Red Zone Watch: Alabama, Arkansas didn't need red zone; Kentucky desperately did
We keep track of red zone stats for you each week.
OFFENSIVE RED ZONE STATISTICS
It’s not as easy to come away with points in the red zone in the SEC. LSU is the only conference school to rank among the top 30 in the FBS in red zone scoring percentage, coming in at 28th (88.6). Meanwhile, Mississippi State is the only school to rank among the top 20 in red zone touchdown percentage, checking in at 19th. (69.2).
The Rebels continue to impress in the red zone. They’ve made 48 trips to the red zone while scoring 41 times, both those totals are high marks in the SEC, and they’re still 4th in the conference in scoring percentage (85.4).
Florida and Arkansas are 3rd and 4th, respectively, when it comes to getting in the end zone. The Razorbacks scored 3 of their 4 touchdowns from outside the red zone against the Tigers: Brandon Allen’s 52-yard pass to Dominique Reed, Alex Collins’ 80-yard run and Jared Cornelius’ 69-yard run.
Vanderbilt is dead last in the FBS in scoring percentage (60.7 percent), while Missouri can claim the same in touchdown percentage (32.1).
This list is sorted by scoring percentage.
SCHOOL | GAMES | ATT | SCORES | SCORE% | TD | TD% | FG | FG% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. LSU | 9 | 35 | 31 | 88.6% | 24 | 68.6% | 7 | 20% |
T2. Mississippi State | 10 | 39 | 34 | 87.2% | 27 | 69.2% | 7 | 17.9% |
T2. Auburn | 10 | 39 | 34 | 87.2% | 22 | 56.4% | 12 | 30.8% |
4. Ole Miss | 10 | 48 | 41 | 85.4% | 28 | 58.3% | 13 | 27.1% |
5. South Carolina | 10 | 29 | 24 | 82.8% | 13 | 44.8% | 11 | 37.9% |
6. Kentucky | 10 | 34 | 28 | 82.4% | 19 | 55.9% | 9 | 26.5% |
7. Alabama | 10 | 43 | 35 | 81.4% | 24 | 55.8% | 11 | 25.6% |
8. Tennessee | 10 | 47 | 38 | 80.9% | 28 | 59.6% | 10 | 21.3% |
9. Texas A&M | 10 | 45 | 36 | 80% | 27 | 60% | 9 | 20% |
10. Arkansas | 10 | 43 | 34 | 79.1% | 27 | 62.8% | 7 | 16.3% |
11. Missouri | 10 | 28 | 22 | 78.6% | 9 | 32.1% | 13 | 46.4% |
12. Georgia | 10 | 37 | 29 | 78.4% | 16 | 43.2% | 13 | 35.1% |
13. Florida | 10 | 41 | 31 | 75.6% | 26 | 63.4% | 5 | 12.2% |
14. Vanderbilt | 10 | 28 | 17 | 60.7% | 11 | 39.3% | 6 | 21.4% |
DEFENSIVE RED ZONE STATISTICS
Amazingly, Alabama and Mississippi State went a combined 0-for-5 in terms of converting touchdowns in the red zone last Saturday (Alabama 0-for-2, MSU 0-for-3). Like Arkansas did against LSU, the Tide enjoyed 3 TDs from outside the red zone: Jake Coker 60-yard pass to Calvin Ridley, Derrick Henry’s 74-yard run and Henry’s 65-yard run. The other touchdown came from Cyrus Jones’ 69-yard punt return.
The red zone proved critical in Kentucky’s 21-17 loss to Vanderbilt. Entering Week 11, the Wildcats were 2nd in the SEC in scoring percentage, coming away with points on 25 of 28 trips. The Commodores, boasting the best red zone defense in the SEC, had them come up empty on 3 of 6 trips. That means Kentucky had as many scoreless red zone trips against Vanderbilt (3) as it had previously the entire season.
Coincidentally, Alabama and Florida have perfectly identical numbers across the board defensively in the red zone. The Tide and Gators are tied for 4th in the SEC by only allowing teams to find the end zone 45.4 percent of the time (10 of 22 trips each). Those marks also rank among the top 20 in the FBS.
However, it’s also worth noting that Alabama and Florida are tied for the best marks in the league by only allowing teams to even set up in the red zone 22 times, which is also tied for 5th-best among FBS schools.
SCHOOL | GAMES | ATT | SCORES | SCORE% | TD | TD% | FG | FG% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Vanderbilt | 10 | 37 | 25 | 67.6% | 14 | 37.8% | 11 | 29.7% |
2. Georgia | 10 | 26 | 18 | 69.2% | 13 | 50% | 5 | 19.2% |
3. Mississippi State | 10 | 33 | 24 | 72.7% | 10 | 30.3% | 14 | 42.4% |
4. Kentucky | 10 | 43 | 32 | 74.4% | 23 | 53.5% | 9 | 20.9% |
5. Tennessee | 10 | 33 | 25 | 75.8% | 17 | 51.5% | 8 | 24.2% |
6. Auburn | 10 | 42 | 33 | 78.6% | 23 | 54.8% | 10 | 23.8% |
7. Missouri | 10 | 30 | 24 | 80% | 14 | 46.7% | 10 | 33.3% |
8. South Carolina | 10 | 41 | 33 | 80.5% | 26 | 63.4% | 7 | 17.1% |
T9. Florida | 10 | 22 | 18 | 81.8% | 10 | 45.4% | 8 | 36.4% |
T9. Alabama | 10 | 22 | 18 | 81.8% | 10 | 45.4% | 8 | 36.4% |
11. Texas A&M | 10 | 40 | 33 | 82.5% | 17 | 42.5% | 16 | 40% |
12. Arkansas | 10 | 41 | 35 | 85.4% | 27 | 65.9% | 8 | 19.5% |
13. Ole Miss | 10 | 37 | 32 | 86.5% | 19 | 51.4% | 13 | 35.1% |
14. LSU | 9 | 25 | 23 | 92% | 18 | 72% | 5 | 20% |