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The 5 non-Joe Burrow SEC storylines that fans should follow in Super Bowl LVI
If you’re tuning in to watch Super Bowl LVI strictly to watch Joe Burrow, I don’t blame you. In my opinion, there’s no more intriguing storyline than watching Burrow potentially become the first quarterback to win a Heisman, a national title and a Super Bowl. The fact that he might do it in Year 2 after returning from a torn ACL in his rookie season is beyond remarkable. Don’t let the following sentence overshadow that.
There is, however, more to watching this year’s Super Bowl than Burrow or the dozens of Manning family commercials. In fact, we can just keep it within the SEC and find storylines galore. There are 24 former SEC players on the active rosters for the Rams and Bengals.

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These are the 5 SEC storylines that you should be watching in the Super Bowl:
1. Georgia is trying to win another championship
Oh, come on. We couldn’t realistically expect the Falcons to win a Super Bowl. Georgia fans should be allowed to claim the Los Angeles Rams, or at least the 2021 version of the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford and Sony Michel were both part of Georgia teams that were ranked No. 1, but ultimately, neither got to end the 1980 jokes. Watching those guys celebrate a championship of their own would only continue the Year of the Dawgs.
Oh, wait a minute. Michel already got to experience a championship with the Patriots … against the Rams, no less, when he ran for 94 yards in a 13-3 win … my bad. Stafford, though? The former No. 1 overall pick had never won a playoff game before he was traded to the Rams. He’s got “happy to see him win” vibes galore.
And hey, I should also mention Leonard Floyd. The former first-round pick has been a huge addition. If Aaron Donald dominates that porous Cincinnati offensive line, it’s Floyd and Von Miller who could tee off. I’m just saying that if you’re into the Super Bowl prop bets, Floyd to win MVP at 150-to-1 is plenty intriguing.
(It’s actually been 10 years since a former SEC player earned Super Bowl MVP honors. Shoutout, Eli Manning.)
Georgia actually has 6 players who play for the Bengals and Rams — 3 on each team, but none of the Bengals representatives are starters and 2 of those players are practice squad guys.
Hence, a Rams win equals a Georgia win.

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GET BONUS!2. Those LSU tweets will be poppin’ no matter what happens
You know that’ll be the case. For what it’s worth, that’s not just Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Also, don’t forget about Tyler Shelvin, who went viral for carrying Burrow again after the AFC Championship.
Even though Odell Beckham Jr. is in the midst of a 2-year ban from LSU after handing out stacks of cash after the College Football Playoff National Championship victory at the end of the 2019 season, something tells me the Bayou Bengals would flex if Beckham had a big night. And you know what? They should … even if he wasn’t able to maximize his potential with Les Miles micro-managing the offense.
Those 3 LSU legends are in the top 5 in Super Bowl MVP odds. I wonder if there’s an “LSU or the field” option for Super Bowl MVP. If there’s not, there should be.
And the fact that 40-year-old Andrew Whitworth is starting in this game is a brag-worthy feat in itself. The guy played high school football in the 1990s before starring at LSU.
3. Evan McPherson is a weapon
The Florida kicker might just be the best thing the Gators have going in the NFL right now. Well, and the obvious storyline that Kyle Trask’s emergence clearly forced Tom Brady to retire.
McPherson has been a revelation with the Bengals. Not only did he already record the longest field goal in franchise history (58 yards), but he’s a perfect 12-for-12 in the playoffs and he made 9-of-11 from 50 yards in his rookie season. He has yet to miss a kick from shorter than 40 yards. Of the Bengals’ 72 points in the postseason, 40 of them came courtesy of McPherson.
Of course, 6 were walk-off winners to advance the Bengals.
4th game winner of the year for former #Gators kicker Evan McPherson. Incredible rookie season. pic.twitter.com/yS422dymTl
— Nick de la Torre (@delatorre) January 23, 2022
EVAN MCPHERSON SENDS CINCY TO THE SUPER BOWL. #NFLPlayoffs #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/lcWku1eYpt
— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
The SEC record-holder for career field goal percentage (minimum of 50 field goals) could have some more magic in that leg, especially if the game is on the line once again.
4. Joe Burrow’s protection should be an Alabama-heavy storyline
Everyone wants to know if Burrow will be protected in the Super Bowl against that Rams front. That might be decided by a few former Alabama stars. Jonah Williams will start at left tackle for the Bengals. Despite all the criticism surrounding the Bengals’ offensive line with Burrow taking more sacks than any quarterback in the league, Williams only allowed 2 sacks in 196 snaps played in the postseason (via PFF).
In addition to trying to slow down Aaron Donald — in the event that Donald lines up outside or stunts — the former first-round pick could come face-to-face with a pair of former Alabama front-7 players. Terrell Lewis has been in and out of the lineup with injuries and he was scratched in the NFC Championship, so perhaps that’s not a likely candidate to emerge. But A’Shawn Robinson could make a significant impact playing off Donald. Robinson has 16 tackles in the playoffs. In the inevitable event that the Bengals are putting extra emphasis on containing Donald, Robinson could find himself in some favorable matchups.
In case you were wondering, Robinson is still somehow only 26 years old despite the fact that he showed up to Alabama looking like he was in his mid-30s.
How is A’Shawn Robinson 26 years old lol pic.twitter.com/4ru57akGE7
— Morgan Moriarty (@Morgan_Moriarty) January 31, 2022
5. The most important injury question? Whether CJ Uzomah can play effectively
The former Auburn tight end suffered a sprained MCL and was carted off in the AFC Championship, yet he said that “I’m not missing the biggest game of my life.” Even if he continues his rehab and suits up like he expects to, can Uzomah play effectively? Can he help out in pass protection? Can he still be that safety blanket on 3rd down?
Uzomah probably won’t even know the answer to that question until he suits up.
With Jalen Ramsey and Co. likely locked in on containing Chase and Tee Higgins, Uzomah’s presence could be massive for Burrow. In the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, he had 13 catches for 135 yards and a score. In the regular season, he had 49 catches for 493 yards. That’s more than he had in his entire college career combined. Ah, if only he had played in an offense that actually utilized the tight end in the passing game.
But I digress.
If Uzomah suits up and scores in a Bengals victory, the biggest game of his life will have the best ending of his life.
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Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.