B&S week 5 game by game recaps
Saturday’s marquee games didn’t quite live up to the hype as Georgia and Alabama separate from the pack.
By: Bossman Slim, The Hammer, The Waco Kid
@biscuitsandsec; @TheWacoKidBS
Early in the day, The Waco Kid texted the B&S group saying: “I feel a rough day coming for me.” In the end, he went 6-2 on his picks and bested both The Hammer and Bossman Slim. That’s what college football is this year...we think we know something when in fact we know absolutely nothing. Expect the unexpected. Don’t take anything for granted and if it can go wrong, it probably will. Bo Nix channeling Houdini and getting a W at night in Death Valley? Kentucky stifling the Gators’ offense? Ole Miss getting housed in the revenge game? Who saw any of that coming? Only one man: The Waco Kid.
Let’s check in on how the crew fared this week:
The Waco Kid: 6-2; 45-9 overall
The Hammer: 5-3; 44-10 overall
Bossman Slim: 4-4; 42-12 overall
The Waco Kid is still piping hot, making one terrible pick with Mizzou but making up for it with his Auburn and Kentucky predictions. The Hammer stays hot too, and Bossman Slim followed up his solid week 4 with a total dud, dropping to 3 games behind first place.
Let’s hit the recaps.
Brian Robinson ran all over the Rebels on Saturday. Photo by Gary Cosby, USA Today Sports.
Early Games
#2 Georgia 37- #8 Arkansas 0
Bossman Slim: UGA cakewalked to covering the 18.5 point spread against the Hogs. The Georgia defense is the best unit in the country. Arkansas could do nothing all day, as the suffocating Georgia defense held KJ Jefferson to 65 yards passing, held the entire Hogs offense to 75 yards rushing, gave up only 162 yards total and notched 4 sacks and 7 TFLs. What’s more, the Dawgs did not force a turnover, Tombstone Bennett only threw the ball 11 times, and Georgia still pitched a shutout and beat a top 10 team by almost 40. My gracious. This Georgia team looks destined for Atlanta and beyond, especially after Florida’s slip-up against Kentucky...which we’ll get to in a minute. I do not think this should discourage Hogs fans. Arkansas may not be a top 10 team, but they’re a top 15 team and a darn good one. Georgia is just an another level. It’s Bama, Georgia, and everyone else in CFB this year.
The Hammer: Wow. This was a beatdown from the start. As soon as Georgia got up 14-0, I knew this game was done. Arkansas does not have the offense to come back from a deficit, especially against this Dawg defense. The Hogs only mustered 162 yards of total offense and killed themselves with 13 penalties. Backup Bulldog quarterback Stetson Tombstone Bennet only had to throw the ball 11 times against the vaunted Barry Odom defense because Georgia lined up and ran it down the Razorbacks throat. They ran the ball 56 TIMES for 273 yards because they could. I have two takeaways from this game. First, Georgia is the best team in the country right now and their defense is unreal. I’m not convinced anyone will be able to score much on these guys. Secondly, I think Arkansas is still a good team but the gap between a good team and an elite team is massive. Georgia is in a class by itself (with one other team that we’ll hit on later).
The Waco Kid: Well it seems that Georgia is the real deal. Without their starting quarterback and still down George Pickens, the Dawgs were able to pound the rock against a Razorback defense that had looked good in their first four outings. I cannot say I am surprised by the lopsided score, my prediction had the game as a 28 point spread instead of 37. Arkansas came into the game red hot with some national hype but at the end of the day if you are traveling to Athens the expectation is that the home defense may bend but it definitely won’t break. Add that in with a rushing attack, led by Zamir White and James Cook, that ran rampant over the Fayetteville front and there was no way Pittman was leaving with a W. It was a little surprising that the Hogs couldn’t muster a score all game but at the end of the day this was always Kirby Smart’s to lose.
Tennessee 62 - Missouri 24
Bossman Slim: Mizzou was favored in this game. By 3. Don’t forget that. Who saw this coming though? No one. Back to our theme, what we know about college football in 2021: nothing. Not a darn thing. But we are figuring something out fast: Mizzou is a terrible football team right now. They are regressing and it’s obvious to see. Tennessee is not a good football team either, and hanging 62 on this Tigers team and blowing them out by 38 is a joke. Hendon Hooker is finding his groove as the Vols starter, and Heupel had this offense humming in all phases. UT racked up nearly SEVEN HUNDRED yards, passing for 225 and rushing for nearly FIVE HUNDRED. What on earth is going on in Columbia. I think this is a great sign for the Vols, but says even more about Mizzou. The Tigers are down bad, and will likely finish at the bottom of the barrel in the East just ahead of Vandy. Not a good sign for Mizzou who looked like Drinkwitz had them on the rise just a year ago.
The Hammer: Glad I called Tennesee winning this one so I don’t look that dumb, but I did not see the Vols dropping a 60 burger on Mizzou. Hendon Hooker was efficient and makes you wonder why Joe Milton ever started a game in Volunteer Orange. On the day Hooker was 15/19 for 225 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground. And that’s the real story here: Tennessee’s run game and Mizzou’s run defense. The Vols ran the ball 59 times for 458 YARDS! Video game numbers. Give Tennessee credit but at the end of the day if you allow 458 yards rushing, your defense is putrid. Rotten. It stinks to holy hell in Colombia right now and if they don’t figure out how to stop teams from running the ball, it’s going to be a long year for Drinkwitz and the Tigers.
The Waco Kid: Um, Yikes. No way I can justify this pick. Not only did Tennessee beat Mizzou they took their lunch money and pantsed them in front of the whole school. This was bad. I thought Bazelak and Badie were going to be the dynamic duo, little did I know that Hooker and Evans would take that title. If it wasn’t enough for the Vols’ passing game to torch the opposing defense the run game, led by Tiyon Evans’ 156 yards, 10.4/carry, and 3 TDs, put the nail in the coffin. Hendon Hooker only had four incompletions all day. In other words, the Tigers were unable to stop anything that was being thrown at them. My lack of confidence in Josh Heupel led me astray in this one but I will keep my head on a swivel when it comes to the orange and white going forward. This was a statement game and Heupel, we hear you loud and clear.
Midday Games
#1 Alabama 42 - #12 Ole Miss 21
Bossman Slim: Hotty Toddy, get your popcorn ready, pass go, and head straight to jail. You can’t get away with that, Lane. I believed in you! Alabama got back on track this week, looking like the Alabama we’ve come to know and love (actually hate if you aren’t a Bammer). Saban had his guys ready for this one and it was a blowout from the opening whistle. Ole Miss was held to 291 yards, pedestrian by their standards. The Rebs scored two TDs late in the game to make the score look better than it was. The Crimson Tide dominated this one from whistle to whistle. The Matt Corral Heisman hype was fun while it lasted.
The Hammer: Shame on anyone for doubting Nick Saban. I’ll even include myself in that because even though I had the Tide winning, I thought it would be a really close game. Nope. The TIDE ROLL. Lane Kiffin told everyone to get their popcorn ready before the game, but unfortunately there was no show to watch. Ole Miss was soundly defeated in every facet of the game on Saturday. The high powered Rebels offense managed just 291 total yards, and outside of two late fourth quarter touchdowns (Alabama was up 42-7) they couldn't score. The Tide, on the other hand, had no problem scoring and used a balanced offensive attack to gash an improved but still porous Ole Miss defense. Brian Robinson carried the load rushing for 171 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries. Derrick Henry type of numbers from Robinson. Similarly to my feelings after the Georgia game, Alabama seems to be in a class of their own. I don’t think Ole Miss is a bad team, but Alabama is that far ahead of the pack. They had a far better game plan than Ole Miss did and their talent still dwarfs the Rebels. It’s looking like an Alabama vs Georgia show down in Atlanta for the SEC crown.
The Waco Kid: “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” said no one ever about a Nick Saban coached team. To be the best you have to beat the best, and I think there is only one team in the nation that has a shot to do that against Bama this year. Another Saban protégé, another loss. Good Ol Saint Nick loves embarrassing former subordinates, especially when they decide to join HIS conference. The Tide lined up against a subpar land shark defense and ran the ball right down their throats. Brian Robinson was unstoppable leading the Crimson with 36 carries, 171 yards, and 4 touchdowns. With that stat line you really don’t need a QB but Alabama has one that just so happened to throw for 241 and 2 TDs. Mississippi never stood a chance and while they put some points up and played a good game, Saban still owns Kiffin’s ass.
South Carolina 23 - Troy 14
Bossman Slim: Almost called this score. South Carolina has a LOOOONG way to go. Just one offensive TD for the Gamecocks against...Troy, who came into this game 2-2 with losses to ULM and Liberty. Spurs Up needed a 74-yard pick-six at the end of the half to ensure the Trojans were put away. Doesn’t bode well for USC moving forward, but this is a culture-building year as we’ve said since the preseason. They’ll take any win they can get in Columbia right now. Recruit, recruit, recruit. Not many more wins left on the schedule this year for the Fightin’ Beamer’s.
The Hammer: Shane nice guy Beamer and the Gamecocks get another close win over a pretty weak group of five team. Not a ton to love here if you are a Gamecock fan, other than this team plays hard and so far has won the games they should. Shane Beamer has done a solid coaching job so far this year and the Gamecocks will fight until the end. They still can’t run the ball and their offense is sputtering, but thanks to another pick six were able to get out with a victory. The South Carolina defense is the strength of their team and should keep them relatively competitive against most teams, outside of a few elite teams.
The Waco Kid: Is there any team on the South Carolina schedule that they can convincingly beat? No, they had their chance and they’ve blown it. Luke Doty played a decent game, with over 250 through the air and a score, but the Gamecocks offense could not seem to get into the end zone. And that was against Troy…. Their best game this year might be the Vandy contest, put that as a primetime matchup. USC is obviously rebuilding and it will take a few years for Beamer to get them to a competitive state again.
Late Games
Kentucky 20 - #10 Florida 13
What a scene in Lexington Saturday night. Pandemonium! Photo by Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Bossman Slim: “Many people, including me, wondered how Auburn could be ranked but not Kentucky a few weeks ago. I was wrong. Kentucky has crashed HARD back to earth (not that Auburn should be ranked either)...Gators steal all the groceries this week in The Giant Grocery Store.” I said this in the preview. We know NOTHING about CFB this year. The only man to call this was Brandon Walker at Barstool, who said Kentucky is “built for this [to win close games].” Him, and The Waco Kid. I got no words for this one really, Dan Mullen and the Gators laid an egg and Kentucky went back to what they knew. They played solid defense, ran the ball, and got Wan’Dale Robinson the rock. That’s a Wildcat recipe for success. Will Levis only had 87 yards passing, 41 of which came on a screen TD to Robinson. It was enough to get a win and make this cringe-worthy tik tock that should be outlawed. Florida goes back to the drawing board while Kentucky is soaring high at 5-0. We’ll separate the men from the boys in the next two weeks, as the Wildcats draw LSU next week and Georgia the week after...we’ll see what you’re really made of, Stoops. Enjoy this one, Kentucky. You kept the groceries safe in The Giant Grocery Store for another week.
The Hammer: If this season has taught me anything, it is that we know nothing. Things can change so much week to week it is pure mayhem out there. That is part of the charm, and upsets like this are why we love college football. The Wildcats only managed 224 yards of total offense (just ask Dan Mullen) but held on to beat Florida at home for the first time since 1986, thanks to stingy defense and blocked field goal that they returned for a touchdown. The Kentucky offense has issues, and has not lived up to the preseason hype, but they are 5-0. They have figured out ways to win close games now and just beat a top 10 team at home. Give the Wildcats and Mark Stoops a ton of credit. It may be ugly at times, but Kentucky can play some football and will be a tough out for any team in the SEC. Meanwhile, Florida falls to 3-2 overall and Gator nation is not happy. Despite dominating time of possession 36 minutes to 22, and total yards 382 to 224, Florida found a way to lose this game. Behind Georgia, everyone in the SEC East is vulnerable.
The Waco Kid: “Kentucky over Florida???? You’re smoking some good stuff”, that is the text I received from the B&S crew after submitting my picks. The only thing I’m smokin’ is these fools in predictions. Levis didn’t need to show up for this one, with C-Rod running for 99 yards and a tuddie all while keeping the ball out of the Florida offense’s hands. Couple that with the expected play and turnover from Emory Jones and it made for an easy call. For the Wildcats it was a great night in Lexington and as they advanced to 5-0, UK looks to host a struggling LSU team next week. IF they can win that one, their contest in Athens may be the best of the East this year.
Mississippi State 26 - #15 Texas A&M 22
The Bulldogs get a massive win against the Aggies in Kyle Field. Photo by Sam Craft, AP Photo
Bossman Slim: The Pirate strikes again, plundering Kyle Field like it’s his job. And it is his job, as Leach is now 4-2 in Kyle Field dating back to his days at Texas Tech, and 8-4 against the Aggies all-time. This is a death blow the A&M’s season and it looks like the Aggies are spiraling. They play Alabama next week, at 8:00 ET on CBS (the brass at CBS must be kicking themselves for picking this as their lone night game of the year before the season started) and are likely to get blown out. This team has problems all over the place. The defense got gashed on Saturday as Mississippi State relied on Will Rogers, who is coming into his own. Cowboy Will Rogers had 408 yards passing and 3 TDs on the night. However, holding a potent State offense to just 24 points (the other two came on a safety at the end of the game), should put A&M in a position to win. But the offense continues to be a total mess. A&M could very well finish 6-6 or 7-5, in a year where they were expected to compete for the SEC West crown and a playoff berth. A great win for Mississippi State on the road, and it looks like the Bulldogs are starting to grasp the Leach system - a warning for all teams in the SEC.
The Hammer: Gut wrenching defeat for Texas A&M. This team has a lot of issues and it’s time we call a spade a spade. Texas A&M is not a good football team right now and they haven’t been all year. Yes, the Aggies have been decimated with injuries including multiple defensive backs, offensive lineman, wide receivers and of course QB, but that is no excuse. The lack of offensive production is damning on both the coaches and the players. Injuries or not, if you recruit at the level A&M does, you should be able to move the ball somewhat effectively. We thought A&M’s defense might be able to carry a weak offense through the first part of the schedule, but that didn’t happen Saturday night. Give credit to Mike Leach and this Bulldog offense for gashing A&M all night. Cowboy Will Rogers came in guns a blazin and showed the Aggies what a real gunslinger looks like, throwing for 408 yards and three touchdowns on 46/59 passing attempts. Mike Elko’s defense was not able to get consistent pressure on Rogers and when they brought a blitz, he had the answer against that soft zone coverage. Massive win for Mississippi State, coming off of two tough losses to Memphis and LSU. The Pirate sails onward.
The Waco Kid: Zach Calzada’s lack of confidence is a real issue. He constantly looks like a scared JV player called up for his first varsity game. At some point Deez Nutz are going to need to drop for him to make an impact. And yes, that was a Nick Saban quote. But let’s not take anything away from State’s big time victory. It seemed to be a Will Rogers coming out party, as he passed for 408 yards and 3 scores against an A&M defense that was SUPPOSED to be one of the best in the nation. So kudos to Rogers and the Pirate for coming up with a game plan to beat the Ags at Kyle Field. Isaiah Spiller showed up for the maroon and white but it was not enough to propel Jimbo’s crew to a win. This could be the start of a rough season for those down in College Station.
Vanderbilt 30 - UConn 28
Bossman Slim: Vandy was inexplicably favored by 14.5 in this one, and needed a last-second field goal to take down the 0-5 Huskies. It turned out to be a great game between two teams at the bottom of the FBS. Unfortunately, that’s probably the last win of the year for Vandy, unless they can sneak up on South Carolina or Mizzou.
The Hammer: This was actually a pretty entertaining, back and forth game all night between two of the worst teams in the FBS. The game was relatively even statistically, but Vandy was able to drive down and kick a last second field goal after the Huskies scored the go ahead touchdown with just over one minute remaining. The failed two point conversion attempt proved fatal for UConn as Vanderbilt kicker Joseph Bulovas split the uprights on a 31 yard field goal as time expired. Yippee.
The Waco Kid: This is sad for the state of the SEC. UConn is horrible and young and yet the ‘dores could still not put them away with ease. Like I said in my prediction this would be the best, worst game ever witnessed in college football history and it lived up to the hype. Congratulations to both teams on being less than mediocre. It was truly an amazing feat to witness. 2006 Texas vs USC, 1984 Miami vs Nebraska, 2013 Auburn vs Alabama, and now 2021 Vandy vs. UConn will join the Mt. Rushmore of greatest college football games ever played.
#22 Auburn 24 vs. LSU 19
Bossman Slim: Magic. Auburn does it again, pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Bo Nix made unbelievable plays in this one, looking like Johnny Manziel out there. He had his best game in ages, doing what was necessary to get a big win in Baton Rouge, the program's first since 1999. Auburn took their first lead of the game with 3 minutes remaining on a 1-yard TD from freshman stud Jarquez Hunter after a gutsy 11-play, 92-yard drive by the Tigers. War Eagle was able to hold off the final LSU drive as Bydarrius Knighten picked off a sailing pass from Max Johnson. A huge win for Auburn that may change the trajectory of their season and boost them the rest of the way. In Baton Rouge, questions abound and the seat gets even warmer for Coach O. LSU Twitter was on fire after this one, wondering how this Auburn team, who barely beat Georgia State a week ago, could waltz into Death Valley and walk away with a win. Kayshon Boutte hardly touched the ball in the second half, leading LSU fans scratching their heads. This next five-game stretch will make or break Orgeron’s time at LSU: at Kentucky, vs. Florida, at Ole Miss, at Alabama, vs. Arkansas. Yikes.
The Hammer: Not sure Coach O makes it through the season after this one. The Auburn Tigers went into Death Valley at night and beat LSU for the first time in Baton Rouge since 1999. Before Bo Nix was born. Nix was far from perfect but he led his team to a hard fought SEC West road victory. This Auburn team has guts, man. They showed it on the road against Penn State but came up just short. They showed it last week against Georgia State, where they pulled a win out of thin air, even though the game should not have been close. There is something to be said for grinding out wins, and with how crazy this college football season has been, style points don’t mean a damn thing. LSU still cannot run the ball at all, and putting the entire offense on the back of Max Johnson and Kayshon Boutte proved fatal. Johnson played alright and Boutte still had 127 yards receiving and a touchdown, but the Tigers have no other offensive weapons. Until LSU finds any semblance of a running game, they will be in trouble. And Auburn looks like one of the toughest teams in the country right now. They are not elite, and they have limitations, but they will fight, scratch and claw for 60 minutes every Saturday.
The Waco Kid: Looks like Blo Wins pulled this one off and led the team in both passing and rushing yards. Maybe Harsin has unlocked a new level of the player but let’s wait and see them play some real West competition before making that call. The lack of productivity on the ground for the Bayou Bengals seems to be a real concern. While Max Johnson was able to throw for 325 and a score, the rush games’ leader only ran for 22 yards. If you cannot control the clock, you cannot win. Bo Nix will look to continue his win streak next week against…. Nevermind he plays Georgia and there is no way. War Eagle will enjoy this one for now but the looming Saturday matchup will put them right back in their place.