Top 10 beatdowns SEC handed to Power 5 teams in past 2 seasons
Congratulations to Clemson for keeping it close.
And kudos to Michigan and Louisville, which actually beat an SEC team during the 2015 bowl season.
The rest of you? Most of the country is still recovering from a spanking.
Some conferences might have to go back a decade to find 10 memorable blowouts. Not the SEC.
Here are the 10 best beatdowns SEC teams handed to Power 5 conference teams in the past two seasons:
10. Texas A&M 38, Arizona State 17 (2015)
Why? Christian Kirk, who grew up not far from Arizona State, put on a show in his college debut, catching six balls for 106 yards and a touchdown against the No. 15-ranked Sun Devils.
The season opener was notable for another reason too: Aggies starting quarterback Kyle Allen was benched early and alternated series with Kyler Murray, setting the tone for a season-long QB reality series that ended with both leaving the program.
9. Tennessee 45, Iowa 28 (2014, TaxSlayer Bowl)
Why? The Vols’ first bowl win since the 2007 season provided a preview of what Jalen Hurd was becoming. Hurd ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
MVP Joshua Dobbs told reporters afterward that the big bowl win was just the start.
He was correct.
8. Arkansas 31, Texas 7 (2014, Texas Bowl)
Why? Blasting a former rival is always enjoyable, but the Razorbacks’ first bowl win since the 2011 season also helped validate Bret Bielema’s master plan.
The Razorbacks finished 7-6 in his second season, winning four more games than his debut season in 2013.
7. Alabama 35, Wisconsin 17 (2015)
Why? Alabama hadn’t settled on a starting quarterback when it took apart No. 20-ranked Wisconsin in the season-opener.
Derrick Henry, however, gave notice that he was more than capable of replacing T.J. Yeldon as Alabama’s featured back. Henry ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
6. Georgia 37, Louisville 14 (2014, Belk Bowl)
Why? Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns in what turned out to be Mark Richt’s final bowl game and bowl victory as Georgia’s head coach.
5. Georgia 45, Clemson 21 (2014)
Why? This was Todd Gurley’s “Hello, World” moment. Gurley scored four touchdowns, including one on a kickoff return, and set a program record with 293 all-purpose yards to help the Bulldogs knock off No. 16 Clemson in the season opener.
4. LSU 56, Texas Tech 27 (2015, Texas Bowl)
Why? Leonard Fournette scored five touchdowns, including a rare one receiving, as the Tigers rolled not only to a season-high points total but also the most they scored against a Power 5 team since beating Arizona State 59-13 in 2003.
The 56 points also set a program record for most in a bowl game.
3. Ole Miss 48, Oklahoma State 20 (2015, Sugar Bowl)
Why? Chad Kelly threw for 302 yards — pushing him over 4,000 on the season — and four touchdowns in the Rebels’ most lopsided bowl victory since outscoring Texas by 32 in the Jan. 1, 1958 Sugar Bowl.
2. Tennessee 45, Northwestern 6 (2015, Outback Bowl)
Why? If the 2014 season’s bowl win jumpstarted the 2015 season’s success, imagine what the 39-point victory over the No. 13 Wildcats might mean for 2016.
Hurd again saved his best game for the final game, earning MVP honors with 130 yards and a touchdown against a defense that held Stanford’s Heisman finalist Christian McCaffrey to 66 yards.
1. Alabama 38, Michigan State 0 (2015, CFP semifinals)
Why? Alabama’s most lopsided victory against an FBS opponent in 2015 came in the national semifinal. Jacob Coker’s best game pushed the Tide into the national championship game against Clemson, where Coker responded with another starring effort to deliver the Tide its fourth national championship in seven seasons.