ACC Wrap up Week 12
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
William Queen
Jr. Contributing Writer
Football Reporters Online

 
MIAMI 34 DUKE 16
Though the final score suggests it, this was anything but a blowout. Duke was winning 13-10 at the half and looked to be in the middle of an ACC upset. However, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris had different plans in the fourth quarter. Throwing for 348 yards and two touchdowns on the game, Harris led the Hurricanes to a 21-point run in the fourth quarter to knock the Blue Devils out of bowl contention. Now having scored in 7 straight games, Miami running back Damien Berry went for 76 yards and a score on the ground, as receiver Leonard Hankerson caught 8 passes for 143 yards one touchdown. I think the Cane’s offense didn’t wake up until it was almost too late and just about caused them another loss. Meanwhile, on the other sideline, Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis wasn’t having that bad of a day in his hometown, going 27-40 for 303 yards and one score. However, it just wasn’t enough; while Miami picked up in the second half, the Blue Devils failed to respond. Donavan Varner had a career day; catching eight passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. But he was unable to spur Duke past Miami, losing their 55th straight road game vs. ranked opponents. Ultimately, this game marked the end of the reign of Thaddeus Lewis, as he’s finishing his career without a bowl game appearance. And… well… doesn’t really do much for Miami, as they’re sitting at third in the Costal division anyway.
 
CLEMSON – 34 VIRGINIA – 21
Outplaying the Cavs in the second half, Clemson fulfilled their season-long goal of going to the ACC championship. Tiger quarterback Kyle Parker threw for 234 yards and two scores and is starting to look like a very promising quarterback, especially since it’s his freshman year. Watch out for Parker in year’s to come. Heisman hopeful CJ Spiller carried Clemson on his back all year and he didn’t plan on stopping. Racking up 114 all-purpose yards, Spiller edged the Tigers over Virginia to clinch their first ACC title appearance in 18 years. Senior receiver Jacoby Ford led Clemson in receiving, catching six passes for 106 yards and a score and second string back Andre Ellington ran one in as well. All in all, Clemson finally pulled themselves together and stringed together wins when needed to reach the ACC title. They’ll be playing a very tough opponent in Georgia Tech. But if they can pull off the upset, they’ll be in a BCS bowl.
FLORIDA STATE – 29 MARYLAND – 26
Finishing the Terps off in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles made Maryland’s season just that much more miserable. Though Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel had a TD-INT ratio of 0-3, he handed the ball off to Lonnie for two scores, leading the Seminoles past Maryland. Coming into the season, I had the Terps as perhaps the Atlantic champions. But currently residing at the last spot in the ACC, Maryland hasn’t lived up to the hype.
 
NORTH CAROLINA – 31 BOSTON COLLEGE – 13
UNC came out firing, taking a prompt 21-3 lead in the first quarter and, though they didn’t score again until the fourth quarter, didn’t look back. Though Tarheel running back Ryan Houston scampered for a tough 45 yards and two scores, the rest was one on the other end of the ball. Running both a fumble and an interception back for a touchdown, the UNC defense simply came to play as they shattered a good Boston College team 31-13.

SEC Wrap Up Week 11

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region

Ole Miss 42 Tennessee 17
At kickoff the question would be if the Vols could overcome what had just happened with three players, when they were accused of armed robbery, and the answer was they simply could not. What they ran into was Ole Miss back Dexter McCluster and his school records of 282 yards rushing and 324 all-purpose yards. The Vols had practiced all week on how to bottle him up but could not even tackle him when he was right in front of them. Several Vol players said that he was the best player they had faced all year. He started the scoring four plays in with a 15-yard run to make it 7-0. Tennessee answered right back when Jonathan Crompton tossed a 16-yarder to Jeff Cottam to tie it. The teams traded scores, but when Daniel Lincoln hit a 27-yard field goal to make it 21-17 Rebels, the roof caved in on UT. The field goal was followed by three unanswered touchdowns by Ole Miss and they never looked back. McCluster had a beauty of a 71-yard score to open the fourth. He was able to make his way through the defense and just run away from the defenders that could not catch him. He showed plenty of heart for a kid that weighs all of 170 pounds and plenty more speed. So the Vols answered the question that everyone was asking this week about the three student arrested and how it would affect them. They started out strong but ended with a dud. They are still one win away from being bowl eligible so they have to suck it up and get back to work. They have Vanderbilt at home next week and then go to Kentucky to close the season. Neither of these games is a lock so lets get ready for a photo finish.

Florida 24 South Carolina 14
This game would give Steve Spurrier another shot at beating his old school but he would once again come up short. The game was decided by defense when it counted most. AT&Tebow tied the SEC mark for career touchdowns and the Gators won their 20th straight. It was the first time a Florida team has gone undefeated in league play since 1996 when Spurrier was the coach. Tebow was unable to dominate on this day as he was just 14-25 for 199 yards and had 26 yards on 16 carries. He did have a touchdown pass and one rushing but ran into a determined Gamecocks defense. It appeared that they might lose this game as S.C. quarterback Stephen Garcia was driving his team to a potential tying score. He kept the drive alive with a fourth and two conversion but then came the big mistake. As he threw the ball it was tipped and DE Justin Trattou grabbed it and ran 53 yards to set up the game clincher by Tebow four plays later. So now the Gators are perfect in the regular season and have a laugher next week when Florida International visits the Swamp. They will use that one to rest up some players for the big showdown against Alabama for the SEC title. The loser goes home very disappointed while the winner will play for the BCS title.

Georgia 31 Auburn 24
When the game started it looked like Auburn would halt a three game losing streak to Georgia. They got off to a 14-0 lead on their first two possessions and the rout appeared to be on. Then the Dawgz got to work and cut it to 14-7 by halftime. The second half was all Georgia as they scored the first 10 points in the third and running back Caleb King scored twice on runs of 11 and 24 yards. The first touchdown broke a 17-17 tie and then the Tigers answered when Demond Washington ran the ensuing kickoff back 99-yards to tie it again. The second touchdown by King looked to end it but Auburn had other plans. They were driving down the field to set up the game tying score when quarterback Chris Todd’s pass fell into the arms of Mario Fannin at the goal line. Just as he was catching the pass Bacarri Rambo dove at him hitting him so hard it knocked the ball away for an incompletion and knocked Rambo out.
So another SEC team is now bowl eligible and that brings the count to nine. How many will get into one is yet to be determined but that is football in the most powerful conference in the country.

Other scores:

Alabama 31 Mississippi State 3

Kentucky 24 Vanderbilt 13

LSU 24 La. Tech 16

Arkansas 56 Troy 20

  ACC Wrap Up Week 11
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
 
Georgia Tech 49 Duke 10
It has been some season in the Coastal division this year and it is ending with the Yellow Jackets as champs and the division representative in the ACC championship game.  They tried to make it interesting when Duke took a 10-0 lead with 1:30 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff Orwin Smith bobbled the catch, recovered it, and then ran it 83 yards to the Duke 2-yard line. QB Josh Nesbitt ran it in from there and it was 10-7 going into the second quarter. Here the Yellow Jackets would remember what they were playing for and whom they were playing against. It started with a Marcus Wright option run for 16 yards to make it 14-10. Jonathan Dwyer, who ran for 110 yards on 14 carries, ran it in from three and the rout was on. The Yellow Jackets had over 500 yards of offense and the defense held Duke to 25 yards rushing. Nesbitt was just 6-10 passing but had 195 yards including a 75-yard strike to Demarylus Thomas to add insult to injury. Duke has had a promising season but finds itself at 5-5 needing to win their final games to have any hope of making a bowl. Those final two games are at Miami and at home against Wake Forest. Neither will be a push over and the odds are stacked against the Blue Devils.
 
North Carolina 33 Miami 24
The climb back into the national picture has been some climb for Miami. Now they were faced with a determined Tar Heel team playing in front of its home crowd. The game saw them take advantage of a career-high four picks by Hurricane QB Jacory Harris. Three of those were by Kendric Burney deep in Miami territory. He returned one 77 yards for a touchdown and teammate Melvin Williams returned another 44 yards to make it 30-17 with just over nine minutes left in the game. The play had to be reviewed because Burney made the pick originally. As he crossed into Miami territory he appeared to flip the ball forward to Williams and he ran the rest of the way. Replay upheld the call but Miami answered right back when Harris drove them down the field and hit Jimmy Graham from 14 to make it 30-24. They got the ball back, marched down the field again, and were just about to take the lead when Harris was picked off. A field goal sealed it and the hopes of Hurricane fans for a major bowl went down the drain. It’s the second straight year that the Tar Heels have made a bowl. They also won their fifth straight against a top 25 team and are 3-0 with Butch Davis against his former team. On one last note Burney had an ACC single game and school record of 170 interception return yards in one game.
 
Clemson 43 North Carolina State 23
Once again it was the C.J. Spiller show as the back threw a touchdown pass to Xavier Dye from 17 yards out, had a scoring run from 16 and finished the night off by catching a touchdown pass from 34 yards. It was quite the show from a college player that has spent the season on highlight films everywhere. He had help from his quarterback Kyle Parker (12-18 for 183 yards and two touchdowns) and running mate Jamie Harper (4 carries for 86, including a 69-yarder). The offense piled up 454 yards of offense and they will need that and more when they play Virginia next week. A win there and they are in the ACC title game as the Atlantic Division champs against Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack just could not keep up with Spiller and even though they kicked away from him a couple of times. They did manage 377 of offense and were able to put up points but it was always playing catch up. They did not get any help from receivers dropping passes and drives stalling. So it is all set for next week when they host the Cavaliers for the Atlantic. After that they end their season at South Carolina and could get to nine wins when at first it did not look like they could get there.
 
Virginia Tech 36 Maryland 9
 
Florida State 41 Wake Forest 28
 
Boston College 14 Virginia 10

                               ACC Wrap Up Week 5
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
and William Queen contributing writer
 
VIRGINIA TECH – 34 DUKE – 26
Coming within 10 points, the Blue Devils nearly pulled off the upset vs. #5 Virginia Tech this weekend. However, Duke couldn’t convert red-zone possessions into touchdowns and had to settle for field goals more often than not. I think this game showed the Hokies true colors and despite the win, may push them down a few spot in the rankings. Duke scored 26 on their defense and really just came to play. But what surprised me the most is that every time that Virginia Tech got a big play, it was a lucky catch on solid man-to-man coverage. I think that the Hokies let their guard down, thinking Duke would be a push over. If the Hokies were playing a slightly more talented team on defense, they would have had no shot.
 
MIAMI – 21 OKLAHOMA – 20
Perhaps the heart and soul of the team, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris got off to a slow start Saturday, throwing 2 interceptions in the opening 6 minutes. Harris eventually settled down and the Hurricanes defense went to work, ultimately pulling out yet another huge win. The Canes had more turnovers and penalties than Oklahoma, yet the Sooners couldn’t take advantage of early mistakes by Miami and in the end that proved to be the difference maker as the Canes stole a one-point victory. I’ve heard every last Sooner fan complain that the reason that they’re losing is because of Sam Bradford’s injury. But a football team takes a TEAM to win games. Despite one player being out, the next one has to step up and make a play. Landry Jones did just that, going 18-30, 188 yards, and 1 touchdown. You can’t ask much more out of a true freshman.
 
GEORGIA TECH – 42 MISSISSIPPI STATE – 31
The ball must’ve been awfully slippery Saturday night, as the Bulldogs turned the ball over five times, four of which were fumbles, and one of which were returned for a touchdown. You can’t stress enough how important turnovers are to a ballgame and I guarantee that’s exactly head coach Dan Mullen is telling his team right now. If just a few of those fumbles had been recovered in the arms of the Bulldogs, the score could have very easily been reversed. On a different note, with 226 yards and one touchdown, Georgia Tech surprised many with their passing success. Primarily a run n’ gun football team, the Yellow Jackets haven’t been known for throwing the rock and they certainly proved themselves vs. a tough SEC defense. This game couldn’t have gone better for Georgia Tech, as they have a couple of tough games ahead of them; Florida State, followed by Virginia Tech.
 
MARYLAND – 24 CLEMSON – 21
The Terps were in need of an ACC win and they got it vs. Clemson on Saturday. Special teams were the story; as both teams returned punts/kicks for touchdowns and 2 missed field goals ultimately spurred Maryland’s dramatic ACC win. Once again, one is never sure which Clemson team is going to show up.
 
 
VIRGINIA – 16 NORTH CAROLINA – 3
Inconsistency is the word of the day. The Tar heels started off 3-0 and ever since have lost two very meaningful games. And what’s up with Virginia? After losing to William & Mary, TCU, and Southern Miss, the Cavaliers come back and win over UNC? As I said, inconsistent.
 
BOSTON COLLEGE – 28 FLORIDA STATE – 21
Eagles running back Montel Harris made the difference in this one, rushing for 179 yards and two touchdowns, one of which proved to be the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Boston College has a better record than Florida State, who would have thought?
 
WAKE FOREST – 30 NC STATE – 24
Both teams turned the ball over three times in this one and it proved to be a game with plenty of ups and downs. Finding the end zone 3 times was Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner, as the Wolfpack seemed to have trouble putting points on the score board all night.
 
 

                                              OVC Wrap Up Week 5
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
 
Eastern Kentucky 36 Eastern Illinois 31
The Colonels and the Panthers came into this conference clash 2-0. One was going to come out undefeated and it was a good one. E. Ky. Quarterback T.J. Pryor started the scoring with a four-yard pass to Ryan Aldrin. It was 9-0 when the Panthers Mon Williams ran it in from one-yard out to make it 9-7. The momentum would turn and next thing it was 24-16 E. Ill. Then the momentum did one of those turns and for the next nine minutes E. Ky. scored in a variety of ways. They had another touchdown pass from Pryor, a one-yard run by C.J. Walker and a 10-yard interception return. E. Illinois scored again at the 5:05 mark to end the scoring. The Colonels are now in sole possession of first place at 3-0 but there is plenty of time left.
 
Tennessee St. 23 SE. Missouri 17
There was a thought about the two-quarterback rotation for the Tigers but eventually they stuck with Calvin McNairl and he shined. He ran for two touchdowns, passed for another and accounted for 217 yards of offense. Tenn. St. racked up 259 yards on the ground and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes in an impressive showing. McNairl finished 10-15 for 95 yards passing and added 20 carries for 122 yards.
 
  Tennessee Tech 31 Austin Peay 23
This was a good game that went as most thought it would. Quarterback Lee Sweeney led Tech to the win going 21-29 for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Antonio Robinson who had nine catches for 130 yards. Ryan White had 100 yards rushing for Austin Peay and Terrence Holt added 71 on 14 carries with two rushing touchdowns. Peay did not help themselves with 13 penalties and stayed winless in the conference and Tech goes to 1-1 
 
Jacksonville State 52 UT Martin 7
Folks it was as bad as the score indicated. Ryan Perriloux threw four touchdown passes and State had almost 500 yards of offense in a rout. T. J. Heath started with a band returning two interceptions for touchdowns for the first two scores of the game. Running back Calvin Middleton ran for 121 yards, a touchdown and receiver James Wilkerson did one better with 133 yards, and two scores. It was 31-0 at the half and things never got better for UT Martin.

                                                   SEC Wrap Week 5
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
 
LSU 20 Georgia 13
This is another reason the SEC is the best football conference in the nation and here is some proof. This is a conference where you are made or broken. Ole Miss found that out when they could not produce in primetime against a conference foe. This week it was LSU’s turn to prove the voters right and the doubters wrong. They were ranked fourth in the nation just like Ole Miss was last week and were the underdogs in this one. True to form, you never know which Tiger team is going to show up. They were able to move the ball in the first half, control the clock, but had only six points for all the effort. Georgia was trying to make a statement in the conference as well. So they took the hit from LSU for three quarters and were only down six. In the third quarter the momentum seemed to shift towards the Dawgz. After a good drive they opened the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by Shaun Chapas that gave Georgia a 7-6 lead. For all the Tigers had done, mistakes kept them from leading by a few touchdowns. They had two chances inside the Georgia ten and came away empty after a pick in the end zone and a failed fourth and inches. So after the Georgia touchdown the Tigers went to work on a 13 play 88 yard drive that ended in a two yard Charles Scott run that made it 12-7. The two-point conversion failed and Georgia got the ball back with just under three minutes to go and time to answer the latest Tiger score. So that is exactly what they did as QB Joe Cox led them on a six-play 79 yard drive to put Georgia up 13-12. They also went for and failed on their two-point conversion and the stage was set for the finish. There was 1:09 left in the game and the Tigers found themselves suddenly fighting for their season. They knew that next week was Florida so they had to take care of business today. There were reasons to pack it in and say they tried but it would not be. On the Georgia score wide receiver A.J. Green was penalized for excessive celebration so his team had to kick off from the 15. Trindon Holliday returned the kick to the Dawgz 43 and another penalty put the ball at the Georgia 38 with a chance to win the game with a field goal. Instead Scott took the second down handoff and fought of defenders on his way to the game winning 33-yard touchdown. So it was now done and the Tigers could move forward to the huge task at hand next week. They face Florida for power positioning in the SEC. This is the way football is played here and the teams that are real will go to the head of the class. Slip up and this conference will expose you quickly.
 
(3) Alabama 38 Kentucky 20
When things go your way they just go your way. Alabama was up when they were pinned deep in their territory. Running back Trent Richardson took a handoff and appeared to be tackled in the end zone. The officials came back and ruled that he just got the ball out of the end zone on time. The Tide would then move the football the length of the field and go ahead for good. It was that kind of day as Alabama basically dominated the Wildcats in every form and fashion. They were so dominant in the second half the outcome was never in doubt. Running back Mark Ingram had a career day as has had 140 yards on 22 carries to go with two touchdowns. Quarterback Greg McElroy was efficient in going 15-26 for 148 yards and two scores. More importantly he did what was expected of him when he was needed. This game showed that the Tide have earned their number three national ranking. They are deep everywhere with depth and experience as well as a load of talent. In order to get past this team you are going to have to come well prepared for a long hard fought game. Kentucky on the other hand has work to do. They can feel good about what they were able to do in this game. They were able to move the ball for the most part but were sabotaged by three Mike Hartline interceptions and another time he completed the pass but it was knocked free and Courtney Upshaw scooped it up and ran it back 45 yards for the score. That pretty much did it for the Wildcats and now they have faced the two of the top three teams in the nation the past two weeks and as head coach Rich Brooks said, “They're a great football team. I expect to see them in the SEC championship game."
 
Ole Miss 23 Vanderbilt 7
Speaking of being broken in the conference we check in on the Rebels. Last week they were riding high before game time. They had the highest ranking in forever at number four. They were being cast into the spotlight in primetime and got whipped. So now they had to regroup and quarterback Jevon Snead would lead the way against a weak Vandy team that has struggled this season. Instead he threw three interceptions when the team had already built a rhythm in the first half. Head coach Houston Nutt said that he was disappointed that Snead did not make better decisions and tried to force things. Yes he had three touchdown passes in the first half but the second half breakdown worries his coaches and himself. He came into the season much hyped and is now trying to hold it together so that his team may have a shot a major bowl. Vanderbilt came in ranked third nationally in pass defense but was lit up at the start. Mistakes helped give them a chance but they could not capitalize. Larry Smith was ineffective going 10-27 for 69 yards. He was sacked four times and when he drove Vandy to a possible score his pass got picked off. So there is plenty of work to do as Head coach Bobby Johnson knows. The Dores have to find some form of offense because defense wont win it here alone.
 
Elsewhere:
 
Auburn 26 Tennessee 22
The rebuilding continues as Auburn gained 459 yards of offense as they were balanced and never trailed. Vols manage to show some of their own offense with 410 yards but the game was not as close as the score would indicate.
 
South Carolina 38 South Carolina St. 14
The Gamecocks tie their best start in the Steve Spurrier era and Stephen Garcia ran for a touchdown and passed for two more. Still the small Bulldogs squad held their own showing S.C. they better be prepared when the big boys come a knocking.
 
Arkansas 47 Texas A&M 19
 
Georgia Tech 42 Miss. St 31 

WEEK 4 ACC Wrap Up
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. contributing writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
Assisted by William Queen-contributing writer-Football Reporters Online

VIRGINIA TECH - 31 MIAMI – 7
The only ranked game of the weekend, Virginia Tech and Miami looked like a promising match-up if there ever was one. However, Virginia Tech wouldn’t let the Hurricanes take advantage of the rain, squandering every aspect of their offensive attack. Tech’s offense pounded the ball for an impressive 272 yards rushing, keeping Jacory Harris and company off the field. And when the Canes did get the ball, Harris never really got a chance to throw. He was under heavy pressure from Tech’s defense, leading to poor throws and only one 3rd down conversion. What else can possibly go wrong? Well, a blocked punt returned for a Hokies touchdown practically sums it up. Miami may have beaten ACC powers Florida State and Georgia Tech, but the Hokies were defiantly a setback for this Hurricanes team.
 
GEORGIA TECH - 24 UNC – 7
Offense has been the story for the Yellow Jackets this season; however, their defense is what really impressed. Allowing only one 3rd down conversion, forcing three turnovers, and ultimately holding UNC to a mere 7 points, Georgia Tech simply manhandled the Tar Heels. The Yellow Jackets got off easy on defense, as their offense may have helped out more than they could have thought. Though they only scored 24 points, Georgia Tech held possession of the ball for a full 42 minutes and 6 seconds! That left UNC just under 18 minutes to work their offense, which was obviously not enough, as quarterback TJ Yates could never find a rhythm. I am very impressed with how Georgia Tech was able to bounce back from a heart-breaking loss to Miami, with a pure sense of dominance against UNC. Now, UNC is ranked last in the ACC. Yes, I know that Virginia and Duke have yet to play an in-conference game. But no matter, this is not a good week for the Tar Heels.
 
TCU – 14 CLEMSON – 10
An intriguing non-conference match up between the Tigers and the Horn Frogs took place this weekend and surprisingly wasn’t very intriguing at all. TCU had a solid advantage in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, and time of possession, giving them the logical benefit. Many are saying that the story of the game was CJ Spiller’s impressive milestone. Quite frankly, I don’t think that really matters in terms of the game, as my eyes were focused on the fact that neither team had a single turnover. With neither teams not forcing, nor giving up a turnover, I am very impressed. But on the other hand, maybe they played it a little too conservative on offense. Poor 3rd down conversion percentages and a very low scoring match-up basically proves that by itself. ON a totally different note, I think that Clemson fans are too obsessed with their running back CJ Spiller than the Tigers themselves. If he were so good, he would have helped his team to win an important game.
 
BOSTON COLLEGE - 27 WAKE FOREST – 24 OT
Tied at 24, this one went into overtime and was ultimately decided by two plays. One was a 23-yard field goal, giving the Eagles the lead in overtime. As the other was a Wake Forest fumble, forced and recovered by Boston College, giving them the win in overtime.
 
FLORIDA STATE – 7 SOUTH FLORIDA – 17
South Florida proved that it could play with the big dogs Saturday, forcing 4 turnovers and ultimately winning by a 10-point margin over their in-state rivals. A plethora of big plays also helped the Bulls in perhaps the biggest win in South Florida history.
 
MARYLAND – 13 RUTGERS – 34       
A very winnable game for Maryland turned into a disaster, all because of turnovers. The Terps turned the ball over 5 times on Saturday and Rutgers didn’t hesitate to take full advantage.
 
NC STATE – 38 PITTSBURGH – 31
The Wolfpack ran away with this one in the 4th quarter, scoring two touchdowns and holding the Pittsburgh offense to nothing. They simply outmatched Pitt on offense; 550 total yards, decent 3rd down efficiency, and 27 first downs.
 
DUKE – 49 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL – 14
The Blue Devils scored on their first three drives, practically setting the tone for the whole game. This was an easy win for Duke, setting their record at an adequate 2-2.

                                                    SEC Wrap Up Week 4
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
South Carolina 16 Ole Miss 10
 
In this day and age of the BCS the one thing you can count on is that the preseason rankings mean nothing. When this season began a team like Ole Miss was in the mix for a top 10 ranking. They were one of the teams to watch for. Well somebody forgot to tell the Gamecocks last Thursday. The Rebels started the scoring with a Joshua Shene 42 yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. That would just about do it for Ole Miss. Their much heralded QB Jevon Snead would be hounded all game long and could never get on track. He missed six consecutive passes at one point and finished 7-21 for 107 yards and one touchdown. His team was having trouble getting first downs in the first half and could not capitalize on any other chances. They were 1-13 in third down efficiency and had nine penalties for 70 yards. A running game that been so productive was only able to get 139 yards. When things seemed to go right they went wrong. Running back Brandon Bolden ran away for a 59-yard touchdown that was negated by a holding penalty. They had to settle for the field goal. In their final four possessions the Gamecocks went three and out and the Rebels could not answer. Snead showed that there can be too much hype given to any player at any time. He does have the ability for a promising future but this is the SEC. Here you have to prove your value every Saturday against some of the best the country has to offer. As for the Gamecocks it was just their second win in 33 tries against a top five team. Their only other win came in 1981 at North Carolina and after this game they partied like there was no tomorrow. It was not an easy win as quarterback Stephen Garcia fumbled to end one drive and a penalty led to their first field goal. They had to settle for two more Spencer Lanning field goals when they could have gotten more. Still it was enough to stop a team that was probably ranked higher than it should have been. Yet, late in the game Ole Miss found itself with a chance to go ahead, but a sack and a batted away fourth down pass sealed the win for South Carolina. The celebration was a big one they could relish but there is still work to do cause one win won’t cut it here. The two teams have work to do now. Ole Miss must regroup as their season is far from over. They have big games at home where they can make some noise. As for the Gamecocks they had a big win here but know that they still have work left. Garcia must put in a better performance week in and week out. He was 16-34 for 220 yards with only one touchdown pass but must improve his completion percentage. The offense will have to do more because teams won’t play as poorly as Ole Miss did on this day. Stay tuned as the national and SEC pictures begin to take shape.
 
LSU 30 Mississippi 26
 This game had a little bit of everything with special teams play as well as mistakes. The Tigers of LSU were looking for a pretty easy game against a team that should not have given them much of a test. Chad Jones returned a punt 93 yards and wide receiver Brandon LaFell caught two touchdown passes from QB Jordan Jefferson. The game came down to the last minutes, as the Tigers needed a goal line stand to preserve the win. It would have been easier for them had they not missed an extra point and a chip shot 19-yard field goal. They could not run on the Bulldogs defense all day as holes were plugged up and back could not break tackles. Senior Bulldog running back Anthony Dixon had a great day as he ran for 106 yards 27 carries with two touchdowns. But when his team needed him the most he could not score given two chances from inside the three. Quarterback Tyson Lee went 15-38 for 172 yards one touchdown and three interceptions. He made the first mistake of the game when Patrick Peterson picked off his pass and ran it back 37 yards on the Bulldogs first offensive play. Another mistake he will have a hard time getting over will be the one he made late. There was 1:12 left in the game and it was fourth and goal with the score 31-24 LSU. Lined up in the wishbone Lee ran the sneak and failed to get the touchdown that could have tied the game late. On the ensuing Tiger possession LSU punter Derek Helton killed a few seconds running around in the end zone and then ran out of it for the safety. With the score now 31-26 State got the ball back but Lee threw four incomplete passes ending any hope of a wild finish. LSU made this game harder for them than it should have been. Mistakes in the kicking game and shabby play all day leaves the Tiger head coach Les Miles wondering if his team is ready to take that leap in the polls they are about to take. The schedule will not get any easier and if LSU hopes to play in Atlanta they cannot afford to continue this type of play on the field.
 
Tennessee 34 Ohio 24
Just when they thought it was safe to get back on the field the Vols nearly laid an egg. It was raining all day and it stopped just in time for kickoff. This was supposed to be an easy win after playing Florida so close to the vest. The defense that showed up in the swamp was mired with injuries to three starters. By games end they lost two more and were unable to stuff the Bobcats. Ohio managed to get 340 total yards mostly on the arm of quarterback Theo Scott who threw for 319 of those yards. The Vols were tough against the run holding Ohio to 21 yards on 17 carries. Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw two touchdown passes but also threw pick number eight on the young season. The running game was a little better with Montario Hardesty rushing for 140 yards on 20 carries including an 11-yard touchdown. Freshman Bryce Brown added 56 yards and 60 receiving to help out. It was still a rather disappointing performance for a team that needs to play with much more consistency to win ballgames. Next week they have Auburn and the defense will be shorthanded. Special teams will have to improve as well. After Hardesty’s touchdown the Vols could be seen celebrating and just like that the ensuing kickoff was run back 95 yards by Ohio’s Chris Garrett for the tying touchdown. Mistakes have been killing the Vols and continued in this game. The defense came in ranked fifth in the nation in total defense but gave up all those passing yards. They must find a way to get better coverage as opposing receivers are still catching the ball a little too wide open. Crompton still has much work to do as he has proven that he cannot be counted on when the passing game is needed. It’s back to the drawing board for the Vols and there is much work to do.
 
Elsewhere:
 
Alabama 35 Arkansas 7
Razorback quarterback Greg McElroy has career high of 291 yards and three touchdowns to nine different receivers. The tide is now 4-0 and poised for some votes for the top ranking in the nation. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett went 12-35 for 160 yards with one touchdown and one pick. Arkansas defense folds once again.
 
Georgia 20 Arizona State 17
A.J. Green had the game of his young career catching eight passes for 153 yards including a beauty of a 56 yarder for his touchdown but it was his blocked field goal that helped the Dawgz win. The game was not decided until kicker Blair Walsh hit the game winner as time ran out.
 
Auburn 54 Ball St. 30
Well this was one of those easy ones folks. QB Chris Todd passed for 287 yards and tied a school record with five touchdown passes. The Tigers got nearly 500 yards of offense and are now 4-0. WR Terrell Zachery showed out with five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the second quarter from 46 and 65 yards.
 
 
Vanderbilt 36 Rice 17
This was one the Commodores needed badly so they ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns for the win. Warren Norman had 11 carries for 119 yards and a 58-yard score. Quarterback Larry Smith bounced back going 23-41 for 268 yards and a rushing touchdown. The Dores got almost 500 yards of offense and moved the ball virtually at will. The win snapped a two game losing streak to put them at 2-2.
 
Florida 41 Kentucky 7
The one thing the Gators worry about is losing AT&Tebow to some sort of injury. It would appear it’s the only thing that could stop them. Well it finally happened when he took a hard hit to the chest and then his head hit the turf. He was taken to the hospital and stayed overnight for observation. The game itself was no contest as Florida jumped out to a 31-0 lead and never looked back. Tebow ran 16 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns. That gives him 48 rushing touchdowns for his career. That is just one short of the SEC record held by Hershel Walker. He also passed for 103 yards and one touchdown before being injured.