B&S Week 6 game-by-game recaps
Bama escapes, Kentucky falters, Arkansas is slipping. Storylines galore after week 6.
By: The Waco Kid, The Hammer, Bossman Slim
Will Anderson takes down Haynes King in the marquee matchup from the weekend. Photo via Touchdown Alabama
This is why we love the game, folks. Another fantastic Saturday of college football. We saw a few blowouts, but a few games were nail biters down to the very last seconds. Jimbo Fisher vs. Nick Saban II lived up to the hype and South Carolina pulled off a road win that got Shane Beamer to put the “stupid sunglasses” on.
The Waco Kid continues to bring up the rear this season, getting burned by picking Arkansas against the Pirate this weekend. Every member of the crew went 3-4 against the spread this weekend…which is an improvement, but still abysmal. That ain’t winning you money, folks.
Let’s dig into the recaps.
#8 Tennessee 40 - #25 LSU 13
Bossman Slim: ROCKY TOP TENNESSEEEEEEE! That song could be heard echoing throughout Death Valley as the Vols dismantled LSU on their home turf. This Tennessee team is for real, whether they wear the traditional orange or the smokey grays. It doesn’t matter, they’re coming to play. What a performance. The struggles continue on offense for LSU, but they also were torched on the defensive side of the ball. Bru McCoy is coming into his own in the absence of Cedric Tillman, posting 7 receptions for 140 yards. The Vols won this one with a balanced attack, posting two TDs through the air and two on the ground, with 239 yards passing and 263 on the ground. Jayden Daniels found some success through the air, passing for 300 yards, but much of that was too little too late. Tennessee hosts Alabama next week…what a showdown that will be. The Vols believe, especially after watching Bama struggle against Texas A&M. LSU gets another tough one next week heading to face Florida in the Swamp. Welcome to the SEC, Brian Kelly.
The Hammer: Whoa. Someone better check on Brian Kelly’s fahhhmuleee after that one. The Bayou Bengals got whooped for a full 60 minutes at home. That ain’t allowed down there. It’s Kelly’s first year, so no one panic but LSU isn't very good right now. The win over Mississippi State looks like more of an outlier each week. The Tigers still cannot run the ball at all, and Jayden Daniels is solid with his legs, but he continues to struggle throwing the football. Maybe its the porous offense line, but Daniels is not going through progressions right now. It seems to be one read and then try to run, and it’s not working. Meanwhile, Tennessee continues to impress. Hendon Hooker is so cool in the pocket and he just doesn't make mistakes. Bru McCoy and Jalin Hyatt continue to show out while Cedric Tillman is absent and it doesn't really look like the Vols have skipped a beat. Tennessee is a legitimate top 10 team in the country right now and Josh Heupel has done an incredible job there.
The Waco Kid: From the get go, Tennessee controlled every aspect of this game. The Vols started the game by recovering a muffed kick on the opening kickoff. After that, things never got better and it proved to be a long day for the Bayou Bengals. LSU couldn’t contain the backfield duo of Hooker and Small. Both scored a pair of touchdowns while combining for 366 total yards on offense. Rocky Top showed just how good they are and put all the doubters to bed with a convincing 40-13 win. The lone bright star for the Tigers was Jayden Daniels air attack. He was able to compile 300 yards passing even though that did not translate to points. This week the purple and geauxld take on Florida at the Swamp. Both teams are fighting to overcome mediocrity but this game will be one for the ages. Another cross division rivalry where sparks are always guaranteed to fly. While a battle ensues in Gator Country, Neyland Stadium will host the Alabama Crimson Tide in a top ten showdown that will surely distinguish imposter from contender. The slate is turning out to be a great one this Saturday.
#23 Mississippi State 40 - Arkansas 17
Bossman Slim: The Bulldogs are dang good. We talked about this in the Week 0 preview show with Steven Willis, but history shows that year 3 or 4 is when Mike Leach gets it going. We’re in year 3 under Leach in Starkville, and the Cadillac is primed and humming. Will Rogers is a weapon and is now the all time completions leader in the SEC, passing Aaron Murray. It wasn’t just Rogers though, the Bulldogs again used the run game to gash an opponent, posting 173 yards and three TDs on the ground between Dillon Johnson and Jo’quavious Marks. This is an extremely dangerous team. Arkansas on the other hand is reeling. They need KJ Jefferson back in the worst way (it looks like he will play next week against BYU). Malik Hornsby showed flashes and is a threat with his legs and posted a decent stat line through the air, but two costly turnovers hurt the Razorbacks. BYU is no slouch, and the Hogs will have to get up for an odd road game next week to ensure the season doesn’t spiral. State heads to #22 Kentucky next week for a night game in Lexington. Whether or not Will Levis plays in that game looms large.
The Hammer: It’s hard to know what Arkansas could have done offensively if KJ Jefferson had played, but the reality is he didn’t play. And Arkansas got worked. Not to dive into that hypothetical even more, but I don't see the Hogs score more than 40 points on the road in Starkville, Jefferson or no Jefferson. The issue is the Arkansas defense. They stink, and I’m not sure where they turn to improve. The Arkansas hype train is officially off the rails as they are now 3-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play. Woof. The Arkansas hype train might be off the rails, but the Mississippi State hype train is back on schedule and gaining steam week by week. They’ve beaten SEC west opponents soundly in back to back weeks. Cowboy Will Rogers is ballin and the Bulldog defense is really good. Keep an eye on that State rushing attack as well. They ran for 173 against Arkansas and 144 against A&M the week prior. If that trend continues, it's going to be hard to stop the Bulldog offense. I think we already know that Mississippi State is good, but we’re about to find out just how good they are. The Bulldogs next four games are: at Kentucky, at Alabama, and then home against Auburn and Georgia.
The Waco Kid: I would say Arkansas let me down but in all reality it was just KJ Jefferson. Because the quarterback’s game status was unknown, I put my faith in the fact he would play and make this a full on shoot out. As we know, Jefferson did not play and his absence took a toll on the Razorbacks. Not only were the piggies not able to control the time of possession, they also had a hard time with turnovers. Backup Malik Hornsby put up some decent stats through the air but the one that stood out most was the two interceptions he threw. In a high scoring game the turnover margin is usually the deciding factor and AU was on the wrong end throughout this contest. We can’t only acknowledge Arkansas’ short comings but must continue to talk about Will Rogers and what he is doing at State. He threw for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns! When is this guy going to get some Heisman traction? He quietly screwed around and broke the SEC completion record last game. He has thrown for 2,100 yards and 22 TDs while only having three balls picked off and we are only 6 games into the season. The sheer thought of him passing has defensive coordinators dropping 8 and having three down lineman. Which in turn has opened up the Bulldogs ground game. This is a true Mike Leach offense and does not seem to be slowing any time soon.
Florida 24 - Missouri 17
Bossman Slim: Mizzou is making a habit of losing heartbreaking close games. The Tigers have obviously improved since they were thrashed by Kansas State a few weeks ago, but it hasn’t shown up in the win column. The Tigers were driving late with a chance to tie it but Brady Cook threw an interception to Jaydon Hill that sealed the game for the Gators. A pick-six for Jaydon Hill early in the game also hurt the Tigers chances and ultimately sealed their fate. Florida ran the ball well on Mizzou, spreading the ball out between their stable of three RBs and Anthony Richardson, posting 231 yards and a TD, but much was left to be desired in the passing game. Richardson still has a long way to go in that aspect of the game. Florida hosts LSU next week for a night game in The Swamp…which is always fun. Mizzou has a bye then hosts Vanderbilt. Don’t sleep on the Commodores in that one.
The Hammer: Alright, I gave the Gators the benefit of the doubt heading into this one but that ends now. Anthony Richardson and the Florida offense is not good. We’ve seen flashes, but that’s all we’ve seen and the reality is starting to sink in that the offense is what it is: inconsistent. Anthony Richardson had 66 yards passing. Not a typo, 66. Completely unacceptable and is not the kind of performance that’s going to win many games. The Gators ran the ball pretty well (231 yards on 32 attempts) so they escaped with a win here, but it’s not the kind of win that inspires much confidence. Meanwhile, Mizzou loses their third straight heartbreaking, one score game. Missouri is now 0-3 in SEC play and has lost those three games by a combined 14 points. Basically, Missouri is the new Nebraska. They play hard, compete well but always come up just short. Drinkwitz has got to find a way to start winning these close games, otherwise he could be playing Scott Frost on the golf course instead of the gridiron shortly.
The Waco Kid: The Gators did nothing to impress in this game. They won, like expected, but did so with another sloppy game from quarterback Anthony Richardson. Right now, Florida only has the run game to lean on and as productive as it may be, teams will start to stack the box and dare Richardson to complete passes on their secondary. It could be a long back end stretch for the Gainesville boys. This week they host LSU at the Swamp and it should be a rowdy game, filled with beer flowing and fans fighting. A true SEC environment, one of hostility and hatred for the other team. I can't wait.
#2 Georgia 42 - Auburn 10
Bossman Slim: As I expected, Georgia gets back on track. I nearly picked the score in this one, going UGA 42 - Auburn 17. Robby Ashford is extremely inconsistent. He showed some flashes, but overall it was not enough to come even close to giving the Dawgs a scare. This one was 0-0 after a quarter, and then Georgia turned on the jets. Stetson Bennet played a decent game through the air, but posted a 64 yard TD straight up the gut where he ran for his life but went untouched. That was one of Georgia’s SIX rushing TDs on the day, spread out over four players. Daijun Edwards posted three of those and went for 83 yards. Georgia is back on track…and Auburn shows just how far away from the tracks they are. They aren’t even at the train station. Georgia will roll Vandy next week at home to cruise into the bye. Auburn heads to Ole Miss, tied up on the tracks to get run over by the Lane Train.
The Hammer: I’m writing this on a Monday and Bryan Harsin is still Auburn’s coach. When he gets fired, remains to be seen, but I did say when. This program is in disarray right now and while most of that is due to people outside the program meddling with Harsin and the athletic department, the team isn't holding up their end of the bargain either. Auburn stinks right now. They have no offense and their defense has several talented guys, but as a unit they leave a lot to be desired. Robby Ashford went 13/38 on Saturday against Georgia. That’s all you need to know about the state of Auburn’s offense. As expected (I picked this one to be 35-10 UGA), Georgia took care of business here after sleep walking through the last two games against Kent State and Missouri. The offense got back on track for the most part, and Stetson Bennet even showed off his wheels with a 64 yard touchdown run right through the heart of the Tiger defense. I still remain confident that Georgia will be in Atlanta in December representing the SEC East.
The Waco Kid: The only shocker to come out of this game is that Bryan Harsin still has a job. I guess when you set the bar low, losing to Georgia by 32 does not seem all that bad. That is today’s life lesson, make sure you set mediocre expectations because then you can never truly fail. The Dawgs came out and played smash mouth football, just the way they like. Kirby lined his guys up and dared Auburn’s defense to go head to head with that big o line and stable of horses in the backfield. 4 backs scored rushing the ball including Stetson Bennett. UGA reestablished their grit and showed just how tough they can be when they decide to play.
#9 Ole Miss 52 - Vanderbilt 28
Bossman Slim: Rebs, you can take a deep breath. After Vandy led 20-17 at the half, Ole Miss made adjustments at halftime and posted 35 points in the second half to smoke the Commodores. I thought this was the game to get Jaxson Dart comfortable in the passing game, and ultimately, it was. Dart threw for 448 yards and three TDs, but he needs to clean up those INTs (2). The running game for the Rebs is ol’ reliable, as Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins rushed for a combined 126 yards and 3 TDs. Vanderbilt showed some fight early in this game, but Clark Lea just doesn’t have the horses yet to keep up with a team like Ole Miss for 4 quarters. Vandy heads to Athens next week for a reckoning while Ole Miss hosts a reeling Auburn squad.
The Hammer: There were alot of sweaty palms in Oxford, MS after how this game started. Vanderbilt led 20-10 with 90 seconds left in the first half. Then, Ole Miss woke up and scored 5 straight touchdowns, making it 45-20 and completely shutting down any hope for an upset. Jaxson Dart finally cut loose downfield and finished with 448 yards, 3 TDs and two interceptions on 25/32 attempts. Sure the interceptions need to be cleaned up, but the accuracy and downfield attack was there Saturday. AJ Swann did some nice things for Vandy but it was the Commodores defense that really let this game get away. Ole Miss is rolling right now and has a very good shot of being 8-0 heading into a road game against A&M and then 9-0 going up against Bama if they can win at Kyle Field. The Rebels are legit and have the potential to beat every team they face.
The Waco Kid: Lane Kiffin must have been crapping a brick at halftime. Down 20-17 against Vandy is never how you want the first half of a football game to go, especially when you are coaching the #8 team in the nation. The Rebs ended up pulling away by game end but not without a bit of a wake up call. As far as the rest of the country, follow the Commodores game plan on defense and as long as you have the athletes you should be able to slow down Ole Miss. Mississippi has holes and they were finally exposed. I fully expect them to come out and give it to Auburn next week, but after this shot to their ego and Harsin’s seat being set ablaze, it could be the perfect storm for a West upset.
South Carolina 24 - #13 Kentucky 14
Bossman Slim: Turn your swag onnnnn Gamecocks. South Carolina got a much needed win over 13th-ranked Kentucky. Kaiya Sheron threw for two touchdowns and showed some skill, but South Caroilne was too much in this one. Spencer Rattler finally put one together, going 14/19 for 177 yards and a TD (though he did throw a patented INT). The Gamecocks rushing attack finally came to life, gashing the Wildcat front for 179 yards and two TDs. Chris Rodriguez was back with a vengeance but couldn’t find pay dirt, averaging 5.7 YPC with 126 yards on the ground but no TDs. Just as Arkansas needs KJ Jefferson back in the worst way, Kentucky needs Will Levis back. South Carolina gets a bye week before hosting Texas A&M in a night game in Williams Brice, while Kentucky has to forget about this one quick as they take on a red-hot Mississippi State squad.
The Hammer: Man, I did not see this coming. I thought Kentucky would look better than this even without Will Levis. It was a night game in Lexington and South Carolina came out swinging and the Wildcats could never recover. Chris Rodriguez was about the only thing working for Kentucky on offense, but his 126 yards weren;t nearly enough. C-Rod also fumbled on the first play of the game and set the Gamecocks up at the 2 yard line where they ran it in for a touchdown on the next play. From there, the Gamecock never looked back. South Carolina finally was able to run the ball, mostly thanks to MarShawn Lloyd who carried the rock 22 times for 110 yards and one TD. Good on South Carolina for going on the road and winning this one with relative ease. Shane Beamer got the last laugh here. What looked like a really promising season for Kentucky has taken a quick turn after two straight losses, and the Wildcats play Mississippi State and Tennessee the next two weeks. Life comes at your fast.
The Waco Kid: As sure as the day is long and the night longer, another inevitability looms around college gameday. Spencer Rattler will turn the ball over. Not only did he once again throw an interception, he also added a fumble that was recovered by Kentucky. Rattler did the impossible and left his turnover to touchdown ratio even worse than it was prior to kickoff. But enough about the ineptitude of a high school hero, at the end of the day the Cocks did get the win over a ranked Kentucky team. Yes, the Wildcats were without stud QB Will Levis but this team still should have beat the life out of South Carolina. Give credit to Shane Beamer and his game plan, he knew what to prepare for and did it to a T. USC finally got its first win in the SEC for the year and will look to ride that momentum past the bye week into their game against A&M. They have no chance of winning but a moral victory could help them finish out the season with two more wins against Mizzou and Vandy. Kentucky can go and sit in the corner with the cone of shame on. You can’t lose to a team that bad and just get over it. Unfortunately for the Lexington felines, the difficulty in schedule only increases over the next few weeks. They are looking at Mississippi State, Tennessee, Georgia and in state rival Louisville before all is said and done. They could win two in that stretch but my money is on zero to one. The return of Levis will help improve morale and effectiveness but the road left untraveled is a treacherous one.
#1 Alabama 24 - Texas A&M 20
Bossman Slim: This one is starting to feel like a real rivalry. Now all that needs to happen is Texas A&M playing well early in the season so that this is a top 5 matchup. For all the talk about Jimbo Fisher and this A&M program, what is Jimbo’s buyout, all that noise…the Aggies showed up on Saturday. That defense is mean and can play at a championship level. The offense is still sputtering but showed much improvement against the Tide. Haynes King threw for 353 yards and 2 TDs but threw a costly interception before halftime that gifted Alabama 3 points. Aggies will think about “the night they almost caught the Tide” for a long time. Win the turnover battle by three, Bama misses two field goals, you drop two gimme interceptions and you were STILL two yards away from beating the #1 team in the country in their house…and then you called that play. As for Alabama, Jalen Milroe can run, but he needs to get better through the air. Alabama did just enough to survive in this one and they need Bryce Young back asap. The Aggies get a bye week before heading to South Carolina while Alabama must get up for another huge game against Tennessee on Saturday.
The Hammer: Another memorable game between these two teams. Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban had quite the offseason feud, and Saban was undoubtedly looking for blood. His team didn't play like it though as A&M took the fight to Bama. Jalen Milroe was flustered by a talented A&M defense who was in his grill all night. The Aggies had forced 4 total turnovers and had 4 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Milroe himself turned the ball over three times, greatly aiding a reeling A&M offense. Typically trustworthy Bama kicker Will Reichard also missed two field goals in this one. Thankfully for Alabama, the mistakes weren’t just on their side. Haynes King threw a brutal interception late in the 2nd quarter that led directly to an Alabama field goal just before halftime, which would prove to be HUGE later in the game when A&M had the ball on the 2 yard line needing a TD rather than FG to win. Both teams made mistakes and had chances to win this game, but at the end of the game, Alabama had more points on the scoreboard and escaped with a win without their Heisman winning QB Bryce Young. A&M deserves a ton of credit, especially on defense for keeping this game close, and Alabama deserves a ton of credit for getting out with a win.
The Waco Kid: Well this was a lot closer than expected. I thought I was being generous predicting a ten point spread, little did I know it would come down to 4 points and one play. One horrendously called and executed play. I get it, simplify and don’t overthink because it’s just one play, backyard style. But when you are playing King Saban, the master of perfecting the basics and simplicity, don’t outsmart/outdumb yourself. As quoted in the blindside, Alabama showed their inexperience with backup quarterback Jalen Milroe having to fill the elephant sized shoes of Bryce Young. He turned the ball over and made mental mistakes that would not have happened with a healthy Tide team. On the flip side, Texas A&M’s young defensive front and secondary proved they are the real deal. Give them some time to progress and they may become the nastiest defense in all of college football. Freshman receivers Chris Marshall and Evan Stewart also stepped up, and outside of some drops, looked like seasoned veterans. Haynes King even had a pretty darn good game compared to what we are used to seeing out of him. He made the throws he was asked and was impressive through the air, but read option plays are still at a second grade reading level. There is definitely room to grow but regardless of who played and who didn’t, if you can take #1 down to the wire, you have some blocks to build upon.