The SEC’s Week 5 slate delivered a little bit of everything: blowouts, nail-biters, and a few teams that didn’t take the field at all.
Alabama made the loudest statement of the bunch, rolling past No. 13 Mississippi State 56-23 behind a big day from Keelon Russell.
The quarterback threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, added 16 rushing yards, and scored once on the ground. Lotzeir Brooks chipped in 96 receiving yards, while Trae’shawn Brown powered in two rushing touchdowns on 66 rushing yards.
Alabama also got takeaways from Caleb Woodson and Dijon Lee Jr., who each picked off a pass.
No. 7 Florida had a rough afternoon, falling 45-17 to Missouri.
Dallas Wilson was one of the few bright spots for the Gators, finishing with 66 receiving yards and a touchdown. Missouri’s win over Florida was one of the cleaner results in the league’s Week 5 action.
Tennessee handled Auburn 24-14, and DeSean Bishop was the engine. He ripped off 220 rushing yards and scored three times on the ground. The Volunteers also made life miserable on defense, with Tevis Metcalf and Dejuan Lane each grabbing an interception, and Lane adding two sacks.
Texas A&M took care of Arkansas 34-7, with KJ Edwards scoring twice on 66 rushing yards. Dalton Brooks added an interception for the Aggies. Arkansas’ top note came from Chris Marshall, who posted 76 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Georgia cruised past Vanderbilt 38-14. Kentucky escaped South Carolina in the week’s tightest finish, 35-34, and the Gamecocks still had a strong showing from LaNorris Sellers, who threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 147 yards. Mazeo Bennett Jr. led South Carolina’s receivers with 92 yards.
LSU posted a 63-14 win over McNeese State.
Oklahoma did not play, and neither did Ole Miss or Texas.
Here’s how the rest of the league shook out in Week 5: Auburn fell 24-14 to Tennessee, Florida lost 45-17 to Missouri, Mississippi State was beaten 56-23 by Alabama, South Carolina dropped a 35-34 decision to Kentucky, Vanderbilt lost 38-14 to Georgia, and Arkansas was beaten 34-7 by Texas A&M.
In Other News...
Former LSU Standouts Are Already Turning Heads In The NFL
The early returns on a pair of former LSU standouts have been hard to miss, even with both players just getting settled in the NFL. Mansoor Delane has already flashed in Kansas City, picking off a pass and staying active around the ball with pass breakups and tackles, while also working through an early injury. It is the kind of start that keeps a coaching staff watching closely, especially for a young defender trying to carve out a role.
Harold Perkins has made his presence felt in Atlanta, too, and his latest outing against the New Orleans Saints stood out as the kind of performance that can change the conversation around a player. He piled up 10 tackles, added half a sack and broke up a pass, a busy stat line that showed the range and urgency LSU fans remember. For both players, the bigger question now is not whether they belong, but how quickly their first impressions can turn into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Landed A Guard Commitment That Raises This Classs Ceiling
LSUs 2027 recruiting class got a major boost with the commitment of King Gibson, the No. 16 overall prospect in the cycle. The 6-foot-4 combo guard from SPIRE Academy made his choice after official visits to LSU, Providence, Arkansas and Louisville, giving the Tigers a high-level addition with the kind of size and two-way profile that tends to travel well.
Gibson has been evaluated as a physically mature guard with solid size, shooting ability and defensive skills, traits that help explain why this commitment is viewed as such a strong one for LSU. For a program trying to keep stacking talent early in the cycle, landing a player with this ceiling does more than fill a spot - it changes the look of the class. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces A Huge LSU Test With No Room For Another Slow Start
Kentuckys comeback against South Carolina kept the Wildcats from leaving empty-handed, but it also reinforced the margin for error in the SEC. Down 17-0 before rallying to win 35-34 in overtime, Kentucky still slipped out of the AP Top 25, and first-year coach Will Stein made clear this week that surviving another slow start wont be nearly enough against No. 10 LSU.
The challenge gets even steeper because LSU arrives with its own issues, even while remaining one of the leagues most complete teams on both sides of the ball. Lane Kiffins group has been managing injuries, but the Tigers still have the kind of defensive front and offensive talent that can punish a team before it finds its footing, which leaves Kentucky staring at a test that demands a cleaner start and a full four quarters. [Read more 🡒]