Week 7 of the College Football season gave us an incredible weekend of football as rivalry games and conference games shaped the race for the College Football Playoff. This weekend, 13 of the 16 teams in the SEC were in action, which gave us an incredible weekend of games and another game to judge each of these teams on.
The Oklahoma Sooners took their first loss of the season in the Red River Rivalry as it looks like the Texas Longhorns have finally arrived to the party. We also got pivotal matchups between Alabama and Missouri as well as LSU and South Carolina which shaped the SEC race.
Texas' big win flips the SEC Power Rankings
After getting blown out by Georgia last weekend, the Kentucky Wildcats spent the weekend on the bye. Mark Stoops is going to need to find a way to work magic during the bye week as games against Texas, Tennessee, Auburn, and Florida are all coming up over the next four weeks which may make it impossible to win a SEC game.
The Arkansas Razorbacks lost again this weekend, but, in the first game with Bobby Petrino leading the program, there was plenty to be encouraged by. While they still allowed 34 points, the unit did great with what they were handed. The offense fumbled the ball away 3 times, which set this team back and made it impossible to win this game. It'll be interesting to watch this team the rest of the way as Bobby Petrino is auditioning to win the fill time job.
Jeff Lebby's Mississippi State Bulldogs spent the weekend on the bye after dropping their first two games in league play. This team is clearly better than Lebby's team last season but, the fans just want to see this team win a game in league play. The next three weeks will bring a chance to get on the board as Florida, Texas, and Arkansas all loom.
The Auburn Tigers are going to feel as if they were screwed, as they got jobbed on several calls that may have changed the game. While that is true, the offense was abysmal in the second half, and if they don't change quarterbacks, they may not win a game in league play. This team has the talent to beat any team in the SEC, but they're clearly being held back at quarterback.
The South Carolina Gamecocks have quietly been one of the most disappointing teams in the Country as they fell to 3-3 on Saturday Night. LaNorris Sellers hasn't looked like the same player we saw last season, as he struggled all night passing the ball. The defense did as best as it could, forcing 2 Garrett Nussmeier interceptions and holding a loaded LSU offense to 20 points, but the offense let them down again.
The Florida Gators looked like they may be poised to pull off another upset as they were tied at 14 with Texas A&M, but after the 1st quarter, everything fell apart. The Aggies outscored Florida 20-3 over the last 3 quarters, which is unacceptable with the talent this team has. The Billy Napier era has to come to an end sooner rather than later, and it could happen as soon as Sunday.
After suffering their first loss of the season to Alabama, Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores spent the weekend on the bye. This team has a tough stretch coming up with games against LSU, Missouri, and Texas, which will end up determining the fate of the Commodores' season.
The Oklahoma Sooners made the decision to play John Mateer against Texas in the Red River Rivalry, and it may have cost the Sooners the game. The offense never got in a rhythm as John Mateer threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 7 times, as the rushing attack never gave him any help. The defense was put in an impossible spot, and they still did a solid job keeping the Sooners in the game for as long as they could.
Eli Drinkwitz and his team are going to wish they could have a do-over as the Tigers let a great chance to beat Alabama slip away. Ahmad Hardy only got to run the ball 12 times, picking up 55 yards and a score, but this team tried to pass the ball far too many times. The defense did a great job limiting the Alabama offense but, when you lose the turnover battle like Missouri did it's tough to win.
Texas needed to get off the mat after losing to Florida, and they did it in the best way possible, handing their rivals the first loss of their season. Arch Manning was efficient as a passer while taking care of the football, which was key in this game. The Texas defense was flying around the entire game, bringing John Mateer down 7 times while forcing 3 interceptions in their best showing of the season.
Josh Heupel and his staff had an interesting challenge as they faced an Arkansas team that overhauled its staff during the bye week, which made it almost impossible to game-plan. The Tennessee offense leaned on its rushing attack, running the ball 40 times, picking up 264 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defense did a great job forcing turnovers as they forced three fumbles which was enough to pick up the win.
The LSU Tigers bounced back from their loss to Ole Miss by holding off South Carolina under the lights of Tiger Stadium. Garrett Nussmeier's struggles continue to be a concern as he threw two terrible interceptions, but the rushing game stepped up, picking up 5.5 yards per carry while Trey'Dez Green was unguardable, catching 8 passes for 119 yards and a score. The Tigers' defense has been on another level this season, and if the offense ever puts it together, this team is National Championship-level talented.
After the bye week, Ole Miss played a sloppy game against Washington State, and it almost came back to haunt them if not for the clock running out on the Cougars' final drive. The offense made a ton of mistakes, leaving points on the field, and in SEC play, they won't be able to survive a stinker like they had today. The defense struggled to slow the Cougars' passing attack, which is shocking after what they did against LSU. The good news for Lane Kiffin is that his team didn't lose this game like they did last season
The Georgia Bulldogs had to go into the house of horrors that is Jordan-Hare Stadium, and they played a funky game. This team continues to start slow, and if not for a controversial fumble at the goal line, they likely trail 17-0 at the half. This team did step up in the second half, shutting the Tigers out while the offense scored 17 points to win the game. Kirby Smart's team still has a ton to improve on, but when this team turns it on, they're clearly talented enough to beat any team.
The Alabama Crimson Tide had another big test, and while it wasn't their cleanest game, they handled the test, knocking off Missouri. With an injured wide receiver room and Jam Miller leaving the game, Ty Simpson still passed for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the team to victory. The defense didn't play its best game, but once again, the Tide came up with a massive interception to end the game for the second week in a row.
The Texas A&M Aggies were in a battle with Florida early when this game was tied at 14, and from then on, they took over the game. The defense continues to step up as they allowed just 3 points in the final 3 quarters while shutting Florida out in the second half. The offense took it to Florida on the ground, running the ball 42 times for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns to pick up the win. Mike Elko has done an incredible job with this team, and they're starting to look like one of the best teams in the Country.