| |||||||
The SEC had a little eggnog on its face last year when the nation’s top conference failed to fill all its bowl slots.
That won’t be a problem this year.
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, nine of the league’s 12 teams are eligible for a bowl game, with Tennessee (5-5) needing a win against Vanderbilt or Kentucky to join the list.
The SEC has nine guaranteed bowl tie-ins, but should be able to accommodate all 10 teams as long as Florida and Alabama remain unbeaten heading into the conference championship game. In that scenario, the SEC champ would play in the BCS title game and the runner-up would head to the Sugar Bowl.
A look at how the conference’s bowl slots could shake out:
BCS Championship – Florida vs. Texas
Sugar – Alabama vs. BCS opponent
Capital One – Ole Miss vs. Big Ten
Cotton – Arkansas vs. Big 12
Outback – LSU vs. Big Ten
Chick-fil-A – Tennessee vs. ACC
Music City – Georgia vs. ACC
Liberty – Auburn vs. Conference USA
Independence – Kentucky vs. Big 12
Papajohns.com – South Carolina vs. Big East
Scoreboard
Ole Miss 42, Tennessee 17
Kentucky 24, Vanderbilt 13
Florida 24, South Carolina 14
Alabama 31, Mississippi St. 3
LSU 24, Louisiana Tech 16
Georgia 31, Auburn 24
Arkansas 56, Troy 20
Rocky times on Rocky Top
Following the first major off-the-field incident during his Tennessee tenure, first-year Vols coach Lane Kiffin booted receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards following their arrests for attempted armed robbery outside a convenience store near campus.
“Clearly, their actions have no place in our program,” Kiffin said.
The status of a third player involved in the incident — starting safety Janzen Jackson — is pending as Kiffin gathers more information. According to the incident report, Jackson was at the scene but did not approach the victims, who were sitting in a car at the store.
A lawyer for Jackson, who has previous disciplinary issues at Tennessee, maintains his innocence.
Richardson was the marquee player in Kiffin’s first signing class. Kiffin accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of breaking recruiting rules to keep Richardson, drawing a reprimand from the SEC.
Kiffin’s program also took another hit when it was revealed Tuesday that Nyshier Oliver, a freshman defensive back, was cited for shoplifting a Polo shirt on Nov. 7, only a few hours before the Vols’ kickoff with Memphis.
Ol’ Ball Coach handing over his play sheet
A week after announcing he would serve as South Carolina’s principal play-caller the rest of the season, Steve Spurrier called an audible. Looking ahead to next season, one of the game’s best offensive tacticians said he likely would let quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus call the plays.
Before the 2008 season, the 64-year-old Spurrier handed off the play-calling responsibilities to his son, receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. But as the Gamecocks’ offense struggled in recent weeks, Spurrier deflected questions about the play-calling arrangement, not wanting to throw his son under the bus as former South Carolina coach Lou Holtz did with son Skip when he demoted him after the 2003 season.
The Gamecocks have ranked among the SEC’s lowest-scoring teams the past two seasons. South Carolina has not scored more than 16 points in its last five games, and is 102nd among 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in scoring offense at 20.6 points per game.
By the numbers
53 — Career touchdowns for Tim Tebow, which ties the Florida quarterback with former LSU great Kevin Faulk as the SEC’s all-time leader. Tebow’s tying score came on a 1-yard touchdown run against South Carolina.
282 — School-record rushing yards on 25 carries for Ole Miss tailback Dexter McCluster against Tennessee. It also was the most rushing yards allowed by the Vols in school history.
591 — McCluster’s rushing total in his last three games against SEC opponents. He has six touchdowns during that span, including three of 60 yards or longer.
Quote of the week
“I looked at (recruiting coordinator Ed) Orgeron and told him, ‘Go get us one of those.’ We want to look like that when we come out of the tunnel,” — Kiffin on his reaction to McCluster’s record-setting day.
Thumbs of the week
Up
Auburn RB Ben Tate — The senior wore No. 4 against Georgia instead of his normal No. 44 to honor roommate Zac Etheridge, the Tigers’ safety who was lost for the season two weeks ago after injuring his neck.
Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett — The Michigan transfer threw for 405 yards and five TDs against Troy, becoming the Hogs’ record-holder for yards in a season (2,822). Mallett has thrown 141 consecutive passes without an interception, another school record.
Alabama RB Mark Ingram — A big game in the SEC title game against Florida and Ingram should secure the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy.
Down
LSU fans — Notoriously tough on opponents, the Death Valley denizens went after one of their own when they booed quarterback Jarrett Lee, who threw 16 interceptions last season (including seven returned for touchdowns) and was filling in for the injured Jordan Jefferson against Louisiana Tech.
“I understand the history in this stadium with Jarrett Lee,” LSU coach Les Miles told The Shreveport Times. “A certain feel that the fan base gave him is not proper. That’s not the way it should be.”
You must have an account to post comments. Go ahead and register now. It's completely free and takes 5 seconds.
