SEC Nuggets to Know for Week 11: Stats and historical context

Here’s a look at some eye-popping stats and historical context entering Week 11 for select games. This week, we focus on the three matchups involving ranked SEC teams.

No. 3 ALABAMA at No. 20 MISSISSIPPI STATE

Alabama and Mississippi State will reach an incredible milestone today. Saturday’s game will mark the 100th meeting between the Tide and Bulldogs. Alabama has played more games against Mississippi State than any other opponent, with their first meeting coming back in 1896. Here’s a look at the list of teams Alabama has faced the most in its football program’s history.

Senior quarterback Dak Prescott will need some help from his favorite target, junior receiver De’Runnya Wilson. The two have a strong connection, one that’s so strong that the two are on the cusp of becoming the most prolific touchdown combination in school history. Prescott has found Wilson for 17 touchdowns, which is tied for first in school history with Tyler Russell-Chad Bumphis.

Mississippi State’s defense has dominated the fourth quarter like no team in the SEC has this season. The Bulldogs have only allowed 12 points, slightly better than Missouri’s defense. Meanwhile, MSU is the only team in the conference that has yet to allow a team to find the end zone in the final period.

ARKANSAS at No. 9 LSU

LSU is 27-2 following a loss since Les Miles became the school’s coach in 2005. The only times the Tigers have suffered back-to-back defeats came in 2014 and 2008. Coincidentally, Arkansas was the team which dealt LSU its second defeat in both of those instances. However, both of the previous losses to the Razorbacks came on the road, while the Bayou Bengals will be at home today. Obviously, today’s result hasn’t been decided, but I listed it to show the difference in venue with this one being in Baton Rouge as opposed to Fayetteville.

Arkansas has been involved in the two highest-scoring games between SEC teams this season. The Razorbacks’ 53-52 win in overtime last week against the Rebels (105 points) topped the previous high this season, Arkansas’ 54-46 win over Auburn (100 points) in four overtimes just two weeks prior.

If a player rushed for 100 yards in seven of nine games within a season while not getting national attention, you’d say that would only happen when pigs fly. Well, Alex Collins is that hog. He’s tied with LSU’s Leonard Fournette and two other players for the 2nd-most 100-yard games in the FBS. Only Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott (9) has more. If he reaches that mark today against Alabama, it would be the 100th instance that a player has rushed for 100 under coach Bret Bielema.

No. 11 FLORIDA at SOUTH CAROLINA

Florida coach Jim McElwain is just the third first-year head coach in conference history to reach the SEC Championship Game, joining LSU’s Les Miles in 2005 and Gus Malzhan in 2013.

Today’s matchup with the Gamecocks may be a blessing for the Gators. Florida has struggled all season to manufacture explosive runs, or runs of 20-plus yards. The Gators have only posted six on the entire season, which is the fewest in the SEC. Here’s a look at the four SEC teams with the fewest such runs this season along with their FBS ranks.

However, the Gamecocks have allowed 24 runs of 20-plus yards, which is comfortably the worst in the conference. Here’s a look at the three worst SEC teams in this department along with their FBS ranks.