Week 10 reshuffled the SEC in a hurry, and the top of the league looks clearer than ever. Georgia, Alabama and Texas all came away with statement wins, while Florida, Missouri and Ole Miss took hits that pushed them down the board.
At the very top, Georgia keeps looking like the standard. The Bulldogs went on the road to Ole Miss and turned a Top-10 matchup into a rout, rolling 42-7.
Georgia was already up 21-0 early in the second quarter, a sign of just how quickly Kirby Smart’s team can take control. With Missouri, South Carolina and Georgia Tech still left, it’s difficult to see anyone on that schedule slowing the Bulldogs down.
Alabama is right behind them after a strong finish in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide hadn’t beaten LSU twice in Baton Rouge since Nick Saban was still the head coach in Tuscaloosa, but this group handled it with authority, winning 31-13.
LSU briefly led 13-10 at the end of the third quarter, then Alabama ripped off 21 unanswered points. Keelon Russell threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Texas also climbed after surviving a tough road test at Missouri. The Longhorns and Tigers were tied at 20 before Arch Manning hit Raleek Brown for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 27-20.
Texas then forced a Missouri fumble and later stopped a failed 4th-and-3 to close out a 34-20 victory. The Longhorns still have plenty in front of them, including road games at LSU and Texas A&M, plus Arkansas on Nov.
Tennessee continues to hang around the playoff conversation thanks to its defense. The Volunteers were dominant against Kentucky, forcing three turnovers and keeping the Wildcats out of the red zone until only twice in a 34-6 win.
Arion Carter was all over the field with 13 tackles and two sacks, along with four tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. If Tennessee can get through Texas A&M, LSU and Vanderbilt, a playoff bid is on the table.
Kentucky, despite the loss, is still alive too. The Wildcats hurt themselves with three turnovers and seven penalties for 50 yards, but the path remains open if they win out. Florida is next, then Missouri on Nov. 21, before the regular-season finale at home against Louisville.
LSU’s CFP hopes are still hanging around, even after the loss to Alabama, but the margin is thin. Lane Kiffin’s record against Top-10 teams fell to 6-15, and one decision late in the game stood out: with eight minutes left, he chose not to punt on 4th-and-10 from his own 25.
Alabama scored three plays later to go up 31-13. The Tigers still have Texas and Tennessee left, though it’s hard to imagine this offense keeping pace with both.
South Carolina is another team that has pushed itself into the conversation. Shane Beamer’s group started 2-3, then caught fire with four straight wins over Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Gamecocks would need a Nov. 21 upset of Georgia to build a CFP case, and they’d also have to finish the job against Arkansas and Clemson.
Ole Miss and Missouri both slipped after losses that exposed different flaws. Georgia’s defense bottled up Trinidad Chambliss, who finished with 174 passing yards, an interception and five sacks taken.
The Rebels now have Oklahoma, Wofford and Mississippi State left, which doesn’t leave them much room to make a late push. Missouri got solid quarterback play from Austin Simmons, who threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, but Cayden Lee’s fumble with less than two minutes left set up Texas’ go-ahead score.
The Tigers still have Georgia and Kentucky ahead, but outside of the 45-17 win over Florida, the résumé doesn’t have enough punch.
The middle and bottom of the league got a shakeup too. Oklahoma picked up an upset over Florida in Jason Witten’s first game as the Sooners’ new play-caller, putting up 23 points and 351 yards.
Florida, meanwhile, took a 23-7 home loss that only deepened a rough stretch for Jon Sumrall’s team. Auburn needed a late field goal to escape Arkansas 26-23, while Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M round out the bottom three.
Mississippi State has struggled since losing Kamario Taylor for the season, and Jeff Lebby could be staring at a third straight losing year. Vanderbilt finally got its first SEC win of the season by beating Mississippi State, though the Commodores still have Florida and Vanderbilt left. Texas A&M’s season has gone sideways as well; the Aggies are 1-5 in the SEC after falling 17-9 at South Carolina in Week 10.
In Other News...
Florida Now Faces A Painful Reminder Of Its Staff Turnover
Floridas defensive back room has already felt the ripple effects of another staff change, and Jordan Castell and Aaron Gates are the latest reminder of how quickly those decisions can reshape a roster. Both players were once part of the Gators plans before transferring to Kentucky, where they have settled in and turned in career-best production this season.
Jon Sumrall said he made an effort to keep both defenders in Gainesville, but he simply did not have enough time to sway their choices. For Florida, the sting is obvious: two familiar names now helping a conference rival while the Gators are left to wonder how different things might have looked with a steadier hand on the staff. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Heads To Kentucky With A Quarterback Problem Still Unsettled
Florida is heading into a tricky Week 11 road trip to Kentucky with its quarterback situation still unresolved, and Jon Sumrall is not ready to hand the job to either Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. after another uneven stretch. Jones got the start against Oklahoma last time out, but the performance did little to settle the discussion as the Gators continue searching for steadier play under center.
The timing is hardly ideal with Kentucky still in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot and the Gators facing a difficult environment on the road. For Florida, the question is no longer just who gets the first snap, but whether either quarterback can provide enough consistency to give the offense a chance against one of the tougher assignments left on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Heads To Kentucky With One Big Offensive Question
Florida heads into Week 11 with a familiar SEC test and a lot to sort out on offense. The Gators are 5-4 and have hit a rough patch on that side of the ball, while Kentucky brings a 7-2 record and a No. 13 ranking into a matchup that has tilted the Wildcats way lately despite Floridas historical edge in the series.
Kentucky has won four of the last five meetings, which only adds to the pressure on a Florida offense looking for answers on the road. The Wildcats are coming off a loss to Tennessee, and the betting market has moved only slightly ahead of kickoff, but the bigger question for Florida is whether it can find enough rhythm to keep this one from turning into another frustrating afternoon. [Read more 🡒]