There have been greater days for the SEC.
The nation’s strongest convention — uh, we anticipate — had a reasonably miserable Saturday, starting with No.1 Alabama’s sweat-inducing shut shave as an infinite favourite in opposition to No. 22 Texas.
whereas the Crimson Tide survived, 20-19, the slim win raises some questions with reference to the crew’s place atop the USA right now sports activities AFCA Coaches ballot.
no decrease than Alabama escaped what would’ve been a dreadful loss.
No. 6 Texas A&M misplaced 17-14 to Appalachian State, sending the Aggies tumbling inside the early Bowl Subdivision pecking order and reinforcing one factor every power 5 program ought to tattoo on their forehead: do not schedule the Mountaineers — not at dwelling, not away, not ever.
Missouri was blitzed by former border-state rival Kansas State in a forty-12 loss. The Tigers have been pushed round by the Wildcats’ terrific working sport, paced as quickly as extra by star working again Deuce Vaughn, and have been finally doomed by a run of 4 interceptions in as many drives inside the second half.
in a single other power 5 crossover matchup, Vanderbilt misplaced forty five-25 to No. 21 Wake Forest and quarterback Sam Hartman, who threw for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns after lacking the season opener.
it is not all unhealthy, nonetheless. It speaks to the SEC’s depth that one other member, No. 2 Georgia, might supplant the Tide atop this week’s prime 25 after an straightforward win in opposition to Samford. Tennessee is destined for a nationwide rating after beating No. 14 Pittsburgh 34-27 in further time, albeit with the Panthers having starting quarterback Kedon Slovis sidelined for the second half.
This weekend’s itemizing of winners and losers contains teams from the SEC, huge 12 and extra:
Winners
Texas
typically a loss isn’t solely a loss, even when the Longhorns had a quantity of alternatives inside the second half to place Alabama away and safe a tenure-making victory for second-yr coach Steve Sarkisian. whereas Texas bought here up simply brief, the efficiency bodes properly for the crew’s probabilities in an unpredictable huge 12 and will put wind in this method’s sails after a dreadful 2021 season. One factor the Longhorns want is a healthful quarterback after dropping starter Quinn Ewers early and watching backup Hudson Card limp his method by way of a gutty efficiency.
exhibiting fight:Texas tells Alabama, the rest of SEC it is ready for mannequin spanking new league
Appalachian State
After narrowly dropping to North Carolina amid an epic fourth-quarter barrage of factors, Appalachian State deserves to be picked as a end result of the favourite inside the photo voltaic Belt and undoubtedly one of many prime teams inside the Group of 5 after worthwhile at A&M. Down the avenue, there’s an alternative this crew appears to be like again on the UNC loss and wonders what might’ve been; as confirmed final yr, an unbeaten Group of 5 crew with safe non-convention wins in opposition to the power 5 might make an argument for the faculty soccer Playoff.
Arkansas
historic previous tells us Alabama will bounce again and stay truly one of many teams to beat inside the race for the nationwide championship. inside the quick aftermath, nonetheless, search for a quantity of teams on this yr’s schedule to share this unusual thought: Alabama appears to be like beatable. One future opponent who might even be dreaming of an SEC West crown isn’t any. 17 Arkansas, which moved to 2-zero with a forty 4-30 win in opposition to South Carolina. Quarterback KJ Jefferson had 229 yards of whole offense and two touchdowns whereas the protection gave up simply forty 4 yards on the underside, the fewest allowed by the Razorbacks in 4 years. This efficiency comes after a win inside the season opener in opposition to Cincinnati, truly one of many prime purposes inside the Group of 5. by way of two weeks, Arkansas might have the best doable resume of any crew inside the Bowl Subdivision.
Kansas State
The Wildcats bought little or no by way of the air from swap quarterback Adrian Martinez, who threw for underneath a hundred and one yards, however bullied Missouri on protection and with a bodily working sport that went for 235 yards and 4 scores. Going for a hundred forty five yards and two touchdowns will give Vaughn’s uncared for Heisman advertising and marketing campaign some juice with an infinite matchup with No. 7 Oklahoma approaching Sept. 24. it is clear that Kansas State is a reputable risk to win the huge 12 and attain a vital bowl.
The photo voltaic Belt
It was an great Saturday for a wildly underrated convention — although the photo voltaic Belt’s secret might even be getting out. collectively with Appalachian State’s win at A&M, Marshall shocked No. 9 Notre Dame, FBS neophyte James Madison remained unbeaten, South Alabama beat MAC frontrunner Central Michigan 38-24 and Georgia State pushed UNC to the sting with an 18-level third quarter earlier than dropping 35-28. With the American set to lose three key members to the huge 12, the photo voltaic Belt stands poised to take over as a end result of the very best convention inside the Group of 5.
Losers
Notre Dame
the warmth is on first-yr coach Marcus Freeman, who’s the major coach in program historic previous to lose his first three video games. final week’s 21-10 setback to Ohio State is one factor; falling 26-21 to Marshall is one other. What’s ailing the combating Irish? Most of all, this offense will in all probability be scrambling for options after one other subpar exhibiting. Notre Dame averaged three.5 yards per carry and accomplished with simply 351 whole yards, with quarterback Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne combining for 5.eight yards per try and three interceptions. We might even be taking a look at an prolonged season for the Irish.
Texas A&M
Any rating of the worst losses in program historic previous has a mannequin new entry. The Aggies have been outgained by 128 yards and managed simply eight first downs to the Mountaineers’ 22. it is not that Appalachian State is a pushover, since all of us know the Mountaineers are amongst the numerous prime teams inside the Group of 5. however this yr was purported to be utterly different: A&M was picked as a shut to-lock for the mannequin new yr’s Six and at the same time as a end result of the very best crew inside the SEC West. instead, coach Jimbo Fisher’s crew has hit all-time low heading proper into a brutal run of video games: No. sixteen Miami (Fla.), Arkansas, Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina and No. 23 Mississippi.
Alabama
There are a quantity of question marks coming out of the shut win, none larger than the state of an offensive line that was projected to reinforce after a down 2021 season however was largely unimpressive in opposition to Texas. is that this offensive entrance in a place to worthwhile alongside the avenue of scrimmage in opposition to Arkansas, Georgia and the best doable the SEC has to current? One factor all of us know: Bryce youthful is an unimaginable expertise with a aptitude for the dramatic. He took a step in direction of recapturing the Heisman Trophy collectively with his great fourth quarter.
Wisconsin
Any thought that No. 18 Wisconsin might rise out of the huge Ten West and make a run on the convention championship and a playoff berth evaporated utterly with a 17-14 loss to Washington State. that is turning into such a predictable an ingredient of the Badgers’ existence that it begs the question of why they’re persistently ranked so extreme inside the preseason. Will this method break by way of underneath Paul Chryst?
Iowa’s offense
no decrease than the Hawkeyes scored seven factors the straightforward method: with a touchdown. sadly, after scoring seven with a discipline objective and two safeties final week, the touchdown was all Iowa would muster in a ten-7 loss to rival Iowa State. the place does this go away the huge Ten West? Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Purdue, Northwestern and Illinois have already suffered a loss. the one crew standing unbeaten is Minnesota.
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