B&S Week 8 game-by-game recaps
October is for pretenders. November is for contenders.
By: The Waco Kid, The Hammer, Bossman Slim
Death Valley was alive and well this past Saturday. (Photo: @LSUfootball)
We had yet another wild weekend in the SEC with several upsets, close games and some blowouts. LSU dominated Ole Miss after the Rebs got off to a hot start, Bama suffocated Mississippi State, A&M inexplicably lost (again) to a surging South Carolina team, and the Vols kept rolling along.
As usual, the picks last week were shaky. This year has been so up and down in the SEC and the competitive balance across the league is really, really strong right now. Bossman took a commanding lead in the straight-up category as Hammer and the Waco Kid are now behind three games. Against the spread, we all still have terrible numbers so continue fading these picks. The Hammer has a slight edge against the spread but being 14 games under .500 is nothing to write home about. Let’s dig into the recaps.
#3 Tennessee 65 - UT Martin 24
Bossman: Tennessee needed to avoid looking sluggish in this one after their emotional win over Alabama last week. The Vols were able to do just that, taking the SkyHawks, whatever that is, behind the woodshed. Tennessee sprinted out to a 52-7 halftime lead and scored on their first nine drives. Alabama hangover? Not here. Good win by the Vols who have a solid Kentucky team coming to Knoxville next week.
The Hammer: Not much to see here, just Tennessee steamrolling a lesser opponent. No sign of a Bama hangover on Rocky Top. Give credit to Heupel and this coaching staff for keeping their foot on the gas pedal. The Vols are absolutely rolling on offense and will host Kentucky this coming weekend in a big-time matchup.
The Waco Kid: Hendon Hooker did exactly what was expected and continued to build on his 2022 Heisman campaign, throwing for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns. And just for gigs let’s say that Jalin Hyatt added to his campaign as well with 175 yards receiving and two scores. He has started to have a Devonta Smith-type year accounting for 12 TDs and over 700 yards receiving in 2022 alone. The starters for the Vols did not even play the full game and were able to record those kinds of stats. This makes the next two matchups very intriguing for the Josh Heupel-led team. This Saturday they take on #19 Kentucky Wildcats followed by a program-changing contest of giants the next weekend when they head to Athens where UGA awaits. Ohhhh things are getting exciting in the East and we are now in the thick of it.
LSU 45 - #7 Ole Miss 20
Bossman: Ole Miss raced out to a 17-3 first quarter lead, but the Tigers were unflappable and stayed the course. The LSU offense has figured it out all of the sudden. Jayden Daniels now has this passing game clicking, going 21/28 for 248 yards and 2 TDs. The Tigers were also able to give Ole Miss a taste of their own medicine, running all over the Rebs and outrushing one of the premier rushing attacks in the nation 252-117. Mississippi led 20-17 going into halftime but were unable to get anything going in the second half as the Tigers put the clamps down on this Rebels offense. The Tigers O turned on the jets, scoring a touchdown on 4/5 drives in the second half to put this one on ice. It was another impressive performance from the Bayou Bengals, who are starting to figure things out under Brian Kelly and now sit atop the SEC West. Who guessed the Tigers would be atop the West through 8 weeks? Not me.
The Hammer: Well, perhaps the narrative that Ole Miss had not really been tested was true. The Rebs had a relatively easy schedule through their first seven games, especially considering this was their first big road game (no offense Georgia Tech and Vandy). They were tested on Saturday and the offense completely turtled. After jumping out to a 17-3 lead, Ole Miss was outscored 42-3 the remainder of the game and did not score in the second half. Jaxson Dart did not look very good trying to come from behind in obvious passing situations. Ole Miss wants to run the ball and it's now clear why: Lane doesn't trust Dart enough in the passing game. It wasn’t all Dart’s fault as he was under serious pressure all afternoon from the LSU front seven, who tallied 7 QB hurries, 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and 6 pass deflections. On the LSU side, Brian Kelly might have something going in his first year. Jayden Daniels once again looked like one of the best QBs in the SEC, racking up 121 yards rushing with 3 TDs on the ground and going 21/28 through the air for 248 yards and 2 more TDs. The kid is lighting it up as of late and he looks way more comfortable throwing the ball downfield. If Daniels continues to play at that level, and the LSU front seven keeps creating havoc for opponents, watch out.
The Waco Kid: I was the only one who picked LSU this past weekend and finally my hunches are starting to pay off. I still am somehow 3 games behind that turkey Bossman, but I’ll catch up by season's end. The Tigers, like myself, have finally hit their stride and that really pains me to say. I was hoping we would see a Brian Kelly implosion and the first disappointing season on the bayou in a while, but no such luck for the fans of any other West teams. Jayden Daniels has turned the corner and is making leaps toward being a very good SEC quarterback. Daniels was responsible for 5 TDs and 370 yards against a highly-ranked Ole Miss team that was supposed to be pretty good on defense. But like so many times before Lane Kiffin’s squad has begun to stumble and it starts on the defensive side of the ball. It has definitely never been his strong suit and this season is no different. While the Bayou Bengals are hitting their stride this could be a turning point for the Rebels in the opposite direction. They are looking down the barrel at A&M, Bama, Arkansas, and finally MSU. All of these games are ones they could potentially lose, the ceiling is still high for Mississippi but the floor keeps getting lower week to week.
Missouri 17 - Vanderbilt 14
Bossman: Two bad football teams clawing it out to see who is just a little less bad. Mizzou looked like they were going to run away with this one, owning the first half and taking a 17-0 lead into the locker room. Then the wheels fell off, Vanderbilt made adjustments and the Tigers didn’t score another point the entire second half as the Commodores mounted a comeback. Vandy scored on an insane jump-the-line strip-sack TD, and Mike Wright threw an 80-yard TD with 3:59 left in the game to get Vandy within three. The Commodores got their needed stop, but turned the ball over on downs on their final drive to let Mizzou escape with a win. Vandy is improving and Mizzou has regressed, but a win is a win for the Tigers.
The Hammer: I actually got this one right with Mizzou winning and Vandy covering, but that was pure luck because I predicted a 35-27 win, not the defensive battle we saw on Saturday. This game was ugly offensively with AJ Swann going 13/30 for 115 yards and an interception before being benched for Mike Wright, who looked a little better. For Mizzou, Eli Drinkwitz did a good job of getting Luther Burden the ball as the true freshman scored both Tiger touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing. The real story here was the defensive lines for both teams living in the backfield. Missouri had 10 QB hurries, 8 tackles for loss, and 1 sack on the day. Not to be outdone, Vandy recorded 11 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Neither offense had any rhythm but Mizzou found a way to win a slobber knocker at home. I’m not sure the performance inspired much hope in Columbia, but a win is a win.
The Waco Kid: This game lived up to its hype as boring and the battle of the worst. I mean 17-14 in college football is unheard of nowadays. It’s not like these are defensive juggernauts, they both were just horrible on offense. We can finally put this game behind us and not have to worry about watching anything of this proportion for the rest of 2022.
#6 Alabama 30 - #24 Mississippi State 6
Bossman: You never want to get Alabama after a loss. The Alabama defense put the clamps on Mississippi State, keeping them under 300 total yards and allowing just six points. Mississippi State had opportunities but couldn’t turn it into points. Alabama was able to strike quickly, with three straight touchdown drives of 3, 6, and 4 plays respectively. This one was over by halftime as Bama was up 24-0 and never let up, allowing the only points of the game on the final play. Solid win overall for the Tide, who get back on track and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Hammer: We’ve seen this movie before. Mississippi State cannot move the ball on offense against Alabama and we see the same thing every year. Bama just suffocates the air raid offense and it doesn't matter how good Will Rogers is, they can’t score on Alabama. However, the Bulldog defense held up their end of the bargain, only allowing Alabama 290 total yards. Mississippi State actually out gained Alabama, but the Bulldogs couldn't finish a drive to save their lives, going 7-22 on 3rd downs and 3-6 on 4th downs. Alabama’s only success on offense came from Bryce Young scrambling around and making throws downfield on broken plays. The Tide only ran for 29 yards on 27 carries. A dominant win on paper for Alabama, but the Bill O’Brien haters won’t be quieted after this one. Alabama’s offense continues to be below their standard and without Bryce Young taking matters into his own hands, it’s hard to imagine where this offense would be.
The Waco Kid: Bama did what was expected of them. They rebounded from a tough road loss at Tennessee to beat a Mississippi State team that by no means is a pushover in the West. MSU had been lighting up the scoreboard before these last two weeks and always have the chance to be unstoppable on offense when Will Rogers is taking snaps. But the Tide defense stifled Rogers and Leach’s potent offensive play and gave the Bulldogs loss number 3 of the season. Saban and squad really needed this win (which you don’t hear often) to boost morale and get back on the tracks toward Atlanta. Bryce Young looked impressive with 250 passing yards and two TDs. It wasn’t his best showing but a good one in a bounce-back game against a good defense. The Tide rolled into their bye week and has two weeks to prepare for an on-fire LSU team while MSU will get ready for their November 5th matchup against Auburn. Both should win their next games but it’s always a toss-up when it comes to conference competition in the West.
South Carolina 30 - Texas A&M 24
Bossman: Where to start. The question all week was, “what is the bigger story - Texas A&M losing or South Carolina winning if the Gamecocks can pull it off?” I’m in the camp of this is more disastrous for Texas A&M and the bigger story. With all the hype coming into this year, Texas A&M is currently imploding, and Saturday was just the latest chapter in that saga. All respect to South Carolina, who now sits at 5-2 and has a serious shot to best last year’s win total and keep the momentum going for Shane Beamer. The Gamecocks punched Texas A&M in the mouth from the opening kick, returning the opening kick for a 100-yard TD and going up 17-0 in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Looking at the box score, the Aggies beat South Carolina in nearly every statistical category, but they couldn’t move the chains on third down, had eight boneheaded penalties and the offense was yet again anemic. It’s gut-check time in College Station because this thing could quickly spiral into something even uglier than we’re currently witnessing.
The Hammer: Shane Beamer and South Carolina just find ways to win, man. They are well-coached, take advantage of what their opponents give them, and make plays on special teams. It’s really impressive the Gamecocks are 5-2 at this point in the season. Williams Bryce was absolutely rocking on Saturday night and undoubtedly had an impact on the game. Thanks to some truly pathetic play from A&M that included missed tackles on a kick return TD, a mistimed snap from the center that South Carolina recovered and an interception returned inside the 10-yard line, the Gamecocks jumped out to a 17-0 lead just 5 minutes into the game. South Carolina had 17 points and 19 total yards of offense at the time. And that was really the game. The Aggies battled back and got the game to 24-21 to start the 4th quarter but could never get a lead. They actually outgained South Carolina by over 100 yards but stil lost. Awful performance from A&M, but that’s what they are at this point. They are not a good team that makes backbreaking mistakes at terrible times, and their offense will never be able to bail them out in its current form. Big win for South Carolina and another crushing loss for Jimbo and Texas A&M.
The Waco Kid: Going into this game, I thought South Carolina may have the third or fourth worst team in the SEC. I now know they have the fifth or sixth because Texas A&M has fallen off their rocker. Jimbo is going crazy with his offensive play calling and leaving his young defensive talent out to dry by making them play ¾ths of every game while the offense is constantly resting and still ineffective. The Gamecocks have been on a roll lately, but still have Spencer Rattler starting at quarterback so they will undoubtedly lose more games throughout the year. The real concern for the SEC should be the Aggies. Usually closing the year in the middle of the pack while competing with the top, this year they seem destined to be at the bottom tier of the conference. And this is coming off of a #1 recruiting class just last spring. Speaking of which, three of those players got suspended after reportedly smoking the marijuana prior to their showdown with USC. It’s college, and everyone experiments with the wacky tobacky but c’mon don’t be stupid about it when eyes are already on you. Plus win some games and celebrate, no need to enjoy yourself with a season like they are having now. The maroon and white have the chance to turn it around with a win against Ole Miss this weekend but another loss could be detrimental to the program and attitudes in the locker room. SC has two easy weeks ahead where they face national powerhouses of suckage Mizzou and Vandy. Those will be some that I will not be tuning in for.