Which SEC East defense has allowed fewest 100-yard rushers?
Missouri joined the SEC in 2012.
Since then, nobody in the East has been more unforgiving against the run.
The Tigers have allowed just 12 FBS backs to rush for 100 or more yards in a game.
Missouri, of course, parlayed that dominant defense into consecutive division titles in 2013 and 2014.
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South Carolina allowed just four combined to crack 100 in 2012 and 2013, and not surprisingly, those were two of the Gamecocks’ greatest seasons in program history.
But the correlation between stingy defense and division standings isn’t perfect. Vanderbilt has given up just one more 100-yard rusher than Missouri in that span but finished no higher than fourth in the East.
Here’s an annual breakdown of the number of 100-yard rushers each team has allowed.
| Team | Total | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 12 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Vanderbilt | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Florida | 16 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Georgia | 21 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Kentucky | 25 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Tennessee | 25 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 7 |
| S. Carolina | 26 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
Source: College Football Reference
Florida’s total doesn’t include its embarrassing 2013 performance against then-FCS Georgia Southern, which ran for 429 yards and four scores in a 26-20 upset. The Gators very nearly gave up three 100-yard rushers. It was Florida’s first loss to an FCS program and spelled the beginning of the end of the Will Muschamp era.
Similarly, South Carolina’s total doesn’t include its embarrassing performance against The Citadel in 2015. Two Citadel rushers topped 100 yards as the FCS Bulldogs ran for 350 yards and three scores in a 23-22 upset.
Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
