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Our list of the SEC’s best and worst in Week 9:
STUDS
1. Kyler Murray: Sure it was against one of the SEC’s softer defenses, but that doesn’t make Murray’s first career start any less impressive. With the dual-threat freshman at the helm, the Texas A&M offense had its best game on the ground since the 2013 Cotton Bowl. Murray accounted for 156 of the Aggies’ 321 rushing yards and was also dangerous through the air, completing 20 of 28 for 223 yards.
2. Florida defense: The Gators’ domination of Georgia was a pure team effort. No single player on the Florida defense had more than six tackles, and four different Gators recorded an interception in the 27-3 win. After holding the Bulldogs to 69 rushing yards on 22 carries and just 154 yards through the air, Florida now ranks in the top three in the conference in pass defense efficiency, rushing defense and scoring defense. That’s a well-rounded defense.
3. Alex Collins: In any other season, Collins would be enjoying more of spotlight than he’s received this year. In other words, his numbers are good, but until Saturday, they haven’t been Leonard Fournette good. The Arkansas junior ran 16 times for 173 yards and became the first Hogs running back to rush for five touchdowns in a single game since Madre Hill ran for six against South Carolina in 1995. Thrust into the role of feature back by Jonathan Williams’ season-ending foot injury in August, Collins ranks third in the SEC behind Fournette and Derrick Henry in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
DUDS
1. Georgia coaching staff: Some will blame Mark Richt, some will blame Brian Schottenheimer, and neither will be wrong. Richt ultimately made the call to give third-teamer Faton Batua his first career start in a high-pressure situation against a stout defense, and Schottenheimer is at an apparent loss for how to successfully deploy the weapons at his disposal. That’s the recipe resulting in the disaster that is the Bulldogs offense right now. Georgia hasn’t scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, and oft-derided former coordinator Mike Bobo maybe isn’t sounding so bad right now.
2. Vanderbilt quarterbacks: As if just five completions for 44 yards on 20 attempts isn’t bad enough, the Commodores quarterbacks also continually put their own defense in bad positions with four interceptions against Houston. Vanderbilt did an admirable job of corralling the Cougars’ explosive offense, but they couldn’t overcome both Houston and the counter-productivity of their own teammates.
3. Auburn in the red zone: Two weeks in a row, a single aspect of the Tigers’ offense has stunted its efficiency. Last week it was dropped passes. In a 27-19 loss to Ole Miss this week, the receivers played better, but the offense failed to capitalize on big plays due to an inability to move the ball in the red zone. Auburn moved inside the Rebels 20 three times in second half but had to settle for field goals each time. Related: The Tigers were just 2 of 15 on third-down conversions.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
