone defense in the SEC by scoring percentage. Along with a memorable goal-line stand against LSU the last time the Bulldogs took the field, teams have scored touchdowns just twice in nine red zone possessions against MSU. Will that figure hold against Texas A&M?

South Carolina has allowed a league-worst 26 red zone possessions. The Gamecocks limited opponents to seven field goals in 23 possessions entering Saturday, then allowed Missouri to score touchdowns on all three tries Saturday in a 21-20 loss, including a 1-yard Russell Hansbrough plunge on fourth-and-goal.

That’s how close South Carolina is to entering the second half of its SEC schedule at 4-1.

Team RZ Scoring % RZ Trips RZ TDs RZ TD % RZ FGs
1. Mississippi State 44.4% 9 2 22.2% 2
T2. LSU 66.7% 9 4 44.4% 2
T2. Auburn 66.7% 15 7 46.7% 3
4. Ole Miss 70.0% 10 2 20.0% 5
5. Georgia 75.0% 12 8 66.7% 1
6. Texas A&M 77.8% 9 3 33.3% 4
T7. Florida 85.7% 7 4 57.1% 2
T7. Arkansas 85.7% 14 12 85.7% 0
9. Florida 86.7% 15 8 53.3% 5
10. Vanderbilt 87.0% 23 14 60.9% 6
11. Kentucky 90.0% 10 6 60.0% 3
12. South Carolina 92.3% 26 17 65.4% 7
T13. Alabama 100.0% 7 2 28.6% 5
T13. Tennessee 100.0% 9 7 77.8% 2