Week 10 turned the SEC into a sorting exercise, and Cole Cubelic had a read on just about every team that mattered. The SEC Network analyst used his Sunday breakdown to separate the contenders from the clubs suddenly staring at a third loss, and the weekend’s biggest results did most of the heavy lifting for him.
Alabama’s 31-13 win at LSU was one of the clearest examples. The Crimson Tide handled business in Baton Rouge and kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive, while LSU’s chances took a major hit.
Cubelic called it an “Impressive road win. Physically showed up,” and he also noted that LSU “Moved ball at times but couldn’t find point.”
The Tigers dropped to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the SEC.
Georgia made its own statement in Oxford, rolling past Ole Miss and handing the Rebels a third loss. Cubelic labeled it a “Dominant win on the road,” and the Bulldogs moved to 8-1 before taking over the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll on Sunday.
Texas also came out of Week 10 with a result that mattered, beating Missouri in Columbia and sending the Tigers to that same dreaded third defeat. Cubelic said it was a “Better win than they will get credit for,” while Missouri “Had chances. Couldn’t get stretch play going.”
Tennessee’s easy dismissal of Kentucky may have been the most surprising lopsided result of the day, and Cubelic liked the way the Vols put it together. “Loved the plan.
Usage of the bigs went a long way,” he wrote. Kentucky, meanwhile, was left with a frustrating night in Knoxville.
Cubelic said the Wildcats “Showed up physically. Operation had some issues on offense,” though they remain “in OK shape with 2 losses now.”
Cubelic’s full Sunday SEC rundown stretched well beyond those headline games. He praised Auburn for a “Much needed win in conferrnce,” saying the Tigers “married up plays as well as they have all year,” with tight ends blocking well, good work on inserts, and “23 ran hard.” He also pointed out that Auburn’s pass protection was rough.
On Georgia, he highlighted the Bulldogs’ defensive edge: “DBs tackled well,” “Trigger blitzes had success,” and “Overloaded pressures that hit multiple times.” He also noted that Georgia “Dictated where protection would be going & attacked it well.”
LSU’s issues went deeper than just the scoreboard. Cubelic said the Tigers had chances, but couldn’t finish them, and he pointed to “Pressure packages” as a problem. Missouri got a similar treatment, with Cubelic noting that inside penetration hurt, the quarterback took too much pressure, and the Tigers needed to protect the ball better.
Ole Miss drew a blunt assessment after the loss to Georgia. Cubelic said drops hurt, the Rebels worked the middle of the field, and the offensive line didn’t generate enough push. He also wrote that the quarterback was good leaving the pocket but had to do it too quickly, while overload pressures were a problem.
Tennessee’s offensive plan drew strong approval, with Cubelic crediting the use of the bigs, the physicality up front, and the way the Vols handled short-yardage situations. He also said the quarterback was poised and made some nice throws, even while missing a few down the field.
Texas A&M got a detailed defensive nod, with Cubelic citing “26 good pressures,” strong rush reps from 4, and nice work from 3-man pressures. He also said 14 was “great off edge,” while the Aggies still had some issues corralling the quarterback when it mattered.
Vanderbilt rounded out the slate with a road win Cubelic clearly respected. He said the Commodores “Made it their style fight,” dominated time of possession, and were really good on first down.
He also singled out 28, saying, “Fed 28, finally!” and noted that the back helped in pass protection and out of the backfield.
Cubelic added that 22 ran hard, 44 helped the run game, the tight ends were good, 16 added a lot, and 5 stepped up at receiver.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Fans Just Saw Pete Goldings Biggest Problem Again
The Georgia game offered another harsh reminder of why Ole Miss has spent so much of this season trying to patch up its defense on the fly. In a 42-7 loss, the Rebels gave up 481 total yards and were especially vulnerable on the ground, where Georgia piled up 295 rushing yards and controlled the game from start to finish.
Pete Goldings unit has been fighting this issue all season, and the numbers only sharpen the concern. Ole Miss is now allowing 165.1 rushing yards per game after this matchup, a troubling trend for a defense that has struggled to hold up against physical run games and has not found a consistent answer yet. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Playoff Hopes Now Hinge On One Uncomfortable Debate
Ole Miss still has enough on the rsum to make people look twice, especially with wins over LSU and Missouri, but the margin for error has all but vanished after a pair of damaging losses. The latest setback against Georgia only sharpened the conversation around where the Rebels really stand, because the committee is no longer looking at signature wins alone. It is also looking hard at the ugly parts, and those have become impossible to ignore.
The schedule does offer a chance to steady things, with Oklahoma, Wofford and Mississippi State still ahead. But for the Rebels, the bigger issue is no longer simply winning out, it is whether the playoff conversation can survive the kind of debate that comes with multiple poor losses on the ledger. At this point, Ole Miss can keep playing its way forward, but it cannot fully control how the rest of the field and the committee choose to weigh what has already happened. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Heads To Oklahoma With A New Problem Up Front
Ole Miss heads into Saturdays trip to Oklahoma still juggling its offense up front, with running back Kewan Lacy set to miss a third straight game and right guard Patrick Kutas also ruled out, according to head coach Pete Golding. Kutas was hurt in the previous game against Georgia, leaving the Rebels to adjust again along the line as they prepare for a 3:15 p.m. CT kickoff on the SEC Network.
There is at least some good news in the mix, with Deuce Alexander expected to be available despite a minor injury. Even so, Ole Miss is walking into a difficult road test with another piece missing in the backfield and another starter unavailable in the trenches, the kind of combination that can force a staff to rethink both protection and balance before the opening series even arrives. [Read more 🡒]