Looks like Jeff Demps is playing. (Pictured on left.)
On Fox Sports.com:

Huge wins for Tide and AU.
Bama had to come back from a 17-7 halftime deficit to beat Arkansas, 24-20, in Fayetteville. It was a statement game for Alabama for sure, particularly Mark Ingram and the young defense. The defense gave up a lot of yards to Ryan Mallett in the first half, but Robert Lester and company came back in the second half to slow the Hogs down and allow only three points after halftime. Lester had two huge interceptions on the day and Dre Kirkpatrick, who had been getting burned most of the day, came up with a major pick that iced the game for ‘Bama.

What else can you say about Mark Ingram? The superlatives just keep on coming. One hundred fifty seven yards on 24 carries, a beautiful 54-yarder for a score; he was tremendous. Another performance similar to that this weekend against Florida and Ingram is a major player in the Heisman discussion. Trent Richardson was pretty special, too. He’s something else. He had 85 yards on eight carries including a 53-yard run, and caught a 20-yard pass for a td from Greg McElroy.

McElroy struggled a little bit in the first half with a couple of picks, but got it done in the second half when the team needed him the most. Mallett will be a high draft pick, but if I want to win a big game, I want McElroy on my side. He’s just a winner.

Now the Tide faces Florida Saturday Night at 7 on CBS. Should be a classic. Part of a tough three game stretch for the Tide. ‘Bama goes to South Carolina next week. If they can get through these next two with victories, I like their chances of possibly running the table. They also have games at LSU and against Auburn which will be big tests as well. AU playing great.

On AU, Cam Newton was outstanding. He is Tim Tebow with more speed. He ran it 25 times for 176 yards and had that beautiful 54 yard run to open the scoring. Michael Dyer showed what kind of player he’ll be with 100 yards on the day. I’m not sure who’s better Dyer or Marcus Lattimore. After the first three weeks I definitely would have said Lattimore, but not so fast after week four. Dyer is a tough, hard runner. Lattimore runs over you too. Both have pretty good speed, but they’re more power backs. Both should be outstanding for the next three years.

But Auburn’s season is going to be determined by Newton and so far the returns are pretty good. Newton was 16-of-21 throwing the ball for 156 yards and two tds, a seven yarder to Philip Lutenkirchen in the fourth and another in the fourth for 12 yards to emerging superstar Emory Blake.

And the AU defense stepped up big when they had to forcing two key Stephen Garcia fumbles and intercepting Connor Shaw twice. The first int was beautiful by Josh Bynes, who read Shaw’s eyes and picked it off over the middle deep in AU territory. Then Demond Washington made the game clinching int in the end zone on a ball intended for the all world Alshon Jeffery. Zac Etheridge broke it up and Washington caught it before it hit the ground. The Tigers have proved they can do it on offense, and, like Alabama, are really showing signs of greatness on defense. The defense held Lattimore to 33 yards on 14 carries.

Not sure why Steve Spurrier went with Connor Shaw late. Guess he just didn’t trust Garcia. I wouldn’t either, really. The guy just makes mistakes in the clutch. Another disappointing loss for the Gamecocks.

‘Bama and Auburn looking very good going into week five. Alabama with a huge game against Trey Burton (six tds last week) and a heralded Gators defense that leads the country in interceptions. Florida can play some defense so Greg, Mark, Trent and Julio and that fantastic offensive line will be tested. The defense will have to contend with Florida’s speed though Jeff Demps looks like he’s out for the game. AU should not have too much trouble with Louisiana Monroe.

UAB almost pulled it off against Tennessee. They came so close, 32-29, in double OT. They have a good football team despite their 1-3 record. Bryan Ellis and David Isabelle are working well together at qb for Blazers and their defense played very well against UT. Gave up a td on an interception return, but got good pass rush all day and the linebackers made a lot of  plays. Neil Calloway should have gone for it on fourth and two instead of trying to kick a 54 yard field goal late in the game. The field goal kicker, Zahn, was terrible most of the day missing his first five kicks. UAB should have gotten out of Knoxville with a win if their kicker could have made one of his kicks in regulation. He made a couple in the two overtimes. Tough loss for Blazers. They need to regroup and bounce back for their next game at Central Florida on Wed. Oct. 6 on ESPN. They have talent, just need to learn how to win.

Mississippi State was impressive in their victory over Georgia. Chris Relf showed what kind of force he can be and their defense manhandled Georgia. Georgia just not the same team without A.J. Green. Mark Richt and his team will have to do a lot of soul searching and dig deep if they want to salvage this season.

Ole Miss got a big win over Fresno State. They needed it. Brandon Bolden is a tremendous running back. Two hundred twenty two rushing yards. Ole Miss 55-38. Ole Miss still hasn’t found their defense though.

Florida mauled Kentucky, 48-14, and will be ready for ‘Bama this week despite maybe not having Jeff Demps for the game. You never know though. Demps might surprise Tide and be there. Players have been injured before and there seems to be no chance they’ll play and they somehow come back. From what I’ve read, looks like Demps might be ready.

Vandy off last week. Big game this Sat. against UCONN as they try to build on momentum from Ole Miss victory.

LSU wins ugly again. Their defense is outstanding and Patrick Patterson is having a Charles Woodson-Heisman like year. There are  so many outstanding performers this year that it will be hard for Peterson to win it, but he’s something else as is the rest of the LSU defense. Just don’t get enough out of Jordan Jefferson at quarterback. The guy is talented, but when is he going to step up? Didn’t throw for 100 yards for the third straight week. He needs to get it straightened out pretty quickly or LSU needs to find a qb (Jarrett Lee) who can throw the football or they will lose their big games.

Here’s the schedule for this Saturday and next Saturday:

Vandy @ UCONN 11 a.m. on ESPN Game Plan

Louisiana Monroe @ Auburn 11 a.m. ESPNU

Alcorn @ Mississippi State 11 a.m. Fox Sports South, ESPN 3

Kentucky @ Ole Miss 11:21 a.m. SEC Network, WTTO, B’ham

UT @ LSU 2:30 p.m. CBS

Georgia @ Colorado 6 p.m. Fox Sports South

Florida @ Alabama 7 p.m., CBS

Off: Arkansas and South Carolina

Saturday, Oct. 9

Tennessee @ Georgia 11:21 a.m. SEC Network (WTTO, B’ham)

Alabama @ South Carolina, 2:30 p.m.  or 6:30, CBS or ESPN

Arkansas @ Texas A&M 1:30 p.m. ABC

LSU @ Florida 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 CBS or ESPN

Eastern Michigan @ Vandy 5 p.m. ESPNU

Auburn @ Kentucky 6:30 ESPN2

Miss. State @ Houston 7 p.m. CBS College Sports

Off: Ole Miss

(Robert Lester, left, and Josh Bynes, led their respective defenses and teams to huge victories.)

What a game last night in the NFC North. Vandy grad Jay Cutler played a heckuva game, and Brian Urlacher and the Bears defense stepped up when they had to in the Bears’ huge 20-17 victory over an outstanding Green Bay Packers team.
Cutler was 16-for-27 for 221 yards one td to tight end Greg Olsen for nine yards, another that could have been a better throw and could have been caught by Desmond Clark in the end zone on fourth and goal at the one (though it was a tough catch), and one int. Aaron Rodgers was everything we thought he was. He was 34-for-45 for 316 yards, one td and one meaningless int at the end of the first half on a Hail Mary pass. Rodgers is unbelievable.

The Bears struggled at first to get in sync offensively and the Pack moved it right down the field on their opening possession scoring on a seven-yard td pass from Rodgers to Greg Jennings with 4:26 left in the first. Mason Crosby kicked a 38-yard field goal to put Pack up 10-0 with 4:41 left in second quarter. After a nice 20 yard Hester punt return, the Bears took it in with 26 seconds left in the half. Cutler had hooked up with Johnny Knox for a 35 yard gain with Knox using nifty footwork to get both feet inbounds before going out of bounds at GB 17. A couple of plays later, Cutler hooked up with tight end Greg Olsen for a nine-yard td pass to cut the lead to 10-7 going into the half.

The Bears were still trailing 10-7  in the third quarter when Cutler led them on a drive that reached the Packers’ one where they faced fourth and goal late in the third period. Lovie Smith decided to go for it. Ron Jaworski of the Monday Night football crew said Lovie should have taken the field goal and tied it up, but I kind of liked Lovie going for it. I always like it when coaches are aggressive. OC Mike Martz had the perfect play called and Cutler threw a semi roll out pass to Clark. The ball was behind Clark and he couldn’t haul it in. The Pack had the ball at the one with the lead as the quarter wound down. That’s when the real drama took place.

The Pack couldn’t move the ball and punted. That’s when lightning struck at Soldier Field.  Devin Hester, the Bears electrifying punt returner, fielded the Packer punt at his own 38, and jetted down the right side of the field  field for a 62 yard td. Hester is one of the five fastest guys in the league–he has to be–and he turned on his amazing jets to race through the Packers punt coverage unit. He jumped into the ecstatic crowd much like the Packers do when they score tds. It was kind of a dig at the Packers. These teams don’t like each other. When Rodgers got a first down running the ball he cocked his arm forward for the first down signal. Both these teams wanted this badly. It was a very important game particularly for the Bears as they needed to beat the Pack at home.

Rodgers led his team on another drive hitting quick hitches to his receivers (he did that all night) and ran it in from three yards to put the Pack ahead 17-14 with 6:52 left.

Cutler led his team back aided by a roughing the passer call and a personal foul by the Pack. The Pack were flagged 18 times for 152 yards. Pretty amazing stat there. Gould kicked a 25-yarder to tie the game at 17.

Rodgers got the ball back, and, after a run, set the Packers up first and ten at around their 42-yard line. Rodgers connected with James Jones on the sideline. As Jones was running at the Pack 47 ready to pick up a good gain, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs tackled him and Urlacher punched the ball out of Jones’ arms. It was right on the sidelines and, amazingly, the ball stayed in bounds and Tim Jennings pounced on it to put the Bears at the Packers’ 44 yard line with just over three minutes left and a chance to take the lead.

After a holding penalty moved the ball back 10 yards, Cutler threw it up for Olsen at the Pack 35. Olsen jumped up and pulled it in; it was a beautiful catch. Then Cutler threw it deep for Earl Bennett. Bennett tried to go get the ball but was interfered with. The Packers safety intercepted the ball, but the ref threw the flag for interference. The Bears had it inside the 10 and rolled the clock down to four seconds. Gould came in and kicked it through from 19 yards for the game winner.

Cutler doesn’t have the greatest mechanics sometimes, but he is getting it done under Mike Martz, a brilliant offensive coordinator. He has such a strong arm that even when his mechanics are shaky he can still get the ball in there. He’s pretty similar to Brett Favre though he probably throws off his back foot even more. But he is getting it done this year and leading this team on what could be a magical season.Urlacher and Briggs had nine solo tackles. Urlacher is a superb player, one of the best if not the best linebackers in the NFL.  This could be a special Bears team. The Packers are pretty special, too. Rodgers is phenomenal.

Next up: Chicago @ NY Giants, 7:20 p.m., Sunday, NBC

Detroit @ Green Bay, noon, Sunday, FOX (probably not televised in B’ham) and DirectTV 708

(Jay Cutler and Brian Urlacher lead Bears to huge win over Packers Monday Night.)

Looking for a riveting weekend of college football as there are  some major SEC tilts which could determine a pecking order in the conference. Alabama and Auburn have  huge games and there are some other key matchups. Here’s the rundown on the action this weekend. (Last weeks’ record: 13-3. Overall: 43-7).
No.1 Alabama @ No.10 Arkansas 2:30 p.m., CBS: The game’s in Fayetteville so I see that as the only chance Ark has of pulling this off. Otherwise, Alabama has all the advantages in personnel and coaching.

Alabama is averaging 542 total yards per game. Arkansas averages 483. Alabama is averaging 44.7 points per game while Arkansas is at 35.3. Ryan Mallett is an excellent passer, but Greg McElroy is every bit as effective and he has some outstanding targets to throw to as does Mallett. The Razorbacks are  led by Greg Childs who has 19 catches for 254 yards and three tds. He caught the game winning 40 yard reception last week in a huge win for the Hogs over Georgia at Athens.

But the running game is where Alabama dominates the Razorbacks this time. Mark Ingram gained 150 yards on limited carries last week with two tds. Last year’s Heisman winner looks like he’s in late season form. My answer to the question of who’s better Trent or Mark is: Who cares? This team wants to win a national championship and both backs playing gives this team maybe one of the best running back tandems of all time in college football. The offensive line is stellar.

Both offenses should put points on the board, so which defense can get more stops? I think it’ll be Alabama.  Arkansas is going to hope it can stop the running game and make McElroy beat them through the air. That’s what they tried to do last year, but still lost 35-7. Ryan Mallett is certainly a better player this year, but the Tide will try to make the Hogs one dimensional. They will stop any kind of rushing attack and Nick Saban and Kirby Smart will employ  five and sometimes six db’s to neutralize Mallett, Childs, Joe Adams and D.J. Williams. Alabama, which didn’t show much defensively in the first three games, is going to blitz more on defense to put pressure on Mallett and force him to make quick decisions and quick throws. Marcell Dareus will need to be a big factor in the game for ‘Bama as will the rest of the front seven. I like Mark Barron and the dbs to get it done enough and I think Dont’a Hightower should have a big game. He wants revenge for Arkansas ruining his season last year with a cut block that blew out his knee. Look for Hightower to maybe hurt some people in this one.

All in all, I can’t see the Tide losing. Too many weapons on offense and a defense that is improving every game and will put some more blitz packages in and disguise coverages. Alabama goes to 4-0 overall and wins its first SEC game. It won’t be easy, but the Tide is too much for the  Hogs on offense.

Alabama 42, Arkansas 31

N0.12 South Carolina @ No. 17 Auburn 6:45 p.m., ESPN: These are two evenly matched teams, but there are some stats that stand out. Auburn leads the conference in rushing offense at 259 per game. South Carolina leads the conference in rushing defense allowing only 60 per game. In total defense, SC is 10th in the conference and AU is 11th. SC allows 327 yards per game and AU 342. Auburn is 11th in pass defense and SC is 12th. Alshon Jeffrey leads the SEC in receptions with 19 for 306 but no tds. Marcus Lattimore is second in the conference in rushing with 333 yards on 70 carries with five tds. He’s averaging 111 yards per game.

South Carolina has 11 sacks overall and AU has eight. SC is second least penalized team in the conference (15-99) and AU is tied for 10th (25-185).

But the most telling stat to me is Red Zone offense and defense. SC is first in the conference in scoring in the red zone. They are 12-for-12 with 10 tds. Auburn is 10th (9-11, 6 tds). SC also has the best red zone defense allowing six scores on 11 opportunities  (54.5%) and 0 tds, while Auburn is 8th allowing 9-of-10 with 7 tds.

Michael Dyer will certainly want to step up in this game to prove he is the best frosh back in the country;  better than Lattimore. Lattimore will do the same.

Can Stephen Garcia get it done through the air against a shaky AU secondary? Garcia is erratic; good at times, not so good at others. Can Cam Newton take advantage of what’s not such a good Carolina secondary? Can AU get it in the end zone if they get in the red zone? We’ll have to see on those issues. Cam Newton has an arm no doubt. His accuracy can be a little shaky and he threw two picks against Clemson. But at the same time he can make big time throws like a couple to Darvin Adams and an 80-yarder to Terrell Zachery. Auburn was great in the red zone against Clemson in the second half last week. But South Carolina has a stouter defense.

I would love to pick the Tigers with the home crowd, but I like the SC personnel better. Lattimore will run hard and Garcia should do enough. And Ellis Johnson (Defensive Coordinator  of SC) will have the South Carolina defense dialed up to stop Newton from throwing downfield and should neutralize the AU running game. Johnson is one of the best around, and he’ll have a great game plan for the Tigers.

This should be a war and more of a defensive contest, similar to the MS. State game. AU had a war last week against Clemson, and I just don’t see them pulling this one out this week. South Carolina comes out of Auburn with the victory.

South Carolina 17, Auburn 14

UAB @ Tennessee 11:21 a.m., SEC Network: Blazers got a huge day from Bryan Ellis last week as he led  them to the 34-33 victory over Troy with a last second 44-yard touchdown pass to frosh Jackie Williams. He threw for three tds and close to 400 yards. He’s emerged as a quarterback. The question here is UAB’s defense. Can they stop anyone? Tennessee will throw rb Tauren Poole (50-295, 5.9 avg. 3 tds) and qb Matt Simms and an improving Tennessee passing game at the Blazers’ defense. Think the SEC might be too much for the Blazers to handle and though they may make it interesting, the Vols have too much for them. UAB still could be a pretty good team this year if they shore up their defense. I’ve listened to Neal Calloway and I’m just not sure the guy is that great a motivator.

UT 38, UAB 24

Kentucky @ No.9 Florida 6 p.m., ESPNU:Florida’s offense does not have it yet. Florida fans say this offense is going to get it together soon, but I’m not sure I’m buying it. John Brantley has not lived up to the hype yet and the playmakers haven’t materialized. Kentucky is playing great offensive football right now with standouts Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, two of the most exciting players in the conference if not the country. Mike Hartline is doing a great job at qb for the Wildcats. As much as I’d like to see it happen, I don’t think Ky can beat Fl at the Swamp. Florida has 10 interceptions on the season to lead the nation. Ahmad Black leads the conference with three and Janoris Jenkins is tied with eight other guys for second with two. Hartline hasn’t thrown a pick, but he hasn’t played any great competition. Look for Florida to just get by the Wildcats in somewhat of an ugly game. That’s the way the Gators have played for the last two years on offense.

Florida 28, Kentucky 24

Georgia @ Miss State 6 p.m., Fox Sports South, ESPN Game Plan:Georgia kind of reeling after a heartbreaking loss to Arkansas at home last week. Mark Richt needs to right the ship this year and get UGA somewhere in the vicinity of eight wins or the natives are going to get very restless. Dan Mullen just can’t get good enough play out of his quarterbacks and the running game is non-existent. Georgia and Aaron Murray will do enough to win this game.

Georgia 21, Ms. State 14

Fresno State @ Ole Miss 6:30 p.m., CSS and ESPN Game Plan: Ole Miss is paying the price for taking Jeremiah Masoli after he had been kicked off the Oregon team. It’s poetic justice really. Vandy dominated the Rebels  on the line of scrimmage last week. Fresno State is a pretty good football team who, according to their coach Pat Hill, will play “any team, anywhere, any time.” They’ve played in some big games and have already beaten Cincinnati at home, 28-14, and Utah State on the road, 41-24. That’s the same Utah State which only lost by a touchdown to Oklahoma at Norman. I like Fresno to pull off the upset here.

Fresno State 31, Ole Miss 28

No.22 West Virginia @ No. 15 LSU 8 p.m. ESPN2: LSU played a better game last week against Ms. State, but this is a pretty decent West Virginia team. Noel Devine is a stellar running back, but LSU’s defense is playing at a high level. Cornerback Patrick Peterson is a tremendous player and lb Kelvin Sheppard is as well. LSU does enough offensively and defensively against West Virginia in a tough one to keep the Bayou Bengals undefeated.

LSU 28, West Virginia 24

Other scores:

Georgia Tech 31, North Carolina State 28

No.7 Texas 28, UCLA 24

Florida State 42, Wake Forest 28

Rutgers 28, UNC 27

No.3 Boise State 42, No. 24 Oregon State 31

No.16 Stanford 35, Notre Dame 31

Temple 24, No.23  Penn State 21

Nevada 42, Brigham Young 28

(Mark Ingram and Tide should have their way offensively against Ark defense.)

I left Masoli out of my qb rankings. Meant to put him at eight.

There are some very good ones and ones with potential to be good players. Here are my rankings of the quarterbacks in order with stats and personal comments.
1. Greg McElroy, Alabama: He may not put up huge statistics, but he puts up the stat that matters most: 17-0. That’s his record as starting qb at Alabama. Pretty hard to argue with those results. This season, McElroy is 43-for-60 for 705 yards with 1 int. His completion percentage is 71.7 and he has thrown six td passes. He’s averaging 235 yards passing per game. He is the ultimate leader on an outstanding football team. Applied for a Rhodes Scholarship; that’s how impressive he is. In games where Alabama needed him to step up, like the SEC champ game against Florida and the last drive against Auburn, he has responded. Has some great weapons around him, no doubt, but they don’t throw the passes for him or make the calls at the line of scrimmage. He’s a special player and kind of an unsung hero on a supremely talented football team. He’ll get another shot on the big stage against Arkansas this weekend. We’ll see how he handles another SEC defense. Arkansas’ defense isn’t Alabama’s, but they’ve got some great athletes and will put pressure on McElroy. He’ll be in a hostile environment, so it should be interesting going against Ark and another great quarterback. Predictions on Friday.

2. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas: Should put up huge numbers this season; already has. Proved he can win in a tough place at Athens. Threw 3 touchdowns in that game including the game winner with 15 seconds left, a 40-yarder to Greg Childs, who is a terrific receiver. Threw for 380. He’s 70-for-100 (70%) for 1,081 yards and nine tds with  two ints. Averaging 360 yards per outing. He’s an NFL starter in the future, maybe next year. If he can beat McElroy and Tide this weekend he’s the best in the conference and could take the lead in the Heisman race. Right now, McElroy is in front due to his record.

3.Mike Hartline, Kentucky: Leading a prolific offensive attack along with superstars Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. He’s 54-for-75 (72%) with 0 ints. for 680 yards and five tds. Kentucky has not really played a good defense yet, but Hartline still looks like the real deal. Will be tested this weekend at Gainesville.

4. Cam Newton, Auburn: A little inconsistent at times, but a tremendous talent. Led his team back from a 17-3 halftime deficit with some big throws in the second half against Clemson. Showed what kind of arm he has on the 80-yarder to Terrell Zachery. He was hit right as he released the ball and hit Zachery right in stride. The ball traveled 40 yards in the air. He’s 27-for-47 with 3 ints (57.4%) for 525 yards and seven tds. Another major stat: he’s rushed for 309 yards and two tds averaging 103 yards per game on the ground. He’s been tested by some pretty good defenses. He’ll really be tested this weekend by South Carolina d. coordinator Ellis Johnson and the Gamecocks. Johnson is a crafty defensive coach and he’ll have something, scheme wise, blitz wise, cover wise, to try and fool Newton. We’ll see how he responds.

5. Aaron Murray, Georgia: Going to be a really good quarterback in the conference. Redshirt frosh. He’s 46-for-74 (62.2%) with two ints and four touchdowns. Thrown for 605 yards. Played well in bringing his team back from a 24-10 deficit against Arkansas. Mark Richt really needs Murray to play well starting this weekend against Ms. State. Richt’s seat is warming up a little bit, so Murray will need to perform. In all fairness to Richt, A.J.Green has been out all season and that’s hurt. Caleb King missed Sat.’s game against Ark. with an injury. Richt has not had any luck on his side.

6. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina: Done a pretty good job. Athletic; he can run, and throws the ball pretty well. Forty one-for-60 (68.3%) for 508 yards with two ints and two tds. This weekend could be a major statement for Garcia. If he can get it done against Auburn, he will earn a lot of respect. Still not sure if he can get it done in big games though. Seems to get nervous and make bad decisions. Maybe now that he’s a junior, he can handle the pressure better.

7. Jeff Brantley, Florida: Done OK so far, nothing special. 49-for-79, 0 ints, (62%), 452 yards, five tds. Florida is a mystery to me. They just don’t look very good on offense. All the playmakers they were supposed to have, have not materialized. They need to get it together pretty quickly or they might get upset by Kentucky and it could be a long day in Tuscaloosa the following week. Losing Chris Rainey didn’t help either.

9. Matt Simms, Tennessee: It’s going to be a struggle for the Vols this year, but this guy is a pretty good player. Forty eight-for-84 (57.1%) for 591 yards and three tds to go along with three ints. He doesn’t have a lot of help. He’s a junior which means he doesn’t have a lot of time left, but he’s done a pretty good job under tough circumstances at UT.

10. Larry Smith, Vandy: Really came around last week against Ole Miss. Led his team on a 98-yard drive for a touchdown and scored the game winner on a 15-yard run. Very athletic. Thirty six-for-67 (53.7%) for 383 yards and 1 td to go along with one int. Getting better, but still has a ways to go. Needs to have a good game against UConn, Oct. 2. Vandy has a bye week this week.

11. Chris Relf, Tyler Russell, Ms. State: They’re coming along. Relf is 24-for-43 (55.8%) for 261 yards and one td to go along with 3 ints. Russell is 22-for-35 (62.9%) for 356 yards with four tds, but also four ints. Relf got hurt last weekend so Russell may have to lead the team against Georgia this weekend. They both have a lot of athletic ability, and Russell looks like he could be a really good passer, but they haven’t gotten it done yet in the SEC. Dan Mullen is a great offensive coach, so maybe he can groom them, particularly Russell, to become good quarterbacks.

12. Jordan Jefferson, LSU: They’ve been talking about changing qbs since the first game, but this guy is still in there. Had a pretty good game against State last week. Has talent, but just hasn’t been consistent since becoming the starter last year. He’s 33-for-57 (53.7%) for 344 yards with one td and one int. He’s got an upside, but when is he ever going to reach it? Can he play with the Alabamas, Auburns and Arkansas’ teams? By then he may be the backup.

(The two best qbs in the SEC, McElroy and Mallett, square off this weekend in Fayetteville.)

Auburn 27-24 over Clemson was a classic. Auburn a little lucky to win that game. Clemson’s pass in the end zone in overtime was almost caught and then the field goal that was negated for a penalty and a miss on the next attempt helped.
But you’ve got to give the Tigers credit for coming back. Cam Newton made some big throws and Darvin Adams is one of the best wide receivers in the country. He’s really special. Terrell Zachery’s catch and run off a beautiful pass from Newton was spectacular. The defense really stepped up in the second half led by Antoine Carter and Josh Bynes. Bynes was awesome. It was a great second half effort by the Tigers and one they can build on. Don’t agree with Chizik that it was a “God thing,” but it was a fantastic comeback against a good football team. One of the hardest hitting games I’ve seen in a long time, too.

AU now gets ready for a South Carolina team that is playing good football though I’m not that sold on Stephen Garcia, their quarterback. AU might be able to load up the box and make Garcia beat them through the air. Marcus Lattimore is the real deal and if Garcia can get it to Alshon Jeffery and Ace Sanders, Auburn could be in some trouble. South Carolina’s defense is pretty good, but they aren’t going to slow down Auburn totally. Should be a fun. Looking forward to that. 6:45 ESPN.

Alabama didn’t miss a beat. Mark Ingram  wants his team to win another national championship and has just put himself back in the Heisman race with a nine carry, 151 yard performance and two tds against Duke in their 62-13 victory. Nick Saban got exactly what he wanted out of Ingram. He got carries and got back into the flow of game action. Trent was pretty outstanding himself. If they both got 15 carries a game, they could be two of the top four contenders for the Heisman Trophy along with Kellen Moore and Denard Robinson. I’d throw Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck in the mix too. We’ll see if Ryan Mallett is the real deal this weekend.

Trent with a 96 yard kickoff return. Are you kiddin’ me? McElroy just keeps getting better and better. Fourteen-of 20 for 258 yards and three tds. Julio five catches, 106 yards and one td. Darius Hanks three catches, 52 yards, one td. Preston Dial three catches, 39 yards and a td. The weapons are unlimited. There are four or five complements to Julio out wide if you throw in Marquis Maze and guys like Earl Alexander and Brandon Gibson.

Defense looked solid. I’m very impressed with that secondary. They could be better than last year’s as the season progresses. Barron missed a couple of tackles but was solid. Dre Kirkpatrick is the latest corner to step up. Saban has those guys coached up and they are extremely talented. Defensive line and lbs outstanding. This could be as good a defense as last year and maybe deeper. Would like to see Courtney Upshaw back full speed so they could have all the tools in place, but there is so much talent. Hightower is an All-American and has a good shot  at the Butkus Award winner. He’s the best lb in football. Good to see Marcell Dareus back. His presence is just like Mount Cody’s was, but he’s more athletic and can make more plays at defensive end.

Offensive line is awesome. Barrett Jones, William Vlachos, James Carpenter and the rest are a major reason this offense is so good. Of course, it helps to have the playmakers the Tide has, too.

@Arkansas at 2:30 on CBS. Should be great. If ‘Bama plays like they’ve been playing, I like them to win. They will have to contain Mallett and Ark receivers, who are very good. The secondary will be tested. Pass rush needs to be good. I picked Georgia to beat Arkansas last week because I didn’t think Arkansas had been challenged and wasn’t sure about their defense. Defense wasn’t great, but Mallett can beat you single handedly. The Hogs will be jacked for this one, but I don’t believe they can stop the Tide’s offense. This should be a shootout. Tide will probably put a lot of pressure on Mallett. Petrino is a great offensive coach, so he’s anticipating that. It’ll be interesting to see what he has to counteract Tide defense. Dareus and line will have to play well, and of course, Barron and his teammates in secondary will have to be ready for an extremely challenging afternoon. Alabama may employ five or even six defensive backs. Kirby Smart will bring pressure too. Hightower will aim to dominate. Like ‘Bama to prevail. I expect a shootout, but Tide defense may step up and neutralize Mallett somewhat.

The Notre Dame-Michigan State game was a classic on Saturday Night. After ND kicked a field goal in OT to go up 31-28, Michigan State made one of the best calls I’ve seen in a while. Lining up for a 46-yard field goal, they faked it and the holder threw it to a tight end who took it in for a score. Unfortunately, Mich State head coach Mark Dantonio had a heart attack after the game. He seems to be doing OK, but that was a scary moment for Mich State. Great win for the Spartans though.

Boise State stayed in the national title hunt with a 51-6 win over Wyoming. Kellen Moore is tremendous. Ohio State won easily. Not sure Terrell Pryor can keep it up for an entire season. Think Ohio State may lose at Wisconsin or Iowa. Iowa lost. Their national title hopes took a big hit, though Arizona is a good football team and it was at ‘Zona.

Stanford is prolific offensively. They beat Wake, 68-24. Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. I’d put him up there with Kellen Moore, Ryan Mallett and Greg McElroy as the four best. Luck 17-of-23 for 207 yards and four tds. The guy is so efficient and outstanding. Stanford plays at Notre Dame this weekend at 2:30 on NBC. Should be a game to tivo.

Have to give UAB a lot of credit for pulling out the win 34-33 over a solid Troy team. Maybe the Blazers can turn it around. Play at UT this Sat. Could be interesting.

Also have to give Vandy a lot of credit. That defense was awesome intercepting Jeremiah Massoli twice, one for a 22-yard score. With a good defense and running backs like  Warren Norman and Bibb County’s Zac Stacy,  who are special, ‘Dores may be better than people thought. There is a lot of talent. If Larry Smith can give them some good play, which is still up in the air, and the oline can keep improving and stay healthy, they might have a pretty decent season. Offensive line was so much better on Saturday. That was one of the main keys to the 28-14 upset of Ole Miss. Houston Nutt may be getting in some trouble at Oxford.

Florida hosts a high-powered Kentucky team this weekend. Florida has been erratic. They have talent, but just have no chemistry on offense. I’m tempted to pick Kentucky in this one, though they really haven’t played anybody yet. But Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke are two of the best offensive players in the SEC. Going to think about this one this week. It’s hard to pick against Florida in Gainesville, but the Gators don’t look that great to me.

SEC games this Saturday:

UAB @ Tennessee, 11:21 a.m. SEC Network

Alabama @ Arkansas, 2:30 p.m. CBS

Kentucky @ Florida, 6 p.m. ESPNU

Georgia @ Miss. State, 6 p.m. Fox Sports South

Fresno State @ Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m. CSS

South Carolina @ Auburn, 6:45 p.m. ESPN

West Virginia at LSU, 8 p.m. ESPN2

(Above, Darvin Adams saved Cam Newton and Auburn.)

This weeks’ analyses and  predictions (overall record, 30-3)
Clemson @Auburn: 6 p.m. ESPN. Like Cam Newton, receivers and this week Michael Dyer to step up against the other Tigers. Clemson has a great quarterback in Kyle Parker and has some weapons in the running game with Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper and some pretty good wrs. Brandon Clear, one of their receivers, played at Hoover. He’s a good player. But Auburn will do enough defensively and put some points on the board. This is the week the AU offense really needs to step up. Need to get the running game going besides Newton and Newton needs to get the ball downfield to Darvin Adams, Terrell Zachery, Quidarious Carr, Emory Blake and Kodi Burns. Would like to see Auburn use Phillip LItzenkirchen, the talented tight end, some more. Looks like Ziemba and Fannin are back which is good and the defense appears to be healthy. Could be a battle of offensive firepower. Do like a shootout, but I liked a shootout last week against State which didn’t happen. There were too many mistakes. Like the Auburn Tigers this week.

AU 35, Clemson 28

Alabama @ Duke: 2:30 p.m. ABC. ‘Bama will name their score this week. Mark Ingram should play some to get ready for Arkansas next week. With Ingram healthy, it’s no telling what this offense can get accomplished this year. The defense may be tested a little in the air by Duke qb Sean Renfree;  he’s thrown for 708 yards and six tds and completed 70 % of his throws, but don’t see him as a huge threat. Be a good test for the secondary as they get ready for Ryan Mallett. Robert Lester is becoming a superstar. Mark Barron already is and DeQuan Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick may become stars themselves. This secondary is very talented and deeper than I thought at the beginning of the season. Jerrell Harris leading the Tide in tackles. Look for ‘Bama to be in good shape this week.

Alabama 48, Duke 14

Arkansas @ Georgia: 11 a.m. ESPN. I like the ‘Dogs to step up  this week. This is a must game for them. Arkansas hasn’t played anybody, and even though they are talented offensively with Mallett and wrs, I think the Ga. defense can stop them enough and Ga.’s running game with Ealey and King will get it going. Arkansas defense still a question mark. QB Aaron Murray is going to have to make plays through the air as well. If Ga. doesn’t get it done this week, they’re 0-2 in the East and in a lot of trouble as far as their chances of winning the East.

Ga. 31, Ark 28

Miss State @ LSU: 6 p.m. ESPNU. Should be kind of an ugly game with LSU’s defense winning the game for them. Jordan Jefferson is not very good at qb for LSU. They have to find an answer there if they want to compete for the West title. Jarrett Lee may be the guy unless Jefferson can start throwing the ball down the field accurately. It doesn’t look good for him right now. State getting better under Dan Mullen, just not there yet.

LSU 24, MS. State 14

Vanderbilt @Ole Miss: 11:21 SEC Network. I have decided to recuse myself from picking Vandy games. Too much of a vested interest and too painful to watch if that tells you anything. I tivo games now and don’t watch them unless Vandy wins which hasn’t happened too much in the last two years. It’s tough in Nashville though there is some talent on the team that is still developing. Jeremiah Masoli will probably get it going this week. Brandon Bolden a tremendous running back.

Florida @Tennessee: 2:30 CBS. Not a great matchup here. Florida has talent and an unbelievable running back in Jeff Demps and plenty of weapons, but they don’t have the chemistry on offense. They really didn’t last year in Tebow’s senior year. I think they miss Mullen as their offensive coordinator. Just erratic on offense now. But they’re plenty good enough to beat the Vols.

Florida 35, UT 7

Akron @ Kentucky: 6 p.m ESPN Gameplan. Kentucky has one of the best weapons in the conference in Randall Cobb. Throw in Derrick Locke and Mike Hartline and you have a potent offense. Should be no contest.

Kentucky 52, Akron 14

Furman at South Carolina: A tune up game for Steve Spurrier and Gamecocks as they get ready for Auburn next week. They need to get a good lead and rest players. Stephen Garcia still needs to throw the ball better. Alshon Jeffrey is a game changer on the outside. Garcia just needs to get him the ball. We know how good Marcus Lattimore is. Steve Spurrier’s best team in Columbia. Has a chance to win East title if they keep it up.

South Carolina 42, Furman 7

Other games:

Georgia Tech 31, North Carolina 28

Troy 28, UAB 24

Oklahoma 35, Air Force 28

Nebraska 21, Washington 17

Texas 28, Texas Tech 21

Michigan State 31, Notre Dame 28

Iowa 24, Arizona 17

Stanford 42, Wake Forest 31

Florida State 42, BYU 31

(Cam Newton needs to get the ball to Darvin Adams (above) and receivers this week.)

Here are the rankings of the 12 teams in the SEC at this point. Injuries and suspensions could play a role in how things shake out as the season progresses, but here is how it looks after two weeks.
1. Alabama: This is an obvious choice. An unlimited number of weapons on offense with Mark Ingram added to the mix when he returns somewhat this weekend. He will be back at full speed against Ark. Sept 25. McElroy, Julio, Trent (phenomenal player), Maze, Hanks, now Norwood, Dial, Eddie Lacy, the list goes on. Maybe the best offensive line in football. Manhandled Penn State. Defense may be tested somewhat this weekend against Duke and will definitely be tested at Fayetteville, Sept. 25. Defensive backs look pretty talented though and linebackers and line look good. Defense will be the key when Tide faces Ark on road, Fl at home (Oct. 2) and South Carolina on road (Oct.9) following Duke game this weekend. Need to take care of business this weekend then get ready for a big stretch of games which will determine the season. Right now looking like the national championship squad they were predicted to be at the beginning of the season. With Ingram back, the sky’s the limit on offense. Will be unstoppable. It’ll be interesting to see how Jim McElwain splits up the carries between Ingram and Richardson.

2. South Carolina: After an impressive home victory over Georgia, the Gamecocks look like they’re ready to make a run to Atlanta though they have started fast before only to fade late in the season. But their offensive line is much improved and playing great football right now, and Steve Spurrier has a sensational running back in Marcus Lattimore. He looks like Emmett Smith out there and really even better. He can break tackles better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Defense is solid. The key for the Gamecocks is Stephen Garcia. Can he play at a high level? He will be tested as teams will start loading the box to stop Lattimore. If he can come through the Gamecocks could find themselves in Atlanta in Dec. There are some tough games left though. They go to Auburn Sept. 25. After a week off they host Al. Oct. 9, then they go to Ky Oct. 16. They’re at home against Ark. Nov. 6, then they go to Gainesville Nov.13. They have a tough road ahead of them no doubt. The schedule may be too daunting, but right now they look better than anybody else besides Alabama.

3. Auburn: It wasn’t that pretty in win over Ms. State, but it was good enough. Cam Newton did some great things, but he’s a little inconsistent right now. He has potential to be a great player, but he’s got to keep improving if the Tigers want to go to Atlanta. Defense was better against South Carolina, but AU just kind of survived that game. Need to get their running game going besides Newton. Michael Dyer may become more of a factor as the Tigers play a couple of tough games against Clemson and South Carolina in the next two weeks at home. Arkansas, Georgia and LSU are all at home so it’s setting up pretty well for the Tigers. Defense and Cam Newton and a running game are the keys to this team’s success. Definitely have the athletes to get’er done, but can they become a consistent team on both sides of the ball? Atlanta not out of the question for the Tigers; just have to fine tune some things on offense and solidify the defense. Need to avoid injuries also.

4. Florida: It hasn’t been pretty so far for the Gators either, but they were much better last weekend against South Florida. Running back Jeff Demps is a superstar. The offense just hasn’t been the same since Dan Mullen left. Steve Addazio hasn’t found the right formula to make this offense click, but they’ve got athletes all over the place. If the offense can get it together, this team will be a factor. If not, they may lose a couple possibly to Georgia and South Carolina. They also have to go to Alabama, and that looks like a loss right now. Jeff Brantley needs to step up and get the ball to his talented wide receiver corps. The defense has some great players. Florida does not look that great right now, but there is so much potential there. They need to start realizing that potential before it’s too late. Go to Rocky Top this Sat. Important game for them to try and step up their play.

5. Arkansas: You really can’t get a read on the Razorbacks so far as they’ve played a couple of easy games. Only won 31-7 over Louisiana-Monroe. Ryan Mallett and the wrs could be something special though. Need to establish a running game to go with it. The question is: Can the defense stop opposing offenses like Alabama and Auburn? That’s been the question for Arkansas since Bobby Petrino has been there. You know he’ll have a stellar offense, but can his defense get it done? Like most every other team in the SEC, there are great athletes on defense. We’ll learn more about the Hogs this weekend when they go to Georgia.

6. Georgia: I still like this team despite the loss to SC. They were a Washaun Ealey fumble away from tying South Carolina in their game, and played pretty good pass defense though Marcus Lattimore ran all over’em. The ‘Dogs have undoubtedly been hurt by the absence of A.J. Green. Aaron Murray has shown signs of being a good quarterback, but he’s just not polished yet. Think they will surprise Arkansas this weekend at home though. They still have a chance to be a pretty good team. Ealey was out the first game and was probably a little rusty going into the SC game. Mark Richt says they’re going to let Murray go and let him start making plays. This is a good team and has a chance to make it to Atlanta if they can take care of business down the road and get some help from other teams.

7. LSU: Got a lot better against Vandy last weekend. Defense just destroyed Commodores offensive line. They have tremendous athletes on defense and running back Stevan Ridley ran for 159 yards on 17 carries against the ‘Dores, including a 65-yard score. He’s powerful and has a lot of speed. Kelvin Sheppard one of the best linebackers in the country. The talent is there. Their issue is at quarterback. Jordan Jefferson just hasn’t gotten it done passing the ball. Will they go with Jarrett Lee some this weekend at home against State? If Jefferson doesn’t start well, they’ll probably give Lee a shot. They need a lot more production in the passing game if they want to make a run at the West.

8. Kentucky: This is an exciting offensive football team. With Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, the Wildcats can score with anybody. Mike Hartline is a good quarterback, who can get the ball to his receivers. Not a great gauge on the team with wins over Louisville and Western Ky, but think this team can go to a bowl game again this year and maybe surprise some people at home. Defense is always the question mark at Kentucky. Hard to tell how good they’ll be on that side of the ball. If they can play some defense, Cobb and Locke will win them some games.

9. Miss State: I know State fans were disappointed they couldn’t get over the hump and beat Auburn. They dropped two key passes. One on a jump pass from Chris Relf in the end zone and the other near the end of the game when they were driving for the score to either tie it or win it. They are getting closer, but not sure if they can get over the hump and beat  the upper echelon teams of the SEC. Will see if they can do it this weekend against LSU. It’s in Baton Rouge so it’ll be tough. State can possibly make a decent bowl game though if they keep improving. Relf is a pretty decent quarterback and the frosh Russell looks like he’ll be good one day. Not sure if he can get it done against the top teams right now though. Have some weapons on offense and have a pretty good defense. They need to beat teams like Ole Miss and Kentucky and keep building to beat teams like LSU and Auburn.

10. Ole Miss: This team will keep improving as the season goes. Jeremiah Masoli is a very good qb, though I don’t agree with the decision to allow him to play at Ole Miss this year. When you get kicked off of the Oregon team for stealing, you probably shouldn’t be rewarded by another team. But Ole Miss has an offense. They were decleated against Jax State on defense, but Jax State has a pretty impressive offense. Think Rebels will be OK. They’ve got a ton of athletes and Brandon Bolden is a pretty special running back. If Masoli can deliver, the Rebels could surprise some people.

11. Tennessee: It’s going to be a long year for Derek Dooley. He’s in a total rebuilding mode. Hung tough with Oregon for a half, then Oregon’s talent took over in a 48-13 loss. Matt Simms looks like he has potential to be a good quarterback. Dooley probably in a four year rebuilding project with all of the offseason problems he’s had with the Vols and how Kiffin messed up the program pretty badly before bolting to USC.

12. Vandy: Robbie Caldwell had a tough assignment coming in and it’s getting even tougher. The offensive line just got manhandled by LSU and Larry Smith, the Vandy quarterback, can’t seem to get rid of the ball. The offense, besides running backs Warren Norman and Zac Stacy who are both very good, is a disaster. The offensive line is thin and young. Think they will be good in the future, just need experience and more depth. Smith has not gotten it done though he has been under intense pressure from opposing defenses. At some point, Caldwell will have to consider trying another quarterback, maybe even this weekend at Ole Miss. Something has to be done with that offense. Defense is actually a good unit and they really hustle. Have some good secondary guys. Need a better pass rush, but have good talent on that side of the ball. They just get worn out because the offense generates nothing. Maybe they can get it together against Ole Miss and the line can block better and Smith or someone else can get it to the wrs so they can find some balance and give their rbs a chance.

This weekend’s games:

Arkansas @ Georgia 11 a.m. ESPN

Vandy @ Ole Miss 11:21 a.m. SEC Network

Alabama @ Duke 2:30 ABC

Florida @ Tennessee 2:30 p.m. CBS

Clemson @ Auburn 6 p.m. ESPN

Miss State @ LSU 6 p.m. ESPNU

Furman @ South Carolina 6 p.m. PPV

Akron @ Kentucky 6 p.m. Fox Sports South

(Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier looking good early.)

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