Ranking the SEC Week 1

[Wild Turkey]

This is based only what happened on the field and who the teams played the first week. Pre-season hype and potential were not considered:

1. Georgia - Impressive win Gurly maybe the best player in the country and the defense held Clemson to 15 yards in the 2nd half. Hard to argue they didn't have the best performance week 1.

2. Texas A&M - We all thought the would take a step back but they look just as strong as last year and the SEC overall is probably down a bit from last year so that gives the Aggies a lot to play for.

3. LSU - I have big concerns if they can iron out their problems but they beat the number 13 team at a neutral site and overcame a huge deficit to do it.

4. Auburn - 1st half defense was suspect and I'm not convinced Nick Marshall has proven he is a better passer than last year but they were impressive the 2nd half even if they were playing Arkansas.

5. Alabama - Offensively I'm not sure the Bammers should be complaining much they put like 530 yards of offense and were balanced doing it (note this was against a middle of the pack Big 12 team though). Alabama problems were on special team coverages and defense which is not typical of a Nick Saban team.

6. Tennessee - Give the Vols credit they put up their best game performance in probably a decade so I'm giving them a bump.

7. Mississippi State - The opponent was bad but they performed at a high level and both their offensive and defensive lines are big and impressive.

8. Ole Miss - Tale of two halfs this football team rest on how Bo Wallace does and that would scare me if I was an Ole Miss fan.

9. Missouri - They took care of busy but looked suspect to me not sure they could compete well in the West but the East is dismal this year.

10. Arkansas - Their offensive line and running backs are impressive but will it be enough to win to some games? Time will tell.

11. Kentucky - They looked good in their opener so I'm giving them a bump but don't expect they will have staying power.

12. South Carolina - This is not the team I expected and have no idea what they will do this season.

13. Florida - They really didn't get to play so that drastically affected their ranking, which really should be by the thread criteria 14, but Vandy got smeared by Temple and that is unacceptable.

14. Vandy - Will they win a game this year?

 

[Codaxx]

It is a bit early for this. I do wonder if LSU wins that game if Wisconsin doesnt lose their NG and DE in the second half.

 

[ckhokie]

I'd probably throw Auburn above LSU and possibly A&M, but it's hard to argue with the rest, considering we're only 1 game into the season

 

[Wild Turkey]

I based it only of week 1 play so this thing will flip and flop as the season progresses.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

No complaints. We all know things won't stay like this, but based on that first week, it's spot-on.

 

[Bamabino]

Looks like 10 skrong to me.

 

[4down20]

Alabama defense performed better than the Alabama offense, so I completely disagree with your assessment of Alabama.

Alabama defense this year is going to be extremely tough. Or Offense is not good enough to win the SEC as is, but our defense may bail us out.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Alabama defense performed better than the Alabama offense, so I completely disagree with your assessment of Alabama.

Alabama defense this year is going to be extremely tough. Or Offense is not good enough to win the SEC as is, but our defense may bail us out.

I was limited in what I could watch since the game was on at the same time as Auburn so I was leaning on stats and articles that I have read on the game. That being the case I can't argue one way or the other but from little I could follow it seemed WV moved the ball very well on Alabama.

On paper 538 offensive yards almost split down the middle and 33 points scored seems like a decent offensive outing. Having WV score 23 on your defense is kinda shocking in that I don't remember Alabama giving up those kind of point is an OCC game in a while. However 7 of them can be attributed to special teams.

 

[iowajerms]

No complaints. We all know things won't stay like this, but based on that first week, it's spot-on.

 

[Clayton]

1. Georiga
2. A&M
3. Alabama
Everyone else
14. Vandy

 

[Codaxx]

I was limited in what I could watch since the game was on at the same time as Auburn so I was leaning on stats and articles that I have read on the game. That being the case I can't argue one way or the other but from little I could follow it seemed WV moved the ball very well on Alabama.

On paper 538 offensive yards almost split down the middle and 33 points scored seems like a decent offensive outing. Having WV score 23 on your defense is kinda shocking in that I don't remember Alabama giving up those kind of point is an OCC game in a while. However 7 of them can be attributed to special teams.

-
It wasnt good defense. Saban was complainign they were having issues lining up and executing their stunts in first half. WV had over 200 yards in the first half. 2 drives of 75 yards. 2 drives of over 30 yards. Gave up almost 400 yards of offense. That is vs a very average QB in Trickett. Defense may turn out fine, but there was a lot to make people nervous about the defense in that game.

 

[4down20]

I was limited in what I could watch since the game was on at the same time as Auburn so I was leaning on stats and articles that I have read on the game. That being the case I can't argue one way or the other but from little I could follow it seemed WV moved the ball very well on Alabama.

On paper 538 offensive yards almost split down the middle and 33 points scored seems like a decent offensive outing. Having WV score 23 on your defense is kinda shocking in that I don't remember Alabama giving up those kind of point is an OCC game in a while. However 7 of them can be attributed to special teams.

Oh, it would appear at first glance that offense did well and the defense didn't. But looking further into the stats and such prints an entirely different picture.

First you have to take into account it was WVU who is generally going to be more of an offensive powerhouse and crappy on defense. If that changes this year we'll see, but lately that hasn't at all been the case. It as also a spread team running the HUNH.

The defense only gave up 16 pts, not 23. The other 7 points was a kickoff return for a TD. That is only 1 TD and 3 FG that the Alabama defense gave up.

Of the yards the defense gave up, almost all of them were passing yards. And nearly half of the yards - including the TD, were all basically a mismatch at CB and Slyve gave them all up. And that is not counting the screen passes he didn't make the tackle on either by not being able to shed a block in time. So really, the actual weakness we had in the game defensively can be attributed to the 1 person. Who is a backup that was starting as Eddie Jackson wasn't playing(apparently cleared to play now).

So yeah, in the game it felt terrible and like the defense wasn't doing well. But when you take a look at things beyond how it felt, a different picture emerges. CB may still be an issue for us, but the rest of the D is stacked and I am sure CB will improve as the year goes on. This was also against an offensive natured team.

On the flip side, the Offense is said to look good, but then you have to figure this was a terrible defense we just played against. Sims can't hit the deep ball, he is not a deep threat at all. The one pass C.Jones dropped at the goalline on a deep ball - what made the drop so bad is that he had to stop and wait quite awhile for the ball to get there. Sims exceeded my expectations, no doubt about that. But I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who doesn't trust him to make middle to long throws when needed. Many of his yards came after catch, and he had the benefit of a terrible defense trying to stop the run giving up over 200 yards rushing.

It's not going to cut it against SEC defenses.

So, giving up 1 TD and 3 FG to a HUNH spread team isn't really as bad as it seems, but only scoring 30 against what is likely a horrific defense is worse than it seems.

I believe the next few weeks will make these things more apparent.

 

[Wild Turkey]

I may skip week two there really isn't a decent game on the slate:

Saturday, Sept. 6
Florida Atlantic at Alabama, noon, SEC Network
Missouri at Toledo, noon, ABC/ESPN
Arkansas State at Tennessee, noon, SEC Network
UAB at Mississippi State, 2 p.m., ESPN3
Ohio at Kentucky, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
Nichols State at Arkansas, 4 p.m., SEC Network
Eastern Michigan at Florida, 4 p.m., SEC Network
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
San Jose State at Auburn, 7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
East Carolina at South Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Sam Houston at LSU, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network
Lamar at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

Ole Miss should kill Vandy so that is hardly watchable.
If Miss State doesn't crush UAB their stock will drop big time.
East Carolina vs South Carolina might be interesting now if USC loses that game let the meltdown begin.

Looks like I am headed to the Birmingham Art Walk on Saturday with the wife because I have zero excuse to stay home.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Alabama defense performed better than the Alabama offense, so I completely disagree with your assessment of Alabama.

Alabama defense this year is going to be extremely tough. Or Offense is not good enough to win the SEC as is, but our defense may bail us out.

I keep reading Tweets and comments talking about the problems in Alabama's secondary are you sure in your defensive assessment? I honestly have no clue but what I'm reading and what you posted don't seem to match up.

 

[Rolltide94]

I keep reading Tweets and comments talking about the problems in Alabama's secondary are you sure in your defensive assessment? I honestly have no clue but what I'm reading and what you posted don't seem to match up.

Going to have to go with 4down on this too. I just watched it again on the dvr to remove my emotional response and his assessment is pretty spot on. Although even with Eddie back I think we are vulnerable in one on one coverage to the outside, overall I am excited about our defense. DL play , looks improved and our backers and safeties could be special, can't wait for Foster to get a full time gig at LB.

Sims is not giving me the warm fuzzies, his decision making was passable, but his skill set is weak...he throws the deep ball like a running back... Better defensive teams than WVU will eat his lunch. That being said, we've won SEC and National Championships with worse play at QB.

 

[Rolltide94]

I may skip week two there really isn't a decent game on the slate:

East Carolina vs South Carolina might be interesting now if USC loses that game let the meltdown begin.

Looks like I am headed to the Birmingham Art Walk on Saturday with the wife because I have zero excuse to stay home.

Sadly East Carolina vs South Carolina is the only one worth watching. I'll watch Bama too, just because it's Bama, but the rest of this should have been swapped for some of the week 1 games.

Thankfully some of the other teams around the country that were playing shit teams last week are playing decent teams this week, so there will be something to watch.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

It is a bit early for this. I do wonder if LSU wins that game if Wisconsin doesnt lose their NG and DE in the second half.

And RB.

 

[taka85]

who cares? lsu won. if wisconsin doesn't have any depth, that seems like a wisconsin problem... not an lsu problem.

 

[Codaxx]

Going to have to go with 4down on this too. I just watched it again on the dvr to remove my emotional response and his assessment is pretty spot on. Although even with Eddie back I think we are vulnerable in one on one coverage to the outside, overall I am excited about our defense. DL play , looks improved and our backers and safeties could be special, can't wait for Foster to get a full time gig at LB.

Sims is not giving me the warm fuzzies, his decision making was passable, but his skill set is weak...he throws the deep ball like a running back... Better defensive teams than WVU will eat his lunch. That being said, we've won SEC and National Championships with worse play at QB.

You all realize that WV had one of the worst OLs in the Big 12 last year. They finished 113 in adjusted line yards and 63rd in sack rate. Keep in mind WVU throws a lot of short passes, so that is really bad. They also lost 3 starters from last year. Seems highly unlikely that was even an average OL that Bama faced.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Sadly East Carolina vs South Carolina is the only one worth watching. I'll watch Bama too, just because it's Bama, but the rest of this should have been swapped for some of the week 1 games.

Thankfully some of the other teams around the country that were playing shit teams last week are playing decent teams this week, so there will be something to watch.

I think they monkeyed with the schedule to give the SEC Network a big launch and put pressure on the carriers to commit before week one. If the week 2 schedule had been in week 1 I'm not so sure the carriers don't hold out longer.

Regardless it worked.