SEC Week 13

gps_3

gps_3

Head of Alabama Department of Decision-Making
Everybody's favorite week is here. I'm not going to post all the SEC v FCS matchups here, but feel free to bitch about them in here. Other games:

Mizzou +9.5 @ Oklahoma
UGA -44.5 vs Charlotte
Arkansas +10.5 @ Texas
Kentucky +10 @ Vanderbilt
S Carolina -22.5 vs Coastal Carolina
Tennessee -3.5 @ Florida
LSU -21.5 vs WKU

Saw that Pribula may play for Mizzou this weekend. I didn't think too much of him before he got hurt, but I imagine he's better than the true freshman. Something to monitor

Interested to see how/if SCAR gets off the mat after that collapse

Pretty big SEC Champ game implications with UK/Vandy and Tenn/Florida. Vandy and Tenn wins (I think) put Alabama in Atlanta as long as they beat AU next week.
 
Cayuts have looked better as of late. They always seem to win one that nobody expects them to. Could this be the one?
 
Big, very big, game for Sarkisian Saturday.

Coming off a bye, no less, Saturday night his team looked totally unprepared in the final quarter and, again, he was completely outcoached. Smart does that to a lot of other coaches but we're seeing a pattern now with Sarkisian vs. elite coaches. He's not one. We know that. But he's got to be able to close the gap at some point. Has a bit of a Mark Richt feel right now. Not the best of feelings.

Horns absolutely cannot afford to lose this Saturday and then be looking at A&M and a possible 5-loss season. It's going to be a challenge rallying his team to play this Saturday against a bad team after what happened in Athens. Sarkisian is paid $11MM / year for a reason. He hasn't earned it this season. Will be interesting to see what the team looks like against Arkansas.
 
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B.A.R. said:
The above is from this article...

Remember a 3 way tie can nullify a head to head win.


www.cbssports.com

Updated SEC Championship tiebreakers for Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss

After another chaotic college football Saturday, here is where things stand in the race to the SEC title
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com
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Yeah there's no h2h in a 3 way tie if they didn't all play each other. Next tiebreak is conference opponent win % which immediately eliminates Ole Miss. So the three games that determine Alabama's fate are Vandy/UK, Tenn/UF and Mizzou/Arkansas, provided they beat AU.
 
Frank Costanza said:
Iron Bowl kick is 6:30 on ABC.

First night kick since 2014.
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I was at that 2014 game and it was a wild one. AU led at half by 5 and scored on their first drive of the 2nd half to go up 12. Blake Sims and Amari Cooper put on a show in the last quarter and a half, and the win was secured by backup RB Derrick Henry to put Alabama up 19. Final score was 55-44 after AU added a meaningless TD with 20 seconds left. Crazy swing of emotions in that one. My buddy I was with wanted to leave when they scored to begin the 3rd quarter. Glad we didn't
 
pressitup said:
that's not right.
2:30 ws the best for this game
but they control the vertical, they control the horizontal
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I agree. The switch to ABC/ESPN for first choice means #1 game is primetime now. Guess they know they'll get more eyeballs on this game than some of the others, especially if it looks like Alabama will lose
 
Frank Costanza said:
Iron Bowl kick is 6:30 on ABC.

First night kick since 2014.
Click to expand...
Interesting.

This is nice -- I'll be honest -- the last 4 years with the game right after "The Game" I have not been able to concentrate on the 1st half due to all the texting/calling/celebrating in the aftermath.

Count me in as very happy!
 
gps_3 said:
I was at that 2014 game and it was a wild one. AU led at half by 5 and scored on their first drive of the 2nd half to go up 12. Blake Sims and Amari Cooper put on a show in the last quarter and a half, and the win was secured by backup RB Derrick Henry to put Alabama up 19. Final score was 55-44 after AU added a meaningless TD with 20 seconds left. Crazy swing of emotions in that one. My buddy I was with wanted to leave when they scored to begin the 3rd quarter. Glad we didn't
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"Backup RB" sounds so funny a decade + later.
 
To piggyback from the discussion thread and how this week has a bit less flair than we would like...

Georgia is DONE with SEC play, and we still have two weeks left in the season.

I am not trying to dog the Bulldogs -- I love the rivalry on Thanksgiving weekend with the GT game.

But, much like the NFL tries to have a division game late in the year, college needs to work in what they can to add to the intrigue.
 
B.A.R. said:
"Backup RB" sounds so funny a decade + later.
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There are many who blame Lane Kiffin for not utilizing him more in the CFP semi loss to Ohio St, though the pick 6 and backup LB whiffing on Zeke were probably bigger issues
 
B.A.R. said:
To piggyback from the discussion thread and how this week has a bit less flair than we would like...

Georgia is DONE with SEC play, and we still have two weeks left in the season.

I am not trying to dog the Bulldogs -- I love the rivalry on Thanksgiving weekend with the GT game.

But, much like the NFL tries to have a division game late in the year, college needs to work in what they can to add to the intrigue.
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I wish there would be some effort to somewhat standardize scheduling, whatever that may look like. I know it's impossible to get it completely even, but some effort should be made. SEC going to 9 conference games plus a p4 OOC is basically shooting itself in the foot unless there is some guarantee of number of teams in a 16 team (gross) playoff. The committee has proven both years now that they are incapable of getting past differences in the loss column when warranted, so why increase the risk of a loss if you don't have to?
 
Maybe something of note, AU is sitting QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer so that he can play against Alabama the following week and not burn his redshirt. I know nothing about Mercer, but they are 9-1 and #6 in the FCS Coaches Poll, so they may not be a complete pushover. AU hasn't announced whether they are starting Jackson Arnold or Deuce Knight, though I have to think it's Arnold. I haven't seen a line, but I assume they spent the majority of their bye week last week prepping for Alabama and I could see a situation where it gets a little uncomfortable for AU.
 
gps_3 said:
I wish there would be some effort to somewhat standardize scheduling, whatever that may look like. I know it's impossible to get it completely even, but some effort should be made. SEC going to 9 conference games plus a p4 OOC is basically shooting itself in the foot unless there is some guarantee of number of teams in a 16 team (gross) playoff. The committee has proven both years now that they are incapable of getting past differences in the loss column when warranted, so why increase the risk of a loss if you don't have to?
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I think this will work itself out once all the conferences are on the same page, so standardized.

That has to be what happens.
 
gps_3 said:
Maybe something of note, AU is sitting QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer so that he can play against Alabama the following week and not burn his redshirt. I know nothing about Mercer, but they are 9-1 and #6 in the FCS Coaches Poll, so they may not be a complete pushover. AU hasn't announced whether they are starting Jackson Arnold or Deuce Knight, though I have to think it's Arnold. I haven't seen a line, but I assume they spent the majority of their bye week last week prepping for Alabama and I could see a situation where it gets a little uncomfortable for AU.
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Good note
 
B.A.R. said:
I think this will work itself out once all the conferences are on the same page, so standardized.

That has to be what happens.
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It's clear that it will have to be led by the conferences, because the committee is useless. Those explanations last night were so bad it's comical
 
gps_3 said:
Maybe something of note, AU is sitting QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer so that he can play against Alabama the following week and not burn his redshirt. I know nothing about Mercer, but they are 9-1 and #6 in the FCS Coaches Poll, so they may not be a complete pushover. AU hasn't announced whether they are starting Jackson Arnold or Deuce Knight, though I have to think it's Arnold. I haven't seen a line, but I assume they spent the majority of their bye week last week prepping for Alabama and I could see a situation where it gets a little uncomfortable for AU.
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Mercer is 2-0 ATS vs Auburn
 
gps_3 said:
Maybe something of note, AU is sitting QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer so that he can play against Alabama the following week and not burn his redshirt. I know nothing about Mercer, but they are 9-1 and #6 in the FCS Coaches Poll, so they may not be a complete pushover. AU hasn't announced whether they are starting Jackson Arnold or Deuce Knight, though I have to think it's Arnold. I haven't seen a line, but I assume they spent the majority of their bye week last week prepping for Alabama and I could see a situation where it gets a little uncomfortable for AU.
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Arnold was the starter this year right before recently?

Fan Duel had Auburn -29.5 this morning and it sits 27.5 now. I took Mercer when I saw the 29.5. They might get a top 8 seed and a bye next week, I think they deserve it, but it's not up to me and a couple games this week will also play a role (it TennTech or Havard lose that would open up the second half of the top 8 conversation for Mercer to more safely be in that group). But their O is really been outstanding this year, different from when your Alabama team played the end of last year. That was a more defense oriented team with an average O. The D isn't quite as good this year, but the O is considerably better. They are doing it with a Tr Fr QB who likely will win the Jerry Rice Award for best FCS Freshman. He's been starting since late Septmeber now.

I posted in the FCS thread that Auburn seems to have more surprising games (or scores or halves of games) vs FCS than others I can think of. So something in their DNA could lead to this being an interesting game. Not 100% sure how Mercer approaches it, the playoff run being their primary goal, but the chance to do something really special for them vs a team like this I would think makes them want to make a game of it. If it doesn't start off well for them, then maybe that changes how they handle the rest of the game?
 
s--k said:
Arnold was the starter this year right before recently?

Fan Duel had Auburn -29.5 this morning and it sits 27.5 now. I took Mercer when I saw the 29.5. They might get a top 8 seed and a bye next week, I think they deserve it, but it's not up to me and a couple games this week will also play a role (it TennTech or Havard lose that would open up the second half of the top 8 conversation for Mercer to more safely be in that group). But their O is really been outstanding this year, different from when your Alabama team played the end of last year. That was a more defense oriented team with an average O. The D isn't quite as good this year, but the O is considerably better. They are doing it with a Tr Fr QB who likely will win the Jerry Rice Award for best FCS Freshman. He's been starting since late Septmeber now.

I posted in the FCS thread that Auburn seems to have more surprising games (or scores or halves of games) vs FCS than others I can think of. So something in their DNA could lead to this being an interesting game. Not 100% sure how Mercer approaches it, the playoff run being their primary goal, but the chance to do something really special for them vs a team like this I would think makes them want to make a game of it. If it doesn't start off well for them, then maybe that changes how they handle the rest of the game?
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Think I read somewhere that Mercer runs a version of the wing T? If AU truly does spend more time preparing for Alabama, then I could see how that would be tricky for even a defense as good as AU's. Only similarity to the Alabama offense is that there are 11 players on the field
 
gps_3 said:
Think I read somewhere that Mercer runs a version of the wing T? If AU truly does spend more time preparing for Alabama, then I could see how that would be tricky for even a defense as good as AU's. Only similarity to the Alabama offense is that there are 11 players on the field
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That offense would’ve been under their prior head coach who went to Navy to be their OC. It’s traditional drop back and conventional run now, not much QB run with new kid.
 
gps_3 said:
Maybe something of note, AU is sitting QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer so that he can play against Alabama the following week and not burn his redshirt. I know nothing about Mercer, but they are 9-1 and #6 in the FCS Coaches Poll, so they may not be a complete pushover. AU hasn't announced whether they are starting Jackson Arnold or Deuce Knight, though I have to think it's Arnold. I haven't seen a line, but I assume they spent the majority of their bye week last week prepping for Alabama and I could see a situation where it gets a little uncomfortable for AU.
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Looks like the true freshman Deuce Knight is getting the start against Mercer. I know he was a 5 star, but was very raw and I'm not sure anyone believes he was developed at all this year under Hugh. Great tools though.
 
lane kiffin announcement coming after 11/29?
if there needs to be an announcement , then?
 
Frank Costanza said:
Trubula looks to be starting today. That's sorta big.
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Yep. I listened to Powers and Knish discussion of this on their Friday afternoon show and they were split on impact, largely because he's a running QB returning from an ugly leg injury. The market taking this from 7' to 6' and now 5' seems to agree with you that this changes the match-up a lot. As good as OU D is, they are outside top 50 in tackling and broken tackles allowed.
 
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