Week 4 brought a sharp reset across the SEC, with Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State all staying unbeaten and Texas continuing to roll without a loss. The conference table is already starting to take shape, and the latest results delivered a mix of statement wins, close calls and a few eye-catching individual lines.
Alabama handled South Carolina 49-18, and Keelon Russell was the engine behind it. The quarterback threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns, added 35 rushing yards, and finished with another score on the ground. Ryan Coleman-Williams was his top target, piling up 98 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Red Morgan chipped in an interception.
Florida put up one of the biggest results of the week, knocking off #4 Ole Miss 52-28. Georgia also won comfortably, beating Oklahoma 42-13.
Mississippi State joined the unbeaten group with a 31-24 win over #19 Missouri, a game shaped by Kamario Taylor’s 360 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and one interception. Fluff Bothwell added 122 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Anthony Evans had 114 receiving yards.
Sanfrisco Magee caught two touchdowns on 76 receiving yards.
Texas stayed perfect by edging Tennessee 20-17, and Colin Simmons was the difference-maker on defense with five sacks. Tennessee dropped to 3-1, while Texas moved to 3-0.
LSU took care of business in a 35-6 win over #23 Texas A&M. Sam Leavitt threw for 312 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, Jackson Harris racked up 163 receiving yards and two scores, and Winston Watkins added 107 receiving yards.
Tamarcus Cooley and Michael Turner Jr. each grabbed an interception. On the other side, Marcus Ratcliffe recorded Texas A&M’s lone interception.
Auburn got past Vanderbilt 21-15, helped by interceptions from Sylvester Smith and Cade Carlson, with Carlson turning his takeaway into a return touchdown. Vanderbilt’s Junior Sherill finished with 95 receiving yards.
Kentucky beat South Alabama 45-21, Arkansas topped Tulsa 34-6, and South Carolina’s bright spot came from Matt Fuller, who ran for 112 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Alabama.
Here’s where the SEC stands after Week 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State are all 4-0, with Texas right behind at 3-0. Ole Miss, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt sit at 3-1. Arkansas and Oklahoma are 2-2, while South Carolina and Texas A&M are 2-2 with conference losses already on the board.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has Real QB Intrigue Before McNeese
LSU heads into Saturday nights game against McNeese with more uncertainty at quarterback than anyone expected this week. The Tigers are set for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff in Death Valley, but the main storyline isnt the matchup itself so much as who Lane Kiffin will put behind center after Sam Leavitts recent left hamstring injury opened the door for questions about the depth chart.
Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet have both entered the conversation, and Kiffin still has not made a decision on the starter. McNeese brings its own established signal-caller in Devin Lippold, a third-year quarterback with a steady season to this point, but for LSU the intrigue is all about whether the Tigers can navigate the week cleanly enough to get the right answer before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Quarterback Situation Just Got More Interesting Before McNeese
McNeese will head into its matchup with LSU without third-year quarterback Devin Lippold, who is out with a right wrist injury and will be replaced by Jake Strong. On LSUs side, the quarterback picture is still taking shape as the Tigers prepare for the game, with Sam Leavitt expected to start while working back from a left hamstring injury.
The bigger question for LSU is how much the offense might need to lean on depth behind Leavitt if he is not fully ready to handle his usual workload. Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet are both candidates to see the field, which gives the Tigers a little more insurance but also leaves some uncertainty in a position group that will be closely watched once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Found A New Defensive Contributor Fans Should Watch
Jhase Thomas is starting to look like more than just a special teams piece for LSU. The defensive back saw his playing time rise against Texas A&M after spending most of his first season in that familiar off-to-the-side role, and his growth has been building quietly in the background as he settled into college football and worked his way toward a bigger defensive opportunity.
Thomas prepared for the expanded look by studying film and leaning on veteran teammates, while also drawing on the guidance of his father, former NFL defensive back Fred Thomas. For LSU, it is the kind of progression coaches like to see from a young recruit becoming a real contributor, and it gives the defense another name worth tracking as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]