Week 4 of the College Football season was a step back from the excitement as many teams were on the bye but, the exciting storylines in the SEC continued. Several SEC teams suffered devastating losses which change the entire vibe around their programs and have the fanbase ready to melt down. Most of the conference has now played at least one league game which is making it easy to start stacking the SEC against each other.
If you had to describe this weekend, it was almost setting the stage for the excitement that lies ahead. Next weekend, we get massive matchups in Alabama Vs Georgia, LSU Vs Ole Miss, and Auburn Vs Texas A&M. The rest of the season is only going to get more exciting making this weekend fun but, also just a teaser.
Florida's free fall sends the Gators further down the SEC Power Rankings
The Arkansas Razorbacks had a golden opportunity to get back on track after their close loss to Ole Miss last weekend, as they faced Memphis. The Razorbacks took a 28-10 lead with just under two minutes left in the first half, and from then on, the game flipped. The Razorbacks were held to just 3 points in the second half but, they had a chance to take the lead late before a fumble on the Memphis 7-yard line sealed their fate. The next four games for Arkansas come against ranked opponents, and it's impossible to see a path for Sam Pittman to survive if he goes 6 straight games with losses.
The Kentucky Wildcats spent the weekend on the bye which is a bit disappointing as it looked like they found something last week with Cutter Boley at quarterback. The Wildcats have two weeks to prepare for a South Carolina team that has had clear flaws to start the season which gives Mark Stoops' group a chance to pick up a big win.
The hits keep on coming for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators as they lost again this week this time to the Miami Hurricanes. The offense continues to look lifeless as they scored just 7 points while DJ Lagway has regressed and only passed for 61 yards. The defense gave Florida every chance to get back into this game before it was too late but, it's impossible to win the way Florida is playing. The Gators go on the bye next weekend which could mean that Billy Napier is gone by the time that the Gators face Texas.
After a breakout season last year, the South Carolina Gamecocks came into the season with hopes of making the College Football Playoff which have vanished 4 weeks in. The Gamecocks offense hasn't clicked yet this season and the defense has been vulnerable to the run which was a concern after losing so many veterans.
Jeff Lebby and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are one of the feel good stories of the season as they're off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2014. The Bulldogs dominated Northern Illinois this weekend behind a great performance running the football which is new under a pass heavy coach like Jeff Lebby. SEC play will be tough on the Bulldogs but, this team is much improved in Lebby's second season which is a great sign.
The unbeaten Vanderbilt Commodores were able to get their revenge on Georgia State for their shocking loss last season as they demolished the Panthers. The offense pounded the rock picking up 286 yards and 8 touchdowns rushing while Diego Pavia found Sedrick Alexander for their lone passing touchdown of the day. at 4-0, the Commodores are starting to climb the rankings with a chance to make serious noise when they get into SEC play.
The Auburn Tigers are going to leave Week 4 feeling as if they wasted a golden opportunity in their loss to Oklahoma. Jackson Arnold didn't play his best but, he was under constant pressure getting sacked 10 times. The defense got hosed on a missed call by the officials but, was solid for most of the game. The good news is that Auburn instantly has a chance to work their way back up the rankings as they face Texas A&M next weekend.
Arch Manning really needed to take advantage of the last tune up game and it finally happened as he took advantage of facing Sam Houston State. Manning was effective as a passer and flashed his rushing ability scoring 5 touchdowns in his best game of the season. The Longhorns now take a bye week before facing a struggling Florida team in a game they have to win.
The Ole Miss Rebels have quietly started the season in impressive fashion with a pair of SEC wins and a win over a solid Tulane team. The Rebels haven't missed a step with backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in and they may have a decision to make as Chambliss has been beyond impressive. Everyone has been asking for the defense to show up and this weekend they did it in dominant fashion shutting down Jake Retzlaff. Next weekend brings the biggest test thus far as Ole Miss hosts 4-0 LSU.
Eli Drinkwitz doesn't get enough credit for the job he's done and this season he's off to another impressive start at 4-0. The rushing trio of Beau Pribula, Ahmad Hardy, and Jamal Roberts diced the Gamecocks defense picking up 282 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The rushing defense made South Carolina finish with -9 yards making them so one-dimensional that it was enough to come out on top.
The Alabama Crimson Tide spent the weekend on the bye, but their resume did take a hit as Wisconsin looks like it could end up being an absolute disaster. The Crimson Tide gets two weeks to prepare for a massive clash against the Georgia Bulldogs, and if Kalen DeBoer's team can win, it'll eliminate a ton of the concerns they earned with the season-opening loss.
After losing to Georgia in a heartbreaker last weekend, the Tennessee Volunteers came out and demolished the UAB Blazers in a game where they got whatever they wanted. The Vols starters put this game out of reach in the first half, allowing the backups to get plenty of time, which is key after a physical game against Georgia last weekend. Next weekend, Tennessee faces a Mississippi State team that could be tricky which could give the team an interesting test.
The Oklahoma Sooners added another impressive win to their resume on Saturday as the defense was dominant in a win over Auburn. Jackson Arnold's former teammates made his life miserable as they sacked him 10 times, setting a new school record for Oklahoma. The offense wasn't always clicking, but when it mattered most, John Mateer drove his team down the field and punched it in for a win. The Sooners now own wins over Auburn and a Michigan team that just beat Nebraska, and their resume is starting to look great.
The Texas A&M Aggies got to spend the week working through any issues they have after an impressive win over Notre Dame. The Aggies' offense looks incredible after their offseason additions of KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, and as the group as a whole gets more reps together, it's only going to get more explosive. The defense still has a ton of work to do, but if the defense can start to improve, this team has the firepower on offense to make a run to the College Football Playoff.
The LSU Tigers are through their first third of the season with a perfect 4-0 record and while it hasn't always been the most impressive, the fanbase would've taken 4-0 in any fashion. The Tigers starters got to watch most of the second half as the starters left with a 42-0 lead. Next weekend, the Tigers are tasked with facing a red hot Ole Miss team and the offensive line will be without starting guard DJ Chester who was ejected for targeting on a mind boggling play.
The Georgia Bulldogs got to spend the weekend on the bye after their massive win in Neyland against Tennessee. While the win was impressive, Kirby Smart definitely enjoyed the chance to work through some issues with his team before they jump into the toughest stretch of their SEC schedule. Next weekend, Georgia faces Alabama in a massive game that will end up telling us a ton about where each team stands.